DG's Visits Week 17

After Stonehaven, it was time to head north to visit the Banchory-Ternan Club on Deeside. My thoughts that the rain could not get any worse were totally misplaced. Windscreen wipers struggled to cope and a more appropriate form of transport might have been a WW2 amphibious landing craft, as large volumes of water swept down the roads. The sanctuary of the Burnett Arms was welcome indeed, as was the warm welcome in every sense of the Banchory Rotarians. This is another Club with a wide range of projects which they support, and a special interest in young people, both overseas and at home. Their support for Shelterbox is so welcome at this time when all existing resources have already been used. The Club has embraced the concept of 'forward planning' with a vengeance, taking a long hard look at what might follow on, once polio has been consigned to the footnotes of history. Top of their list is malaria, another appalling affliction of Mankind which can and does kill millions. It has no respect for health or wealth, as many have found to their cost in the past. However, protection can be provided at relatively low costs. As always, this, allied with education, will be essential to success. There is a prospective world-wide Rotary project here. Certainly, within District 1010, I believe that a number of Clubs working together will achieve far greater success and leverage, than any Club working on its own. I wish President Jim and his fellow Rotarians every success in taking their proposals forward to a much wider audience. The return drive home was an experience, but not one to be readily sought out or repeated. The possibility of the short route over Cairn o' Mount was rapidly dismissed on reports of roads washed away by flooding, and even the well tried Slug Road had assumed all the characteristics of a water slalom course. The tendency to aquaplane under these condition was happily easily overcome by the excellent elctronic control systems built into the car. However, our own front door was a very welcome sight.