#31 21 February 2025

 Presidential Ponderings

President Kelly was warmly welcomed and announced that Rotary is 120 years old on Sunday.

Guest Speaker Dan Churach - the Science of Storytelling

Dan Churach was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and spent his early days pursuing his studies in Illinois, Rhode Island, and Hawaii before moving to Western Australia.

 He is a teacher through and through. Over his career, he’s taught school kids from year six through high school and lectured in education, chemistry and astronomy at several American universities. He later enrolled at Curtin University, where he completed his PhD.

In the late 1990s, Dan and his wife Karen emigrated to Australia. After two years in tropical Broome, he joined the staff at Murdoch University, lecturing in chemistry and metallurgy and as the education manager of two Commonwealth Cooperative Research Centres.

Dan has retired to another career in creative writing, with his enthusiasm for the sciences and education strongly shaped his love for writing. He crafts his “technothrillers” to lead the reader on a voyage of critical thinking, constantly challenging them to solve the ‘who-done-it’ aspect of the story from the clues given.

In his address, Dan says he has three lifelong passions:

His first passion is writing, whether academic, journalistic or creative.

• This was school and university journalism and volunteer newsletters.
• His first novel “Proof” was published in the summer holidays of the 1980s.
• In 1990  “Back to Paradise” was (almost…) published in the same moth as his PhD thesis.

Passion number two: he is a teacher through and through.

• There is tea room confusion of teacher versus lecturer.
•  Teaching and storytelling are both two-way streets.
•  Teachers are by nature storytellers.

Passion number three: he loves science methodology, not the textbook.

• Not “truth”, but facts based on the scientific method.
• Science may make mistakes, but if we LEARN by doing, there is no failed experiment.
•  The scientific method is self-correcting, although the timeframe can be long.

Homo sapiens think more with their guts than their heads, make decisions more on what they feel than what they think. Facts are relevant, but we need to communicate them to the public at large. This is where the idea of “story” comes in. Jerome Bruner (Harvard, 1960s) reported that learning from narrative (e.g. stories) is retained 22X more than what is learned from lecture alone.

Example 1:     

• Newton’s Universal Law of Gravity.
• Learn the formula on a whiteboard or recall young Isaac Newton sitting under a tree and watching the apple drop with the moon in the sky.

Example 2.     

• Volume of Irregularly Shaped Object.
• Another whiteboard lecture or imagine a naked Archimedes jumping from his bath and running naked down the street – EUREKA!

Example 3.     

• Emu in the Sky.

Interstellar dust clouds in the constellation Coalsack Nebula.

Aboriginal people use the “Emu in the Sky” to indicate seasonal hunting.

In April and May, the emu rises at dusk at a 45° and it is safe to harvest emu eggs.

By June and July, the emu is horizontal in the sky.  Most eggs have chick embryos and they must stop collecting emu eggs for food.

This got passed down for thousands of years, not by equations, but by stories.

The Science of Storytelling

 

We are ALL storytellers

• Mum and Dad socialise kids through story
• A salesperson sells a product through the use of a story
• Medical doctors, nurses and therapists encourage patients using stories
• Rotarians form new friendships and deepen existing relationships by sharing stories
• Politicians use stories to communicate a vision of the community they hope to lead.

Dan has written eleven books. Amongst these are:

• “Fever” a techno-thriller about Australia’s first “Murder by Ebola” (written in 2018-2019 before COVID-19).
• “Turtles” about artificial intelligence (AI) and the unforeseen problems we never anticipated.
• “Paradox” his most recent novel about a trillionaire who owns the rockets, communications and the hardware/software servicing them…who establishes a Moon Base at the South Lunar Pole.

You can learn more about all of Dan’s books on his website, www.churach.com. They are also available at www.Amazon.com.au in paperback or Kindle editions.

 

Dan’s full presentation can be viewed at:

millpointrotaryclub.org.au>members only (password)> this link>Guest Speaker Presentations>CHURACH Dan – The Science of Storytelling

Directors' Reports and Member Announcements

• Ian Kremmer: gave us a final reminder we are having a Sundowner at the Como Croquet Club this Friday 28^th February with a 5pm start.  Cost is $20 pp.   BYO drinks.  Food will be provided. Please fill in your name on circulating sheet it you wish to attend. 
• Ross Smith: confirmed that Ronald McDonald House Home for Dinner is on again on Sunday 23^rd March.   There are a few spots still available.   See Ross after meeting if you wish to be involved. 
• Wayne Duke: informed us that Katrina has had an operation on her neck and is doing really well.  He thanked the Club and Michelle in particular, for organizing flowers. 

 

Margaret Walton: Mill Point RC took over the running of Dial-a-Santa from Rotaract in 2015.   2024 was the 10th year and we had 13 Santas visiting clients, including 6 from Mill Point and 7 external.  These additional Santas were Phil Cordery from Southern Districts RC, Steve Lennox from Mt Lawley RC, Mark Horwood,  Russell Lanyon, David Smith and Geoff Day (Northern areas) and our newest Santa - Jeff Anderson from E-Rotary.  Santas were assisted with their events by 10 Elves or Mrs Claus. Many new events were booked via the website as well as repeat bookings from previous years. Multiple events were booked for Shopping Centres and Elizabeth Quay Fun Fair.  Suburbs covered were from Rockingham to Ellenbrook and Wooroloo – family day at the Prison.

There were 6 free Community visits including Visability Playgroup, Senior Citizens Centre (2), Hannah’s House, Ronald McDonald House (Christmas Day) and 1 private event.

Our Santas were represented at a wide variety of events starting with Christmas in July, then through November and December to early January.  We now have confirmation of an Easter Bunny repeat visit this Easter at a Shopping Centre.   

Types of events were :

• Private families and multiple family groups
• Child Care and Early Learning Centres, Kindergartens and playgroups                                                                                        
• Corporate Christmas Parties, Bars & Restaurants, Sports Clubs, Community and Rotary markets
• Shopping Centres (3) 
• Elizabeth Quay Fun Fair

Total for 2024 – 67 visits raising $15,795

These funds are donated to our various children’s charities and youth programs.

Grand Total since 2015 = $183,795

Many thanks once again to all our very willing Santas and helpers and especially to our external Santas for their invaluable assistance in ensuring another successful year for Dial-a-Santa.

President Kelly moved a vote of gratitude, on behalf of the club, for the great coordination Margaret put into Dial-A-Santa.

Kelly also informed the members that the BulldustNBack will not be run by the club this year due to a number of the team being unavailable to put in the effort required. It's really an issue of resources and was a difficult decision to make. However Mark Horwood is looking at putting together a team to run the BNB in the future.

Attendance

33 attendees in all, including guest speaker Dan Churach and visiting Rotarians Phil Cordery (Southern Districts) and Jeff Anderson (E-Rotary) and visitor David Smith - all three from Dial a Santa!

 

#30 14 February 2024

 Presidential Ponderings

President Kelly reminded everyone that today was Valentines Day - amidst groans from the non-romantics and sighs from the ladies!

Guest Speaker Ros Kruger - The Joys of Volunteering

Ros has been a Rottnest Volunteer Guide for 15 years and since November 2024 their inaugural Recruitment Officer.

Retired School Psychologist (30 years) and High School Science/ Biology/ Human Biology teacher (10 years).

Mother of Christopher (Computer Scientist/programmer) and Melissa (Mathematician/Mechanical Engineer), Grandmother to Ava, Odin and Orla.

Exchange student with American Field Service in Pennsylvania USA 1965-1966.

Lived in Taipei, Taiwan 1975-1980 and Singapore 1980-1985.

Her hobbies are travel, languages, cooking, Mahjong teaching, convening and competing.

 

Ros thanked Host Howard Nelson for his introduction and the club for inviting her. She has been a Rottnest Volunteer Guide for 15 years and since November 2024 their inaugural Recruitment Officer, so “prepare to be recruited…..”

 

The Rottnest Voluntary Guides Association would like to acknowledge the Wadjuk Noongar people who are the traditional custodians of this land and pay respect to their Elders past and present.

 

Who here has been to Rottnest?.....Who here hasn’t been to Rottnest?....Excellent.

There are over 350 “Yellow Shirts” on active roster. Our aim is to improve the visitor experience on Rottnest. Every day, except Christmas Day, sixteen guides will travel to the island by ferry (free) to fulfil nine scheduled duties.

 

Ros showed maps as distributed on the tables. On one side they have bus stops, salt lakes and so on. On the other side is for “boaties”, showing the rules and shipwrecks around the island. She highlighted the ferry arrival area at Thomson Bay and the “Settlement” buildings around it.

 

The duties, shown on their website, change pretty regularly. Guides need to check each day before they go. The sixteen guides will fulfil nine duties each day.

 

There are five duties in the Settlement:

-       Duty Guide (solve any problems, you’re it if anything goes wrong….)

-       Visitor Centre (visitors off the ferry, can’t sell tickets but point them in the right direction)

-       Meet & Greet (booth beside Salt Store, have Q&A booklet, toilets?)

-       Reefs, Wrecks & Daring Sailors (also look after the Boathouse in the afternoon)

-       Museum (been completely revamped)

Duties farther afield are:

-       The Wadjemup Lighthouse (155 stairs where you take three groups up during the day with two other buddies to help you)

-       Olivers Hill guns and tunnels (war history)

-       Westend Wanderers (chatting with tourists and pointing out whales)

-       Whitecaps and Wilderness (walk from Parker Point to Little Salmon Bay, that’s about the ecology)

 

We also offer Holiday Guiding for those with special interest in astronomy, quiz nights, storytelling & acting. Also assist the Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) with events such as Anzac Day, Channel swim, Quokka Birthday and New Years Eve.

 

 

Training is mentally and physically rigorous, requiring commitment from trainees. Why do we love it? This flower is commonly called the ”Rottnest Daisy” and it’s also found on the mainland. It is more accurately called the “Blue Lace Flower”. You will see a carpet of these in September.

 

There is much loved fauna, such as the famous Quokka. There is no fresh water on the island, so the quokka has adapted over thousands of years to extract enough liquid from plants to survive. 

 

 

They mate in September and the life cycle is such that the mother is pregnant and has a ”spare”. The baby Quokka leaves the pouch in September. Are you seeing a pattern on the best time to go to Rottnest?

 

After eighteen months the young quokka is able to mate.

 

 

Other interesting fauna is the long-nosed fur seals (also known as New Zealand fur seals). They can be seen “jug handling”, or lying in the water with their fins up to thermoregulate.

Westend has a special viewing platform to view these seals.

 

On the Boardwalk, you may see a King Skink or Bobtail slipping into a Wedgetail Sheerwater’s tunnel to steal an egg or two. There will be Ospreys diving into the water to grab a fish in its claws. You can see pelicans and stingrays in the water. Inland you may see the Sacred Kingfisher or even a rare Golden Whistler.

 

Rottnest is a pristine environment. There are twelve salt lakes, including “Pink Lake” (very popular with the Chinese tourists) which attracts migratory birds.

 

Thomson Bay is named after early settlers Carolyn and Robert Thomson in 1831. They cleared land, built structures as well as collecting and bagging salt from the lakes. In 1839 the colonial government took back all the land and built a prison for aboriginal men, that lasted until 1903.

 

The history is part of the training for volunteers. Each year 50 volunteers are recruited, from which 30 will be chosen. Training takes two months, as well as two training weekends. The volunteers will then be supported on some tours by “Yellow Shirts”. It all started out as holiday guiding for kids, now they are legends….

 

Rottnest is also all about sustainability. There is a 600 Kw wind turbine, built in 2004 to power the desalination plant. In 2015 a 600 Kw solar farm was installed near the airport by Hydro TAS. Diesel generators are still available to supplement the renewable energy sources during times of peak usage..

 

There is “Glamping” as well as luxury accommodation.

 

We are now recruiting for 2026. People come from Bridgetown and Bunbury to be guides. Pamphlets are available if you are interested.

 

Ros’s presentation can be viewed at:

millpointrotaryclub.org.au>members only (password)> this link>Guest Speaker Presentations>KRUGER Ros – The Joys of Rottnest Volunteering

 

Directors' Reports and Member Announcements

Lew Thomas :

• Reminded those involved that there would be a Membership Committee meeting after breakfast.

Ian Kremmer :

• Advised that we would be having a sundowner at the Como Croquet Club  on Friday 28^th February with a 5pm start.  It is BYO drinks and food will be provided. Cost is $20 pp. There are flyers on tables for those interested. Please add your name to the list if you wish to attend.

Kelly Gillen:

• Advised that on Tuesday 18^th February the Soroptimists of South Perth are having a meet the Candidates event, a copy of their flyer is in the Events page.  It is a free event but you must register if you wish to attend.
• Also, if we wish to attend the Professor Ian Constable lecture at UWA on 26^th February we need to RSVP via Kelly.   (Professor Constable is an ophthalmologist and founder and director of the Lions Eye Institute in Perth.)
  

Bill Boekman thanked the Club for supporting the Rotary Club of Wongan Hills recent event. Six months ago the club was in dire straits, however thanks to the BulldustNBack there has been surge in members and 4 new members were inducted at the recent event.

 

Fines - Pocket rocket Jenny McLean

• Pres Kelly for introducing Fines Master….again and for “two step dance” on his bung knee.
• Valentines Day Romantics – anyone with a heartthrob.
• “Newsgazers” who listen to 7PM and 7AM news for latest “star realignments” by Trump.

Good news/bad news –

• Bad, if you like eggs for brekky there are empty shelves due to a shortage.
• Good, for winos, Premier Cook will introduce a 10c refund on recycled bottles.
• “Queen” Astrid for having an opulent hotel and chauffer post Eye Camp in Sri Lanka.

 

Winner of Heads and Tails

Lew Thomas was the recipient of the grog this week after a rousing round of Heads and Tails!
 

Attendance

35 attendees in all, including guest speaker Ros Kruger and Rotarians Bill Boekman and Mark Jones.

 

#29 - 7 February 2025

 Presidential Ponderings

President Kelly opened the meeting whilst still recoving from his arduous journey to Wongan Hills!

Guest Speaker - Bill Cutler C Y O'Connor and the Golden Pipeline (Part I)

Bill Cutler was born on the pipeline at No 7 Pumping Station, Gilgai and lived his early life and schooling as a pipeline kid. He is a direct bloodline descendant of two First Fleet convicts who arrived with Captain Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove on January 26th 1788.

Bill is a 43-year career banker serving in Western Australia as well as overseas postings in Fiji, Hong Kong, Singapore and London. He retired in 2002 and amongst other things became a volunteer tour guide with the National Trust, specifically looking after visitors to the Trust’s steam powered No 1 Pumping Station at Mundaring Weir.

 

Bill thanked the club for the invitation and breakfast, almost as good as the one on a cruise ship last week…. He was 33-year South Perth resident and close neighbour of Rick Sneeuwjagt.

 

He will give his presentation on CY O’Connor in two parts, returning on 9^th May to give the second part. It is the only way to give the story justice.

 

Today he focussed on:

-       Where O’Connor came from as a young man,

-       His early years in New Zealand,

-       His engineering achievements, and

-       The Fremantle Harbour and pipeline

 

The second part will look more at the things that transpired and led him to take his own life. Myths abound (mostly wrong…) that suggest he committed suicide because the water did not come through. He died three weeks before the first pump started!

 

 

Bill posed the question of when Mundaring Weir (built by O’Connor) last overflowed?...1996. It is highly unlikely to ever overflow again as the amount of water taken from it is so much more that it ever was. There is more than 8,000 kilometres of pipes to conduits north and south. 

 They also lowered the level of the dam due to new technology allowing water to be taken out from various levels. It is used more as a collection dam from desalination rather than just from rainfall.

 

CY O’Connor was born in Ireland in 1843. He was seven years old at the time of the great Potato Famine. At sixteen he became an apprentice at the railways. It served him well, however he went on to become WA’s greatest engineer without attending University or getting an engineering degree. (He was given an Honorary degree).

 

As a twenty year old O’Connor went to New Zealand, where he spent 26 years. He married and had eight children, although one died as an infant. He started as a junior and before long was the Chief Engineer for the South Island. He designed the Trans-Alpine Railway and the road from Christchurch to Greymouth. He built harbours but was not very well recognised by New Zealanders.

 

In 1888 he was promoted to a position in Wellington as the Undersecretary to the Minister for Works. However, he preferred being out in the field rather than an office. 

 

That coincided with John Forrest getting Parliament started in Western Australia. Forrest offered him a job, on £1,000 salary, and given the task of building infrastructure in WA. He built harbours (including Freemantle and Point Sampson) and Lighthouses (including at Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste).

 

He was also given the task of building a railway system in WA. Between 1891 and 1898 he built 2,000 Kilometres of railways. Gold was discovered at Fly Flat (now known as Coolgardie) in 1891. The rapid population growth in the goldfields required much infrastructure work to be done and that was all given to O’Connor.

 

Many men came from the eastern states and overseas. Many in particular came from Victoria as the goldfields in Bendigo and Ballarat were starting to run down. It was a hard journey over sparse country. These men were known as “T’Othersiders”. 

 Water was very scarce, being brought by camels from Northam in metal drums, led by Afghan drivers. Retailing in water seemed to make more money…

In 1892 Paddy Hannan and Finlayson found gold in Kalgoorlie and that was to change the whole aspect of the Goldfields. By the time the water got to Coolgardie in 1903, it was in the decline. The water under the goldfields is plentiful but highly saline, requiring early condensers to render drinkable. They needed lots of timber to drive the boilers and, before long had cut so many trees down that they ran out of timber.

 

This is where John Forrest said to O’Connor that he needed to come up with an idea for a pipeline. It was known water had to come from the coast, so Mundaring Weir (on the Darling Range) was eventually chosen as a catchment area.

 

O’Connor came up with a plan to have plan eight pumping stations operating individually. It was all uphill to Coolgardie, with a physical rise between Mundaring and Coolgardie of 400 meters (thought impossible by engineers around the world).

 

Bill concluded at this point, to complete the presentation when he returns in May. Host Gerry McGann (tongue in cheek…) presented him with one Mill Point glass and promised the other next time.

 

A PDF version of Bill’s presentation can be viewed at:

millpointrotaryclub.org.au>members only (password)> this link>Guest Speaker Presentations>CUTLER Bill – CY O’Connor’s Pipeline

 

Directors' Reports and Member Announcements

Michelle: 

• Phil Doyle recovering nicely from his op on Monday, coming home today and needs to rest up for a week.
• Good to see Dietmar back and wishing Anne-Marie a quick recovery.

Brian J: 

• Club Service meeting after breakfast.

Jenny: 

• 2 boxes of feminine hygiene kits posted to Northern PNG for trial of uni students near Sepic river.

Gorby: 

• Trip to Wongan Hill attended by 16 Mill Point Rotarians - thank you! A great night was had by all and the day after visit to Konnongorring to see huge silos and biggest grain storage.

Veronica:  

• Reminder re District Conference in Margaret River as per flyer on table. Be good to have RCMP representation.
• Membership committee meeting next week under the Chairmanship of Lew Thomas whilst Veronica is at International Assembly in Orlando.
  

 Kelly:

•  The 2025 BNB was discussed at Board level and consensus was that RCMP could not replicate the previous experience this year. Therefore all major beneficiaries have been contacted and invited to participate in a brainstorming session to seek an alternative event. All key stakeholders past and present, have been informed to explore ideas and be involved.
• To date RCMP has raised $515,000 for charities and spent $230,000 in local economies over the last 6 years.
  

 Vocational Training Team (VTT) Visit

A Vocational Training Team (VTT) will visit Perth on Monday 17 March 2025.

The subject of  their visit is "Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking".

The RI Team comprises of:

• A Rotarian Team leader who is a recently retired senior police officer
• Two serving LAPD Police Officers working in the subject area
• A female victim of sex trafficking, and
• A representative of a not-for-profit organisation working in the subject area.

The venue will be the Willetton Statdium that has a capacity of 210 persons and the ability to cater for dietary requirements. Willetton RC will act as the host club for this event.

Please support this event, bookings on Club Runner will be available and the cost is $35pp. There will be a cash bar for those who would like to take advantage.

And another Fine(s) collection of Funds!

Master-of-Fines Owen took to the podium and doled out fines left, right and centre...

Wayne - didn't forget anything this week after last week's debacle.

Veronica - prefers to undress men rather than dress them but had no choice when it came to Mike Collett in Wongan Hills.

Everyone who changed their address leading up to the election

Veronica - traveling to the USA and being absent for 3 weeks

Anyone under 18 (Rick reckons this is him) and/orregistering to vote for the first time or know someone who had to - including self, kids, grandchildren...

Those with kids or grand-kids going back to school this week.

Kiwi's - it's Waitangi day and of course ANYONE who has been to NZ

All viewers of Spics and Specs on ABC - 20 years on.

All those who are still members after 20 years! Includes the President of 2005 Warren McC, and members present today - Owen F, Joy B, Mike C, Scott D, Dietmar M, Jenny McL, Lyn M, Wayne M, Howard N, John O, Ken P, David R, Marg W, Alison T, Lew T and David T. This makes 21 still going out of the original 50 members of the club. (Absent were Brian A, Phil D, Vic S and John T).

Winner of Heads and Tails

Owen the Tosser produced 3 lots of Heads and Tails, then 2 Heads - but Kelly's Tail won hands down (pardon the pun!)

Attendance - 34 attendees in all, including guest speaker Bill Cutler.

#28 - January 31 2025

 Presidential Ponderings

President Kelly welcomed back the 'International Crew' - Raelene and Gerry - from the Sri Lankan eye project, Hannah Grace our NYSF student and David Tyler from his jet-setting journey! He also reminded us that today was International Backward Day which he said, summed up exactly how he felt this morning!

Guest Speaker - Peter Matthews "Two and a half years on"

A former (and soon to be again) member of Mill Point, and a RYLA student in 2022, Peter's passions lies in volunteering, marketing, helping people and social justice. 

In 2021, Peter received  a United Nations research grant and a New Colombo Plan scholarship to conduct a study on the Bhutanese energy grid. This was blocked by the Bhutanese government, and was instead passed as a postgraduate research scholar in the Department of Economics at the National University of Singapore throughout 2022.

In April 2022 Peter left Perth to embark on an amazing journey which would take him to 36 countries over 2 years and 5 months.

 Whilst he was away he wrote 2 papers on "Quantifying the ability of Australian household investors to hedge against inflation" and "Analysing the effect of capital access on the growth rate and scandal probability of micro charities."

Peter spoke about the best 6 months of his life as a residential college student in Singapore, even though he was the victim of an initiation prank which included a coca cola and mintos shower!

He wrestled - yes wrestled - his way into the National Wrestling Team and suffered a broken nose!

 Then he met a girl...well not just a girl but a DAME!

Attending a Hindi conversation class Peter met a beautiful German girl - Gabrielle, dual student of NUS and Sciences Po in France. Well, love blossomed and Peter left Singapore temporarily to travel to  the ancestral family CASTLE and meet her family, then during Spring break off to America and Mexico. Bhutan had fallen through, so Spring break was a 3-day party for all students.

Peter returned to acquit his scholarship and research, now in New Delhi, India, and was offered a job in Geneva after he completed his scholarship. This he declined as he and Gabrielle had made future plans to be together.

At this time he bought a bike and traveled from Delhi to Sikkim. Unfortunately he fractured his ankle whilst traveling uphill.

Unfortunately, the relationship with Gabrielle came to an end and Peter tried to rescind his decision on declining the job offer - to no avail. Devastated, Peter reached out to some mates who traveled to Sri Lanka to meet up with him and offer support. 

Just before this, in West Bengal (India), Pete, suffering from sudden culture shock and homesickness, door knocked a house and asked for a hug, and was completely overwhelmed with kindness, staying a week with the family who practically adopted him. They even introduced him to a friend from the next village who gave Peter a $2 note which she had saved as a memento from her 1980s temporary employment visit to Singapore.

Peter then returned to Singapore and connected with the Foundation of Rotary Clubs Singapore, the charitable arm of Singapore's Rotary District, and for 7 months worked as a volunteer at the organisation's Active Aging Centre; building international networks, teaching English, digitalising the paper-based organisation, and showcasing AI and ChatGPT.

A reluctant return to Perth now sees Peter working as a senior management consultant at SAV - a charity that helps charities; and starting over as he sold everything in Australia and flew back with very few possessions (below).  

Peter is now focusing on what to do and who to be, committed to working in the not-for-profit sector and making a difference.

Hopefully we will see more of Peter as he rebuilds his life here in Australia with our support.

Peter's full presentation (and gory photos) can be found at: millpointrotaryclub.org.au>members only (password)> this link>Guest Speaker Presentations>MATTHEWS Peter -  Overseas Sabbatical

Directors' Reports and Member Announcements

Raelene: Gave an excellent - if brief - summary of the Sri Lankan eye project which saw in excess of 2000 Sri Lankans receiving spectacles and treatment.

Ric: Thanked all those who helped with Australia Day parking raising $2000 for the club.

Scott: Congratulated the 19 members who have signed up as a Centurion and expressed his wish to increase that to 50% of club members. Please contact Scott for details.

Dianna: Looking resplendent in RED, announced it is Chinese New Year (year of the Snake) and pointed out the Fortune Cookies on each table which she had supplied - Gong hei fat choy!

Reminder: District Conference is on from 28-31 March and your support is valuable. Please see Events page for details.

The Fine(s) Line

• Wayne the Elder took to the podium amongst a rousing wall of slow clapping... 
• Warren, Garrick and Brian who all profited in one way or another from selling houses.
• All those NOT going to Wongan Hills!
• Ian K for DeepSeeking and any other DS downloaders.
• Michelle L for winning the wine last week.
• All Presbytrians or Scots for selling King Charles I back to the UK in 1647 for 100,000 pounds only for him to be beheaded after 9 months negotiations.
  

Winner of Heads and Tails

Wayne complained of missing out on the opportunity to win Heads and Tails when he is the finesmaster and so arm-stronged Angus to be the 'Tosser of the Week' so Wayne could participate. 

After 2 x 2 Tails, 1 x H&T, and finally 1 x H - Wayne still hadn't won - and Gerry MGann pipped him at the post scoring the bottle of booze!

Attendance

34 attendees in all, including guest speaker Peter Matthews, and visitors Dr Imri Sari and Hannah Grace.