Talking to a good friend of mine, I was surprised when he asked if I had ever considered joining Bribie’s Rotary Club. The idea had never crossed my mind. Wasn’t it a club for businessmen; didn’t they only allow one member of each profession; how would a woman be received? I imagined that the organisation would be incredibly stuffy and not my cup of tea at all. However my friend suggested I should investigate further and assured me that if I joined, I would find myself involved in a variety of activities, and that I would have lots of fun and meet new people. So, I decided to investigate further using my trusty computer.
I found they met early on a Thursday evening at one of the local pubs, where one could order a drink and a meal before the meeting began. Prior to my first meeting I had a friendly visit from Anne Matthews who told me more about the Club and also arranged for someone to pick me up before the first meeting s
I did not have to walk in “cold”.
This was very much appreciated and typical of the warmth shown to prospective new members.
I began by attending a Dinner involving several Papua New Guinea Clubs and other local Rotary Clubs. The evening was lively and diverse and reinforced for me the international nature of Rotary. The tablemats were colourful and informative about Rotary’s various areas of service including Ending Polio
The next meeting I attended was a visit to the Aqua-culture Centre on the Island which I found particularly interesting, taking me back to my student days. The Centre was involved in growing Cobia, a huge fish which is good for the table and extremely fast growing. A break for Easter followed, and then a meeting at the Bribie Island Pub where I learned the normal proceedings of the club including the mysteries of heads and tails.
The following week, yet another Dinner at the Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club, The Pride of Workmanship Award Dinner, where recognition was given to various individuals who had given outstanding service to the community.
Next, I was asked for a “get-to-know-you” coffee with Greg and Jeff, which proved to be not too intimidating!
The following meetings included talks about Recycling Spectacles and the Oysters of Pumicestone Passage. Talk about Variety! By this time I had decided Rotary was definitely for me and was delighted to be told that the following week I was to be inducted into the Club.
August is Membership month in Rotary. If you would like to come along to a meeting and experience the friendship and activity on offer, please contact our Membership Director, Greg Whymark, on 0418 158 701 or g.whymark@gmail.com.