On Thursday 23 November at the Kent Town Hotel will be our Annual General Meeting and Club Assembly, if you’d like to put your name forward for a Board position – or co-sharing a position – please let Di Lane or I know prior to this date. We will also be welcoming back former long-time member Kym Pedler as a guest speaker accompanied by Sarah Telford – their subject is “National Program/Entrepreneurship for First Innovators”.
I’m delighted to announce that on 8 November 2023, Erfan Abidi was awarded with a UNESCO Clubs – Adelaide Chapter “Achievement Award” by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC (Governor of SA) who is a Joint Patron with her husband Mr Rod Bunten of the UNESCO Adelaide Chapter. Erfan received this Award “for outstanding achievements in his work as Ambassador for the Refugee Council of Australia, as an advocate for human rights, especially of women and children and of those stranded in Afghanistan whose lives are at risk”. Erfan was accompanied by his wife Manizha and Katey Halliday at Government House to accept his Award.
Erfan with the Governor, Frances Adamson and Mr Rod Bunton
Manizha, Erfan & Katey
Thanks to all our Rotarian volunteers of Fred’s Van meal service. Our photo shows Kirsti and Lu (a Chilean friend of the Club) packing the van on 8 November ready to serve the clients in the Adelaide CBD. Volunteers of Fred’s Van help break through the barriers of loneliness and isolation that many people experiencing poverty and/or homelessness feel. The Van provides a meal, blankets, toiletries, snacks, hot beverages and, most importantly, companionship.
Kirsti and Lu
Don’t forget to register on-line (see Rob’s email) for the “Rotary says No to Domestic Violence” walk – behind our Adelaide Light banner. The walk is being held on Saturday November 25 with members encouraged to be at Victoria Square by at least 9.30am for the walk to begin at 10.00am. See the leaflet information below for full details of the walk’s route, timings and details of speakers and availability of food vans at the Memorial Gardens (next to the Parade Ground) where the walk completes.
Next Saturday, 18 November will be our Cuppa Conversation at the Adelaide Botanic Garden’s Café Fibonacci from 10am. We look forward to as many members as possible who can come and network with our Adelaide-based migrants.
This week will be a biggie for John Wotherspoon as he will be returning home from his trip to Japan on Wednesday and then heading for shoulder surgery just two days later! We all wish him the best for his surgery and his six weeks of recovery and rehabilitation.
This Thursday will be Coffee Conversation at the White Picket Café, but Rob, Helen Smith and I and several other club members (sorry, I don’t have the full list) will be attending the White Ribbon breakfast at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Apart from our attendance, our Club is sponsoring a table of Domestic Violence survivors so that they can attend without cost.
Please let me know if you are able to attend the next Cuppa on November 18th, 10am, location Cafe Fibonacci in Botanic Garden. It looks like we're in for some lovely weather!
Complementing our recent Clare Riesling, we’re pleased to offer an excellent McLaren Vale Grenache that’s also half price at just $150.00 per case ($12.50/bottle).
Grenache is a McLaren Vale specialty, medium bodied and more complex than pinot noir - essentially an easy drinking summer substitute for shiraz, without its earthiness. This one from Hither & Yon is bright, juicy and lively with food - ideal in the warmer months ahead. You may detect wild strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, stewed plums, some spicy cinnamon and black pepper. With time to breathe it comes across confidently on the first night and endures for the second.
Tasting notes attached and wine critic, Tony Love’s opinion follows:
Tony Love, In Daily February 2023:
"From the Leask brothers’ youngest Grenache vines at 13 years old, crafted into a youthful, fragrant, bistro style with 20% whole bunch influence in the winemaking that offers a subtle sappiness in the palate. While you are being seduced by its floral aromas and freshly squeezed plum and apple juiciness, you should pause for a mo, as it has plenty to offer in its textural game, lip-smacking and with an appealing spicy/peppery tannin profile in the palate and finish. Bistro, yes, and very food conscious as well – its own crew suggests pairing it with the vegetable and cheese pasty from the Willunga Bakery."
Give your fiends and family an excellent deal, while helping to fund our local and overseas Rotary service work. among other things, we’re building water supplies in Timor Lesté, rescuing Afghans fleeing the Taliban and making recent Oz migrants quickly feel welcome.
The wine is ready for collection, so please contact me or Rob by email or phone below to order it - each case of 12 is $150.
For the benefit of members, we will aim to give the Duty Roster a few weeks ahead - see below.
Responsibility
16 November - 9.30am
23 November - 6pm Kent Town Hotel
30 November - 9.30am
Chairperson
Coffee Conversation
Yvette Reade /Rob McLennan
Coffee Conversation
Attendance
Di Lane
White Picket Café
White Picket Café
Furniture/Hosting
Elaine Reade
Bottles/ cans
Fred Field
Rob McLennan
Di Lane
Bread run
Dean Sullivan (19/11)
Paul Ensor (26/11)
Paul Ensor (3/12)
Rotaract meeting
Nil
Nil
Nil
Chairman: Meet/greet speaker for the meeting; introduce and thank speaker. Preparation:- find details about the speaker prior to the meeting. Attendance: Set up reception table (attendance sheet; members list – re -payments; guest welcome sheet; money); register member payments/ apologies/ guests. Hosting: Welcome all at the door; ensure speaker and guests are introduced to appropriatepersons. Furniture: Flags; banner display; Rotary theme banner; gong and hammer; lectern position before and returned after the meeting. Computerset up – Connect to projector. Switch on. Hold function key & press F5 twice. Bottles/cans: Collect bags of bottles/cans at meeting and take to recycle centre for refund, pass refund to Bruce McDonald and empty bags to the next duty member, at the next meeting. Rotaract: Meets 2nd and 4th Mondays at 6pm (for a 630pm start) at the Astor Hotel, 437 Pulteney St. Adelaide. Bread Run: Sundays, meet outside Romeo's, North Adelaide at 4:55pm
Members rostered for Thursday morning duty are asked to be in attendance by 6.45am
United in the spirit of Service we value truth, fairness and friendship; and we welcome the opportunity that Rotary gives us to contribute our talents and resources in support of others.
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light Mission Statement
To have fun and engage interest from new members and friends as we use our strengths for a better world here and abroad - a welcoming, flexible group having fun doing hands-on activities for positive impact.
Recently, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the country. As I was not familiar with these backwoods, I got lost.
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
I felt badly and apologised to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man. And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before, and I've been puttin' in septic tanks for over twenty years."
