Geoff Marsden of the Rotary Club of Stanthorpe has responsibility this year for Community Services. Give a busy person a job and it will be done. Geoff, as usual did a remarkable job of organising firstly his team to organise the equipment needed, trailer, marquees, tables, bbq supplies, signage, banners and food.
When I arrived at Weeroona Park for my shift, I was pleasantly surprised. Already the marquee was up, Jim Baxter was at the bbq plate and already cooking onions. Helping set up were Julie Beddow, Jack and Janet Butler, Peter and Heather Watters, Gloria Marsden, David Muir, Denise and Alex Harslett That fragrance of onion cooking for many is a beckoning call. We love a BBQ. Rotarians and Friends of Rotary were there. Preparation was well under way at the park for the event which is to celebrate "becoming, belonging and being" Australian. The stage was set for the ceremony and the park was already buzzing with locals and tourists.
Rhya our very own SSHS Interact Student was being welcomed into the Australian fold with her Mother from Fiji.
Councillor Stephen Tancred (Rotarian) was there officiating along with Mayor Vic Pennisi. Stephen cooked many steaks and sausages after that at our BBQ stand and our Mayor enjoyed a Steak Burger following the ceremony.
On sale were drinks, sausage sizzle, and steak burgers.
Thanks also to Dave Hambly, Jo Bell, Karl Foskett, Catherine and Jim Barnes, for the second shift which went until 8.30pm when the band stopped playing.
We would also like to thank District 9640 Cluster 8 Area Governor Cara Champion from the Rotary Club of Fassifern, for supporting the subsidising of food for this event. We were able to give our locals a delicious burger at a reduced cost.
Julia Hassall