Wollundry Rotary year of 2019-2020, President David Pyke
My year was a little unusual as I spent the first month studying new Rotary Innovations in Ireland. I attended a different pub every night looking for a Rotary Club but was unable to coincide the pub visits with Rotary.
Upon my return, Neil Pinto and I were summoned to a meeting with the District Youth officer to reconsider our decision to have a German Youth exchange lady for the first half of 2020, the latter of half of 2019 being in Orange. At our first meeting we were not aware that the District had already made the decision that the Exchange student would not be coming to Wollundry. Through Neil Pinto’s brilliance, instead we got Sofi Seneme, and how lucky that turned out to be.
With the assistance of Katie O’Neill, John Smith ramped up the Saturday markets to the extent where the monthly profits were healthy, that state of play is continuing. This is a great Club event where we get 12 to 14 of our members working together with a smattering of other members joining those rostered for a coffee on the day. We should not underestimate the importance of the Saturday market for fellowship and, of course, making good money.
We had a visit from Lori Steiner, and husband Steve. Lori had been an exchange student at Wollundry in the 80,s and remembered many of the current members including J Gray, Burmo, Michael Knight etc.
My committee for that year was
IPP James Hamilton
Sec and PE James Ross
Treasurer Adrian Whiting
Committee Peter Crozier, Paul Milde, Colin Duff, Frank Fuller, John Hawkins, John Ferguson and Neil Pinto.
There was so much Rotary experience in that mob , one could not go wrong….however I did seem to get up the nose of the District Governor Elect on matters of District finance. We had a good relationship with our District Governor John McKenzie but the Club stance on reduction of District fees saw our Club being suspended from RI for a few months. It is quite extraordinary that a year or two later this matter has now been taken by other Clubs with some resolution likely in the future.
The gears and beers was a fantastic success in October 2019. Under the guidance of Phil McIntosh and a very capable team, the event made over $150K resulting in a total distribution in that year of $144,536, the largest single distribution to Tumbarumba Rotary of $15000 for the bushfire appeal. The gears and beers also distributed $21000 to other Rotary and Service Clubs for their assistance in the event.
The Christmas party was another great success at the home of Adrian and Rachel Whiting
All was travelling well until March 16, 2020 when the Government shut down most of Australia to deal with Covid 19. That meant cancelling the Food & Wine Festival, only two weeks before the event, and our Tuesday meetings became Zooms. They went well and we managed to have our first face to face meeting as the Changeover in June.
A year full of variables for me as President of this great Club.
Sofi gave an account of her year in Wagga Wagga including a power point presentation . She said that in January 2020 on her arrival she felt embarrassed not speaking very good English however, that has changed dramatically and her command of English is excellent. (It is interesting to note that many Wollundrians are very hard to understand at times, especially in the latter parts of events of a social nature)Sofi spent her first period of time with Monique and John Shepard, a time when she first enrolled in Wagga High School. After the Shephard family, she spent an extended period with Monica and Peter Jessop, followed by her final Host family David and Helen Mundy. Sofi experienced a different style of schooling including the essential uniform policy not experienced in Sao Paulo.
Although the Covid 19 struck the world scene not long after Sofi arrived and the interstate Safari and District conferences were cancelled, there were plenty of trips around the country she enjoyed. When we were forced into lockdown in March Wollundry Rotary registered with Zoom and had all our meetings through to the end of June as virtual meetings on Zoom. Sofi joined us from the Wagga High School library on each meeting day and gave us an update on what was happening in her routine. Unfortunately, as was with most of us, there was not much happening outside the school environment.
Sofi did manage to travel to the South Coast and try her hand a surf board riding and achieved that with ease.
Sofi did find the experience of heading off to school on a frosty morning and huge shock. A minus one in Wagga was a far cry from the temperate climate of Sao Paulo. During the Pandemic ABC National news interviewed Sofi about her Rotary Exchange experience and how she was coping with the drama's surrounding that time. As is her confident self, it came over so well.In the latter part of her stay the lockdown eased and Sofi was able to experience more travel and went to Thredbo and walked to the Kosciusko summit, she climbed The Rock which described as being "pretty easy". She walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, strolled around the Opera House and thoroughly enjoyed the Sydney venture. Sofi travelled to Melbourne and met fellow Brazilian Exchange Student Marcella, bringing Marcella back to Wagga via a short camping trip where she described the camping as having "no dunnies", a good Aussie experience.
One of the highlights of her schooling at wagga High was attending the year 10 formal.
Sofi thanked all her Host families and the Wollundry Rotarians who made her trip so enjoyable.
George Weston, representing the District Governor, presented Sofi a certificate recognising her time on Rotary Exchange in Australia. James Ross followed thanking Sofi for sharing her time with us and gave Sofi a gift as a token of the love and affection we have for Sofi from Wollundry Rotary to remember the Club. James also said we would love to see again in Australia in the future.
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We were fortunate to once again have Dr Grant Bell, the Anglican minister from St John's in Wagga, address our meeting with a Christmas message. Grant was advised by James Hamilton that it should be short and "not too religious" . Grant acceded to that request and delivered an outstanding speech about the similarities between the work of the Church and that of Rotary. Having been a Rotarian at Glen Innes in an early posting, Grant said that he researched the history of Rotary and had a substantial knowledge of Paul Harris. The message was for each of us to work out what the spirit of Christmas meant. It meant different things to different people but, as Jesus said " it is more blessed to give than receive" The great difficulty for Grant was to work out what we give to friends and family who seem to have everything. If this is confusing then you can buy Dad another shirt as you did last year or Mum similar perfume or maybe adopt pragmatic approach buying something for your self, like a lawn mower for your wife, however, Grant's wife did tell him last week that she wanted a Ryobi leaf blower. That sat pretty well with Grant. Grant enjoyed the fellowship of Rotary but was determined to adopt the philosophy of Rotary as it married in with his Christian belief. He was impressed with the history of Paul Harris who was man of substantial faith. He delivered the very important message from Paul Harris who said " we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that, though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that, through his poverty, you might become rich. We need to provide for others and many other core values of giving. | |
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Mark Hillis was our speaker on Tuesday Dec 1st, and he took us back on a history trip reviewing 50 years of the Australian auto industry. In the 1970’s an average car was about $2200. Servicing was every 5,000 miles, plugs points, air filter, oil filter and oil. Australian manufacturing was highest in the 1970 with nearly 500,000 (10th in the world.) In 1975, the average car cost $4,300 and it took 49 weeks salary to buy that car. The average annual income in 1975 was $7600, in 1998 $48,412 and 2020 $89,000.  50 years selling cars was easy. Cars were status symbols. The top 2 were Ford and Holden. Men did the buying. Marketing was a simple theme. All male dominated. The key selling tools were horsepower and style. Hatch backs in the 80’s were all the rage. Women became the frontline shoppers. Many borrowed on their home loans to pay cash at the car dealerships. The idea was to own your car, and you’ve got it made…cash only. The banks loved it. People would sell the car in 2 years but continue to pay that car off over 25 years. At this stage the Button plan was introduced with the focus on reducing numbers built in Australia from 13 to 6 and providing Japanese and American companies with the ability to re Badge their products. European models were making their mark in Australia. Over the next decade we stopped buying large sedans and stopped building the models that sell. 4WD’s became all the go with dual cab utes replacing the family car and were all made in Thailand. Then women discovered they loved the 4WD’s and we took the male curse off and began to call them SUV’s. The last Falcon sedans were selling 2 a month at Hillis Ford. Parts and Service departments changed. Australian manufacturing could not survive.  The future for Car Dealerships is less dealers, less brands, less parts and service, less finance. Today 50 brands, 1 major brand Toyota. Everyone else under 10%. The good news is that Chinese have not dominated. Challenges are: with electrical autos, fuel taxes contribute $10 billion in revenue. Its falling from 44% of motoring revenue to 39% 5 years ago due to efficiencies. Long distances in Australia make it difficult for electric cars. We all have tow bars and haul caravans. Food is moved by road not rail. Where is the power source for electric cars coming from? Mark Twain Quote: “The only constant in life …. Is change itself.” Mark was given a vote of thanks by President James. |
Daniel Donebus, today's guest speaker was introduced by Burmo. 
A graduate of A.N.U. in Commerce and Law, Daniel joined Burmo's law practice becoming a partner and stayed until they both retired a few years ago. Burmo told us that Daniel is the son of Carlo Donebus an Italian refugee from war torn Europe, who arrived penniless in Australia and built up a business as a painter and later property developer. Carlo established a company Damasa, so named after the first letters of the children's names. Carlo died a few years ago and the siblings nor run the company.
Damasa has proposed the largest private development in the history of Wagga and it is this development that Daniel has come to speak about at our Club.
Much work and money has gone into developing this project, which is unique for Wagga. It proposes a multi story office, car parking, apartment and unit living with recreation area, light retail, medical and postal facilities.
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The site is bounded by Morgan, Docker, Forsyth and Murray Sts and includes the old car club site. It is 800 metres or a ten minute stroll to the Baylis St, 8 minutes walk to the Hospital and 5 minutes to Collins Park
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The concept has been named Civitas, a latin name meaning the body of citizens bound by law, but loosely translated means a community. The old veteran car club site will be replaced by a 6 story building, Piercy Place will become a six story office facility, while the community college site will be converted to 13 townhouses and 188 apartments.
The development will potentially:
- provide for 1,000 + white collar jobs.
- Reinvigorate the main st.
- Attract interest from our older population due to the proximity of services, medical shopping etc.
- provide 750 additional car spaces.
Allowing time for questions, Daniel provided a number of answers. Responding to a question about leasing or ownership, he said he wasn't sure about a final decision. Essentially Damasa likes to control their portfolio through ownership as they can maintain a high standard which sometimes slips when others don't have same philosophy. About objections to the development he said that it was disappointing that a small group had raised strong opposition fearing that it would become an urban ghetto. Daniel said this was almost certainly not going to happen as the tenants would be doctors, dentists a butchery and a post office as well as seniors.
Members appreciated the talk and showed this by warm applause following President Jame's vote of thanks.
