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President Peter Draper 2023/24 “It is a great honour to once again be at the helm of this great club and I am excited and looking forward to the year ahead. We may not be a big club, but we are a very effective one. As President, I would like to continue with our emphasis on fellowship, fundraising and supporting our youth. One of the greatest legacies we can leave is the development of those still remaining, and youth have time to make the greatest impact. Rotary has some great youth programs which I would like to see representatives in Leeton fully utilising. We also have an abundance of wisdom in our club to pass on to the next generation. We can also learn from the young, and especially from different cultures. We are after all one planet. I am very happy that the club will again be hosting an overseas exchange student. It has been wonderful having Hanna with us over the last year and I know the club and Leeton community has benefited. I would also like to acknowledge our new Paul Harris scholar recipients, Anne and Dan. Both very worthy recipients and congratulations to them. I am enthusiastic about what the next year in the club might look like and look forward to sharing these thoughts at President’s Night. Now it gives me much pleasure to introduce the incoming board for 23/24: - President Elect- Carmel Cristofaro
- Secretary – Brian Munro
- Treasurer – Len Wade
- Foundation – Geoff Beecher
- Administration – Nicholas Wright
- Service Projects – Barry Patten
- Youth Services – Greg Brown
- Membership – Dan Cotter
The board will also include Laurie Lewin, as our Public Relations Office and past president, Graeme Kruger; both of whom were unable to attend this evening. Thank you all for agreeing to be part of our board and I look forward to working with you all. I also acknowledge and thank other club members who have offered their support and willingness to assist. Our club is not just the members and board and at this point I would like to acknowledge and thank the partners of Rotarians who are supporting and helping in the background. I would particularly like to thank Erin for her tremendous support and encouragement, and wealth of ideas. I know she is particularly keen to create more opportunities for social functions and fellowship. In concluding, I would like to thank all who have been involved in putting this evening together. To Rose, and the Hydro for this wonderful venue and meal, and a special mention to Brian for his direction and organisation of this event. Finally, thank you to who attended this evening and our awesome MC, Nic. That concludes the night’s formalities and I wish you all the best for the next 12 months, as we all embrace the Rotary International theme of ‘Create Hope In The World’. Peter Draper Leeton Rotary Club President 13/07/2023” ******************************** Carmel’s Brain Teaser x 2 Couple short brain teasers this week, hopefully won’t take too long to work out the answers, being in order of appearance; odometer and water. - Travel a kilometre and I will change, travel a million and I will end as I started. What are I?
- Your reflection can be seen here, as long as you’re not moving.
******************************** Director’s Roundup - Incoming RYE Student –Javian Niewbehner from Werther, Germany has sorted out his Visa issues. He will be arriving in Sydney on Monday 24th July. Transport to Leeton has been arranged.
- Storage Shed Cleanup – 23 July 2023 – 10.00 Sunday at Brobenah Road shed. Shed to be tidied, cupboard to be moved to Hydro and decorations collected for Deb Ball.
- Deb Belle of the Ball – 28 July 2023 – Leeton Soldiers Club – We currently have 16 debs wishing to participate at this year event which will be the Clubs 70th anniversary ball. Buy your tickets now.
******************************** Silly Joke / Meme A few extra this week, enjoy. “And just what makes you think I don’t know what I’m doing?” ******************************** Directors’ Reports 2022-2023 Secretary As Secretary, I have also continued to be Executive Secretary whose responsibility is to maintain databases on the Club Runner Website. Club Runner continues to provide a means of sending emails, bulletins and integrating information from Club to District to Rotary International. Communications to and from the club now are predominantly by email so it was decided to close our Post Office Box to save $150 + a year for the Administration Account. Communication to members for short update has been mainly by SMS to ensure that members receive their message as quickly as possible. The Board continued to meet monthly and thank you to Sunrice, the majority were held at the Koshi Room. Thanks to President Graeme the meetings were very concise allowing for some social time after the meetings. Club meetings have been very varied. Matt Gatt at the Hungry Fox fed and lubricated our small band that attended until Christmas which was held at the Drapers property “Willow Park”. With the new year we were welcomed at the Hydro by Rose and we have found this to be a suitable venue. It will improve once the Club has moved a cabinet to the storeroom at the Hydro. Thanks go to the other members of the board and the club for keeping our small club going in this post COVID era. Brian Munro Secretary 2022/23 Public Image In July 2022 we kicked off the year with the Art Deco Festival and our Soup Kitchen. The site (Rotunda) was transformed to a gone by era and was a fitting tribute to the Rotary Rotunda born many years ago. This event was held via community collaboration with the Cadets. Apart from the funds raised on the day, left over food was donated to the Op Shop to assist locals by providing them with a decent meal. This donation equated to approx. 130-140 meals donated being the equivalent of about a $600-$650 donation. After a two year absence the Deb Belle of the Ball was back bigger and better. Ball photos were taken on the night were posted on Facebook which had a reach of within the first month after the event of 9.7k with 5.1k engagements. An absolutely amazing result. During the year the Club was involved in the Australia Day breakfast, the ham carnival, RYDA event and the monthly Farmers and Makers Markets. The Club undertook the refurbishment of the Leeton Showground Gates and it is hoped that with funding the Club will be able to landscape and install an irrigation system in and around the gates in the coming months. With District grant funding on 31st May our club hosted a Leeton Business Chamber breakfast with the support of Leeton Connect. Titled ‘Stories of Resilience’ we heard from a panel of representatives from four pillars of our community. Panel members shared their stories and experiences of overcoming adversity and bouncing back to success in their field of expertise and finding wellbeing in their personal and family lives. This was an awesome event with approx. 70 members of the public attending, once again bringing the amazing community work Rotary undertakes to the forefront of people’s minds. We enjoyed many amazing guests throughout the year, and I am astonished to the wonderful work being undertaken in our area that most of us aren’t even aware of. We even managed to a have a social trip or two outside of Leeton as well as some very inspiring vocational visits. Weekly bulletins which are posted on the Club’s webpage have received great responses and our Facebook Page is growing with each post. The Bulletin and Facebook have featured all our events and guest speakers our Public Image has been enhanced by our presence in the community. We are looking forward to greater involvement through the Deb Ball and the Art Deco Festival later in July. Carmel Cristofaro Public Image 2022/23 ******************************** Carmel’s Optical Illusion Photo Cheese fondue? Cheese fondue? Or strange erosion in a slot canyon in Utah? These holes in the rock of Little Wild Horse Canyon look a lot like delicious melting Swiss cheese, but this funny optical illusion is just a product of wind, water, and time. Fondue, on the other hand, is a product of the 1970s, cheese, and heat. Is anyone else hungry now? ******************************** It’s not what you know, but who? We all know that George loves his dessert, and at Changeover he was lucky enough to enjoy two. When asked how did he manage that his response, “it’s not what you know, but who”. Well George you apparently are not the only one who knows the right people as Dan was also lucky enough to score two desserts. After yours truly received the steak and Dan the salmon, I was reminded that apparently I said would swap with him if I got the steak and he got the salmon. In other words Dan you want the steak, but just don’t want to ask for it directly. ******************************** Slip of the Tongue We all know that Changeovers as supposed to be a bit formal, with procedures and tried and true protocols in place. However, we have all seen the news bloopers on TV and know that despite the best preparation and good intentions one misplaced word or wrong word, can leave everyone laughing, as was the case on Thursday night. Refer proof below, Peter just thinks it is hilarious and Greg is trying not to smile too much, as the crowd is in fits of laughter. Just goes to prove even on formal nights Rotarians can always have fun and enjoy themselves. ********************************
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