August 06 Rotary Newsletter - The RCGG Breeze (Aug 12, 2025)

Weekly Meeting Highlights July 30 & August 6

Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton

Meeting August 6, 2025

Geraldton Golf Club 7am

Members and guests welcomed by Pres Hugh, in particular our new exchange student Esther with host Mum Kelly, Kim Wann (for the last time as a guest) and of course, Eugenie!

President Hugh Lavery-

"Unite for Good" is our new Rotary message.

Announcements:

President Hugh Lavery -

Our social evening last week (30 July) went very well. See Facebook for some excellent of the images from the night.

Radio Auction - We have $26K so far in pledges for the Radio Auction with some extra from the meeting for “Block” sponsorship!

Shirley McKinnon’s leadership course will take place over four Sundays in September, 1230-2.00pm. This course was purchased by our club at the radio Auction last year and is being made available to Rotarians and friends. Hugh will send out Expressions of Interest to Members and Rotary Friends

Esther has arrived!!

Please be proactive in inviting her into your home and for any special event you may wish to share with her. Esther introduced herself and indicated she was wide open for new experiences! Our outbound has been selected for next year, Sara Price-Walkley

Barry Dring Thought for the Day - : “Experience all things in moderation, especially moderation!” Hmmmmm…..! (ed)

New Member Induction; Kim Wann

Phil Martin introducing Kim Wann

Sponsor Phil Martin introduced Kim, a retired former fisherman and Master of Tugs, including handling Naval vessels! The formal induction and Rotary Charge were read by Pres Hugh and Kim was formally welcomed into the club by members with acclamation!

Guest Speaker Russel Mckinnon

Our roving sports reporter and writer spoke on his experiences covering the world swimming championships in Singapore. He covered the water polo, sitting through 96 matches working 18 hours a day for 14 days in the heat and humidity! This involved a lot of sitting with consequences for his …..! He also witnessed the gold medal 4*100m relay for Australia and got to catch up with many of his journalist mates. Russel also met 85-year-old Mike Reed, who won gold in the over 85s! (He has swum the English Channel in the past many times, with 6 crossings in one year!)

This was Russel’s 16^th world championship, his first was in 1991! He went on to win the wine today, ironically on TAILS!

Fines, led by Bob Urquhart.

Badges as usual, Dave for the wrong name again!

Russel for the Bum Story!

Kim got his inaugural fine!

Barry for general misbehaviour.

Di for hanging on the Apprentice of the Year Awards board!

Suki for microwaving a torch and calculator in the van, creating toxic gases and adding to greenhouse emissions. A very convoluted story! Does he not realise a smart phone does both jobs?

Doc had a bit of an unintentional mohawk happening!

Our meeting was closed with a warm welcome to Esther, appreciation to host Mum Kerry, congratulations to our newest member Kim, regards to Barry’s better half, Eugenie, and a welcome to Terry who arrived an hour late! Oops!

Also see our Facebook page for more excellent phots and information https://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubofGreaterGeraldton/

Fremantle Chamber Orchestra

Fremantle Chamber Orchestra performing in Geraldton on 22 August

Dear Sir or Madam of the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton

Thanks to a grant by the City of Geraldton, The Fremantle Chamber Orchestra (FCO) is performing in Geraldton on 22 August at 7:30pm @ SFX Cathedral.

15-year-old violinist Ellie Malonzo has won 11 first prizes at international competitions and performed in the USA, Vienna, Canada, London, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane. Ellie will be the soloist in the Vivaldi and Beethoven. Ellie (aged 14): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGU9BpO0foA&t=1212s The legendary Paul Wright, arguably WA’s best musician, will perform solos with/out Ellie and conduct FCO. FCO regularly receives glowing reviews and most enthusiastic listeners’ feedback and is WA’s leading chamber orchestra.

FCO carefully crafted “Music to Love “an exciting and touching program that appeals to people from all backgrounds, ages, walks of life, total newcomers and lovers of classical.

FCO is incorporated not-for-profit and all admin and organisational work is voluntary. In 2022 we helped raise $18170 and in 2024 $41500 for Ukrainian women and children.

Could you:

post the attached flyer on your FB page
print the flyer or pdf and display it prominently in your premises
inform your members

Thank you!

Hans

Hans Hug

Fremantle Chamber Orchestra

https://www.fremantlechamberorchestra.com/

https://www.facebook.com/FremantleChamberOrchestra

The Magic of Rotary - President Hugh

President's Report - Hugh Lavery:

Apologies for not presenting in person. Thanks for getting zoom working to enable the sharing of the incoming World President Stephanie Urchick's address:

It can be found on the internet here: “The Magic of Rotary”

Short version

Long Version and well worth the 15 minutes.

It is also very rewarding to watch Stephanie Urchick's presentation on making a Rotary Club irresistible.

Hugh's message echoes Stephanie's in making our meetings irresistible and engaging. Have conversation, connect, learn and get involved in the Community. It is important that we become a more diverse membership.

HMAS Sydney II Memorial

“OUR GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY”

In 1998 the Rotary Club of Geraldton (now Greater Geraldton) embarked on an ambitious journey to build a memorial on Mt Scott in Geraldton, dedicated to the 645 sailors lost at sea when the HMAS Sydney II was sunk off the Mid-West coast during World War II. The HMAS Sydney II Memorial is by far the largest and proudest project the RCG has undertaken.

Australia’s worst naval disaster occurred on 19 November 1941 when HMAS Sydney II was lost following a battle with the German raider HSK KORMORAN, in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast. Geraldton was the last port visited prior to her demise. The loss of the SYDNEY with its full war complement of 645 sailors remains etched in the nations psyche. The KORMORAN was also sunk, but 317 of its crew of 397 survived. The fate of the Sydney remained one of Australia’s greatest wartime mysteries until the location of the wreck in 2008.
“LEST WE FORGET”