Welcome 2009

Well, that's Xmas done. On a personal note it has been awful. Our grandson Oliver was taken into hospital with a severe ear infection. He has now been in 6 days and we had to live through the horror that an operation was necessary as there was a possibility of meningitis. He was admitted to the same ward as his sister Grace was nearly two years ago, so what his Mum and Dad went through we can only imagine. Sue and I have been in Reading since it happened and will be returning there next week to help look after him when he is discharged. Fortunately, the operation went well and they discovered a very bad infection around his grommet which was removed. However, they were able to confirm that there was no sign of infection in the bone marrow which is such a relief. He is due out in a couple of days but is still on intravenous antibiotics. 

So I will miss our first Rotary meeting of the year but will be back in harness for the council meeting the following week. I am suffering severe man - flu as are several others but not quite as bad as mine. Even I can't moan about it though, it seems so pathetic after what my son's family has gone through. 

Let's hope 2009 is better for us all. 

Christmas Collection

Total for both weekends was £2,849.07. Brilliant! well done everyone nearly a thousand up on last year!

Merry Xmas one and all

A Busy Week

In addition to the SGM this week we have had a lot going on. Terry did his Santa routine for the kids at Bellwood School and was accompanied this year by our elf-ess Carolyn. Poor Terry was brewing a nasty flu-ey cold but he got through the event but by last night neither he nor Beryle were well enough to attend the Xmas Dinner at Sissinghurst. That was a great shame.
Peter B with support from Lorraine, masterminded the Dinner, which this year was aimed at being a nice quiet social evening with gentle accompanent from the Tamarisk Quartet. We finished quite early but the evening was well received by nearly everyone I spoke to. Unfortunately, one member did not feel it was a good evening and expressed the fact verbally in public which was disappointing to put it mildly. As the saying goes .... you can please some of the people .....etc etc .
We also did the 100 Club draw. The President's wife was asked to draw out the winning ticket, and guess whose it was was?! No not the disgruntled member, it was yours truly. I happily accepted it as I have waited a few years for my ticket to be drawn.
Even more good news. Earlier this year I applied for a District Simplified Grant (DSG) of £500 towards the cost of sending The Friday Club, a disabled group from Parkwood to an Ice Show in London. I had to make a case and it was assessed alongside many others at District, we were shortlisted and were in the 13 successful projects chosen. Although the money doesn't arrive until May/June as it is an American Rotary award, we intend advancing some of our funds now so the cost of the trip is covered now when it is needed in January.

As I write, members are just completing day 1 at Tescos collecting. Tomorrow to go and then we will see what we have collected over the two weekends. Well done to Chas and his team for organising this popular regular event.

Well, for those who might read this- a very Merry Christmas. 2009 is nearly here and I am halfway through my year. It has flown by but by keeping this Blog going it enables me to look back to see just how much we have achieved already.

Give us a Bash at the Bangers and Mash......

Last night was our Special General Meeting to vote in next year's officers. Hardly a major attraction and bearing in mind we have our Xmas meal on Friday I was pleased that we were expecting 22. However, 31 turned up including John and Wendy who had been on leave pending a decision as to whether to continue or not due to personal and business pressures. They are going to stay which is great news. Unfortunately, we had only booked 22 bangers & mash (£6) so there was a considerable delay in preparing the extras. So I decided to do the business first and then have the meal. The positions of officers were formalised, no need for votes and I expressed my gratitude to those new members coming into the team and also those who are continuing on for a little longer. It is good to know that we have a Vice President in Martin who will follow Peter. It is great to have continuity. We then had time to cover a number of items which was carried out in a great spirit if fun albeit that the troops were somewhat boisterous. However, we finished at 9.15 and a few are are asking should we have all business meetings with a £6 bangers and mash meal. We will see how it develops.

On Sunday I did my collection stints at Morrisons. Cold day but OK unlike the day before which was atrocious very wet and cold. Well done all those who turned out then in particular. We raised about £1200 in two days so if we do that again next weekend at Tescos then it will have been worth it especially in this economic climate.

Two Elderly Gentlemen outside Morrison's

Electric Scooter

It was nice to represent the club today at the handover of the the new electric scooter to David Anderson who is a young stroke victim. His wife and two children were there and the event was lead by Maidstone Rotary who managed to get local BBC TV to do a bit wahich was shown this evening. All 3 Maidstone Rotary clubs donated towards the cost of the scooter and were also represented. It now means that David will become more independant and will be able to get to the shops etc. It was one of those nice satisfying moments that I enjoy as Rotarian. I am following the story up and I may be able to get David along to the Disabled Swimming Club where I help out. We will see in due course.

Carol Service

Lovely evening at our carol service at Sutton Valence School as usual, good turnout and a total of £580 raised. We have half that and it is going to the Christian Care Centre who help the homeless. Mulled wine and mince pies were up to the normal high standard and I took the opportunity to welcome everyone and thank Joe Davies the headmaster for his help over the years, he is moving on next year to a new job. A good turnout from Rotarians, it probably highlights the difference between our two recent events in terms of what many Rotarians expect to get involved in. Whilst I welcome tradition I think we mustn't be too stayed in what the club needs- oh and the final word on the social evening- it raised over £1,100, that says it all.

Snookeroke

Perhaps it was the name of the evening that put off some club members from attending, 10 attended, including Maria and Clare the organisers and some came with partners . Of course several genuinely couldn't make it and many of those gave very generously towards the fund raising evening last night at the 147 Snooker Club. Having said all of that M&C did a fantastic job and whilst I have yet to hear how much has been raised there is every indication that it was a success. I use these Jottings to reflect my thoughts so I must record that M&C were ambitious in going for an evening which potentially included a game of pool and the chance that they might be grabbed to sing in a karaoke. So I was pleased with those members who did come to support a function which if I am truthful they wouldn't normally attend socially. The majority did leave before the karaoke started but by that time the auction and raffle had done really well. I am sure when we have the final figures we will see what a splendid job M&C did. They didn't need to have worried about the karaoke either because John the compere and Maria managed to hog it most of the evening plus a bloke that did Elvis very well.
We were very grateful to John the owner for running this for us and to his staff and friends who helped and all of those who donated to the auction and raffle.
Mostly though, I am proud of M&C for getting on and doing something positive to raise funds, they are a credit to the club albeit that they are our newest members. Well done!

Cold Meals

The issue of bad meals raised it's head again last night at club. This time food was served cold to some members and quite rightly there were complaints. There are no excuses for this and I have asked for a formal complaint and a meeting with management very soon. If we have anything more like this we are going to lose members so the time may be near when we have to re-consider our tenancy at Oakwood.
Some confusion over which charity traditionally gets the donations from next week's Carol Service at Sutton Valence. All sorted now and it will go to the Maidstone Christian Centre who support the homeless. This arrangement was set up in Mike Baker's year and it makes good sense to continue with it. It does however, raise the question of continuity between President's from year to year. Maybe using a Blog such as this will help. If there had been these comments last year I would have known what the arrangements are.

Enough of the moaning- on Friday we have our Snookeroke to look forward to. It is the first event organised by Maria and Clare so we must give them all the support we can. We are now into the fund raising part of the year so let's go for it!