Meeting 18 November 2019

Posted by Peter Woodcock on Nov 26, 2019

More than one smorgasbord at Rotary on the 18th of November!

 Appetiser:      Mary Taylor introduced our latest out-going Exchange Student Zoe Lit who will be spending a year in Germany.  Accompanied by her sister and parents, Zoe, a Year 12 student at Macleans College, received her travel jacket and hoodie.  She thanked Rotary for the opportunity to travel .  Mary is Zoe’s counsellor for the period of exchange.

Entreé:  Sajan Gautam , an Auxilliary Club member,  gave a brief thumbnail, describing his introduction to Rotary by Govind Pani. An Indian migrant, he has lived in NZ for 13 years, gained a degree in Computer Science and, after a short time in the corporate world, is now in the New Zealand Air Force as an IT specialist.  He is applying his computer skills to the efficient monitoring of the Pest Free project covered below.
 
 
 

Main Course:   Rat, possum and stoat stew!   Sylvie gave an update of the origins and progress of the  East Auckland Trap Library initiative in which Duncan Loney has had a key role over the 21 months since its inception.  In that time, the hundreds of traps, managed by hundreds of local people and supervised by scores of volunteers have killed at least 900 rats, 80 possums and 10 stoats in the Howick Ward area. Tonight our club hosted ten representatives of organisations involved in this programme – they include Howick, Half Moon Bay and Somerville Rotary Clubs, Enviro-schools, Howick Local Board, Friends of Mangemangeroa, Howick Lions Club, Farm Cove Intermediate and area co-ordinators. Each visitor explained their role in the workings of the system which is quite complex but all closely interrelated. Impressive, extensive and obviously effective, this project was one of five finalists in the innovations category of the Mayoral Conservation Award and three local schools were awarded top prize.

A tasty side dish was a Certificate of Appreciation and flowers presented by Pakuranga Rotary, Howick Lions and Friends of Mangemangeroa to Lorelle Stranaghan who is the Howick Ward Pest.Free Co-ordinator given the task of keeping everyone else up to scratch!

Dessert:  Icing on the cake!  Past District Governor Ingrid Waugh presented Chris Ward as co-ordinator of the Pakuranga River Festival (Carnival Day) with District 9920’s Publicity in Action Award. Our club’s inclusion of community groups and a wide range of supporters in this event obviously impressed the selection committee of District 9920.  Yum yum.

A very satisfying meal bringing out the best of Rotary’s diverse ingredients!