50 Years Membership.
Stories
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
ChangeoverIt is that time of the year again! Club changeover. An invitation with details on registration and payment will be with you shortly. We hope you can make it.  |
||||||||||||||||||
Membership. It is always sad to have to farewell members. The club would like to recognise the service of two departing members: Guy who joined May 1996 (25 years of service) and Nick who joined June 2011 (10 years of service). Both have been actively engaged in the life of the club and will be greatly missed. We wish them all the best.  On the bright side we have welcomed back Peter Jollands, a past member who is re-joining the fold. Welcome back Peter. |
||||||||||||||||||
100 Years of Rotary The Weekend Herald on Saturday 20th devoted a full page to an abridged extract from Mana Tangata. People of Action. While our club sold 24 copies, all members will find the Herald piece enlightening. It traverses many of the contributions that New Zealand Rotary has made nationally and internationally and presents that work in a positive light. Much of the extract is devoted to the future of Rotary and the challenges facing the organisation. One statement stood out as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. “The survival of Rotary in New Zealand should not be taken for granted.” It outlines what members see as the issues facing clubs, some of the barriers to change and growth, and the form that clubs and the wider organisation might take in future years. Past World President Bill Boyd and former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand are quoted, “In just the same way as Rotary gave purpose to those lost in the social upheavals of the Great Depression or those who needed a new start after WWII, Rotary needs to move forward in the future with the same confidence, competence and commitment to make positive social change. This is our wero, our challenge to our fellow Rotarians.” I have scanned the full article. If you would like a copy of that email me and I will attach one. |
||||||||||||||||||
The observations of a headhunter.At our Monday evening meeting club members were entertained by Brian Dyke. Leaving school relatively early, Brian began work at NZ Post whereas luck would have it he was mentored and supported and soon found himself at university. By 1972, after a brief stint as Private Secretary to Roger Douglas it was into the new and growing area of merchant banking where he worked with the Chase Manhattan Bank, Broadbank and Marac Finance. “Masters of the universe” in a finance industry and stock market, subsequently described as the wild west, leading of course to the stock market crash which as Brian explained, New Zealand suffered more than other countries.  From finance to “head hunting”, more politely described as executive personnel recruitment, was the next career move. Brian focused on three main aspects of that industry. The first was the very high fees that consulting companies could charge and how that was often reflected in premises and the trappings that go with that. Secondly those fees aligned to the notion that “no one ever got fired for buying IBM” meant that candidate searches were expensive and often led to the appointment of overseas candidates, an approach experience has subsequently shown not always to be a wise strategy. Thirdly Brian explained that while giving the client companies a strong shortlist, often with one candidate who was outside the brief that the company had originally proposed, it was so very important to treat all candidates with respect. Finally, when talking about the selection of board members, Brian outlined the trend in New Zealand for people to be on many more boards than is the international benchmark. That was explained by relatively low directors’ fees and something of an old boys’ club. He gave the example of a recent board of a very large and high-profile company which had a board comprising 5 lawyers and 3 accountants and not one member with any background in the industry or associated industries the company was serving. |
||||||||||||||||||
A book worth reading.In the last Bulletin readers were invited to send in what they thought was a film worth watching, music worth listening to or a book worth reading. Kim has sent in her choice. The incredible, bestselling memoir of survival, hope and empowerment THE AWARD-WINNING SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  Edith Eger “The Choice”. Even in hell, hope can flower 'I'll be forever changed by her story' - Oprah Winfrey ‘Extraordinary … will stick with you long after you read it’ - Bill Gates 'One of those rare and eternal stories you don't want to end' - Desmond Tutu 'A masterpiece of holocaust literature. Her memoir, like her life, is extraordinary, harrowing and inspiring in equal measure' - The Times Literary Supplement ‘I can’t imagine a more important message for modern times. Eger’s book is a triumph' - The New York Times In 1944, sixteen-year-old ballerina Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents on arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. When the camp is finally liberated, she is pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive. The horrors of the Holocaust didn't break Edith. In fact, they helped her learn to live again with a life-affirming strength and a truly remarkable resilience. The Choice is her unforgettable story. It shows that hope can flower in the most unlikely places. |
||||||||||||||||||
Did you miss getting an invoice? On the 31st of May a copy of the book celebrating 100 years of Rotary, Mana Tangata. People of Action, was purchased but the keen reader to be forgot to leave their name and therefore has missed being invoiced. All the invoices have been completed now, so if you have a book but don't yet have an invoice please get in touch with Kim Collins, Treasurer. |
||||||||||||||||||
Fund Raising CommitteeFundraising Committee 14 June 2021 The fundraising committee has held its last meeting for this Rotary year. In a difficult year, punctuated by Covid lockdowns and the on-going possibility of further disruption the Committee nevertheless had an active year. Tambola Final figures from this fundraiser are therefore pending. Pudding income: Raising $1,017 this year David is hopeful we can increase sales outside the club in the future Meat raffle: A new initiative by Nick which in the short time it has been operating has raised $430. Car Boot sale: Another fundraising venture still in its infancy for our club. With some well-established competition from the Sallies car boot sale in Howick the incoming committee will have to decide whether to continue. Trade Me Sales: with club member donations of goods $462 was raised. This is a worthwhile and simple fundraiser and with provided more members support we can raise funds and declutter homes. Xmas Tarts: Sales generated a profit of $1,153. Carnival: Results discussed but final figure not yet available as calculations still underway. Committee thanks: The members were thanked for their willingness to participate and effort to raise funds in an unprecedently difficult and changing national / global situation. A vote of thanks to the Chair was passed for “the efficient & tireless work undertaken during the year” Gibbs Sculpture Farm: As advised, this event did not go ahead, due to the Trust closing the farm as a response to the Covid situation. All organization for this and the luncheon at the historical homestead is in place should someone want to run with it next year. Thank you Les, for your hard work and commitment. |
||||||||||||||||||
A few pictures from a great eveningApologies in advance. Hundreds of photos were taken and in publishing any in the Bulletin I run the risk of offending those not chosen. However at some point members will be able to access the photo gallery. Until then here are a few.     |
||||||||||||||||||
Image |
||||||||||||||||||
Scribes Report Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way. On Monday evening Kurt Meyer outlined the highlights of his 32 years in New Zealand’s Diplomatic Corps promoting the Kiwi way. After an initial stint in the Cook Islands assisting with the establishment of a Department of Human resources as the Cooks moved from an agrarian economy, Kurt was posted to our Embassy in Washington DC as Consul General under Ambassador Bill Rowling. The fall-out from New Zealand’s anti-nuclear stance meant that Invitations to the White House at that time were non-existent. However, it was not unusual for representatives of other countries to quietly signify their support of the New Zealand position.  Returning to the Pacific, Kurt was assigned to Nuie as High Commissioner just at a time that Air Nauru had cancelled the only regular jet service to the Island. The Island continues to be heavily reliant on NZ Aid and struggles with de-population. After a posting as Consul General in Brisbane, Kurt accepted an invitation to return as Consul-General to the Cook Islands with a focus on assisting the economic development of the outer islands. During question time, Kurt had some interesting insights about the effectiveness of diplomats who had become politicians and of politicians who, on retirement, had attempted to become diplomats. His experience in the Pacific also enabled him to answer a question from Ron French by outlining his concerns at the increasing influence of China in both Samoa and the Cook islands. Kurt was introduced and thanked by Dennis Kavanagh. |
||||||||||||||||||
A chance to help The Communicare bus that a number of us drove on a Monday is no longer being used for that purpose.However each Thursday the same bus is being used on a Thursday to do a shopping run for older people who need assistance.Many of them are the same people we drove on a Monday.They are picked up from their homes at around 9.00 am and taken to Pakuranga Plaza one week and to the Botany Town Centre every alternative week. The organisation which provides this service is looking for people who are willing to drive or to be the companion who assists them on and off the bus. If you are able to help get back to me. With plenty of helpers you are only rostered on once a month or less. |
||||||||||||||||||
During Covid Lockdown During the first and longest Covid lockdown I used the Bulletin as a vehicle for sharing between members and hopefully maintaining a sense of social connection in those unusual times. One thing that we did was to share our "best album ever recorded" and "best book ever written" selections. With a subscriber base of almost 200 I would be happy to use the bulletin to continue to share. Rather than the best book and best album how about sharing a brief review of some music you have recently discovered or a book you recently enjoyed?Your experience with that film, book, television series, podcast or music might lead another reader to try it out and benefit from your enthusiasm for it. |
||||||||||||||||||
A membership organisation During the final President Elect training session, District Governor of District 9640, Andy Rajapakse stated that "We are not just a charity, we are also a membership organisation."  I took that to mean, placing some focus on your members and meeting their needs is a valid and valuable thing to do. With that in mind the Bulletin contains a couple of items that have nothing to do with raising money or supporting the local community and everything to do with members sharing experiences and hopefully having fun doing so. I am no expert at this aspect of club life so when you read the bulletin and have a "light-bulb" moment about something else you think members could share, please get that idea back to me. |
||||||||||||||||||
Council on ResolutionsHello Club Presidents and Secretaries, and District Leaders. Re: Council on Resolutions (CoR) Each year there is an opportunity for clubs and districts to put forward proposed resolutions to RI. These are considered by district representatives by way of on-line voting. These are not to change RI constitutional documents (as is the case with the three-yearly Council on Legislation (CoL)), but rather if passed become recommendations to the RI Board or Foundation Trustees. RI is currently calling for submission of proposed Resolutions that will be voted on in Oct/Nov this year. There is a procedure to be followed for submitting Resolutions. A copy is attached. To meet the RI timetable it is necessary proposed Resolutions be adopted by Club members and forwarded to myself by 15th June. A process is then required for District endorsement. Please contact me if you would like assistance on any matter. It will be helpful if you can let me know in advance if your club is planning to put forward a proposed Resolution. As an aside I note proposed enactments (that deal with the RI constitutional documents) for the 2022 CoL were required to be submitted by 31 Dec 2020. Regards PDG Alan Eyes D9920 Representative for CoR & CoL 2021-2023. Email: alan.eyes.nz@gmail.com Phone: 0274 987364 |
||||||||||||||||||
A Musical opportunity.Music lovers here is a chance to get together to attend what promises to be a stunning musical event. Saturday 24th of July Ticket price $72 - $83  If you are interested get back to me. Bernardine is a great APO fan and is keen to have some of you join her for this event.  |
||||||||||||||||||
50th Gala Evening Our club, the Pakuranga Rotary Club, is noted for its contributions to community over the last 50 years. The club celebrated a very proud history on Saturday night at the Howick Club. Guests to the gala dinner entered to the stirring sound of the pipes, courtesy of past students of St Kentigern College, one of the three colleges closely associated with the club. The banner of the evening, 50 Not Out, is not quite accurate: thanks to a Covid forced delay, the club is actually now in its 51st year. But that did nothing to dim the enthusiasm of the 180 attendees. Rotarian and cricket commentary legend, Bryan Waddle kept the evening flowing. Guests were treated to a stirring Maori Mihimihi by Terry Davis and Ani Black.  Two foundation members who are still active members, Bill Duncan and Bob Ritchie shared memories of the work that the club had done, including such projects as the Rotary Walkway, building schools and hurricane proof housing in Fiji, the establishment of Trees For Survival, and as well as the enjoyment and satisfaction they had got from both the opportunity to serve the community and the fellowship that comes with being a member. The club is honoured to have a past President of Rotary International as a member. Bill Boyd, President of Rotary International in 2006/2007, is one of only two New Zealanders to have held that position in Rotary’s 116 years. Bill reflected on the honour that he had had to represent New Zealand and Pakuranga on the international stage. He recalled that the Conference in Salt Lake City while President involved fifteen thousand attendees, including 54 from Pakuranga Rotary. Bill was quick to acknowledge the tremendous support he had received from the club over his two years based in Chicago. That support included the establishment of a trust which with the support of other Rotary clubs in New Zealand has given over 200,000 full colour dictionaries worth over $6 million to children across New Zealand. Attendees were treated to a preview of the Club’s latest community contribution, a public work of art that will celebrate 50 years of service. This will be located on the Rotary Walkway later this year. The evening included great food, courtesy of the Howick club, wonderful entertainment by Tracey Collins and the opportunity of current and past members to catch up and share stories. This made the dinner highly enjoyable and something those present will remember.  Those reading this will know that there were a great number of photos taken. Those will be made available to members at some point in the near future. |
||||||||||||||||||
Editorial After over two years of planning with dates and venues arranged and then having to be reset because of Covid 19, along with all of the other challenges the virus threw up, our 50th Anniversary Gala dinner finally occurred. The well attended event bought together past and current Rotarians for a night of food, fun and fellowship as promised by lead organiser Ian. In an always changing world, 50 years continuous service is something that all those who have been involved with our club can look back on with pride. Of course the future will always bring challenges but it's great to know that what ever occurs in the future the local and national initiatives the club has been responsible for and the work it has done locally, nationally and internationally will remain. |
||||||||||||||||||
Flying Adventure in AfricaTake five NZ couples, including five pilots, add five Cessna 180 4-seater planes, a South African Safety Pilot and a well-thought out flight plan covering 5,500 kilometres and you have the makings of African safaris with a difference!  In 2011, tonight’s speaker Marlene Masters with husband Ray and the other flying Rotarians experienced all the excitement and drama of an expedition through parts of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia over three weeks. The audience was treated to an array of photos supporting her address and giving some idea of the terrain, the airports, the encampments, the food (and sundowners), the locals and of course the animals encountered. Though some of the camps could be described as borderline, most were in the luxury category especially in regard to the services provided and the quality of the meals, while attendant experiences such as the provision of a ‘bedroom’ under the stars made for unforgettable moments. Marlene described some of the flying legs as being very close to the largely dry terrain (apart from the Okavango Delta region and Lake Kariba) which enabled close up viewing of animal life, even the movement of cattle believed to have been rustled from one country and moved to another! Close encounters with every African animal you’ve ever heard of, including elusive leopards and lions, meercats, elephants, hippos, crocs and hyenas made for very special and exciting moments but at no time did the group feel endangered as safari guides were well prepared for any eventuality. One could not help but be envious of Marlene and her party having this opportunity to see and experience so much in such a short time but in Covid times, such adventures may well be the stuff dreams are made of. As a fellow Flying Rotarian, Peter Armstrong thanked Marlene on behalf of our club for her interesting, informative presentation. |
||||||||||||||||||
Packers NeededSalvation Army Rotary packers needed.  Wednesday 26 May. 18 Allright Pl, Mt Wellington (off Waipuna end of Carbine Rd) 9.30 till noon. No lifting required. Text Sylvie 0274847335 if you can help. |
||||||||||||||||||
Knitting For Good. Happy Communicare knitters with Penelope who is the in-coming President of the Satellite Club, delivering new wool for the group. |
||||||||||||||||||
50 Not Out - Gala EventThe Pakuranga Rotary Club is noted for its contributions to community over the last 50 years. The club celebrated a very proud history on Saturday night at the Howick Rotary Club. Guests to the gala dinner entered to the stirring sound of the pipes, courtesy of past students of St Kentigern College, one of the three colleges closely associated with the club. The banner of the evening, 50 Not Out, is not quite accurate: thanks to a Covid forced delay, the club is actually now in its 51st year. But that did nothing to dim the enthusiasm of the 180 attendees. Rotarian and cricket commentary legend, Bryan Waddle kept the evening flowing. Guests were treated to a stirring Maori welcome by Terry Davis and Ani Black. Two foundation members who are still active members, Bill Duncan and Bob Ritchie shared memories of the work that the club had done, including such projects as the Rotary Walkway, building schools and hurricane proof housing in Fiji, the establishment of Trees For Survival, and as well as the enjoyment and satisfaction they had got from both the opportunity to serve the community and the fellowship that comes with being a member. The club is honoured to have a past President of Rotary International as a member. Bill Boyd, President of Rotary International in 2006/2007, is one of only two New Zealanders to have held that position in Rotary’s 116 years. Bill reflected on the honour that he had had to represent New Zealand and Pakuranga on the international stage. He recalled that the Conference in Salt Lake City while President involved fifteen thousand attendees, including 54 from Pakuranga Rotary. Bill was quick to acknowledge the tremendous support he had received from the club over his two years based in Chicago. That support included the establishment of a trust which with the support of other Rotary clubs in New Zealand has given over 200,000 full colour dictionaries worth over $6 million to children across New Zealand. Attendees were treated to a preview of the Club’s latest community contribution, a public work of art that will celebrate 50 years of service. This will be located on the Rotary Walkway later this year. The evening included great food, courtesy of the Howick club, wonderful entertainment by Tracey Collins and the opportunity of current and past members to catch up and share stories. This made the dinner highly enjoyable and something those present will remember. |
||||||||||||||||||
The winner of husband of the year. |
||||||||||||||||||
Editorial By the time members get this it will be, in Ian's words, "just two sleeps" from our 50/51st Gala evening. Attendees will be searching for that dinner suit or worrying if they have worn that lovely outfit to a previous Rotary event. With 170 guests registered, it will be the largest gathering our club has hosted for many years and will be a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends. A special mention must go to the organising group and especially Ian who has worked so tirelessly to make sure this an event to remembered and to be proud of. |
||||||||||||||||||
Support via a coffee Just a reminder that if you are in the Pakuranga Plaza are and are feeling like a coffee Te Tuhi are hosting a cafe that is set up to support people with disabilities into the workforce. The staff are always happy to see new and regular customers and the coffee is great. |
||||||||||||||||||
Support for a business that is supporting us. The meat from our meat raffle is being supplied by Howick Meats. Proprietor Michael Raines. A great response on Monday night. |
||||||||||||||||||
Sallies Ask For Help. Rotary has been asked by the Salvation Army for help packing food boxes at their Distribution Centre in Mt Wellington.  Dates: Wednesday the 12 and 26 May. Time: 9.15 till noon. Address: 18 Allright Pl (off Waipuna end of Carbine) There is no lifting involved and morning tea is supplied. A great chance to chat with other Clubs. If you can help please text Sylvie (0274847335) or Alan Hayward (0211079978) Photos show part of last week’s team and Kiri packing flour. |
||||||||||||||||||
Scribes Report Our new Honorary Member Adele White provided the Club on Monday evening with an outline of the function of Local Boards, gave a summary of some of the significant projects underway in the Howick-Pakuranga area and fielded some stirring questions from members about “harebrained” Auckland Council and AT schemes affecting residents on a daily basis.Adele of course is Chair of the Howick Local Board, is Howick born and bred and has spent 33 years as a Police Officer and 18 years as a local body politician. Local boards have a significant and wide-ranging role that spans many council services and activities. They make decisions on local matters, provide local leadership and are designed to enable strong local communities. The local board has non-regulatory decision making authority and also acts as a listening post for local concerns and communicates those to Council The Club’s annual carnival has been supported by our local Board for some time and Adele raised the possibility of the Club becoming involved in other community projects such as Men’s Sheds. In a spirited question time, it was made plain that we were stuck with the Unitary Plan although Adele obviously felt for some Sunnyhills residents affected by intensification. It is apparent that Auckland Transport continues to take people in directions which make little sense to the majority of residents. Graham Kearns introduced and thanked our guest speaker and President Alison presented her with her Honorary Member Badge. As an added bonus, Adele drew her own winning ticket for the meat raffle and went home with a superb meat pack from Howick Meats in Vincent Sreet. |
||||||||||||||||||
A message from the USAAt a time that Rotary initiatives such as the Rotary Exchange programme are unable to occur its timely to remind ourselves just how important those programmes have been. I have just received an email from Richard Molitor who was a Rotary Exchange Student 1975-1976. [Bothell (Seattle), WA, USA.] “Thank you for the ongoing updates from the PRC! In this rather unusual era it's great to follow a group of individuals that continue to function and thrive despite the additional challenges this pandemic has produced. But more importantly, I would like to congratulate (on behalf of all past exchange students) the Pakuranga Rotary Club for its 50+ years of service not only to the community but to those of us who learned from their experiences in Pakuranga and turned themselves into movers and shakers around the world. The inspirations and life skills I received 45 years ago have never left me and have definitely served me well. Being able to stop by and say g'day a few years ago was one of the most special moments of my adult life. I wish The Club and its members many more years of successful programming, community leadership, and a continued commitment to the students of the world. I look forward to coming back to my second home when this pandemic is history and life gets back to normal. Cheers, Richard.”  The day it all started for me. Auckland International Airport. The Frank Brown family (my first hosts), Ron Bird (from the exchange committee) and Bob Ritchie (ultimately, my third kiwi "dad"). I was escorted to the Lance Brighouse home in Whitford for a week while the Browns hosted and participated in the Auckland Competitions.  You might recognize the Edgewater College summer uniform (yeah, I know, where's the tie?).  Well, I learned how to tie the neckwear and developed my great study habits in the 7th Form Common Room. |
||||||||||||||||||
More Sommerville FunAt the invitation of Bini Homavazir from the Rotary Club of Somerville, the Loseby’s, the McLagan’s and the Kearns’ attended the evening of fun and games at their meeting at The Howick Club on Wednesday 14th April.  The games started with a marble in a spoon race, between two teams of members and guests present, followed by a donut eating contest ably performed by Leslie McLagan with great gusto and amusement for the onlookers. We were also entertained with some young Indian dancers. Following the normal excellent meal provided by the Howick Club, an attempt to line-dance by most of those present resulted in some hilarity, especially for those with no rhythm and moving the wrong way or using the wrong steps!  A most enjoyable departure from the normal Rotary meetings and all left before 8:30pm with smiles on their faces following the opportunity to do silly games with Rotary friends. |
||||||||||||||||||
Gala Evening As the magic date of 8th of May draws nearer numbers are looking good for our 50th anniversary gala dinner. There are still tickets available and if you haven't yet bought yours Ian, who putting the finishing touches on the event, would appreciate you doing so as soon as possible. Join us for a fun night at this is a once in 50 year event. Not to be missed. |
||||||||||||||||||
Dangers for Polio Workers. Terrible news from Afghanistan …Three female polio workers were shot in Jalalabad whilst working in the field. In addition, an explosion took place at the entrance to the cold chain office in Nangarthar province. No one was injured but there was damage to property. As is our custom, immediate payments of US$2,500 were arranged to assist families in the short term. Such tragedies show the importance of working with all parties to finish the job of eradicating polio in endemic countries as soon as possible. On a positive topic, Bill and Melinda Gates recently shared a photograph on their Foundation web site of children crossing the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan with the message … ‘Children crossing the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan receive oral polio vaccine through a program implemented by Rotary International’. Thanks to Bill and Melinda for the positive promotion of Rotary – and their web site contains much more information and praise for Rotary and out battle against Polio. |
||||||||||||||||||
In a small plane across South AfricaThe speaker at the upcoming meeting [17th May] will be Marlene Marsden. Following her husband Roy's involvement in rebuilding a plane that was salvaged from Lake Taupo and subsequent gaining of a private pilots licence Marlene and Roy set out regular flying adventures in many countries. In her talk Marlene will give the details of the trip that was the highlight- the trip with a group of fellow flying Rotarians across South Africa. |
||||||||||||||||||
A Changing worldLatter in the Bulletin is reference to a fun night run by the Rotary Club of Sommerville. That got me thinking. The invitation came very late which made it less likely that many members of our club could attend. Nevertheless less the fact that some did attend and had a great time showed that there is real potential for more inter club sharing. Certainly in the past we have invited other clubs to join us for combined meetings but I wonder if there is not an opportunity for more combined activities. When Governor Craig met with us he made the point that club amalgamations have not generally gone as well as hoped. Different club cultures can make bringing two clubs together difficult.  However as clubs change, often going though a form of lifecycle, their capacity to undertake fund raising activities and to run larger social events also changes. Working with other clubs to undertake activities too large for one or joining together in fellowship opportunities that benefit from larger numbers seems to me to offer promise for the future. In effect since all clubs are working towards the same ends can we do more together? Is this something members would like the incoming Board to put some energy into? |
||||||||||||||||||
Sommerville Fun Night The Rotary Club of Sommerville held a "Fun Night" which a number of our members attended. A great time was had by all. |
||||||||||||||||||
Scribes report.Two smorgasbord treats this week – the usual Howick Club meal and the line-up of speakers that followed.  First course were the two students from Pakuranga College who had attended the Science and technology Forum held over the summer break in mid January. Lucy and Luchien made a dual presentation with the help of mercifully succinct power point detail and a few photos, extolling the programme and revealing its impact on their thinking about the future. Three universities – Auckland, Massey and AUT provided the basic modules of science-based career options while guest speakers, Dr. Malvinder Singh (Kiwibank Local Hero medallist) and Dr. Michelle Dickinson (Nanogirl) added their expertise and enthusiasm to the mix. The modules comprised Biomedical, Robotics and Physics with sample experiments, hands on involvement and mind-blowing possibilities. For Lucy, the Biomedical field captured her interest to the point where she feels a strong motivation to pursue related subjects in her future planning. For Luchien eyes were opened into what Physics could offer outside the basic school curriculum – perhaps even astrophysics. Visits to technical operations e.g. Environmental Science Research exposed participants to the ‘CSI’ world of forensics, drug detection and DNA analysis, all giving fascinating new insights into science-based career options. Clearly the whole purpose of the Forum hit its mark with these two participants. Of course it’s not all hard graft – the social programme of Day Out, beach visit, disco, quiz night and sport provided opportunities to widen social contacts with like-minded peers as well as push the comfort boundaries and try new experiences. For Lucy, the availability of scholarships in the science field, especially for female applicants, was a revelation while both spoke of their increased confidence in social settings e.g. volunteer work and the boost in motivation to set achievable goals. Philip Tse, who had introduced Lucy and Luchien, was moved to comment that their presentation was the best ever! The audience would be inclined to agree. Second course, equally appetising, was a presentation by Lincoln Jefferson, CEO of the Life Education Trust (Manukau) outlining the work of this charity with which our Rotary Club has had direct  involvement for yonks. In fact President Alison’s personal connection has reached the 20 year milestone and mike Collins, 16 years. Both are to be given formal recognition for this commitment.Lincoln gave details of how the Trust worked with committed teachers in participating schools, starting a year in advance of the visit by the mobile classroom and targeting the specific health or social issues pertinent to each school. The unit could spend from two to eight weeks in a school depending on size, focussing on strategies for children to cope with daily living in an increasingly complex world. The Covid situation is just one of the pressures leading to anxieties and evidence of greatly increased depression among young people (23% of under 18 year olds in a recent survey, with 20% being sad or stressed). The effects of binge drinking, vaping and tobacco use are all covered by modules delivered by the trust. In a non-Covid year, up to 28,000 young people are impacted by the programmes but 2020 saw this number drop by 10,000 so some catch-up is needed. Fund-raising is obviously a constant need for this organisation. It costs $26.92 to serve one child with the programme, primary schools contributing $6 and secondary $8 per child. Quite a gap! Check the website for ways to assist but mark Sunday 17 October in calendars when our club’s assistance in selling raffle tickets at the Great Auckland Duck Race event would be welcomed. In the meantime – Go Harold! |
||||||||||||||||||
Carnival With a Covid delayed start to planning and on-going uncertainty about having to deal with a possible Covid lockdown there were certain stresses in the lead up to what proved to be a highly successful day. Great weather, large crowds and a good turnout from Rotarians and Interactors saw the six hours fly by. As with all such events there were aspects of the day that need fine tuning. If numbers continue to grow, then additional attractions will be required. The unavailability of the scout group that normally provides the kayaks meant that we were not able to offer any water-based activities and thought is already being given as to how we can make sure that future carnivals incorporate more on the water. Of course, more people and more activities will require more Rotarians on the day and a willing team of members to plan the day. My thanks to all those who were actively involved in the planning and lead up to the carnival, to those who walked many kilometers delivering fliers and to those who assisted on the day  The continued support of Wayne Barnes and the Pakuranga Sailing club, the hugely subsidised provision of the generators by Aggreko, the free use of both the BBQ and the cold store truck from On-Site Caterers, waste control by Farm Cove Intermediate, this year’s involvement by the Auckland Tamal Association, the ongoing involvement of Inner Wheel and the financial support of the Community Board all need to be acknowledged and thanked.    |
||||||||||||||||||
Leading up to the award.Like many of you here tonight, I have lived over a quarter of a century as a Rotarian. During those years there have been numerous occasions when I have felt great pride, witnessing and celebrating the contribution our people make to the community. Tonight is one of those occasions. It has been my great pleasure, pride and indeed privilege to have spent the past four months involved with information gathering and research to celebrate such contribution. Before we go any further, I would like to acknowledged the help I have had from DG Craig, Vick Soar, District Secretary, Angela Stavogiannopoulos, RI’s PR Officer for the Sth Pacific, along with Bill Boyd and President Alison for their trust and support. The award that will be presented tonight is not from our Club, it is not even from our District, but from RI and to the very best of our combined knowledge and research, it has never before been presented to a member of the Pakuranga Club. Sylvie Willkinson |
||||||||||||||||||
Top SchoolsAbout 500 local primary school children were treated to the Top Schools experience after a Covid-enforced cancellation last year. Did they love it? Oh, YES!  Basic organisation of school entries and infrastructure was handled by a team from Elm Park School headed by Alicia Howard and the Principal Trish Plowright (an Auxiliary Rotarian). Our participation as a club, orchestrated by Peter Woodcock, involved delivery of the gear (trucks organised by Malcolm aided by Noel Holyoake and a loading team of 7), setting up and directing the games on the day (a team of about 12), providing the medals (Malcolm and Lesley McLagan), officially opening the games (President Alison) and negotiating with Tip Top to deliver popsicles on the day (Ken Worsley). The day saw our team load the truck at 7.00 a.m., get the games set up from about 8.00 to 9.45 then look after the pupils in their teams of 10 over 16 rounds. Very tiring under the brilliant sun but a lovely breeze made it bearable. So too did the wonderful support of an Interact team of about 20 students from Pakuranga College – given the day off by a benevolent principal. The games finished at 1.15 p.m. with the distribution of medals and popsicles to the exhausted but excited participants. Elm Park students then did the tidy-up, taking the gear to the school hall for use the following week.  Feedback from participating schools has been very complimentary, sincere thanks being expressed on behalf of the kids who, on the day, showed their enjoyment and appreciation by participating so enthusiastically in even the most demanding games. All in all, a great day - but there is a question mark over whether we can continue to provide the organisation of the event given the difficulty in supplying the ‘manpower this year. Watch this space! |
||||||||||||||||||
50th Anniversary Art Installation.The process of fabricating the full scale “prototypes” is underway. The stainless steel that is part of the art work came from Germany and supply lines for that were disrupted by Covid. As a large but mobile art work the prototypes are required to meet the building consent application but because they are full size will become part of the finished work. After the prototypes are complete we will then develop full design documentation for a building consent application. Currently one of Dion's works, [Te Haa, the breath] commissioned by Te Tuhi in 2020 is on display at the gallery. It is a stunning piece and well worth visiting [entry free] when next passing the Te Tuhi Gallery opposite the Plaza.   |
||||||||||||||||||
Award to Bill Duncan At Monday night District Governor Craig, Bills wife Lynn and son John were on hand when a noticeably moved Bill Duncan was presented with the Five Avenues of Service Award. This award is one of the highest recognitions a Rotarian can receive and can only be issued by Rotary International. Bill is the Club’s first recipient of such recognition. Why Bill? Listening to his list of both achievements and Rotary involvement made that answer very clear. Financial support of Clubs across the District, GSE leader, WCS Chair, RYLA Chair, arranging RAF mercy flights to the Pacific, established the local Senior Citizens Club, established numerous Trusts including those supporting the visually impaired, local youth, post graduate studies for women in law, medicine and politics. These trusts have disbursed many hundreds of thousands of dollars to the community. In addition Bill is an active church leader, chairs the Saint Andrews Village Residents’ Association and is a hospital chaplain. Fifty one years a member of Rotary, Bill has served as President, Past President, Bulletin Editor and on the Board of Directors multiple times. He has been Almoner, spent many years on District Committees, had a strong involvement with the Rotary Walkway, Trees for Survival, Top Schools, Dictionaries in Schools and Carnival. Bill has the reputation for being a quiet, humble gentleman who is acutely aware of the needs and feelings of others. He demonstrates a strong commitment to the ideals of Rotary and the importance of "service above self values. He is an outstanding citizen who has our utmost respect. Sadly, with Covid related international delivery delays and Rotary shut downs in the States, the official crystal award and pin had not arrived and in fact may not get here for several months, so DG Craig, very kindly, had a simple version created here in Auckland, as it was important we celebrate this occasion now. |
||||||||||||||||||
To Do  Baby Photos for Sylvie. Photos of you aged between 0 and 5 years old are still required for an upcoming fun competition.  Registering for the 50th Gala Celebration. Ian handed out Easter eggs to help remind us to go home and register for the Gala night. Invitations have gone out. Rotarians were also asked to contact and encourage past members to join the celebration.  Golf Tournament. Alan Davies outlined the state of play with the planning and asked members to think about possible sponsors and communicate the names of any to him or Dennis. This fund raising event has the potential to be a long term and very valuable addition to our fund-raising efforts and hence our ability to do great work in the community. |
||||||||||||||||||
Scribes ReportFittingly, on Monday night, in the 100th Year of Rotary our club was host to the 100th District Governor – Craig. The evening turned out to be an auspicious one for another reason as well but more about that later. Craig talked about how Covid 19, while severely disrupting Rotary activities did serve to focus us on one aspect of our core business – the eradication of communicable diseases. Our long term and finely honed experience with polio and other diseases means that Rotary is well placed to offer support in the worldwide vaccination programme and discussions have already begun. A recent outbreak of polio in Liberia and the recent hard caused by an outbreak of measles in Samoa serves to reinforce that Covid will not be something which is eradicated but rather an endemic problem that will require long term planning and careful management. Covid has also shown large organisations the danger of litigation and class lawsuits should all health and safety precautions not be taken. If we needed any confirmation of that, a recent class action against Boy Scouts has effectively placed that organisation in a state of bankruptcy. This type of organisational risk was a key reason that R.I. moved so quickly to issue an edict banning all face-to-face meetings until later this year, the irony of which had not escaped Craig. In question time Craig addressed the issue of district “redistricting”, the term favoured over merging or amalgamation and membership. Whatever the term chosen, District 9910 has until 2025 to get club numbers and membership up to the required levels. Club merging has not proven to be a success, largely in Craigs view, because of the sometimes very different cultures of clubs. Instead, he favoured targeting new members who would be a good fit for a club “by getting out of the office” and directly approaching the target audience. Likewise trying to attract much younger members into a more traditional and established club setting was not seen as something likely to be very successful. Some ideas for our club to ponder. |
||||||||||||||||||
Music to my ears. At our last meeting there was general acclaim when Bill Duncan was award the Five Avenues of Service award. In the citation that followed I am sure members were impressed by the breadth and depth of Bills service to both Rotary and the community. In his acceptance of the award Bill talked about the fact that he had been inspired by others. He also said "If you are asked to do a job for Rotary, you should do it." I hope that all members were inspired by that. I know that not all members are able to contribute in the way that they once were and that some are apprehensive about taking on new roles.That apprehension can be the result of work pressures, of other family plans or of wanting to help but wanting to avoid the public facing nature of some roles. It is my opinion that all of us as Rotarians have a duty to make it possible for every member to feel they can step up and take a role. For some it will be in a mentoring capacity, for others it will be picking up part of the load and for all of us it will be by providing positive support and encouragement for those people who do put their hand up when asked. To quote that well known philosopher, John Lennon, "I get by with a little help from my friends." Or from the less well known "unknown" “I wondered why somebody didn’t do something. Then I realised, I am somebody.” |
||||||||||||||||||
Introduction by SylvieLike many of you here tonight, I have lived over a quarter of a century as a Rotarian. During those years there have been numerous occasions when I have felt great pride, witnessing and celebrating the contribution our people make to the community. Tonight is one of those occasions. It has been my great pleasure, pride and indeed privilege to have spent the past four months involved with information gathering and research to celebrate such contribution. Before we go any further, I would like to acknowledged the help I have had from DG Craig, Vick Soar, District Secretary, Angela Stavogiannopoulos, RI’s PR Officer for the Sth Pacific, along with Bill Boyd and President Alison for their trust and support. The award that will be presented tonight is not from our Club, it is not even from our District, but from RI and to the very best of our combined knowledge and research, it has never before been presented to a member of the Pakuranga Club. |
||||||||||||||||||
Support for carnivalOn-Site Catering |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Foundation At the leadership seminar there was a lot of emphasis on the Rotary Foundation. The work that the foundation does around the world as well as more locally was recognised. The esteem that the Foundation is held in terms of its extremely high rating as a charity was recognised and celebrated. The multitude of ways individual Rotarians can contribute was outlined. Clubs shared how they addressed their contribution to Foundation and there was considerable variation. Clubs talked about running a raffle every month with the proceeds going to the Foundation. Others ran two social events a year with the express purpose of raising funds either for the Foundation or for the Ending Polio project. Many clubs automatically put a percentage of every fundraiser into Foundation and of course some simply levy each member. |
||||||||||||||||||
Leadership Seminar.Over the weekend I attended a number of plenary and breakout sessions as part of the national President Elect Development Seminar.  From the perspective of the role and the challenges as I seem them for our club there was a thought provoking presentation that challenged participants to consider where they were personally and where their club was in the Rotary Life Cycle. Where do you see our club? We are definitely not new, and I think well past the “Early Years” but in our prime? If you see us slipping round to the left and towards the Hospice what might we as a club and you as an individual do to rejuvenate the club? While the mantra is often to “get more young members” one presenter argued with some conviction that clubs should definitely not look past attracting members who might well be near or in retirement but will still bring active service to the club. It might be that we can no longer wheel lots of concrete or spend a long day in the sun running activities for children but that does not mean we can’t provide a valuable service to our community and the wider world in other ways. That of course leads into Rotary Foundation and the valuable contribution we can make to that but more about that later in the bulletin. Chris Luxon, well known to our club, delivered a thoughtful, polished and very well received presentation, much of which will be familiar with our members who have heard Chris speak. One thing that he did say that particularly resonated with me as I look ahead to the next Rotary year was, and paraphrasing, "when setting out on a leadership challenge, we always need to respect the past while also aiming to stimulate progress and change." |
||||||||||||||||||
CarnivalThe date draws ever closer. Sunday March 21st. The possibility of a further Covid lockdown [or a continuation at level2] is never far from the organisers minds. Similarly there is the ever possible threat of inclement weather. Now there is nothing we can do to prevent those two but never the less there is still plenty that we do control to ensure the Carnival is a great event, to say nothing of being a great fundraising activity. Here is where you, the member comes in! It would be great if we had such a great turn out of volunteers to deliver pamphlets that each person had a small area to cover. Likewise, lots of volunteers on the day means shorter shifts and the opportunity of having time for a break from duties. If we have not yet heard from you, help us make this a great community event and ensure we continue to have the opportunity to host such a well attended Rotary branded event by, if at all possible, volunteering. Govind Pani govindpani@gmail.com. Allan Vester. allanvester@eduplus.co.nz |
||||||||||||||||||
Anniversary Gala DinnerAs you will already be aware our planned gala dinner celebrating the Rotary Club of Pakuranga’s 50 years of service to the community, had to be postponed last year due to the Covid-19 Alert Level and the unavailability of our regular venue. This facility is continuing this year as a Government controlled MIQ (Managed Isolation & Quarantine) hotel and thus is not available again. The good news is that the Anniversary Team have organised an alternative venue for the 8th May 2021, for us to celebrate 51 years as a Rotary Club in Pakuranga. The Howick Club is a venue of distinction and conviviality designed for evenings such as ours and thus we believe the night we have organised will be one to remember for the years to come. The organising committee have already sent out official invitations. They ask you to consider this once in a Rotary lifetime, must attend event and forward your commitment to be there as soon as possible. There is a limit to the numbers that can be accommodated so be in early to secure your seat(s) by depositing $75pp into our bank account as soon as possible (02-0223-0017811-05 - Code: “Your Surname”; Ref: Gala) Also using the email below, please advise the First Name and Surname you wish to appear on your name tag including any partners and/or guests. Thanks & best regards The 50th Anniversary Committee Rotary Club of Pakuranga Inc. Email: pakrot50th@gmail.com |
||||||||||||||||||
Zoe on Exchange.The move back into Level 3 meant it was back to Zoom meetings and on Monday evening our most recent on-bound student, Zoe Lit, reported back to members on her year in Germany. A group of 28 out-bound students set off in high spirits stopping first in Los Angeles where the group had a great time visiting Disneyland, Universal Studios and an American school. Then it was off to Germany to be met almost immediately by the first of the Covid -19 lockdowns.  This of course greatly impacted on Zoe’s year. There were less opportunities to travel, the get much anticipated exchange student tour ended up being a day trip with two other students, there was only time to do two presentations to her host club, [one of which was by Zoom], time at school was reduced and especially in the first homestay almost all the time was spent at home with the family. Many exchange students elected to leave the exchange when Covid hit but Zoe elected to stay. Once things were more in control some students returned so as well as out-bound and in-bound students we now have a new category, re-bound. Despite the disruption Zoe made the very best of her time away and had a great year. Her host families were all supportive and looked to make the experience the best possible. By focusing on the positives and learning to deal with the disappointments and issues that Covid caused Zoe’s report reflected a year well spent. We often judge an exchange by the number of places students go and the people they meet but the ability to adapt to a new language and culture during an extended lockdown takes real grit and ultimately can be life changing. Congratulations Zoe. |
||||||||||||||||||
District Conference BREAKING NEWS District Conference will be held on SATURDAY, MAY 19th, 2021. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY. The Conference will only be 1 day and include a Gala evening event. Keep the date free and when more detail is available, you will be informed. Let's have a strong contingent from Pakuranga and enjoy fellowship at its best. Ian Handisides (Conference Promoter) |
||||||||||||||||||
Anniversary DinnerROTARY CLUB OF PAKURANGA 51st ANNIVERSARY DINNER SATURDAY, MAY 8th, 2021 for a Gala Night not to miss. This much anticipated event is now only 3 Months away.  The Venue is now at The Howick Club,107 Botany Road, Botany Downs. Please mention this auspicious occasion to any past Rotarian Members as the event will be a wonderful opportunity for a reunion. Formal Invitations will be sent out in a week or two. |
||||||||||||||||||
Committee newsFor the current year, President Alison, following requests from members, made the decision to reinstate the committee system. Those committees are up and running and making great progress. In each Bulletin, where there is new material to report we will include brief highlights of committee activity. Tamaki River Rotary Auxillary.  Top Schools. Friday 26th of March. This is now on a school day to meet the needs of the schools. That will mean far more teachers are available but the organisers will still be looking for Rotarian assistance where any of us are available to help. The group continue to look for and support new initiatives including their contributions of knitted goods to Plunket, a planned beach cleanup, and possible school garden cleanup. Club Management.  Our largest committee has had its hands full dealing with the loss of our long term venue and arranging venues, speakers and meetings which might well then need to be cancelled in response to a sudden lockdown. They have now negotiated a contract with the Howick Club to hold our meetings there for the next six months while Waipuna is unavailable. More details on this arrangement, meal cost etc will be provided to all members very shortly. Fundraising.  Despite the problems caused by Covid -19 the group were able to report success with the Xmas pudding sales, tart sales, and Tambola. They are also progressing with new initiatives including a Gibbs's Farm sculpture list , a regular car boot sale and are organising to be involved in the Bus Lane Bridge opening. They have another in-club fun fund raising plan and would like help from within the club to arrange a suitable prize - dinner for two being one possibility. Anyone with a suitable contact? Youth.  RYPEN for 2021 is largely locked in, as the committee have those participants chosen for the 2020 event which did not go ahead. However members are encouraged to think about potential candidates for future years for what is a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and fellowship. Community.  The big work on for this committee is the planning for the carnival. This requires a great deal of pre-planning and will also require as many Rotary volunteers as possible for assistance on the day. It is also hoped that Rotarians might encourage family members to volunteers so they can be part of Rotary in action and hopefully finish the day with some refreshments and fellowship. |
||||||||||||||||||
Requests falling on deaf ears?One of the great things about being Bulletin editor is that it gives me easy access to members.  In the last edition I included an impassioned plea for members to put up their hands to take on leadership roles in the club. As the title says that invitation didn't result in a whole lot of responses. Well none at all to be honest. Our ability to continue to do the great work we have been known for does rest on the energy of the whole club. Leaving the substantive work to a few ends up burning out those people and is far less productive than lots of us doing a bit. I know that it has not been common practice in our club but the co-chairing, i.e sharing of roles, is working well in other clubs and some of you who would be apprehensive taking on the whole role might consider sharing it with a Rotary colleague. Done well that also can provide continuity ensuring that institutional knowledge is not lost. If you have any questions about what positions are needing filling for the next year or want to discuss how you might be part of that and how we might ensure the task does not become overwhelming please get back in touch. |
||||||||||||||||||
Trap Library.Trap Library. The project to rid the east of pests continues. There will be a Pestival at Cockle Bay School on the Tuesday the 9th of March and a Trap Swap Day on Saturday the 27th of March. |
||||||||||||||||||
District Conference
|
||||||||||||||||||
A History of RotaryMana Tangata. People of Action . The just completed book of the 100 year history of Rotary in New Zealand. This richly illustrated and lively history shares the story of Rotary’s prolific first century in New Zealand and the Pacific and looks towards the future and a continuing drive to bring about lasting change. An expansive and engaging read, Mana Tangata People of Action shines a light on an iconic but perhaps overlooked champion of service above self. Past World President Bill Boyd has an advance copy of the professionally written history and recommends it highly. Advance copies will be sold to clubs in boxes of 12 at a cost of $45 per copy. You can of course wait to buy a copy but after this initial offer the price goes up to $65. We will be back soon to tell you how to secure a copy. |
||||||||||||||||||
Reunion.ROTARY CLUB OF PAKURANGA 51st ANNIVERSARY is now only 3 Months away. SATURDAY, MAY 8th, 2021 for a Gala Night not to miss. The Venue is now at The Howick Club,107 Botany Road, Botany Downs. Please mention this auspicious occasion to any past Rotarian Members that have left us for whatever reason. This Event will be an amazing Reunion. Formal Invitations will be sent out in a week or two. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary CarnivalIts that time of the year again - Rotary River Carnival. This event is likely to be our biggest fundraising event of the year. With an estimated 1500 visitors and extensive advertising it will also be a major public display of our work in the community. Thats the very good news. However in order for the event to run on the day we need volunteers.  Obviously Rotarians will be in great demand for the day but I would also like you to consider bringing along a family member. Many of us have younger family members who are not members but who would consider helping at a good cause. If we can show them what Rotary does and have a short social event at the end of the day we might create a pool of people who we can call on in the future. Some might even decide to join. When: Sunday 21st of March Time: 11.00 am until 3.00 pm. Where: Bramley Reserve, Farm Cove. What: There are tasks suitable for all ages and stages. There will be opportunities to volunteer through the normal list being passed around at a club meeting but it would be better if you were to send you availability to Linda at aggi04@gmail.com 021 843 804 or Govind at govindpani@gmasil.com 021 070 9243 |
||||||||||||||||||
Leadership in Our ClubThe Rotary Club of Pakuranga has a proud history of leadership, at a club level, a district level, and at the international level. However it is getting increasing difficult to get members to put their hands up to take on leadership roles within our club. There will be many reasons for that; the changed age and stage of club members, the fact we fewer members, the fact that a large proportion of members have already successfully completed multiple roles within the club. Those are all valid reasons. As a member who has only recently started taking on any responsibility within the club I think there are also another reason. In the past in particular, we were a large and very active club. Taking on a directors role or the Presidents role involved significant levels of work and responsibility. Many of you did those roles with distinction and gave enormous amounts of energy, time and often money. I suspect that other members have viewed that level of commitment and decided that is not for them. Obviously we want to remain a vibrant, active and relevant club so is it time to think about possible changes? - Can we refine systems so that a directors role is less demanding? - Can we look to share some roles between two members? - Can we demystify the role of President and re-image that position so that is seen as being less daunting? - Could we judge our success as a club by our ability to make every member feel ready to take on a major responsibility in the club? In the educational literature there is a marked move away from the "heroic leader" to servant leadership. That is, leadership is doing whats needed to enable others to do a great job. In the end, in successful organisations its how much leadership there is across the organisation rather than it residing in just a few people. All of this is of course is a prelude to encouraging members to put their hands up to pick up a responsibility for the coming Rotary year. Please give it some thought and get back to President Alison or me. |
||||||||||||||||||
District Governor Nominations We have been contacted by Roger Harvey Chair, DG Nominating Committee advising us that nominations are now open from 2 February, for the position of District Governor 2023/24. His communication contained a series of attachments that explain the role, opportunities and expectations of the District Governor and those can be forwarded to you if you would like. If you would like to be considered or have another club member you think should be nominated then please get back to President Alison. A completed nomination form needs to be back to the nominating committee by the 7th of April. |
||||||||||||||||||
Dick Quax Memorial. Dick Quax "The Flying Dutchman", 1948 -2018 Olympian, Manukau and Auckland Councillor memorial has been installed on the “Rotary Walkway - The Jewel in the Crown of Pakuranga” New signs along the Rotary Pakuranga Walkway honouring the sporting achievement and longstanding civic duty of Dick Quax were unveiled at a special unveiling ceremony on Monday evening 7th December. The story board signs are a fitting memorial to the Olympian and former Manukau and Auckland City Councillor was passed away in 2018 and a battle with cancer. For 15 years he represented the community of Pakuranga around the Council table. Simeon, Del and Jacob Quax.  Two interpretative signs tell the story of his achievements as a runner in what many consider the golden era for Athletics in New Zealand. – including his world record setting run for the 5000m distance.These signs are located at the Wakaaranga Creek and Pakuranga Highway bus stop reserve areas of the Rotary Walkway at 5000 meters apart. In between six bollards are placed one kilometre apart and feature the time Quax took to reach that distance during his 5000m world record run in Stockholm 1997 in a time of 13min, 12.86sec. The Howick Local Board enabled the signs to be installed and Chair Adele White says it is an appropriate way to acknowledge the much respected athlete and colleague and to ensure his achievements are honoured and remembered for years to come. The unveiling event was attended by more than 50x people including the Quax family, friends, former Olympians, fellow runners, former colleagues, Howick local Board and Auckland City Councillors and local community members. ` Dick Quax is one of only three New Zealanders who has set a new World record for an Olympic distance. The other two are Jack Lovelock and Sir Peter Snell. |
||||||||||||||||||
Scribes Report.At our last full meeting of they are our own Govind was the presenter. Govind was born and raised in India and came from a family of bankers, his father holding the position of managing director of the State Bank of Travancore, a bank with about 1500 branches across India. He did his schooling in Delhi in Delhi Public school followed by a B Com from Loyola College a part of the University of Madras.  Govind enjoyed rapid advancement in his career moving from an assistant audit manager, via finance manager positions to CFO positions in a wide range of companies, industries and countries. By the late 1980's he was working as CFO for the Park Group a company that engaged in very large scale building developments including but certainly not limited to, 14 high rise condominium towers. In his role with the group he spearheaded the public listing effort which was halted by the Asian crash of 97. That setback required bringing in strategic investors including the Government Investment Corporation of Singapore as 13.3% shareholders and successfully restructuring the companies debt. In 1998 Govind and family moved to NZ where he joined Wireplus and Steelplus as a financial controller, a very different scale and nature of business. In 2003 it was back to India, joining Best & Crompton as head of finance 2003-2005 a position that saw him actively involved in the restructuring and reinvigorating of a company that had fallen on troubled times. |
||||||||||||||||||
ERK's
The Volunteer Coordinator for the Emergency Response Kit Rotary project sent their thanks to the Inner Wheel members for the wonderful effort that they all made in helping achieve such a successful project for the Emergency Response Kits. Our very positive comparison compared to there clubs was noted. This year over 1000 boxes were packed compared to 750 in the previous year.
|
||||||||||||||||||
FundraisingFund raising has been made very difficult this year with Covid 19 limiting opportunities but there has been some hard work done with Xmas Tarts raising $1,147.00 and Xmas Puddings raising $3,180.00 giving a total of $4,327.00. Thanks to all those who did the work and those who purchased the tarts and puddings. In preparation for the Carnival in March we have received a grant of $30,000 from the Local Board and planning is now well underway for that event. We are paid to run this event and so members can expect [look forward even] to be given plenty of opportunities to assist in the lead up and on the day. There will be jobs for all level of skill and ability! |
||||||||||||||||||
Next Club MeetingCome join us at the Elm Park School for a brief AGM and our own Govind Pani, whose subject is his experience in international construction and development. Govind is currently the CEO of a property development company based in Melbourne and has been in the role since March 2012. With a career spanning businesses in Dubai, India and Auckland and with a Masters in taxation it will be talk of interest to members. As is the new norm we will need to know numbers attending. The link you use to register for the meeting will follow. We look forward to seeing you there.
|
||||||||||||||||||
More Fellowship The Friends of Rotary Group held a Friendship Dinner on Saturday 21 November. This was the third the group has held in the past two years. To date the dinners have been held in Dannemora Gardens and the chefs excelled themselves with a beautifully presented quality meal. There were 20 in attendance and those present look forward to many such happy occasions. |
||||||||||||||||||
Volunteering in a Volunteer Organisation.It wont be all that long before I move from President Elect to President. That's not because I am planning a coup but rather because the Rotary year is rushing by. There are now two important things to be done. 1. The first is extracting some volunteers to take on the roles of chairing our committees for the next Rotary year. Fortunately I have had some interest expressed but there are still plenty of roles to fill. You could wait until I managed to corner you and ask you to take on a role but I would prefer that anyone who is willing and able, to approach me. There will be those who are very happy in the committee they are currently leading or are on and who would like to continue doing that. That would be great news so I look forward to hearing from you. 2. We also need to choose a President Elect for the year I am President. If you want to be considered for that role or have a good idea of a member who you think should be considered please get in contact with our Floor Member, Mike Collins. I huge thanks from me Mike for agreeing to take on this role. The intention is to make the role of President as doable and enjoyable as is possible. All members have a role in doing that. Remember we are a volunteer service club that needs volunteers to be able to have the sort of club people want to be members of.  |
||||||||||||||||||
Dictionaries A recent presentation to St Patricks School, Panmure of the Illustrated Dictionaries by Carol Noble & Maureen Kearns from the Howick Inner Wheel on behalf of our Club. The Dictionaries were again well received and much appreciated by the Staff and pupils of this small but enthusiastic school. |
||||||||||||||||||
50th Anniversary Project Up-date 2The 50th Anniversary sculpture project is under the control of Terry Urbahn, Project manager Arts and Culture for the Auckland City Council.  Terry reports they have just completed the contracting process with Dion and now processing his first progress payment to allow him to start sourcing and purchasing materials for the proto-type fabrication The Resource Consent has been submitted. Terry has also updated the Howick Local Board and presented Dion's adjustments to the design. Their response was very positive and they also look forward to the point where we can show progress with fabrication. |
||||||||||||||||||
Club AssemblyASSEMBLY-piecing together a fractured year  A well-attended and lively Club assembly on Monday evening provided members with a broad outline of activities and projects scheduled for the rest of Pres. Alison’s year and the funding choices available in a year disrupted by Covid 19. Just the regular programmes funded by the Club each year would require fundraising of approximately $22,000 (which includes $5k for the 50th anniversary project). The support of each member is therefore vital to ensure that our support for initiatives such as dictionaries, Duffy Books in Homes, ERKs, Pest Free, Top Schools and Trees for Survival can continue. Fundraising is obviously more effective by tapping funds outside our Rotary community. Amongst fundraiser, our annual community Carnival is on track and other smaller fundraising projects are also underway. In a wide ranging general discussion, the importance of the role and social advantage of committees was emphasised. Members who are not currently part of a committee are encouraged to join in and enjoy the vibrancy and bonhomie they offer. |
||||||||||||||||||
Club Christmas Lunch The annual Christmas function is a Pakuranga Rotary tradition. To really keep up this tradition we need people to register.
Dennis, who is hard behind the scenes to ensure the club event event is a success will again send out the registration details and the instructions on how you should pay. Remember to ensure this is an event to be proud of your club needs you! |
||||||||||||||||||
FellowshipIn a world of change Rotary has also needed to change. Our club has been no exception and over the past years we have looked to adjust things such as meeting schedules and the role of committees in order to meet the new reality and in order to try to better meet the needs of current and potential members. An unintended consequence has been a gradual reduction in the amount of socialising and fellowship. The disruption caused by Covid 19 threw into sharp focus the importance of fellowship as part of a fully functioning Rotary club and there is hopefully going to be a groundswell of support for social activities and fellowship. The notion of arranging club meetings in a way that ensures that pre-meeting food and refreshments are enjoyed as a group was discussed at the recent club assembly. These kinds of discussions are never easy, as past traditions rub up against new possibilities, but ensuring that there is respectful and well informed debate and discussion is of course what all Rotarians would expect.  The above is of course a rather long winded introduction to a very brief report on the Community Committee social get together at Gorkha a Nepalese and Indian restaurant at Eastern Beach. A fine time was had by all in an evening which raised the spirits of all who attended. Certainly that event plus some very cordial Community Committee meetings has served to show newer Rotarians just what fun being a Rotarian can be.   I wait in anticipation for a flood of social reports from the other Committees. |
||||||||||||||||||
City of Auckland Singers See and hear what you missed! The City of Auckland Singers of which Peter Woodcock is a member, were to be the main act at the Christmas fundraiser which has unfortunately had to be cancelled. Come and enjoy their concert ( with much the same programme as scheduled for 5 December) at the Glendowie Presbyterian Church, 197 Riddell Road on Sunday week 29th November at 2.00 p.m. Adults $18; Seniors $15; Door sale but no EFTPOS. Afternoon tea. Also CDs and raffles being offered. Satisfaction guaranteed! |
||||||||||||||||||
Te Reo and New Zealand.The headline in the Herald following the election was "Now The Mahi Begins ". What made that headline standout was that it used Maori but didn't see the need to translate . The idea that mahi is now recognised pretty widely as meaning work serves to show that as well as Te Reo Maori night classes overflowing, we non attenders at those classes are slowly adopting Maori words and phrases. Mokopuna, mana, whanau, Aotearoa, Tamaki Makaurau, korero, and kaupapa, haere mai are increasingly used and more widely understood. Every primary age child can confidently belt out the National Anthem in Maori [even if the tune continue to challenge] and the seven stars of Matariki hold no fear. While there is still a long way to go, President Alison stepped up to the lectern and did her bit. As for many of us, speaking in public in a second language is a daunting prospect so congratulations Alison. Kia ora Alison. Alisons musings. It has been a busy few weeks with Rotary;
Ngā mihi, Alison. |
||||||||||||||||||
The artist behind our 50th Anniversary Project.There has been lots of interest in the 50th Anniversary artwork project and the artist so in upcoming bulletins I will add some detail, explain more about the artwork itself and keep members updated with photos as it is fabricated and assembled.  The artist, Dion Hitchens has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Elam School of Fine Arts at The University of Auckland and a Postgraduate Diploma from AUT University. Dion is a self employed artist which includes working on commissioned pieces but has also held a variety of academic and teaching roles across New Zealand including MIT, Te Wananga o Aoteoroa and Unitech Institute of Technology His work is in the collections of Te Papa Tongarewa The Museum of New Zealand, Waikato Museum, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, and on public display around New Zealand including large pieces commissioned by the Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua Councils.   |
||||||||||||||||||
A Rotary and Fundraising Event. |
||||||||||||||||||
Upcoming events The Club is planning an evening at Howick Little Theatre to see the play "Ä Christmas Carol" during late November to early December. It is proposed to try to book a group on Saturday night 28/11/2020 but because pre-bookings without payment is no longer an option a notice will be released shortly for members and partners to note their attendance and make payment into the Club account Advance notice for the Club Xmas Function. This will be held on Sunday 13/12/2020 at the Howick Club commencing at 12noon. A request for members and partners who wish to attend will be sent out closer to the date.In the meantime please reserve this date and time. Dennis Kavanagh Club Services Committee 027 3022377. |
||||||||||||||||||
Environmental sustainabilityAs our club settles into a much more normal system of meetings, on Monday we welcomed Cate Jessop , Enviroschools and Sustainable schools advisor for Auckland City Council and two students, Jessie and Ashley from Farm Cove Intermediate to address members and guests. Cate began with a poll covering some of our beliefs about environmental change and future needs. While we were far from being unanimous there was a general understanding that it takes many years to effect real change to attitudes about the environment, that its going to take a long time to effect actual environmental improvement and the sooner and younger we start people thinking about the environment the better. Enviroschools which started twenty years ago is based on the whakatauki - “success is not the work of an individual but the work of many” a sentiment that is closely mirrored in Rotary’s own ideals. With 1000 New Zealand schools now signed up and active members [39% of all schools] the notion of building a more sustainable future is the key focus of this initiative. For Farm Cove the guiding ideal is “to foster a generation of people who instinctively think and act sustainably.” The Enviroschools model is based on four pillars, each of which is on display at Farm Cove Intermediate: Place – Wahi. Ecological design and action in the natural and built environment. E.g. edible gardens, beehives, solar panels and the local environment. Practices – Tikanga. Sustainable practices in the day to day running of the school.e.g. being a Wastewise school, a worm farm and the use of eco-friendly products in the school. Programmes – Kaupapa Ako. A living curriculum with sustainability integrated into learning and action. E.g inquiry learning, Te Whare Ako lessons, student well-being surveys. People and participation – Tangata. E.g. local beach clean ups, moth plant eradication, Pestival, Zero waste Rotary Carnival.  While we often think that the natural order of things is to educate the parents who will then pass that knowledge and those attitudes through to their children, but research has shown in areas such as diet and the environment, children can often be powerful catalysts for change in their families. That enthusiasm for a more sustainable future was evident in Jessie and Ashley’s presentation and in Cates obvious belief in, and passion for, the work she does with schools. |
||||||||||||||||||
Trap library On Sunday morning the Community committee became involved in the combined Club’s Trap Library East Auckland’s programme that was established by our Club in 2019.  At the request of Biosecurity, the Rotary walkway is currently their target area. A purpose built and appropriately decorated trailer arrived at Bramley Reserve with a huge assortment of traps, the locals, (being advised by a pamphlet drop and social media) turned up in numbers and took away around 80 possum, stoat and rat traps. Even with six helpers, (from three Clubs) we were busy the whole morning.  Many locals congratulated and thanked us for such a worthwhile community service and we have since had one contact us wanting to either join our Club or become a volunteer. We went away energised and with a feeling of pride at being involved with such a great programme. |
||||||||||||||||||
Stanhope Road
Ellerslie Sunrise and the school were lavish in their praise of our contribution. We each got a gift from the children and a huge thank you card.
Vonney was very proud and thanked us for our stewardship of the Trust. A member of Ellerslie Sunrise can remember the big oak being planted !!
It was a magical morning.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Up and Running Members will be pleased that we are now back to our normal two week meeting schedule and have started with some really excellent speakers. Committees are also back in action as we start the process of raising the money and resources we need to support our local and wider communities. In the last bulletin I published an opinion piece on membership and invited members to feedback any thoughts and ideas they had. I have received two very thoughtful responses from younger women whose connection with our club is through current or past members. The intention is to create a summary response from everyone who sends in their thoughts rather than ascribe thoughts to individuals -i.e. your thoughts can be anonymous. If however, you would like to draft up a more publishable piece that can be published in full. Share your thoughts as it is by the sharing of the widest possible range of ideas that we can ensure the best outcomes possible for our club. |
||||||||||||||||||
A daring rescue of 12 boys trapped in a cave.At a very convivial joint meeting with the Auckland east Rotary Club, our members were treated to an extremely interesting and moving talk by Professor Simon Mitchell, one of an intrepid group of people who enjoy diving deep into the oceans and exploring large caves.  Simon gave a very detailed account of the challenges faced and steps taken to rescue twelve soccer team boys and their coach from caves in the Tham Luang Forest Park in the far north of Thailand in July 201 Though not directly involved in the rescue he is a close friend of Richard Harris (Anaesthesist) and Craig Challen (Veterinary surgeon), two Australian divers who both received recognition as Australians of the year (2019) for their crucial part in the dramatic events.Check out all the details on You Tube but there is nothing like hearing the story first hand from such an enthusiast and knowledgeable presenter. Some highlights:
 All who heard this talk could not have but been moved by the whole account – in times of Covid, such uplifting stories need to be more widely known. |
||||||||||||||||||
Alisons Musings for October. Auckland is back at Level 1, so hopefully our Rotary year can return to something akin to normal. A couple of our big projects are running next year: Top Schools and the Rotary Community Carnival and Water Festival. With fewer club members some members are taking on multiple roles. For the Club to succeed we do need all members to be involved. The Community Committee needs help with a couple of projects, including delivering flyers for the Trap Library project. Please contact Linda Agnew aggi04@gmail.com President’s Quiz At last week’s meeting we debuted the new fundraiser for the Sunshine Fund. A true/ False quiz. Incorrect answer, you pay. The questions will be sourced from my general knowledge (with some assistance from my family). $40 was raised last week.  Science School We have put forward 2 excellent candidates for the John Yolland Memorial Prize. Madeline will be involved when the students present to us next year. Thanks Phillip Tse, for yet again, interviewing students and putting forward the applications. |
||||||||||||||||||
Membership thoughts. The issue of membership is a perennial one and we continue to lose members more quickly than we can attract new members. This is of course not peculiar to our club. From my perspective there are a number of contributing factors:
Over the years we have tried a variety of approaches and we have individual members who have been very active and innovative in trying to attract new members. . One very obvious trend is that very few of us [my self included] have our own children as members. Why not? The reason for asking the question is twofold. Firstly, what are the barriers to membership? Once we know those perhaps it will inform our next step. Secondly, and a more sobering outcome might be the response that shows increasing membership by any approach will be difficult. Finally there are past members who have gone on to become really active in other organisations, and it would be instructive to know why they have made that transition. There is another aspect to membership and that involves retaining, in some capacity, as many members as we can. Is there any way in which people can retain an association with the club without being full members? Alternatively, would it be possible to have some form of “non-member active”, which are people who have never been members but who will support us in some capacity? That might include working bees, supporting an activity such as the Carnival, Top Schools or the Quiz night. This would mean that while actual membership remains low our capacity to do work in the community would be increased. If what we have been doing has not had the desired effect then it makes sense to look at what other things we could do. In my view, addressing the situation requires the best ideas from across the club so your thoughts are sought. Let Alison or your committee chair know hat you think. Alternatively write a piece for the Bulletin that we can share with all members. |
||||||||||||||||||
Buckley Systems While Bill Buckley himself was left stranded in New Plymouth due to a fault with his plane, his very capable physicist, Tobin Jones gave us a very intensive address on just what Buckley Systems is about.The company manufactures precision electromagnets, vacuum chambers, accelerator systems and components coupled with design and physics.  The products manufactured appear to be finding their way around the world where they are comprised in other manufactured systems. Of particular interest were the semiconductor devices used in computers, phones, and flat screen TV’s, automobiles and personal computers. Buckley’s high-precision electro-magnets are being used in both medical diagnostic treatments and medical therapeutic treatments. Of particular interest were the use of particle accelerators used in medical therapy for cancer. Charged particle beams can be accelerated and directed at a patient’s tumour in a controlled manner for a specific amount of time. The high precision magnets with specific and challenging magnetic field requirements are also manufactured by the company. Several different modes of treatment of cancer cells are utilized, for example: electrons, protons, gamma rays and neutrons can be used for treating cancer. Buckley’s is another example of the ingenuity with which New Zealand organisations are able to invent systems and use their productions around the world to enable enhancement with other products and organisations. Thank you Bill and Tobin for making us aware of a company New Zealanders can be proud of. |
||||||||||||||||||
A Short BulletinAfter successive lockdowns punctuated by the occasional chance to meet in person as a club members were pleased to be able to again meet and welcome a guest speaker. The report from the scribe that details the activities of a very successful and innovative New Zealand company can be found below. Membership will be something that is on many of your minds. I have added a few thoughts in the bulletin [the benefit of being the editor]. If you have any thoughts feel free, encouraged even, to share those with Alison or the chair of the committee you belong to. President Alison has volunteered to co-ordinate the Rotary Community Carnival and Water Festival to be held in February 2021. The Howick Local Board has committed to funding this again. It showcases Pakuranga Rotary in the community and is a welcome source off fundraising but does require a sizeable workforce from our club so look forward to a day in the sun early in 2021. |
||||||||||||||||||
Alison’s Musings for SeptemberThis Rotary year has been challenging. Until it is safe for us all, we are back to Zoom meetings, but that is no barrier for Rotary. In the last month, among other things, the Club has: a. Learnt that the 50th anniversary sculpture project is continuing – thanks to this team; b. Facilitated planting days for our Trees for Survival Schools – thanks Peter Taylor (Community Committee); c. The Rotary Raffle has been launched – thanks Fund raising under Sylvie Wilkinson’s leadership; d. The Auxiliary club helped with ERKs packing – thanks Trish Plowright and her team; e. Learnt that Tamaki River Festival, with slightly reduced funding, will happen next year (Community Committee under Linda Agnew’s leadership) ; f. Started planning for Top Schools in March next year – Youth Committee under Trish Plowright’s leadership. This year we have reintroduced committees. This is where the work of the club happens. Not everyone has joined a committee. There are vacancies in: Youth contact either, Trish Plowright trish@elmpark.school.nz the committee chair or Nick Loseby her deputy nick.loseby@gmail.com Community contact Linda Agnew linda aggi04@gmail.com Finally, a special thanks to Don Lawry and the Club Management Committee for their rapid responses to the lockdown changes. Keep safe.  |
||||||||||||||||||
LotterySavings in a Covid world.  The loss of face to face meeting has meant that we no longer have sergeant sessions. A saving to you. Fewer meetings means no costly food and beverages. More savings. We are now offering you the chance to invest some of that saved money. For just $100 you can secure your own numbered lottery ball that lasts the rest of the Rotary year. Provided 100 balls are sold, you will have 20 chances of actually making money. As a club full of the titans on commerce and industry we are sure this investment will be high on your list of priorities. Call to Action! Be in with a chance to win by depositing $100 in our club account number is 02 0223 0017811 02. Make sure you include your name and the reference is Tambola. Swift, no-obligation requests for more information to Sylvie please on sylviecalling@gmail.com or 5277035 or 0274847335. |
||||||||||||||||||
Christmas PartyChristmas Party.  Our Father Christmas missed out on using his costume last year and so to keep him happy we are looking at running the children/ grandchildren/ great grandchildren Rotary Christmas party again in December. If you have one or more of the above – providing they are 10 years or younger and you think they would like to come to a party – can you get back to kim@ajetservices.co.nz. |
||||||||||||||||||
Joining a CommitteeJoining a Committee.  Over the past two years there have been regular requests from members to re-establish committees. They were seen as the engine rooms and key fellowship hubs of a highly functioning club.The good news is that committees have been established. The bad news is that we still have a lack of members in some committees. There will be any number of good reasons why members have not been able to commit to a committee but for the rest of us it would be great to either join a committee or if you can’t manage the extra meeting, get hold of a chairperson and commit to supporting some or all of the work that the committee will be undertaking in this Rotary year.  |
||||||||||||||||||
Whats the story with our AuxiliaryWhat’s the story with our Auxiliary ? Our Auxiliary is a first for Pakuranga Rotary and as with lots of new initiatives, details are not always well understood. In the interests of clarity some key points are outlined below.
 |
||||||||||||||||||
Lock Down 2 Just as we were getting back in the swing of regular physical meeting the tricky virus has disrupted what we hoped was the new normal. Despite President Trump declaring he did not want to be like New Zealand we are still in pretty good shape and will hopefully be back out of level 3 soon.  The level which we will move to will of course impact on the type of meetings we can hold. Club Management will be working behind the scenes to plan for that and once we get some direction on Monday the final planning will be able to occur. |
||||||||||||||||||
District Changeover Recognition. Graham Kearns was awarded a sapphire for his PHF, in recognition of his work as ADG. Congratulations Graham!  Pakuranga Rotary was awarded the Rangitoto Trophy for “the club project that has achieved the greatest environmental impact in the District.” Duncan, Sylvie and Joe were the Club’s key movers. |
||||||||||||||||||
Health Issues and Club Support
If anyone would like to share in confidence (or for publication) any health or welfare issues or you could do with some help from the Club please contact Chris Ward or Geoff Shapland. |
||||||||||||||||||
Wool you help? Could members and partners please have a peep in cupboards for any part balls of wool (any type) They are needed so Communicare, Margaret A and Mary Benjamin of Anchorage Park can continue making items like these beautiful blankets for Plunket and needy families in our area. |
||||||||||||||||||
Thank You Pakuranga Rotary. “On behalf of St Marks Church in Pakuranga, we thank you and Pakuranga Rotary for the donation of plum puddings for our foodbank. Our recipients will definitely enjoy the sumptuous taste of this treat. God Bless!” Mannix Lopez, Pastoral Coordinator. |
||||||||||||||||||
Boy do we have a deal for you. Expressions of interest please!Covid has changed most things in our lives (plus we are all getting older) so no surprise that the club must take a different approach to everything, including fundraising. We are offering an opportunity to passively generate funds while having a wee bit of fun along the way. Remember all that money we saved by not being able to attend Rotary? Just $100 (three Waipuna meals) of that will secure you one numbered lottery ball that lasts the rest of the Rotary year. Provided 100 balls are sold, you will have 20 chances of doing nicely thanks! We have 15 takers already! Balls are not limited to Rotarians, so please ask friends to join in. Swift no- obligation requests for more information to Sylvie please on sylviecalling@gmail.com or 5277035 or 0274847335. |
||||||||||||||||||
Next Meetings Guest Speaker Next meetings guest speaker is Cate Jessop.Cate is Auckland City Councils Environmental Advisor, working in 75 schools across the Howick and Papatoetoe Wards, empowering youth towards a sustainable future. Hear about this programme, which sits so beautifully with our own TfS initiative. Assisting Cate will be Saralee and Ashlee, Enviro-school leaders speaking of the initiatives Farm Cove Intermediate has taken to develop a sustainable school. |
||||||||||||||||||
Communicare Established in 1959, Communicare is a not for profit association, serving the elderly, lonely and disabled within the Auckland Community for over 55 years. It has as its mission statement “To actively improve the quality of life for the elderly, lonely and disabled by providing recreation, support and advocacy in Friendship Centres.” If you have some spare time you might be willing to volunteer as a driver for Commuicare. Generally, its only once or twice a month and in our area on a Monday or a Tuesday morning. Interested? Contact bulletin editor – allanvester@eduplus.co.nz. |
||||||||||||||||||
Life Education TrustThe Life Education Trust has two great fundraising events coming up that Rotarians might like to support. That support will enable Life Education Trust Counties Manukau to continue to teach 28,000 children aged 5-13 our health and well-being programme annually across Counties Manukau and Franklin including to thousands of children in the Pakuranga Rotary Club area. Harold's Disco:
 The Great Auckland Duck Race Vector Wero Whitewater Park. Sat Oct 17th 2020. 9am - midday Life Education Trust Counties Manukau and Harold the Giraffe are in the throes of organizing the fifth year of this fantastic community event:
Business ducks are available to buy for $200 (inc GST) at: https://thegreataucklandduckrace.com/product/business-duck/ |
||||||||||||||||||
Chris LuxonPreferring to be known for who he is, rather than what he does (or has done), Chris Luxton, National Party candidate for the Botany seat in the imminent election addressed an attentive gathering of about 60 local Rotary Club members, partners and friends at this week’s meeting. Chris’s lengthy CV was used by Del Johnson to introduce a man who has made a huge impact already in the international and New Zealand business world. A snapshot of his education (much in the Howick area) and university achievements provided background to his extremely valuable experiences as a leading executive in the global multi-national company Unilever where he honed his strategic thinking and actions to enhance the company’s position in world markets. With these well prepared tools in his pouch he accepted the position of CEO of Air New Zealand, an 80 year old company, with which he stayed for seven years. Most Kiwis would be aware of the incredible record of this airline under his leadership with the upgrading of systems, opening new markets, forming strategic alliances with other airlines, Air Points, modern aircraft and recruitment of top executives and workers to the point where it was elected the top Corporate Reputation and Trust Company in NZ (2015 – 19) AND in Australia (1017 – 19). Listening to his underlying philosophies and strategies in the bulk of his address one can understand how this success story was attained. The three basic components for company success were outlined as being Enhanced Consumer Experience < High Performance and Engaged Culture > Superior Commercial results. Profit, while important for shareholders, was seen as a pleasing end result of nurturing and supporting exceptional leaders. The popularity of the company as a place to work is shown in the fact that 58,000 people applied for 1000 jobs in recent times. Chris recommended the book ‘Good to be Great’ by Jim Collins as a starting point to understanding his strategies and goals. Why settle for ‘good; when ‘great’ is achievable? Even a summary of the strategies outlined by Chris would just about provide another book but in essences they were based on four ‘plans’, all involving discipline:
In question time Chris fielded questions relating to his move into the political arena, one in which he admits to having to learn a lot but not afraid to start at the bottom and learn to ‘unlearn’ what might impede his future. He made it clear that his desire was for public service rather than politics per se. Electorate first, party second and country third was his mantra – perhaps a foresight into his political future (?) In reference to NZ/China relations he used the expression – ‘we can disagree without being disagreeable’ – wise counsel in the current climate. All attendees, I am sure, could not help but t be impressed by Chris’s openness, humility, depth of knowledge and thought, articulateness, sense of humour and, yes, charisma. Botany could be the winner next month and if that is the case, so will the quality of our parliamentary representation. |
||||||||||||||||||
Headline |
||||||||||||||||||
Keen on Politics? It's election season and there will be promises. This candidates hoarding was spotted heading into Wanaka. It will be interesting to see how many votes he gets. Perhaps honesty will have it's reward? |
||||||||||||||||||
A great community initiative at Te Tuhi.Te Tuhi has partnered with Rescare Homes Trust and The University of Auckland to establish Aotearoa’s New Zealand’s first training café for people with intellectual disabilities The new café, located at Te Tuhi, provides in-house training and paid employment for people with intellectual disabilities, through a community-based programme. The initiative launched on 20 July 2020 and will be open Monday to Saturday 9am-2pm serving barista-made coffee and a range of freshly baked cabinet food.  Rescare Homes Trust provides supported residential accommodation and vocational support for adults with intellectual disabilities, to enable more independent living. Tracey Lanigan, CEO of Rescare, says, “The training café is an excellent stepping stone to learn new skills in a supportive environment, and we are excited to be partnering with Te Tuhi and The University of Auckland in creating equal learning, training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.”Pakuranga Rotary supported the establishment of the Te Tuhi Community centre and Art gallery and an added bonus of supporting the café is easy access to nationally significant art exhibitions. The café project is a non-profit enterprise and they are currently seeking support to cover wages of trainers, trainees and other café staff. |
||||||||||||||||||
Covid 19 puddings. Through the generosity of our members and the Club coffers, we were able to donate 14 boxes of NZ made high end plum puddings to foodbanks in our local area. The idea was to allow needy families to enjoy a hot luxury treat in the middle of Winter, not only filling tummies, but lifting spirits along the way. An added bonus is that they have our logo on each one!!Photo shows Major Allister Irwin, his wife Anne , Sylvie and Romona Lolohea, the Sallies Community Ministries Manager. |
||||||||||||||||||
Back to real meetings.Large numbers attended our last club meeting and people enjoyed the opportunity. This is another reminder to all members that you do need to respond to the invitation sent to you before each meeting either accepting or declining. That enables club management to ensure that we have the correct amount of food and liquid refreshments and ensure that we do not run meetings at a cost to the club. Thanks in advance. |
||||||||||||||||||
Scribes Report At our second physical meeting post Covid 19 lock down the club was pleased to have Dr Diva Cohen join us by Zoom. Diva, an ex Pakuranga College student who the club supported to attend RYLA and the Model United Nations in the Hague, and who went on to become a “Young New Zealander of the Year" introduced the club to the Neuroscience of Flow. Diva who is now employed by Google to lead the “hyper-local problem” which deals with issues around accurate location for such services as ride sharing. If you have ever felt completely immersed in an activity, really creative, with high levels of energy and with time seeming to just disappear then you are likely to be in a state that psychologists refer to as flow. It can result in a 500% increase in productivity, 200% increase in creativity including lateral thinking and a reduction of 50% in the time it takes to learn. Flow is a concept that societies have recognised for thousands of years, but it is only in the past one hundred years that science has started to provide more understanding of what it actually involves. There are three key characteristics of situations of flow. The task needs to involve a stretch goal with a reasonable chance of completion. The goal will feel very clear and as you perform an action towards the goal there is feedback as to progress. While it might be logical to expect that our brains are more active during flow, Diva explained that exactly the opposite occurs. Our neurons move increasingly from beta waves to alpha and gamma waves. Those parts which are involved with ego and sense of self, and act as a brake on us taking intellectual risks shut down. All five of the neurochemicals that stimulate the brain fire at once giving us a burst of energy and an intellectual high. Meditation and “mindfulness” can help us achieve a sense of flow, but the research also has implications in employment where the tasks that are set and environment provided can increase the chance that people will be in the flow.  Diva finished with some comments on life in the USA where she is based. Recently married life is great, but she is also aware of the increase in social tension resulting from Covid -19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. With an increased sale of guns and the concern that many people have about how they might fare in any interaction with the police, Diva noted, we are lucky to live in New Zealand. |
||||||||||||||||||
More From Changeover.  |
||||||||||||||||||
Committees for New Rotary Year.Joining a committee enables you to:
If you haven’t already joined a committee can I suggest you contact one of the above to find out where the committees will be meeting. Note, you can still be involved in projects outside of your chosen committee. Fundraising - Sylvie Wilkinson Club Management – Don Lawry Youth - Trish Plowright/ Nick Loseby Community - Linda Agnew Note, you can still be involved in projects outside of your chosen committee. At their first meeting committees will be discussing planned projects for the year. Come along and be involved in deciding what the Club will be doing in 2020/21. Projects for 2020/21 will be discussed at the Board meeting on 27 July. The Board will be then report back to the Club. |
||||||||||||||||||
The Bulletin for 2020 Assuming there is not a long line of people wanting to be the bulletin editor, it looks like it might be me for a while yet.I am of course happy to fill it with my musings on politics and the world in general but many of you might like to avoid that. The solution is easy - if you want items published, get those through to me as they become ready. allanvester@eduplus.co.nz Images are a welcome addition. |
||||||||||||||||||
End of Life Referendum Presentation Newmarket Rotary are holding and evening meeting which might be of interest members. Kiwi journalist Caralese Trayes who has written a book called The Final Choice- End of life suffering: Is assisted dying the answer? Remuera Golf Club. Tues 11 Aug 6.30pm (for 7.00pm) The cost is $40 per person, and includes dinner. Caralese will tell us about her journey and hunt for the truth about assisted dying and the End of Life Choice Act. She has many stories to tell of her interviews with lawyers, doctors, ethicists, clerics and many others from around New Zealand and across the world. If you are interested in attending, contact Scott Burridge 021 684 733 |
||||||||||||||||||
Trees for Survival Trees for SurvivalWe have been advised that the next planting day for Pakuranga Intermediate School is to be on Thursday 6 August 2020 out a Clevedon. We are looking for someone to be the Club’s TFS co-ordinator. If you are interested please contact Linda Agnew 021843804 and aggi04@gmail.com |
||||||||||||||||||
Elise Arrives Home. “It was hard to say goodbye to everyone at the airport and I still can’t believe I am back in France and that I am not going back to New Zealand.” |
||||||||||||||||||
Changeover with a difference This year Covid forced us into rethinking Changeover.We opted for a mid-Winter Xmas theme, with five homes becoming Xmas Bubbles with up to 12 guests around the dinner table. Half way through the evening, all locations logged into Zoom, beamed from Alison’s home, and witnessed Bart give his end of year report. Certificates were awarded to his Board members as well as Nick, Del and Joe d’Ambrosio (of the Auxiliary) Bill Duncan and Bob Ritchie received Charter Member pins. Then came the PHFs. (all the awards had been secretly delivered to Bubbles and were presented personally, by the host… a lovely touch). [More details in the Bulletin.] Following the handing over of the Chain, Alison briefly outlined her plans for the year… service to the community, and introduced her Board. Our thanks to our hosts Allan Vester, Alison Gilbert, Don Lawry, Kelvin Davies and Peter Armstrong. A very pleasant and inclusive Changeover. |
||||||||||||||||||
Club AwardsDon Lawry PHF Sapphire Pin Is a valued trustee of the Johnston Memorial Trust, where he adopts a clear, measured and logical approach to funding applications. He volunteered for the Taveuni building project in Fiji. Don did an excellent job as chair of the 2020 Carnival Committee, where he demonstrated strong leadership and excellent organisational skills. He is well organised, easy to work with, hardworking, reliable, approachable, likeable and has an enviable ability to get the best out of people. Don is a fine Rotarian who exemplifies all aspects of both the four way test and our principal motto of service above self. Pakuranga Rotary is fortunate to have such a person as a member. Duncan Loney PHF Sapphire Pin Duncan stepped up as President when the Club was in a difficult situation. He secured the attachment of the Satellite Club securing 18 new members for Pakuranga. He gave financial support and became a Rotary Grandpa to a uni student, assisting her to become a Rotarian. He brought a jolly and professional touch to meetings and was very active in fundraising efforts for the Club. He co- established the biggest environmental project this club has seen, since Trees for Survival, engaging with six other service clubs, Council, Enviroschools and Bio Security to establish the Trap Library across the Howick Ward. Always cheerful, energetic, pleasant and positive. President’s Cup Penelope Franca, from our Auxiliary club, initiated and ran the Plunket programme, supplying hundreds of garments for needy children. She led the Communicare Knitters programme, providing donated wool to the group who in turn, produced baby clothes. She was a member of the Carnival Committee redesigning and printing flyers and street signs and collecting field data at the event. She also worked at editing Membership material. Penelope is a hard working, pleasant, cheerful and positive Rotarian.. all this while working full time as a successful real estate agent and a young baby at home. Joe D’Ambrosio Is part of our Auxiliary and a very valued member the Pest Free committee where he played a major part in establishing and running the electronic registration system, keeping track of hundreds of traps and trappers across the whole Howick Ward. This was ground breaking work, without which, the programme could not have proceeded. |
||||||||||||||||||
Elise's Farewell |
||||||||||||||||||
2020 Virtual Convention Join us during the 2020 Rotary Virtual Convention, 20-26 June, for activities beyond the general sessions that will get you moving, help you get involved, and connect you with members from around the world.You can:
|
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Peace ScholarshipsEach year, Rotary funds up to 130 fully funded Peace scholarships. We now have over 1300 qualified Fellows. The Master’s programme consists of approximately 21 months of study and Fellows graduate with a degree, generally in Peace and Conflict Resolution. Midway through the course Rotary funds around six weeks for the Fellows to individually gain practical experience and some go to very interesting and dangerous places! The universities that provide these programmes are Duke/University of North Carolina, Bradford, Uppsala, International Christian University in Tokyo and Queensland. These universities are inspected every three years and over the years three have been dropped and replaced and the competition to be selected is intense. On the last occasion we had over 100 universities apply. The Certificate course was altered last year to include three months live-in at the University, nine months of on-line support, and then back for a one week residential refresh of the experience. In this course, Fellows go together for a one week practical experience. Often for the Fellows at Chulalonghorn in Bangkok they travel to Laos to gain an understanding of the causes of the notorious Pol Phot genocide and from Makerere in Kampala they will visit countries such as Rwanda. This is the first year in operation of Makerere and it was selected in a very competitive process. Rotary wanted a Peace course in Africa and several countries wanted to be the host. In general, applicants with a study background tend towards a Master’s programme and individuals who have been working for some years in peace related activities gravitate towards the Certificate course as it requires less time off work.Of the graduates, most reside in the US as so many international organisation are centred there but 9% of the total [116] reside in Australia and Oceania. Almost 40% of the graduates work for NGOs or other peace related organisations and many are teachers/professors, in research positions or working for governments. 71 work for UN agencies and 9 for the World Bank. Our Peace programmes are very attractive to Rotarians and over $170 million has been given to the Peace Endowment Fund. |
||||||||||||||||||
Zoe Litt report from GermanyHi all,  Hope you are well. I heard New Zealand is corona free! Lucky you. Germany is a lot better now with under 10,000 cases. Despite new cases we have been on the decline which is amazing news. Things are slowly starting to return to normal! My monthly report for this month is a mix of quarantine and life starting again. I’m so grateful that things are coming back to normal and that my new host family is so welcoming and amazing. This would not have been possible without the Rotary and my clubs Saalburg-Taunus and Pakuranga. Zoe. |
||||||||||||||||||
Guinness Down UnderMonday night saw the club host its first guest [non club member] speaker by Zoom. Given the ability to have speakers who are not in Auckland, or possibly even in New Zealand, its very likely we will have more such occasions in the future.  Rod Smith, author of Guinness Down Under, took members through the history of what is an iconic company and brew. Started by Richard Guinness in 1757 the company moved to its current site at St James Gate, Dublin in 1759, brewing ale which given general town water supply quality was a safer drink than water. The recipe for the porter that the company is now world famous for came from London.Production was limited by heavy excise tax and tariffs on exports to England and by the time Richard Guinness died in 1766 around 22,479 barrels were being produced per year. The removal of those restraints and good management by successive generations of the Guinness family saw that production rise to over 2 million barrels. Brewed in fifty countries under license, that has continued to grow and over 9 million glasses of Guinness are poured around the world every day using the “double gas” method first developed in the 1960s and replacing the cask conditioned method used previously. The company was expanded by a strong export policy. Guinness first came to Hobart in 1824 and by 1851 was being imported into Nelson. The company also entered into a range of bottling arrangements where the brew was bottled in the importing countries often under the name of the bottler rather than the brewer. New Zealand first brewed the beer to bottle here in 1960 but it was only in the 1990’s when we started brewing draught Guinness that the brand really took off. While the first four generation of the Guinness family were directly involved in the production of the beer, as is often the way management and ownership of the company has passed out of family hands with only 5% of shares now held by the family. In New Zealand production of the draught product is based at the Lion facilities in East Tamaki. Bottles and cans continue to be imported from Dublin. If anybody who would like to buy a copy of Guinness Down Under – please email Rod at guinnessdu@xtra.co.nz and he will arrange. Cost is $30 (which includes postage) payable by internet banking. He’ll advise the bank account number. |
||||||||||||||||||
President Elect - Alison Beginning with the statement of the objective to “make the club relevant to current members and inviting to prospective members”, Alison outlined some proposed changes for the coming Rotary year recognising that to some extent it was "going forward to the past".
The Committees that will run in the coming years are:
|
||||||||||||||||||
ChangeoverChangeover July 4th 2020
|
||||||||||||||||||
50 Years as a Club
The Panmure club, now no longer in existence but once with a membership of over a hundred members, was our mother club. After a few weeks at an alternative venue our club started what has proven to be a very long-term relationship with Waipuna, the initial attraction being the poor standard of food at the initial venue. In those early days members had the responsibility for serving the food and then tidying up. As a charter member at only thirty years old Bill had to wait until the advanced age of forty to get the opportunity to lead a group exchange team to Kentucky, an opportunity Bill said he will always be grateful for. A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court making it illegal to restrict membership on the basis of gender saw the beginning of women being able to join Rotary. This did not change things quickly and Bill could well remember the impact of our first female member. Now thirty-three years later Pakuranga Rotary has elected its first female president. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Peace Fellowships Program Many Rotarians support the concept of Peace [though there is no clear definition of what Peace is]. While the decision to establish a Peace Endowment was made in 2005, it was 2008 before work to fund the endowment began and by 2017 the gifts as at 30 September 2017 are in excess of $156 million. When we first established our Peace scholarship program 15 years ago we were almost unique. Now there are some 600 scholarships and we have no point of difference.although our scholarships remain amongst the most generous. The funding comes from Foundation funds and there is no requirement for districts which nominate scholars to contribute to the cost, though some districts give DDF. |
||||||||||||||||||
My Mum used to cut chicken
Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in creek, the lake or at the beach instead of a pristine chlorinated pool (talk about boring), no beach closures then either? We all took PE ..... and risked permanent injury with a pair of Dunlop sandshoes bare feet if you couldn’t afford the runners instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors that cost as much as a small car. I can't recall any injuries, but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now. We got the cane or the strap for doing something wrong at school, they used to call it discipline yet we all grew up to accept the rules and to honour & respect those older than us. We had at least 40 kids in our class and somehow, we all learned to read and write, do maths and spell almost all the words needed to write a grammatically correct letter......., FUNNY THAT!! Read on below. |
||||||||||||||||||
ClassificationsThe classification principle goes back to the start of Rotary in 1905 when Paul Harris and his friends decided that members should come from different classifications so as to represent a cross section of society and not become another focused self-interest group. Classifications were so important that Rotary International established a committee in 1923/24 to review and to make a list of acceptable classifications and clubs were advised that a list of members and their classifications be sent regularly to the General Secretary. A publication was produced and regularly updated and it is interesting to read of some of the classifications in the 1937 edition. In today’s world it would be a challenge to find a stoker, with the choice of industrial or locomotive, and while some may wear a toupee, there must be a limited number of toupee manufacturers. Anyone use whisk brooms unless you are in the middle of Africa, and it would be the ultimate in political incorrectness to have as a classification “Insane Asylums”. While ship building is still current, ship delivery sounds rather limited. Not sure if we have autographic registers and the probable alternative name for check writer is parent but only for another year or two. All joking aside, classification lists have been an important membership tool for Rotary and could be even now. Clubs would compile a list of classifications within their area and ask members to suggest names that would then go the Membership Committee of the club to follow up. The list would be very different to that of 1937 but it certainly connects the club with the community! |
||||||||||||||||||
The return of the rats and CovidAutumn is upon us and while this means the humidity has gone, it also means the return of the rats!
|
||||||||||||||||||
What we did in Lockdown 2 Not long before Lockdown, members of the Club and their partners answered the call for help and donated spare knitting wool so it could be turned into something useful.When each day became an enforced home-stay, Margaret Armstrong got busy with the crochet hook and knitting needles to create these fantastic garments for the little ones. She has produced several cosy beanies and 23 pairs of strong warm slippers for cold little feet.Margaret has asked that these be donated to needy families around our area and we will be using the Auxiliary educators to identify these children. What a wonderful and valuable use of our enforced isolation. |
||||||||||||||||||
Best Ever Book
|
||||||||||||||||||
I Knew I was Right 2
Did anyone write down their analysis down, their views on what should or should not have been done, their predictions on the impact on health or the economy? Probably not and as it turns out that will be really helpful in helping us all conclude that what we thought was really accurate and that we are remarkably prescient. To help us in that quest for affirmation, there are well over 100 documented biases and tendencies at our disposal. Here are a few to watch out for when thinking about our own recollection of events and the statements of the many commentators who have spoken or written so confidently [with special reference to Mike Hosking and Duncan Garner.]
|
||||||||||||||||||
Meeting by Zoom
District Governor, Gary, joined us and presented the club [virtually] a certificate of 50 Years of membership. Of the 31 charter members two are still active and one, Bob Ritchie was able to present some the history and his recollections. A highlight for Bob was the start of the Rotary Walkway during his presidency and his Paul Harris Fellowship, presented in 1992. Bill Duncan, the other charter member, was thwarted from offering his recollections by the technology but we are hopeful of that Bill will be able to do that at an upcoming meeting.
 |
||||||||||||||||||
Best song, book and film
|
||||||||||||||||||
District Foundation News |
||||||||||||||||||
Smile
|
||||||||||||||||||
50th Anniversary Gala DinnerGala Dinner. Saturday 2nd of May the night the Rotary Club Of Pakuranga was to have staged their 50th Anniversary Gala Night at Waipuna, a Night not to have missed. But yes we are missing the night, thanks to COVID-19. A huge disappointment due to the hours and hours of planning and I would like to thank my Committee. However, The Gala Night must go on, certainly won’t be Take-Away! A future date to be decided. WATCH THIS SPACE. |
||||||||||||||||||
Report from Zoe, our outbound student
|
||||||||||||||||||
Smile 2 |
||||||||||||||||||
Smile 3 |
||||||||||||||||||
Best Song [and book and film] Ever
|
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Merchandise ROTARY CLUB OF PAKURANGA APPAREL With all the spare time on your hands these days, this would be a great time to check on your wardrobe, for any replacements that you may want. Polo Shirts (Men’s and Ladies) $30.00 Caps ( “ ) $13.00 Floppy Hats( “ ) $21.00 Paua Ties $20.00 Paua Bow Ties $15.00 Only On Line Orders Taken!! Please contact Ian Handisides, Email : ibhandi@xtra.co.nz Merchandise Manager |
||||||||||||||||||
Thirty Years With InteractIn 1990, with just one year Rotary membership under my belt, I was approached by a fellow Rotarian Bob Benzie with a suggestion that I do something about getting an Interact Club under way at Pakuranga College. I had moved there from Edgewater College in 1987 and was still fairly much under pressure finding my way with new systems and relationships so wasn’t too chuffed about taking on new responsibilities. But many of you will remember Bob – he was persistent if nothing else and finally wore me down. As a result, after clearing it with the principal Pamela Stone, our Paskuranga College Interact Club was assembled and chartered at a special evening on 14 March 1990 where Bruce Robinson (DG), Noel Holyoake, (past DG) and Dennis Waller (Pakuranga Rotary President), gave us the all go. |
||||||||||||||||||
Production in lockdown
|
||||||||||||||||||
Smile |
||||||||||||||||||
Best Song Ever Part 1Here are the first tranche of musical masterpieces. Hopefully this will prompt more of you to share your best song ever and be included in parts 2 or 3. Don’t worry if you don’t have any interesting details about your choice. That’s a job I love doing. Might even be useful for our next trivia evening.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Elise in Lockdown
I am still with my 3rd host family the Pleiss’s whose daughter Madita went on exchange to France and returned in January. I have 3 host sisters, which is really nice during the lockdown because most of the time, I have something to do with someone! We play a lot of board games all together, I play the piano, do some work for France, call a lot of my friends to keep in touch and lately Madita started to teach me how to play the ukulele. I am keeping busy during this lockdown which is quite fun! The situation back in Europe and France is concerning since the virus is spreading way quicker there than here, but people can't do anything else than staying home. In France, there are more than 100,000 cases but the daily amount of new cases has been going down a bit. Fortunately, my family is safe, they've all been in lockdown for about a month now. My parents are working from home during the day and my brother and my sister are doing some school work. All my grandparents are safe, which makes me very happy! I keep regular contact with them to see how they are during those difficult times. Stay safe everyone!  |
||||||||||||||||||
The Carnival Is Over
There was all the fun of the fair with a clown, bouncy castles, sausage sizzle and mussle fritters, animal rides, an animal farm with pets and ponies, face painting, a fire engine, coconut shie and much more. Mr Whippy. Coffee Guy and Snowiez shaved Ice all did a brisk business as the ques of people never seemed to get any shorter. We were entertained by a trio from Howick College who were very good. Kayaks, and sail boats also added to the spectacle and made best use of the location of Farm Cove Reserve and the Pakuranga Sailing Club A strong breeze was welcome as the weather was hot and sunny during the afternoon. Interviews done on the day showed an overwhelming positive response and the marketing, and organisation of the Carnival was a great success. |
||||||||||||||||||
Wisdom
|
||||||||||||||||||
RI IssuesI saw a comment the other day that a Rotarian was querying what was happening at Rotary International level. RI staff are working from home till at least 30 April and there will be no funded RI travel before May 31. The April meetings of the RI Board and the Foundation Trustees were both held virtually. Not simple because of time zones! All Peace Fellows were asked to return home if possible and somewhere in excess of a 1000 Rotary Youth Exchangees returned home early. Rotary’s worldwide membership at March 31 was 1 216 706, up 27 240 since July 1 2019. Over that period the total membership in New Zealand fell by 70. District 9910 dropped 22 to 998 and our District, 9920 dropped 28 to 1355. One of the significances of these figures is the RI considers the minimum number of Rotarians needs to be 1100 for a District to be effective and D9910 is falling further below this figure. The leadership of that District proposed a merger of the two Districts but this has not been accepted at this time. Inevitably there will need to be some action unless that District can find a way to grow. The greatest growth by any District in Australia and New Zealand is in District 9640, which has added 90 members this year. That district is partly in Queensland and partly in NSW, which must creating challenges as Queensland has closed its border. Pity the District Governor! |
||||||||||||||||||
Women in Rotary
|
||||||||||||||||||
The work of a JP
Today, thank goodness it is different. |
||||||||||||||||||
Report from the USA Covid- 19 Report from the Rotary Club (2175) D5960 of Winona, Minnesota USA By Rotarian Carrie McGhee Good Morning from a snowy Winona, Minnesota. It is April, the daffodils are blooming and we have five inches of snow on the ground. Looking out the window, the sky is blue with a warm sun, you can hear the birds singing their songs. The picture is perfect, perfectly eerie due to Covid-19. There are no people out and about. No sound of children playing. No sirens, no traffic only the sound of birds and silence. Since March 16, 2020, the state of Minnesota has been “shelter in”, “safe at home”, “involuntarily nesting”, all meaning that unless you are an essential worker you are expected to stay home and stay indoors. We can go outside for exercise, go buy groceries, gas, and other essentials. We can attend religious services, weddings and funerals if there are no more than 10 people present and each person is practicing social distancing (six feet of separation). The stores that are open are grocery, liquor (their business has seen a 250% increase in the past month), hardware and gas. Restaurants can only serve carry away. Schools, bars, movie theatres, retail shops, playgrounds, automobile dealerships, malls, barber and hairdressing salons, dentist and any non-essential health clinics are all closed. Governor Tim Walz has stated that he will reassess the “shelter in” executive order on May 4. He is relying on a team of health experts and scientist to track the progression of the corona virus. All the models show that staying in has slowed the spread of the virus/flattened the curve. The worry is that our world will open back up too soon and there will be a round two of the disease, worse than the first round. Fortunately for Minnesotans, we are the world headquarters of companies like the Mayo Clinic, 3M, Medtronic, the University of Minnesota. These institutions are on the forefront of coming up with test tools and equipment that will assist us in battling and ultimately winning the war on this disease. This period in history will show that the American way of life has been forever changed. People have proven they can work at home. Parents have successfully home-schooled their children. Families have bonded over being together twenty four- seven. In the past month we have used technology in ways we never thought possible by having virtual happy hours, talent shows, Rotary Noon meetings, funerals, weddings and other social get-togethers. We have stayed connected and stayed in touch. |
||||||||||||||||||
Polio Update As at 8 April, Afghanistan had 3 cases this year as again 29 for the full year last year. In the month of February there were 6.7 million children vaccinated but 1.9 million children were missed as they were in areas that were inaccessible. They have 19 cross border posts which vaccinated 1.8 million children as the amount of movement between Afghanistan and Pakistan is considerable. In their country they have 2926 social mobilisers, who organise and vaccinate.Pakistan is a much bigger problem. In January there were 18.3 million children vaccinated which is an amazing achievement but many were still missed. The population is so dense, particularly in the slum areas, that it a very difficult to ensure all children are seen. They have 376 permanent transit points, which includes bus stops, railway stations and highways and they vaccinate many children in these but much of the work is a hard slog through slums. In Pakistan as at 8 April this year there were 37 cases as against 149 for the full year last year. One of the surveillance techniques used in many countries to check that polio is not circulating is to take and analyse environmental samples, which is a polite way of saying that samples are taken from sewage and then laboratory tested, and in Pakistan this means taking samples from ditches and creeks. Not a very desirable job! In January they found 27 positive samples. Covid19 has now changed the landscape as it was necessary to stop vaccination activity everywhere in mid-March with a target resumption of July 1. The polio workforce has now transferred its activities to covid19. Sadly, it is accepted that this will mean more cases of polio. Not all activity has ceased however as surveillance, planning and training continues and new more effective vaccine, mOPV2, will become available in August/September. In India, during the successful polio eradication, Rotary formed an alliance with the Ulema Council which is made up of some of the most senior Muslim clerics in India and that alliance has been rekindled to fight covid19. Yet another example of our polio campaign building health structures that will fight other health issues. An ongoing challenge in the background is the amount of vaccine derived polio in Africa and this is a problem that will only be beaten when the wild polio virus is eradicated. Clearing vaccine derived polio cannot occur until we can stop vaccinating and then it will be just a matter of money and time. As a final comment, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will stay in the polio effort with Rotary and will again next year provide the subsidy of US$100 million if we raise US$50 million. |
||||||||||||||||||
Nicks Soup NICKS SPECIALTY PUMPKIN SOUP Ingredients: Half a pumpkin Two Kumara One red onion Carton of vegetable stock Tbl spoon of peanut butter Tbl spoon of crushed garlic Half teaspoon of paprika Half teaspoon salt Two chopped carrots (optional) . Wash pumpkin and take seeds out. Chop into small cubes (Skin on) . Wash and chop kumara (Peeled) Chop up onion and carrots Put all ingredients into a large pan. Top up with water to about two inches from top. Boil up until Veges are soft. Allow to cool slightly and then put into blender. Serve with garlic bread and sour cream. |
||||||||||||||||||
Nick at Grimsby  Nick began with a brief overview of his early years growing up and working in Grimsby with reference to the the many establishments that are now no-longer. After emigrating to Aukland, New Zealand, Nick became an active member of the Pakuranga Rotary Club. Pakuranga Rotary Club The club has several female members and Nick claims that these give much of the driving force behind the Club. Membership features multiple ethnic groups representing the extent of the geographical region which includes Pacific islands such as Fiji. Young people and local businesses play a big part in supporting the Club's activities. Charitable Activities Help in providing dictionaries, atlases and reading books plus the provision of a prefabricated mothers' and children's (Whanau) room has benefitted the local schools and the club also provides Christmas presents for refugee children. The club has also provided emergency response kits (ERKS) in response to situations that have occured on the nearly islands. Community From time to time the Club engages their 'Working Bee' team to clear derelict land and plant trees for the benefit of the local people. An annual fishing event using 'commandeered' boats in the sheltered waters of Auckland raises the majority of the charity funds and is enjoyed by all. |
||||||||||||||||||
Social DistancingFor those of us who have been Rotarians for a good many years, one of the great joys of being a Rotarian was, and remains, the ability to make up at another Rotary Club’s regular meeting, anywhere in the world. This was by way of assisting you with attaining your required percentage yearly attendance which, if my memory serves me correctly, was 60% of your own clubs regular meetings in any one year. In fact, many of us retained an updated Rotary International Directory for this very purpose. Social Distancing reminds me of the time I decided to make up at a club in Rotorua. The only Rotarians I came into contact with were the gentleman who took my meal money and two or three other visiting Rotarians who with me had been guided to a roped off area especially ordained for visiting Rotarians. I do recall some whimsical remarks made by my companions for the meeting but I can’t recall whether we were given any form of introduction or indeed whether were visited by the sergeant. In recent years we have become familiar with ‘E’ clubs and now in this time of Coronavirus we learn that at least two of the clubs in our District, Remuera and Downtown, are meeting via ZOOM. Members in the Downtown Club regularly meet in the late afternoon, if only to address the topic DRINKS” on the Agenda. So might we have a member who, unlike some of us, is not technology challenged, who might be able to organize such meetings, possibly with a view to using such technology for smaller group meetings in the future. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotarians in Lock Down
|
||||||||||||||||||
Our daily lives are Different
Looking after ourselves and each other in a COVID-19 world is more important than ever. While Pakuranga Rotary has ceased face-to-face meetings until further notice – you can still stay in-touch and show you care with a telephone call or text message. Perhaps you’ve tried video calling using FaceTime or WhatsApp and had a virtual coffee or wine with friends – a smile makes a difference. My thoughts go out to those dealing with Covid-19 work challenges or health concerns – Please reach out to someone for help. If you know someone that is working for an essential service, then please pass on our thanks and gratitude. We recommend taking time to
Bart Signal |
||||||||||||||||||
2021 Rotary Youth Exchange |
||||||||||||||||||
Brett Meale – Police Sergeant based at Howick
Howick station is part of the Counties Manukau East district, the main HQ of which is based in Ormiston. The district polices about 200,000 people comprising a huge range of ethnicities and a very large youth component. The Howick station has only 5 of the 137 sworn staff in the district, this low number reflecting the relatively small number of incidents requiring attention compared with areas further east and south. Brett made it clear though that it was no cake walk and the work load in each of the sub-areas under his supervision is still huge. |
||||||||||||||||||
Community River Carnival |
||||||||||||||||||
Gary Barzilay
With words and graphic actions Gary revealed the pain endured in the botched process of ex-foliation of leg hair, designed to reduce drag as a keen cyclist. As if one leg was not bad enough, he knew he had to endure the agony of a second. In similar vein he told of his ambitions to be a cowboy, his life as a horse trainer designed to meet this end. Being tossed to the ground, not once but twice by a reluctant and rampant filly he was urged to get back in the saddle knowing full well the likely consequences. Third time lucky, the horse accepted the load and became compliant. |
||||||||||||||||||
The Alison Gilbert File
Alison spoke about her life and the influences that have impacted on where she is now and focussed under four headings. In reading her story one should also bear in mind she has made her way in times when women had to prove their worth many times over. 1/ Alison is the second eldest of six children. As a child she was shy and retiring. She is related to the late Les Hammond, who was a Past President of our Club. When it came time for Alison to head off to University at the end of the seventh form year her parents were reluctant to allow her to move to Auckland to study law. Instead she studied for a Bachelor of Social Science at Waikato University. This course of study did not interest her that much so she went to work for the Public Service. Within six months she was promoted and then travelled to Wellington to work for the Department of Education. She attended the Outward Bound course and this enhanced her confidence. |
||||||||||||||||||
Elise |
||||||||||||||||||
Essential French for Tourists |
||||||||||||||||||
A Decade of Dictionaries
The Bill and Lorna Boyd Charitable Trust, formed to commemorate Bill’s appointment to the office of Rotary World President in 2006, has been heavily involved in the supply of Usborne Illustrated English dictionaries to year 4 decile 1 schools since 2009. The Usborne books are supplied to their New Zealand agents Harper Collins Limited. To date the Trust has distributed through Rotary Clubs throughout New Zealand, close to 200,000 books estimated to have a retail value of approximately NZ$6m. Recently the Trust has added to its literacy library of books available, a book with flashcards for new entrants to primary schools called Rhyming around the Alphabet. The books were published by Wendy Pye Publishing Ltd and the Trust was assisted in this initial purchase by the Trillion Trust.
Recently with the help of Kiri Kirkpatrick, we presented the Rhyming around the Alphabet books to Year 1 students at Panmure Bridge School with great success. |
||||||||||||||||||
Induction - Dennis Kavanagh
Dennis is a Past President of the Sunnyhills Friendship (ex Probus) Club which was set up by the Rotary Club of Pakuranga about 11 years ago and is an active committee member. He was also a team member of the Taveuni building team at Bouma School in November 2018. His Classification is Aluminium Joinery Manufacture having owned a Nulook aluminium joinery franchise, but is now retired. Dennis enjoys golf, DIY building and travel, is married to Raewyn and has two children, Rachael and Shane and 4 grandchildren. I believe that Dennis will bring experience and be an asset to the club. |
||||||||||||||||||
Philippa Loseby
As part of a Masters in Health Psychology, Philippa investigated the link between physical health and mental health as it applies when people are faced with a major medical issue. The specific issue that formed the focus of the thesis was type 1 diabetes which usually begins to affect people aged under 20 but which can strike at any age. While the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, usually, the body's own immune system — which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses — mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The physical impact of the disease on sufferers and the need for ongoing testing and treatment can have a significant phycological impact which in turn impacts on the efficacy of treatment and ongoing health outcomes. Philippa used 113 participants with type 1 diabetes and by using a series of questionnaires was able to establish the link between how people responded psychologically to longer term health outcomes. Because poorly controlled diabetes has a serious impact on other aspects of a person’s health managing the disease is vital. Those respondents who showed more positive optimism and a higher degree of self-compassion also demonstrated a higher degree of self-care. That translated into more careful monitoring of blood sugar levels and better control of insulin levels which in turn led to well managed diabetes and better health outcomes. While the link might now seem self-evident it was not one which had been explored previously and Philippa was invited to present at a conference in Melbourne. She thanked Sylvie Wilkinson and Bill Duncan for their support with the costs associated with that event. |
||||||||||||||||||
The Rise and Rise of Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Production Director Jamie France attracted such numbers to our meeting on Monday evening that space became a challenge. More than 100 people crammed into the Banquet Room at Waipuna to hear an enthralling account from Jamie of the launch and rise of Rocket Lab. Jamie had a design engineer background with Team New Zealand, Fisher & Paykel and Air New Zealand. From just 12 people when Jamie joined Rocket Lab in 2014, Rocket Lab now employs over 500 people. 300 of those work in the Rocket Lab facility just a stones’ throw from Waipuna, building 17-metre-tall Electron Rockets at the rate of 1 per week. The rockets are then transported to Mahia and the world’s only private launch site. The firm has a 100% mission success rate with customer product, putting in low earth orbit satellites for a variety of customers, most of whom are American. The company is presently building a second launch site in Virginia to solidify its American customer base. The next stage is to complete an end to end delivery system with its own network tracking stations. The company builds everything – all hardware, software, avionics and electronics. |
||||||||||||||||||
Tag Off Polio |
||||||||||||||||||
Stirring Doomsday debate
Every year since 1987 Pakuranga Rotary has hosted teams from local schools for a fiercely contested debate with the Holyoake Trophy as the prize. Sponsored by PDG Noel Holyoake, the debate involves senior students from the three colleges in the district – Edgewater College, Pakuranga College and St. Kentigern College with teams alternating to challenge the winner from the previous year. Since 2018 the trophy had been held by St. Kentigern College but the holders were hotly challenged by Pakuranga College at our last meeting. The debate is conducted under the rules used in secondary schools with the greatest test being the limited time for preparation. Teams do not receive the moot for the debate until noon on the day of the contest. With the support of school management they are given the afternoon to set up their strategies and arguments. Recent debates under these rules have been of very high quality and attest to the initiative and clever cramming of content undertaken by the talented students. The 2019 topic had echoes of Stephen Hawking’s warning to the world in his last book-if robots don’t get us, climate change will. The moot was “That AI presents a greater threat to mankind’s future than climate change”. The Pakuranga College team consisting of Khusrav Bhajiwalla, Jaxon Gear, Helen Lam and Chris Matthews (Teacher i/c) which argued for the affirmative, wove a picture of a world dominated by Artificial Intelligence which didn’t share human values, caused massive unemployment and anarchy and which posed a more serious threat long term to the world than the climate change issue which was solvable. Ben Shepherd, William Feng, Ben Fraser and Chris Hodder (Teacher i/c) representing St. Kentigern College and arguing in the negative, countered that the portrayal of the risks posed by AI was overhyped and unrealistic and that extreme weather will overwhelm us before cell phones overpower us. The debate was coordinated by Peter Woodcock and adjudicated by Jeanette Roberts, with years of experience, Desiré Truter, Acting Head of English and teacher in charge of the debating team at Edgewater College and Simeon Brown MP. In awarding the debate (and retention of the Holyoake Trophy) to St. Kentigern College, Simeon made reference to the quality of the debate and the passion exhibited by both teams. There was certainly nothing artificial about the intelligence on display from our local College debating teams. |
||||||||||||||||||
Ride Like a Girl On Thursday, 24 October - we are joining forces with Somerville and Highbrook Rotary at a charity movie night in support of PolioPlus - Rotary's world project to eradicate polio. Ride Like A Girl is the incredible true story of Michelle Payne. As a little girl, Michelle (Teresa Palmer) dreams of the impossible: winning the Melbourne Cup - horse-racing's toughest two-mile race. The youngest of 10 children, Michelle is raised by single father Paddy (Sam Neill). After her own near fatal horse fall all but ends the dream. But with the love of her dad and her brother Stevie, Michelle will not give up. Against all the medical advice, and the protests of her siblings, she rides on, and meets the Prince of Penzance. Together they overcome impossible odds for a shot at the dream: a ride in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, at odds of 100 to 1. Register at our Ride Like A Girl Movie Night event to secure your ticket |
||||||||||||||||||
Rocket Lab Coming to Pakuranga Rotary
On Monday, 21 October - Jamie France a former Team NZ engineer and now Production Director at Rocket Lab is enlightening us on how a design engineer with the yachting syndicate from 1997 through to 2013 is now building $7m rockets that are launched into space on New Zealand's east coast. Register at our Rocket Lab Night event to let us know you are going to be there. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Youth Exchange on a Summer Holiday
One of the highlights of this month was getting to see my friend Oscar! He visited Lille for the day and it was amazing! We had some coffee and a good yarn, went to watch Toy Story 4, and then he met one of the Australians Sara. We had so much fun that day, mucking around in shops, having a picnic in the park and wandering endlessly through Lille. We even bought matching toy rabbits for our blazers. It was so nice to see a familiar face. The last of my oldies left on the 6th. After that, trips to Lille were a little boring and didn’t feel right. Us newbies, uh oldies now, have been hanging out as much as possible, but it’s a little difficult since all of us are going on holiday with our host families. We’re all really excited for our newbies to arrive, there’s about 30 arriving. The integration weekend is on the 30th but sadly, I can’t go for the nights. There may be a chance I’ll go for the last day.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Wearable Arts Pakuranga Trivia Night and Auction - 7 SeptemberTickets On Sale Now
With well-known NZ actor Shane Cortese as auctioneer, teams will compete in a fun night putting their trivia knowledge to the test to win great prize and auction to support Life Education Trust and Pakuranga Rotary projects. Come in your outlandish and creative wearable art.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sanctuary Sculpture Support
|
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Foundation receives highest rating for 11th yearFor the 11th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.
“We are extremely honored to be recognized,” says Foundation Trustee Chair Ron Burton. “It represents the hard work and dedication of countless Rotarians throughout the world. They know their gifts will be used for the purpose for which they were given and that they will, indeed, make a real difference.” The rating reflects Charity Navigator's assessment of how the Foundation uses donations, sustains its programs and services, and practices good governance and openness. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotarians descended on Hamburg
During the convention, they were part of the conversation on pressing world issues like polio eradication, pollution, refugee migration, disease prevention, and literacy. They inspired to enhance thier skills in areas that Rotarians value, like fellowship, integrity, diversity, service, and fellowship. Attendees - Past RI President Bill Boyd and Rotarian Del Johnston enlightened Pakuranga Rotary about the Hamburg Convention. |
||||||||||||||||||
WAP Trivia Night - 7 SeptemberTickets On Sale Now
|
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Leadership Institute |
||||||||||||||||||
50th Anniversary Gala Dinner |
||||||||||||||||||
A Salute to International Rotarian - Bill Boyd
On 30 June 2019, Bill finally drew closure to his stellar 30 years of International service to Rotary and returns to be 'Bill Boyd - Magazine Distribution and member of Pakuranga Rotary. Always by his side during his years service has been his much adored wife Lorna, who herself played her part in Convention break-out sessions and became a fountain of Rotary knowledge which she graciously shared with whomever and whenever the appropriate occasion rose. The members of the Pakuranga Rotary salute Bill's work for Rotary and its many endeavours. |
||||||||||||||||||
Georgie Chalmers & Viktoria MelberPakuranga Rotary was treated to reports by two very enthusiastic Rotary exchange students. Georgie Chalmers who has returned from a year in Denmark and Victoria Melber our exchange student from Austria. The Rotary Youth Exchange [fittingly initiated by the Copenhagen Club in Denmark in 1927] now gives around 9000 students a year the opportunity to live and study in another country. The messages from Georgie and Viktoria mirrored those given by successive students and reinforces just how valuable this exchange is.
Both Georgie and Viktoria were given and took the many opportunities offered, to see and experience new cultures while on exchange. For Georgie this included trips to many parts of Europe on the Europe tour and Cologne in Germany on a school trip and Majorca [part of the Spanish Balearic Isles] on a family holiday. For Viktoria it involved the South Island trip and visits to places all over the North Island. She recounted all of the many activities she took part in ranging from the school ball, Marae visit, Challenge Camp, Tongariro crossing, school sports teams and many Rotary activities. |
||||||||||||||||||
Newest Rotarians
Before the formal induction, we heard from three younger members, introducing themselves and telling us a little about that makes them tick. First up was Crystal Leung, our 20 year old Engineering Student, with a rather witty PowerPoint that gave us a good insight into her family, her interests and how much she appreciated Rotary Grandpa Duncan’s financial support the enabled her to become a Rotarian. Next we had Rachel Wong, a 19 year old Health Science student who had prepared a comprehensive electronic display of her achievements during her last year at Pakuranga College. Se too, was gracious in her thanks to Rotary Grandpa Peter Armstrong, for his generous support of her. Lastly, Joe D’Ambrosio, from the USA and the Hard Materials teacher at Farm Cove Intermediate, told of his decision to settle in NZ with his Kiwi wife and his pride in her achievements. He then handed Bart a “cheque” for $1,131.00 which was money raised by a couple of Auxiliary members, selling household surplus donated by two Pakuranga Rotary members. |
||||||||||||||||||
Melissa Chan-Brown
Last Monday we welcomed Melissa Chan-Brown, Newshub presenter and reporter, to our meeting and we were delighted to tune in to her presentation. Do you recall Melissa visiting our Pakuranga Rotary some 20 years ago as a member of the Pakuranga College debating team? I am sure Peter Woodcock does. Melissa joined TV3 12 years ago and was based in London for 5 years reporting on Royal activities, terror attacks in Paris and no two days were the same but there was always the challenge to be first with developments then write up the story and edit it for the news that night. She is now filing stories for radio and various news slots. |
||||||||||||||||||
John Taylor - The cloud Application and Cost benefits
For a computer and internet bunny, what a challenge to provide some sort of summary of what John Taylor told us about the cloud this week! However, what I think I learned (E&OE) was:
|
||||||||||||||||||
Ahead of the Curve
|
||||||||||||||||||
Who is Penelope Franca
|
||||||||||||||||||
Pakuranga Rotary and Public Work of Art
|
||||||||||||||||||
Panmure Bridge School Reading Programme
|
||||||||||||||||||
Pestival |
||||||||||||||||||
Howick Local Board citizen Awards 2019 |
||||||||||||||||||
Curtain Call |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Peace CentresRotary Peace Centers
|
||||||||||||||||||
Wellbeing Day Out |
||||||||||||||||||
Bringing in the Big Ships to the Port of Auckland
|
||||||||||||||||||
Mt Eden Rotary & Epsom Rotary Invite You to ROCKETMAN Movie Night @ Lido Cinema (Thu 30 May) |
||||||||||||||||||
Geoffrey Amos
He leaves a huge legacy of helping communities in Fiji, in particular on Taveuni Island. Geoffrey initiated the Rotary Club of Taveuni and led significant Rotary projects over many years, to improve Fiji’s health, education and housing- working extensively with the Rotary Organisation, and other partners. His legacy will be the many lives he changed for the better. He has been an inspiration We send our condolences to his family and his community The following is taken from Geoff’s own recent writing. “The Rotary Club of Taveuni Island is made up of 11 active members who represent the cultural mix of Taveuni and we do anything that benefits the health and education in rural communities. For twelve years we have run the largest totally free South Pacific cataract surgery program. From the time the patient leaves home and returns, irrespective of their location anywhere in the Fiji Islands, we cover all costs, providing meals, accommodation, sunglasses, post-op medication, laundry, tooth brushes etc. My wife Joey runs Patient Services with her team of volunteers and they produce about 400 meals plus a day for four different cultures on 2 x two burner gas stoves. We own over 100 single mattresses and pillows, plus all the required bed linen for the patients and the theatre. Our surgical equipment is worth over $500,000 and now with two new Stryker operating beds it has increased to $550,000. |
||||||||||||||||||
Gavin Trethewey
What kid (male) in the 50s or 60s didn’t take delight in assembling and flying an Airfix balsa wood Mustang or Hudson plane using heady glue, hard-backed razor blades and a lump of plasticine? Such fun! As it must be for those in the Warbirds Association of New Zealand who have the pleasure and challenge of assembling, maintaining, displaying and in many cases flying such magnificent machines in order to preserve an important aspect of our past. Our speaker this week was Gavin Trethewey who has had many years flying experience both in the Royal NZ Air Force and as a commercial pilot. In an interesting address, illustrated with photos and video clips, he opened up the world of iconic planes dating from the First World War BE2 and Fokker Triplane, through the twenties and thirties (Percival Gull, De Haviland Foxmouth with folding wings and the trusty DC3) through WW2 (Kittyhawk, Mustang, Mosquito and Spitfire - $4000 will get you a spin in this!) to the more recent Catalina, F86 Sabre and BAC 167 Strikemaster. These a just a few of the planes mentioned. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Youth Exchange |
||||||||||||||||||
Dawn Johnston Koru Award Nominations Wanted
The Inner Wheel Club of Howick is looking for such a person to present a Dawn Johnston Koru Award to. The inaugural presentation of this award was made last year to Alan Breslau of Half Moon Bay who survived a horrific plane crash 56 years ago followed by many years in hospital. The award was based on the Inner Wheel theme for 2017/2018 ‘Leave a Legacy’ The spiral shape of the koru, the emblem of the award, signifies new life, positive change, personal growth, harmony, and above all, hope for the future. Awardees need to have demonstrated self-awareness, resilience, compassion, and a desire to assist others becoming a full contributor to the community. This is an Annual Award and the successful recipient needs to be a New Zealand citizen residing in the Pakuranga or Botany electorate area. The award is a Koru Trophy to keep and the book ‘Leaving a Legacy’. If someone in your wider Rotary community knows a person who fits the above criteria and would like to nominate that person could you please email my Secretary, Julia Castles at iwhowicksecretary@gmail.com with details. Adrienne Davies President Howick Inner Wheel Club |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Youth Exchange - Apply Now
Have you thought about a Student Exchange? Every year Rotary International offers students the chance to go on a 12 month exchange in countries like France, Germany, Holland, Argentina, plus more. It is not as hard as it might sound because Rotary gives you a lot of support and you will have your own support person in your exchange country while you are away. You don’t have to know the language before you go. One of the highlights is a summer trip around Europe or your host country. "It’s amazing I’ve come this far, I never would have guessed this is where I would be right now. Looking back on the year I’ve had so many once in a lifetime opportunities and it’s the mind set of being willing to say yes to anything offered that really makes a great year. You learn to be part of a different culture and end up with friends all over the world." Students that have been on exchange tell Rotary that it is the best thing they have ever done and hey come back with great confidence and independence and really ready to get on with university or whatever they are doing next. Applications close 30 April Join them to find out more
|
||||||||||||||||||
Make a Difference from the Backbenches
His Private Members Bill dealing with synthetic cannabis was drawn on the first ballot out of a biscuit tin and has precipitated a government bill attempting to deal with the problem. Simeon has also recently been designated as a contact person for National in the Botany electorate. As Ken Worsley, who introduced Simeon, says, it is always a pleasure to hear from him. |
||||||||||||||||||
Remuera and St Johns - Quiz Night |
||||||||||||||||||
Tip Top Schools Fun Day Out Coming Soon.jpg) |
||||||||||||||||||
30 Years of Women in Rotary |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Club of South Auckland Cultural & Charity Night 2019 |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary National Science and Technology Forum Inspires
She outlined the amazing overview of subjects she was able to receive and the awareness she now had of the advanced fields to which she can aspire. Her particular interest in medical science was well catered for and she came away from the course with precious memories and lifelong friends. Rotary in action! |
||||||||||||||||||
Meeting Highlights
Tribute was also paid to Les Hammond. Russell and Wendy Clark joined us for Russ’s last meeting as a member. He has resigned to be able to provide further care for Wendy. President Duncan outlined Russ’s long and abundant service to the cause of Rotary and Russ and Wendy were thanked by all members. Reece Andrews (son of David and Elizabeth) was inducted as Pakuranga Rotary’s second corporate member representing Access One Scaffolding Limited. Reece is the General Manager at Access One Scaffolding and was provided with our traditional Rotary welcome. |
||||||||||||||||||
District Conference is only 2 months away
We are now only 2 months out from the District 9920 conference in Napier. Already more than 200 of you have registered for the conference, but there is still plenty of time for those who have not. |
||||||||||||||||||
Pakistan's female vaccination team moves from polio to measles The network of female vaccinating teams credited with bringing polio to the brink of extinction in Pakistan will next month be brought to bear on measles in the country's first nationwide blitz against the virus in five years. Health officials believe the community teams credited with turning around Pakistan's campaign against polio in some of its most stubborn haunts can have a similar effect on other health problems. Pakistan has used millions of dollars of polio donor funding to build a network of dedicated operations centres and health workers. Polio cases have fallen from 306 in 2014 to only four so far in 2018. While Pakistan still has the polio virus circulating in the environment and has some time to go before it is declared polio free, health officials are starting to look at other potential uses of the network they have put in place. One of the most successful parts of the anti-polio campaign has been the recruitment of tens of thousands of largely female community-based volunteers who vaccinate children in their own neighbourhoods. |
||||||||||||||||||
Crossing Thru the Clouds
We got up at 5am in the morning and drove to the start of the Crossing. It was raining when we finally started walking at around 8am making it a hard walk all the way up to the top but it was nevertheless a great feeling, even if the view wasn’t further than 30 metres. All of us were completely wet at the top, because the rain jackets couldn’t hold the water anymore and I was freezing even if I wore 4 layers. The view cleared up at the lake at the top and it got really hot so I walked down with shorts. We had quite a few stops - Jazmin and I were the first people down the mountain. It was a great experience and I would definitely do it again.   |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Youth Exchange Information Evenings
Have you thought about a Student Exchange? Every year Rotary International offers students the chance to go on a 12 month exchange in countries like France, Germany, Holland, Argentina, plus more. It is not as hard as it might sound because Rotary gives you a lot of support and you will have your own support person in your exchange country while you are away. You don’t have to know the language before you go. One of the highlights is a summer trip around Europe or your host country. "It’s amazing I’ve come this far, I never would have guessed this is where I would be right now. Looking back on the year I’ve had so many once in a lifetime opportunities and it’s the mind set of being willing to say yes to anything offered that really makes a great year. You learn to be part of a different culture and end up with friends all over the world." Students that have been on exchange tell Rotary that it is the best thing they have ever done and hey come back with great confidence and independence and really ready to get on with university or whatever they are doing next. Join them to find out more
|
||||||||||||||||||
Eels, eats and eco- entertainment at Pirongia
 We enjoyed the most delicious BBQ mini lamb burgers in a leafy glade by the river as well as ice cold drinks and canapes dotted around the property. The bold and brave tried out the huge zip line, much to the enjoyment of onlookers with their cameras at the ready. In keeping with the conservation theme, we were sent on a competition walk to identify native trees.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Help Support Te Whakaora Tangata
Date & Time: Wednesday 27 February, 12noon to 1.30pm Paid Parking: Available in the EMA parking building on Auburn St Cost: $60.00 per person RSVP: clicking here or contacting Jacqui - (09) 486 6010 or office@aucklandrotary.org.nz |
||||||||||||||||||
Pestival - East Auckland Schools Green Jam |
||||||||||||||||||
A Colourful Time
School started and I got really busy in school. I joined the tennis team and went to the tryouts for the volleyball seniors team, where I finally made it in the team. For subjects in school I chose English, Chemistry, Calculus, Physics applied and Outdoor Education. On the 10th February I went together with some of the other Rotary Exchange students and my friends from school to the Hare Krishna Holi festival, which took place at the Hare Krishna Temple in Riverhead. We all came home with the colour everywhere and were looking forward to our rainbow shower. It was so much fun.   |
||||||||||||||||||
Dental Clinic to Multipurpose Room
|
||||||||||||||||||
Fiji Oxygen Project Fundraising
“Please enjoy our fun images to share with Pakuranga Rotary members and accept our thanks a trillion for your support through donations, volunteers and friendship. We hope for a chance to meet and work with you on more projects" |
||||||||||||||||||
Atlas Presentation
|
||||||||||||||||||
Viki's Travels
I was in Whangarei, spent New Years on Waihi Beach, was in the Bay of Islands and did a day trip to Cape Reinga. I also watched some movies with Bart, Adrianne and Cameron. On my last weekend before school was about to start, my host family took me to Rotorua where we did the luge, a walk in the redwood forest and visited the Wai-o-tapu thermal wonderland, what I found amazing. Now school has started again and it is nice to see all my friends again.  |
||||||||||||||||||
RYPEN needs Your Help
The Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) is a Youth Leadership over a weekend long camp for Year 12 and 13 students, aged between 14 - 17 years old, designed at developing young people’s potential through a mixture of lecture style sessions and adventure-based learning.
This year RYPEN will be held on Friday 29 to 31 March 2019 at Kokako Lodge, Falls Road, Hunua, Auckland. The RYPEN 2019 team us made up of Rotaract Club of Auckland and Rotaract Club of Auckland University, plus members of other Rotary Clubs. They have been hard at work over the holidays and would like your help to deliver the RYPEN programme in March 2019. They are looking for assistance for the camp.
Team Leaders will be Rotaractors and RYLA awardees 2018. Please contact Ainie Kwork (ainiekwok@gmail.com) if you want to be involved in this year's RYPEN 2019 programme. |
||||||||||||||||||
Keeping an Eye on Punters
There was some reassurance, mixed with worrying reminders of what gambling can do in the lives of many of our fellow citizens in the address given by Rob Burrell at the meeting this week. Rob has a team of ten whose responsibility on behalf of Sky City Casino is to keep an eye out for potential or actual gambling addicts as well as anyone breaking the strict rules of casino use. With 400,000 customers per month and 1 in 25 likely to have a ‘gambling problem’ there is no shortage of potential ‘clients’ in this job which Rob admits is not easy. |
||||||||||||||||||
Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Community River Carnival |
||||||||||||||||||
Gary Braid - From Otumoetai to Slovenia
Gary Braid was happily playing soccer at Otumoetai College when he succumbed to peer pressure and tried out for the First Fifteen. The rest is history, as the former All Black outlined to our first meeting of the year on Monday evening. Gary represented New Zealand in 1983 and his sons Luke and Daniel have kept the Braid name well recognised in rugby circles since. Gary confessed he found the drudgery of training a relief at a time when he had three young children in the house. The motivation of playing for your mates and country was and remains as powerful as ever for our national side. There is no free ride and the All Black legacy imbues humbleness. He has enjoyed a wide and varied career since his playing days which includes coaching stints in Croatia and Slovenia, National Sales Manager for DB Breweries, property investing, software development and being a Publican. Question time elicited the observation that rugby players in all European countries (except France) do not have the intuitive skills of players in countries such as New Zealand where the game is played from a young age and coaching therefore involves breaking the component parts of the game down and having to teach those skills. |
||||||||||||||||||
Highbrook Rotary Fun Run Walk Can you help Highbrook Rotary?
If you can help, then contact Highbrook Rotary
|
||||||||||||||||||
“Chippies” of Action
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. |
||||||||||||||||||
Wonderful Community Projects
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? |
||||||||||||||||||
Another one bites the dust!
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! |
||||||||||||||||||
New Christmas Addition Christmas is all about a very special baby... We want to share our own special Rotary baby with you all... some beautiful shots of Mahina Louise, Penelope's wee girl now just 6 weeks old. |
||||||||||||||||||
Touring the South
Click on the link below to see more |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary on Show at Howick Santa Parade
Pakuranga Rotary, Howick Rotary, Somerville Rotary, Auckland South Rotary, Half Moon Bay Rotary and Botany East Tamaki Rotary joined forces at this year's Howick Santa Parade to show all the good work done in the local community. Be it dictionaries in school, Bangers to Bluff, eradicating polio or supplying Emergency Response Kits to the South Pacific.
|
||||||||||||||||||
St Johns Rotary - Trivia Night
|
||||||||||||||||||
Erin Forsyth - A Few
A variety of flora and fauna are represented in this collection with special attention given to the butterflies pepe or pūrerehua (Lepidoptera), manu/birds (Avifauna), pekapeka/bats (Chiroptera) and rakau/trees. It is the artist’s intention to continue creating and adding images to this series, which may provide insight to the unique biological (bio) diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand. |
||||||||||||||||||
Whare Hauora a First Whare Hauora, an amazing new in-school health facility created by Starship Community, in partnership with the Starship Foundation and Bartfoot & Thompson. Located at Panmure Bridge School, the relocatable clinic is designed to provide a higher quality of community health care to primary students. Whare Hauora is the brainchild of Nurse Consultant Sarah Williams who saw first-hand the need for appropriate spaces for healthcare within schools, and has worked on the project from conception through to reality. Sarah says: “The Whare Hauora project celebrates a collaboration between health and education which came about through a shared vision and established relationship. Experience had shown us that having a nurse available in the primary school space greatly supports children who have health issues that are preventing them attending school or engaging in learning activities. This approach works even better if there is an appropriate facility for our nurses and others to use.” Richard Johnston, Principal of Panmure Bridge School, says: “This concept makes a significant and positive change in the relationship between education (the school ) and health. The model developed here, in creating a respectful and purpose built environment, has huge potential to be up-scaled across the education sector to meet the needs of many communities. |
||||||||||||||||||
Kenya Ashcroft - Rotary Service Award Recepient 2018
Kenya was the recipient of the Rotary Senior School Service Award for her service to environmental issues at the Saint Kentigern College. Kenya has been widely involved in environmental programmes throughout her education. Of particular significance is her involvement in Trees for Survival. This is an environmental programme that sees students grow, care for and plant out thousands of native seedlings in riparian zones across Auckland every year. Kenya began her involvement in ‘Trees for Survival’ at age 7 at Ardmore Primary School; which she then continued to engage with here at the College until Year 13. Trees for Survival has been running at the College for now more than 25 years, and in that time has planted over 30,000 trees. The Saint Kentigern is very grateful to the Pakuranga Rotary who are our sponsors and never miss a planting day with the college. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Down Under November 2018 |
||||||||||||||||||
Mission Heights Pestival |
||||||||||||||||||
From Afghanistan to New Zealand
Our speaker this week was Mortaza Sahar, who was introduced by our own member Elizabeth Arrowsmith a year 13 student at Pakuranga College. He remembers as a child growing up in Afghanistan, a country which had been overrun by the Teleban and life was extremely difficult for a young lad and his family. Eventually they fled to Quetta living in one room and just surviving. His Uncle left and travelled towards Australia and after their boat was breaking up he was picked up by a container ship and arrived in Australia. From there the Uncle moved to New Zealand and Mortaza’s family then followed and settled in the Refugee centre at Mangere. |
||||||||||||||||||
An Invitation from the Rotary Club of Remuera |
||||||||||||||||||
Bohemian Rhapsody Join us and Somervile Rotary at a special screening of Bohemian Rhapsody to support End Polio Now. With your help, we can end polio for good. Tickets are $25 To register - Just click on the poster or click here The eradication of polio is one of Rotary's longest standing and most significant efforts. Along with our partners, we have helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries. We have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide and we won't stop until we end the disease for good. |
||||||||||||||||||
World Polio Day
|
||||||||||||||||||
District Conference 2019
You can find more information about the conference here (https://rotarydistrict9920. Please note: You will need your Clubrunner login to register for the conference. If you have never logged in to Clubrunner before, or have forgotten your password or login information click here for instructions (https://www.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON at the Convention Centre, Wine Tasting will be on offer. But as you will have plenty of Wine at night, I have organised amazing entertainment for our Club,you will not be disappointed. A NAPIER PRISON TOUR, only $25 per person. Afternoon Tea will be available. When registering, you will be asked if you want to accept one of the Conference Options for the Saturday Afternoon. If you would like to join me on a Prison Tour, then don’t reply to one of The Conference Options, just advise me. THE CHOICE IS YOURS. Also we are booked at the Scenic Hotel Te Pania which is across the road from the Convention Centre. I have a Group Booking for all Pakuranga Attendees, it’s great to be together. Please advise me once you’ve registered and I will inform the Hotel on your behalf, DO NOT MAKE A HOTEL BOOKING YOURSELF, otherwise we will double up. Why not consider breaking the Journey and stay Thursday Night in Taupo. I have booked Rooms at The Millennium, also known as Manuals, overlooking Lake Taupo. Please let me know if you are interested. So please seriously consider attending this District Conference in Napier next May 10-12. This is a wonderful opportunity for Fellowship, not only with our own Members but with other Rotarians from other Clubs.
Ian Handisides Conference Promoter |
||||||||||||||||||
Emergency Response Kits - Assist in a Practical Way
ERKs are distributed following disasters including tsunami, cyclones and floods in Oceania and the South Pacific. The ERKs project was established in 1985 and was a District 9920 project for 20 years before it became expanded throughout New Zealand. The supply of Box and Contents is in itself a District 9920 project and many Rotarians assist in a practical way each year by packing the kits in Auckland – hands on Rotary service. |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary announces $96.5m to end polio KARACHI - Rotary has announced nearly 100 million dollars in grants to support the global efforts to end polio—a vaccine preventable disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children every in a year.The announcement comes as Nigeria marks two years without any reported cases of wild poliovirus, following four reported cases in 2016, said press release received here from Rotary (Pakistan). “Nigeria has prevented further cases of wild poliovirus. Thanks to the improved surveillance and rapid response protocols Rotary and its Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners have supported, particularly in Borno,” said Chairperson of Rotary’s Nigeria PolioPlus Committee, Dr Tunji Funsho. |
||||||||||||||||||
Asking those Questions that make all the Difference for Rotarians |
||||||||||||||||||
Ride for Rotary in India
|
||||||||||||||||||
Pest Free by 2050?
From the communities the goal can be extended to broader districts and already there have been significant achievements around the country – Bay of Island peninsula, Tiri Tiri, Little Barrier being the closest with Waiheke being targeted next. Mahia peninsula is another location receiving special attention. Short videos showed the actions taken and those planned with the goal of restoring birdsong to the wild where rats, ferrets and stoats have done major damage over the years. The question was asked about rabbits in the mix but the primary targets are the predatory animals. Ed left attendees at Pakuranga Rotary's meeting in September in no doubt that the issue was being addressed, that there is still some way to go but the will is there and, given the necessary finances, dedicated workers will do their utmost to achieve a pest-free new Zealand in the next 32 years. |
||||||||||||||||||
2018 Holyoake DebateHolyoake Debate: Featuring Edgewater College and St Kentigern CollegeThe 2018 Holyoake debate presented the very topical moot, “That freedom of speech is a threat to both social harmony and political stability.”
After a long break Edgewater College was back at the debate with an inexperienced team debating against the cup holders, St Kentigern College. St Kent’s, in a display of good sportsmanship also brought a more junior team. Despite the relative youth of the teams there was no shortage of good arguments, extended vocabulary and some great oratory flourishes. |
||||||||||||||||||
Duncan's Doodles 3 September 2018 What a great debate! St Kents very narrowly from Edgewater College. Thank you once again to Noel and Betty Holyoake for their sponsorship.Next week is our fellowship night which are growing in popularity. If you have not attended such a night yet please come and enjoy a more relaxed evening. On 17/9 the following Monday it is club assembly where budgets are presented! We have lots to talk about! |
||||||||||||||||||
Predator Free 2050 |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary eBike SafariSomething you may be interested in from the Rotary Club of East Auckland |
||||||||||||||||||
Pakuranga Rotary 50th Anniversary Project
|
||||||||||||||||||
Trivia and Auction NightIt is only a few weeks away and tickets are selling fast! This year Pakuranga Rotary are supporting Life Education Trust and Rotary projects. Contact Alan Davies (abdavies@xtra.co.nz or 021535556) to secure your tickets for $25 pp or $250 per table |
||||||||||||||||||
Pakuranga Rotary Supports Life Education TrustLife Education Trust Director Lincoln Jefferson comes to speak to Pakuranga Rotary as the Club prepares for Trivia Night 2018 to be held on Saturday 6 October supporting the work of the Trust. After a brief introduction outlining Pakuranga Rotary’s close involvement with the Life Education Trust (now Counties Manukau) since 2000, Rotarian Alison Gilbert introduced its current Director LINCOLN JEFFERSON who gave an overview of the organisation, then some specifics related to the local scene.Nationally, the LET’s 45 mobile classrooms reach 250,000 children per year with their interactive programme on healthy living, all facilitated by trained teachers. Locally, in Counties Manukau, the goal is to lift the figure from 35,000 this year to 40,000 next. |
||||||||||||||||||
Pakuranga Rotary swings in behind exciting new predator free programme
|
||||||||||||||||||
Upcoming event; Life Education Trust to speak to Pakuranga RotaryOur speaker next week: Lincoln Jefferson-General Manager Life Education Trust Counties Manukau |
||||||||||||||||||
Duncan's Doodles 6 August Next week 13/8 we have our fellowship evening at Waipuna and all including guests are welcome. I hope to see you thereAt 7pm in the bar that same evening Graham K, Bart Phillip and I will be holding a meeting with Howick Lions starting planning for Project Gunpowder, a fireworks display night. We need another member to join this team so if you are interested in this exciting project please contact any of us Our area Pest Free Meeting with the 4 other Rotary Clubs in the area will be held Wed 8/8 and we will report progress at our next meeting 20/8 HELP. We are short of funds. Are there some unused items you could list on trademe for club funds? Any other fund raising ideas? Please share |
||||||||||||||||||
Operations Manager wanted - New Zealand  OPERATIONS MANAGER NEW ZEALAND Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children ROMAC is a key District Governor Rotary programme providing life-saving and dignity-restoring treatment to the children from developing countries in Oceania. This Rotary programme spans the Australian and New Zealand regions, and between 20 and 30 children are referred to New Zealand (mostly to Starship hospital) for treatment each year. We are looking for an Operations Manager, who is a current member of Rotary, to join our volunteer team, mostly based in Auckland. The primary role of the Operations Manager is to organise and manage the logistics of getting ROMAC patients from the Pacific islands to New Zealand for treatment. This includes the processes associated with obtaining and managing the appropriate passport, VISA and immigration requirements and ensuring ROMAC documentation is completed. Travel documentation, itineraries and ticketing for child and carer travel to New Zealand and return home are also part of the role. This role is part of the NZ Regional Committee with members who are supportive and have roles integral to the Operations Manager role. Generally, a commitment of between 7 and 14 hours per week may be required to fulfil this role, occasionally longer when uploading data and information into the ROMAC database and reporting. If you are a Rotarian looking for a way to contribute directly to the objects of Rotary and are interested to find about more about this role please email NZ Region Chair Glenys Parton at newzealand@romac.org.au for a Role Description. |
||||||||||||||||||
Exchange Student Viktoria Melber arrives from Austria
|
||||||||||||||||||
DG Ingrid Waugh Comes to Pakuranga Rotary 9920 District Governor Ingrid Waugh promised a short address and time for questions – and she delivered! ‘Be the Inspiration’ is the Rotary theme of World President Barry Rassin and Ingrid obviously took this on board as she gave her seventh presentation to 9920 clubs as D.G. After some warm fuzzies directed to our club’s record and Rotary stalwarts she outlined her FOUR priorities for the current Rotary year. |
||||||||||||||||||
Beauty in the pie of the beholder......  President Duncan’s instructions were simple. Use the big dish to make a pie for sharing. Use the small dish to make a pie for judging. Easy. Yeah, nah. |
||||||||||||||||||
Duncan's DoodlesCome and show us your pie making skills! I have the NZ Bakels Team gearing up for Rotary Pie Awards and look forward to a great evening tasting all of the pies you are to bake and bring along As advised I will shortly arrange to send to you one small tin for a pie that is to be judged and a larger tin for a pie that we can share for dinner. The pies will all be reheated on arrival At present we have just 16 attendees so for all of the undecided who have not yet registered please do so as soon as possible so we can firm up numbers for the event |
||||||||||||||||||
Rev. Dr. Richard Waugh on Cars and PlanesLocal Aeronautical Icon and British Motor Car Enthusiast Visits Pakuranga Rotary
|
||||||||||||||||||
Pakuranga Rotary Auxilliary's
|
||||||||||||||||||
Duncan's Doodles - Jul 9
|
||||||||||||||||||
The World Press Photo Exhibition Opens  NOW OPEN! THE OUTSTANDING 2018 WORLD PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION |
||||||||||||||||||
Say YES to Life Pod
|
||||||||||||||||||
Duncan's Doodles - Jun 26
|
||||||||||||||||||
Duncan's Doodles - Jun 21
No meeting Monday 25/6
ERKS ( Emergency Response Kits)Fellow Rotarians we have an opportunity to take up a slot to pack ERKS
Are you able to assist? We shall put an invitation on ClubRunner WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME UP IN LIGHTSSocial Night Monday 30 July NZ Bakels Cnr of Industry RD and Church St East Penrose Cost $20. Free Bar We will supply all entrants with 1 large and one small pie tin
The date is ideal as the Bakels supreme pie awards are judged 26 July and the winners announced 31 July |
||||||||||||||||||
Mary Taylor recognised with PHF
Mary Taylor was recognised for her work driving Rotary District 9920's Pacific Island Midwifery Training Programme. This, her second Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognition which was bestowed and presented by District Governor Malini - congratulations Mary! The programme facilitates the sending midwives from remote areas of the Pacific for leadership skills training in Canberra. The course content has been designed to facilitate personal and professional development, and to enable them to pass on their leadership knowledge to their colleagues. |
||||||||||||||||||
Sylvie Wilkinson receives a PHF
|
||||||||||||||||||
Pakuranga Tamaki River Rotary Auxilary
On Monday June 12, President Dave and members of Pakuranga Rotary were treated to very special and quite uplifting occasion as members of the new satellite, Pakuranga Tamaki River Auxiliary, formally became Rotarians. All the more special because our District Governor Malini Raghwan was present to do the honours and congratulate the fifteen new Rotarians who were arrayed in their different national flags or colours, obviously excited and enthusiastic about the step they had made. The amazing CVs of each were delivered by a variety of young and old – pupils introduced their teachers with pride and considerable confidence and aplomb, sometimes out-performing their more senior fellow presenters. Congratulations to new Rotarians:
Particularly gratifying was the evidence of a youthful contingent from both current and past Interact ranks. This promises well for future involvement by younger people in Rotary! Click on the read more link to find out more about each of our newest Rotarians. |
||||||||||||||||||
Support Christopher To get a ticket, either
Alternatively make a donation into Pakuranga Rotary's bank account 02-0223-0017811-005 with ERKs in reference. |
||||||||||||||||||
Doing Good with Rotary Foundation “The Rotary Foundation is the most visible expression of Rotarian generosity – a generosity that not only brings benefits but also brings help and cooperation to solve the problems that affect mankind.” Recently our Rotary Foundation turns 100. That’s a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world. And that’s definitely something worth celebrating. Through our Foundation, Rotary members have supported thousands of projects to provide clean water, fight disease, promote peace, provide basic education, and grow local economies. We’ve also been a leader in the fight to eradicate polio worldwide. To find out more visit Rotary Foundation.  |
||||||||||||||||||
District Governors' Changeover Invitation To RSHP email pbarron@xtra.co.nz |
||||||||||||||||||
Highbrook Rotary Changeover Dinner Invitation |
||||||||||||||||||
Dame Lesley Max brings a story of hope, work and success against drivers of poverty and inequality
This week Dame Lesley Max (DMNZ MBE, MA(Hons) came to speak with us about the Great Potentials Foundation and how it helps to address the persistent inequality, which manifests itself in poor educational outcomes, unemployment, poor health and poverty for disadvantaged sectors. Dame Lesley Max is the Co-founder and Trustee of Great Potentials Foundation whose aim is to relieve suffering, potential disparities, crime and enhance wellbeing. Dame Lesley co-founded Great Potentials Foundation 1990. She created the Family Service Centre model, introduced HIPPY (Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters) in New Zealand, and developed MATES (Mentoring and Tutoring Education Scheme). |
||||||||||||||||||
RYPEN as a Life-changer
The commonality in all reports was clear – the camp experiences made personal impacts that have changed their lives in many different ways. For one (Zoe) the deprivation of a cell phone ‘sucked the soul’ out of her but the positivity experienced in the few days without it has encouraged her to set goals to go phoneless for long periods of time. For another (Shelby – already in a leadership role at her school) this deprivation led to meaningful face-to-face interactions resulting in far better understandings of what others are thinking and developing new personal relationships. More than one spoke of their deeper understanding of what leadership means – not being a director but being a facilitator and encourager being among the qualities required. Team building exercises helped this process. Lionel relished the change in personal relationships – the ‘ghost bus’ on the way to camp became the ‘party bus’ on its return! Songyan found immense value in exposure to the variety of cultures represented at camp. |
||||||||||||||||||
A Lot of Rot
The issue of leaky buildings is one that just won't go away and an expert report from Jeanette Drysdale on the problem was warmly received. Jeannette, a long serving and very actively involved Rotarian is also highly qualified in the area of timber rot and the regulations and standards associated with the use of timber in construction. As Jeanette explained it New Zealand was at the centre of a perfect storm. A relaxation of the standards associated with the use of untreated timber in construction, increasingly complicated designs, parapets, enclosed balconies, smaller eaves, increased reliance on paints and sealants, monolithic cladding directly fixed and a raft of new building products, ably supported by architects all combined to lead to what was a disaster. |
||||||||||||||||||
Trees for Survival Reaches 135 Schools
Roger told us that the Trees for Survial (TFS) scheme now operated successfully in 135 school, but that there was much potential and he underscored again the intention to grow the number of schools by 25 a year and 200 schools by 2020. Plans to update the way seedlings were delivered to schools means that the young seedlings will arrive in trays from which they are taken as “plugs” and then put straight into plastic bags ready for planting when the time is right. Roger sad that each school will receive 1,000 plugs a year with enough potting mix in a single once a year delivery. Currently the growing units are constructed in East Tamaki by Rollformers but this is soon to be taken over by the Men’s Shed organisation and if not already, will represent their number one community project. TFS has received a generous donation from the Potter Masonic Trust. Individual schools will be responsible for the first $1,000 of the cost of a growing unit and the Trust has agree to contribute to the balance. Roger’s presentation highlighted the enormity of the Government’s tree planting programme and the role that TFS is playing in engaging our young environmentalists of the future. |
||||||||||||||||||
Allan Vester - 23 Years at Edgewater College Allan Vester has retired as Principal of Edgewater College after 23 years. Known for his ability and willing input, Allan has played a tremendous role as a member and supporter of Pakuranga Rotary. Events such as Top Schools and our Trivia evenings would not have been the same without the assistance Allan gave when he made the facilities of the College available, his readiness to set up and run the sound systems, assist with maintenance of equipment and generally do as much around the Pakuranga Rotary’s activities as demands on his time would allow.In addition to his long term at Edgewater College, Allan was Chair of the New Zealand Secondary Principals’ Council for 5 years. He leaves Edgewater College in great shape, with a loyal staff and students who have enjoyed their time at school, his emphasis being that everyone cares about each other. He looks forward to maintaining his interest in education and having the time to expand his recreational opportunities. Pakuranga Rotary congratulated Allan and proudly presented him with a Community Service Award and wished him all the best for his future endeavours which will no doubt retain a community focus while giving him a bit more time for his own interests as well. |
||||||||||||||||||
The Potter Masonic Trust helps Trees for Survival
|
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Blankets |
||||||||||||||||||
Host Families Needed
We need more host families to make Viktoria's year successful. Host families come in all shapes and sizes. They can be Rotarians or non-Rotarians, and may include young children, older children, grand children or no children at all. Hosting a student brings the world to your place - you meet someone from another country, share their culture, their language, and their perspective of the world. At the same time they will learn about you and life in New Zealand which makes if a fun and enjoyable two-way experience. Can you help with hosting or do you know someone that may be interested? Also refer to the Rotary Youth Exchange website for information www.youthexchange.org.nz |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Youth Exchange applications CLOSING SOON |
||||||||||||||||||
Rotary Youth Exchange – Emily Lit
|
||||||||||||||||||
The Dawn Johnston Koru Award
In accord with the current years Inner Wheel theme “Leave a Legacy” the Howick Inner Wheel Club are inaugurating The Dawn Johnston Koru Award. The spiral shape of the Koru signifies new life, positive change, personal growth symmetry , harmony and hope for the future The objective is to give recognition and pay tribute to a person who in the face of adversity displayed perseverance in overcoming obstacles in pursuance of goals and dreams. It is anticipated the recipient is a person who has responded to adversity, bounced back and in doing so has been inspirational or helpful in assisting others become full contributors to their community. This will be an annual award and successful applicants need to be New Zealand citizens residing the Pakuranga and Botany electorate boundaries Nominations are sought. If you know of or are aware of a potential nominee I would be pleased to hear from you. Del Johnston |
||||||||||||||||||
Seas the Day
|
||||||||||||||||||
We Are the One |
||||||||||||||||||
Trees for Survival
|
||||||||||||||||||
New Zealand Tour
|
||||||||||||||||||
What Attracts New Rotarians?
|
||||||||||||||||||
Matt Poland of Auckland Transport - AMETI projects
|
||||||||||||||||||
Maurice Williamson - New Zealand Consul General to the US
Following completion of his studies at university, Maurice was employed by Air New Zealand where he stayed for 17 years before being elected the Member for Pakuranga and entering Parliament where he served for 30 years. Maurice looked after some 30 portfolios during this time and his qualification to serve as Consul General in the US is well founded. Maurice says however that his role is more “deal doing” rather than diplomatic as he strives to generate contacts and create opportunities for New Zealand Businesses wanting to establish trade with the US. |
||||||||||||||||||
State of our Gulf
gulfjournal.org.nz/article/state-of-our-gulf-2017 Previous State of our Gulf reports called for bold, sustained and innovative steps to improve management and halt progressive environmental degradation. A new report has been published. What has it found? Go to gulfjournal.org.nz to read more |
||||||||||||||||||
Disposing of E-Waste
|
||||||||||||||||||
Papakura Food Waste Pilot scheme
|
||||||||||||||||||
Recycling in Auckland |
||||||||||||||||||
25 Years of Pakuranga Rotary’s Top Day Out Fishing Day
|
||||||||||||||||||
Battery Recycling Scheme Announced
|
||||||||||||||||||
Simeon Brown - The First Hundred Days in Parliament
As the new kid on the block (the youngest National MP) Simeon’s induction into the workings of the parliamentary ‘system’ was partly programmed and partly the product of an osmosis process. The end result he described as being ‘life-changing’, both on the home front and in Wellington where he spends three days each week. The busyness in setting up his electorate office, hiring staff, dealing with constituents’ issues, being the minute-taker for his caucus and coping with meeting schedules and attendance in the House has been both exhausting and enervating. He loves it! |
||||||||||||||||||
Lifetime Opportunity - Rotary Youth Exchange |
||||||||||||||||||
Rowing – Where 2K Doesn't Go Very Far
|
||||||||||||||||||
Professor Bill Hodge: The Trump Story
 This week we were privileged to hear fro Professor Bill Hodge an eminent law scholar and close friend of President Dave who shares a common interest in Marathon running. He has run across the United States of America. Our very own Past President Blair Wingfield, who no doubt enjoyed catching up with Club Members, introduced the Professor. Bill Hodge has degrees from Harvard and Stanford Universities, is now a resident in Auckland lecturing at University of Auckland since 1972. He is a very active in mediation and associated employment matters and collective bargaining. |
||||||||||||||||||
Catch a Top Day Out - Make our Community Safer 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. |
||||||||||||||||||
Top Schools - Working with Our Kids
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||
What a wonderful morning we had at Stanhope!! The outdoor education area was outstanding and far exceed expectations.
Bill as the second half of our charter member duo presented some reminisces of his 50 years as a member of Pakuranga Rotary. As Bill noted, 50 years is a long time and a lot of water has flowed under the bridge and while some things have remained the same most has changed.
My mum used to cut chicken, chop eggs. And spread butter on bread on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e. coli
A message from the Trap Library Chair, Duncan, who is continuing to have success on his own property.. (photo of a large rat in a mustelid trap!) “ Breaking news!… staying home in our bubbles, we have been given special powers to eliminate all pests breaking the country’s isolation rules and encroaching on to our properties. Best of luck to you all and I look forward to hearing your stories”
As we all contemplate a move to Level 2 and then the even more exciting Level 1 we will all look back on the weeks since the Covid 19 crisis began. How did it go? Should we have acted sooner, more aggressively, less aggressively, given more support or less support, allowed more exceptions by business or region or population cohort? Did we trust the experts too much or not enough? Can pandemic modelling be trusted? All these questions and many more.
Our second meeting by Zoom attracted 20 members. Let's aim for a 50% increase for Monday 11th.
Hi everyone, I hope you and your family are all safe and well. As all of you probably, I am now in lockdown due to the COVID-19. Of course, I wasn't expecting that to happen during my exchange year but I can't change anything and I am now adapting to this situation. I am still enjoying my time in New Zealand but in a different way now.
The Carnival Is Over and so goes the line from a famous song by the Seekers. What a successful Carnival it was, with the biggest attendance ever. 35 Rotarians and Auxiliary helped on the day along with Inner Wheel, and members of the Interact Club of Pakuranga College and 15 environmental students from Farm Cove Intermediate school who managed the waste steam and ensured the waste was separated into the correct bins
Justice of the Peace is the oldest legalistic position in New Zealand. Joseph Kendall was appointed NZs first JP in 1814, based at the mission settlement in the Bay of Islands, Northland. JPs have been serving their community for more than 200 years. The duties of the early Justices were many and onerous, and included supervising the accuracy of weights and measures, the seizing of wine sold for excessive prices, and assisting those whose homes were burned. Justices had great authority over the lives and liberties of those brought before them
Our daily lives look very different right now as we hunker down to get on top of Covid-19. In our house online classes, telecommuting, family dog walks, video calls and virtual family dinners are the new norm. How many of you have started a new project or connected with friends differently?
Brett’s brief was to enlighten his listeners with the state of play relative to policing the Pakuranga area. We were certainly enlightened!
Though he could have given us all sorts of advice and insights into the running of small businesses and coping with all that this entails, Gary Barzilay chose to give details of family and life experiences which shaped an underlying philosophy instilled in his being.
We were delighted to catch up with Alison’s life history at our last meeting. Overall Alison is an extremely busy person who has worked hard to become a Partner in the Brookfield’s management team.
On 12 November we had the privilege to attend a presentation of 280 dictionaries to Students at Finlayson Park Primary School, in Manurewa, the largest decile 1 school in the country. We witnessed smiles all round and was made aware again of the great effort this Trust and the Pakuranga Club and its Auxiliary team are making to improve our literacy standards.
Dennis Kavanagh was inducted in to The Rotary Club of Pakuranga on Monday 7 Oct 2019.
Philippa Loseby’s Monday nights presentation was a great reminder of the variety and talent that we have within our members families.
It’s weird to think I’ve been here on exchange for over 6 months now. That I’ve already spent half a year away from my family and friends. It’s also a little weird to have summer in the middle of the year, but hey! I’m not gonna complain about three months off school. This summer has been chock-a-block. This month especially.
It’s because my host family is taking me down south for a week which I’m really excited for! It’s really generous of them. I spent the last 10 days in Saint-Florent, Corsica! I stayed with very generous and kind Rotarian family. They took me out on the boat most days, the others were chill days where we made food at home and then I would explore a little. They even took me to Bastia for dinner one night! It was so much fun getting to know Georges and Emilie and their little girl, Rose. One night, I made Bacon & Egg Pie as a thank you for hosting me, they loved it. I’m super grateful for the opportunity and hopefully will be able to see them again as they live in Bethune.
Public Art adds uniqueness to our communities, improves the image and identity of the local environment we inhabit and directly influences how people see and connect with a place. It delights, welcomes, challenges and inspires. It asks questions, tells stories and impacts different people in different ways. It celebrates richness and creativity. It transfixes public places and can have a utilitarian effect.
Richard McWha is the Auckland Council arts and culture manager and on Monday evening he demonstrated the impact various pieces of public art around Auckland have had. Richard and Nichola Waugh, an arts and culture project manager at Auckland Council, are both involved in the Pakuranga Rotary's 50th anniversary project to commission a work to install along the Rotary walkway at Sanctuary Point.
The 
More than 24,000 Rotarians from 170 countries descended on Hamburg in June to Capture the Moment, make new connections, renew old ones at the 110th annual Rotary International Convention.
Bill Boyd was President of Rotary International in 2006/2007, only the second New Zealander to hold that position.
On Monday the 27 the of May, the Board arranged a special meeting to welcome three new members into the Auxiliary branch of our Rotary Club. This particular evening was the only time one of our new people was available for Induction, as he was off overseas the following week. During the mix and mingle, a 40 slide PowerPoint of the Auxiliary members community involvement was running. This gave a clear insight of both the impact and the fun they have been having… a very fresh approach to Rotary.
When Noel Holyoake joined Rotary in 1963 he had been in business in Rongotai for 10 years. Rotary clubs in that era were defined by a commercial area and classifications were important. Noel was in the oil heating and air conditioning business and his firm manufactured sheet metal piping. What it needed to develop was the ability to incorporate bends in that piping.
Pakuranga Rotary had the privilege of hearing from Penelope and learning of her background. She has been in New Zealand for 12 years and vividly recalls the Rainbow which greeted her when she first arrived. Having worked in hospitality for 5 years locally, she has set out to pursue a career that will satisfy her for a lifetime and is now in real estate. She joined Rotary to make a difference in her Community, and for the joy of contributing to Humanitarian causes. She has worked in both the United States and Brazil and is proficient in both Portugese and Spanish and has a young family. It is a delight to welcome Penelope.
Initial conceptions of 3 Artists have been selected to go to the development design phase for this 50th Anniversary project. It is intended that there will be a presentation to the club in July at which details of the 3 outstanding entries will be provided and input sought from club members. An initial site has been identified at Sanctuary Point and the art work is intended to be a visible enduring attribute to the community which references the Clubs long term commitment to Pakuranga.
Geoffrey passed away Friday 12 April in Auckland, after an extended period of illness.
Do you know someone in the local community who has overcome adversity to live a life of serving others?
Guest speaker on Monday was our very own Simeon Brown on how he has found ways to make a difference from the backbenches. His week is taken up with constituent meetings Monday and Friday, interspersed with Wellington on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and community events on weekends. He very much enjoys his constituent meetings on Monday with interesting people and interesting stories – a contrast from dealing with bureaucrats for the next 3 days. Simeon has been at the forefront of raising awareness with local issues, including the about to commence Ameti project. He is also dealing with the current concern in many of the education circles in our community about the government proposals to fast forward the governance of schools back to the 1950s.
Rotary National Science and Technology Forum attendee Ann Li thanked Pakuranga Rotary for its sponsorship of her to the forum during the holidays.
Members present paid tribute to the victims of the Christchurch attack with a minute’s silence. The Sergeants’ collection was also devoted to help in Christchurch.
The Tongariro crossing has been great fun!
How lucky were the 33 people who were hosted by Pres. Duncan at his forest retreat in Pirongia. His extensive piece of bush clad land, complete with swift flowing stream, was a surprise to all. (not to mention the mansion) Duncan’s family had travelled to prepare refreshments for us, hiding them in little secret locations around the property.
Turns out, many of us did not know our rimu from our rewa rewa, but fun (and a few arguments) we did have. One highlight was the feeding of the dozens of enormous endangered long finned eels. Did you know they can swallow a whole sausage in one audible suck? Thank you Duncan and family for a very different, fresh and invigorating fellowship adventure. When can we come back?.jpg)
On Wednesday 27 February from 12noon to 1.30pm, the Rotary Club of Auckland is having a special lunch meeting, supporting the South Auckland charity Te Whakaora Tangata and will also include a performance from Dave Dobbyn. This charity provides a holistic, long-term mentoring programme for those most at risk, with an average restorative cost of about $24,000 per person, far less than most other organisations can provide. The aim is to successfully break the perpetual cycle of dysfunction and disadvantage in broken families and the results to date are impressive. The panellists for this event, who have been through this programme, will include a woman who became a mother at 12 and a man in and out of prison for 35 years.
Following funding from the Johnston Trust, Trustee Alan Vester and a small team have been busy washing, scraping and painting at Anchorage Park School. They were snapped with three members of the Club, along with class teacher, Rotarian Lorraine. Alan has worked very hard and deserves our thanks.
Last Saturday, eight members of the Auxiliary supported Auckland South R/C at the ASB Showgrounds to raise funds for this important District project. The crowds were HUGE, the noise deafening and the colour dazzling as this Chinese New Year celebration welcomed in the Year of the Pig. We sold raffle tickets, received donations and encouraged groups to try the Oxygen Ball game. Auckland South’s Secretary Madison, sent us this message.
Last week, on behalf of Pakuranga Rotary, Elizabeth and Crystal from our Auxiliary Club visited Anchorage Park School to present a Rotary atlas to each year four child. The two young ladies designed their own brand of presentation, which was not only fresh and lively, but a huge hit with the children. The photos show them explaining the function of an atlas, playing their ”under and over, find the page” game, and with a grateful recipient. Well done Crystal and Elizabeth and thank you for a very different and delightful presentation.
December and January were probably my busiest months in New Zealand. I have seen so many different locations and have done so much.
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.
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.
With a record 60 floats, the parade was a huge success, and the judges enjoyed engaging with everyone and seeing all the effort our local community put in. It must have made the judges Adele White, John Russell and Richie Barnett's decision difficult.
A Few (Commissioned by Predator Free 2050) is the third installment in an ongoing series of natural history illustrations depicting native and resident species by emerging artist Erin Forsyth.
District Governor Ingrid has asked that everyone in Rotary District 9920 consider donating to the Emergency Response Kits (ERKs) project this year if not already done so.
Greetings from Rotary District 3181!
Pest Free by 2050? An ambitious but achievable goal in the view of Ed Chignell who outlined the responsibilities of his hard-working organisation. But it has to start small – in local communities where eradication of rodents can be done through the actions of every one of us who sees a problem.
After arriving last Wednesday, Viktoria was quick to settle in with her Counsellor for her year with Pakuranga Rotary - Nick Loseby and his family hosted Viktoria (pictured on the right enjoying coffee with Denise Loseby) for the first few days before she moved on to her first home stay. 
Monday’s meeting featured the Reverend Dr Richard Waugh a noted expert and author on New Zealand aviation history. In a topic entitled, Pioneer Airlines That Changed New Zealand, Richard gave an informative and entertaining history of the development and importance of commercial air travel.
What a joy it was to see our brand new Auxiliary members answer the call to assist in the development of Anchorage Park School’s “Treemendous Makeover !”
Sylvie Wilkinson was recognised for her efforts that started the Pakuranga Tamaki River Rotary Auxiliary. Her Ruby Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognition is a first for District 9920 and it was fitting that District Governor Malini made the presentation on the night celebrating fifteen new Rotarians - congratulations Sylvie!
Demonstrating remarkable degrees of aplomb and confidence in what for most was probably a fairly intimidating setting, four students from Pakuranga College and three from Edgewater College gave their reports on the Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment (RYPRN) camp, held a few weeks ago. 
In a few months Pakuranga Rotary is hosting another Exchange Student - Viktoria Melber from Austria.
Geoff Thorpe has served as President and Director of Yachting New Zealand, is a former Law Professor and senior partner in a legal practice and a skilled raconteur. In the process of completing a round the world adventure in a 50-foot catamaran, Geoff had plenty of tales to tell on Monday evening of the sights and sounds and adventures and risks experienced since he and his wife first set sail in the catamaran from Westhaven in May 2011. Trekking up through the Solomon’s, Indonesia and Singapore and then spending 3 years cruising the Mediterranean meant not only spectacular landscapes and friendly locals numerous encounters with officious immigration and border control authorities.
Avoiding ice bergs in the Arctic Circle required that sometimes Geoff would need to go 2 days without sleep. The Catamaran is currently parked at Chesapeake Bay waiting for Geoff and his wife to commence the final leg of their voyage back to New Zealand. The primary objective of the cruise around the world has been to have fun and it was clear from Geoff’s address and his observations of some of the places that they have visited that a trip with such a leisurely schedule and thousands of places to visit cannot fail to generate fun but also an experience which would be very difficult to match.
Roger Milne reports that Trees for Survival has big plans to grow the number of schools participating by 25 each year to reach 2,000 by the year 2020. 95,000 seedlings are going to schools by courier but some volunteers are needed to put the plant growing units together for the schools entering the programme.
Peter Hawkins presented on Monday evening an outline of the New Zealand Tour which a group of Australian and American Rotarians are about to commence. The logistics in arranging such a tour are immense and already 90 Rotarians have indicated an interest in next year’s tour. Some improvements have been made to this year’s tour based on a questionnaire sent to last year’s participants with the 17 day tour now ending in Christchurch with a farewell dinner. Peter deserves many plaudits for the effort and time in promoting his vision and the potential it has demonstrated.
Speaker this week was Matt Poland of Auckland Transport who gave us a comprehensive update of the AMETI projects – there are actually 4 stages, the first being the completion of the Panmure Transit Station. The next stage, already underway with archaeological exploration of the Mokoia Pa site, will provide rapid bus access (and wider pedestrian and cycle thoroughfare) along Lagoon Drive, across a new bus-only bridge to Pakuranga Plaza. Graphic representation showed very attractive settings for this stage – still a couple of years away to completion.
This week Noel Holyoake introduced Maurice Williamson to address the club and we were treated to one man’s story about his keen interest in technology, his belief in New Zealand and a passionate promoter of our country and its enterprise.
Interesting read in regards to Top Day Out Fishing:
Disposing of your E-Waste? Check out 
Auckland Council are to begin picking up your food waste – see here how the pilot scheme will work in Papakura
At its meeting on the 5th of March, Pakuranga Rotary celebrated 25 years of running the Top Day Out Fishing Day. Originating from an idea Noel Holyoake had, the first event was organised by John Rofe who created the relationship with Coast Guard not only as major beneficiary of the proceeds but also as a key contributor to the event providing boats to ferry the fishos and safety on the water.
In September last year, after an exhausting election campaign, Simeon became the new MP for Pakuranga on the retirement of Maurice Williamson. The day of that election was his most restful in the last five months!
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.