Brendan kindly writes;

On Saturday 8th February at 10:30 am a few Rotarians and a few hundred others gathered

at St Pauls Anglican Cathedral in Melbourne to celebrate the consecration of our very own Fr Scott to be a bishop!

In true feral form the Pres asked everyone to gather on the steps by 10:15 with about half of those attending listening and the rest doing what they pleased.

The event ran for 2 hours and was followed by a few drinks at Young and Jackson's across the road. 

It was a good day and we were all very happy for the Lowery family.

A very large number of Rotarians sent us photos of the big day.  I have uses an assortment of these.  Thanks to all those who sent in pictures.

While most Rotarians were focused on the sacred,

Robbo was enjoying something a little more profane.

Boré’s View.

Here at Warrnambool Central Racing we have a stable of thoroughbreds to match the likes of Godolphin (see report below).  Boré has drawn your humble correspondent this week looking like a race horse owning Saudi sheik.  Actually, when I spoke to Boré during the week, he seemed to think I actually was starting to look like Osama Bin Laden.  Interestingly enough if you were to ask Sashi, I think she would say I am starting to look a lot like Osama bin Laden’s distant cousin Hassen bin Worken.  This week, we will let you be the judge.

We thank Boré for another wonderful cartoon.

Minutes

Attendance: Nooka recorded 26 members in attendance with no visiting Rotarians and no guests. 

Meal: Roast beef, which Lindsay described luke-warmly as ‘okay’.  Harsh criticism from a man who loves a roast.

Bono stepped up to the plate as Sarg this week and hit it out of the park with a lawyer joke before introducing the Pres.

Matt advised that the board has decided to donate $550 towards Story Dogs.  This will sponsor one dog team and get our logo on the side of a dog.  Matt spoke about our inbound exchange student Maria.  She should arrive about March.  We will be hosting her in partnership with the RC of Warrnambool.  Both clubs have agreed to chip in $1,000 each towards the cost of her safari.

Matt also announced that we have established the Bruce Ludeman award, in honour of our Charter President.  The Bruce Ludeman award will be presented annually to a club member at our changeover dinner.  The recipient will also receive a Paul Harris Fellowship as part of this award.  Lorraine Ludeman has very kindly agreed to present the award this year.

Finally, Matt thanked all those who contribute to our gift to Father Scott to help him with the costs of his upcoming consecration as a bishop.

In reports;

·       Robbo had nothing but praise for the senior’s pasta carbonara available at the Bowls Club.  Unfortunately, they won’t cook it for us for practical reasons.  The corned beef will soon be replaced with a carbonara bake.  Apparently, this has nothing to do with the relative carcinogenicity of the ingredients.

·       Surf informed us that the Warrnambool Hospital Auxilliary fundraiser will be held again on Pertobe Road, probably on March 31^st.  Bob suggested that once again we donate all the consumables for the barbecue.  The hospital needs all the funds they can get because people are eating a lot of corned beef.

·       Surf also reminded members that the quiz night will be on Friday the 21^st (not the 22^nd as reported in the CS last week).  We are still looking for more numbers on the night.

·       Bob advised that the Golden Community Raffle tickets will be out in 1-2 weeks.  The prizes are once again vouchers from Hello World.

·       Hutto reported that can collection at the speedway was a flop, with too much contamination to make container recovery worthwhile.  The whole collection was thrown out.

·       Hutto also reported the Myeloma Lunch is on again this year and he his hoping to have four tables filled by our club.  No doubt the Essendon supporters will back the event after the recent passing of Dale Tapping. 

·       Bono reported that the Grampians fire is contained but not controlled.  He informed us that the arial tankers were hard at work but he ‘didn’t do much all day’.  With volunteer firefighter numbers down, I think this is a job that might suit some of our members.

Fines from the floor were conducted and then the barrel was drawn.  Gerald collected the free voucher for a reduced cancer risk meal.

Rotary Horse Racing report.

This week Overflow Miss ran in the Colac Toyota handicap in Colac.  The stables had made it clear before the race that if Overflow did not run well in the race, then they would probably sell her.  So, barring some unexpected turn of speed that would probably arouse the interest of the stewards, it was likely this would be the last time we would see our therapeutically relaxing steed run.

Once again punters backed Overflow into short odds.  I have said it before and I will say it again, your average horse racing punter hasn’t got the feintest idea what they are doing.

Your correspondent put on his jim jams, got a mug of hot cocoa, and slipped under the doona to watch the race.  I fully admit to felling a bit sentimental about our talentless ungulate as she prepared for the race.

Going into the race, the jockey was under strict instructions to settle the horse well back in the field for the journey then, as they approached the final straight, head very wide around the final part of the bend, overtake the entire field and outsprint them down the straight. 

Overflow Miss got away poorly, and the jockey settled her back in the field as per the plan.  She travelled the journey well back on the fence.  As they approached the final part of the turn leading into the final straight, I have to admit, I fell asleep.  As I slept, I had a feverish dream.  In my dream Overflow went six wide around the final part of the bend, overtook the entire field and then outsprinted them down the straight to claim a famous victory.  It was champaign all around as the stables celebrated and committed to never selling the horse.

Regular readers of the Central Spoke will not be surprised to learn that this is not what actually happened.  As they approached the straight, the jockey dispensed with the performative act of trying to overtake the field wide on the bend.  He simply plodded Overflow along the rail for the remainder of the race.  She was well beaten by most of the field and never looked likely.   Many horse racing punters were surprised to learn this apparently, as Overflow continued to be backed into short odds race after disappointing race right to the end.

Overflow Miss, characteristically just sneaking her nose into the telecast at the end.

The stables have now put Overflow Miss on the market be sold.  They hope to get 'a few dollars' for her.  Presumably that means two or three.  If that happens, we can only hope that she bobs up again sometime down the track in Moruya or Beaudesert or somewhere similar.  Rest assured if that happens, the Central Spoke will be trackside and ready to bring you all the action as it unfolds.

More exciting updates as they come to hand.

Ten Years Ago

Ten years ago, the Warrnambool Central whale boat racing team were crowned World Champions.