Taree Probus welcomes new committee

The club recently held its annual general meeting and changeover. President of Taree Rotary, Mrs Di Woollard and her husband Ian were on hand.

Di was the returning officer and inducted the new committee.

After a short meeting and hearing the annual reports from the committee, Claude Filo was presented with the trophy as champion of the ten pin bowling for 2023. Ten pin bowling takes place on the fifth Tuesday, when they occur four times a year, with point being tallied to get a winner.

Rotary president Di addressed the meeting and spoke of the many projects Rotary is involved in, fundraising for children in the early connections program; hosting a 22 year old exchange student from Japan; Grace Maano's medical mission to the Philippines, with 90 American doctors; Congo hospitals helping to train their doctors; baby kits to Alice Springs; Taree Bicentennial Park project; and Rotary's aim to end polio and malaria worldwide; Di and Ian had just returned from a Rotary conference in Mudgee.

Di then receives the collar of office from president Alan Green, and proceeded with the induction of nominated members, president Alan Green, secretary Tony Gates, treasurer Ken Minto, past president Alan Green, welfare officer Graham McMorrine, membership officer Terry Britten, bulletin editor Don Sheather with Ray Mooney, program coordinator Jack May, with Jim Stacey, publicity officer Alan Green, activities coordinator Graeme Drury, with Peter Baker, and committee member John Ward.

Di then called for nominations for vice president, and a second committee member. Jim Stacey was nominated and accepted the position of vice president. The committee member position remains vacant.

Alan was then presented with the collar of office for the year.

The club's annual week away will be held at North Haven, April 29 to May 3. Cabin have been booked and an interesting variety of events have been arranged.

New members would be most welcome to join with then club for fun and fellowship with likeminded men, for activities and to hear from interesting speakers. If any retired men are interested they can phone our president Alan on 6553 9298 or the secretary Tony on 0407 524 282 for details.

The club recently heard life stories from two members.

Barry Ellis grew up in Dorrigo, to a farming family, and in 2004 took part in a holistic farming practice course, which sparked his interest in climate change.

Barry noted that 99 per cent of bushfires start in state forests. He believes farmers should be allowed to graze their cattle in for the last two weeks of winter and the first two weeks of spring, to greatly reduce the weed growth, eliminating the risk.

Barry has concerns for today's population of the effects of climate change. He is interested in the Climate Change Advisory Board, 97 per cent of experts believe it is real, three per cent do not. If we continue to harvest trees at our current rate, he has major concerns for the children of the future.

Ray Mooney was born on December 5, 1952 in Sydney Women's Hospital, has two brothers and a sister, attended Panania Public School, and Easthills High School. He left school at 15 and worked at Franklins for 11 years.

Ray related a comical story of a robbery that took place when he worked there, involving a man in a stolen Mercedes with a gun.

Following Franklins he went to TAFE to study welding and over the next 30 years worked as a welder, guillotine operator and as a metal press operator for T N Engineering, manufacturing handrails, Pro World and Thompsons Motor Bodies in Taree. Now retired, Ray is married to Lorraine, and they have two children and four grandchildren.

Barry and Ray were introduced by Jack May and thanked by Trevor Smith.

Our activity for January was a well supported morning tea at the Boathouse Cafe in Taree Rowing Club premises, great coffee and cake, great conversation, Wives and Partners were with us for this event. There was a bonus activity for January, usually held on the fifth Tuesday, but due to the school holidays, Taree Ten Pin was booked out , so Members, Wives and Partners held a great morning of tenpin bowling on the first week of February, great morning, New Champion, lot of fun.