Coolamon RC Bulletin Monday August 24th 2026

Monday August 24th 2026 

President Leslie Weston welcomed 16 of our members to the meeting and two guests, Helen Moriarty and our guest speaker Julie Clark.

After dinner we had some general business to attend to including:

• The Ganmain Show on Saturday was well attended by all accounts.  We managed to get one volunteer to help the Lions in the car park, in Arian Lindner.  The request only came in two days prior to the show asking for our help.
• Ganmain as always put on a great show for a small country village.  This year there were some new events including a wife carrying competition, highland dancers and some barramundi fishing!!!
• In absentia we all wished Don Dyce a happy birthday and shared his chocolates.
• Mary Potts is still taking orders for new Rotary shirts.
• The roster is now out for volunteers for the upcoming two Wagga Wagga Netball days; Monday 7th September and Wednesday 9th September from 9.30am-2.00pm.  We are going to need a lot of volunteers so please contact Mary Potts.
• We congratulated Albert and Dianne on their 50th wedding anniversary.
• The Up-to Date Store has the opening of the Yield Festival this Friday from 6.00 to 10.00pm.  See the Coolamon Chronicle for details. OR  www.visitcoolamonshire.com.au

Dick Jennings then introduced our guest speaker past Rotarian of the CRC Julie Clark.

Julie has had a very interesting life since leaving and now returning to Coolamon.  Tonight Julie spoke about Blaze Aid and organisation that Julie has joined and is very passionate about.

“Blaze Aid is a volunteer based charity that works with families around Australia after bushfires, floods and cyclones. 

We help communities by clearing debris and rebuilding fences, shoulder- to- shoulder.”

Julie said that in 2009 BlazeAid was started by Kevin and Rhonda Butler following the devastating Black Saturday bush fires that destroyed 3 kilometres of their fencing which allowed their sheep to get on the roads and were a hazard for traffic.  It would have taken the couple 3-4 months to repair the external fencing.  So they advertised for volunteers and 25 locals turned up and did the job in one week!

Kevin and Rhonda then decided the need to pay back.  It was Rhonda’s idea to pay the favour forward, saying, “We have had help, now let’s give our neighbours a hand too.”

You can read their inspiring story on the following website:

BlazeAid

Some of the information that Julie gave us included:

• Kevin and Rhonda created the Base Camp where the whole rebuilding of fences in their community was centered on.  This then became the centre piece of the whole programme and since 2009 between 40-50 base camps have been set up and  here are the current active camps: Current Camps in Australia
• Each base camp has a coordinating team leader whose job it is of to laisse with local councils and the community to plan ahead and to provide the help that is needed.
• It costs around $5,000 per week to run a basecamp.  All money spent to feed volunteers 3 meals per day, maintain assets such as vehicles and replace tools, goes back into the local community.  The bread is purchased from the local bakery, the groceries are bought from the local IGA or supermarket, fuel is acquired at the town service station.  Up to $500,000 per basecamp is pushed back into the community, where businesses often struggle from lack of tourism and visitors.
• Boundary fences are a priority.
• BlazeAid has come up with new ideas such as the Long Paddock initiative and also upgrading fire fighting equipment for local farmers and graziers.
• They rely on volunteers and these come from all walks of life from Doctors to retirees.
• BlazeAid is a charity within a charity and relies on corporate donors.
• Since 2009 BlazeAid has:
  • Had 42,000 volunteers
  • Cleared 21, 529 ks of burnt or flooded fencing.
  • Has rebuilt 21,529 ks of fencing
  • Has helped 15,169 farmers’ properties to recover from a disaster.

Julie concluded her wonderful talk saying that BlazeAid does amazing work.

Another passion of Julie’s is the restoration of Toganmain woolshed.  Julie is a volunteer and there is a day at Tog coming up on the 12th September see the diary.

John Glassford thanked Julie for her inspirational talk and reminded members that Julie is a great photographer and has some stunning photos of her journey to date.  E.G.

We ended the meeting with a raffle which was won by Albert Suidgeest and we retired at 8.45pm

OUT AND ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES

Looks like Michael Trinidad is having a great time in his homeland The Philippines.  Here are some photos taken from Michael’s Facebook page.  There are so many to choose from so I will leave it up to Michael when he returns to Coolamon.  I am sure that our members would be very interested in this journey by Michael for his father’s birthday.

DIARY

N.B. You are always welcome to bring guests to most of our meetings, just advise Ian Jennings, 0428 492 157, 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:  CRC Diary On-Line

*Monday August 31st – Social Evening at Coolamon Cheese.  Sarah from Coolamon Cheese will be our host and has advised she would like to do pasta and she can prepare gluten free for those special requirements

Monday 7th September Catering for the Wagga Netball day and volunteers are needed.

*Monday 7th September Guest Speaker Mayor Dave McCann:  at the Coolamon Sports and Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm

Wednesday 9th September Catering for the Wagga Netball day and volunteers are needed.

Thursday September 10th – we will be running the raffle in the Coolamon Hotel details to follow.

Saturday 12th September Toganmain  TOGANMAIN COCKTAILS IN THE YARD.

Monday 14th September Board Meeting at the Coolamon Sports and Recreation Club, 5.30 pm.

*Monday 14th September Dinner Meeting with the Open Garden owners at the Coolamon Sports and Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.

Saturday  26th September Anzac cookie baking for Gears & Beers.  Details to follow.

Sunday 4th October Gears & Beers Volunteers will be needed.  Details to follow.

Sunday 18th October Open Garden Day.  Details to follow.

*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 and ITEMS OF INTEREST

1 . MUNA MODEL UNITED NATIONS ASSEMBLY

MUNA D9705 WEBSITE

2. ROTARY IN ACTION TASSIE DEVILS

 

AUGUST IS ROTARY’S  MEMBERSHIP AND NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT MONTH

 

Graphics by Debbie Vance from Canada.

ROTARY CLUB OF COOLAMON Inc. 2026-2027