Last week we had a ‘night off’ due to the final State of Origin Rugby League series. Hopefully some of you made it to the Crossways Hotel for a little bit of fellowship, and a whole lot of misery. The less said about that game the better!  I wasn’t in town last week and so wasn’t able to join any of you that may have gone along to that disappointing match (thank goodness). I was in Washington DC for the week, arriving home on Saturday morning. Yes, you should start to see a ‘new’ Donald Trump in the coming months!

This week we are pleased to welcome to our Club members of the Rotary Club of Breakfast Point and their partners, including District Governor Stephen Britten and his wife, Jane. Breakfast Point is Stephen’s home Club. We look forward to getting to know Stephen a little better through this visit, now that he’s fully inducted in his role as DG, as well as listening to his views for our district in his dinner address tonight. Welcome Stephen, Jane and all Breakfast Point visitors!

It is with great sadness that we heard the news on Saturday that the President-elect of Rotary International, Sam F. Owori, has died as a result of post-operative complications from a planned surgery. Sam had been a member of the Rotary Club of Kampala, Uganda, for 38 years. At this time, please keep his wife, Norah, the Owori family, and Sam’s millions of friends around the world in your thoughts. Sam's unexpected death is a huge loss to Rotary, his community, and the world. Sam's passing makes a big impact from the perspective of Rotary leadership. A memorial fund in Sam’s honour will be established. More details will be provided as they become available.

As many of you will have heard at our Changeover Presentation, President of the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie, Tony Lanzafame, has scored something of a coup, getting RI President, Ian Risely to visit his club on 31st July 2017. If anyone is interested in going, booking details can be found on their Club website. Hurry, only a few spots are left.

Speaking of RI President Ian Risely, he has challenged every Rotarian to plant a tree between 1st July 2017 and Earth Day, 22nd April 2018. Trees remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, thereby slowing down global warming. Let’s each one of us resolve to plant a tree before 22nd April 2018 – shouldn’t take too much effort – just be careful about blocking your neighbour’s views. You know how they can be about that!

Last night (Tuesday, 18th July 2017) we held our first full Board Meeting as a newly instated Board of the Club. If I’m here tonight, it went well and I’ll share the key outcomes.

Last thing…save the date. Our Rotary District (in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Sydney) will be hosting the Rotary Peace Building Conference in Sydney on the 17th March 2018. This happens to be St Patrick’s Day (green beer, leprechauns and global peace – makes sense, I guess) and will be held at the Sydney Town Hall. More information is available on the Peace Building Conference website  http://www.RIPPC2018.com.au

Rick