Visitors: Dave Allen, Paul Avella (Littleton Massachusetts Rotary Club)
Past President Pat’s Welcome…Merry Christmas… Ho Ho Ho & a Glass of Champers!
Best wishes from President Warren too!
Birthdays: Christine Shadbolt (Christmas Day!), Karen Wills 29/12, Paul Belcaster 9/1, Simon Beaton 13/1, Bernie Taylor 15/1 – Good vibes to all!
Anniversaries: Neil and Dale Matson 42 years on 7/1.
Rotary Anniversaries: Andy Cameron 14, Pauline Cowens 14, Brett Hobson 25.
Wendy Shown, Ian Burns, Sally Morrison, Jane Nees, Mary O’Sullivan, Bob Sutton and Dean Thompson all 23 years.
Warehouse Collection for Women’s Refuge – Ron Fyfe reports that the pick-up and delivery was an operational success.
Member Wellbeing: Our thoughts are with Barry V, Dave W, Chris and Lizzy Rapson, Bill Holland and Antoon at this time. Also Pam Pedersen and family.
Next Year: Our first meeting in the New Year is an informal meeting at the Raft on 10th January. 7am - order, pay, eat.
Santa’s Messages:
One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. (Andy Rooney)
At Christmas, all roads lead home (Marjorie Holmes)
Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves. (BC Forbes- Founder of Forbes Magazine)
Chris Dever’s Message:
TANGMALANGALOO by John O'Brien
The bishop sat in lordly state and purple cap sublime,
And galvanized the old bush church at Confirmation time.
And all the kids were mustered up from fifty miles around,
With Sunday clothes, and staring eyes, and ignorance profound.
Now was it fate, or was it grace, whereby they yarded too
An overgrown two-storey lad from Tangmalangaloo?
A hefty son of virgin soil, where nature has her fling,
And grows the trefoil three feet high and mats it in the spring;
Where mighty hills uplift their heads to pierce the welkin's rim,
And trees sprout up a hundred feet before they shoot a limb;
There everything is big and grand, and men are giants too -
But Christian Knowledge wilts, alas, at Tangmalangaloo.
The bishop summed the youngsters up, as bishops only can;
He cast a searching glance around, then fixed upon his man.
But glum and dumb and undismayed through every bout he sat;
He seemed to think that he was there, but wasn't sure of that.
The bishop gave a scornful look, as bishops sometimes do,
And glared right through the pagan in from Tangmalangaloo.
"Come, tell me, boy," his lordship said in crushing tones severe,
"Come, tell me why is Christmas Day the greatest of the year?
"How is it that around the world we celebrate that day
"And send a name upon a card to those who're far away?
"Why is it wandering ones return with smiles and greetings, too?"
A squall of knowledge hit the lad from Tangmalangaloo.
He gave a lurch which set a-shake the vases on the shelf,
He knocked the benches all askew, up-ending of himself.
And so, how pleased his lordship was, and how he smiled to say,
"That's good, my boy. Come, tell me now; and what is Christmas Day?"
The ready answer bared a fact no bishop ever knew -
"It's the day before the races out at Tangmalangaloo.
Santa’s Gifts: The prezzies were then handed out – some were happier the others, but by far the most excited was President Elect, Rhonda, who seemed absolutely delighted with Santa’s selection:
Santa’s Songs: There was no noticeable improvement in the homespun lyrics for The Twelve Days of Christmas this year. In fact, many members felt moved by the lack of rhythm and rhyme to fabricate their own “alternative” stanzas. Some seemed more than a little risqué.
All then joined in a round of Silent Night and Come All Ye Faithful, which were sung in a variety of keys, pitches and tunes, both with and without the required gusto.
As the Champers was spent, the meeting was closed and a Merry Christmas greeting was rung around the room
And finally.........
