President Frank welcomed:
1. Guest Speaker Mark McArdle Former State MP for Caloundra (2004 - 2020)
2. Dr Martin Radford-Hanks – visiting Rotarian from the UK
3. Stuart Coward – visiting RC Caloundra Member
4. Dr Peter Harding – potential member and all-round good guy!
5.Eric & Di Groves - visiting from the UK (Eric is Evelyn’s brother).

(Ed: seems the borders with the UK are now definitely open!!)
He also again put out the challenge to Members (and indeed himself) to predict when / if he would make a mistake using the PowerPoint / technology. Unfortunately, he was called out by Will Waterford very early as a result of a spelling / grammar error on a slide.   (Ed: I wouldn’t have paid out on that Frank!!)

International Toast:
Stan Nawrocki (Members found out in the Sergeant’s Fine session later is actually [if the Editor has it correct] is pronounced Nawroski) proposed a Toast to the RC of Sopot International (Poland – Gulf of Gdansk – Baltic Sea).   They’re only English-speaking RC in Tri City.   President – Ewa Okrucinska   The Club meets at the Sofitel Grand Sopot every Wednesday at 7.00pm. Chartered 1 st October 2002.   Membership is currently 16.
As expected, the main Project at this time is the housing and aid for refugees from Ukraine. Other Projects include:
a. Supporting Volunteer Fire Brigade in local area
b. Sopocki DOM – supporting children from disadvantaged families. A place to spend time after school in a homely atmosphere where they can complete home work and get their only warm meal of the day.
c. Zupa Na Monciaku – Every Saturday volunteers prepare food – soup (Zupa) and sandwiches for the homeless in Sopot City.
(Ed: petty good for a Club of only 16 Members – Note all Legacy Projects)
Vocational Talk:
None – extra time provided for Guest Speaker.
Directors Moments:
Nobody had anything intelligent to say!
Members Moments:
Win Fowles advised George Fraser (RC Mooloolaba) - Australian Diplomat (retired) Former ambassador to Pacific nations will be our Guest Speaker on March 9. Well worth a listen. Council have and action plan to eliminate the Indian minor bird with has a detrimental affect on our Eco System.
Barb Bailey updated Members as to where the 2022 Christmas Boxes that many Members supported were delivered too. Beneficial countries; Ukraine, Solomon Islands and  PNG. Ironically two of the three are in our District – 9620.

Les Pontin told a joke quite funny but not enough room here to repeat. (much like President Frank’s joke to open the meeting.)
(Ed: Thought we had three Guest Speakers for the night!! Just joking guys)
Greig Lee-Archer reminded all of the ROMAC Trivia Night on Thursday 2nd  March 2023. We have reached the advertised cut off for registration of teams however we can probably find a spot for a couple more. Attendance is again down this year largely due to reduced Member support flowing from out of region holidays.
Inner Wheel is having a working bee at Currimundi Special School on Sunday 26/2/2023 starting at 8.30am. Reminder of International Woman’s Day – all services dinner at Buderim Tavern on Wednesday 8 th March 2023, 6.00pm for 6.30pm.

Evelyn advised tickets will soon be on sale for the Jazz in the Hangar event – 20th May 2023. Be quick tickets are limited.
President’s information:
·       Clean up Australia Day - Sunday 5th March 2023
·       District 9620 District Conference – 24th  March 2023
·       Jazz in the Hangar - 20th May 2023
Guest Speaker:

 
Greg Rayment introduced Mark McArdle. “Life after Politics”
After being elected to Sate Parliament in 2004 Mark left Politics – not contesting the 2020 elections.  In Marks’s words “having lost so many good people with great ideas from Parliament he did not have what it took to continue”.  Mark displayed a corflute of his first campaign which included a photo that now would resemble his grandson (if his new grandson was of that age). Interestingly many Politicians with their vanity in mind seem to continue to display these old corflutes!!

Mark then had 6 months off to “do nothing”. He was then approached to be involved in a Review of  the 2020 election of what went wrong for the LNP. The review took 12 months and now is in the implementation stage running up to the 2024 Elections.   Mark was quite complimentary of many Politicians on both sides of the House. He found good on both sides with the theatrics of politics generally left on the floor of the House.
The CCSA Hall has been one of Mark’s focuses in recent times, guiding the Committee via better use of the hall to a now profitable position. It is now a business with position cash flow.   Now that COVID issues have subsided he and wife Judy will travel overseas this year.  Grandparenting will be Mark and Judy’s new focus following the birth of their Grandson Raffaele.   They can now enjoy that feeling as many of us already do.  Mark’s final word was the advice he gave to many a newcomer to Politics. “The letters MP are
owned by the public. Politicians don’t own them. The Public can take them back or a Politician can give them back. Those letters enable you to meet many people and open many doors”. When you no longer have those letters, opportunities diminish”.
Sergeant Fines:
Peter Hovey fined as many in the room as possible even the visitors / guests.

and then enjoyed some of Marion's Chocolate Brownie Slice before it all went.

 

Riki Tiki
Les Pontin themed his Riki Tiki on what appeared to be old sayings used by the Editors mother along the lines of what would happen to you should you choose to – eg sit on cold concrete. Tony Long must have listened to his mother more closely than the rest of us. Tony the winner.
Raffles – by Les Pontin and Graeme Bowden
Many prizes were won and enjoyed around the tables with the lollies shared around in traditional manner.
Finished as usual with the Australian National Anthem sung by all and led by Frank Lunt and Michael Berris.