Coolamon Rotary Bulletin for Week of August 18th. 2024
Meeting of Monday 12th August 2024
President Adrian Lindner welcomed 25 members and the four Rotarians from the Wollundry RC. Phil MacIntosh, David Byfield, David Benn and Pat Ingram.
We welcomed back Leslie and Paul Weston from their daughter’s wedding in New York or not far from New York. President Adrian gave Paul his secretary’s pin as Paul was unable to be at our change over.
Paul then gave a brief synopsis of the board meeting that was held that afternoon.
Adrian and Paul advised all present of upcoming events and projects including:
- We are looking at corporate membership details will follow.
- We will be running a major raffle for New Year’s Eve with the major prize being a cubby house made by the Coolamon Men’s Shed. Other prizes will be announced as they come to hand.
- With the imminent departure of Father Scott Mudd we will be needing a new Youth Services Director.
- Adrian invited any members to join him at the D9705 Conference in Mittagong from Friday 25th/Sunday 27th October.
- We need volunteers to man the Ganmain Show carpark on Saturday 24th August in conjunction with Lions Coolamon. A form has been circulated to get volunteers.
- The next event will be the Marrar Madness on the 7th September another form is circulating for volunteers for that day.
- The garden Viewing will be on Sunday 20th October and Saturday 25th October.
- Adrian would like all members to remember that next Monday 19th August – our Guest Speaker Meeting will be by Dan Uden on Death & Taxes!
After dinner we had a detailed and excellent presntation by Phil MacIntosh and the other three members of the Wollundry RC on the upcoming Gears and Beers weekend in October.
Phil started off by thanking the members of our club for the wonderful efforts that we put in over this weekend. Phil explained that we have a wonderful product in Gears & Beers. It is now 11 years old and growing in popularity following the Covid years. How does this happen? It is not by advertising but with the professional way that they use social media.
Phil explained that the previous participants of the event “sell” this product on Instagram with some 60,000 followers. Facebook also plays a big part in the success. The event has featured in the book Epic Rides in Australia and New Zealand. Gears & Beers has been described as the premier ride in the country.
Participants make their own videos which sells the event better than any advertising agency. One example was the ride through Adrian and Wendys’s property with the photo of the riders in the canola being a major drawcard.
Phil said that riders rave about our ANZAC biscuits and the way we man AID stations and give directions.
The event has raised a lot of money for local charities in Wagga Wagga and beyond, including Coolamon.
Phil said that the goal this year is to reach 2,500 entries which is manageable. They have reached 3,200 riders in the past which becomes unmanagable.
Phil did say that the event brings in over $1.8 million to the local economy and invited us to the Beers part of the festival!!!
Phil then discussed the route as it affects Coolamon and many questions and ideas were given by members present espeially Barry Langtry and Adrian.
Thankyou Wollundry RC!
For more information go to the Gears & Beers Facebook Page
S@A Albert then gave a short fines session we had no raffle tonight as we had a good evening planning and learning about the upcoming Gears & Beers.
It was another excellent get together with 25 of our 30 members present. Welcome home Leslie and Paul couple of pics of Leslie and Paul with their daughter Nicole, at Nicole’s wedding in up state New York. Congratualtions!
DIARY
N.B. You are always welcome to bring guests to most of our meetings, just advise Ian Jennings if you want to bring a guest along when you respond to the weekly dinner roll call!
You can download the full programme here and note that it will change and that will be reflected in the weekly bulletin and in The Diary on our website:
*Monday 19th August – Guest Speaker Meeting. Dan Uden on “Death & Taxes”, Dan is from Bush & Campbell, Wagga Wagga. Coolamon Sport. Venue Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
Saturday 24th August – Ganmain Show. CRC Carpark duties, volunteers needed.
*Monday 2nd September – Guest Speaker Meeting. Cheryl Roberts & Elaine Post Days for Girls Charity. Venue Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
Saturday 7th September – Marrar Madness Coolamon RC is manning the car park. Volunteers required.
Sunday October 6th Gears & Beers Dirty 130 Wollundry RC. Website
Sunday October 20th Open Garden Day
Saturday October 26th Open Garden Day
*Friday 25th/Sunday 27th October – D9705 Conference. Mittagong RSL. Bookings open now:
D9705 Conference
One of the highlights will be DG Michael Lapina, a treat indeed. Yes Michael the current D9800 District Governor, and I heard him sing at the Zone 8 Conference in Canberra. Michael and Heather McInally also had the Singapore Convention delegates give them a 6 minute standing ovation following their duet. As you know Heather is the wife of Past RI President Gordon McInally.
JUST FOR LAUGHS
All of the above images were obtained from Facebook.
ROTARY NEWS
RI PRESIDENT”S MONTHLY MESSAGE.
Stephanie A. Urchick
President 2024-25
August 2024
If we are to truly change the world with The Magic of Rotary, it’s up to all of us to foster a sense of belonging in our clubs. But every club should take its own path to get there, and the Action Plan can help you find your way. What does that look like?
Take for instance the Rotary Club of Beveren-Waas in Belgium. It was chartered in 1974 but has evolved with the times, developing both a strategic plan and a membership plan. To find new members, the club analyzes the city’s professions to help focus its search, and all new members are quickly assigned tasks and roles.
The club also mixes up meeting times, alternating between evening and afternoon sessions, making them accessible for all members.
Sometimes, circumstances force clubs to make changes. But as people of action, we know that behind every obstacle is an opportunity.
The Rotary Club of Holyoke in Massachusetts was forced from its meeting place because of rising costs after the COVID-19 pandemic, but members took this setback and turned it into a strength. The club started meeting in a library community room that was available for no charge and catering lunch from a nearby deli. Lunch costs $10 per person but it’s optional, so no one has to spend money to attend a meeting. What a great way to work toward being “fair to all concerned.”
Since making this change, the Holyoke club has gained 13 members. I suspect part of its membership growth is due to the club’s sense of inclusivity — the first step toward belonging.
If you ask members what they expect from the club experience, you might find that your club doesn’t meet expectations. Think of this as an opportunity to reshape your club in exciting ways, as alternative club models are making a positive impact.
For example, a Rotary Fellowship called Beers Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide, or BREW, has worked closely with the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotary Action Group for the past eight years to assist with clean water projects. In that time, BREW has funneled 25 percent of its dues to those initiatives.
BREW is one of many examples of members pursuing belonging to improve the world.
I can’t stress enough the importance of belonging. Clubs become simply irresistible when all members feel that they are exactly where they need to be. To me, belonging is the spark that ignites The Magic of Rotary .
As you receive feedback from club members and the community you serve, I urge you to pursue that spark. The Action Plan can help you find the path to success, and if you light your way with the spirit of belonging, that path will lead to a bright future for your club, your community, and the world.
AUGUST IS ROTARY MEMBERSHIP & NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT MONTH
ROTARY CLUB OF COOLAMON Inc. 2024-25
Chartered March 3rd, 1971; Sponsoring Club Narrandera Rotary Club
- President: Adrian Lindner
- President-Elect 2025-2026: Mary Potts
- Secretary: Paul Weston
- Treasurer: Mary Potts
- Rotary Foundation Director: Gary Truscott
- Membership Director: Brian Pattison
- Service Projects Director: Anne Rzeszkowski
- Youth Services Director: Scott Mudd
- Club Admin Director: Ian Jennings
- Public Image Director: Grahame Miles
- Sergeant @ Arms: Albert Suidgeest
- Club Environment Representative: Adrian Lindner
- Immediate Past President and Vice-President: John Bond
- Bulletin Editors: Paul Weston and John Glassford
- Webmaster: John Glassford