Todays meeting was small with about only 30 or so members attending. I would like to hope more of us would make the time to attend the weekly meetings. The meeting was busy and a lot was aired today.
David Benn had a guest, Robert Etchels, a retired group captain from the Australian air force. There were no visiting Rotarians.
David Byfield did members choice and entertained us with a host of interesting facts and statistics over a whole range of areas; quite interesting and a lot it made us think a bit about the world we live in.
James Hamilton did a varied and wide story about the markets in the past in the main street, and that we have raised over two million dollars in the life of the club; an extraordinary sum of money from one club. He also talked about Penny the pig who was before my time in rotary; it was also used as a fund raiser, and is still around at a members place apparently.
Our guests today were Helen Sturman and Barry Shields. Helen gave a fascinating and uplifting talk about special tricycles that pick up handicapped people who are housebound and take them (with a friend or carer) on e-bikes with two seats on the front and the driver behind. They stick to safe paths and the riders are all volunteers. The movement is called " Cycling without age "and is on the way to being global after starting in Copenhagen The are hoping to start chapters here, and need funds to buy the bikes; they are quite expensive. A video of the riders was quite moving seeing the smiles on the faces of the handicapped passengers.
David Benn did the secretaries report as Phil Burgess was away.
Doug Sutton is after help with RYDA which is coming up soon.
Frank Fuller has been ill recently so has not made recent meetings. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to his attendance soon.
The 2 cupboards at the north Wagga Sheds are now in the very back room behind the curtains at the end of our meeting room. They contain the bits and pieces we need for each meeting. They are locked, and the key is obtainable for those rostered on furniture from the hotel office, returned after the meeting. It was hard yakka carrying the beasts from the shed to their current home.
The Board meeting on May will likely be the last before changeover, and that is coming up quickly.
All the best fellows and see you at our next meeting.
President Richard.