Happenings at last week’s Meeting
President Mike began the Meeting with the Toast and Invocation and pointed out that we had no Guests this week, either personal or Rotary. We also didn’t have a Guest Speaker, so the Meeting was going to be a bit streamlined.
The President handed the Meeting to Tony, as Chair, and Tony handed it straight back to him for the President Report. (streamlined Meeting? Ed).
The President Report started with the list of Birthdays and Anniversaries and then moved on to thanks to those who attended the Social Meeting and made it such a success. Mick also thanked Joseph for organising the venue which everyone enjoyed. Next, stated that he had received a call from the Mt Eliza Rotary President regarding the funding of an Interplast Doctor from Tonga coming to Australia for further training. This was a Cluster initiative and our Club had contributed $1000.
The President then asked Harry to say a few words about Interplast in Tonga, as he has long been associated with this initiative. Harry pointed out that the clinic that had been set up in Tonga was doing well. This clinic had been established with Rotary’s help but we were not involved in the creation of the new Hospital which is a major step in care in Tonga.
The Chair now called for the Secretary/Treasurers Report.
Mark announced:
- The Market had made a gross profit this month of $3253, which certainly justifies our changing the date to Easter Saturday;
- The Board Meeting has been postponed to Tuesday 16th;
- As the Handover Night is on the 26th June, Directors Reports will be required by the end of May, at the latest;
- Tony will be Acting Treasurer in May as Mark will be overseas;
- As announced in an e-mail, the Rotary Community Group (5) leader will be Peter Rawlings;
- The Club now have Debit Cards;
- So as to accommodate the schedule of our next Guest Speaker, the next Meeting (17th) will be a Standard Meeting and the following week (24th) will be a Committee Meeting; and
- After much searching, our By-laws have been reviewed by a member of the legal profession. The process thus moves a step forward.
The Chair called for Directors Reports.
Lyn announced that she had received a nice letter from Holly Ashbee of the Red Hill Consolidated School thanking us for her scholarship and expressing her parents’ thanks.
Chris now gave his Market Report. This revolved around a revue of the Market future compiled by Amber. Her suggestions were:
- That the Market should close for the Winter months;
- It should be re-branded so as to point out that it is a special Market. This would involve not just a possible renaming but also some re-sorting of our stallholders; and
- Re-evaluate our signage and it’s positioning.
Chris pointed out that the Market Committee would like to propose to the Members that we close the Market for winter, depending on the response from the Shire. A show of hands indicated unanimous acceptance.
If we close for winter, then the Spring re-opening will have to be a big event. Interest will be generated with the stallholders via a new Facebook page. (Oh goody. I’ll have to learn my way around Facebook, something I’ve studiously avoided. Ed)
No Lotto or Fines this week because all our “utensils” have gone missing this week.
Mick finished up with a joke and the Meeting ended at 8:10.
From the Archives – Thanks to Harry
Circa 1993
DEFINITION OF ROTARY
How do you describe the organisation called “Rotary”? There are so many characteristics of Rotary clubs as well as the activities of a million Rotarians. There are the features of service, international fellowship, classifications of each vocation, development of goodwill and world understanding, the emphasis of high ethical standards, concern for other people and many more descriptive qualities.
In 1976 the Rotary International Board of Directors was interested in creating a concise definition of the fundamental aspects of Rotary. They turned to the three men who were then serving on Rotary’s Public Relations Committee and requested that a one sentence definition of Rotary be prepared. After numerous drafts, the committee presented this definition, which has been used ever since in various Rotary publications:
“Rotary is an organisation of business and professional persons united world-wide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world”.
Thos 31 words are worth remembering when someone asks, “WHAT IS A ROTARY CLUB?”
