The 26th meeting of our Club on Zoom was a robust reminder of why we belong to Rotary. It began with the induction of Anshu Saxeena as a welcome new mem ber. Jenetta and Mentie did the honours, reading the four-way test and presenting Anshu’s badges as well as a partner badge to her husband Palav. Anshu will represent the vocation of Customer Relations – Banking and will join the Community Committee. In accepting her membership, Anshu affirmed her commitment to Rotary’s humanitarian and peace goals and said she would like to be the reason someone smiles and someone feels love. Other highlights of the meeting were: a heart-tugging photo of Tanya and Max’s very new grandbaby, Leo; good news about our sick friends, Ron Wainberg who hopefully will go home this week and Anne Prescott who has moved to Mt Wilga and an invitation from guest Kay Carter to the Pennant Hills Club’s Zoom and in-person meetings to hear speakers such as the Bell family, who on October 14 will relate their recent experience of being ‘bombed’ in Lebanon. And then there was Ken Broadhead’s smooth performance as Sergeant and his sale of 4 donated griddles for questionable purposes to even more questionable Club members; the Giacomettis’ wedding anniversary (Rob is still a work in progress, according to his wife Joan, it was said) and not to be overlooked, Neil’s vivid orange shirt set off by a background of stained glass windows from Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. The bulk of the meeting was given to the Youth Committee and was a challenge to all of us to shoulder our particular responsibilities during the Corona pandemic. We may not be at the frontline of the medical emergency but we have our own frontline, which is finding ways to keep up the support of our community, to which we have committed ourselves as a Club, when all the activities that have traditionally funded these are cancelled. The Youth Committee have come up with three fundraising schemes each of which depends for success on the wholehearted and generous involvement of all of us. Their goal is to raise at least $11,600 to make up the gap between our present Youth resources and the committed expenditure. First up, David Rigby introduced us to the 2020 Christmas Raffle-with-a-difference. This year it is our Club’s own raffle and the money it generates will all go to our Youth projects. The first prize is a superb espresso coffee machine, grinder and coffee from Witham Coffee Roasters valued at $1750. Tickets begin at 1 for $5 and decrease in cost as numbers go up with $50 buying 15 tickets. As for the Christmas raffle each year, we are asked to get our friends and family to buy tickets, but this year it will be by having them go online to our Club Facebook page or website. Rob Giacometti says he is looking for $100 in raffle ticket sales from each of us. Second enterprise highlighted was Christine Biddle’s Masketeers. As Bob Howe explained, Christine master-managed a very efficient sweatshop of Rotary seamstresses to produce high-quality, best practice, designer face masks to be sold for $15 each at Turramurra and Wahroonga on Saturday 3rd October. Volunteer sales people are requested. This is a brilliant bit of business enterprise by our Club members and its success depends on us. Please Volunteer at the link in the story below or contact Christine to join the roster. The third and final fundraising initiative that Bob Howe unveiled was their Silent Auction and he brought Mariela Salisch online from her workplace to reveal the details. She and Christine Biddle have so far gathered 20 prizes and are anticipating even more. They include a brilliant opportunity to organise an unforgettable weekend with friends at the Berrilee Ridge Sanctuary valued at $5000. In addition a stunning gold sapphire ring is available and a $1000 custom designed Harbour Cruise for 4 people put together by Peter Smith. Prizes range in value from $80 to $5000 and there is a 50% reserve on each. The silent auction will be managed for us by the platform 32auctions and will operate from 7/10 to 4/11. Details so far - here - for your review Bob and Janelle expressed their deep appreciation of, and gratitude to, Mariela who, though not a member of Rotary, has spearheaded the selection and management of the onsite platform and has given hours of her time to developing the silent auction for us. Before finishing Bob called on Phillip Comfort to outline a very worthwhile youth support programme in the Community organised through a joint initiative called - "Blue Sky" - more details are supplied - here - for your appreciation. Bob concluded the presentation for the Youth Committee by urging anyone who has questions in respect to the fundraising initiatives above or offers of help to contact the organisers below, as they are counting on us all. Here is the list of contacts you may need when you have any questions, click on the names below. The meeting ended with good wishes to all 15 teams participating in the International Committee’s Trivia Night on Saturday and an invitation to a REAL post-meeting Coffee Club gathering in Wahroonga Park next Wednesday near the Rotunda.
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committee members. Thank you to the Youth Committee for your presentation which showed how much work you are all doing striving to fundraise for the Youth Projects. Let’s not forget also the tireless work that has also gone into the International Committee’s Trivia Night to raise funds for their projects as well. Thank you to all the members and friends for supporting these events in the ways that you can. Now for some breaking news on the Rotary International front.
The Rotary Club of Wahroonga would like to join Rotary International in congratulating Dr Tunji Funsho for his endless commitment to #ENDPOLIO. TIME100 has recognised him for his role in the wild polio certification of Africa, reminding us that great leaders make great accomplishments possible.
This week we welcome back Past District Governor Kalma McLellan to share with us a range of Rotary matters and make a special presentation to Past President Doug Reid of a Rotary Platinum Presidential Citation to the Club for its "outstanding achievements" during his presidential year 2019/2020. 
Saturday October 24th: casual BYO lunch in Wahroonga Park. 
