All I can say
initially is…. CONGRATULATIONS…. EVERYONE !!!!!
On the night of
the Club’s 32nd birthday you all delivered in spades with a wonderful event
that subject to final confirmation raised around $60,000. Yes, you’re right,
that is indeed a H-u-u-u-g-e amount.
My sincere thanks
to event Chair Euan Watson for delivering (with the member’s help of course)
everything that could be asked for. Euan’s continual promotion and your
willingness to be involved resulted in some 470 tickets being sold, when we
really only had room for 450. Amazingly the car raffle, which caused some
consternation right up to the night itself, I believe, ended up FULLY sold,
hat is nearly 400 tickets, and the raffle sold out the initial 200 $20
balloons and then Jenny Hennell and her helpers sold another 100 tickets.
Further big thank
you’s must also go to the WORLD’S BEST auctioneer (and nice guy to boot)
John Leftwich, who willingly extracted excellent amounts from those
attending (including yours truly) for the many quality auction items. And on
that topic a grateful thank you to all the members who were able to organise
all those excellent silent and main auction items and lucky door and raffle
prizes.
Special thank
you’s also to Kevin Freund for the organisation of the silent auction,
George Helou in the main auction and Treasurer Peter Douglas who was a busy
but happy guy, collecting substantial sums on the night.
And of course
Community Service Director Angelo Franco and Sal Tosto who started the
planning for this night early in the year and negotiated such excellent
terms and arrangements with Le Montage.
With your
agreement I propose making presentations to the three charities and a
donation to the Polio Plus campaign, at the next Partner’s night, where we
might also properly thank John Leftwich for his valuable assistance, and
also acknowledge the assistance of our partners who also contributed
significantly to the success of the evening.
I can assure you
after some difficult times during the year; it is very pleasing to have the
difficult decision of deciding how much, not how little we can distribute to
our charities.
At the beginning
of my year you may remember I challenged the club to raise $100,000 for the
year.
I copped a bit of
flack from some members over that, but by my calculations we are around
$90,000 net already, with three months to go, including two more fundraising
functions (the bike ride and fun run)
Your support and
encouragement of the many activities and functions held to date has been
fantastic.
For those of you
who couldn’t make the combined clubs GSE presentation from the Scottish team
last Monday, you missed a truly great evening. The Scots are warm and
friendly people, a wee bit difficult to understand, however their
presentation was probably the BEST in the last 10 or 12 years, no argument.
I hope you may consider making up at a club they are speaking at in the next
four weeks, because they are worth it!!
And by the way
the three girls in the team wear the pants literally, while the two men wear
kilts, one in the traditional fashion (so I was informed by one of the
girls). I wonder if Euan Watson (Scottish heritage) or Rod McDougall have
kilts in their wardrobes…….. Perish the thought………..
On a lesser note
I did a ring around last week, and I can now disappointingly confirm that
only THREE (3) Strathfield Rotarians are attending this week’s conference. I
know we have been busy, I know the venue is too close to home and its not
the traditional weekend away, but guys, its just not good enough and its not
Strathfield not to support the district conference.
Please
reconsider, will some of you consider joining Denise and I for the ball on
Saturday night, will some of you consider attending the Saturday or Sunday
parts only ( at a reduced cost of $75) will you ???. And this is not a
threat but if we don’t collectively support the conference in some way, I’m
afraid it will be reflected in greatly increased district dues next year, as
the losses will have to be passed on somehow.
You may remember
early in my year we received some unpleasant correspondence from Sydney
Olympic Park in respect of last years Fun run. This matter was
satisfactorily resolved (but with the very unfortunate loss of Shane
Smallwood in the process) and negotiations have been continuing with SOPA in
respect of this years fun run and our INAUGURAL bike ride. Last Thursday our
committee (myself, Keith Stockall, Rod Mc Dougall and Rick Collins) met with
a "cast of thousands" of beauracrats, all dedicated to protecting their
(literally) part of the park (including the requirement for a "frog
induction" for some marshal’s in sensitive areas.) From that meeting it
seems we have lot of work to do and forms to fill in to make these functions
work and you may be assured we are on the job.
On that basis we
can reflect for a little while on our achievements, but the we have to
acknowledge the Gala night is over, on with the bike ride and fun run.
On a final note I
was called in to tennis last Thursday (on my week off) to make up a spot,
and lo and behold I was confronted with Graham True and his partner again.
Yes, I was given a tennis lesson again, and yep ! I got hit again (by
Graham). Obviously it was my fault for not getting out of the way quickly
enough.
That’s enough
from me, please give yourselves a big slap on the back, you deserve it, its
been a great week, and again THANK YOU…..
Steve