The Rotary Club of Edinburgh

Bulletin 2,044 - 3rd February 2005

REVIEW

Attendance

Last week there were 66 members and a visitor, our speaker Margaret Allan. Lots of people brought greetings, including Oliver D with Whitburn, Torvald C with Angelholm and Leith, Eddie S in Motherwell and Wishaw, Fred L in Leith, Forbes R at Carluke, Fred E visiting 4 clubs in Thailand and 13 visitors to Peebles on Monday.

The Bulletin Festive Competition

The results of the Bulletin competition were announced last week. Sandra Campbell made the presentation to George Brodlie, for his article on his uncle, a twin of his father. This was the only entry and we managed to omit the punch line. However he was a worthy winner. Bill Cantley was made runner up for his article on Twinning written over the holiday period and a prize awarded to Liz McSwan for contributions to the Prattle column.

Community Service Volunteers

Bill Barr is still trying to find willing helpers for activities, which have the support of our club. - Bill Bryden would like drivers to help with Edinburgh Headway Group. - Reg. Robinson assistance with The Seagull Trust, - and also on collection points for Macmillan Cancer Relief tins. - Drew Wightman General support for Stockbridge House/Leith Age Concern.

Bill really would like to hear from you with an offer of help, or contact the person organising the community service activity.

Rotary Centenary Concert

There are still tickets for the Centenary Concert. So far 42 people are signed up with 10 for Brunch at the Sheraton Hotel. Dennis Townhill is playing a voluntary on the organ in the service at St Cuthbert's in the morning. Make a date with your friends on Sunday 27 February 2005 at 3.00pm in the Usher Hall.

FOCUS

A Baker's Dozen

The Peebles club repeated their successful Burns Night on Monday 24 January. A large number of their members had a part to play, which is the key. Judith Sischy gave the reply to the lassies and it was encouraging that she had a dozen people from Edinburgh at hand to give her spirited support. Not that we were called upon to help, beyond moral support, since she came well prepared and delivered her speech with aplomb.

The dinner was followed by enthusiastic performances from Sam Walker and George Swan who gave us the address to the haggis and a virtuoso performance of Tam O'Shanter. There is nothing like a Borders accent to bring Tam's adventures with drink and the devil to life.
Peebles Rotary has an excellent piper. He did not miss a note and his repertoire included ballads and song tunes, which was nice. Unfortunately for Peebles, he is about to leave for Australia.

Jim Pascal entertained by bamboozling us with a routine of corks and stoppers, instead of conducting the raffle of Tobermory and Caithness malts.

Derek Douglas gave us the Immortal Memory. A very competent history of the bard's life, interesting enough and without quoting Burns, which he admitted was not his forte. There was none too much Burns in evidence in the toast to the Lassies either. But then there was not too much about the lassies. This was the classic after dinner stag night speech which traversed the world of male activity and was well received by our hosts, for whom Ian was clearly the star performer.

I enjoyed the singing. Two excellent performances, Alastair Paton on piano and Bob Johnston singing "Nellie Kirkpatrick", and "Aye Fond Kiss". They finished by leading the. company in "Auld Lang Syne" for a good evening out.

PRATTLE

Competition Winner, Including the Punch Line

My late father and his brother were identical twins, so like each other that people often took one for the other.

That happened when Anna and I were married in Aberdeen in September 1945. Anna's brother who had given her away presided at the reception and kept topping up my uncle's glass thinking he was filling up my father's. My uncle's memory of the events became a little hazy but one point remained crystal clear.

A few weeks later he said to me "George your wedding was the best I had ever been at."
George Brodlie'

The Centenary Cook Book

Please don't forget to send your recipes to Jacqueline Easson!

Quarterly Speakers List

10 February: Heather Shanks - topic Fresh Start - Vote of Thanks: Robin White.
17 February: Alan Dobie - (topic)
Exec Director Scottish Business Crime Centre - Vote of Thanks: Alan Hately.
24 Feb: Professor Sir John Crofton - topic TB Alert - Vote of Thanks: Neville Belton.
3 March: Nick Baxter - CEO Cornerstone topic - Identifying Opportunities, Overcoming Obstacles - Vote of Thanks: to be announced.
10 March: Dr Colin Currie - topic Medicine; A Hobby for Authors - Vote of Thanks: Sandy Buchan.
31 March: Moderator Dr Alison Elliot - topic General Assembly - Vote of Thanks: Rev Russell Barr.
21 April: Club Business Meeting.
26 May: Club AGM.
16 June: 6pm dinner in Hotel,
Club Assembly.
23 June: Presidential Handover.

THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER

Thursday 3 February 2005: Dr James Gilmour
Reclaiming our democracy.
Vote of Thanks: Jinty Kerr.

NEXT WEEK'S SPEAKER

Thursday 10 February 2005: Heather Shanks - Fresh Start
Vote of Thanks: Robin White:

PREVIEW

A Rotary topic for next week from Heather Shanks of Fresh Start, a charity for the homeless and one to which our club have given considerable support.