Hi everyone, welcome back for another year and I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Year break. I am sure there will be plenty of activity to keep us all fully engaged with our local community over these next 12 months.
I do hope you all had the chance to relax with your family and friends, got the opportunity to enjoy a merry ‘face to face’ Christmas and New Year, plus also put your feet up for that well-earned break. Bernie and I have indulged well over the break and did enjoy our wonderful Club sponsored Christmas pudding (with custard). Now the diet starts!
As a follow-on from our joint Rotary Clubs Christmas pudding and cake sales, we applied for a District Grant. The grant is to assist in the Literacy program for Moree East Public School. I have recently received confirmation the grant request has been successful. I say a big thank you to Bob Selinger(OAM) for your help/guidance with the submission.
It would currently appear that we may not be getting back to regular ‘face to face’ Friday morning meetings in the short term due to the COVID concerns. We are now all very adept with Zoom meetings. However, will keep a check on COVID reports and hope the opportunity does arise soon to meet again at Dunmore Lang College.
The Christmas time Tree of Joy was a good success for our Club. The response from the community was great with lots of children's gifts and toys for St. Vincent’s De Paul, a utility truck load of goodies to Macquarie Hospital and a continuous supply of food/perishables to Presbyterian Church North Ryde Community Aid. A big thank you to all who helped with the collection, sorting and distribution of these gifts. A special thanks go to the organizer Pam Wood.
Unfortunately, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) had to be postponed due to COVID. We will have an alternative date soon. Eliza Byrne was very disappointed, but is keen to attend at the later date.
The National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) in Canberra, was moved to online, and Trisha will give us feedback on a date to be decided.
We had our first Club event for this year on Saturday last weekend with a Bunnings BBQ. It was a good day, despite sales being a bit down on our usual results. We did have a great turn out of people to help on the day and I thank you all, especially the three young future Rotarians who provided their valuable assistance on the day; it was greatly appreciated.
Please all be reminded of the next BBQ at Gladesville Bunnings on 12 February 2022. We need another good roll-up of volunteers to share the workload on this day and make it enjoyable for everyone involved. Put this in your diary and let Garry know of your availability for the day.
Keep well and safe and I look forward to seeing everyone on Friday, 21 January, for our breakfast at Sabu Café, Coxs Road mall North Ryde.
A reminder of some dates to note in your diaries are:
Train Ride for Polio on the 23rd of February 2022.
District Conference, 18/19th March 2022.
I am very grateful for all the hard work and commitment by everyone in our Club during the difficult times last year. Now for a new year of opportunities.
