Our first "Hillis Day" for 2018 certainly had everyone talking. Good to see everyone catching up on news from the Christmas break. A great time for fellowship.
The discussion on Youth Exchange was good with many members contributing to the topic. Thank you to Darren Wallace for his informative address. As a club we will need to make a decision on whether we continue our involvement in Youth Exchange for 2018 - 2019. We must have four host families before the club can commit to hosting an Exchange Student. There will be some more discussion before a decision is made. Please place the following dates in your 2018 Diary: Tuesday 27th February 2018 Club 40th Birthday Dinner, Saturday 24th March 2018 Food & Wine Festival and 5th & 6th May 2018 District Conference in Leeton.

 Thank you for your support. Have a great week!

Within our Rotary Club, we will inevitably have deaths of Members, our families, our friends and former members. It is important that these losses are recognised, and support provided for those who remain to readjust to living without a loved one. Rick Priest has undertaken to provide this support with a plant that lives on and grows into an object of beauty in the ground.

 

Today, three plants were handed out to members that have recently had family bereavements, and this has allowed the club to show support to some of our senior members.

 

David Pyke was the rostered Sergeant, and opened his session with a reference to Rick Priest, and women in leather. We're not sure if Margaret should be consulted for more information.

A first grandchild is a major life event, and a highly visible $10 note disappearing into the fine box set the par score for each grandchild. Laurie Blowes, who boasts 22 descendants, turned visibly white.

Tim Hutchins is at his second meeting as a member. He had a guest along today, and Pykie was impressed.

The Luftwagga protesteth loudly at the notion of parking charges for visiting aircraft, and David has analysed their logic. Visitors, he argues, will spread the word to councils elsewhere, and the worm will turn. The process is called "precedent"

A child on the front porch, eating a mars bar is no longer an innocent accident. We have been conditioned.

 

The last word concerned three women of varying hair colour, an island, a genie and three wishes. If you missed it - ask David.

 

We don't want to encourage competition between sergeants, but Pykie was muttering something about $106 at the conclusion of the meeting.

What are the odds!!!!!

 

Two guests at todays meeting are both retired farmers, and they share, phonetically, the same name. Stuart Heriot and Stewart Smith.

Stuart Heriot has retired from Cookardinia, and was the guest of Tim Hutchins.

Stewart Smith was invited to our meeting by David Benn, and was originally from Adelong.

Today was a Hillis Day - no guest speaker, but time allowed for fellowship and discussion of club issues. 

Darren Wallace is our Youth Exchange Committee chairman, and briefed us on our long term involvement in this activity. We have had almost continuous exposure to student exchange and established a proud tradition.

Among the issues that we spoke about were hosting, and the need to have a full program in place before committing. The number of host parents to be involved is flexible, but shorter host terms means more hosts required.

Darren advised that hosts do not have to be Wollundry Rotarians, but a rigorous vetting process would be required.

The Exchange is a reciprocal, with an obligation to host a student if we sponsor an outgoing candidate.

There were questions about selection of students, role of club and district committees, the timeline for sponsorship, selection and departure for outgoing and incoming students.

Comments from the meeting advised that there is an allowance paid by the Rotary Club to assist host parents with expenses. Darren emphasised that you treat your guests like a member of the family - they are experiencing family life in Australia, and should expect to be told "NO",  just as your own kids expect to hear that.

Geoff continues to add to the blog, with incredible strength, courage and medical detail. No summary can do justice to this story, so click on the link and check out Geoff's story.

From the blog, no surprises for the theme of this wall treatment.

 

Click on the video below for Defibrillator training.