July 26, 2025
At first glance, it didn’t seem like the best idea—mid-winter camping in July? But we rolled with it, and the weekend certainly lived up to its chilly reputation! With wind and rain making themselves known, several attendees scrambled for alternate sleeping arrangements—some even opting to sleep in their vehicles. Paul Twohill brought out his trusty camper trailer, which, we were assured, takes less than one beer to erect!
Despite the weather, the facilities at the scout grounds were fabulous. We all gathered around the warm, inviting fire in the kitchen until the scout leader called it a night. We were joined by five Scouts and one venturer, who brought great youthful energy to the event - and generously donated $170 to the ShelterBox Fundraising efforts. The two Sams took charge of the BBQ and had them all fed in no time.
In recent weeks, there’s been plenty of buzz about the opening of Mitras Kebabs in Yass, so it seemed only fitting to elevate our dinner menu to kebabs on the night—they were a hit! Many even went back for seconds.
We had a few visitors drop by, too—Ken and Deb popped out to join us for dinner and offer their support. Our District Governor also made an appearance, fresh off his trip to Canada, with exciting tales from the Rotary Conference and clubs in the Northern Hemisphere.
To top things off, Simon generously decanted a prize bottle of Grandfather Port he’d won at the Boorowa Changeover—and like a true Rotarian, he shared it with the group.
Most of us managed a few hours of sleep before the kookaburras called us to a new day. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast together before packing up and heading off to attend the District Changeover.
A huge thank you to all our supporters—and to those who gave so generously—we’re thrilled to share that we’ve now raised over $13,000! The donations continue to roll in, with many other clubs sending their apologies along with kind wishes and support. Your generosity and encouragement mean the world to us and will make a real difference. Thank you for helping make the Off the Grid Challenge 2025 a success!
