President’s Report - July 2023
It seems quite strange to refer to our recent public holiday as the King’s Birthday holiday. Indeed, for the entirety of my life I have only known this as the Queen’s Birthday. Still, time moves on and we do have a new head of state and I am sure we will get used to this term for this holiday. It is on this day we recognise and celebrate recipients of awards in the Order of Australia in recognition of Australians for their distinguished and conspicuous service. I am really pleased advise that two of our club members were recognised this year in the King’s Birthday honours – Ruth Picker AM, and Alan Wilson OAM.
July brings a unique charm as it marks the heart of winter. July is a month of cozy moments, where people find comfort in warm blankets, crackling fires, and hot beverages. Winter landscapes are transformed into breathtaking vistas, with misty mornings and the occasional dusting of snow on mountain peaks. Winter brings a sense of anticipation and introspection as we embrace the slower pace of life and contemplate the complex rituals of getting our PMCs to start on a cold, misty morning!
To celebrate winter this year we have two lovely runs, a midweek visit in July to Zagame Body Works followed by lunch at the Keilor Hotel and a
wonderful August Sunday morning run through the Dandenong Ranges to the Pine Grove Hotel in Upper Beaconsfield for lunch. The August run is dedicated to our partners who seldom get the opportunity to drive. On this run we are encouraging members to move over to the passenger seat or into the back seat and be chauffeured in style! More details to come.
Subscriptions are now due. We are encouraging members to renew promptly and certainly prior to our membership renewal deadline in order to
remain financial and eligible for VicRoads club permit scheme.
Finally, have you heard the story of the unfortunate Rolls-Royce owner who suffered the indignity of having his Spirit of Ecstasy stolen three times
from his Silver Wraith within a short space of time. He loudly decried on the last occasion ‘I wish they would stop stealing my Spirit of Ecstasy’ as he observed the mascot missing from his car. The thieves must have heard him. A few weeks later he was flabbergasted to find his car missing and the Spirit of Ecstasy laying on the ground where he had carefully parked the night before!
Howard Wraight