Attendance: Nooka computed twenty-five members in attendance with no guests and no visiting Rotarians in attendance. A highlight was seeing Hutto back at a meeting.
Nooka had a little Zen moment.
Meal: Our new ten-week rotation menu began this week with vegetarian fried rice complete with bacon. I believe the pig was vegetarian. Fried rice is a 1500-year-old dish that originates in China and is traditionally made as a way of using up day-old rice and other left-over ingredients from previous meals.
Robbo’s Wine Advice: Our Central Spoke Sommelier Robbo writes,
‘To be honest, I don’t think anything would’ve gone with the vegetable stir fry last week. Best to stick with the sparkling water, which is what I did from memory. Actually, now that I think about it, that disgusting Greek Retsina served in coloured, beaten and dented aluminium jugs could’ve done the trick.’
Robbo then sent us this cartoon.
Pip got us going with a moving story about a boy and a well before introducing our president, Paul. Paul reminded members we are looking at ways of assisting the Nepalese community following the recent flash flooding disaster. He also reminded members that nominations are open for District Governor, although at this stage it does appear that nobody wants to stand against Ron.
In reports;
- Jon informed us that Jan is still not well. Our thoughts are with Gerald and Jan.
- Jon also reminded members we will have a vocational tour of 3YB/Coast FM at 11.30 next week followed by our regular meeting at the bowlo.
- David had the pleasure of announcing that Surf and Annette have joined the Forbes’ in agreeing to host Simon for part of his exchange year. Another member is currently in discussions with David about also hosting. Well done to all those who have offered their homes.
- Surf continues to try to organise container collection at the Red Hot Summer Tour in January. Stay tuned.
- Surf is also looking at us joining Beach Patrol for a working bee cleaning up around the Lake Pertobe area in early December.
- Sam thanked Hayesey and Bob for joining him at the WCC depot and cooking a barbie. $500 has now been raised for the club. Well done Sam.
- Matt will commence emptying the container recycling bins the WCC has placed at Lake Pertobe. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
- Robbo reported that he had no cash to place in the copper pot and was hoping to get paid out in cash his winnings from the footy tipping competition to remedy this problem.
- Nooka did indeed pay out Robbo for winning the footy tipping competion. Last Wednesday Robbo had a colonoscopy. This Wednesday Nooka put him through a similar procedure in order to collect his winnings.
- Hutto spoke about the Thoroughbred Club lunch organised for Friday. He also spoke about Symphony Sista getting her first run in the fourth at Warrnambool on Wednesday. See our full report below.
- Matt awarded Jon first prize in the Grand Final tipping competition for correctly picking the Lions and getting closest to the winning margin. Well done Jon.
Jon then presented us with a hilarious and possibly defamatory documentary that completely misrepresented the answers members recently gave to interview questions posed to them by Jon. If the whole radio thing doesn’t work out for Jon, he clearly has a bright career ahead in trashy tabloid journalism. What I am trying to say Jon, is that we would always welcome you here at the Central Spoke.
Gracey then interviewed charter member Dillo about his life. Dillo, like Robbo, grew up in Moonee Ponds. So, we know that in the 1950’s and 1960’s there were at least three young mothers in Moonee Ponds bringing up children; Mrs Dillo, Mrs Robbo, and Dame Edna Everage. I will hand it over to Dame Edna to describe the scene for us,
‘I was wrist-deep in grey washing-up water with peas and mutton fat floating in it, peering out through dusty venetians and crossover terylene drapes at a small backyard strewn with broken plastic toys. It was then that I learnt to reach for the Valium bottle.’
Was it this experience of growing up in Moonee Ponds that first sparked in Dillo an interest in pharmacology? Quite possibly.
In a pathway that led through StBernard’s College, University, Swan Hill, and a few years of locumming around Western Victoria Dillo finally ended up in Warrnambool. Dillo ran the pharmacy department of the Warrnambool Hospital for many years, married Toni and had two boys; Jordan and Nick. Dillo was also a charter member of our Rotary Club. He has one grandchild and another on the way.
It was great to get to know Dillo a little better and we thank both Gracey and Dillo for sharing some of Dillo’s story with us.
The barrel was drawn but, by the time it was drawn, the clock had passed two, the stagecoach had turned back into a pumpkin, and everybody had lost interest and started leaving before the winner was announced.
