Presidents Desk

From the President’s desk

Previous weeks from President Charles (click)

22 May 2019

Hi all

The Week That Was
It has been a big week based on any measure. From a Rotary prospective, events came thick and fast, starting

Monday 13 May when an interest meeting was held at Strathfield Library with the aim on of forming the Homebush Probus Club,
Wednesday evening 15 May, when I myself not able to be at Rotary, Janelle Watson, doing a great job in chairing our meeting, and Thaya delivering an excellent "This is My Life" talk at very short notice, in lieu of the guest speaker.
Thursday 16 May President Elect Arie Pappas attending the District President's Meeting,
Friday, 17 May, the Interact Dance at Meriden School with Roger, Janelle, Bradley, Nick, Thaya and Rod acting as security support; and
finally on Saturday 18 May, the BBQ at Chalmers Road. Also on Saturday, Past President Peter Smith, was in Strathfield Square, at the annual Red Shield BBQ. Not seen is the email traffic knitting all this together.

Importantly I thank my fellow members for their participation, many were at multiple events. We are a Club that goes out and is active in the community. My small part in the week's activities I write on below .

Chalmers Road Election Day BBQ
A memorable day, back behind the fence at Chalmers Road School, the Rotary BBQ cooking, and the old BBQ (now owned and loved by Chalmers Road) also going, the sausages, the onions, and the eggs, on and off with a shout for another fresh batch. This is our street food! Thank you to our morning team, Thaya, Roy, Andrew, Rod, Raymond, Peter Van der Sleesen and Peter Smith. See the photo in the back pages.

The Chalmers Road parents and teachers were there selling and on the old BBQ with us. We worked as a great team. Added to the menu were vegetarian sausages, with free apples.

The voters passed by throughout the day, the cooking onions were always on the breeze, and the pleasure of going home munching on "the lot", with an apple in your pocket, they told us.

Standing in the sun, with the intoxicating scents of the BBQ, there were flashes from the past, the blue vest of the Liberal Party, is that "Mitchell Blue"?, at 8 it was my favourite colour. From Nick my son, who had come by to help, "Dad did you know it was 50 years since 1969 election," yes, that was the election David Williamson based his play, Don's Party on. I wonder what they were drinking? Do dogs vote? So many dogs on leads waiting in the queue, all well behaved. The day was a relaxing spell from an Accountant's Office.

An interesting electoral result, from the Electoral Office web site was there were 2,495 voters at Chalmers Rd, a trivia we googled the next day. The sausages were all donated by a generous butcher in Punchbowl, also other food inputs being donated. The bottom line, is that the funds of the Chalmers Road School are stronger, thanks to the generosity of suppliers, the commitment of the parents and staff and the Rotary Club of Strathfield with our volunteer members and our BBQ Trailer.

District Amalgamation
The interest vote for the amalgamation of the two Sydney Rotary Districts, divided on a North/South basis along the Parramatta River, resulted in a narrow against result in the north and overwhelming in favour in the south. There are multiple issues for and against, hopefully will continue to be discussed for another decade or two.

Rotary Down Under
Rotary's regional magazine Rotary Down Under is a good read. Catching my attention in the May edition (click to read online), were articles on Rotary Club of Christchurch and their response to the shooting there on 15 March, 2019. On 20-22 September, 2019, there is an Australian and New Zealand Rotary Conference. Read the article -it is worthy of consideration. Also in the edition is an article on the International Fellowship of Cricketing Rotarians. One of the largest Rotary fellowships. Their next festival is in Kandy, Sri Lanka, in July, 2020. While on the back cover there is an advertisement to undertake the Kokoda Trek. All worthy of consideration, and there is no doubt we are not old and inactive.

Poem
The poem chosen is A Bush Christening, by A B Banjo Patterson. The choice of the poem is prompted when on Sunday, I was at the Christening Service, for young Sophia with 100 plus and the Choir, and all latter cramped into the church Hall. An opportunity to recall this poem: A Bush Christening.

Charles

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