Coolamon Rotary Bulletin for March 24th 2025

COOLAMON ROTARY CLUB MEETING MARCH 24th

President Adrian welcomed 21 members to our meeting last night.

We had an excellent roll up and another excellent Chinese dinner followed by some general business which included:

Paul Weston advised us that the Chronicle is currently being printed in Wagga and will need help with the distribution.
Mary Potts spoke about supporting the local Red Cross by administrating their upcoming raffle.
Mary also advised members that Harry Nixon form Kooringal RC is organising a Shakespeare event at the Coolamon Cheese Factory. Harry has asked us to man the doors for this event and the proceeds will go to our club. It will be held on the 2nd August.
Mary then spoke about the D9705 training day in Canberra and had a good time learning about Rotary. Mary was accompanied by our incoming Treasurer, Vicki Langtry, who also spoke warmly about the day. Apparently our annual fees will increase by $15.00.
Garth Perkin reminded members that the next D9705 training day is this Saturday in Young Garth will be attending.
Albert Suidgeest handed out a box of chocolates to celebrate Garth’s birthday.
Henk Hulsman has a box of 50 CRC Telephone Books which are left over and will be stored in the “telephone booth” at the Sports Club if anyone needs another copy.
John Bond said that the RSL are very happy to take over the printer.
Bear Brian Pattison said that the Monday next meeting is confirmed at the Marrar Hotel and Ian Jennings will send out a menu. Bookings are needed by 4.00pm on Friday.
JJG said that there will be a 10th reunion of the CRC Mount Kenya 2015 team on Tuesday 22nd APRIL.

President Adrian Lindner then conducted a very interesting Q & A with our youngest member Alex Thompson.

Some of Alex’s life are summarised below:

Born in Sydney and was adopted with his brother. Alex’s birth parents were of Indonesian decent and Alex has met his birth mother and has 2 younger half brothers and one younger half sister. Alex has been to Indonesia several times now and stays in touch with his birth family. The family is of Catholic background and his uncles are 6′ tall.
Since school Alex has been employed in the hospitality industry around Coolamon and Junee and has worked at the Coolamon Cheese Factory and the Junee Liquorice and Chocolate factory.
Alex’s favourite actor is Richard Harris who will probably be best remembered as the wizened old wizard in the “Harry Potter” series.
Movies Alex enjoys Japanese orientated cartoons.
His NRL team is Manly Sea Eagles and his AFL team are the West Coats Eagles.
Alex loves to travel and hopes to visit Scandinavia and the Arctic.
As for Rotary Alex would like to see more projects for the environment and is concerned about climate change.
His choice for a dinner companion dead or alive would be a family member.
Alex said that he would like to see Coolamon not to grow too big and to retain what we have in our Shire.
On being PM for a day Alex would help to reduce mortgage rates for families doing it tough.

Thanks for what you do for Coolamon and for Rotary Alex. We all value your friendship and know that you will be a member of our club for a long time.

Here are some photos of Alex on the 2015 Mount Kenya Climb:

Rtn. Alex Thompson

The meeting concluded with S@A Albert Suidgeest conducting a fines session and a good joke about a BMW and sheep.

The raffle was won by Adrian Lindner.

The meeting finished on time at 9.00pm.

OUT AND ABOUT CANBERRA

PE Mary Potts and Treasurer elect Vicki Langtry went to the PETS in Canberra over the weekend, read about it in the link below:

PE Mary Potts & Vicki Langtry at PETS

1. OUT AND ABOUT GANMAIN

Ganmain had a very big week with three events that I am sure our members would like to know about.

Several of our members attended the concert/play in Ganmain at the wonderful Ganmain Hall last Thursday night. The Advance Ganmain Committee did an excellent job and the Hall was booked out.

The Rotarians and partners that were there: Marilyn and Ian Jennings, Sharon and Grahame Miles, Sharon and Mark Reardon, Garth Perkin and Susan and John Glassford.

The actors, dancers and singers, from Got Ya Back Productions, were very professional and put on a very different take on Banjo Patterson’s work. The two dancers were stunning and the whole show went down well with all 120 patrons. Here are three short videos that will give you a taste of what we all enjoyed.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1HfjJJXUdX/

Got Ya Back Website

https://www.facebook.com/gotyabackprod/videos/5962028433844547

What a wonderful asset the Ganmain Hall is for our Shire.

2. OUT AND ABOUT GANMAIN

Official Opening “Clarkie”

Council’s Mayor, Clr. David McCann along with General Manager, Tony Donoghue, Artist Andrew Whitehead, family and community members attended the official opening of “Clarkie” today in Ganmain.

Renowned artist Andrew Whitehead created this sculpture in honour of Kelvin ‘Clarkie’ Clarke, celebrating the hard work of farmers and farm laborers in Ganmain’s sheath hay industry.

The project was funded by Coolamon Shire Council, which aims to continue around the Shire highlighting the unique aspects of our towns and villages.

Today’s opening was hosted by the Advance Ganmain Committee, with speakers sharing insights on Clarkie’s life and the local industry.

3. OUT AND ABOUT GANMAIN

Ganmain Historical Society and Museum Annual Open Day.

And that’s a wrap! 2025 Open Day is done and dusted…

Tractors have been tucked back into the sheds for another year

We had a great crowd today and sold out of food and drink! Thank you to all of the members and volunteers who worked to make today a success! And THANK YOU to those that attended. We hope that you had a great day, and hopefully learned something about our recent past.

See you next year! Mark your calendar. Always the second last Saturday of March!

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:

CRC Program 24-25 UPDATE

Saturday, 29 March PETS and Club Development Seminars – Young Services Club, Young, NSW

*Monday 31st March Fifth Monday Social Meeting at the Marrar Hotel Confirmed. Please advise Ian Jennings by Friday 4.00pm if you will be attending.

*Monday 7th April Guest Speaker: ~~Steph Cooke MP, Member for Cootamundra on State Issues for the Coolamon Shire.~~ Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm. Postponed to June 16th a new guest speaker will be announced in due course. TBA.

Monday 14th April Board meeting, Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club, 5.00 pm. meeting

Monday 14th April: Social Meeting, Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm. meeting

Monday 21st April: Easter Monday NO MEETING.

Monday 28th April: Bondy in the Hot Chair. Social Meeting, Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm. meeting

Friday May 9th RYDA in Wagga Wagga at the Showgrounds, full story at the end of this bulletin. Volunteers are needed.

*Monday 16th June Guest Speaker: Steph Cooke MP, Member for Cootamundra on State Issues for the Coolamon Shire. Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.

Saturday 21st-25th June 2025 RICON IN Calgary, Canada

Calgary RICON 2025

Calgary Facebook Page

*Monday 30th June CRC 54th Annual Change Over Dinner. Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club, 6.30 for 7.00 pm.

*Guests welcome to bring their partners and friends.

JUST FOR LAUGHS

All of the above images were obtained from Facebook.

ROTARY NEWS

Ротарі в Україні / Rotary in Ukraine

6000 beech, pines and fir trees planted today by Rotarians together with friends and partners!

Briefly, but encouraging and inspiringly informs about today’s action Chairman of the Committee of the Environment D 2232 Sergiy Pilipov

A wonderful warm day in nature, delicious food with friends, R Kharki International, Rotary in Ukraine, Lelekhiv Forestry, Urban Culture, Ivan Franko LNU.

Thank you, participants and organizers.

Elena Lukanchuk, President of the Rotaract Club of Lviv.