Gerard House and I represented our club in a sombre, large congregation at the Memorial Service for Robert Plowman, Friday, at Croydon Hills. “Never judge a book by its cover” haunted me after his two fine sons delivered eulogies. Lessons learned. Pensive is the mood.

Martin Leach, honorary treasurer for FoodShare Bendigo taunted us Wednesday, to ponder “food insecurity” and the very nature of our country. We are all sensitive to the welfare spectrum, from entitled demanding welfare adult “professionals”, to impotent children, their diets; the absence of meal times socialisation in their lives; and their ignorance of food sources and preparation all well hidden.

Action: We can exhort the Goldfields Clusters to all pitch in for one “push” for FoodShare Bendigo, perhaps in May 2018, instead of March. And, our Youth Services Team have agreed to discuss, again, breakfast club five mornings a week for Weeroona College students.

ChangeOver Season is in full swing. Historical experience suggests, “Get to as many as you can.”

“It's good to see how other clubs operate”. I'm looking forward to ours at The Metropolitan.

Next party’s at Big Hill Winery. (Many years ago my uncle Pat offered that plot of land to his son, my cousin Kevin, and he knocked back the offer. “Miserable land for potatoes and fine wool sheep … “)

Who, who in Rotary thought of changing administration every twelve months? It certainly was not one of the four who met that cold Winter’s night in Chicago in 1905. As I said to a meeting of community volunteer groups in Bendigo recently, discussing length of tenure for board positions:

Rotary’s been changing annually for years, and we've not yet worked out yet, whether it's a good idea or not. Thank goodness all our board members continue to offer their generosity into 2017/18.

“If you're winning, don't change it” is a corporate consideration.

Reclink Wednesday was sheer fun. Attendant to tradition the game at Cal Gully Oval was declared over when the all in spectacular brawl erupted.

All calm over sausage and drink once those pent up emotions were vented.

Bruce Fraser demonstrated his French cuisine skills presenting: “Les saucisses flambé”.

I approached one of the volunteers requesting a guest speaker to explain in detail, the whole Reclink system, including proposing a model for support from RcoBS, (board paper), one Wednesday.

Thank you to Doug Lougoon for raising his hand to assist coordinate the Goldfields Clusters Hat Day October for Australian Rotary Health.

On a positive note, I've contacted a very special lady who had told me: “ Rotary saved my life”.

She's agreed to visit us as a guest speaker, and I'm inviting other special guests.

Did you feel cold today, Sunday?  Tassie standard multi layers, scarf and gloves at the dog off leash park, and my fingers were still cold. Thar’s snow on them thar Hills !!!