The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2104 - 7th July 2006
REVIEW
Random reflections of a changeling
As reported in Bulletin No. 2112 of 8th June, at a recent meeting of 12 Past Presidents of the Club, the view was expressed nem con that “the Bulletin Editor needs frequent changing”. Your new Editor fully accepts that he may be entering upon his second childhood but he hopes most fervently that the need for “frequent changing” perceived by the 12 Past Presidents is not an indication of his reversion to early infancy.Use of the first person plural for making formal statements is a prerogative shared by editors and monarchs but it is one that your new changeling editor has no intention of exercising. Nevertheless in congratulating my predecessor Tim Simpson on his outstandingly successful two-year occupancy of the Editorial Chair, I know that I speak for all members and that a non-editorial “we” would be entirely appropriate. I am deeply grateful to Tim for the wise advice and gentle guidance which have ensured a smooth editorial hand-over but they have also increased tenfold my realisation that he is a very hard act to follow.
Members can however be assured that the first person, singular or plural will not feature again in the Bulletin during the next twelve months.
Last week’s meeting 29 June 2006
Attendance was 80 including one guest and two visiting Rotarians – Jocelyn Reiter from Tucson Arizona and Garret Dailey from Oakland California. In his reply to the President’s welcome, Garret Dailey who was making the last of his three visits to the Club graciously expressed his gratitude for the warm Rotarian fellowship which he and his wife had enjoyed during their sojourn in Edinburgh. Jocelyn Reiter presented a banner from the Rotary Club of Tucson and received from the President the Club’s CD of Scottish songs.
Visits of members to other clubs
Forbes Ridland had recently visited Tallinn Esthonia where he had attended a Rotary meeting. He handed over to the President the banner of the Tallinn Club which had been presented to him on this visit.David Thomson described his Attendance at an ad hoc Rotary meeting held aboard a cruise liner at sea somewhere between St Petersburg and the Kiel Canal. Among the Rotarians present was the liner’s Master who gave a talk about the history of the canal.
Dick Allan in his capacity as Assistant District Governor had, in the past four weeks, attended no fewer than seven different Club Assemblies. This commitment had obliged him to miss our own Club Assembly but the President felt that he could not have had a better excuse for absence.
Midsummer Christmas
Last week members were astonished by the presence in the dining room of a large lavishly decorated Christmas tree and by the service of roast turkey as the lunch’s main course. Santa Claus did not appear and President Fred explained that these unseasonal manifestations were part of a presentation designed by the Carlton Hotel to promote its facilities for corporate entertainment. This included a dinner-dance in the hotel that evening for which four tickets had been given to the Club and these were offered to members on a first-come first served basis.
Guest Speaker 29th June 2006
At their aforementioned meeting our twelve past Presidents are reported to have expressed their collective dislike of Bulletin reviews of the talk given by the previous week’s speaker. Their point is well taken but it seems worth while to record that our speaker last week was Riddell Graham, Head of Strategic Operations, Visit Scotland and that he gave us an informative, encouraging, and succinct address on the future of Tourism in Scotland.This finished early enough to allow time for questions and three important and controversial points were raised by Judy Kay Watson Forbes and Stuart Monro after which a Vote of Thanks was proposed appreciatively and gracefully by Peter Wheeldon.
Inner Wheel
It was reported that the Club had received a cordial message of good wishes from the new President of Inner Wheel, Anne Havard wife of our own past Secretary John. In this she expressed her hopes for increasing the range of collaborative activities and looked forward to the pleasure of welcoming our President Fred as Guest Speaker at the Inner Wheel meeting on 10th August.
Club Golf
The Club Golf outing at Biggar on 28th June was a highly successful and enjoyable occasion which attracted 21 competitors. The Leslie Pringle Cup was won by Alex Wilkie with an overall score of 48.
Keeping Fit with the Piscatorians
There was some hard rowing in a strong wind at the start of the day on Portmore Loch in the Moorfoots on Friday 11th June. Five rods landed eight fish with a combined weight of nearly 24lbs. The largest was 4.5lbs and all were in magnificent condition. Most were taken on dry flies in the calmer weather of the afternoon.
The day was much enjoyed by all. The next outing will be on Loch Vennachar near Callander on Friday 14th July and all interested should get in touch with George Holmes.
A Change of Fortune
Members have observed that the young lady who sells the lunch tickets at our meetings often has difficulty in giving change for £20 notes which seem to be the lowest denomination carried by many Edinburgh Rotarians. Another Rotarian who wishes to remain incognito has suggested that she should display a notice stating that any member producing the exact money for a lunch ticket would be rewarded with a kiss.
She is reported to be thinking about it!