April 2nd (Apr 02, 2025)

One notable feature of this Bulletin is its brevity. Shakespeare in 1603 in Hamlet said that "brevity is the soul of wit" and that around 400 years later Beatrix Potter wrote that

“the shorter and the plainer the better”. This bulletin is not short for either of those reasons but because of a much more mundane cause - a shortage of material.

I know that we have members and subscribers who have interesting things to share with others.

I can take them in most forms so get those stories through to me.

Meeting - 14 April 2025
Howick Club
Apr 14, 2025 5:30 PM – 7:45 PM

Pakuranga Rotary - 55th Birthday Celebration
Bucklands Beach Yacht Club
May 05, 2025 5:15 PM – 9:00 PM

View entire list

A magical Auckland day

Another sunny day with lots of rides and entertainment and great crowds for the River Carnival.

While the Council provides a grant for the Carnival our club takes over the planning and running.

After a lot of paper work, organisation and planning we had in the words of chief organiser, Lesley McLagan, "another magical Auckland day."

Large crowds attended and enjoyed the myriad of attractions that included the ever popular bouncy castles, junior ferris wheel, "ponies for parties"and face painting. They were also treated to jet ski rides supplied at no cost to the club by Andrew Hill Adventures, a chance to sail in an Optimist , to try out the suspension swing bridge built by the Scouts and to enjoy local Board member, David Collins, fire engine.

Hunger or thirst was not a problem courtesy of a sausage and mussel sizzle, pop corn, Mr Whippy, Indian treats, candy floss and Inner wheels cakes and biscuits.

All of that of course takes volunteers so a huge thanks to the large numbers of members who were there to help along with past members, members from other clubs and a large group of well organised Interact members from Pakuranga College. .

Scribes Report

In a sort of homecoming Kelvin Ricketts addressed the club this week as Life Education Trust’s official fundraiser.

It’s always good to get an update on this 35 year old organisation’s doings and Harold ( the most recognised mascot in the corporate world) made his obligatory appearance-both in miniature and in numerous photos at venues around the Counties Manukau district during promotional events.

With five mobile classrooms operating, Harold and his supporters visit schools by arrangement, with each programme tailored to the specific needs of the school. Pupils aged from 5 to 13 are involved in highly interactive lessons covering anything to do with personal health and safety.

Topics cover food and nutrition, human biology, relationships and community, identity and resilience and substance abuse. School leaders determine the weighting of these in the programme offered in each school.

Feedback both from school leaders and parents has continued to be very positive.

Recent societal changes have brought new issues into focus e.g anxiety, the impact of social media, bullying, vaping and pornography. A team of five (soon to be seven) trustees manages the organisation which is given much needed backing from a large number of collaborative organisations also dealing with these issues.

As fundraiser, Kelvin listed the organisations most helpful with funding and plans to augment the income – special events and appeals. There is no government funding available.

Given what we know of Kelvin’s business involvement in the past it was pleasing to hear him declare , ‘This is my most rewarding job ever’!

Guess Whose Coming to Dinner

Ian Handisides has been running a very successful "Guess Whose Coming to Dinner" programme.

Lots of laughter, good conversation and food.

These will be moving to a once fortnight and of course all members are encouraged to take the opportunity when it arises.

Motor racing opportunity

Petrol Heads in the Club, Following on from Kelvins presentation the other evening he has also got back to us to say Life Education have been gifted with 3-day general admission tickets with paddock access for the Supercars Championship at Taupo 11 – 13 April, normal price being $150 each.

He is hoping to sell the six we have at $50.00 a ticket.

Get hold of Kelvin if you are interested.

Kelvin Ricketts
Fundraiser
Life Education Trust Counties Manukau

Ph: 021 612 984

A night at the theatre

Members will remember a fun night at the theatre recently. Joan Swift has negotiated another great deal with the Howick Little Theatre,

The play is Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike.

Vanya and Sonia have led quiet and uneventful lives while taking care of
their ageing parents in their family home. However, their peaceful existence is upended when their glamorous movie-star sister Masha unexpectedly arrives with her much-younger boyfriend in tow and a plan to sell the house. Insecurities and old resentments boil over in a weekend of wild costume parties, hilarious misunderstandings and unexpected romance.

When: Thursday 17th July

Where: Howick Little Theatre

Price: $24 a ticket

To make a booking: payment to Rotary Club of Pakuranga

02 0223 0017811 002

Exchange Students

2025 is the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Youth Exchange.

As members will know it has been increasingly difficult to host Rotary exchange students.

What you might not also know is that it has become very difficult to find NZ students who would like to be outbound students.

I am not sure of the reasons for that and reasons may include cost, perceived language barriers or the fact that NZ students dont tend to take a gap year post secondary school.

Certainly European students are more likely not to go directly to university or employment in their first year post school.

It has been reported that the upshot for our district is that we will not be involved in the Rotary Youth Exchange program in the immediate future.

Hopefully that does not become a long term or permanent change as members will remember fondly the great students we have hosted and the very positive and life changing experience of the outbound students we have sponsored.

Maadi Cup

At the last meeting President elect gave a history of the Maadi Cup.

That's in fact where I was with the Macleans College squad.

The actual name of the event is the NZ Secondary Schools Rowing Championship. While it was once run over two days with a small number of schools it now involves over 2200 rowers, and runs from 8.00 until 5.00 over five days.

The U 18 Boys Eight [Maadi Cup ] has been won by 19 schools since it was first raced in 1947 but only by five Auckland schools. Mt Albert has won it eight times but not since 1961, Kings College, three times but not since 1960, Auckland Grammar just twice with 2011 being their last win and Sacred Heart once in 1948.

The girls equivalent, the Jubilee Cup has been won by Diocesan twice and by Westlake Girls twice.

Of our local schools at the just completed regatta, Saint Kentigern gained two silver and one bronze. Macleans came away with a gold and a bronze.

The Gold was in the Boys U 18 single which is the second year in a row Macleans has lifted that trophy. It's the only second time thats been done by the same school. Previously Nathan Cohen won it twice in 2004/2005 followed by Joseph Sullivan [from a different school] in 2006. Sports fans might remember that Cohen and Sullivan went on to team up and will a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics.