Having mentioned Alistair Norrie being at the Kirriemuir Charter reminds me that I had omitted a mention of the visit on my Blog to Loch Ness on the 21st of September. Winnie and I had a superb lunch with the Club at the Waterside in Inverness. I well remember Alistair's jokes - well once heard you know what I mean!
On the 15th of November we had a very pleasant visit to the Rotary Club of Dyce where President Sandy Dunbar made us very welcome. Obviously the Club knew of Alexander (The Meerkat), hardly had I sat down for the meal before Sandy insisted that Alexander should be brought out to sit at the table, and there he stayed for the whole evening, a rare treat for him. The evening was one of great fellowship and humour.
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| The two Alexanders!
On the 17th of November began a period of Charter visits. At lunchtime I visited some old friends at the Elgin Club, the mother Club of my own Club at Forres. It is a large Club and we had a superb lunch at the Mansion House Hotel. I have come to know many of the Rotarians at Elgin over the years and it was a great privilege to be part of such a successful Rotary Club meeting as District Governor.
President Graham and I at the Mansion House
That evening Winnie and I attended the 85th Charter Evening of the Rotary Club of Arbroath. It was a splendid evening, with the principal speaker being the RIBI President Ray Burman. It was nice to see the Burmans again since we have become good friends over this Governors year. There was a large turnout of Arbroath and local Clubs to hear Burman and to celebrate 85 years of Rotary in Arbroath. Burman and I were presented with a gift by Mike Sowden, Arbroath Smokies! The Club is intending selling these to raise funds for the Rotary Foundation.
The RIBI President giving us his thoughts!
The following evening was a journey up country to Aberdeen and the Northern Hotel to celebrate 50 years of the St Machar Rotary Club. PDG Bill Wood was President on the evening so the banter was thick and fast as you might imagine. There was a good attendance from the surrounding Clubs and a great night of fellowship.
Some of the great and the good at the Northern Hotel!
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On Tuesday the 22nd of November saw Winnie and I down at the Forth Bridge, the Queensferry Hotel, to vist the Rotary Club of West Fife who meet there. It was a pleasant experience for us to meet up again with an ex Forres RC member Stephanie Blackden. We had a very pleasant evening with the Club members who gave me a very good reception - and two very fine glass coasters from the Club.
Alan and Alexander - What is it with these Presidents and a Meerkat?
Next day, on Wednesday we did not have far to go since our visit was to the Rotary Club of Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay who also meet in the Queensferry Hotel. The Club has one or two members who are good friends, Cath Chorley and Jim Aitken, so it was good to share the meeting with them and the other members. President Fred made us very welcome and after a fine lunch I did my usual DG talk.
President Fred with Winnie and books and me!
On the 29th we were off along the Moray coast to Fraserburgh to visit President Gill Lamont and the Rotarians of a Club I have known well in the past. It was again great to meet up with friends I have known for many years now, especially Past President Helen Fowler who has not lost any of the fun that I remember her for. It was a good evening of fellowship and a very nice meal in Findlays Hotel.
After a break of a few days We visited the joint meeting of the Inverurie Club and the Kintore Club. There was a large gathering of Rotarians from both Clubs and it was refreshing to see how many younger Rotarians were there (mainly from the younger Kintore Club of course!). Once again there were a lot of well known faces among the attendees that I had met over the years, one of them Pat Findlater was in Round Table with me, quite a few years ago now!. President Graham and President Susan made Winnie and I very welcome and we both enjoyed the fellowship of the evening.
President Susan, Winnie the DG & President Graham (playing Hide-and-Seek?)
On the 10th of December Winnie and had a very special day. We visited the CHAS Inverness branch Christmas Ceilidh for the families and children CHAS look after in that area. We were there to give presents of books to the younger and older children from the books donated by our 1010 Rotarians to Winnie's Book Project that she has been organising for District 1010. I can't tell you how humble we both felt at the bravery of the parents there and the children, they were all so pleased and happy to receive books, it was very much a lump in the throat occasion. Well done 1010 Rotarians is all I can say. Winnie was overwhelmed by the day.
Winnie with Robert and Emily
By mid December we were almost at the end of our visits but had a very pleasant return visit to make to IPDG George Berstane's Rotary Club of Turriff. Winnie and I were made very welcome and it was good to meet with our old friends at Turriiff that we had come to know so well from the previous Conference in Inverness. After a fine meal I spoke to the Club who listened with interest, at least I didn't notice anybody sleeping! (That happens in the odd Club you must understand)
TTT Turriff Table Talk!
I was asked by the Thurso Rotary Club to visit on the 15th of December for a very special reason, to present 3 PHF's to three original founder members of that Club. It turned out to be a memorable occasion with a fine meal, a glass of wine (I was staying overnight) the ceremony of the presentations and some Christmas entertainment from the Thurso Interact Club. It is always an honour to be able to present the Paul Harris Fellowship at any time but when 3 come along - well it is extra special. The Interact Club were superb with their own amusing version of a song for the Club. There were quite a large number of the Interact Club there so the average age profile fell dramatically.
The Thurso Interact 'Choir
The year 2010 ended with a most enjoyable Fellowship lunch organised by area 4 of our District at Aberdeen. The lunch was organised by the Portlethan Club for the whole of Area 4 and took place at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel on Aberdeen's Beach Boulevard. A superb meal with great fellowship amongst good friends.
The first visit of 2012 was to the Rotary Club of Portlethan. Winnie and I were welcomed by President Iain McLeod and one of the tasks of the evening was to 'apprehend' an ex member of that Club Charlie Leslie and present him with a Paul Harris Fellowship for the work he has done to support RYLA over many years. The District has wished to do this for some time now but Charlie was elusive when he thought somebody was going to do something for him. However we did it, found him, brought him into the meeting and did the presentation - and he came like a lamb! The rest of the evening was superb, good food and fellowship, as it should be..
Charlie - Got you at last !!
The next visit Winnie and I had was to the Aberlour and Speyside Club who now meet in the Craigellachie Hotel. It was a Club that I knew well, one of the members I met over thirty years ago in Orkney and many of the rest I have met on numerous visits to the Club over the past twelve years. Philip Gadsen, the Assistant District Secretary, is President this year and made us both very welcome. I had the honour to be asked by the Club to induct their newest Rotarian Nigel Engstrand. Nigel is the headmaster of Aberlour School. Following the induction I talked to the Club about the District and about Rotary worldwide, including the changes that may happen in RIBI. Overall it was a very pleasant meeting with old friends.
Nigel's induction. Notice - a younger Rotarian!!
Sunday 22nd January was an exciting day for the District. In the Royal George Hotel, Perth, our 1010 District Group Study Exchange Team who will visit New South Wales in March, gave their initial presentation to family and friends and to myself and Winnie. Peter Farr, the Team leader from the Rotary Club of Bridge of Allan and Dunblane, introduced the presentation and gave an explanation of the format the team visit would take. The part of District 9700 that they will visit will be the Riverina area of NSW, with their central point being the town of Wagga Wagga. Peter then introduced his team of Anne Sutherland, Amanda Ingram, Jamie Harrison and Mark Bryce who all gave their presentations as they would to the Australian District 9700 Rotarians. It was a very polished presentation and much enjoyed by all present. On behalf of the audience, and indeed the rest of the District, I thanked them for their hard work in putting it all together. I also thanked Jim Slater the GSE Co-ordinator for all his work in pulling the whole project together. They will be going to a lovely warm part of Australia - I wish, I wish - me too!
Mark, Anne, DG, Amanda, Peter, and Jamie, all set for Australia - except me!
Next day, on Wednesday we did not have far to go since our visit was to the Rotary Club of Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay who also meet in the Queensferry Hotel. The Club has one or two members who are good friends, Cath Chorley and Jim Aitken, so it was good to share the meeting with them and the other members. President Fred made us very welcome and after a fine lunch I did my usual DG talk.
On the 29th we were off along the Moray coast to Fraserburgh to visit President Gill Lamont and the Rotarians of a Club I have known well in the past. It was again great to meet up with friends I have known for many years now, especially Past President Helen Fowler who has not lost any of the fun that I remember her for. It was a good evening of fellowship and a very nice meal in Findlays Hotel.
After a break of a few days We visited the joint meeting of the Inverurie Club and the Kintore Club. There was a large gathering of Rotarians from both Clubs and it was refreshing to see how many younger Rotarians were there (mainly from the younger Kintore Club of course!). Once again there were a lot of well known faces among the attendees that I had met over the years, one of them Pat Findlater was in Round Table with me, quite a few years ago now!. President Graham and President Susan made Winnie and I very welcome and we both enjoyed the fellowship of the evening.
On the 10th of December Winnie and had a very special day. We visited the CHAS Inverness branch Christmas Ceilidh for the families and children CHAS look after in that area. We were there to give presents of books to the younger and older children from the books donated by our 1010 Rotarians to Winnie's Book Project that she has been organising for District 1010. I can't tell you how humble we both felt at the bravery of the parents there and the children, they were all so pleased and happy to receive books, it was very much a lump in the throat occasion. Well done 1010 Rotarians is all I can say. Winnie was overwhelmed by the day.
Winnie and I with Ryan
Winnie with Robert and Emily
By mid December we were almost at the end of our visits but had a very pleasant return visit to make to IPDG George Berstane's Rotary Club of Turriff. Winnie and I were made very welcome and it was good to meet with our old friends at Turriiff that we had come to know so well from the previous Conference in Inverness. After a fine meal I spoke to the Club who listened with interest, at least I didn't notice anybody sleeping! (That happens in the odd Club you must understand)
I was asked by the Thurso Rotary Club to visit on the 15th of December for a very special reason, to present 3 PHF's to three original founder members of that Club. It turned out to be a memorable occasion with a fine meal, a glass of wine (I was staying overnight) the ceremony of the presentations and some Christmas entertainment from the Thurso Interact Club. It is always an honour to be able to present the Paul Harris Fellowship at any time but when 3 come along - well it is extra special. The Interact Club were superb with their own amusing version of a song for the Club. There were quite a large number of the Interact Club there so the average age profile fell dramatically.
The year 2010 ended with a most enjoyable Fellowship lunch organised by area 4 of our District at Aberdeen. The lunch was organised by the Portlethan Club for the whole of Area 4 and took place at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel on Aberdeen's Beach Boulevard. A superb meal with great fellowship amongst good friends.
The first visit of 2012 was to the Rotary Club of Portlethan. Winnie and I were welcomed by President Iain McLeod and one of the tasks of the evening was to 'apprehend' an ex member of that Club Charlie Leslie and present him with a Paul Harris Fellowship for the work he has done to support RYLA over many years. The District has wished to do this for some time now but Charlie was elusive when he thought somebody was going to do something for him. However we did it, found him, brought him into the meeting and did the presentation - and he came like a lamb! The rest of the evening was superb, good food and fellowship, as it should be..
The next visit Winnie and I had was to the Aberlour and Speyside Club who now meet in the Craigellachie Hotel. It was a Club that I knew well, one of the members I met over thirty years ago in Orkney and many of the rest I have met on numerous visits to the Club over the past twelve years. Philip Gadsen, the Assistant District Secretary, is President this year and made us both very welcome. I had the honour to be asked by the Club to induct their newest Rotarian Nigel Engstrand. Nigel is the headmaster of Aberlour School. Following the induction I talked to the Club about the District and about Rotary worldwide, including the changes that may happen in RIBI. Overall it was a very pleasant meeting with old friends.
Sunday 22nd January was an exciting day for the District. In the Royal George Hotel, Perth, our 1010 District Group Study Exchange Team who will visit New South Wales in March, gave their initial presentation to family and friends and to myself and Winnie. Peter Farr, the Team leader from the Rotary Club of Bridge of Allan and Dunblane, introduced the presentation and gave an explanation of the format the team visit would take. The part of District 9700 that they will visit will be the Riverina area of NSW, with their central point being the town of Wagga Wagga. Peter then introduced his team of Anne Sutherland, Amanda Ingram, Jamie Harrison and Mark Bryce who all gave their presentations as they would to the Australian District 9700 Rotarians. It was a very polished presentation and much enjoyed by all present. On behalf of the audience, and indeed the rest of the District, I thanked them for their hard work in putting it all together. I also thanked Jim Slater the GSE Co-ordinator for all his work in pulling the whole project together. They will be going to a lovely warm part of Australia - I wish, I wish - me too!
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