It is with mixed emotions that I write this last "Musings" - yes I am looking forward to stepping slightly down from the workload of President, but I will miss this opportunity to communicate to you all on a regular basis.It's been an amazing year - I started my year with long hair and a beard after Melbourne was locked down in March, we were lucky to squeeze in a limited Changeover, then we were into Lockdown again up until December. We returned to face-to-face meetings from December into the new year, then we went into two more Lockdowns up to a few weeks ago. And all through this immense disruption to our lives, and to our Rotary experience, I was constantly amazed and deeply appreciative of the spirit of the Camberwell Rotarians: you adapted to new technologies (most of you cheerfully!), we all became experts on Zoom, we learned to manage the restricted charity budgets, and we enthusiastically supported the smaller number of Fellowship events we managed. For this I am deeply grateful to you all, and thank you for your support and kind words.
Representing the Art Show Committee, Geoff, Brenda and Andrew brought us up to date with the transition to the 2021 Camberwell Online Gallery, after the disappointing but necessary decision not to proceed with a physical show at Swinburne University. The Online Gallery will feature some 800 carefully judged paintings (out of 1600 submissions), and will run from 14 July - 1 August. The website www.camberwellartshow.org.au has been further developed to enable easy searching by genre, medium and artist, and this development will be used for future art shows.
I cannot overstate the work the Art Show Committee does each year, and especially this year where all the work for a physical show was done, then at the last minute more work to convert it to the Online Gallery. We must all thank Geoff Heath and his heroic band for an amazing job. And as John Steven eloquently said, running the Art Show is the opportunity for ALL Camberwell Rotarians to pitch in and help each year for the last 55 years. Because it's an Online Gallery this year, that doesn't let us off the hook! If you are on Facebook and/or Instagram, Share and Like as much as possible - this is incredibly powerful for an online event. If you are not on social media, you can still email soft copies of the Flyers and Posters to all your contacts. And if you are not on friendly terms with any computer, you can still put up posters in cafe windows. Please do what you can, and by doing so you are supporting our hard-working Art Show Committee.
A reminder that our R100 Project the Yarra Bank Playground Gala Opening is on 8 August - make sure the date is in your diary, and invite your family and friends.
In closing, I must thank Patrick Docherty for making Camberwell Rotary history by being the first to be President for a second full term, and I ask all Members to be enthusiastic Rotarians and support Patrick and the Board when asked to pitch in.
Well that's it from me. Have a great year in Rotary.
