Guests / Friends of Rotary: Joan Austin
Apologies: Svet Lineham, John Hunt, Mary Bouwman, Kayla Biender, Janet Blackley , Margaret Ross
Announcements:
Terry has had a report from Rex our Youth Exchange student in Denmark. Rex has reported on his “Grand Tour” of Europe. Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Venice were on the itinerary. Super special was Prague, Vienna and a city near Venice called Lido di Jesolo. “Italian food is bloody good”.
Anne reported on the Garden Committee’s meeting. Two gardens locked in. She is asking members to plant seedlings now for sale at the garden show.
A couple of membership anniversaries coming up Graeme Ward 9 years on the 13th and Keith McLeod 60 years on the 14th June. Next week we will celebrate Keith’s 60 years of service to our Club.
Congratulations to Svet and Robbie and the hosts for organising the progressive dinner. It was a fabulous night, fine food and entertainment.
This week we finally had Debbie Ferguson “On the Couch” and forensically interviewed by Ken Sharpe.
Deb’s Story: Deb was born in Coleraine, the daughter of a dairy farmer. She has three siblings. She was the second child. The farm produced dairy cream for the local butter factory. They also had over 100pigs which were fed the skim milk. Deb recalls holding onto the pigs tails, then smacking them on their bottoms so she and her siblings could ski behind the pigs. The family farm is now run by her brother Derek.
Her father was passionate about fairness and attended many rallies relating to farming and disabilities.
Deb went to Coleraine Primary school where she gained a reputation for being a “chatterbox”. She then went to Hamilton High School and then to Melbourne to study kindergarten teaching at Kew college. In Melbourne she was a Nanny for a wealthy family and enjoyed the fringe benefits of being part of that social group.
After her studies she taught at Balmoral, Hamilton and then Timboon. In 1997 the family moved to Warrnambool and Deb worked in Early Intervention with Mpower for several years. Deb found working alongside young children very rewarding. She has been very passionate and vocal about letting “children grow” without too much regulation and paperwork.
Deb and Andrew have three children and two grandchildren who they are very proud of.
Since retiring Deb has volunteered at Anglicare working with the homeless and people in need. She is also involved with Hospice in the Home which is also very rewarding.
Through her association and friendship with Greg Lee, she joined this Rotary Club following a visit to the Volunteers Expo. Greg and Deb’s association goes back to growing up in the same town Coleraine.
Since joining Rotary Deb has taken on the role of Champion of Book Sales, very successfully organizing monthly second hand book sales. The passion she showed as a child and teacher for books and reading is now on full display at those book sales.
Debbie is a valued and motivated member of our Club and her husband Andrew helps out on many of our activities. Thank you Deb and Andrew.
