Approximately 65 Rotarians, partners and guests enjoyed noisy fellowship, good food and a very streamlined set of formalities to induct Allan Vester as our new President and say well done to our outgoing President Alison Gilbert at the annual Changeover Event held at the Howick Club on Monday night.

Chris Ward did the honours as M.C. and after a scrumptious meal shared by all gave Alison the opportunity to sum up her year and give thanks to the stalwarts who had supported her most during very trying circumstances.  

 

 

Adaptation and Change were the essential elements in the 2020 – 2021 year with the loss of our usual meeting venue, a Top Schools change of location, a return to committees and the abolition of the sergeant’s session among other new directions. Gifts of appreciation were given to Don Lawry, Linda Agnew, Kim Collins, Silvie Wilkinson, Allan Vester, Linda Agnew, Duncan Loney and Saara Yiakop (Jubilee booklet) all of whom played vital roles in keeping the club on track for another successful year. 

 

 

 
To top off the awards, Graham Kearns was presented with a much deserved PHF with two sapphires for his outstanding support in so many aspects of the club’s administration.
A speedy transition with far fewer formalities saw Alison and Steve surrender their baubles to Allan and Bernadine and the new Rotary year began.

After thanking Alison and the outgoing team, Allan gave notice of change ahead. The basic principle comes down to choice – evolve or dissolve – a warning to all like- minded service groups around the world. With his board in place (see below) he foreshadowed a year of features linked to the letter ‘F’ viz.

 

 

 

Fellowship – featuring fun-filled functions for families and friends
Fostering membership – finding the best fit for all and forgetting the idea that age is a fault – a ‘mature’ club can still contribute much.
Fundraising – finishing some and finding new intiatives – with full participation the goal and a reminder that raising funds is not the be-all and end-all of Rotary membership.
Forming closer relationships – especially looking for partnering with other clubs with falling numbers.
Four Way Test – at the forefront of our actions.

 

 

Some very apt quotes rounded up Allan’s address:
‘It’s better to burn out than rust out’; ‘If we all agree, we might all be wrong’; ‘Take the work we do as Rotary seriously, but don’t take ourselves too seriously’.
Allan made it clear that, rather than just hope it will all work out (marriage analogy!) he will be focussing on decisiveness and what really matters – and he is looking forward to the challenges ahead.  Welcome Mr. President!

Allan has asked that I provide some information on our Foundation for coming Bulletins so logically I have started at the beginning!

The President of Rotary in 1917 was Arch Klumph and he put forward to an International Convention the idea that we should have an endowment fund for Rotary for the purpose of doing good in the world. The response was polite and favourable but no money materialised until the next year when a cheque was presented for $26.50, the surplus from the 1918 Convention account. Over the next four years, a total of $700 was given so the takeoff was slow.

 

The RI Board decided that the most efficient way to administer a fund would be by establishing a Foundation so in 1928 a Foundation was formed with five Trustees. What is significant for us was that one of the five was Charles Rhodes, a New Zealander. He was the Manager of the Waihi gold mine, which was at that time considered to be the most profitable gold mine in the world. He was a most interesting man who in 1923/1924 was a Director of Rotary International at a time when New Zealand was not even big enough to be a Rotary District and Rotary had only been introduced to New Zealand in 1921.

 

The Trustees were very active and over the first four years raised $50 000 and in 1937 set a goal of $2 million for the fund. The Second World War lead to that goal being abandoned and it was 1947 before our Foundation really became a significant force and the first permanent programme was established.

 

The Johnson Trust has assisted with the funding for a "sensory room" for Anchorage Park School and recently members of the Trust attended the grand opening.

 

This will be a new concept to most readers. The rooms are set up so that children that find the high levels of stimulation in the brightly lit,  colourful classrooms and often happy noise classrooms, have a place they can go for some time out. These children who may be feeling sad and anxious or confused and angry are always accompanied by an adult and visits are the frequency and reasons for any visits to the room are carefully monitored.

 

Primary school can be a wonderful and happy place for most children but for a small group it is a challenging environment and in order to ensure that those children develop and learn, schools are increasingly looking for ways to better meet their needs.

 

 

Members of the Johnson Trust were welcomed to the opening of the room by a enthusiastically sung waiata, "E Minaka Ana" with all the children from the latest new entrants through to the Year 6 students mastering both the words and the actions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ribbon was then cut by a young student and Vonney  Johnston, daughter of Rae and Ernie Johnson.