RCEB Bulletin - Changeover 23 June 2017

 

Chair: 2016-2017 President - Brian Tolhurst began the meeting.

 

Members with Guests: RCEB members with partners.

 

   Club Friend: Chris Jose

   Club Daughter: Dong Hua Gillett

 

Jill Bower and Te Rina Timutimu;

Ray Hancock from Esperance Lions;

Wes & Fran Graham from RC Esperance;

Stage Band of Esperance Anglican Community School led by Gail Saunders;

Ilka McKeown, violinist.

 

Departing President Brian Tolhurst announced Lee Mackin and Paul Wennagel as the two recipients of the Ralph Bower Award for Community Service.

Jill Bower, widow of Ralph presented the awards.

Lee and Paul thanked Jill, Lee then said that the award should really go to the whole Esperance Adventure Camp Committee.

 

           Jill Bower presents the Award to Lee and Paul

 

Brian presented CLUB DAUGHTER Dong Hua Gillett with a beanie and a pair of ugg boots as a thankyou for her spending a year with us - we will all miss her very much and wish her well for the future.

 

 

I would just like to talk briefly about “Opportunity”.

 

When we are invited to join Rotary, we are given a lot of opportunities.

 

The opportunity to be part of a worldwide humanitarian organisation, The opportunity to make new friends, The opportunity to do some good in the world, the opportunity to do good in your community and the opportunity to form new networks in Esperance and around the world.

 

This year we all had the opportunity to travel to Cambodia with 45 other Rotarians from the USA and Australia and what a great trip is was for the 14 of us who could make it. We made new friends from the USA and in Cambodia as well as seeing how we can make a difference in the lives of people we will probably never meet.

 

On our return we were able to raise funds through Bucko’s sausage sizzles and a generous gift from the Golden Orient Restaurant, that enabled the club to provide fresh drinking water to a number of villages, breakfast for the pre-school children at 7 schools for a whole year and share in the provision of a big village basket as part of Sustainable Cambodia’s program of bringing health and education to the poorest people in Cambodia. At Ulf’s farewell dinner, Judy at the Golden Orient insisted that the cost of the meal and drinks be donated back to the club, so an additional $750 was put towards Sustainable Cambodia.

 

Also this year we had the opportunity to provide a memorable week of fun and excitement to some of the young people in town with disabilities. As Rotarians, I think we may have got as much out of the week-long Adventure Camp as the campers. The support we received from the Esperance Community was almost overwhelming and demonstrated once again what a great community we live in.

 

Once again the Rotary New Year’s Eve Fireworks were a great success and the team that put this together are to be commended for all the work they do to make this a feature of the towns events calendar.

I would like to thank the club who gave me the opportunity to be your President and in particular my committee that made my job so easy. Kerr for his easy approach to getting things done – especially tonight’s changeover dinner. Without him and his organisational skills we would probably be down at MacDonalds. David Ford, Bucko, Peter Fox, Peter Schmedje and Fluer McDonald for Prickle Farm, Bob Jones, Renae, Garry Wilson and finally the person with the hardest job in the club and I couldn’t have done this without her help – Heather James as Club Secretary for two years in a row. So Heather, I have a small gift for you. 

 

 

 

2016-2017 President Brian Tolhurst handed over to 2017-2018 President Garry Wilson.

 

 

Ladies & gentlemen

Thank you to BT and last year’s committee.

Special mention to

I was introduced to club by Lee and Paul in 2007 as guest speaker. Luckily didn’t ignite anyone during a flare demonstration.

I was invited to submit a group study exchange application to Brazil while I on holiday in Queensland. This was unsuccessful but encouraged me to tender one for next year to Norway - a favourable location due to my maritime vocation. In 2009 I was successful in secure a spot to Norway with Lee as team leader. In 2010 we traveled to Norway for a month via the Group Study Exchange program.

Then the badgering started, get togethers increased, invites to RoadWise meetings, Christmas parties - that was only Lee.

My journey towards joining the Rotary Club of Esperance Bay was underway.

During this time I continued to associate with members until in December 2013 I became a member of the Rotary Club of Esperance Bay.

 

Looking forward I wish to continue the great work of the club, add value to our club and have fun along the way.

Be proud of our club, people identify with our club because we encourage involvement, support the community financially and with assist people power. My hope is for our club to actively support local group initiatives.

I understand members volunteer their time to a number of local community groups, add success to existing programs

People power calling on club members to provide ideas & initiates of your volunteering so as a club we can support you support our community.

We hold one of the largest community events in Esperance with the New Year’s Eve fireworks and the best pyrotechnics in the region by far….

But do the public really know what Rotary does?

So a little educating of the public is in order:

This may include

Be seen and be proud. Make a Difference.

Such activities will increases our networks and will definitely expose the club to future members and gently the community will understand what Rotary is about.

 

Now wish to introduce the 2017/18 Club Officers and Directors who will introduce their committee:

Secretary               Heather James

Treasurer              Bob Jones

Club Service          Renae Poot

Membership          Charlotte Davidson

International         Paul Wennagel

Vocational             David Ford

Youth                   Shane Rothnie

Community           Brett Thorp

Prickle farm          Tom Murray & Fleur McDonald

 

I wish everyone a fantastic year.

 

The Rotary International theme for 2017/18 is:

 

 

 

RM: Thanks to Brian for asking me to be Sergeant after I’d consumed 15 Coronas and would have said yes to anything that night. 

Heather. Again…….  No name tag and

whilst assisting Gaz with his tie tonight said she found it easier to undress people laying in a prone position and who weren't actually moving 

Gaz. - Set the standard for this year. Nice tie but top button undone and shirt hanging out. 

Wal - met Heather tonight but seemed more interested in her new friend Glen Fiddich.

Bob Jones - Flooded the onions at the BBQ sizzle. Mushed snaggers everywhere. 

Katie - House sat for Gaz last week. What Katie didn't know was Garry has CCTV which records every room. New DVD out Monday - What Katie does...... MA version but X rated can be ordered on line. 

Fine of the year on Charlotte. At Fraser Range Charlotte was having trouble getting the shower to work despite putting several coins in. Kaye suggested she turn on the tap! 
 

Prior to the Changeover Meeting commencing members and guests were entertained by the EACS Stage Band and between the main course and dessert by violinist Ilka McKeown

 

      Song                   David Ford   

      Invocation           Bruce Jones

      Intro                   David Callow

      Thanks               Lee Mackin

      Sgt Assist            Shane Rothnie

      Stand By             Fleur McDonald

      Rotary Info         Kerr Fulton-Peebles (4 Way Test speech)

      Guest Speaker    Teach Learn Grow program co-ordinator

 

The floral arrangements on the tables were made by one of the EACS parents and anyone wishing to at the end of the evening could take one home.

Thank everyone for attending.

Thanks to the Pier staff for their good service, Kerr for organising the evening and BT for successfully guiding the club through another Rotary year.

The meeting next Thursday 29th June will be at Nulsen Primary School.

 

 

President       Garry Wilson

Secretary       Heather James                     Attendance

Treasurer       Bob Jones

 

                    Katie Williams          Asset manager/ Sergeant

                    Richard Moore          Sergeant / Club Protection Officer

                    Tamara Virgo           Programme

                    David Callow            Bulletin Editor

                    Dick Thorpe

                   Mike Clarke

                   Lee Mackin

                   Ron Padgurskis (LoA)

                   Jeff Buckman (LoA)

                   Rob Simpson (LoA)

                   Greg Hard

                   Brian Tolhurst           Vice President

                   Ian “Scottish” McCallum

                   Jen Ford

                   Peter Schmedje

                   Kerr Fulton-Peebles  Youth Liaison Officer

                   Bruce Jones             Fireworks Chair

                   Jim Gray

                   Dick Nulsen

                   Frank Matthews (LoA)

                   Andrew Middleton

                   Alistair McIntyre               

                   John Wallace