Container Recycling.

We got stuck into another racing season of container recycling this Sunday at the Jericho Cup.  A big thank you to all those members who came out to support us. 

We set up for another big day of recycling.

The restricted mobility support vehicle was in high demand.

Members rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in. 

Minutes

Attendance: Nooka was recently discharged from the Royal Warrnambool Hospital after another terrible bout of vertigo.  He announced that ‘mayhem prevailed last week’ in his absence, as indeed it does in his presence.  He then declared a record of 26 members in attendance.

Meal: Some sort of meat that had been fully schnitzered with gravy, chips, and a salad. 

Jon advises us that there is only one form of media that is still relevant.

Jon kicked off proceedings with a lawyer joke before introducing President Matt.  Matt proudly declared ‘this club is on steroids.’  We are the Essendon of Rotary clubs.  Matt encouraged members to come along and collect cans at the Jericho Cup.  He thanked Les for his work as Community Service Director.  Matt also wished Shane well as he plans to go to Germany and donate a kidney to his son. 

Our President used his address to promote local businesses he recommends.

In reports;

·       Robbo reported that our recent can deposits from Robbo’s collection and from the race course was a three Bundy and coke operation. 

·       Hutto advised members coming to the Jericho Cup to use the Moore Street entrance and wear their Rotary polo tops (or, presumably, Rotary pocket squares if applicable).

·       Hutto also advised that the Thoroughbred Luncheon is sold out, with 96 attendees including 13 Rotarians.

·       Surf informed us his cataract operation worked very well and only took 20 minutes. 

·       Gerald advised that his cataract operation was less successful. 

·       Bim had only positive things to say about his cataract operation.

·       Robbo informed us his vasectomy had been similarly successful.

·       Surf has a good range of speakers coming up; the DG next week, DJ/KY the week after, and the Story Dogs in January.  A guest speaker from Deakin Uni and a tour of the Uni is in the pipeline.

·       Surf also informed us that the Bocce night innovatively will be held during the day on the 8^th of January as our lunch meeting.

·       Paul has now received most of the membership dues.  If you still haven’t paid you can see Nooka and use the Square electronic payment machine.

·       Bob brought us up to date with the Golden Community Raffle.  Prize money will be lifted by $2,500 this year, which will allow more tickets to be sold.  The raffle will also be moved to a bit later in the new year to allow both summer and winter sporting clubs to get on board.

Les gave us an update on his life and his management of health issues, notably Parkinson’s disease and hypertension.  Les is seeing a new specialist and trying some new medications.  We wish Les well as he battles these difficult circumstances.

Dillo then spoke with Shane about his upcoming trip to Germany.  Shane’s son Harrison has an inherited renal disease and is now on dialysis.  After searching for a donor match amongst relatives, it turns out Shane is the best match for Harrison.  Shane will travel to Germany with plans to donate one of his kidneys to Harrison on February 16^th.  We wish Shane well with this very generous and loving gift to his son.

Glenn' number came up in the barrel draw and he went home with the free meal.  We had some fines from the floor before Jon and Matt called it quits on another meeting.  Great to see everyone up and about and at the meeting as we head into another can drinking/can collecting season.  

Matt announces the new weekly member's draw.  Should prove popular.

p.s. Did Brendan and your correspondent amuse ourselves during the meeting with the juvenile pursuit of trying to take photos of Matt and Jon with various adds cycling on the TV in the background?  Yes, yes we did.  

Just the right balance.

In traditional psychotherapy, one of the four pillars of psychological health is balance.  You don’t want an excess in either direction; the sweet spot lies in the middle.  Not too much, and not too little.  Not too few and not too many.  You want just the right amount of anything.

A lawn bowler was interviewed in The Standard last week and I thought he captured this concept beautifully when explaining why he likes lawn bowls so much.

Rotary Horse Racing report.

A week ago, Overflow Miss ran in the Manhari Metals Handicap in Ararat.  For metal recycling in Ararat, see Manhari Metals.  For metal recycling at the Warrnambool Races, you want the blokes from Warrnambool Central Rotary Metals.  All we wanted from Overflow Miss was for her not be terrible.  She delivered non-terribleness in spades. 

Overflow got away nicely for a change, sat in a nice position around the bend, and sprinted really nicely down the straight.  Unfortunately, another horse, Adki, did a Sirileo Miss on us and ran six or eight lengths in front of the rest of the field for the whole race, winning easily.  Overflow Miss was the best of the rest and pocketed second place for connections. 

On Saturday Sirileo Miss went into the barrier in the Group 3 Lamaro Hotel Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield.  Steady rain all morning had created a track to Sirileo’s liking.  A number of dry track horses were scratched from the race.  After an excellent second place last start, hopes were high. 

Sirileo started well and made her way to the front, as she does when she is on song.  She lead the field by two lengths around the bend.  As she entered the straight, we were already backing the ute up to the committee room to load up the 120 gorillas on offer.  Unfortunately, she rad out of steam down the straight and was overrun, coming in a slightly disappointing fifth. 

The stables are talking about backing Sirileo up for the Ballarat cup next Saturday.  Hopefully she comes up for that.  The day before the Ballarat cup your correspondent and two other syndicate members are booked in for surgery.  We will all be heavily sedated on opioids as we recover in the wards on the day of the race.  So, our plan for the Ballarat cup is to run the horse drug free and have the syndicate members doped up to the eyeballs.  I don’t know if that needs to be listed in the racebook as a gear change.  Anyhow, best of luck to my fellow syndicate members with their surgery and best of luck to all the syndicate members in the Ballarat cup.

More exciting updates as they come to hand.

Ten Years Ago

Ten years ago, we were at the annual Christmas party, kindly hosted at home by Mick Boswell.  The night wore on, celebratory beverages were consumed, somehow Mick ended up in the swimming pool.  Mick remembered that his mobile phone was in his pocket just moments after this photo was taken.