Our Meeting

President Geoff Hamilton opened the meeting to the normal grace and toast to the Queen and the people of Australia.

We welcomed Brent Pickard, seen here with Neil Pinto, to the meeting and noted the absence of Kat who is on Safari for three weeks.

 

He invited members to advise of any trips coming up by members and heard from the bended knee fellows, Frank and David, Tassie Bikie Devils – Hodge, Leywood, Irvine and Clucas, as well as Darren Wallace with a recent trip to Lord Howe Island.

 

Following a board meeting on Monday night, Mark Hillis presented approved projects to the members.

Seniors Week for $1000, Indian Appeal for 5 Tablets, $550, Wagga Eisteddfod - $1000 and Circus Quirkus for $600.  All were voted on and carried.

Another big one, was support for Fiji ShelterBoxes, $12000.  Carried

The Board and Travis Downey had pleasure in approving and seeking the members agreement to support the AED project for 1.Media campaign $8,000 and 2. Purchase/ contributions/support on placements to the tune of $14,800. Carried

 

Ric Priest had pleasure in reminding the club about FAIM =- Fourth avenue in Motion.

He made a visit to Mannus Island for a project with the club, and since then sent over $380 which kept a whole village in fish for a year.  The money bought hooks and sinkers for the fishermen.

Frank Fuller was Sergeant this week, and fined;

Paul Milde – weather forecast for Friday was diabolical

Tim Barter – must have sent the Lord a Prayer

Hillis

Ferguson and

Leywood for being in the VIP tent when the big gust of wind flew through and shifted it some 5 meters – apparently Hillis won the 50 meter sprint

Breust for losing side cutters of Hillis to Jeremy

Jeremy for organising the cheapest hay this side of the Congo

Gibson/Pyke/Ferguson for closing the gates a tad early

Egan for sucking up to the Sergeant to get out of being fined

Irvine/Downey and Knight for apprehending a glass thief and returning them to the VIP tent

Michael Georgiou for obtaining the CPR certificate

 

Tim Barter took a few minutes to thanks everyone for a massive effort and hard work over Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the Food and Wine Festival.

 

 

He said it was a great day for the punters, vendors and is a terrific community event.

 

The committee especially were thanked for their efforts this year, namely;

David Byfield for rosters

Michael Knight – foodies

Jeremy R for the Wineries

Andy Irvine for the beer and liquor licence

Kevin Moffatt for the trucks/fencing/refrigeration

Hodgy for the entertainment

Nick Leywood for VIP and sponsorship

John Ferguson and Frank Fuller for the money handling

Col Duff  - electrics

Geoff Breust – Entry gates and wrist bands

Jo Carswell for online media

David Foster – Printing and signage

Tim for equipment, media and other helpers – South Wagga Apex, Wagga High and Kapooka

Paul Milde – Secretary and picking up the pieces everywhere.

 

As well as this, a big thankyou to the VRA, who because of the atrocious weather on Friday were there on Saturday to set up, and Sunday to pull down again.

 

 

 

Bob Willis introduced Peter Birks.

 

Peter studied oenology in Australia before venturing off to Spain and Italy for six years to gain industry experience in the world of wine.

 

This included a Masters in Montpelier, France along with another man from the Hunter – Henscke.

He worked on 4 vintages in Portugal, a couple in France and Italy and some in WA and Tasmania in between, travelling the food and wine path around each country.

 

He worked at the La Spinetta Winery in Peimonte in Italy, which is a mecca for food and wine, and famous for the Nebbiolo grape.

 

 

Peter went on about his father Andrew’s fino sherry, which began 33 years ago, and explained the process of fermenting a Palamino grape wine floray – flor yeast over a liquid, and fine filtering to barrels into a Solera – where the last barrel feeds to the next and so on, as the sherry is drained from the original barrel.

 

Here is a press release on the Birks Chip Dry Sherry.