Coffs Harbour Daybreak Community Service--Annual Report.

By Carol Austin 2004-2005 Community Service Director--sharing our year with 9650.

The Committee looked at a number of projects for the year however time ran out before all could be completed. Many of our projects were fund raisers which left little time this year for purely community activities.

Recipe Book - To Celebrate 100 years Of Rotary 1905–2005 - We produced a recipe book that will always be unique to our Rotary Daybreak Club. I would like to thank all those Rotarians and friends who supported us in this project, the original concept being created for the Centenary of Australia in 2001 when 500 copies were printed and sold. We gave it a new cover, increased the number of recipes and graphics and added the very special numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Not just a cookbook- but a collection of recipes of the past and present collected for the future, a history with an Australian flavour compiled from contributions from club members, their relatives (past and present) and friends. The standards were set very high, and I think that we did achieve this with minimal cost and a lot of hard work. With Noel Austin doing all the page layout and editing we avoided the high commercial cost of having this produced outside the club – thanks Noel! I had a tremendous amount of fun producing all the drawings for the book also. Feedback has been received describing it as the best recipe book that some have ever seen, and far too cheap! 250 copies were printed, currently very few are left with all profits going to the Towers Of Strength project.

The Combined Annual Playgroup BBQ, at the Jetty Foreshores - Held in perfect weather one October Tuesday morning, because all the little folk have sleep-time by the afternoon. The BBQ kept Noel Austin and myself very busy, feeding hungry parents and helpers. Sausages, bread, tomato sauce, and ice blocks, all together in some cases, plus cans and poppers raised $200.

The Tree of Joy 2004 - Many Thanks to Vincent Joseph for his help in organizing this annual event with assistance from PBP where the public donate gifts for the tree, spreading a little joy for children at Christmas. The St. Vincent de Paul Society in Coffs Harbour distribute the toys for us each year.

Rotary Bowel Scan - March 2005 - 75 kits at $6.00 each were sold this year, at the Ocean Swim, Jetty Markets and within the club.

Trivia Night 2005 - And such a frolic it was on 6th May.at the Catholic Club. TOS profited by over $4,000 on the night. We went with the theme of Flower Power, not so much as a return to the 70’s, but with essence of flowers, their power and life source, and our life source/force for the TOS Project for our children and safety on our beaches. This force was so strong on the night, it was one of the best Trivia nights ever. Thanks to all the team and the club. Special thanks to Noel Austin, Gary Austin, John Townsend, Geoff Booth, Judy Elliot, our markers Ingrid, Judy and Margaret.

We recognize and say thank you for the mammoth efforts of both Loretta Rigby and John Clark for the Towers of Strength project and John also for the Ocean Swim. These projects are under the umbrella of Community Service but because of the enormity of the task at hand, stand alone as individual projects.

Thanks for a year of interesting events, and for the most valued support of our Rotary Daybreak Club. It has been a privilege for me to serve as Community Director this year and I wish Noel all the best for next year.