Minutes.

Attendance: Nooka recorded 25 members and one guest, our guest speaker Raj Samrai.

Meal: The ever-popular fish and chips.  KY and your scribe had to eat ours with only a fork.  Perhaps management decided we were not to be trusted with knives.

Penno kicked off the meeting as sarg again.  He continued his effective no-nonsense approach to running club meetings, which has come as a shock to members who are used to lots of nonsense. 

The Pres. once again thanked those who had worked on the Hole-in-One competition and reminded them to let Brendan know the hours they volunteered for.  He also updated us on Bruce’s progress with treatment.

In other reports:

·        Macca announced a membership nomination, so hopefully we can welcome a new member soon.

·        Bob proposed a visit to the gun club followed by a meal at the Woodford Hotel on the 21^st of February.  Wives and partners are welcome.  If David Jellie and your correspondent are not allowed to handle knives at lunch, I assume we would also be banned at the gun club.

·        Malcolm has organised an Auction Committee meeting at his place on January 28^th at 7.30pm.

·        Rob recommended a fundraising film for an orphanage at Ankor Wat.  The film is Penguin Blue, Sunday 24^th January, 2.00pm, $20 per head.  Talk to Rob to secure a ticket.

Our guest speaker was Raj Samrai, a volunteer Community Education Coordinator for the CFA.  Raj spoke about some of the key issues we should bear in mind when we think about bushfire risk.  Raj advised that preparation is critical.  Everyone should have a fire plan that everyone in the household is familiar with.  This plan for most people should involve leaving on days of very high risk.  People should consider what the trigger is that would make them leave, and plan to leave as early as possible.  It pays to have an emergency bag packed and ready to go.  This bag should include appropriate clothes, a digital store of important documents, I.D., and a battery-operated radio.  Boré resolved to stop wearing flammable wooden clogs on days of high fire danger. 

Fines from the floor wrapped up another good meeting before members drifted out into a rare La Nina sunny day.

Director:

Writers:

Stars:

Thanks from Bespoke Timber Products (Brendan O’Neill)

I have been making items for Christmas presents and donating 25% to the Wolfy Foundation which is a fund raiser for brain cancer research. The Wolfy Foundation is donating money to the most promising research for a disease that has no cure with an average life span of 14 months after diagnosis. The foundation also assists families who are going through the trauma of treating a loved one.

To date, I have raised over $600 for this worthy cause. I would like to thank all members who have supported this cause through their purchases.

Below are 2 new products in the range, A chopping board and a chess board. If you would like anything for a present or “just because” let me know. The more I sell the more we raise for the Wolfy Foundation. Donations can also be done at https://thewolfyfoundation.org/

Boré’s view.

Bob McMillan has suggested a club social event at the gun club followed by a meal at the pub.  Members agreed that going shooting prior to going to the pub was the preferred sequence.

After a year in forced pandemic lockdown with our life partners, Penno questioned the wisdom of organising an event that puts guns into the hands of our spouses.  I am with Penno on this, however Bob was undeterred and is pressing ahead with his shooting day out idea.  The whole plan is a testament to the strength of Bob and Sally's marriage.

We thank Boré for another great cartoon.

Ten years ago, the Rotary Red fundraiser was still a thing.  Rob would source a red wine in bulk that we would buy in bulk with a cut going to the club.  The ‘Rotary Red’ had a fairly mixed reputation.  Ten years ago, we offered this opaque advice about the wine.

‘$120 per case. Don’t be fooled by imitations. Check the use by date. In most cases where the wine is found to be unpalatable there is a quite justifiable reason. Usually, it has a lot to do with the wine that you normally drink.

Remember. We recommend that you sell this wine.’

I raise this issue because at the Board Meeting last week Sam produced a very old bottle of Rotary Red.  Your corresponded didn’t try it (once bitten, twice shy), but members who did sample it appeared astounded that the wine had improved with age and was now entirely drinkable.  Should we ever have doubted Rob’s ability to select a wine?