Boré’s View.

As a sports fan, you live for those moments of celebration.  As an Essendon supporter, I can tell you that those moments don’t get any better than watching the team or athlete you support return from a twelve-month drug ban.  It is the pinnacle of any sport as a supporter.  I vaguely recall winning a final is also good, but let’s not go there.

That is why we love horse racing.  It is a joyous and stress-free escape from the pressures of daily life.  I like nothing better than kicking back at the end of a taxing week and relaxing through our involvement in horse racing.  Avid racing fan Boré knows what I am talking about, and was on hand this week to document our preparation for Sirileo Miss’ return to racing after completing her performance enhancing drug ban.

We thank Boré for another wonderful cartoon.

Attendance: Nooka was fully kitted up with heart monitor patches and connecting wires this week.  We pulled the car up close and had the jumper leads out just in case something went wrong. Nooka trying to get the Square payment machine to work would have given the doctors a chance to monitor Nooka’s heart under stress test conditions.  Fortunately, Nooka was able to count and collect payment from twenty-five members in attendance without going into cardiac arrest.  We had no visiting Rotarians and a similar number of guests.  Twenty-five was a good number; enough to fill three tables.

Meal: Fish and chips with lemon, tartare sauce and a side of salad.  Perfect.

Tables one and two.

Table three.

Sarg Dillo introduced our President-elect Matt and the show was underway.  The Compass turned thirteen last week and he now looks cherry ripe to take on the presidency.  In reports;

·       Les put together a list of volunteers for the Hospital Auxiliary fundraiser on Sunday. 

·       Paul reported that we have so far collected $904 from recycling containers at the racecourse after spending $2,000 buying the bins.  The May Race carnival should change this equation well in our favour.

·       Hutto reminded members of the Monday April 29^th Myeloma Lunch.  There will be a great line-up of guest speakers and Hutto is proposing we put together 10-15 items for a silent auction in addition to selling Golden Community Raffle tickets at the event. 

·       Hutto also mentioned the Thoroughbred Club lunch on Friday April 5^th for members who are interested.

·       Malcolm is selling quince paste for $10 each, with all proceeds going to the club.

·       Robbo reminded members that they need to sell or buy their two books of raffle tickets.

Trev then gave us a summary of ideas to come out of the fundraising think tank;

·       Support Wunta in some way.

·       Hold an auction, but on a reduced scale.  For example, only aim to raise about $10,000 at an auction every second year.

·       Bunnings barbecues.

·       Raffle a trailer full of goods before Christmas.

·       Dinner dance.

·       Progressive dinner.

·       Trivia night.

No doubt the board will carefully consider these great ideas.

Our guest speaker, Brendan, gave us an excellent presentation on the CFA and how it fights fires.  Brendan spoke about how the organization forms strike teams of 5 tankers and one lead vehicle.  Five strike teams form a sector and five sectors form a division.  The idea here is that each command level has responsibility for five units subordinate to them.  Brendan spoke about the response to the Pomonal and Beaufort fires and of the hazard posed by falling trees in the period after a bushfire.  He also spoke about the CFA volunteers being fed by the Exclusive Bretheren, which was interesting. 

Vertical Brendan.

Brendan on an angle.

Ten years ago, we publishes a photo of a young woman in school uniform who had apparently attended a club fancy dress party some years earlier.  I think this is why we don't have fancy dress parties any more.