Waiuku Primary Schools Speech Contest

8 Students from Primary Schools in West Franklin entertained a gathering of around 80 people on Wednesday evening at the Waiuku Civic Centre.




Matthew Walters, Peta Butler and Luke Frost - deserved winners!

The occasion was the Rotary Club of Waiuku annual primary school speech contest.
The contest, which is celebrating its 26th year of competition, is a showcase of young budding speech competitors.

The pupils are selected from their respective school and each contest has 2 minutes to present a speech on the subject of their choice. They are judged on content, research, information and presentation.

The winner from the Waiuku Rotary Primary School Speech Contest goes forward to represent West Franklin at the Auckland regional competition.

The judges for the evening Natalie Hewitt and Wendy Turner-Wright commented on the very high standard of presentation from all of the contestants.  In deciding the winners it came down to the minute details in presentation of the subject material

1st prize went to Peta Butler from Sandspit School and her subject was I Am Old Enough to Be Home Alone

2nd prize went to Luke Frost from Glenbrook School and his subject was Techno Teachers.

3rd prize went to Matthew Walters from Pukeoware School and his subject was The Hobbit.

www.waiuku.rotarysouthpacific.org

Waiuku Rotary & Waiuku College Hockey team working together for an outstanding outcome

The Waiuku College Hockey team applied to Waiuku Rotary for financial assistance to enable the team to attend the National Hockey Tournament held earlier this year.  A grant was made by the Waiuku Rotary Charitable Trust to the team. They in return offered to assist in a community project.

An approach was made to Waiuku Rotary from the Glenbrook Vintage Railway for the beautification of the bank at the Victoria Street Station behind the Cossie Club.

This was seen as a good opportunity to involve the Waiuku College Hockey team in a community project.

An approach was made to the Waiuku Mud Larks for the provision of chip mulch for spreading on the bank before planting.  The Mud Larks where most happy to provide the chip.

The shrubs for planting have been raised by Fiona McDonald’s nursery and Fiona has supervised the planting of the shrubs.

A most satisfactory outcome for the Waiuku College, Waiuku Mud Larks, Fiona McDonald, Waiuku Rotary, Glenbrook Vintage Railway working together to assist in the beautification of another spot in the community. No doubt as the shrubs grow and flower visitors to the town well admire them.

Waiuku College Support of Survival Kits Will Prove a Lifesaver When Needed

Waiuku Rotary and Waiuku College worked hand in hand to assist in the packing of Emergency Response Kits.

On Tuesday 14th May 10 Year 12 Waiuku College students travelled to Penrose with their Dean Mrs Patricia Whitehead to a warehouse in Penrose to pack Emergency Response Survival containers to be used in cases of disaster in the Pacific Islands. The aim of these kits is to provide items to be used on site after a disaster hits the country. Hundreds of these kits are dispatched each year to countries in the South Pacific islands by Rotary.

Bradley Hagan, Zoe Mackenzie, Leetisha Atfield, Nicolleta Braun, Joanna Moeller, Chealsea Marshall, Julian De Villiers Jody Porter, Jody Gibson and Gemma Flood happily completed the final batch of containers giving a total of 420 which will be transported when Rotary can secure a container for transport to the Islands.

Many College students have benefited through Rotary funding over the past years participating in leadership or subject related training including Zoe and Jody who organised this group  to pack items including shovels, fishing tackle, torches, machetes, gum boots, birthing packs and clothing.

Waiuku College students would like to thank Rotary for their continued support of students and are keen to continue to contribute in any way to their local or the wider community. 

Service to the Community is recognized

At the Waiuku Rotary Club  meeting on Wednesday, 31 July Ken Letcher was designated a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of his services to his community , his vocation, and whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of The Rotary Foundation.

The Paul Harris Fellow is named for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary over 100 years ago.
The Rotary Foundation is one of the largest and most important programs of Rotary. Without the Foundation Rotary could not continue its many humanitarian programs and its efforts to promote world understanding and peace.
 
Ken who moved to Waiuku in 1970 has been involved in teaching as a career and is now retired from the profession

He has set an example for many by his contributions to his community in many ways.
Ken was instrumental setting up the Rotary Primary School speech contest which has been operating now for 26 years. Another of Ken’s achievements is the Waiuku Primary School Music festival which is held each year. His personal involvement makes our community a better place in which to live.

The Probus Club of Waiuku is another example of the way Ken works quietly in the community. This was an initiative of Kens and is now over 100 members. The Rotary club of Waiuku recognizes these efforts and has made a contribution to the Rotary Foundation in Ken’s name. This contribution could provide educational opportunities, food for the poor, potable water in a village in Africa or India, health care, shelter, schools and books for thousands of children. It can buy cows to supply milk to an entire village or supply sewing machines to widows so they may become self sufficient.

Ken is regularly seen out walking of a morning with his wife Noeline.
President Don Wills presented Ken with the two emblems of a Paul Harris Fellow a certificate and a lapel pin. The symbolism in this recognition is to say “Thank You Ken for making a difference in your community”.