The Christmas holiday break is now over and it is time to return to Holm Park for our meetings. ZOOM will continue to run for most Holm Park meetings, as we have several members who have moved away, are travelling, or are confined to home. With a bit of luck our tech team should start to get good at setting the equipment up.

 

Please BOOK in for the meetings if you are attending in person, or by ZOOM. Meals are $20.70 with the menu available on the form on Sunday night. You must register by Tuesday 10.00am to allow the caterers time to purchase the food. 

The meeting registration link is HERE 

 

At last week's Board meeting, I (the Club President) announced that I could no longer run the Club Program. The reason is quite simple, time, not enough of it. I run a nimble business that moves in whatever direction it needs to stay relevant in the marketplace. I am going through a major shift/growth stage and have zero time spare. I am not quite broken down, but heading that way.

 

The Board members took it pretty well, as it has been coming for over three months. I hope every member reading this sees it as an opportunity to contribute to meetings with varied speakers, projects and activities that will have every member keen to be involved. Please talk to Isobel or Sam, if you have a meeting idea that you want to organise. I am counting on everyone helping where they can. Once the ball is rolling with many members contributing, it should be easier to have a fulfilling program that suits the expectations of the members.

 

There is no Australia Day event for the Club this year, as the City of Casey was not in favour of it proceeding. Instead, 12 volunteers from the Club are working the BBQ and marshalling at Nossal High School, where they are staging a streaming event to Rotarians around Australia. See the flyer below and book in for some great Rotary information and entertainment.

 

The moment we all have been waiting for! I hope most members have made the effort to meet and talk with Andrew. Andrew doesn't muck around and has been active in many areas of the Club. Please show your support of our first new member of 2021.

 

On Sunday the 7th March it is Clean up Australia Day. The City of Casey is asking groups to nominate their favourite part of Casey and to clean it up! I would love our Club to get out into the public and contribute to the well being of an area of Casey. I have asked Jen Marshall to see which site may be available as Jen works for the council. If you have a suggested site, please let Jen or President David know. 

 

That's all from me for this week. Back to work before the 40^oC turns up on Monday and the week of rain that is predicted to follow, sets in.

 

 

 

Approximately 40 volunteers from the Rotary Club of Berwick conducted their annual ‘Working Bee’ at the Berwick Cemetery on Wednesday 20^th January.  This entailed activities such as a general clean-up of fallen leaves and branches, painting wrought iron grave surrounds, pruning, and watering the roses, as well as other allocated duties.  This activity marked the 56^th year that a Working Bee has been conducted at the cemetery, continuing the long partnership between the Rotary Club of Berwick and the Berwick Cemetery Trust.

 

The first Working Bee in1965 was conducted over two days and was organised by Allan Funston, who chaired the Club’s Community Service Committee at the time and later became Club President. Allan was also a member of the Cemetery Trust Committee. One of the highlights of this first Working Bee was the removal of two snakes from the site. 

 

Interestingly, recent Working Bees have been coordinated by Allan Funston’s son Adrian (Better known as Funno).  Funno and his dad both served as Presidents of our Rotary Club.

 

A highlight of the latest Working Bee was a tour of the 2-acre terraced extension on the Western side of the cemetery. This two-million-dollar development will provide the capacity for at least 200 lawn graves and 3,120 niche wall memorial sites for cremated remains.  Cemetry Trust Members, Neil Lucas and Garth Bradbury, explained the complications of the development, which had to accommodate steep terrain, as well as respecting the grave of a  woman buried there in 1854.

 

 

Neil Lucas, Chairman of the Trust, thanked the volunteers for their work and acknowledged the ongoing support of the Rotary Club of Berwick for the Trust, over the last 56 years.

 

 

The 56^th Berwick Cemetery Working Bee Team included two of our youngest potential members.  Jen and Steve Marshall brought along a Furphy to water the roses, as well as their two children Georgie and Lachlan. 

 

Both children enjoyed the social scene and were well looked after by enthusiastic and willing team members.

 

Jen reported that Georgie had a go at watering the roses and is certain that she will be right to take over from her at the Working Bee next year.