President's Report - April 2016

Summer in Port Fairy is a busy time for everyone in the town and the members of the Rotary Club of Port Fairy are no exception.  Dinner meetings were in recess during January however fund-raising and service projects continued apace.

The prize of a framed painting by Wilma Preston proved a popular draw-card for the Summer Raffle. Ticket sales continued through January at the weekly Wharf market.  The raffle was drawn on 30 January 2016 by Rotarian Bill Moore.  Thanks also to Marg Broers and John Ellard and others who erected and manned the gazebo for this fund-raiser.

The Rotary Club of Port Fairy was again active during the Port Fairy Folk Festival long weekend from the 11th to 14th March.  Club members raised funds at the sausage sizzle on Friday outside the ticketing tent and then over the weekend by manning the festival gate.

Not one, but two Lighthouse tour events this quarter!  The Rotary Club took up the opportunity to open the Lighthouse over the Australia Day weekend in addition to the regular Easter event.  The latter was particularly successful with revised prices and certificates for all children completing the tour.  The Warrnambool Standard subsequently ran an article on the event, featuring quotes from Rotarians Adrian Crosier and Traff Morgan-Payler.

 

The Rotary Club of Port Fairy again delivered Meals on Wheels around the town during the week 15 to 19 February.  Thanks to MoWs coordinator Bernie Waixel who organized drivers and rosters.

The Club is examining the feasibility of participating in the Rotary Youth Exchange program for 2017 for an out-bound student.  The selection and training procedures occur through 2016.  John Clue is coordinating this effort, assisted by Marg Broers and Harry Bracegirdle.

The Rotary Club of Port Fairy donated a Shelter Box to assist people in Fiji affected by Cyclone Winston.

 

Rotarians participated in the annual Good Friday Appeal for the Royal Children’s Hospital through door knocking in the Port Fairy area.

Members of the Rotary Club of Port Fairy operated the BBQ at the open garden day at the home of Colin Cleary that was conducted to raise funds for the Bandari school project in Tanzania.

 

Thanks to the ongoing efforts of Kevin Mathews the Rotary Club of Port Fairy has again been privileged to have a number of outstanding guest speakers over the last three months including:

Martin is President of the Port Fairy branch of the National Trust.  He spoke on the restoration project for the cannons at Battery Hill.  He explained the history of the cannons that reaches back to the rumoured threat of Russian invasion of Victoria in the 1860’s.  April is Heritage month and several interesting sites will have open days, including Mills cottage, the lifeboat and the historic Bessiebelle sheep wash.

 

Murray spoke to the Club about his proposal for an energy information and education centre for south-west Victoria.  The centre would feature renewable energy generation and act as a demonstration site for visitors.  Murray explained the potential benefits of the proposal.  He is considering possible sites for the facility and is currently seeking government grants to support the project.

 

Katrina works for Moyne Health Services and gave a timely talk to the Club about winter colds and flu and how to avoid them.  In particular she emphasized the protective value of the flu vaccination and proper hand washing.

 Club events and development activities in recent months included:

On 8 February the Club held a BBQ at the home of John and Heather Clue.  Thanks to Heather and John for making their home available for this event.

Peter Smith has stepped in as Acting Secretary while Secretary Geoff Coxall is visiting Tanzania as part of the Port Fairy team constructing the toilet block and hen house for the Bandari project.  Geoff will return to duty in May.

Congratulations to John Clue who has graduated from the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) course.  The RLI is a three-day interactive course offered to refine a Rotarian's leadership skills and increase their base of knowledge in Rotary.  

The Friends program has now been initiated and recruitment has commenced.  Thanks to Margaret Whitehead for taking on the role of coordinator of the Friends Group.

 

Tony Bawden became as a member of the Rotary Club of Port Fairy, having transferred from the Rotary Club of Horsham East.

 

The Rotary Club held its annual Trivia Night on 18 April raising almost $750 for the Club.

 

A social evening will be held at Gregory's Restaurant,  on Monday 2nd May starting at 6.30 pm.