New chairpereson volunteers to President Ted please.
Presidents Report
Survived the first meeting of my year as President without any major dramas. (At least that’s how it looked to me.)
My thanks to all Club members for their support and best wishes in particular Toni and Adrian for the guidance during the handover and getting Zoom up and running. It was great to have a very special Bendigonian as a guest speaker. Chris Stoltz recent gong is very well deserved. Someone who has given much to a number of communities.
Well done Barb negotiating your way through the meeting and everyone is now an old hand at Zoom. We will have to wait and see what Covid 19 rules relate to Regional Victoria, but the developments in Melbourne suggest we might not get much more easing until hopefully, they can bring the second wave under control. Let’s just hope it does not spread to the “bush”.
Couple of upcoming events
Centenary of Rotary in Australia Baton Launch
To celebrate the launch of the R100 Baton Relay, you are invited to join us via Zoom from Government House, Canberra in the presence of Governor-General and Mrs Hurley. Including: Performance by Leo Sayer.
LOCATION Zoom Online Meeting (Board members please have a look at the websites)
Whisper was the DG was headed this way about the 16th though that might be restricted to a virtual visit perhaps. More to come on that.
Happy birthday Glen Moloney for the 3 July.
Allie advised we are eligible to apply for a District grant and called for suggestions
Geoff also sought approaches from anyone that would be interested in becoming involved with the Timor Leste Knitting Project as the Club needs a succession plan for when Patti Cotton and Carol McCooke decide it is time to pass the baton. This has been a most successful project now for 13 years and would be terrific to have a continued Rotary involvement.
The guest speaker for the meeting was Chris Stoltz. His initial interest in local government was sparked by his advocacy for local residents about a drainage problem which resulted from the building of the Shell Service Station at the corner of High and Honeysuckle Streets. From this Chris became a Councillor and was Mayor of Bendigo in the early eighties in the times before amalgamation. He commented positively about the contribution manufacturing makes to the Bendigo economy. Chris outlined some ideas about the reimagining of the Hargreaves Street Mall and the management of waste.
Chirs shared with members some of his experiences professionally as a Civil Engineer. During his time as CEO of the Sunraysia Water Authority there were significant increased opportunities for farmers to have access to irrigation. Similar benefits also became available during his time in the management of the area around the Menindee Lakes. In both settings Chirs was able to bring a range of new ideas and innovative approaches. He noted that the plane which came with the Menindee job created an enjoyable interest in flying which he has pursued since.
Chris outlined his involvement in two Community Projects, The Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Sacred Heart Mission. He has overseen the expansion of RFDS services to include areas such as Dental Care, Men's Health and non-emergency road transport. The RFDS now operates in much less remote areas in the delivery of these services. Homelessness has been a key priority of the Sacred Heart Mission, founded by Fr. Ernie Smith in 1982. Chris explained the collaboration between the Mission and Businessmen such as Lindsay Fox which is enabling people to draw down loans to get back to proper housing and in some instances returning to work.
Members were delighted to congratulate Chris on the recognition he recently received with an Order of Australia Award. His "can do" attitude has positively impacted on many people in a variety of settings. In all of this he was proud to acknowledge his family and the important part they play in enabling him to be involved in so many community projects. Chris is another example of someone who does Bendigo proud. We thank him for his contributions, his presentation and his willingness to be the guest of the Club.
CENTENARY OF ROTARY AUSTRALIA LAUNCH
To celebrate the launch of the R100 Baton Relay, you are invited to join us via Zoom from Government House, Canberra in the presence of Governor-General and Mrs Rotary’s Centenary is a time of celebration. It is a time to reflect on our past, and take pride in all that has been achieved.
Couple of upcoming events
