The President’s column
January and February have slipped by,
“Like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white, then melts forever.”
This Rotary year also seems to be melting away. Further, the Covid-enforced lockdowns have robbed us of many activities, perhaps to the relief of the program director and some committees. But now we have a short sprint to the end.
Recent meetings have been well-attended and lively. A 70% attendance is much healthier than a 30% attendance. I am in awe of members like Kevin Field who come from long distances to contribute to fellowship. To share in lively chatter is to inhale the dynamism of our club.
There were times at Croatia House when I felt apologetic about turning up to ruin the peace of the room and finding the few brave souls who turned up regularly.
In 2022 we’ve had three good meetings with great speakers, the highest profile one being Dr Mukesh Haikerwal on January 20. He told us probably more than we’ll ever read in the papers about behind the scenes in managing the COVID pandemic. Like generals who learn how to fight past battles, perhaps future politicians and bureaucrats will learn how to fight the next pandemic by seeing where we went wrong this time.
At the first meeting in February, Tim Owens of Nextgenjobs.org.au spoke about the placement of apprentices and giving young people their first steps in making careers. This was a valuable background and promo for the following meeting at which the Evan Phillips Apprenticeship Achievement Award was given. This award commemorates a revered former member of our club who lived a life of Service above Self. Evan occupied just about every position in the club but was for many years a quiet and efficient secretary. Come to think of it, our club has been blessed by a series of these including the incumbent secretary Rodney Johnstone.
The Evan Phillips Award is worth $2500 and we are grateful and honored that Evan’s daughter, Judi Pepi, has donated funds to this year’s award. The winner was Jacob Korparic who works at Brimbank Council’s heavy vehicle maintenance department. He is a young man who has overcome a lot in his short life and fortunately his training involves recognition that internal combustion engines are giving way to electric ones. At least he wasn’t learning to be a saddler or stirrup maker.
The main speaker for the second meeting was Yvonne Farquharson, a school teacher by training, who has developed a program to educate young children about the function and health of kidneys and especially the link between kidneys and fizzy drinks in the diet which can lead ultimately to type 2 Diabetes. Lessons are age appropriate and she visits many schools delivering the message.
I hope that this reaches you before the visit to our club by District Governor, Dale Hoy. You may be encouraged to turn up and give your opinion about anything at all. Let a hundred flowers bloom, as has been said. DG visits are an exchange between a club and its district; a lively one I hope. Numerically we may be smaller than before but our pulse beats strongly and we still engage with our community.
To return to the opening simile, let’s enjoy and commit fully to the remaining months, the fellowship of meetings, the functions like our Golf Day (March 25), and the food of social gatherings.
We are blessed by peace in this country; let’s use it to enrich the lives of others and take satisfaction from that.
Jamie
