President David Rankin receiving the President's Jewel from Immediate Past President John Kerr

President David's Inaugural Address
President David Rankin first and most pleasant duty was to hand the retiring President his Past President's Jewel. David then told us that nine years ago he had felt both privileged and honoured to become part of an organisation that he had admired for so many years. He was in fact the first inducted member of the then one-year-old Club. This honour and privilege had just been exceeded by his becoming the first President of the
Club in the new Millennium and in the Club's 10th year. The theme of RI President Frank Devlyn is Create Awareness and Take Action and this was how President David saw our Club contributing to this theme. Rotary has seen many changes over the years, many for the better, for example the inclusion of ladies, but there is an underlying problem every Rotary Club faces and that is the acceptance of change. We are all getting older and without the infusion of new blood we will not have a Rotary Movement. If we fail to heed those signs, and the need for change, Rotary will be extinct by 2030.
By far the most single worrying trend in our Club is dwindling numbers, and this is prevalent in both District 1010 and in Rotary generally. We have seen so many members pass through our ranks and leave so we have to ask ourselves why? Are they just not enjoying themselves enough?  Do we tend to take them for granted? Worse still do we ignore them and make them feel unwelcome? Membership has become the focus of RI President Frank Devlyn's year. For his part David thought his contribution to a strong membership drive during 2000/2001 would be to use the "F" Word! The Club must become Forward thinking, encourage and enjoy the Fellowship of others, Facilitate and try to accommodate the needs of others, look to the Future with a positive attitude. If we try to Follow the Rotary Ideals we shall encourage Fresh and renewed enthusiasm allowing us to build upon and already strong Foundation. Let us not Forget that we are all in Rotary to uphold the Rotary ideals of, " Service before Self", within our community, our country and our world. While we are doing all these things we should be making it Fun . Finally target the under Forties as the future of Rotary lies with the next generation. Aim for quality not quantity. He then went on to outline his plans for the year. RI President's and District Governor's projects are Literacy of Young Women in under developed countries. The future of these countries depends on the young women who become mothers being able to impart information to their children and thus raise the ability to read and write. Sight Savers is the other principal charity to be supported by Rotary in 2000/2001. 
President David would also like to see the Club, through the Community and Vocational Committee, support the following projects - Life Education Centres, Challenge Enterprise, Camp RYLA, Primary Schools Quiz, and Birnie and Gadden Loch projects, through International Committee, the GSE Teams, Aqua boxes, Foundation Dinners, Sight Savers, Literacy for Young Women, and the English Teacher programme and, through the Club as a whole, membership retention and recruitment.
The new President then asked the Committee Chairmen to outline their plans for the Rotary Year ahead. David Pollard would be Club Secretary, and Oliver Will would be the new Treasurer, returning to familiar ground.
Before outlining his programme, as Club Service chairman, Sandy Matthew handed on to his successor, David Pollard, the Jack Moore memorial Secretary's Badge of Office. David would become the Club's fourth secretary.
Sandy then stated that for the following year the programme would be much as for this year, but of course the Charter Dinner on 1st September was the first major item and would occupy his committee over the summer months. We would again carry out potato sales in the run up to Christmas. There would be the usual Christmas Party for Pensioners.  In the New Year we would have the Rotary Lecture if we could find a suitable and impressive speaker to maintain the high standard already set. The Ceilidh would again be held in March and we would have the Charity Golf Day if we could once again persuade St Michael's to give us the privilege of the use of their course. The Club Service Committee is Norrie Bennett, (Public Relations) Wilf Cameron, Nigel Campion (Sports Officer), Sandy Davis, Sandy Green, and Robin Rippin (Speakers).
Sandy Rennie Community and Vocational Service then outlined his projects for the ensuing 12 months - Life Education Centres, Challenge Enterprise, RYLA, Primary Schools Quiz, Birnie and Gadden Loch, Kinloch House Day Centre, and anything else that should come to his attention during the year. His committee was Ronnie Black, John Ewan, Andrew Kennedy, Charles Samson, and James Storrar.
Andy Thomson continuing as Chairman of International & Foundation advised the Club that he would continue with the "Bull", with Aqua boxes, and possibly Shoe Boxes, he would support Sight Savers, and he would try and find out about literacy in young women. Foundation Dinners would again be a part of the programme for 2000/ 2001

Romeo & Juliet at Falkland Palace

10th Charter Dinner
What a night!!!! To those who were unable to attend - you missed an evening of good company, good food and good wine. All who came agreed that, from the moment the piper greeted the guests outside the hotel until the last 'tired and emotional' rotarian left,  the evening was an unqualified success.
President David can now relax a little and get on with life as he used to know it.
The only slight hitch which gave him cause for concern happened at the start of the evening when he was told that guest of honour, (and main speaker), the Rt. Hon. Menzies Campbell, CBE QC MP, was caught in a traffic jam, caused by an accident, in Edinburgh. However, he eventually arrived and the celebrations started only a few minutes later than planned.

Nine of our ten Past Presidents managed to attend and are seen here on the left with President David.
Back row (L-R) Bill Inglis, John Ewan, Eric King, Bert Dalrymple, Jim Storrar, Oliver Will, Sandy Rennie.
Front (L-R) John Kerr, David Rankin, Bob Simson.

Most of our members attended, (right) along with Rotarians from our Mother Club, Cupar, North Fife, Kinross, St. Andrew, St. Andrews Kilrymont, Perth, Leven, Ellon,  Dundee. Eleven former members also managed to join us for the celebration.

(left) - Before dinner John Ewan, David Pollard and

John Kerr entertain George Caithness - one of the team that helped form the Club 10 years ago. While, (right), Jim Storrar, Andrew Kennedy, Sandy Green & Eric King discuss other matters of importance

Top Table (L-R) Asst. Dist. Gov. Joe Rosiejak, Rt. Hon. Menzies Campbell, Pres. David Rankin, Dist Gov. Gus McDonald, Past Pres. Bob Simson.

At eight o'clock members and guests were invited to take their seats for dinner and sat down to a menu of

Cream of Asparagus Soup
Home-made Chicken Liver Pate served with
Oatcakes & a Cumberland Sauce
oOo
Casserole of Venison Laced with Red Wine
& Juniper Berries
Poached Salmon in a Saffron Bouillon
with Prawn and Brandy Cream
 with a Seasonal Salad and Boiled New Potatoes
oOo
Apple & Cinnamon Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream
Cheese & Biscuits
oOo
Coffee & Mints

He was awarded the CBE in the 1987 New Years Honours list and is presently Chief spokesman for the Liberal Democrats on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Europe and has been a Member of the House of Commons Select Committees on Members Interests, Trade & Industry and Defence.

Mr. Campbell entertained us with a highly amusing speech punctuated with many hilarious stories and took great pleasure in mentioning that he was glad to see the ribbons attached to the majority of the Rotary jewels present were a delightful Liberal yellow. He then surprised the company by informing us that the year spent at Stanford University, as a postgraduate student, was with help from Rotary Foundation. It is his firm belief that, 'the success of Rotary is due to the universality of the movement and  because boundaries, within the movement, are considered irrelevant'. He finished by wishing the Club well for the future.

The business now being over the rest of the evening was spent in good company  - renewing old friendships and forging new ones

RYLA Candidates Visit 10th October 2000
We had the pleasure of listening to the two young representatives we sent to RYLA this evening. They entertained us with stories of their experiences of hill trekking and gorge walking and how, initially, they felt

Re-Solv
Recently, through the good work of our Community and Vocational Committee and its convenor, Sandy Rennie the Club is doing its best to help Re-Solv, the National Charity which works solely to prevent deaths,crimes and suffering from solvent and volatile substance abuse, (VSA).
Each week an average of 1 - 2 young people die from solvent abuse. No child is immune and death frequently occurs at the first experiment - the youngest child to die from VSA was only 7 years of age. There have been 975 recorded deaths in the last 10 years - about seven times the number from using ecstasy.
Recent changes in legislation now prevent the sales of lighter fluid to under 18's and a staff awareness video for retailers, "A Loaded Gun", is now available from your Rotary District Community and Vacational Chairman
Sandy got hold of the video and lent it to Sands of Kinross, a small retail group who own a number of stores in our area and they used it for staff training purposes. Let's hope that by supporting Re-solv we can help to reduce this unacceptable toll of young lives.
If you wish to find out more about Re-Solve visit their web site at www.re-solv.org

At the start of the new millennium two of our members were at a function when a lady died from a heart attack and despite attending a Heartstart class, with the Club, some four years previously they found they were unsure of what to do. Later, in June, another of our members suffered a mild, "cardiac experience".
It was decided, therefore, that it was time for re-training and tonight we were fortunate to be able to call on the services of Carole Bennett, the superintendent III physiotherapist in charge of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Perth Royal Infirmary, Brenda Cottam, the Resuscitation Training Officer at P.R.I and "Resuscie Annie", their training dummy, to take us through the scenario of what to do when you find someone who has collapsed from a heart attack.

Carole attempts to "waken Resuscie Annie" before calling  first for help and then for an ambulance.

Recovery rate of cardiac cases that happen outwith hospitals in Scotland is a very poor 15% - 17% as there are too few people who are trained in what to do. The government has now realised this and are now encouraging training programmes to improve the situation. Numerous patients survive heart attacks - the heart is a muscle which can repair. Most damage is done to the brain after it has been deprived of oxygen for more than three minutes. It is not so easily repaired - if at all.
It was obvious from the attention paid to the speakers and the numerous, and involved, questions asked afterwards that the demonstration was well appreciated and seldom has a vote of thanks been so well deserved. After the meeting's business was over every member stayed behind to be given individual instruction on one of the dummies.
The evening was judged such a success that another evening is to be arranged at the Perth Royal Infirmary training centre so that we can participate in the full 2 hour course of instruction.
Many thanks Ladies - not only one of the most instructive evenings we have held but also one of the most enjoyable.

Coping with Life & Coping with Bullying CD-ROMs November 2000
The Rotary 'Coping with Life' & Coping with Bullying' CD-ROMs have just been recognised by the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners. The 'Coping with Life series was recognised as the best Community Crime Prevention project while 'Coping with Bullying was nominated by the UK Director of ISCPP and beat competition from all over the world.
The Club took part in the initiative by presenting the CDs to all the primary schools in the Howe of Fife area and we are now awaiting the results of a questionnaire sent to them.

Christmas Charity Appeal 1st December 2000
Once again, for the fifth year in succession, the Club is using it's tried and trusted formula for raising charity monies.
Cavaghan & Gray's Potato Trading Division have come up trumps once more and donated 10 tons, (that's 400 bags), of Maris Piper potatoes and our thanks go to them for their continuing generosity and support.
We would also like to thank Taypack potatoes for donating the paper bags, R. Mitchell of Drumdreel Farm, Strathmiglo for grading and bagging the potatoes for us and J & J Andrews of Ladybank for providing the transport. Without their help we would not be able to as much as we are now able to do.

President David thanks Gus Farmer of Cavaghan and Gray for the potatoes

For the next three weekends, until the 17th December we will sell the potatoes in the car park at the Deer Centre at Letham on Saturdays and Sundays and continue during the weeks ahead by visiting the towns and villages in the Howe of Fife area delivering door to door.
The first weekend saw a brisk start to the sales drive. Our arrival at the Deer Centre was timed to co-incide with the arrival of Santa Claus, a Kingdom Radio road show, the lighting up of the Christmas lights and a fireworks display.

The Courtyard at the Deer Centre

John Ewan, John Kerr and Norrie Bennett three tons of tatties were sold over the first two days.This year we
found 'regulars' waiting for us to appear and as a result, eight days later, victims of our own success, we were forced to stop selling as we had sold the full ten tons.
With donations this year we raised £2075. A simple, but effective, idea which only requires a bit of effort and which also helps build fellowship within the Club.

Christmas Senior Citizens Party 19th December 2000
The year 2000 has come and nearly gone and for our last meeting of the year  President David,and his wife Rita, hosted the Club's Christmas dinner. Members and their wives welcomed 16 guests from 14 organisations

throughout the area to a traditional meal of turkey and Christmas pud with music, dancing, carol singing and entertainment afterwards.
The Guests of Honour this year were Algy Groombridge and his wife Joyce. Algy is the current President of the Probus Club started by the Club in 1994.

Its Party Time

Other organisations represented were the Auchtermuchty Tuesday Lunch Club, the Auchtermuchty Wednesday Lunch Club, Falkland Lunch Club, Falkland Senior Citizens Club, Freuchie Over 50's Discussion Group,

Some of our guests enjoying their evening

Kettle Wednesday Club, Ladybank Friendship Club, Ladybank Old Peoples Lunch Club, Newburgh Age Concern, Newburgh Thursday Club, Strathmiglo Lunch Club and Strathmiglo Friendship Club.

Take your partners for a St. Bernard's waltz

This year music was provided by Johnnie Walker and Jack Suttie - two gentlemen who can boast that they not only played at a couple's wedding but were then invited to return to play at their golden wedding.

Merry Christmas Everybody

Auld Lang Syne

The Shoe Box appeal is a Rotary scheme started by District 1280, (north and west of Manchester plus the Isle of Man. Visit www.rotary1280.org/shoebox for more info.), in 1994 and became a national RIBI scheme in 1997.
Boxes, the same dimensions as a shoe box, are filled with gifts for underprivileged children in eastern and central Europe and distribution is overseen by the Spurgeons Child Care Organisation or the contacts of International Aid Trust to ensure that the gifts go to those most in need.
In excess of 150,000 boxes of gifts have already been sent out in addition to medical equipment and large toys

Honorary Member, January 2001
For our first official engagement of the year we decided to hold a special meeting and gathered with our wives and guests, Dis. Gov. Gus McDonald and Dist. Gov. Elect Bill Moodie, to welcome the Rt. Hon. Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC, MP as the first Honorary member of our Club.

President David and  Rita welcoming Menzies and Elspeth

He was invited to become a member after he spoke at our 10th Charter dinner - an invitation he accepted  immediately.
During his inauguration President David read from Menzies' impressive CV, (a  résumé of which can be read further up this page),  then asked Dist. Gov. Elect Bill Moodie to remind everybody of the Rotary Motto, 'Service before Self', and the 4 way test

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Rotarian the Rt Hon Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC, MP.

In his reply Menzies thanked the Club for the great honour it had bestowed on him by making him the Club's first honorary member and promised that, although his Parliamentary duties would not allow him to attend as often as he would like, he would look forward to attending as often as possible to share in the friendship and informality of the Club and in the Fellowship of Rotary.
Before he sat down he promised the company that it was now going to be his proud boast to add Honorary Rotarian to his already lengthy CV.
Dist. Gov. Gus then replied for the guests by commenting that someone who had spent a lifetime devoted to serving the community and country would not have a problem living by the Rotary motto or its 4 way test and welcomed the new member to the World of Rotary.

First Lady Member, 23rd January 2001
Back in December 1998 we voted favourably on the issue of becoming a dual gender Club and tonight we welcomed Maggie Anne MacIver as our first lady member.

 Rotarian was all about and asked not to be treated any differently to other members. Maggi will join the International and Foundation Committee.
Congratulations Maggie. We know you have what it takes and wish you all the very best for your future in Rotary

New Club Banner
After 10 years our old Club signs were beginning to show signs of distress and the Council decided to replace them with a new one. Various designs were put forward and eventually the Club selected the one designed by Rotarian Norrie Bennett shown below..
It is 10 ft. x 3 ft and shows the Thane of Fife within the Rotary International Blue and Gold wheel on a blue background. Besides showing the Club's RIBI Number it also advertises our website address.

Third Annual Rotary Lecture, March 2001.
Despite the current foot and mouth epidemic, which is devastating the rural communities at present, about 100 people turned up to our third Annual Lecture at Fernie Castle.
In President David's absence Senior Vice President Sandy Matthew greeted the guests with a glass of wine and introduced the speaker for the night.

Sadly due to a mix up in travel arrangements for a lecture at Harvard University Professor Paul Wilkinson of St. Andrews University was unable to attend and in his absence we were very fortunate to have one of his team, Dr Oliver Richmond, to breach the gap.
Dr. Richmond was appointed to the post of Lecturer in International Relations at the University in September last year therefore joining a team which are regarded universally as authorities on the subject of terrorism. In addition he is also a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Terrorism and Political Violence in St. Andrews. He spent six years as first, an Assistant Professor, and then as an Associate Professor of International Relations at Intercollege Nicosia, Cyprus, hence his expertise on the subject of his Lecture - 'The Greco Turkish problem of Cyprus'
In addition to all this he has also produced numerous papers, articles and chapters on Terrorism and Peacekeeping and his first book 'Meditating in Cyprus' was published in 1998 and two further works will be

 published later this year.
The audience thoroughly enjoyed Dr.Richmond's talk and this was proved by the lively question time afterwards. Indeed Dr. Richmond's arguments were so convincing that he had one member of the audience querying the wisdom of his going on holiday to the island in the very near future.
At the end of the evening VP Sandy then introduced District Governor Elect Bill Moodie who gave the vote of thanks.

School Quiz, March 2001
This year eight teams of excited school children and their supporters came to Fernie Castle on one of our club nights to take part in the Primary School Quiz.

Annual Ceilidh Dance, March 2001.
Once again members and their guests assembled at the Strathmiglo Village Hall to dance and make merry at our annual Charity Ceilidh dance. Unfortunately attendance was down from last year due to the current foot and mouth scare, (one of the problems of being a rural Club), however, about eighty hardy souls still turned up to enjoy the night and dance to the Herculean Ceilidh band before braving the heavy snow to get home.
The Club would like to thank everyone who attended for their generosity, and to everybody who donated prizes for the raffle as, once more, a great deal of money was raised for charity.

The Good Shepherd Project.
On the 20th March we had the good fortune to have a very selfless young lady called Morven Collington visit us as our speaker and talk to us of a project she is heavily involved in.
The project, 'The Good Shepherd Project', is a Brazilian Charity which works with street children who have run away from abusive homes in the shanty towns and slum areas bordering the cities. Its aim is to give the children and their families the hope and encouragement they need to break free from the misery of poverty, neglect, alcoholism, drug abuse, physical and sexual abuse and crime.
Morven held the membership's total attention as she related story after story of the horrors she had experienced and made light of the personal danger she put herself in from drug dealers as she patrolled the streets at night on the lookout for these children.
But the most amazing fact which emerged was when she informed us that her efforts were self financed and that she had only returned to this country to work so that she could earn more money to finance another trip back to Brazil.
At the next council meeting the Club decided that such selfless dedication should only be encouraged and we will make a sizable donation to Morven's expenses.

Ladybank Golf Club Captain v Vice Captain's Match April 2001.

The Club once again were sponsors of Ladybank Golf Club's opening matches of the season - the Captains v the Vice Captains matches.
In the men's match the vice-captains team led by Dougal McGregor beat the Gus Lindsay's captain's team as did the ladies team led by vice-captain Liz McKenzie. The ladies captain's team is Janice Dewar. In President David's absence Past President Bill Inglis is seen presenting the quaich to the winner.

Annual Charity Golf Day St. Michael's Golf Club
Once again it is May and time for our annual golf outing to St. Michael's Golf Club at Leuchars. 18 teams of 4 met for lunch and then waited eagerly for the sound of the shotgun at 1o'clock so that they could drive off in the 2001 tournament. The afternoon, which is now very popular and an annual event on many calendars, was acclaimed to be such a success that some of the teams have already booked for next year. Credit must go to the organiser treasurer Oliver Will for all the effort he puts in to his meticulous planning. The only thing he did not organise was the weather and we had to make do with a couple of heavy showers and a blustery wind. However, it did not matter and 72 tired but happy golfers returned later to the clubhouse for a appetising buffet meal and the results of the raffle and the tournament. And who won?- All the charities which will benefit from everybody's generosity. Many thanks to you all - see you next year.

I mprovement works at Birnie/Gaddon Lochs using Landfill Tax Funds

Birnie Loch, once quarried by Pioneer Aggregates, was officially handed over to North East Fife District Council in June 1991.
It is a well established wetland made up of open water and a large marsh which is the main nesting area for birds and an important breeding ground for insects and amphibians. Over 100 species of birds as well as many types of mammals, insects and over 100 varieties of wild flowers contribute to the success of the site and in 1994 Birnie Loch was the Supreme Winner of the Scottish Environmental Regeneration Awards.
Gaddon Loch was created by Fife Sand and Gravel in much the same way as Birnie Loch and was officially opened to the public in October 1966. It has a different character to Birnie and attracts different kinds of wildlife such as wading birds that prefer open area on which to roost.

Benefactors and Beneficiaries Dinner, May 2001.
The objects of all the fund raising that we do is to pass the money on to the Charities and Community projects of our choice. Over the year we have listened to many deserving cases and tonight we invited representatives from these organisations to our weekly meeting to accept cheques to help them in their quests.
President David hosted the dinner and in welcoming the guests thanked all those who had made this night possible by supporting the Club and by helping us to raise the monies that we were glad to give out.

Primary School Essay Competition
This year the Club decided to re-instate the School's Essay Competition and invited all primary six and seven pupils, from the schools in our area, to take part by writing an essay about the following subject.

"Select a local area about which you feel strongly about and suggest imaginative ways in which it could be improved"

This is not a just topic in isolation as it may be possible for us to implement the ideas in the future The winner will receive a trophy, a book token and be invited to read their entry at a future meeting and certificates of commendation will also be presented to the runners up.
The winner was Laura Farrington, Primary 7, Strathmiglo Primary, with her essay "Community Mud Lands", a copy is printed below),and certificates of commendation will be given to Gareth Anderson P7 Strathmiglo for "Crow's Wood Strathmiglo",. Kayleigh McQueen P7 Newburgh for "Improving Newburgh", Claire McDonald P7 Kettle for "The Quarry", and Robbie Williamson P7 Kettle for "Changes I would make on the School".
Rotarian Andrew Kennedy, who organised the event would like to thank Joan Donald, a teacher friend, who helped him judge the essays and has invited her along as a guest of the Club on the night that the prizes are presented.

Club Assembly, June 2001.
And so to the end of a busy and fruitful year.
President David took the chair for the last time remarking that it did not seem anything like a year since he first took office. In a PowerPoint presentation he outlined the  club's activities and individually thanked the convenors and the members for their support in helping his year as president to run so smoothly, efficiently,

President's Barbeque, July 2001
President David's last act as President was to invite us all to his retirement barbie. As usual Sandy and Dianne Matthew graciously offered the use of Gorno Grove and so on Sunday 8th July members, wives and guests met at 12.30 for another fantastic afternoon of food, festivity and frivilous fun.