Meeting opened with guests Grace Barilla, guest of President Steve; Marj Ahrens, guest of PP Bob Ahrens; visiting Rotarian from Prospect President Julie Johnson; visitors Angie Michael and Craig Brown from Gawler and District College and exchange student Sara Di Lauro.
PP Marie Louise Lees – advised members that we have a surplus of birthday bags from our previous project. The bags were assembled by community volunteers using donated products. The Northern Domestic Violence Group accepted some of these but do not need more at this time. The Gawler and District College were approached and have gladly accepted the offer to distribute these bags through their community.
PP Dave Griffith – following up from the last meeting Dave advised the Gawler and District College have been approached and have agreed to put forward a nomination for the RYPEN camp.
Sara Di Lauro – spoke briefly to the club to let the members know she is settling in and enjoying her time at Trinity College. She has a trip to Brisbane at the end of February and a camping trip to the Grampians in May with the Physical Education class at School.
President Steve reminded members of the Blue Light Pool Party to be held on Sat 22nd Feb. Ron has enough volunteers at this stage who will be cooking a sausage sizzle from 5pm.
TV presentation to the Gawler Health Service will be conducted on Wed 19th at 10am. This sees the final step of a long process over the years to equip the Health Service with new TV’s in every room. Well done to everyone involved over the course of this project.
Gawler Jockey Club – congratulations and thanks to the gate crew who continue to raise funds for the club by their regular attendance at race meeting as gate attendants.
Steve wished to remind members of the guest speaker for Feb 24th. Paige was sponsored for the NYSF camp last year and addressed the club on her return. Following this she was successful in winning a place in an International camp in Germany where she interacted with students from all over the world. Rotary was happy to sponsor Paige with a substantial donation to her trip.
The members were urged to invite friends to the meeting to hear what will be an outstanding presentation by a young student who continues to impress every time she comes to the club.
Guest Speaker: Rotarian Deb Williams
Deb presented her autobiography to the club with a detailed recount of her life. Growing up in Dublin where the family ran the local motor mechanic business where Deb was allocated her own pair of overalls and the mandatory grease rag in the back pocket. An only child she was introduced to the world of motors and racing. Go Kart racing at the local and state-wide tracks, regular attendees at Rowley Park and many other motor racing events.
Schooling at the local primary school with a student total of 15 and graduating to high school at the Balaklava High School where she met Mike through her friendship with his sister Tessa. Eventually romance blossomed and engagement and marriage followed. Two children (Jeremy and Belinda) followed in time. The family has moved about the state with Mikes work for the bank (now Westpac) with an eventual landing in Gawler.
Deb has been involved in Volunteer organisations for many years but particularly had a long association what is now Novita (previously the Crippled Children’s Association) Fund raising was the principle aim of the Novita auxillary group where multiple events were organised. For multiple years the group organised the River Run which was a great success.
Her working life has included as a canteen worker at the Holden plant at Elizabeth and an exam supervisor at the University of Adelaide. Of course her most important job has been as a mother and grandmother.
Holidays have involved a great love of caravan trips and summer holidays at Port Vincent and now Moonta Bay. They have now upgraded to a van with an en- suite. Mention was made of Mikes love of cricket on the TV. There is a story there but you need to ask Deb.
There was much more to the story of Deb’s life but too much to report here – you just had to be there.
Thanks Deb for an interesting address. And thank you for your many years of contribution to the various organisations you have supported including all the years supporting the Gawler Rotary club.
