At this weeks’ meeting, Club Service director Jim asked us to give some thought to the role and purpose of guest speakers at our meetings. Why do we invite them? How often do we invite them? What recognition should we give them? Should we try to keep up their involvement with our club afterwards, and if so, how? etc.
A number of thoughtful responses were put forward on this topic for consideration for the structure of future meetings. We all have different needs and thoughts about what we want to get from them, and so our thanks go to Jim for this timely survey in an effort to make our meetings engaging, interesting and informative for all.
FoodShare: The festive season is fast approaching, and, as in previous years, we have been asked if a number of members could assist FoodShare staff to collect and distribute foodstuffs to various sites around Bendigo at this time. Liz Commadeur is in the process of collating the information on what we need to do, and when. This will be sent out to members as soon as possible, so a roster can be set up. It’s an undemanding, but important task, as our participation helps to give the “permanent” volunteers a break over the late December/early January period.
Our Christmas breakup lunch was held on Sunday at the Old Boundary Hotel. Around 40 or so members and their partners ensured that lots of laughs and lively conversations were the order of the day. Surprise, and most welcome, visitors were the King and Queen of Geelong, aka Bruce and Sally Fraser, and the King and Queen of Lake Boga, aka Maurice and Pauline Woodburn. Maurice and Pauline also brought along their young grandson, William, who is a very active and very good Chinese lion dancer, who lives in Melbourne. William had mobile phone footage of some of his groups’ exploits in recent times, and some of their dancing was breathtaking in its acrobatics. A future for William in Bendigo each Easter beckons for William, if he is interested, we think … A big thankyou to Judy Miatke for organising the event.
Next week, at the club forum, we will be presenting the Strategic Plan decided upon as a result of the recent seminar, to guide the short and medium term future of our club. We hope that as many members as possible will be able to attend as we outline what we want to do, and the steps we will take in terms of a timeline.
Good news – last week, a previous incoming Rotary Exchange student, Kat Souzas and her husband Marcos, welcomed a baby boy, Ezra, their second child, into their family. Kat (maiden name Katharina Bekemeier) originally came from Germany and liked Bendigo so much she eventually came back here with Marcos to live!
At our Christmas breakup last year at the Marong Family Hotel, Kat and Marcos brought baby Zoe along, so maybe at next years’ function, we will see all four of them. Congratulations Kat and Marcos on this very happy occasion for you,
your families and friends.
- Co-Presidents Ray and Adrian.
