Welcome to the new Co-Presidents - well one of them anyway!
Lost for words (for once), joint-President Gerry McGann (P1) opened his first meeting to thunderous applause (the loudest from Past President Kelly G) and took to the podium like a duck to water - well he has done it before!
Guest Speakers - "Town Hall Who Am I" - Gerry McGann (P1) and David Rowell (P2), interviewed by Geoff Longshaw.
Geoff Longshaw interviewed our two mystery guest speakers, Joint-Presidents for 2025-26 Gerry MCGann and David Rowell.
As Geoff said “a lot of new members don’t really know who these two upstarts of Presidents are, so this is a little bit of a Who Am I?”
The informal interview was structured to get to know the two Presidents, covering their family origins, upbringing, education, and early life experiences.
Gerry’s ancestors came from Ireland in the 1860s His great-grandmother inherited three children as a 17-year-old bride and proceeded to have another 14, totalling 17 children.
David’s family, is from Northumberland/Cumberland in northern England, arriving in Australia in the mid-1880s.
Both Gerry and David were born in Subiaco in 1948 and grew up in Mount Lawley, Perth, living within a kilometre of each other but attending different schools and not knowing each other in those days.
Gerry attended an unfortunate Catholic primary school with "vicious" nuns and large class sizes (up to 85 students with one teacher in year six or seven) before going to CBC Highgate for high school.
David attended Mount Lawley kindergarten and primary school, then Wesley College for secondary school, where he had to catch two buses daily and participated in rowing, becoming captain of boats in his final year.
Both had generally positive memories of teachers.
Gerry was involved in water activities (swimming, rowing, sailing), soccer at primary, and hockey at secondary. He also built model airplanes, which took two months to build but crashed in 20 seconds, crashing three in total.
David enjoyed biking, roller skating in Mount Lawley, beach outings, and claimed a personal "world record" for pogo stick jumps.
David initially worked for Public Works in an engineering testing laboratory, then a commercial soils laboratory. He then moved to the petroleum industry, where he stayed for 22 years.
Gerry went to UWA, initially studying chemistry and physics and gravitating into geology. He stayed five years, earning a master's degree, and spent 45 years in the oil business.
David later took early retirement at 55 and transitioned to the disability and mental health sectors, serving on the Mental Health Tribunal for about 15 years, reviewing serious mental health cases, and joining Rotary. He found this change fantastic and rewarding.
Both are now fully retired.
David follows a program with a physio and chiro, walks, plays golf, bikes, and swims in summer, maintaining a strong regime to keep healthy without a particular weekly schedule.
Gerry has a structured weekly routine: gym on Monday, golf on Tuesday, swimming on Wednesday (if it's not raining, he's cold), rowing and sailing on Thursday, and sailing or other activities on weekends.
Geoff concluded by asking David how he selects his “Quote of the Day” for club meetings?
David searches for quotes online, selects two or three, and chooses the most appropriate during the meeting by linking it with the speaker of the day and the context. He aims for a mix of deep and humorous quotes.
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
Brian J:
- Membership directory will be in a pdf file and downloadable from your smart phone.
- Committees will be finalised asap.
Kelly G:
- Tree planting day on 19 July and also on 20 July (Helena Valley). Details in the events page (scroll down)
The Fines-ductor
- Kelly G because it was his changeover last week.
- P1 and P2 for both wearing pink shirts today.
- Alison the Inductor - pay up - what a title!
- Rotarian of the Year (Diana Goh) - well deserved - so you can pay for the privilege.
- Those who DIDN'T attend changeover!
- Lorrie Gray - lacking purple (her usual uniform) and for bringing her bodyguards with her - nieces Kathrine and Sharon.
- Joy Burnett - giving up the good life for the BEST life after 40 years employment.
- David Tyler - Not seen for 8 weeks so 8 weeks' fines for you!
- Jenny McLean - got carried away with raising funds so paid her subs into the charity account...
- Geoffrey Longshaw - for being rugged up like a rabbit - it's not THAT cold!
Winner of Heads and Tails
Two heads, One of each, and Two tails saw lucky Bassem Hellou proud winner of the wine (for the second time!) Doesn't he look pleased! Thanks to Margaret and Lyn Metcalf for supplying the grog.
Attendance
41 attendees in all, including special visitors Shaun and Carole O'Brien, Kathrine Gray and Sharon Dowling.
