Bulletin Issue 574 Volume 13  - No. 15   15th February 2019

(if you have any comments or questions, please contact Denis 
 
  Rotary Theme for February: Peace & Conflict Resolution Month 
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Meeting Information

 ALL YEAR Dinner Out 1st Tuesday of each month 7 pm at a restaurant

Meetings Friday 12.00 noon - 2 pm @ Millennium Hotel in Jungceylon
Rat-U-Thit Road Patong Beach
November – April 2nd 3rd & 4th Friday - May – October 2nd & 4th Friday only
Dress code - Smart-Casual
(long pants and shirts with collars for men, women: smart-casual)
 
 
                                                        
Click for map
 
 
Visitors Welcome
registration mandatory
 
 
 
Upcoming Events   
         
 All meetings (Except Dinner Outs) @ - Millennium Hotel 
       
  •     15th February  -  Friday Club Assembly 
  •     23rd February  -  Rotary International Birthday      
 
ADVANCE NOTICE
 
 
     29th-31st March -   DISTRICT CONFERENCE - Nakhon Pathom
 
 
 
A weekend of FUN - OB's FUNd RAISER April 19-21 
 
  
Friday 15th February 2019
 
 

 The Meeting is a Club Assembly and we need to confirm vacant board     positions filled in by the board. We also have a vote on changing the bylaws regarding   meeting time and day of the week. A detailed agenda is being sent to all members.

Please make every effort to attend this important club assembly.

                      

                
Andreas Becker - 15th February            
 
 
 
 
Friday 1st February 
 
 
 MoM of Rotary Club of Patong Beach: (note taker PPOB)
 
 01 Feb 2019
 12:32 lunch was called by SAA David Arell
 12:58 Meeting called by SAA David for President Karen
          to Sound the gong.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The intro of the Guests:
  1. Guest Speaker: Chris Guy  
  2. Missy Devlin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Club Business requested by P. Karen:
 
  • Past Presidents meeting at 2:00 P.M. after the Club meeting.
(Recommendations are in order for present VP and President-Elect)
  • Treasury: all is good      
  • Club Administration: looking forward to today’s Speaker and Dinner out next week.
  • Service Projects Report: Jonathon not in attendance, however Fundraising suggested that one goal in the April 20 fundraising Event was to support the Water Safety Project now in the capable hands of Johan.
  • Fundraising Committee gave an uncharacteristically short report on optimism for the 20 April Fundraiser. All parties can contact OBOPEN7 for more information and directions to pre-pay for any of four packages: Tennis, Kojoksee, White Water Gala (fundraiser at Outrigger) and/or Margherita Party on Easter Sunday.
  • Arnaud to take photos of meeting’s smiling faces.
 
 The intro of Guest Speaker by Roy Devlin:
 
 Chris Guy a.k.a “Toff”: Grand Pries Motor Bike racer and   raconteur
 
 Roy’s intro was amusing and light-hearted with quips that   suggested some wild history   between him and the guest   speaker. There was lots of banter about Toff and Roy on   the Squash court which created images of Roy being   tricky and wristy and Toff muscle-ing through some pain   to smash the shit out of the ball – not a tortoise and hare   match but more a contest between a wolverine and a wild   boar – the jury is out.
 The glib introduction was All in good fun, which gave   us all anticipation of a great “share”  which did not   disappoint.
 
 
 
 
 
The topic of Presentation:  Racing Near Death:
 
Notes from Talk:
Forward apologies for not recording more of the whirlwind of information about Racing that we heard….I do remember some technical info like the following:
  1. The first bike was a TX 350 Yamaha, later he raced on OZ500 Suzuki and lastly on a TZ750 in 1980.
  2. There were several crashes mostly trashing knees, legs and once a back injury.  (part of the sport that “parts of which really should be banned as it is too deadly”)
  3. 1981 Toff (21 years old) won a 3 lap victory over riders that became world champions.
  4. 1982 was third on the grid at a 20 lap Grand Pries and came in first on a back that was almost half the horsepower of the other bikes.
  5. Invented some boot and knee protection which sort of worked but still he ground off lots of skin on the pavement. 
 
 
Racing Near Death:  “you dump at top speed, and you die.”
 
Toff delivered his warnings matter of factly, without bravado, just very grateful to have made the choice to race and having survived.  He modestly admitted having more headstrong focus than talent and having better concentration than riding skills.
 
He reeked of having loved his past glories, which gives him the passion for today.
“I was then a kid staying close to death. Now I am 62 and really value life”
 
He gets up early and puts in a full day before 9:00 a.m. having worked through lots of pain to get his lower parts working, then running around the lake, then feeding lots of animals, then working out again: “fitness is life” And Toff is super fit with a resting heart rate of 35 and a look like he can go the distance (even in his high top trainers with no socks which he wore to the meeting).
 
He really delights in feeding wild animals (mostly needy feral cats) and is deservedly proud of that “giving back” piece of his life.
 
His talk was nothing short of inspirational…full of images and scenes that make one want to kick-some-ass like waking up with New Year’s resolutions that “this is the year,
 
I am going to join a gym, lose 10 kilos, lose my muffin top and get serious about my fitness.  As regards Toff: he is not making choices, he is living his own version of proof that life matters. Even in his extremes, there seems to be a balance of attitude and gratefulness of spirit. Not so deep in his eyes, you can see the enduring passion for life emblazoned by going 190 miles an hour near death. 
 
After Toff spoke, I believe we all asked some of those uncomfortable questions about our own fitness and risks. He graciously answered some questions that gave me (at least) more want to understand how his living near death influences his today. 
 
As he left the room, I invited him back to RCOPB and suggested that he might join when  I give my talk on Sex after Sixty…to which he replied. “ I have a young girlfriend, so I have too much sex and am trying to slow down.” 
Chris Guy remains an enviable anathema.   
 
Thanks to the Speaker was given by PP Andy Becker:
 Speaker was well appreciated and thanked by PP Andy. I am sure that Andy’s thanks and our smiling enthusiasm left Toff feeling appreciated as he headed off to being that iconic character in Rawai that we all can learn from.
 
The meeting was closed by P Karen with a toast to CHINESE NEW YEAR.
 
YIR,
PPOB
 
    Meeting report:  PP OB Wetzell Photos: Arnaud Verstraete - Thank you ed, Denis
 
 
RCoPB Dinner Out - Tuesday 5th February
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Long Table
 
 We had a lively group of 18 people for the dinner out at Gallery Café by Pinky
on 5 February, Chinese New Year. 
 
 
 
 
 
 The evening started with people chatting and enjoying a drink then we moved and sat down at   the long table for dinner. 
 
 
President Karen offered a welcome to the dinner out and reminded members about the club assembly happening on 15 February. 
 
Some important topics will be up for members vote at that assembly including club officers and a  new meeting time and day.  Please make every effort to attend. 
 
PN Johan gave a brief update about the Larry Amsden Water Safety Program for children and he is preparing for the next batch of students and looking for a suitable pool. 
 
PP Walter reminded us about the District Conference and that it is a great chance to learn more about Rotary and have some fun.
 
PP David explained that the next Fund Raiser Gala will be held on 20 April. 
 
This is as a part of the O.B. Tennis Open and there are also parties that everyone is welcome to join on Friday the 19th and Sunday the 21st but the fundraiser is Saturday the 20th.
 Tickets for the parties and the tennis are all available for purchase online at https://www.conferize.com/obopenfun/2019
 
The dinner was then served and good conversation and fellowship were enjoyed. 
 
 
 
Great dinner - looks delicious ed Denis  
 
 
 
 
After dessert was enjoyed, PP David announced that this was the first dinner out to use the new system of adding a donation to our charity funds on the dinner fee. 
 
For this event, we raised 2,900 baht which will be used for our Rotary Club charity efforts.
 

Dinner Out Organizer: PP David Arell

Meeting report: PP David Arell 

Photos: PP Arnaud Verstraete  

  Thank you ed, Denis