Quadruple treat of bite sized opportunities

The Rotary Club of St Johns gourmet market was a quadruple treat of bite sized opportunities! 

The Salmon Man Ron Aratema

Wine, salmon, coffee and chocolate all went together well at the successful evening.  It was a particular attraction that the products on offer were of high quality from innovative businesses the Fine Wine Delivery Company, The Salmon Man and Jack’s Coffee.  The evening also included fascinating presentations describing the start-up of these relatively new businesses, their journeys to date, and how striving for excellence in their products and service have contributed to their success. 

This but one example of the innovation clubs are introducing to make their club meetings more enjoyable for members and partners and also as a way of interacting with the community.  This particular meeting had some members from other clubs but also several people interested in finding more about Rotary and how Rotary might fit their desire to be active in their local area.  Although St Johns Rotary is a breakfast club, their first meeting of each month is a dinner event and has proved extremely popular with member's partners.

Petone Fair ... a success again

The Petone Fair has now been organised & run by the Rotary Club of Petone for 23 years.

A very successful & busy day was experienced at the latest Fair on Saturday February 15, 2014 with approx 33,000 visitors in brilliant Wellington sunshine!!  A feature display showcasing the Rotary Emergency Response Kits was incredibly popular.

 

The stand and Rotarians could not be missed!

 

Club members all stood out so well in our highly visible RC of Eastern Hutt vests & wonderful Emergency Response Kit sun hat's sponsored by Errol Tong. This all helped raise the Public profile of Rotary International & RNZWCS in general, as well as the very successful ERK Project our RC of Eastern Hutt introduced to Rotary NZ way back in 1983.

The public appreciated the insight into how Rotary supports those in need in the Pacific in times of disaster

The RC of Eastern Hutt now look forward to setting up & manning our ERK Display again at the next Martinborough Fair March 1, 2014 which is being organised & run by the RC of South Wairarapa. 

 

See also www.rnzwcs.org.nz  for more information about the Emergency Response Kits

View a clip about Rotary Youth Leadership Awards 2014 in Christchurch for young adults

Rotary publicity in full swing

 

 

The NZ Rotary publicity campaign starts on Friday 15 February.  The aim is to raise general awareness that Rotary is going great things in the community and that Rotary welcomes the support of like-minded people.  The campaign is supported by a number of high profile people in the community.  Campaign information is at www.facebook.com/rotarynz ... when there please support Rotary by "Like" the page.

 

 

This increased awareness among the public is a perfect time to suggest to friends and colleagues they might like to find out more about what Rotary can offer them and suggest the best way is to visit a club and meet some Rotarians with no pressure or obligation.  A call to 0800 4 ROTARY will assist getting people to a club most suited to them.

Winners all around

From small, tentative beginnings in 2001, Rotary Club of Howick’s Bookarama second-hand book fair has grown into a major fundraiser and logistical exercise which has provided a win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win for everyone.

The first winner is the environment which benefits from the relocation of some 12,000 pre-loved books with new owners annually and the appropriate recycling of over 10 tonnes of waste paper rather than its consignment to landfill.

The second winners are the bibliophiles of Howick in Auckland, NZ who get to purchase these pre-loved books, the majority of which have new prices of $20-50, for $3 or less and get to re-love these books all over again.

Winner number three is the Rotary Club of Howick, its members and their friends and family who for the six weeks of the campaign display true spirit of teamwork and camaraderie to get the job done.

The fourth winner is the Rotary Club’s Charitable Trust fund which annually benefits from NZ$25,000-$30,000 that can be applied through the club committees to community projects.

The fifth winners are the community groups who benefit from the distribution of these funds so that they can finance and progress their projects.

Winner number six is a fairly recent initiative. For the past three years, three schools in less affluent areas of Auckland have collected a big truckload of well sorted leftover books with which they conduct their own $1 book fairs and raise money for the school, but more importantly placed many books in houses where their presence is a rarity.

Winners number seven are community groups associated with the schools to whom the schools donate some of their surplus books.

And finally winners number eight are a series of local church groups with Pacific island connections who receive the balance of unsold books which they send to churches in the islands for distribution to their parishioners.

So what started 12 years ago as a small fundraising venture has grown into a many faceted exercise that truly epitomises Rotary’s 4-Way Test of being “beneficial to all concerned".

Cromwell’s 20th annual ‘Rotary Fishing Classic’ competition was held at Lake Dunstan in Central Otago

Cromwell’s 20^th annual ‘Rotary Fishing Classic’ competition was held at Lake Dunstan in Central Otago, NZ on Sunday November 17, 2013. It was a brilliant day with 164 entries and 102 fish weighed-in.

 

Rotary Club of Cromwell President Murray Kennedy presented prizes to David Wigg who was the winner of the heaviest fish overall at 1.644 kg. Whilst not winners, keen young participants Harvey and Millie O’Neill were also pleased with their catch. A traditional lolly scramble and the giving of certificates and prizes to all children, meant that no-one went away empty handed.

 

Over $5,000 of prizes were on offer, including a helicopter flight for three. We thank the Begg Security Group for being major supporters. We cannot list here all of the other sponsors, but with their generous and continued support, the Rotary Fishing Classic will last another 20 years.

A list of sponsors and competition results can be found at: http://www.rotary.org.nz/club.cfm?id=433 or find Rotary Club of Cromwell on Facebook.

 

 By Derek Whelan, PR Director, Rotary Club of Cromwell

Every child deserves to play

Latisha Freemantle (aged 7) wondered why she only saw healthy children with no disabilities playing in playgrounds. She asked her grandmother, “why?” So began a search. She sent a letter to the Mayor of Porirua Nick Leggett.

Latisha and her grandmother then came to the Rotary Club of Plimmerton to talk to the club and research began.

The Variety Club in conjunction with various charities have put a Liberty Swing which holds a wheelchair in many cities throughout New Zealand. Other Liberty Swings can be found around the world, many thanks to the help of local Rotary Clubs.

The Exeter Mencap Society worked with their local Exeter Rotary Clubs and other charity organisations to develop an “all inclusive playground”. Local Trustee Miriam Guard said that the Rotary clubs have been very helpful, including planting purple crocuses which they donated as part of the international campaign to eradicate polio.

In New Zealand there are only 26 of these wheelchair swings. Many have a $10 charge for use, whereas others are only available for special occasions.

It’s almost impossible for a child in a wheelchair to negotiate the bark chips that are in many playgrounds in order to reach, or even touch, some of the play equipment.

Plimmerton Rotary also researched other playgrounds overseas. In Dothan, Alabama the local Rotary Clubs teamed with business, council and the community to build ‘The Rotary Miracle Playground’.

In Tallahassee, Florida a similar type of partnering resulted in a huge park called Tom Brown Park and playground. It’s size is outside our wildest dreams in Porirua, however we believe that a start should be made.

Latishia, her mother and representatives of both Rotary Clubs of Porirua Sundown and Plimmerton visited the Mayor who told them that Porirua City Council is very supportive and has already started work on revitalising playgrounds around the city because 25% of Porirua citizens are children, and just over 20% of people in the city have some sort of disability.

Undertaking improvements is very expensive so it will take some time.

The two Rotary Clubs are currently working together and see this project as potentially a cluster-wide opportunity as well as a long-term partnership with the council and other interested groups. We all want to achieve the best outcome for Porirua city.

Visit http://plimmertonrotary.org.nz/articles+Index/Every+child+deserves+to+play to read the full story. 

 

 By Adrienne Murray, Rotary Club of Plimmerton

SOLDIER, HISTORIAN, AUTHOR, COUNCILLOR, AND ROTARIAN

With Jim and Aileen is L to R PDG Rex Morris PDG Peter Roselli,
President Elect Kamaya Crawford DG Gordon Hooper and PDG Pat Clay 

PDG JAMES KEENAN. 60 years of Rotary Service

On 3^rd January 1954 James (Jim) Keenan joined the Rotary Club of Hokitika in D298 now D9970.

At the time Jim was Deputy Mayor of Hokitika. He served his community in this role from 1948 to 1955

He had recently returned from the war where he saw service in North Africa and Italy. He was at the battle of Monte Cassino where he served as a member of the 23^rd battalion Second NZEF. His battalion was mainly made up of West Coasters most of whom grew up with Jim and they shared many happy memories of growing up on what was then one of the most colourful communities in New Zealand.

He later was wounded by shrapnel in the battle to cross the Rubicon River and after the war finished he was shipped back to New Zealand and spent time recuperating at the Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs. Most of the West Coast contingent returned to the Coast although a number of them like Jim were injured.

He was honoured by the Queen with a DSO for services to the community and later the 1990 Commemoration Medal for his service to conservation. Jim is a JP and an Honorary  Life Member of the RSA .

Jim was born in 1922 at Woodstock in the famous Royal Mail Hotel which was built by his Grandfather in 1870. It remained in their family for the next 82 years and it is still operating today.

Jim is a published author and is considered an authority on early West Coast history. His book “The Coasts Colourful Characters” is a record in humour of the early characters and life, collected over a lifetime living and working on the “Coast” .

Jim,s service to his community is unquestionable as is his service and dedication to Rotary.

He served as District Governor in 1973-1974 and although his health “ ain’t what it used to be” he still regularly attends Hokitika’s weekly meetings.

Both Jim and his wife Aileen where recently honoured by then D9970 Governor Gordon Hooper acknowledging his 90th birthday and his Rotary service of 60 years to Hokitika and District. 

He has been a mentor to many DGs and his hospitality of taking each visiting Governor for a mornings tour of his beloved Hokitika is legendary. He is a great raconteur and loves to talk about his early Rotary service and share his stories of the people and the many colourful events that have embellished his life. In West Coast vernacular he is what they call a “Good Bugger”.

 

Submitted by: PDG Gordon Hooper 2012-2013       

3500 breads make all the difference

For the last 18 months , the "Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone" has been to 3
bakeries to get free bread from those 3 bakeries twice a week , and then
distribute it through one of its members who is very active in 2 NGOs which
help the poor people in great need in the area of Salon de Provence , France
.
During the 2012-2013 Rotary year , more than 3500 breads have been
distributed by the "Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone", and since July 1rst
2013 , more than 1000 breads have already been collected and distributed.
This is the living proof that a Rotary E-Club can participate in Community
Service Projects even though all of its members are around the World .
On the pictures , you can see one of the "Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone"
members along with the other people working in the NGO.  

Money Tree

New honorary member of Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise,
Mayor Steve Chadwick, with Abigayle Martin of Kawaha Point and
President Sue Gunn in front of the Christmas Money Tree.

The Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise held its annual Christmas breakfast on December 17, 2013 at the Novotel Lakeside Rotorua. All members and guests were asked to bring along money notes to peg onto the Christmas money tree, with proceeds to the Salvation Army.

After breakfast the money was removed from the tree and counted. It totalled $345 plus a cheque for $500 was also on the tree which was proceeds from the Charity’s Shop Christmas Gingerbread House Raffle.

 

During the breakfast meeting Mayor Steve Chadwick was formally welcomed as a new honorary member of Rotary Rotorua Sunrise. She plans to be an active and engaging honorary member of the club, sharing in fellowship, providing leadership, inspiration and assistance to club projects for the purpose of making our community, our country and the world a better place to live in.

 

Mayor Steve replied “I am a morning person and would like to be involved in Rotary projects that are good for our community.” She was very impressed with the positive energy of the club and the contribution members make to the community.

 

By Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise President Sue Gunn