President Jill Elias opened the meeting at 6.30 pm.
Welcome to Peter Smith delivering the Christmas message and to our guests, Shelley Smith, Song, Joan Rogers, Mathilda Hontoir, Jack MacKinnon, Hamish MacKinnon, Rosanna Radici, Michael Elias, Annabelle Elias and Edward Elias.
John Thornton led the meeting in singing the National Anthem.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
In The Twelve Days of Christmas Carol, who or what is performing which act at number 7?
Answer: Seven swans a-swimming
Correctly answered by Anthony McGrath.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES:
Susan Watson announced this week’s birthdays and anniversaries:
Partner birthdays:
Debbie Halbert on 11 December 2023.
Members’ Birthday:
Albert Deda 36 on 17 December 2023.
Ann Bray on 18 December 2023.
Tony Chien 74 on 18 December 2023.
Bruce Jeanes 84 on 25 December 2023.
Russell Hawkins 77 on 28 December 2023.
Kim Smith 65 on 1 January 2024.
Anniversaries:
Win and Margaret Jones 57 years on 14 December 2023.
Bruce and Sue Jeanes 23 years on 16 December 2023.
Richard and Barbara Ranshaw 46 years on 17 December 2023.
John and Mary-Jo Lindquist 13 years on 18 December 2023.
Ivor and Judith Roberts 43 years on 20 December 2023.
CLUB AND COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- Thank you to Jason for getting the Cans for Christmas collection for Foodbank article into The Post.
- Richard Ranshaw will take donated fruit cakes and puddings out to the Foodbank on Tuesday, 19 December; thanks to him for his initiative in collecting donations from Club members and friends and delivering them to the Foodbank.
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ROTARY MOMENTS:
Foodbank volunteers Michael, Mathilda, Ann, Shelley, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren headquarters Mathilda, Jill, Caroline, Hugh,
Rick, Julie, Bruce, Anthony in Warwick Loryn at Grandparents Raising
Puddings and fruit cakes for Toys collected from Club members Susie Davis, Anita Bourke and Susan Watson at the
Grandparents Raising Christmas dinner
Grandchildren from the Club
- The Club was represented by President Jill at the graduation assembly for the year 6 cohort at Dalkeith Primary School when she presented the award for languages. The school was thanked for its hefty contribution to Cans for Christmas.
- Thank you very much to the members who donated new toys directly or via Toyworld, for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. The items were delivered by Jill, Hugh and Mathilda to Warwick on Wednesday, 13 December, together with 24 fruit cakes and eight puddings donated by the Club.
- Thanks to the Foodbank volunteers who spent the day there last Thursday, they packed 760 food boxes. Thanks also to Anthony for organising the opportunities this year.
- Steve Halbert told the meeting of an initiative at his work to collect cans and food and today he delivered 25 kilograms of food to Foodbank to add to the Club’s contribution. Thank you for your work, Steve.
- Thanks have been received from the Assisi Centre for Social Justice and Peace in Uganda for the donations made throughout the year to it by the Charitable Trust.
- The Christmas dinner was a huge success, especially in the format of a dinner. Thank you to Hugh for his organisation of the event.
- At the dinner, a Paul Harris Fellowship pin was awarded to Susan Watson; this is her citation.
RECIPIENT Susan Patricia Watson
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Susan joined the Rotary Club of Dalkeith on 10 May 2021. She has been an active member of the International Committee since joining.
Susan arrived in Australia in 1964 and moved from Sydney to Perth in the mid-1980s. Susan was the Deputy Mayor of the City of Nedlands in the 1990s and chaired the Planning Committee. She was also an effective worker for a children's cancer charity, primarily organising functions and seeking donations. Susan was awarded an OAM in 2007 for service to the community, particularly through charitable organisations and to local government.
A few years ago, Susan became involved with raising funds for the Nakuru Hope school and orphanage in Kenya through the collection of returnable cans and bottles, the 10c refunds from which are then donated to Nakuru Hope. Members may recall hearing about that charity from its founder, Susan Saleeba, and local head, Christopher Makokha, earlier this year.
Susan has a knack for finding ten-cent refundable bottles and cans from the most upmarket of clubs to some less salubrious surroundings.
That involvement in practical fundraising for worthy causes led her to investigate becoming a member of Rotary, and we are fortunate that she chose to join our Club in mid-2021. Susan has been a strong supporter of the Club’s activities and fundraising since that time.
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Our Rotary Club also collects refundable cans and bottles from several locations, and earlier this year, the Board decided that all proceeds from these bins will also be donated to Nakuru Hope. We hope that will add several thousand dollars annually to those funds that Susan’s ongoing efforts already provide for a worthy international cause.
Susan’s consistent fundraising for Nakuru Hope over a number of years is a practical demonstration of this year’s Rotary motto – Create Hope in the World – and she thoroughly deserves this recognition.
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SERGEANT SESSION: There was no real Sergeant so President Jill stepped into the breach and fined Susan Watson for a letter published in The Australian and everyone who did not volunteer for Foodbank last week.
GUEST SPEAKER: Peter Smith
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Peter had three key messages to convey:
- Lowliness or humility is the way;
- The lowliness of God means our lifting up;
- Christmas is a time of hope.
Through text from the Bible, Peter spoke to us as seeking the good in others, giving time, effort and energy for others and receiving nothing in return, giving up for others. These traits are those of members of Rotary who are willing to serve others. Thank you for your Christmas message, Peter, and for your creation of hope in the world.
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REMINDER OF NEXT ROSTER:
Monday 8 January 2024
Richard Ranshaw Welcoming members and guests.
Peter Panek Table duty.
John Murdoch Registrar 1.
David Miller Registrar 2.
Ivor Roberts Pass the microphone.
REMINDER OF COMING EVENTS:
- Monday 8 January 2024 Fellowship.
- Monday 15 January 2024 Welcome barbecue, downstairs at Nedlands Golf Club.
- Monday 22 January 2024 Dianne Franklyn, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
- Monday 29 January 2024 Jodie Sparks, Rotary International Foundation.
THANKS:
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Thank you to the Staff of the Nedlands Golf Club, Sean and Joel, for their service tonight and Chef Zamry for dinner.
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