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A Rotary team consisting of three members of the Pakuranga Rotary , Peter Armstrong, Don Lawry, Chris Ward, and his ex-classmate Howard Scott and Dennis Kavanagh (Don’s friend), has just returned from 12 days in Fiji on the island of Taveuni.
The team had a very successful time there assisting a group of local builders, by helping to construct a 2-classroom block in the village of Bouma. While the local builders laid the concrete slab and started laying the blockwork forming the walls of the classroom, the Rotary boys constructed the roof trusses. They then painted these with two coats of undercoat and continued by painting the 75 sheets of ceiling panels. In total, Don worked out that we painted 810 square meters, the equivalent of 4 full sized tennis courts.
Rotarian Geoffrey Amos and his team of locals wonderfully looked after the Rotary boys. We were proud to help support the Rotary Club of Taveuni Island.
This project is a great example of Rotary In Action, and we all felt privileged to represent Pakuranga Rotary in assisting in an international project.
Pakuranga Rotary has initiated some wonderful community projects. Beginning all those years ago when Rotarians started the famed Rotary Walkway and over recent times, the joint projects with the Howick Local Board at Bramley Reserve.
Included in those projects is the Snakes and Ladders Playground which was showcased on the front cover of the Howick Local Board’s recent report. Rotary projects can have a wider use in terms of projecting our image into the community than we ever thought possible.
Charter members - Bill Duncan and Bob Ritchie have been reflecting on the impact that Pakuranga Rotary has made in the community for nearly 50 years. I wonder what Pakuranga Rotary is envisaging for 2019 and future community projects?
During November and early December Viki toured the South Island with Rotary Exchange Students - Getting to know more of what New Zealand has to offer and making life-long friends.
Click on the link below to see more
Pakuranga Rotary now has 16 Council registered rat catchers! Don, Sylvie and Ron have all had good results and between them, have eradicated 5 rats.
Please remember to log your catches on the CatchIt database (you all have your access codes). Even if you do not yet have a trap, you can still visit www.catchit.co.nz and see what has been caught in your street.
Congratulations to Pakuranga Rotary and special thanks to President Duncan for this new and very worthwhile environmental community service!
The Rotary walkway was built and laid in stages by members and volunteers of the Pakuranga Rotary with the assistance of Council and community sponsorship. It was completed in 2014 when some widening and replacing of older parts of the walkway also took place.
The Pakuranga Rotary shared pathway has become a very popular walk or ride stretching 9km from Prince Regent Drive in Farm Cove to the Panmure Bridge adjacent to the Pakuranga Town Centre. The path weaves past the Pakuranga Sailing Club and offers great views up and down the Tamaki River.
Top Schools is held annually, generally on a Sunday at Edgewater College in Pakuranga, Auckland Organised and supervised by the Pakuranga Rotary, teams from the local schools take part in a range of sports type activities. The emphasis is on co-operation, teamwork as well as friendly inter-school competition. Teams are mixed with students from Year 3 - Year 6.
In 2008 the Bill and Lorna Boyd Charitable Trust, in conjunction with Pakuranga Rotary, implemented a Rotary Dictionary Project for NZ. The intent was that Rotary clubs throughout NZ would supply Year 4 students (8 to 9 year olds), in low decile schools, with their own named copy of an illustrated dictionary. The dictionary chosen has proven to be superb with a huge uptake by Rotary clubs nationwide
Pakuranga Rotary has, for 21 years, run a Charity Fishing Competition with the major proceeds going to Coastguard. Named the “Catch a Top Day Out” it is held around March each year.
Pakuranga Rotary arranges for groups of corporate guests to go out on a launch fishing competition in the inner Hauraki Gulf. Each boat is supplied with fish bait, lunch and refreshments, with the day finishing in the evening with a meal on Motuihe Island and prize giving. We are always looking for more launch owners who would be interested in making their boat available for this fun and memorable fundraising event. If you have a launch and would be keen to help both Pakuranga Rotary and Coastguard, please get in touch with us on the contact us page.
The Fijian Pre-Schools projects are an ideal example of Auckland based Rotary clubs working together and matching up with an Island club to complete much needed and valuable multipurpose community assets.
In conjunction with the Taveuni Island Rotary, Pakuranga Rotary has been the lead and coordinator for building five preschools over the past 10 years, two in the village of Naselesele, one in the village of Bouma, both on the island of Tavueni plus one each on the islands of Rabi and Kioa. Pakuranga Rotary designed, arranged funding for and coordinated the construction of the preschool classrooms in those island villages. The design and specification work was completed by Stuart Thompson and the completed school rooms are multipurpose also being used as village meeting halls, housing and as refuge centres in cyclones.
Gary Braid is a former rugby union footballer who represented New Zealand playing for the All Blacks. Two of his sons, Luke and Daniel both have played rugby to a high level
Gary attended Otumoetai College where he played football before taking up rugby and making the first XV in his last year at high school. Braid made his debut for Bay of Plenty in 1981 as a lock playing 124 games for the province, achieving captaincy in 1991. He made the All Blacks in 1983 and played in eleven games including two test matches He was loaned to North Harbour in 1986.
In later years Gary coached the Auckland University RFC in the Auckland Premier competition, plus took on other coaching roles overseas. He is currently part owner of the "The Kingslander" pub in Auckland, has his own IT Consultancy business and has recently completed coaching roles in Slovenia and Croatia.
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