We present some odds and ends that members may find interesting.

The Shadow still has his ear to the ground, and he picks up lots of shadowy gossip, only some of which can be included here.

July is New Leadership Month, so we have a brand new Rotary Board.

What a fine bunch they are: we present their photo once again for your edification:

(L to R) Dr Tilak Dissanayake (Past President, Membership) Noel Halford (Vocational Service) Ian Bentley (Secretary) Andrew Crockett (President) Charlotte England (Rotary Foundation) Denbigh Richards (Community Service) Geoff Wright (Youth Service) and Delphine Genin (Strategic Development and Marketing)

Missing from this photo was Doug McLean (Treasurer) who we show being presented with his Treasurer’s Pin.

Several members attended the District Governor’s Changeover  at Essendon Fields on the weekend as DG Philip Archer passed the baton to incoming DG Dale Hoy. 

DG Dale said: ”Welcome to the new Rotary year and I am honoured to serve as your Governor for the next twelve months.  As Rotarians we share a vision for what we want to achieve. The 24 word Rotary vision statement applies to Clubs, Districts and Rotary International, “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.” All Rotarians coming together, taking action and achieving sustainable community impact reflected in the many centenary projects is a powerful example of this Vision Statement.”

Read about DG Dale’s strategic priorities HERE 

We look forward to his visit to Rotary Hawthorn.  

Jumping’ at the Woolshed

Things are gradually moving along at the DIK Warehouse, as we fill the boxes, build the pallets and stow them away. After a big clean-out of outdated goods, we now have some space to work in. Our photo shows Andy on the forklift, carefully stacking a newly packed pallet, as Sam nervously looks on. Just look how much clear space we have now! Without the assistance of these non-Rotarian volunteers, we would be struggling.  Julie Collette is carefully building a catalogue so we know what (and where) we have, ready to send off as required.

Be prepared for a working bee again, as Peter Lugg plans his next container of goods for a new hospital in rural Cambodia. Meanwhile any assistance on Thursday mornings is welcome. 

Has anyone else read  “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling?  Does it really tell us Ten Reasons We’re Wrong about the World—and Why Things Are Better Than You Think?

Harriet Hall in today’s bulletin suggests we should all read it, perhaps as an antidote for all the “doom and gloom” that is currently around.

Now there’s a challenge for “The Bookworms”!

Sport (other than AFL)

Did you follow the Tennis at Wimbledon?  Wasn’t Ash Barty fabulous?  She won without the grunting and squealing which is such a blight upon the modern game. 

But the burning question remains in the Men’s Final: why would anyone over 12 years of age go around with their headgear back-to-front? Little wonder Matteo Berrettini went down.  :-)

But it was business as usual for “The Joker”, who may become the first man to win a Grand Slam since Rod Laver. 

In other “sporting” news, Conor McGregor lost to Dustin Poirier with a broken leg, in the most intellectually challenging of all sports, Cage Fighting.  

The Poms lost to Italy with a penalty shootout in the European Cup Final: a big disappointment for the fans without tickets who had to storm the gates to get in. 

"Unbelievable footage of violence in Wembley tonight. A literal child gets punched by a full grown man and an Asian man is kicked repeatedly in the head by several people. Disgusting behaviour," one person wrote on Twitter.

It's only a game, folks!

Be that as it may: did you enjoy the sporting weekend?