The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2118 - 20th July 2006
REVIEW
Last Week’s Meeting – 13 July 2006
Attendance was 66 including three guests and one visiting Rotarian – Terry Flanagan from Northern Ireland, the current President of the Ballymena Rotary Club.The guest speaker was Tom Reilly, an official of the Procurement Administration division of the Scottish Executive who has a special interest in Cambodia and who had been inspired to make contact with the Club by Carol Duffus’ Evening News article about our Cambodian involvement. Tom was accompanied by his Cambodian finacée Bophana Chhirc (pron. “chirk”) the widow of an army officer disappeared (presumed killed by the Khomer Rouge) in the Cambodian civil war.
In his address entitled “the Cambodian Project” Tom did not dwell upon the horrors of that war or the humanitarian disasters that accompanied it but gave an impressive account of Cambodia’s hopes for the future together with a realistic appraisal of the major socio-economic problems confronting it today and of the part which foreign aid might most usefully play in their solution.
The vote of thanks could not have had a more appropriate proposer than Fred Edwards, immediate past Chairman of our International Service Committee whose personal knowledge of Cambodia inspired the warmth of his gratitude to the speaker and the vehemence of his endorsement of the speaker’s message.
Horticultural Publicity
Special Rotary floral displays are or will shortly be on view in east Princes’ Street gardens and in Saughton Park Gardens. These are sponsored by the Club and at both locations there will be plaques presenting information about the display’s Rotarian provenance.Annual Subscription 2006
Although totally confident that cheques from all members are in the post, the Treasurer wishes, with the utmost delicacy to remind the Club that the annual subscription for 2006 is now due and that the usual discount for prompt payment is only on offer up till 31 July.Pittenweem Arts Festival Preview
At the last meeting Keith Frost intimated that the Arts Committee is
organising a Club visit to the preview of the Pittenweem Arts Festival
on Friday afternoon 4 August. At the Festival a number of local artists
show their pictures on the walls of their homes and studios in Pittenweem
and these are open to visitors. It is proposed that the Club party travels
to Pittenweem early on Friday afternoon 4th August by car or possibly
by small bus and has a picnic on arrival.
Artists’ homes will be open from 4.30pm and visitors may move about
as they please from one house to another. The party will then forgather
for an evening meal at a time and place to be arranged.
All interested in joining the Club’s expedition to the Pittenweem
Arts Festival Preview on Friday 4th August should get in touch with Keith
Frost.
Visit of Rotary Club of Lyon – May 2007
Bill Cantley reported that members of the Rotary Club of Lyon would be in Edinburgh on 16, 17 and 18 May 2007. Members of our Club had been very handsomely entertained by their Lyonnais fellow-Rotarians when they visited Lyon last year and it is hoped that in may next year we can fully reciprocate this hospitality. During their stay in Lyon our members were very comfortably accommodated in the homes of their hosts and it would seem desirable for us to be able to offer the same to our French visitors.The number of Lyonnais Rotarians and spouses who will be coming to Edinburgh in May 2007 is not yet known but it would be very helpful if members willing to offer home hospitality to our Lyon friends could get in touch with Bill Cantley.
Club Visit to Turin Italy – 22-24 September 2006
Bill Cantley would also like to hear from any member who has thoughts of participating in the Club’s visit to Turin (jointly with the Lyon Club towards the end of September.
An Emphatic Victory for our Golfers
Alan Hately reports that our annual golf match with the Rotary Club
of Dunfermline took place on Wednesday 12 July at Dunfermline Golf Club
Pitfirrane.
The Club team led by Captain Ron Sinclair won by three matches to one
which means that Edinburgh have won seven of the 11 matches played since
the fixture was inaugurated in 1996. At stake in this match is the Capitals
Quaich, a trophy created and donated by Past President Walter Hutchison
of Dunfermline and our own Ritchie Campbell. Our next team event is the
District Championship which will be played over the Roxburghe Course on
31 August.
Join the golfing fellowship and see the world!
The Speakers Secretary
Rajiv Naik has been the Speakers Secretary for two years and has discharged the duties of this very exacting office with the utmost success. Because of the pressure of family and business commitments he wishes to resign with effect from 30 September and all members will join in thanking him warmly for a difficult job supremely well done. He will be succeeded as Speakers Secretary by Stuart Kinsman.
Club Meeting 17 August
The Carlton Hotel is unable to accommodate the Club for lunch on 17 August because of heavy Festival Bookings. We have been offered the alternatives of lunch from 12.30 to 2pm on Friday 18 August or dinner on the evening of 17 August. Council’s decision on this will be announced within the next two weeks.