President John welcomed all in attendance, including visiting rotarian Ray Henry, PP Geoff and Kate Williams, guests and partners.
Prior to the meeting we were entertained by a group of young choristers from Holiday Actors. Geoff Williams accompanied the singers on his keyboard and made us all sound good later on when everyone joined in for some carol singing.
Our waitress Jess was presented with a gift for her friendly service throughout the year, but was somewhat camera shy because she had rushed to work straight from swimming in the Southern Ocean.
Rotarian Robert Cuzens introduced Stephen Giddens who is a CFA officer living in Warrnambool but working in Hamilton. Stephen was born in Olinda in the Dandenong Ranges. He went to school at Mooroolbark Tech and then attended Swinbourne. He has 4 children aged 25, 23, 20 and 17. He lived in Cudgee 23 years ago before joining CFA. Stephen's interests are lawn balls and the District 9780 Youth Committee. His partner Louise is Secretary of the Youth Exchange Committee 9780. Stephen received a medal for the Black Saturday fires during which time he was working in Operations as Incident Controller.
President John Hunt inducted Stephen into the Rotary Club of Warrnambool and Stephen was congratulated by all those present.
Ian Cairns was ruthless on Tuesday with hardly anyone escaping his theme along the lines of Christmas carols, and really who amongst the Rotary family doesn't have a white hair or two, or children/grandchildren having completed VCE this year?
Rotarian Terry O'Neill, Counsellor for Excange Student Fabio Gomes, presented Fabio with a Christmas gift from members of the Club. A well deserved gift for a highly regarded young man.
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President John then closed the meeting and wished everyone a Happy Christmas.
When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.
Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.
When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.
Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.
Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor..
In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.
Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.
The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'
And thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.
President John welcomed all in attendance, including visiting rotarian Ray Henry, PP Geoff and Kate Williams, guests and partners.
