Co-presidents report, 16 April 2025
Our meeting this week revolved around discussion and current information for members around two main areas of importance for our club.
Firstly, there was a report by Cathie Miller, Stewart Annan and Geoff Michell on progress made to date with the development of our Strategic Plan for the structure and future of the club. We are still in information-gathering mode in a number of areas and are on track to start the next cycle of its development.
Secondly, Market Coordinator Colleen, and Ted, gave us an overview of our involvement and duties for both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It’s a busy weekend for us - both are big days, particularly on Friday, when, in addition to our market, we operate our barbeque in Easter Fair Way. Our Easter activities are a two-day, very public commitment by us, and a big demonstration to outsiders of what our club is capable of achieving. Dealing with the requirements of the City of Greater Bendigo, stallholder needs and issues in the run up to, and on the 2 days, is a monumental task, and we can’t thank Colleen, Ted and the members of the markets and fundraising committees enough for what they do each year to bring about this very successful, much-loved event.
After the meeting, Doug, Cathie, Ray and Adrian met with Daniel Robinson, CEO of Pepper Green Farm, to discuss the relationship between his organisation, Wise Employment, and our club at the moment and how it may develop into the future.
Daniel is keen to attend our meetings to get a better understanding of our club, and like us, to explore possibilities of future mutual benefit beyond our current relationship. We look forward to meeting Daniel at our club soon, and to hear more about his organisation and its future aims and objectives.
We received an update from Australian Rotary Health about its Indigenous Health Scholarship program. The student we support is Alison Hammond. She studies oral health science here at La Trobe University. We look forward to a possible presentation by Alison to find out what this scholarship has done for her at this point, at her hopes for her future career path.
FOOTNOTE: As this is written on Saturday, we have a report on yesterdays’ market and barbeque. This is not meant to pre-empt further information from either the Markets Committee or the Fundraising Committee. However, it would be safe to say that the market was an unqualified success! Huge crowds, fine weather, and very
good sales recorded by the great majority of the stallholders, would be an accurate summation of the day. Our barbeque was busy all day, as usual punctuated by plenty of good humour and the fellowship of our members.
There’s usually a few good stories to come out of a day like this, so we will bring them to the fore at our next meeting. An immediate one is to acknowledge the great assistance at the barbeque by Michelle, Rob’s former work colleague, and two young students we sponsored for the National Youth Science Forum that was held in Brisbane and Canberra earlier this year, as well as a young participant in the police Blue Light One on One program. All appeared to enjoy the day, and their help was very much appreciated by us.
At the end of the day, many stallholders gratefully remarked on the superb organisation and helpfulness afforded them by our members. A lot intend to front up again on Easter Sunday, and it would seem that virtually all were keen to be part of our markets again next year.
Just a reminder that there is no club meeting on 23 April, instead, we look forward to seeing you at our Anzac Day gunfire breakfast barbeque next week.
Co-presidents Adrian and Ray
