LAST WEEK'S MEETING 23/01/08

Our meeting this week was a fellowship meeting. We have 32 of our own members in attendance, with Lynne Corrinder being welcomed as our only guest.

Gerry Grant announced that an Aqua Box had been sponsored by Stuart McCallum and it was agreed that Club members are to pack the box with a range of survival items.

Gerry announced that over 79,000 boxes have been dispatched from the UK in the last 16 years and explained that AQUABOX is a robust plastic tank with water purification tablets and packed with essential welfare items for a disaster situation.

Once the welfare contents have been removed (supplied by club rotarians), each AQUABOX can be used to purify up to 1100 litres of polluted water, making it safe and pleasant to drink. As an example, 1100 litres is equal to 5,000 cups - that is enough for a family of four people (drinking 10 cups per day) for about four months.

Members and guests to our blog are invited to visit the Aqua Box web site at http://www.aquabox.org/ for more details.

Our next meeting on 30th January 2008 will be a general business meeting.

LOCH NESS HELP OUT AT INVERNESS'S FIRST "SANTA FUN RUN"

Almost 300 fun-runners dressed as Santa Clause were helped and guided on their way throughout the City by the Rotarians from the Loch Ness and Culloden clubs.

The festive Rotarians were delighted to help out the first Santa Six which recently in the streets of Inverness in the lead up to Christmas week.

The event organised by Nairn based company WildDaysOut was set up to help worthy overseas causes. It was designed as a fun and festive way for all members of the family to come together and run to help those less fortunate.

Vice-President of the Loch Ness club, Jim Cockburn commented, “We were approached by one of our members to see if we would be willing to help out with this very worth cause. And as the charitable objectives fell so closely in line with our own Rotarian values, there was no question we were going to assist.

“We had 7 of our own members involved, with our numbers being boosted by other Rotarians from the Inverness Area.

Mr Cockburn continued, “It was an absolutely super day, and the event was granted a fine and crisp winters day for the run to take place. It was great to see so many people to get into the swing of Christmas by running in the first Highland Santa run, but it was really pleasing to see it turn into a real family event.

He concluded, “Although some of the Rotarians that took part in the stewarding of the event may still have been thawing out a couple of days later, I am positive that Loch Ness along with the other clubs will be keen to be involved as this event gets bigger and bigger each year.”

LAST WEEK'S MEETING- 16/01

This week the club were treated to a very informative talk from Debbie Gallacher from the Crocus Group in Inverness which offers child bereavement support services to childen who may have lost a close member of the family or close friend.

During a somewhat eye-opening presenation, Debbie focused on the groups "Days to Remember", for a small group of children aged 6-12 years. Days will be held several times a year and the day will involve a programme of activities to allow the children to meet together and encourage open communication about their experiences and the person who has died.

The session for the children aims to:

• Provide the child with an opportunity to meet other bereaved children.


• Give the child the opportunity to accept the reality of death.


• Educate about the grief process.


• Acknowledge the different feelings which children may experience.


• Facilitate the child's understanding about what has happened.

Following her presentation Debbie was presented with a cheque for £250 on behalf of the club from Mike Young.

When our meeting was over, one of our members (who wishes to remain anonymous) offered to make a personal donation of £1,000 to the Crocus Group in recognition of the very valuable work they do for children throughout the Highlands.

Our next week's meeting (23/01) will have a speaker and will start at the normal time in the Waterside Hotel.