COOLAMON ROTARY CLUB MEETING August 11th. 2025
President Mary welcomed 22 members and the following guest, Marilyn Jennings, Maureen Hulsman, Ivan Furner and Geoff McKenzie the husband of our guest speaker Helen Moriarty. A very good role up of members so good to see.
We welcomed back Annie from her adventures in WA. Annie said that she travelled over 12,000kms and crossed the Nullabor in her campervan.
President Mary assisted in the notes from the meeting as below:
A couple of items from the Board meeting last night
A Garden Viewing committee is being established for 2026 Garden viewings, if anyone wishes to join the committee or knows of anyone with Gardens that may be used please let us know. So far for the committee we have Lexi, Annie, Albert, Bear, Garth we need a chairperson for the committee and need to find Gardens ASAP
We will hold a major Christmas raffle November and December 2025, we will try to involve the school and the proceeds to go to presents to be distributed by Salvation Army
We decided to help out with The Fitness for School breakfast program, this is on fortnightly for the rest of the year during school terms. the next one will be on Thursday 21 August. Our club assists with cooking at the school from 7.30. Lexi is the contact person for this. Henk, Alex and Lexi helped out last week it is only for about 1 hour
We will look into holding a bush dance or similar event as a major fundraiser early next year
There is a meeting at the Sports club tonight at 7.30 to set up a Can Assist Coolamon branch.
BREAKING NEWS.
CRC was successful in obtaining a grant of $1423 towards the year 12 Scholarship we had applied for $3000 this will help fund the scholarship
After dinner Helen Moriarty our speaker for the night held our attention in her talk on the effects of Organophosphates on the health of farmers in the main.
Helen had some excellent slides to explain her work at the CSU. Helen was working in the pathology department of St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney for 26 years and in 994 moved to Coolamon and started work at the CSU. It was here That Helen met Geoff and they were married in 1997.
There were so many interesting parts to Helen’s talk, far too many for me to compile here, however some of the areas that got our attention included:
- Organophosphates (OPs) are found in fungicides, herbicides and household products.
- Main effects of OPPs in the human body include difficulty in breathing with long term memory loss and chronic fatigue.
- OPs bind to the DNA and break down chromosomes on our body. This can lead to cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
- It is better to avoid exposure to OPs than to have to treat the consequences.
- Helen led a study of some 77 Riverina farmers which became drawn out due the drought at that time.
- 78% of those surveyed never followed safety precautions when using OPs.
- Two thirds of the farmers showed signs of elevated levels of the poison.
- Helen is looking for simple methods of mobile testing with potential screen test for any disruption to our DNA.
There were many questions from those present and Lexi proposed a vote of thanks for Helen’s excellent talk.
The raffle was won by Maureen Hulsman and Bondy got second prize.
This was followed by the S@A Dick and his Cpl Garth. These two should go on a stage!! They even fined one of our guests. The most interesting fine was on Mary for competing in the City to Surf run!
Our sincere condolences to Bear on the passing of his mother.
We wish all those who are travelling safe returns especially Garth who is going on an adventure. See this bulletin.
DIARY
*Monday 18th August – Guest Speakers, Rhiannon Druce and Greg Dillon. Subject The Canola Run, Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
*Monday 18th August – Visit of Phil Macintosh and David Byfield from Wollundry RC Gears and Beers. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
Saturday August 23rd The Ganmain Show.
Monday 25th August – Normal meeting. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
Sunday 7th September – THE CANOLA “Trial” RUN Details to follow on Monday August 18th.
*Monday 8th September – Guest Speakers, Jeremy and Peter from the JJW Massey Dealership in Wagga. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
*Monday 29th September – Social Night at the bottom pub with the Junee Rotary club. Coolamon Hotel 6.30 for 7.00pm.
Sunday 5th October Gears & Beers ALL Hands on DECK!!!
Monday 5th November AGM. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
*Guests welcome to bring their partners and friends.
JUST FOR LAUGHS
All of the above photos were obtained from Facebook. Credit to the owners.
ROTARY NEWS
1. POLIO UPDATE PAKISTAN
Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PAKISTAN
Our polio workers are our pride who are ready to go to all limits to make the country and the nation safe from polio virus. Support them fully and protect your children from POLIOMYELITIS.
ہمارے پولیو ورکرز ہمارا فخر ہیں جو ملک و قوم کو پولیو وائرس سے محفوظ بنانے کیلئے ہر حد تک جانے کو تیار ہیں۔ ان سے بھرپور تعاون کریں اور اپنے بچوں کو موذی وائرس سے بچائیں۔
https://www.endpolio.com.pk/media-room/media-releases
NB The blue esky contains the vital polio vaccines.
2. SOME MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IDEAS.
ROTARY is evolving—because service should fit the lives of those who give it.
With new club formats, we are removing barriers and creating opportunities:
- Cause-based Clubs – Driven by a shared passion, from environmental conservation to literacy and maternal health.
- Satellite Clubs – Connected to an existing club but meeting at times and places that work for members.
- Passport Clubs – Freedom to attend any Rotary meeting worldwide and focus on hands-on projects.
- E-Clubs / Online Clubs – Virtual meetings for those with mobility, travel, or location constraints.
- Corporate Clubs – Sponsored by companies, allowing teams of employees to serve together.
- Hybrid Clubs – Blending in-person and online engagement for maximum flexibility.
We are opening doors for people from every walk of life to connect, serve, and lead in ways that match their passions and schedules.
It’s Rotary without limits. If you have the heart to serve, we now have a club that fits your life. Alone, we can do much. Together, we can do what once seemed impossible.
3. WHAT IS THE THREAD BETWEEN THESE 5 COUNTRIES?
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
The common thread is:
All our members wish you a safe journey old mate and come back with some amazing stories and photos.
N.B. SLIDE SHOWS via POWERPOINT
Just want to highlight the need for a CRC lap top which works with our own projector. This would make life a lot easier in setting up a slide show presentation, which is normal these days. This would make sure that we have the right equipment for the guest speakers. We should also advise guest speakers that we have a lap top and all they need to bring is a thumb drive. We have come a long way since the days of the glass slides shown on a lantern projector as seen below:
PS can you identify the Rotarian?
AUGUST IS ROTARY MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MONTH
ROTARY CLUB OF COOLAMON Inc. 2025-2026
Chartered March 3rd, 1971; Sponsoring Club Narrandera Rotary Club
- President: Mary Potts
- President-Elect 2025-2026: Leslie Weston
- Secretary: Paul Weston
- Treasurer: Vicki Langtry
- Rotary Foundation Director: Gary Truscott
- Membership Director: Brian Pattison
- Service Projects Director: Anne Rzeszkowski
- Youth Services Director: Lexi Furner
- Club Admin Director: Mark Reardon
- Public Relations & Image Director: Grahame Milles & Garth Perkin
- Sergeant @ Arms: Dick Jennings and Garth Perkin
- Immediate Past President and Vice-President: Adrian Lindner
NON board Positions
- Club Environment Representative: Adrian Lindner
- Bulletin Editors: Paul Weston and John Glassford
- Webmaster: John Glassford