Leadership
Recently I was speaker at a local Probus Club and following my talk the topic shifted to the future of the club. 
Numbers are down and the club is now joining a growing list of such clubs whose future is in doubt.
 
Rotary clubs are of course not immune from such pressures. 
 
As is often the case when the pressure is on people look to leadership. That is often seen in the form of the single person who through vision or energy or charisma can turn the situation around.
There is of course an alternative. A pre-eminent educationist Thomas Sergiovanni,  in a paper entitled Why We should Seek Substitutes for Leadership, argues that it is how much leadership there is in an organisation rather than where it is that is important. In terms of clubs such as Rotary if there are shared values, collegiality and a willingness by all to be actively engaged then there will be shared leadership and a highly functioning organisation. 
Calendar
Pakuranga Rotary Meeting - 16 May 2022
The Howick Club
May 16, 2022
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
 
World Bee Day
May 20, 2022
 
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
May 29, 2022
 
A Lavish High Tea
Handisides Residence
May 29, 2022
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
 
Queens Birthday
Jun 06, 2022
 
View entire list
A lot of biking and tramping
Our speaker on 2 May was club member Gerald Patterson. Gerald is keen on outdoor activities that mainly involve cycling and tramping. His list of achievements over the past ten years include:
CYCLING - Alaska – 1,200 km,  Otago Rail Trail, Alps to Ocean, Canterbury Backcountry, West Coast Wilderness Trail, Around the Mountains,  Nelson Wine Trail,  Catlins – Invercargill to Balclutha,  Lake Dunstan Trail, Around Taupo, Grape Ride,  Motutapu Mountainbike (Wanaka), Ride of the LegendsRide of the Legends - Ian Kirkpatrick, Albert Anderson, Ian Jones, Andy Earl, Buck Shelford, Bernie McCahill, Frank Bunce, Dean Kenny, Peter Winterbottom, Shane Byrne, Roger Utley, Roger Arneill,  Pedal for Prostate – Hampton Downs – annual fundraiser.
HIKING -  Queen Charlotte Track, Routeburn Track, Tora Walk, Tongariro Crossing, Stewart Island, Inca Trail. 
                                               
Gerald spoke and shared photos of some of these. The Ride of the Legends was a charity ride from Wellington to Auckland in 2017 to coincide with the Lions rugby tour. The group included several ex-All Blacks and Lions players named above. The ride raised over $160,000.00 for Conductive Education. Of that total, approximately $20,000.00 was raised by Gerald and two other riders from Howick.
 
A 1,200 kilometre ride through Alaska was another venture, this time totally for ‘pleasure’. That ride showed the vastness of the Northern most state of USA. It was well organised and catered; the latter being very important with the distances covered.
The Inca trail beckoned as a family activity. Quite gruelling in parts but a great sense of achievement when Machu Pichu appeared after walking through the sun gate on the fourth morning. The trail consisted of well laid stone and rock paths and steps climbing to 4,200 metres. Altitude was the real challenge.
Following this trek, Gerald & Tricia travelled further in Peru & Bolivia. Just out of La Paz is the ‘Death Road’. A ride down this was booked and Gerald told Tricia 48 hours in advance. While Tricia went shopping in La Paz, Gerald was riding from 4,500 metres to 1,200 metres in the space of 40 kilometres on a narrow gravel road with 1,500 metre cliffs on one side. Fun for some!!
 
Whilst there are many activities listed, there will be plenty to add to those over the next few years. Not quite on an E-bike yet but that may even prolong the ability to undertake challenges.
 
Guest Speaker for the 13th June

Major Ian Kilgour was nurtured in a traditional Presbyterian home and Church, in Remuera, Auckland. Educated at Auckland Grammar he joined the Salvation Army in his late teens becoming an Officer in the Salvation Army (Minister) and was ordained in 1970 along with his wife. His wife was brought up in the care the Salvation from aged 3 years. Part of Ian’s preparation for ministry was to live as a destitute on the streets of Sydney. 

During his ministry, he served as a Parish Minister, Industrial, Hospital, Prison and Court Chaplain. Ian helped pioneer community and youth employment programmes which went nationwide, leading him to become an advisor with the Government in Youth Unemployment, Community Development and Emergency Housing. 

He had 10 years with the Auckland Methodist Mission as Funding, Communications & Public Relationships Manager and subsequently became their Inner-City Ministry Chaplain. Re-joining the Salvation Army, he served as the Manager of the Salvation Army Social Policy & Parliamentary Unit to retirement. He has been an active member of Rotary in the various towns and cities in which he served. Chair of numerous Housing, Community and School Trust Boards he was chair of the Auckland Regional UNICEF Committee and remains active in social justice issues.  In retirement he attends the St Heliers Presbyterian Church & Community Centre. He loves his family, music and reads widely in the area of contemporary theology and reimagining Christianity for today’s world.

Ian and Shirley, have four adult children and nine grandchildren
Convention
MECOSS - a chance to help
The Manukau East Council of Social Services -MECOSS - provide a range of social services but one which we as Rotarians could help with is the shopping shuttle that they run each week.
 
 
 
 
People who are willing to drive a mini bus or accompany the group and assist the passengers on and off the bus, put walkers I the boot etc are always needed.
Last Thursday Jenny Tait and I were host and driver.
The passengers each pay $10,  pick up starts at around 9.00 and once everyone has been picked up we head to with the Pakuranga Plaza or Botany Town Centre where the $10 covers a coffee for everyone. They get to shop and sit and chat until 12.00 when the return trip begins. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
With enough drivers and hosts each person is only needed each 6 to 8 weeks.
If you would be willing to help get back to me
allanvester@eduplus.co.nz
or contact Lindsay at lindsay.upton@mecoss.org.nz