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President's Message
Jan Emmett
President's Report No 25
Hello fellow Rotarians,
I have just dropped in to wish a…
Happy New Year to you all
“may your right hand always be stretched out in
friendship, never in want” ...!
I do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and was able to spend it with family and close friends. There have been some that weren’t so fortunate and to those I send out my warmest wishes and hope the new year brings some form of normality and peace in your lives… Good Riddance to 2020.
Well, I’m pretty certain you’re aware that there has been plenty going on behind the scenes with our Rotary club. The Book Fair is about to ‘take off’ and we have all been allocated our set days and times. Please make sure that you are okay with what has been arranged, and let Neil know ASAP if you cannot fulfil your duty on that day. We are so lucky to have the venue that has been offered us and as long as we abide by the ‘COVID rules and regulations’ and listen to the Monitors advise on the day, we will do exceedingly well.
I realise some of you are actually away on holidays and I do hope you’re having a ball and not stuck anywhere…! I’m busy with family doing day trips along the coast (GOR) which has been a whole heap of fun, but for those of you that have given up your ‘Rotary break time’ we thank you so very much for volunteering your services in whatever category you’re working under.
Please keep an eye out, from now onwards, for the Bulletin as there will be a lot of information and where we will be in the coming weeks as far as meetings are concerned.
It was suggested that all Rotarians meet face to face at the ‘Jetts Gym’ on the Tuesday 19th Jan, from 6pm-7pm especially those who are volunteering throughout this time, to find out firsthand on how the Book Fair will be run. Then possibly we will get to have our Fish and Chips on the beach afterwards… who knows…!
Until next time, I hope to catch up with you at the Book Fair otherwise keep an eye on the Bulletin for all things Torquay Rotary.
A formal Club Get Together will occur next Tuesday 19th January at 6pm at the Book Fair Shop. (See previous article for the address.)
This is specifically for members to see and hear first hand how this project will run in 2021. It’s a rare opportunity for a face to face meeting at this time and other Club business will also be covered.
There will be an overview of our Covid requirements and a run down of the various roles and responsibilites of those helping. Learn how the entrance area will be manned, the cash register and exit area will work, and the overall observation of Covid abidance.
Food and drink are not allowed so we cannot enjoy these at the venue. Individual dinner arrangements will need to be made for anyone who wishes to stay together for fellowship afterwards. (Perhaps some fish and chips on the beach may work this time?)
The roster is finalised with a few extra tweeks, and the final Version 3 will be emailed to you later this week. It will again include the covering letter detailing shift times and specific duties.
The Book Fair will be held at Shop T8 in the Torquay Village Shopping Centre, Bristol Rd – at the opposite end to Coles Supermarket. This is the old Jetts Gymnasium. We cannot access the premises until Monday 18th Jan and we must be out by the end of Wednesday 27th Jan.
Monday 18th will be used to clean and tidy the premises then set up the tables and equipment in readiness for the books to arrive that evening. Mostly Book Fair Committee people will be involved here.
“BUMP IN” – our term for bringing in the stock – will occur Monday EVENING 18th Jan. There is a storage container at Rhonda Anchen’s property at 465 Grundy’s Rd Bellbrae (watch for the blue letterbox).This is literally full of stock (mostly boxed). From 4.00pm this needs to be transported to the shop. Members with utes, wagons, trailers are needed for this task. Others are needed to help load and unpack. Check the Roster as nearly everybody available is requested to help with this task.
“BUMP OUT” is on Wednesday 27th Jan at 6.00am. This is the same task in reverse but hopefully much easier after all the sales have reduced the stock.
Tuesday to Friday is when the stock is unpacked, sorted and put on display. This should only take 2 days hence no one is formally rostered for Thursday and Friday. If help is needed here we will put out a late call. Donations of books should be dropped off during this period.
Sat 23rd to Tues 26th – the Book Fair will be open from 9.30am till 4.00pm daily. Rostered members have been allotted specific duties as per Covid requirements. These have been detailed on a direct mailout to members . Neil Henderson, Rhonda Anchen and Maggie Isom will be the overall co-ordinators with one or more being in attendance at all times. They will help members with their assigned duties.
Tuesday 26th Jan – from 4.00pm there is a shift designated to pack up the remaining stock into cartons and have these ready for collection next morning
Wednesday 27th January – once Bump out is over the premises need to be cleaned and returned to their original condition.
… then we take a deep sigh and count the proceeds.
Clubs' and Districts' National Australia Day celebration events are now in place with speakers, performers and signature projects to be showcased confirmed.
We are looking forward to seeing a number of inspiring events fit for the ongoing Centenary Celebrations. Thank you to all who are working behind the scenes to bring you and the general public a very memorable (Rotary) Australia Day this year.
On the 16th January, eight Rotarian volunteers from RC Geelong Central and RC Highton will dismantle the playground at Barwon Valley Special School as part of the Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds Program.
The team will stop about 12.30 for lunch before the equipment is transported to storage ready for DIK. This represents an opportunity for all Rotarians in the greater Geelong region to come together, welcome the new year and find out more about this Rotary program and the Barwon Valley School. Friends of Rotary warmly welcomed.
Simple BBQ lunch is complementary, and in-line with RI's new area of focus, will be single-use-plastic free (we hope). Plenty of room for social distancing.
You may be aware that the State Government is conducting a public consultation on the Surf Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape Draft Statement of Planning Policy – a policy which will decide the future of the Torquay and Jan Juc townships.
The formal consultation now underway is the culmination of a long process. 11 years ago we held the successful ‘Red Rally’ to show our support for the preservation of Spring Creek. Two years ago Spring Creek become the central issue in our state election. We are now in the final weeks of our effort to save the valley from developers.
Our concern with the draft policy is that the SPP draft still contains a provision for the development of the Spring Creek valley. Entitled simply ‘Option 1’ (outlined on Page 59 of the Draft SPP document), this option provides a pathway for opening up Spring Creek valley 1 km west of Duffields Road to further residential development; an area of more than 200 hectares.
If you are interested in this policy, and wish to have a say, you can visit (before January 22), the government’s Engage Victoria website –https://engage.vic.gov.au/dalsac
What you say in your submission is entirely up to you. If the protection of Spring Creek is important to you, you could as a bare minimum make a submission in support of Option 2 and reject Option 1. Option 2 would create a permanent settlement boundary at Duffields Road.
This also includes additional info on preserving the viewshed at Bells (which would prevent structure like the outrageous WinkiPop platform if views from the water are taken into account, impacts on the Karaaf Wetlands east of Torquay and the potential for a train line between Armstrong Creek and Torquay.
2021 is a special time for Rotary in Australia and New Zealand when we will come together to celebrate the first 100 years of Service in Australia .
In 1921, four Rotary Clubs were created in Melbourne, Auckland, Wellington and Sydney and from there, Rotary and Rotaract clubs were created everywhere across Australia and New Zealand.
We all share a centenary in 2021 as we come together and create a common legacy.
District 9780 has agreed to be a part of this special year, and Groups 9 & 10 which comprise all the Geelong Clubs from Torquay to Lara will be working together as a group in planning the celebration activities, with a baton relay on Sunday 21st March 2021, culminating in an end of the day event at Johnston Park in Central Geelong .
The Board has agreed to participate in this event and is seeking Club members interest in joining a small committee to organise Club involvement in this Centenary celebration.
If you would like to be a member of the Sub - Committee to help formulate plans for our Club's involvement with the Centenary Relay, then please contact either President Jan or Secretary Maggie.
As COVID restrictions have relaxed the Torquay Rotary will still be meeting every Monday excepting Public Holidays using a mixture of Face to Face, Social events and Zoom online meetings on at 7:00pm. Please pay close attention to the Bulletin and "Coming Events" section for the
Visitors and Guests are very welcome. If you would like to join us please
Here's a challenge for everyone...….in these "different" times in which we are living there are more and more Clubs now holding on-line meetings so now it's easier than it's ever been to do a make-up.
You can do them from the comfort of your own home and you don't even have to get dressed up.
Let's have a club challenge to see who can do a make up form the most interesting city. Be sure to grab a screen shot of your meeting and send to me for the bulletin.
What a great way to meet other Rotarians from around the world and to find out how they are living through the COVID-19 lockdowns.
To make it easy the Rotary Club of Mount Lawley in WA have begun compiling a list of Clubs who are now holding On-Line Meetings to view the list click the link below.
Whilst we all are dealing with the COVID 19 Virus and the restrictions this has placed on our Club Meetings and all of us personally, our meetings will be held on ZOOM for the time being.
All details for how to log into the Zoom Meetings can be found in the article elsewhere in the Bulletin, on the Club Website & Facebook pages. remember that Guests are also available.
Club Members and friends also come together over the airwaves to meet and chat socially at the Friday night Happy Hour so I hope you can join in & enjoy the connection
Date
Chair
Meeting
Details
details
Tues 19th Jan
Neil Henderson
Briefing for the Book Fair - Make your own dinner arrangements for after this meeting
Rotary International President for 2018-19 is Holger Knaack
Holger Knaack, a member of the Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany, has been selected to serve as president of Rotary International in 2020-21.
A Rotary member since 1992, Knaack has served Rotary as treasurer, director, moderator, member and chair of several committees, representative for the Council on Legislation, zone coordinator, training leader, and district governor. He is an endowment/major gifts adviser and co-chair of the Host Organization Committee for the 2019 Rotary International Convention in Hamburg. Knaack is the CEO of Knaack KG, a real estate company. He was previously a partner and general manager of Knaack Enterprises, a 125-year-old family business. He is a founding member of the Civic Foundation of the City of Ratzeburg and served as president of the Golf-Club Gut Grambek. Knaack is also the founder and chair of the Karl Adam Foundation. Knaack and his wife, Susanne, are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation and members of the Bequest Society.
Melbourne has been announced as the host city for the 2023 Rotary International Convention, the largest conference secured this century for Victoria.
Melbourne is a Big Events City! Set to deliver over $88 million to the Victorian economy, the Convention is the most valuable conference ever won for the state, with the four-day event anticipated to attract more than 20,000 Rotarians from around the world. The global spotlight will be on Melbourne and how we present ourselves to the world.
The Convention will take place 27-31 May 2023 using Rod Laver Arena and the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre for functions.
Watch this Space for further news as it comes to hand.
