Coolamon Rotary Bulletin for W/e September 22nd. 2024
GUESS WHERE MARY IS:
Meeting of Monday 16th September 2024
President Adrian Lindner welcomed 22 members, 5 partners and 17 guests too numerous to mention here.
President Adrian welcomed back a very sun tanned Albert and then all our guests were introduced to the meeting.
We had Arron Hutcheon as our guest speaker tonight. Arron is Managing Director of Hutcheon & Pearce.
There was very little Rotary business discussed tonight apart form the details of our 5th Monday Social night. Dick Jennings has arranged for a private party at the at the new winery in Coolamon: Methuselah Estate Coolamon.
Dinner will be catered for by Simone Macalister and will be $25 per head which includes roast lamb and sticky date or apple crumble as derets. It is a BYO event.
After dinner Ted Hutcheon introduced his son Arron. Ted said that Arron went to Coolamon Central School and then to Yanco Agricultural High School. Ted noted that Brian Roberts the former principal of Yanco Ag High School was present. Brian is also a member of teh Kooringal RC. Ted went onto say that Arron was offered an apprenticeship with Hutcheon & Pearce.
Arron’s talk began with a history of Hutcheon & Pearce. Which can be found here:
“Just like many of our customers we are a generational family business since 1953, when my diesel mechanic grandfather George acquired “J.R Ritchie” of Coolamon, in partnership with Cec Pearce.”
Above: PP George Hutcheon at our 40th Birthday
Arron went onto say that he bought the business of his father ted in 2010 and his the 3rd generation of Hutcheons that run the company. In 2010 they had 6 outlets with 100 staff today this has grown to 20 outlets and 560 staff. When they expanded out West and in particular Griffith the cotton industry had a huge impact on their growth.
Their continued success owes a lot to their far sighted management using technology to the fullest advantage i.e. a call centre to assist their customers. They have won several awards including the John Deere Dealership of the year.
One of the most interesting parts of Arron’s talk was on technology and the next 5 years. They now employ more IT people than mechanical engineers. Some of these innovations by John Deere include:
- Smart applications of sprays which can identify the fruit or weed and hence save up to 70% in using the old method.
- Driving the tractor using an APP on your mobile phone
- Sense and sct technology.
- Digital tools.
- Electrification of tractors EV and anything over 100 hp becomes economically viable. Even lawn mowers will be electrified and at the Henty Field Days they will be unveiling one such mower.
Arron then answered many questions from the audience.
Ian Jennings gave Arron a vote of thanks on behalf our our guests and members present.
Thank you Grahame for the above two photos.
We had a raffle with three prizes 1st prize was won by Brian Roberts.
All in all a wonderful night of learning and above all fellowship.
MARRAR MADNESS SATURDAY 7th SEPTEMBER
That was one of our community services that was so impressive. So many cars for us to look after and thanks to the volunteers: Bear, Ian, Henk, Myffy, Bruce, Dick, Adrian, Alex, Annie, JJG, Daryl and Gary. I hope that I got that right as I only saw Bear and Alex.
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 or the link below in pdf:
*Monday 23rd September – Guest Speaker Meeting. Louise Graham from CDAT Community Drug Action Team. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
*Monday 30th September – Social Night (5th Monday). Private party at the new winery in Coolamon: Methuselah Estate Coolamon
Sunday October 6th – Gears & Beers. Wollundry RC. Website
Monday 7th October – NO MEETING (October long weekend).
*Monday 14th October – Guest Speaker Meeting. Tony Donoghue Coolamon Shire Council GM. On Strategy and vision of the Shire. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
Sunday October 20th – Coolamon Garden Viewing
*Monday 21st. October – Guest Speaker Meeting. Dan Fox, Australian Innovation Farmer of the Year. On Regenerative agriculture and its link to food/health. Coolamon Sport Rec Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.
Saturday October 26th – Coolamon Garden Viewing Day TWO.
*Friday 25th/Sunday 27th October – D9705 Conference. Mittagong RSL. Bookings open now:
D9705 Conference
Monday 28th October – Social Night with get to Know Your Member.
JUST FOR LAUGHS
All of the above images were obtained from Facebook.
ROTARY NEWS
THE ROTARY FOUNDATION & EDUCATION
More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. That’s 17 percent of the world’s adult population.
Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. We support education for all children and literacy for children and adults.
Rotary Club pairs students with celebrity and CEO mentors
Inside the inn’s restaurant, Jackie Huie sits at a corner table explaining the student mentoring program that the Rotary Club of St. Joseph & Benton Harbor started a decade ago – a program that has helped more than 400 local high school students learn more about their dream careers by connecting them with professionals in those fields.
The exposure to community service that the program provides has led students to start Interact clubs at six local schools, including one at St. Joseph High School that has about 150 members. As the Rotarians work their connections to find mentors for students, they have strengthened the bonds between the 140-member Rotary club and its community. And in small ways, the program is even building bridges between St. Joseph and its “twin city” across the St. Joseph River – Benton Harbor, a once-affluent manufacturing town fallen on hard times.
For the full story go to this page:
TRF Education Mentors Students
Take action on International Literacy Day
Consider making a gift to The Rotary Foundation in honor of International Literacy Day on 8 September. Your donation will help communities address educational challenges so that students can focus on the most important thing — learning!
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
The Rotary Foundation
SEPTEMBER IS ROTARY BASIC EDUCATION & LITERACY 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