Bulletin 3 RCOBS (Jul 21, 2017)

Today we had the pleasure of Greg Christie of V/Line, Services Manager Northern Region, as our guest speaker

An ex Eaglehawk football team player, he now heads up a staff complement which includes thirty-five drivers in Bendigo.

Greg joined VLine in the days of four to five trains a day to Spencer Street, and is to oversee the services Bendigo to Southern Cross increase to every forty minutes during peak periods, as of August 2017, all topping 160 kph.

It’s a popular service: Two million, five hundred thousand or so passenger journeys last year. And, passengers may note imminent extension of

car parks at Gisborne, Kyneton and Kangaroo Flat.

He’s learned to bear the brunt of incessant criticism of the single track to Kyneton with passing loops at Kangaroo Flat, Big Hill and Elphinstone, and has developed a magician’s trick of pulling four or five buses out of a hat, given ten minutes’ notice when folk park across the lines, or whatever.

Quietly hiding their light under a bushel, Greg and V/Line support community groups, such as “Beacon”, who in turn enlist the assistant of prominent sports stars to talk to youth about life skills, depression, body image and “getting back up and having a go, again”.

And I found:

Customer Service Institute of Australia Awards 2015 Professional Service category: Manager of the Year: Highly Commended: Greg Christie Bendigo.

And, of course, Greg is our “Groovin’ the Moo” champion, dissolving and leaping over any obstructions anybody places in our way as we set up at Bendigo Railway Station precinct to “rescue” the concert goers off the buses.

Quite unfairly, from the podium at Girton Grammar School this same morning, in front of one thousand one hundred and thirty-five students and staff,

I asked his student daughter to put up her hand, mentioning Dad at Rotary.

I was at Girton Grammar School, suit, tie, Rotary pins and all, to present a certificate to the Community Services arm of the School, acknowledging their volunteering assistance Australia Day 2017. I must say it was a real buzz, especially when one thousand one hundred and thirty-five students and staff belted out the school anthem.

After assembly, the headmaster Mr Maruff gave me opportunity for us to discuss my 2017 2018 theme of Youth and Local.

He a musician is, too, very aware of Orchestra Victoria in Bendigo this week. They’re even playing in “our” 18eightseven Friday lunchtime. Don’t miss the concert at Ulumbarra Saturday night.

Bendigo Festival Programme

Our Rotary challenge today was to ‘construct’ a 3D Bombardier V/Line VLocity from this ‘flat pack’ Greg left for us.

To Housekeeping:

Our AG Jill Barker wishes to attend our meeting Wednesday July 26:

Board Members at 07:00 please.

If you draw the “Set up” straw, arriving earlier than normal is an advantage:

Retrieving our gear from upstairs and setting it all up is a bit of a “pantomime”. I’ll be there early to help.

Peter Elliott and Ray Carrington would appreciate some DIY destructing help next Wednesday after the meeting [July 26], to salvage shelving donated by our Danny O’Brien of Nuts n Bolts, for the “Knitting Shed”.

Assets and Property C’ttee are aware that Peter Elliott has the lap top retrieved from Conor Cunningham, and our insurance triumvirate are aware of D9800 Insurance Renewal Summary and Handbook from D9800, now available on ClubRunner site.

Our Protection Officer Judy Miatke, correctly, informs us that the “new” Victorian State Child Safety legislation demands formal advice from

District Director of Governance.

Doug’s looking for a deputy to co-organise Australian Rotary Health Hat Day:

Tuesday October 10, 2017:

http://hatday.com.au/

We need a Foundation Member for 2017/18 to engage with Merlyn Quaife at RC Bgo South re Foundation Information dinner.

Ray Carrington is seeking interest in any persons attending the Welsh Choir and Silvie Paladino concert Sunday September 10 2017. This is a major

RC Bgo South, D9800, Ulumbarra Foundation and CoGB venture.

Our DGE 2018/19 Bronwyn Stephens will be attending.

Rotary Australia Compassionate Grants [“The Dick Smith $1M”]:

Casey Ross of Bendigo Community Health Service will present one Wednesday morning, applying on behalf of two potential awardees in the local Karen community, for a dollar for dollar RACG-RCoBS Grant.

This morning [July 17] I spent time with Ann Lansberry, CEO of the Community Foundation of Central Victoria. I support their ethos:

“Local giving to strengthen local community”. She also, is on our guest speaker programme. Think “BIG GIVE DAY” May 4 2018.

I’ve also invited a supplicant, Mikaeli Howden, seeking pecuniary support of her project in Cambodia, to speak at one of our meetings.

I’ve received an invitation to a “Success Seminar”:

Read: Image and Marketing. Sunday August 13^th. Any members are welcome, especially those with website and social media expertise.

Federation Picnic: Sunday August 27^th:

There’ll be a Roster.

Please see The Catering Team.

Our Federation “Champion” is BMC Mini Minor aficionado Mark Weragoda.

As background:

According to their website at: http://www.federation.asn.au/

The Federation of Veteran, Vintage and Classic Vehicle Clubs was formed in 1970 and currently, as an umbrella entity, has one hundred and five member clubs. The Federation apparently owns the National Swap Meet Bendigo and, by agreement the management and organisation of that Meet was handed over to the Veteran Vintage & Classic Club Bendigo.

RCoBS Committees structure:

I’m collating:

Conor Cunningham’s version

Endorsed/Approved D9800 and Rotary International Projects

Our recent review of committees’ structure

and, I’ll bring the finished template to board meeting August 7 2017.

So, may your home fires burn warm in this chilly Winter, and do bring along your enthusiasm for AG Jill Barker next week.

G for George

[Off to an Orchestra Victoria recital deep down the Central Deborah Mine]