I    was  born  at   Glen  Innes on  the  New  England  Tablelands on  18^th  April,  1946 , the  10 th of  12 Children  (8  girls  and  4  boys) and  yes   dad  was  a  baker  and  pastrycook. Obviously  with  12 kids  to  feed,clothe  and  school  there  wasn’t  a lot of  extra  of  anything to  go  around  but  we managed and  everyone  seemed  to have  some  form of part  time  after  school  job.

Attended  Glen  Innes  High  School  but  left when  I  was  14  as  a reasonable  job  came  up  in    town ,my  father  knew  the owner of  the  business  and  I  left  school  the  next  day  with   the  Department of  Education  approval  (and probably  blessing)  worked for  a  wholesale tobacco and grocery  business  owned  by   people  who  were  ultimately  taken  over  by  Campbell ‘s  soup so  my  grocery /tobacco  career  lasted  until  my  16^th birthday.

I  applied  for  and  was  accepted  to   The  National  Bank of  Australasia which  I  joined  in   June  1962,  at  Griffith N.S.W which was  about  as  far  as  you  could get  away from  Glen  Innes in  N.S.W.  Only problem  I had  was  that  I  omitted  to  tell my  parents  I  was  leaving.Things  were  a  bit  ordinary  for  a  while but  they  eventually  became used  to  it ,.In  1964  my   father  passed  away   and  the bank  sent  me  home to  Glen  Innes to  be  closer  to  my  mother,  I  was  there  for  a  further  12  months  and  they  then  posted  me  to  Dubbo  where  I  met  Denise and  my  whole  life  changed. As  I  was  19  at  the  time I was,  by  law  required  to  register  for National  Service   Training  (conscription ) or  as  some  put it the  non  university students/poor parents   army.  .What  the insinuation  was   that if  you  were  attending  uni  or  your parents  had  some  “clout”  you  were  exempted.Nothing  was  ever  substantiated  to  this  effect.

I entered  the  army in  Sep  1966 and  we  were married   while  I  was in  service  in  March  1967.I  was  discharged  in  September  1968  after  a  thoroughly  forgettable  2  years  of  my life,  Vietnam  was  raging”,save  our  sons  movement “ was  at  its  peak  and  moratorium  marches  were  happening   in  all major  cities.I  was  happy  to  be  out of it having lost  a  couple of mates  in  Vietnam and  we  were  just  starting  to  witness  the  contempt  the  Australian  public had  for  Vietnam  Veterans (I  was  not  a  Vietnam Veteran).They  were  spat on,  eggs  thrown  at  them  ,paint  sprayed on  them and  were unable  to  rent   premises  to live in  ,all  very  sad  and  as  history has  shown  a  blot on  our past.Many  lives  were  needlessly  lost for  a  useless conflict  that  was  never  declared  as  a  war  therefore  any assistance  after  discharge  was  severely  restricted  for  National  Serviceman.

Anyway  onto  better  things ,  after  the  army the  bank  posted  us  to  Albury  for  3  years,then  Narrabri,N,S,W,  Moree,N,S,W, Newcastle, NSW , Wollongong   ,the  A.C.T.  and  then  to  the  Northern  Territory  as  Senior Manager  N.T. for  2.5  years.  I  followed  this    appointment  as  Regional  Manager,  Newcastle  Hunter  Region  N.S.W.   and  finally as  Area  Manager  Wollongong ,South  Coast  and  Southern  Highlands,N.S.W.

During  this  time  we have   had  3  children,  2 boys  and  a  girl,  all  are  doing  well  and  are now  aged  47,45  and  40 ,we  have  6  grandchildren and  1  great  grandchild.My  3 children  and   half my  grandchildren  live  locally

 

Following  my  retirement in  1998  from  the  bank  we moved, (me  reluctantly)  to the  Gold  Coast to be  closer  to our kids  and grandkids.

I  transferred  from  Wollongong  City  Rotary in  2001 to  Broadbeach  (as  I  could  not  find  Burleigh Heads Rotary)  met  Phil  Moore,  who  I had  known  in   Canberra  and I have  been  a member since  that  time.

Next  March  Denise  and  I  will   celebrate  our  50  years  of  marriage,    during  that   time we have been  to  a lot of  places  both  working  and  on  travel holidays and  hopefully  will  continue the  holiday  travels  but on  a  reduced  scale.On  a  rough  count  we  have  been to  nearly  100  countries  in  the previous  20  years and  this year  we  will be   cruising  the Mediterranean  in  September  for  3  weeks.

I am  a  keen  watcher of  politics,particularly  Australian  and    the   United  States and have  been  known  to  become involved  in   “discussions” on  the politics of  both  countries.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Rotarians are successful professional and business executives because they hear opportunities knock and take advantage of them. Once a week the opportunity for Rotary fellowship occurs at each club meeting, but not all members hear it knocking. The weekly club meeting is a special privilege of Rotary membership. It provides the occasion to visit with fellow members, to meet visitors you have not known before, and to share your personal friendship with other members. Rotary clubs, which have a reputation of being “friendly clubs” usually, follow a few simple steps: First, members are encouraged to sit in a different seat or at a different table each week. Second, Rotarians are urged to sit with a member they may not know as well as their long-time personal friends. Third, members invite new members or visitors to join their table just by saying: "Come join us, we have an empty chair at this table." Fourth, members share the conversation around the table rather than merely eating in silence or talking privately to the person next to them. Fifth, Rotarians make a special point of trying to get acquainted with all members of the club by seeking out those they may not know. When Rotarians follow these five easy steps, an entirely new opportunity for fellowship knocks each week. Soon Rotarians realize that warm and personal friendship is the cornerstone of every great Rotary club.

 

 

  

• HIDDEN FIGURES is the incredible untold story of Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae)
• Brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history:
• The launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanised the world. 
• The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.                                                                                                                                                                  

 

                                                                                                                                                     

  

 

 

 

Don,t miss the opportunity attend DG Michael's conference to be held at Ballina over the weekend 5-8 May 2017.

Registration is now live on the District website or www.rotary9640conference.org.au

International star of stage, Rachael Beck will be performing, and the Rotary International President’s Representative will be Past RI President and Rotary Foundation Trustee, Bill Boyd from New
Zealand. Bill is an inspiring speaker and is passionate about the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group WASRAG. Other keynote speakers include Ita Buttrose, Noel Pearson, Kerry O'Brien and many more.

Don't miss this opportunity to join fellow Rotarians in a weekend of fellowship and learning - register today and importantly, book your accommodation now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

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Q: What do politicians and diapers have in common?
A: Both should be changed regularly, and both for the same reason.
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Ramblings of the senior mind.
My therapist said that my narcissism causes me to misread social situations. I’m pretty sure she was hitting on me.

My 60 year kindergarten reunion is coming up soon and I’m worried about the 175 pounds I’ve gained since then.

Denny’s has a slogan, “If it’s your birthday, the meal is on us.” If you’re in Denny’s and it’s your birthday, your life sucks!

I think it's pretty cool how Chinese people made a language entirely out of tattoos.

Money can’t buy happiness, but it keeps the kids in touch!
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Historians have recently discovered that Annie Oakley, famed sharp-shooter of the Old West, had a sister.
The sister, Carrie, gained some renown in her day as a singer in various saloons throughout the West, but it was not until after her death that she was very widely known.
Today, countless bars are dedicated to Carrie Oakley.
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Patient: Doctor, how can I live longer than 100 years?
Doctor: Do you smoke?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you eat too much?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you go to bed late?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you have affairs with promiscuous women?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Then why would you want to live more than 100 years?
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If trump is shot at, will his bodyguard shout, 'Donald Duck'
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A French policeman stops the Englishman's car and asks if he has been drinking.
With great difficulty, the Englishman admits that he has been drinking all day, that his daughter got married that morning, and that he drank champagne and a few bottles of wine at the reception, and many single malts scotches thereafter.
Quite upset, the policeman proceeds to alcohol-test (breath test) the Englishman and verifies that he is indeed totally sloshed.    He asks the Englishman if he knows why, under French Law, he is going to be arrested.
The Englishman answers with a bit of humour,
"No sir, I do not! But while we're asking questions, do you realize that this is a British car and that my wife is driving on the other side?"
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As the stranger enters a country store, he spots a sign: "Danger! Beware of Dog!" Inside, he sees a harmless old hound asleep in the middle of the floor.
"Is that the dog we're supposed to beware of?" he asks the owner.
"That's him," comes the reply.
"He doesn't look dangerous to me. Why would you post that sign?"
"'Cause before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him."
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Q. What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?
A.  A Christmas Quacker.

Q. Where does Santa work out?
A. Down the gymney.

Q. What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it?
A. Nothing. It just let out a little wine.

Q. Why can’t a bike stand up by itself?
A. Because it’s two-tired.

Q. What did the blanket say to the bed?
A. I’ve got you covered.

Q. Why was the electrician disqualified from the race?
A. Because he made a short circuit.