Close this window to return to the Amherst site
Amherst News
February 2004
CLUB DIARY
Wednesday Meetings
18 February, An Amherst Evening with Roy Thoma
25 February, Guest Speaker PC Allan Hibbins, Kent County Constabulary. "Drugs."
3 March, Business Meeting.
10 March, Guest speaker Roz Ward on "Care and Comfort in Romania."
17 March, An Amherst Evening including our guest from Tenterden Club, Chris Woodcock.
Service and Social Diary
6 March, "Adventures in the Hop Field". Fund raising film show at Bradbourne School.
1 April, District Council, Hadlow.
3 April, Stroke Awareness Day.
Easter Week, Medway Club's Handicamp.
16-18 April, Lille district contact Clubs gathering.
23 April, Charity Golf Day - major fund raising event.
21-23 May, Reunion of European Clubs chartered in 1978.
FILM SHOW 6 MARCH IN AID OF HOSPICE IN THE WEALD
Ticket sales directly benefit Hospice In The Weald and we have a lot of tickets still to sell.
Bill has arranged adverts in "Today" "The Sevenoaks Chronicle" the "Courier" the "Kent Messenger" "Kent on Sunday" the U3A Newsletter and the Otford Newsletter (through Ray).
Personal sales. Bill will be pushing club members to sell and to purchase tickets on Wednesday evenings.
A potential market is local Rotary Clubs. Catford is supporting us and Bill has written to all of the others but the personal approach is always the most productive. If you have contacts in other Rotary Clubs then please try to use those contacts to sell our tickets.
Bill is very pleased with our ticket sales to date and feels hopeful that we will have a sell out once the adverts appear in the press and our personal contacts prove productive.
President Harvey writes….
The whole winter's quota of snow in a couple of hours resulted
in the cancellation of our meeting on the 28th January. Some diehards were
prepared to brave St Julian’s driveway but news that the chef had been sent
home proved too much! Upon returning for the 4th February meeting we found
our room splendidly refurbished and decorated.
Another scrabble evening at Rockdale approaches. I do feel that our lack of
training, particularly in the field of high scoring two-letter words, has let
us down previously. Much as our (mainly octogenarian) opponents appreciate
our witty conversation they have only one true objective - our total humiliation!
Maybe that is why one of our members volunteered to attend on condition that
he does not have to play.
We have received the annual reports of RI and Foundation. RI spent $1.7 million
more than it received last year. The US pension plan has insufficient funds
to meet anticipated liabilities so $2.9 million was allocated making a total
revenue loss on the year of $4.6 million. RI owns property and equipment
worth $32.8 million. RI President received an honorarium of $115,000, and
the vice-president $80,000.
As to Foundation it is a relief to note that the investment losses of the last
two years have been turned into a modest investment income of $5.4 million (compared
with over $51 million in 98/99). This should be put into perspective - overall
Foundation assets are $564 million. The total amount spent on programmes last
year was $94.1 million, which is pretty mind-numbing.
Ed. Footnote:
Scrabble at Rockdale
We few who braved Rockdale last week have discovered a way to win a game – two of us to play as one! The combined intellects of Jane and your editor, playing as one person, managed a win. Jane’s days of Scrabbling with her children are clearly not far behind her, for she also won solo.
Main Points of the Meeting of the Council on 2 February
- Marmalade Jar Fund raised £323.67.
- District Governor visit will be 14 July 2004.
- Harvey delivered the Soft Toys to Demelza House on an open day and was impressed by the relaxed atmosphere.
- The amounts available, after reserves, are £2,051.84 for the Club Account and £783.32 for the Charity Account.
- The programme of Murder/Mystery nights, raids and the WW One battlefields visit will now be implemented. Arrangements for the Ladies Night at Wilderenesse on 26 June 2004 are now being made.
- Centenary Year plans for a project, a dinner and the promotion of Rotary were discussed.
- Projects totalling £2,183 were tabled. Approval was given to £20 for the Rockdale Scrabble evening, £200 for Stroke Awareness Week, £100 for the Paula Carr Diabetes Trust & £250 for Laurie competing in the Disabled Bowls championships in Kuala Lumpur; a total of £570. The other items would be approved as funds become available.
- Cycle Ride. 100 sponsorship letters are to be sent out from which it hoped to raise £3000. It will be necessary to invest in the organisation of the event.
- Lille ‘Culture Visit’ – to attract more interest within the Club this may be organised as a coach trip for 2 nights as a package.
- Euro 78 – The visit to Bolton le Moors could be organised on a similar basis.
- Roubaix – the date for a Wednesday visit has yet to be confirmed and the main visit will now be on 12 June 2004.
- Temporary Membership – the Club leaflet is available. The membership package has to be completed. The role of the sponsor/mentor is key.
- District Fun Day – our contribution will be a Party Pentathlon.
Gordon
Rotary Centenary
Progress Report
The object of these notes is to keep Members up to date on the work of the joint Amherst/Sevenoaks Clubs Centenary Group.
Project: the Group has decided to focus on Age Concern. From a preliminary trawl this organisation comes up as one with needs and with whom we have a working relationship and a personal affinity.
Age Concern has confirmed their interest in our project and is reviewing their requirements.
Tony has made a visit to the Hollybush Centre. Once we have agreed a project we will have to determine the programme, the funding and the phasing. We are considering project(s) up to £5,000, funded by the two Clubs.
Dinner: this is planned to be both a Celebration of the 100th birthday of Rotary and a promotion of Rotary in Sevenoaks. Civic Leaders and other interested Clubs would be invited, as far as possible on a paying basis. The occasion could be used as the presentation of the project to Age Concern. This event would replace the Ladies Night, usually held in June when we could have a BBQ instead.
The Wildernesse Club has been booked for Saturday, 19 February 2005. The aim would be keep any speeches to a minimum. Cameo Opera has been booked for the entertainment. On the basis of over 100 people attending we would expect to price tickets at £30 per person. We would also have a raffle which could subsidise the evening or, preferably, contribute to the funding of the project.
Promotion of Rotary in Sevenoaks: the 100th year of Rotary gives us an additional opportunity to promote the contribution of Rotary members to the life of Sevenoaks in the past, with the present as the evidence of our continuing activity in the future.
This could usefully start with the Presidential handovers in July. The Project and the Dinner would be major features. Events could be promoted as part of the Rotary Centenary Year, for example using the ‘logo’. We would produce a leaflet on the history of Rotary in Sevenoaks.
Gordon
News from the Community, Vocational and Educational Services Committee
Like the Chancellor we have reviewed our public spending plans and Council has given approval for expenditure on a number of our community support proposals - see Gordon’s notes on this month’s Council Meeting.
The Council also approved in principle - but subject to the availability of funds and areview of the actual needs identified - expenditure of £100 (St John's School), £100 (Bursaries), £600 (Spring House) and £750 (Sail Training Scholarship).
It has been confirmed that last year's Sail Training candidate will be visiting the Club to talk about her experiences afloat and that a potential candidate has been identified for this year.
Requests for financial support have been received from the Dunton Green Parent Teachers Association who are hoping to refurbish the school's swimming pool; and from the Find A Voice Charity (Helping People without Speech) for general equipment. Both organisations have been advised that we are unable to help at present but that their requests are being kept on file.
A further nomination has been received for a Community Service Award bringing the total to two for consideration next Rotary Year.
We await a response from the Sevenoaks Club about future involvement with Sheltered Shopping so that we can put forward a proposal to Council which reflects a joint view.
Tony
Fund Raising Committee
1.Poppy Appeal - following Council's decision that Amherst
will "provide assistance during the 2004 Poppy Appeal" Bill will contact
the Royal British Legion Coordinater for Kent,Judith Armstrong, to agree our
involvement.
2.Sports Evening - all members of the Fund Raising Committee
are requested to note in their diaries the planned Sports Evening on 19th May
when we will challenge Chislehurst Club to attempt with us the games we have
planned for the District Fun Day.
3. Fun Day - Bill will request that Club members consider loaning
various games for the Fun Day and the Sports Evening.
4 Charity Film Show - tickets, poster and flyers are now available.
Bill is encouraging Club members to sell and buy tickets. and will endeavour
to get the show advertised in Today and in Kent on Sunday. Eric will run the
bar, Ken(M) the raffle. 8 to10 prizes being required, Ron(A) will seek bright
ideas for prizes from Inner Wheel. Harvey has agreed to be compère. Bill
will seek additional labour for setting out, car parking and doormen nearer
the event.
5.Charity Shoot - Bill and Eric will visit the West Kent Shooting
Centre at Paddock Wood to progress the arrangements for the Charity Shoot.
It was suggested that Age Concern should be the charity nominated to benefit
from the monies raised from the shoot and that this would be part of the Rotary
Centennial Project. Bill will progress this proposal.
Have you heard the one about…..
the elderly gent on sticks whose friend asked “How’s it going?”
He replied “I can only hobble, my hearing’s going and my eyes are so bad I can hardly see across the road - but thank God I can still drive.”
Membership Services Committee
Colin has now circulated a Board for Members to show their interest in Murder/Mystery Dinner Parties and in particular asking for volunteers for hosts. Guests may consult their hosts/hostesses about any support but to ‘bring a bottle’ would be helpful.
Don is getting final confirmation from Clubs as to when they could take a Raid. He will then circulate a Board for Members to indicate their preferences.
Simon has circulated a Board for Members to confirm their interest in visiting the WW One Battlefields by coach and ferry.
Gordon is looking to find a Disco Group for the Ladies Night at the Wildernesse Club on Saturday, 26 June 2004. Any suggestions would be welcomed.
We have offers, two in fact, for hosting a BBQ in the Summer.
Notes from International Committee
We are planning a visit to Roubaix Est for 16 -18 April to combine a Club family stay Friday to Sunday with a visit to 'Lille - City of Culture 2004' This is an organised cultural trip around Lille on Saturday together with socialising with other European Rotarians who will also be guests of the 8 Rotary Clubs around Lille. If your partner hasn't told you about it, Ladies - chase him !
Later - 21-23rd May we are doing something similar in the NW of England for a weekend with other European Rotarians, from Clubs chartered at the same time as Amherst. This is the 11th Reunion of Charter '78 clubs and usually very good fun. Join us ? Same applies, Ladies - chase him for information!
Mike
NEWS FROM AMHERST INNER WHEEL
Having cleared away the detritus of Christmas and bade welcome to 2004 - it's down to business.
In January our intrepid team of Dee, Gladys and Jeanne represented us at the first heat of the District Quiz against Westerham and Eltham Inner Wheels - which Amherst won! Congratulations to our cerebrally-enriched team.
This year to celebrate Inner Wheel Day we were hosted by Sevenoaks to an informal fun afternoon at Otford Hall, lots of laughs followed by one of Olive Dickin's celebrated teas.
The highlight of February was last night’s much-awaited entertaining of President Harvey and Jacqui to our supper meeting at Riverhead. As founder President of Amherst Rotary, always doubly welcome.
Ena
“WHEN DID YOU FIRST SEE YOUR FATHER?”
- the saga of a sperm donor’s loss of anonymity
I responded to the insistent ringing of the door bell. On the step stood a young girl, quite pretty I thought, probably mid twenties. She wrapped her arms round me and planted a generous kiss on my Saturday stubble. “Daddy!" she squealed.
I disentangled myself and hurriedly summoned the wife. I don't recall if I had mentioned it before but in her divorce submission my wife says not - it was a fellow collegian who put me up to it.
We were both impecunious students in need of some ready cash. Someone had dreamed up the idea of sperm banks and donors were needed. It was allegedly legal, paid quite well and anonymity was guaranteed. Anyway it was a lot more fun than stacking shelves at Tesco's
I suppose I can understand why any young girl would want to know who her father was. It can't be a very satisfactory answer to the question "name of father?" to have to say "batch 17, phial 3 type xyz", and as an answer to the question "Who giveth this woman in marriage?" it does lack a certain resonance.
Saturdays became a bit of a nightmare, I suppose it's a good day to unearth a missing parent because if you are disappointed with the results of your search at least you have Sunday to get over it before going back to work.
There was the occasion when the doorbell rang and on the doorstep was yet another youngish girl and I thought the family likeness was unmistakable. I knew the drill by now so I enfolded her in my arms and gave her a long smacky kiss. She turned out to be the new vicar calling to persuade me to take out a subscription to the Parish magazine. My case comes up next week.
At school I gave up biology after a year in favour of applied mathematics which seemed less complicated but, as I recall it, if all my donations were prudently applied I could repopulate the world single-handed. So where will it all end? How many more Saturday surprises should I expect? What if the Mums take it into their heads to come round to find out what they've been missing all these years?
I've just had a letter from one of those "no win no fee" solicitors. No, I wasn't warned of the possible consequences of my actions. Yes, my privacy has been invaded. And there's always post traumatic stress.
One way or another it could be quite lucrative.
The author of this piece, a senior and respected member of the Club, leads us to believe that it is not autobiographical.
Ed.
BOOT UP
The District Fun Day in aid of 5 children's hospices is little more than 3 months away. Amid all the talk of fun and games we mustn't forget the Boot Fair which will be an integral part of the day. It is hoped that every Club in District will have a stand.
If they do, just think - a take of just £125 on each of 80 stands makes £10,000 pure unadulterated profit.