It certainly feels like we're heading into Spring. The skies are blue, my
golf is as bad as ever and there is the faint whiff of back-burning in the
breeze. Or is that the smell of a barbecue beckoning community spirited folk
to a Rotary snag sizzle?
Rotarian Bradley Ayres
and Rotary friend Angeli Jain on BBQ duties
At our Club Meeting
It's
been a busy week. On Wednesday we were treated to one of
IPP Andrew's
incisive interviews, this time with Rtn Mathew Elias. Mathew has been in the
Club for a number of years and members will mainly be familiar with his
quiet, modest demeanour and the convenient location of his dentist's surgery
next to the Croquet Club. However, we now know about his upbringing in
Bangalore, India and the impressive professional and academic status of his
parents (his father an engineer, his mother a Professor of Sociology). We
heard about his wife, Navya, a successful banking executive, his wedding
attended by 1000 guests (imagine the seating plan) and his two wonderful
girls.
Now we also know that Mathew has an artistic skill
- he is a keen
caricaturist of Indian politicians. Oh what hidden talents we have in the
Club! As if I hadn't had enough of dentistry for one day, having had my own
teeth and gums probed and polished that morning, Mathew gave us his insights
into recent technological advances in dentistry and the current challenges
of the profession (beyond chronic halitosis and the routine disinclination
of anyone to follow instructions on regular flossing). To add to the
jollity, the stand-in Sergeant Chris Virgona, enlightened us on interesting,
and sometimes slightly unsavoury world records, the high (or rather low)
point being the World's loudest burp, and the giggles and smirks from some
of our more juvenile members at a few unintentional double entendres.
Out and About
On Sunday Strathfield Council held a well-attended National Tree Day event,
planting new vegetation in the Ismay Reserve along Powell's Creek in
Homebush. The Club provided the barbecue and we burnished our environmental
credentials by planting a few trees. The good thing about these events is
that it gives us a chance to be seen out and about in the community. It is a
chance to have a chat with members of the public, hand out a few leaflets
and generally raise awareness of Rotary. We also get the chance to get to
know the Council team a bit better and meet a few interesting people. The
fellowship was as usual good and we also had some help on the barbecue from
a couple of non-members, one of whom is interested in being further involved
in the Club.
(L to R) Sally Sitou
MP, Rtn Aruna Chandrala, President Nick Hamilton-Kane and Strathfield
Councillor Raj Datta
Club Guest Speaker
Program
Our schedule of speakers
(click) is well under control - our ever-organised
Programmes Chair Bradley tells me we're almost booked up to Christmas. We
have some interesting talks to look forward to.
So that's my first month as President - eleven more to go!
Have a great week and I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday evening.
Best wishes,