Small change, big cheque
The Melanoma Foundation published an article recently about a Wishing Well at Balmoral Beach that the Rotary Club of Mosman, N.S.W., used to collect donations. This was also reported on in This Rotary World in Rotary Down Under.
Over 16 years, Mosman Rotarians have collected $A30,000 from coins thrown into the well. The Melanoma Foundation is a beneficiary.
Mosman Rotarian Ken Palmer collects the coins weekly and cleans the money and the water. As you can imagine, the water gets dirty as people do not just throw in money.
When I submitted an article on the well to The Mosman Daily newspaper, the staff decided to do a larger article on Ken Palmer.
The reporter made a mistake and called Ken the president of the Rotary Club of Mosman. When he received a letter addressed to President Ken Palmer he thought it was a club member ribbing him.
The letter was from the family of the boy in whose memory the original donation had been made. The Bluett family read the article and decided to donate a further $A5,000 this year.
Isn’t that wonderful?
As Past President Barry Starr, who counts the money, said ‘‘it’s easier to count $5,000 in cheque form than $60 in coins’’.
Clare Stockdale
Rotary Club of Mosman, N.S.W.
Greeting a club visitor
I am a member of the Rotary Club of Albury North, N.S.W., and over the years have been to numerous club meetings as a visiting Rotarian or guest speaker.
Some clubs have welcomed me warmly and bought me a drink. Others have almost ignored me. Some do it well and others are a disgrace.
I’ve also spoken to some Lions clubs and usually a drink is quickly put in my hand soon after arrival.
Surely all clubs could put in place a policy to greet a visitor/guest speaker warmly and ask if they’d like a drink. It is surely the least a club can do.
When a visitor comes to my club I usually make myself known and ask if he/she would like a drink. I chat to the visitor if no-one else is hosting.
I strongly recommend that the issue of welcoming be addressed by club presidents or fellowship directors.
I ask every club to have a look at what is being done (or not done) and put in place a warm and hospitable approach to all visitors.
Graeme Scott
Rotary Club of Albury North, N.S.W.
Comfort in family of Rotary
Rotary friends near and far sent me messages of support and sympathy for some time after the death of my husband, District 9710 Past Governor John Louttit, of the Rotary Club of Canberra, A.C.T.
It would be impossible to respond to each of them. During such a difficult time the family of Rotary has shown its strength and has given me so much comfort. John will be missed by us all.
Anne Louttit
Rotary Club of Canberra, A.C.T.
District 9710 Past Governor
How old is Too Old?
This question has been exercising my mind lately. Should it? The very fact that the question is raised may mean that you are too old.
Within our clubs we have always strived for “younger members” and regarded this as a continuing aim and surely a most excellent and desirable objective.
Reading recent issues of The Rotarian has been rather depressing for me. One writer described a club as “most members were over 70, and long since retired” and goes on to imply that this was a disaster for Rotary.
I am a long way over 70. Would it be better for Rotary if I were not there?
There does come a time when age slows you down mentally and physically, but just when do you cease to be able to contribute? |
Seeking old friends
Keith Francis was an exchange student from South Africa to the U.S.A. in 1991 and has recently moved to Australia. He would like to re-establish contact with Tony Watson and Kylie Bevan/Hewitt who he met during his exchange year. Kylie travelled under the name Bevan but Keith Francis believe she later changed her name to Hewitt. The last known postal address he had for Kylie was in Hornsby, N.S.W. Contact details for Keith Francis are krfran@bigpond.com.au or mobile 0405 686 101 or at home in the evenings on (02) 9880 7664. |
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