Steve’s Snippets
30 October
I know there are a number of issues concerning members (and particularly the board) at the moment, so lets talk about it…..
Firstly, the catering, or lack thereof! After last weeks …meal ?, I advised the club spokesman George McDonald we were not happy (still) with the quality, variety, value and presentation of our evening meal, despite having personally discussed the matter in detail only the fortnight before. We have now formally written to the club advising of our dissatisfaction and requesting that we be allowed to employ our own caterer on Wednesday evenings, paying a fee to the club for the use of the room and (possibly) the use of club members for waiters as currently. I hope to have an answer on this in time for the meeting tonite. If this proposal is not accepted we will consider other options including moving if necessary. You may all be assured however that the current very unsatisfactory situation will NOT continue for long. Stay tuned but please be patient for this and next week.
Remember next week 6 November is also a change of venue to Strathfield Golf Club for our Strathfield, Burwood, Concord combined meeting to listen to the recently returned GSE team to Germany headed by President Duncan Berryman from Springwood.
The problem with catering brings me to the second issue, that of apologies and attendance. Again due to the problems with our current caterer meals are only being provided for the numbers given on Tuesday lunchtime by Eric Khu. When we have an excess of people attending some members are nor being fed, which is not too put it to delicately, bloody awful.
Also, if members don’t apologise and don’t come to the meeting we are having to pay the difference, in last weeks case it was $160.00, money the club can ill afford to lose. Until recent weeks our attendance has been above the threshold, and we haven’t had any problems, but because of poor attendance AND the lack of apologies we really got caught last week.
I am happy to discuss the scenario and options at a future club assembly (probably December 4th) but in the meantime I especially request that ALL members, even if you are NOT required to attend apologise by Tuesday lunch at the latest.
If you do not, the following week you will be asked to pay by Treasurer Peter.
If we are able to have a different more flexible caterer in future, and a more flexible approach to apologies then perhaps we can return to the present system, but under the current very strained arrangements (which are not our doing) I ask for your consideration , assistance and cooperation, and ask you to accept we are not being vindictive, but only trying to protect the clubs, and therefore your finances.
Tonight we are privileged to have District Governor John Wakefield and his wife Susan attend for their official visit. John is a committed Rotarian of long standing, with extensive experience in Youth Exchange and Group Study Exchange, and is also an excellent marksman, through his long service in the NSW Police, and the Police Games. John is a very open approachable Rotarian and I am sure we will make he and Susan most welcome in the Strathfield way.
I believe John will find a cohesive club with strong membership, a diverse range of programs and activities in all avenues of service, and a club that very much enjoys itself, while happily assisting the community we serve, even if we don’t eat very well at present.
On other matters welcome back to Vicki Wybrow this week, and thanks to Brian Hennell for stepping in a reserve Guest speaker last week. The talk and slides on Greece were excellent.
Thanks also to PP Peter Foss for the replanting of many trees representing our Past Presidents at our Rotary Grove in Edwards Park South Strathfield.
Hope that covers what's going on this week,
Many thanks
Steve