President's Report, July 2006

I am delighted and honoured to be writing my first monthly report as President

July got off to a cracking start with our Club Assembly on 5th July, moved from a lunchtime to an evening meeting. The Committee chairmen - Club Service, Community and Vocational, International and Foundation - presented their plans and outline budgets for the 2006-2007 year. The meeting was very successful and their broad plans for the year ahead were agreed unanimously - all just four days into the Presidential Year!

Thirteen of us travelled to Mainz on the river Rhine for the weekend of 7th to 9th August. Uwe and Gunnel Weiler met us at Frankfurt airport and for the next three days were marvellous and untiring hosts, guiding us through a wonderful long weekend break. They saw us safely onto the train to Mainz, and into our 4 star hotel, the Hyatt, on the banks of the Rhine. Barges sailed gracefully and quietly up and down the Rhine non-stop - every one of them representing 70-100 lorry journeys not needed by road!

On Friday evening we had supper in a local restaurant serving local food, wines and beers. On Saturday we toured the local market and many of us explored the famous Gutenberg Museum.

Then we visited a famous local winery, for a knowledgeable talk, a tour of their cellars and museum, and tasting (four glasses) of their Sekt sparkling wines. A lazy lunch - or a visit to the astonishing Chagall stained glass windows in St Stephens Church - and then we were all off to Ingelheim.

We were generously hosted by Holger Wasem, an Ingelheim Rotarian, who showed us around his extensive cellars and his wine-making production facilities. Then more wine-tasting in his gardens (another seven glasses!) and very knowledgeable, and increasingly convivial, it all was. In the evening we were joined by President Gerald Hauf and many members of the Rotary Club of Boehringer Ingelheim, who hosted a marvellous dinner for us. On Sunday we enjoyed a guided tour of Mainz, then, exhausted, set off on the journey home. Once again, thank you Uwe and Gunnel.

At the July Friend's meeting we were pleased to welcome Bonnie Martel of the recent Rotary District 1090 Group Study Exchange (GSE) team which Rotary sponsored to Australia. Bonnie was assisted by Rotarian Alan French in place of Tom Clarke who was unfortunately unable to attend. Alan gave a ten minute overview of the Australian GSE team and its objectives followed by a 40 minute presentation by Bonnie of her prospective of Australia and then a Q & A session.

At our 3rd Wednesday lunch meeting Pieter Oldewarris gave an excellent talk on China. In just a few minutes he covered Chinese history, politics, economics and culture, all with excellent slides! Pieter is called back to the Netherlands for his next job and so we will sadly be saying farewell to Pieter and Wilhelmina by the year-end.

Our Business Meeting approved all Committee proposals. The meeting was in the Oak Room, and the new table layout was much better. We supported the Budgens and Thames Hospicecare initiative, but in the event raised only just over £100. It seems that this scheme is only really worthwhile during Royal Ascot.

The Inner Wheel Garden Party was a great success, and we should thank Colin Corio and Bill Sheppard, who went to much time and trouble to ensure that all of the tables and chairs were provided, and taken away after the party.

IPP Alan Penny and SVP Ian Valentine represented the Club at a reception at the North Ascot Community Association, to see just how well our charitable contribution, to help upgrade their fire system, had been spent.

Geoff Donovan - President 2006-7