Exclusive home and garden tour supports Starship Foundation and Rotary projects

The inaugural Barfoot & Thompson Home and Garden Tour, held on Saturday November 22, 2014, saw a hand-picked selection of stately homes in some of Auckland’s most sought-after addresses in Mt Eden, Remuera and Epsom, NZ, open their doors for an exclusive sneak peek into properties the public are otherwise left to ponder what magnificence lies behind the gates.

The invitation to view six elite homes and ten stunning gardens attracted more than 600 people.

Masterful sculptures, awe-inspiring developed gardens and perfectly manicured lawns, to grand staircases, antiques and impressive collections were awed-upon by guests who basked in the sunshine for the self-driven tour.

Sponsored by Barfoot & Thompson, and organised by the Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland, the event was not-for-profit with all proceeds going directly to the Starship Foundation and Rotary projects. The fundraising goals were exceeded, with $20,000 presented to Starship Children’s Hospital, which will enable two important pieces of breathing and resuscitation equipment to be purchased. The remaining funding raised (close to $15,000) will go towards Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland’s continued support of local community charities.

Barfoot & Thompson Epsom Manager Pam Erceg was thrilled with the fundraising efforts and said of the day, “The Barfoot & Thompson Home and Garden Tour was an inspiring day of jaw-dropping splendour for guests, as they entered into homes that wouldn’t normally be part of a tour.”

Following the tour, renowned gardening icon Xanthe White hosted a VIP Garden After Party, a separate event at which more than 60 guests enjoyed complimentary drinks and nibbles, and partook in both silent and live auctions. Master auctioneer Tony Keegan took to the podium to transporting guests into a live home auction atmosphere. Items up for auction included a luxury weekend for two in a Quinovic Viaduct waterfront apartment, jewellery and books amongst other great items – all proceeds went towards the event’s charity partners.

“Having exhibited before, myself, I know the amount of work that goes into something like the Barfoot & Thompson Home and Garden Tour. How lucky were we to be able to view these private gardens and the work of respected landscape designers and true gardener’s first-hand. It was so generous of the owners to open up their homes to the public. I’m sure there was a little something to catch each person’s imagination and ideas to borrow on the day, even for those of us with smaller gardens,” says Ms White.

An event website (www.homegardentour.co.nz) was established to profile each of the properties on the tour.

New community services van for Dunstan Hospital

Last year’s presidents of the four Rotary Clubs of Wanaka, Cromwell, Alexandra and Roxburgh, NZ, heard that the Central Otago Health Services Limited (COHSL) Dunstan Hospital and allied services needed to replace their community services van.

Rotary Project Coordinator Murray Kennedy tries out the lifting hoist watched by Rotarians Deans Hudson, Paul Checketts and John Rowley, with major user of the new van COHSL Therapy Assistant Sandra Booth Sandra Booth and Rotarian Jean Morgan

The van is used to transport equipment to patient's homes around the greater Central Otago and Wanaka region. The old van was past it’s use by date and no longer reliable or suitable to do the job. The van was doing about 350kms a week carting some very large and heavy items such as hospital beds and palliative mattresses, heavy wheel chairs, bed hoists, bath lifts, shower stools and a variety of other equipment for patients staying at home. A new van was going to cost between $35,000 and $45,000 by the time it was fitted out with a lifting hoist and other equipment. 
 

The then presidents - Murray Kennedy of Cromwell, Sue McGregor of Roxburgh, Paul Checketts from Alexandra, Richard Wallace from Wanaka - and their Assistant Governor Janice Hughes from Wanaka agreed in an instant that this was another very worthy cause to collaborate on. So they took the project to their individual clubs who all got behind them and started the fund raising process.
 

The clubs raised the money for the van from various fundraising activities, including book sales in Cromwell and Wanaka and a charity dinner in Alexandra. Rotary District 9980 also contributed some funding from The Rotary Foundation. 
 

The lifting hoist was funded and installed by The Friends of Dunstan Hospital group.
 

This is the second project in recent times where these four Rotary Clubs have joined forces to assist the hospital provide better services to our community. The last project was for the CT Scanner Suite.
 

The new van finally arrived last November and the hoist was fitted to make it a much better, more reliable and safer vehicle for the COHSL community services staff to use.
 

Project Coordinator Mr Kennedy said, “It’s not all Rotary. We are just the conduit. We raise the money from our community to help others deliver better services for our community. So it really is just our community helping itself albeit somewhat indirectly. But that’s just what is so great about living here in Central Otago and the Wanaka area – we have great community spirit and support.”
 

Allied Health Services Manager at Central Otago Health Services Limited Chris Brown said; “We are delighted with our new van and extremely grateful to all the Rotary clubs who put so much time and effort into raising the funds. We are indeed fortunate to be providing health services in an area where the community offers such extensive practical support.”

Cambridge is a million dollar town

The Rotary Club of Cambridge, NZ, has given back over $1,000,000 to the local community from funds raised through its community directory project.
 

The Cambridge Community Directory, now known as Cambridgefindit, was first published in 1990 as a bi-annual publication, but due to popular demand it very quickly became an annual publication. It has survived in this technological age we now live because it provides what the community wants; a local telephone and business directory that is easy to read and handle. The directory also includes local council information as well as information on local and international Rotary programmes. 
 

The project involves a small group of dedicated Rotarians who meet fortnightly to coordinate the production and twice yearly all club members are involved in data collection and delivery of the 10,000 directories. When Telecom advised that it would no longer provide listing data, the project could have stopped, but instead, the club set about with an ambitious project to establish its own database.
 

Every telephone number in the area was contacted to obtain permission to use their number in the Rotary directory. Data is constantly updated by regular communication with the public. This decision has enabled the club to own and maintain a very valuable asset.
 

Each year a cover theme is designed to promote the community. This year it is appropriate that we recognise the hundred year Gallipoli commemoration with a stunning cover showing the Cambridge Cenotaph and ANZAC poppies.
 

The directory is generously supported by local advertisers who see the publication as a way of contributing to the community. Without their support, we would never have raised such a large amount of money and the community would be much the poorer.

Web: www.cambridge.rotarysouthpacific.org 

Children growing our future

Point View School students hard at work
during a Trees for Survival session

In 1988, Cyclone Bola created some of the heaviest rainfall in a single storm in New Zealand’s history. Many regions received their annual rainfall totals in a week; Gisborne got 917mm which is almost a metre!

 

While he was District 9920 Governor, Rotary Club of Pakuranga member Noel Holyoake recalled an environmental programme he had seen operating successfully in Australia, and thought if he could bring it to New Zealand, with the help of the Rotary network, a difference could be made. Trees for Survival was born.

 

It is an educational environmental programme where students grow on native tree seedlings in special plant growing units, and learn about the part plants play in maintaining our natural environment, so that as adults they will not repeat the costly environmental mistakes of their forebears.

 

The planted trees help landowners re-vegetate erosion prone land to combat erosion, improve stream flow and water quality plus regulate water flow, increase biodiversity and offset carbon usage.

Trees for Survival is a community partnership. Schools work with their communities, councils, landowners, supporting organisations and commercial sponsors. Rotary clubs are to the fore in helping the schools pay an annual fee. All of these partners work together to restore the natural heritage. 

 

The 1 million tree milestone was passed several years ago. With major sponsorship from the Accor Hotel Group, and in association with the Auckland Council, and the Enviroschools organisation, 2 million is on the horizon.

 

Recently the Trees for Survival Trust brought the management of the programme “in house” by appointing Pakuranga Rotary Club member Roger Milne as National Manager. With a family history in farming, and a career in commercial horticulture, it’s a perfect fit.

 

“This programme can be national, and it has the potential to make an even greater difference to New Zealand’s famous natural environment. I recently saw a small tin storage shed which had been donated by the school’s business sponsor, but it lay as a flat pack next to the plant growing unit – it just needed two able Rotarians with a batt drill, to assemble it – that’s the type of support Rotary can provide,” says Mr Milne.

 

“This is a Rotary programme of immense benefit, so I ask New Zealand Rotary club’s throughout our green land not to hesitate when a Trees for Survival Field Officer asks you for help.”

www.tfsnz.org.nz has further information.

 

 

“Sweet as …”

- By Anders Lade, Rotary International Youth Exchange Student from Denmark 
 

Everything is sweet as when you are an exchange student.

Rotary is sweet as.

New Zealand is sweet as.

And life as an exchange student is sweet as.
 

Helping with the start of a new life

I clearly remember the first time I heard someone say sweet as. I was in school and I didn’t quite know what to say or how to react. Sweet as? But I learned what it meant and now I am using it myself.
 

Exchange is about culture and about learning and using what you learn. I learned about sweet as and now I am using it myself. I am turning into a real Kiwi.
 

As an exchange student you learn new things every day. I have been a Rotary Youth Exchange student for nine months. I am from Denmark and I now live in Cromwell, New Zealand. I love all the new things I am experiencing and all the new people I meet. It is amazing and it’s all thanks to Rotary.
 

When I first came to New Zealand, I knew about Rotary. I had been to several meetings in Denmark and I liked Rotary and the things that Rotary did. What I didn’t know was that Rotary is so much more than youth exchange and so much more than what you see on the surface. Rotary is about helping other people and service above yourself.
 

I have discovered and experienced a lot of impressive things about Rotary and learned about other ways to help people. Rotary is everywhere and Rotary is in every community and it is affecting every community. I come from a Rotary club in Denmark and they didn’t do much for the local community, but they did a lot for communities in other countries in Africa.

Adrenalin junkie!

 

Rotary in Cromwell is doing so much for the local community and it helps the community and it helps people. Rotary Club of Cromwell is helping kids by giving them dictionaries and safety vests. They are helping elderly people by giving them firewood. They also do things for the environment (eg. they had a big cleanup day were they collected all garbage). That is just some of the things they are doing.
 

It is fantastic that an organisation with 1.2 million members have the same goal, the same opinions, even though they are spread out across the world.
 

I have learned that Rotary is not a hobby or something you do once a week. Rotary is a lifestyle and life vision. Rotary is a big family.
 

Every time I am taking my Rotary jacket with all my pins on I get really proud. I am proud to represent Rotary and the things it stands for and does.
 

I have done a lot of New Zealand things and as an exchange student I am pretty busy. I have shorn sheep, helped birth a lamb, milked cows, gone skydiving, walked the Milford Track, done a North Island trip and so much more. Rotary is planning some more great things for me that are going to be fun so I am looking forward to it. Sweet as!

 

Postscript
 

- by Rotary Club of Cromwell President Jean Morgan 
 

 

The Rotary Club of Cromwell’s Rotary Youth Exchange Student Anders Lade from Denmark arrived at a chilly Queenstown Airport on July 24. Cromwell club has been fortunate to host some outstanding young people in recent years and Anders is no exception. It is true that the more effort a student puts into their exchange, the more they benefit. Anders has grasped every opportunity offered and the above article written in a foreign language by Anders describes some of his New Zealand experiences to date.

 

We certainly think Anders is sweet as ...

Cover picture and story for
NZ Pacific edition of Rotary Down Under magazine
March issue

 

Pushing the limits …

The arrival of the swimmers to Moorea, French Polynesia 

The Rotary Club of Papeete-Tahiti, French Polynesia, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Moorea, organised its tenth 18km swim between Tahiti and Moorea on November 15, 2014 to raise money for diabetes. The physical challenge was combined with a hugh diabetes awareness and prevention project that involved free testing in Moorea as well as sharing diabetes information.

This latest adventure attracted 45 swimmers, representing partners, sponsors and Rotary, who swam supervised by an impressive security cordon that included the fire brigade, divers, an emergency doctor and nurses. 11 swimmers managed to complete the entire distance.

Papeete-Tahiti Rotarians Michel Guichenu and
Cathy Gourbault-Lawrence with
Assistant Governor Juliette Philippe of the Rotary Club of Moorea

Two Rotarian swimmers from the Rotary Club of Seymour, Australia, Don Wilson and Hugh Lawrence, came especially to Tahiti for the swim. Other swim visitors included a whale and calf and two sharks !

Great weather conditions and a calm sea allowed the crossing in a six hour swim.

In the lagoon, all of the swimmers arrived together escorted by traditional Polynesian outriggers.

The arrival was organised by the Moorea Rotary club. It included a traditional welcome with flowers, local fruits and a glass of champagne followed by a lunch for swimmers, partners and organisers.

$A22,000 ($NZ 22,900) was raised last year for the Diabetes Association and medical research on diabetes in French Polynesia.

Always be prepared to be interviewed anywhere

For the 10th anniversary of the swim, all of the medical centers in high schools and comprehensive schools and fire brigades in French Polynesia will be offered by Rotary a complete blood glucose monitor kit.

Once more extensive media coverage was achieved on two television channels, a 20 minute radio interview, live interviews every hour during the swim, and articles in local newspapers.

One of the lucky swimmers won a Papeete-Los Angeles airline ticket offered by sponsor ATN. Thank you to the all the sponsors of this amazing event and partners who enable this dream challenge to become a reality.

Where else can you swim, push your limits and raise such a significant amount of money while promoting and Lighting Up Rotary (Faire Rayonner le Rotary)?

RLI Down Under

The inspirational Rotary Leadership Institute breakfast in Wellington, NZ, on December 6 during Rotary Zones 7B and 8 Institute and the combined District 9940 Conference was a sell out for 140 delegates from the 27 NZ and Australian-based districts.

Past Rotary International President Bill Boyd’s thought-provoking presentation was from the perspective of a new Rotarian who had been sent along to RLI discussion-based training by his President without knowing much about it, wondering if the RLI trainers would be like Boxer dogs whose expressions don’t change much, yapping Terriers, or preferred one year-old house trained Labradors! 
 

Rotary International Director Guiller Tumangan,
The Rotary Foundation Trustee Jackson Hsieh and
fellow TRF Trustee Ian Riseley

Mr Boyd then joined the International RLI panel that also included The Rotary Foundation Trustee PRIT Ian Riseley from Australia, TRF Trustee Jackson Hsieh from Taiwan, RI Director Guiller Tumangan from the Philippines, RLI Faculty Trainer Rob Crabtree from NZ, and International RLI Vice-Chair Australia, NZ and Oceania Cathy Roth from Australia who answered questions about RLI in their parts of the Rotary world. 
  

RLI, NZ and Pacific Islands Division Chair Beryl Robinson gave an update about the state of RLI in that region where all six NZ-based districts frequently run RLI Part 1, 2 and 3 courses. District 9920 was the first district in Australasia to facilitate the popular RLI Graduate program that has been offered annually for the past three years. NZ-based Districts 9910 and 9920 are now rolling out RLI into their Pacific Islands, including Norfolk Island, Fiji and French Polynesia. 
 

19 of the 21 districts in Australia hold RLI courses and hopefully the remaining two districts will join RLI by the end of this Rotary year. 
 

Following on from Mrs Robinson’s involvement on the International RLI Online Courses Committee, it is planned to trial distance learning in conjunction with Mrs Roth and an Australian e-club in 2015, which will also open up opportunities to get RLI into remote areas and the South West Pacific where it is difficult to get to RLI courses in a main centre. 
 

RLI breakfasts are highlights of Rotary Institutes down under, so they will be continued at November’s Rotary Zone 7B Institute in Nelson, NZ, and an RLI lunch will be held before Rotary Zone 8 Institute in Melbourne, Australia. 

Web:  www.rli.rotarysouthpacific.org  

Three Rotary conferences in one

The combined Rotary Zones 7B and 8 Institute, held in Wellington, NZ, on the first weekend in December saw a departure in format from past Institutes in that it also brought together two other annual Rotary events, namely the District 9940 Conference and the Rotary Club of Wellington Forum, which that club partners with Victoria University of Wellington.

 

The Forum with the theme of how to Thrive and Survive in NGO Land provided an excellent lead in to the weekend’s proceedings. The first keynote speaker was the Hon. Bill English, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was followed by speakers from the university and NGO sector interspersed with forum discussions.

 

Song and dance entertainment by the children of
Rata Street and Pomare schools
Photo credit: Photography by Simon Woolf [W]

A Powhiri (Maori welcome) presented by young students from two multicultural schools preceded the formal opening of the combined Institute and Conference. Following welcome speeches and responses from Rotary International President Elect Ravi Ravindran and RI Director Guiller Tumangan, the delegates were entertained with indigenous song and dance by the students.

 

The Why Rotary themed Institute and Conference programme was developed around six of the key areas of focus for Rotary, which gave the opportunity to appropriately reflect on the role of Rotary in today’s world. Keynote speakers reflected the areas of focus including growing local economies, promoting peace, providing clean water, supporting education and literacy and fighting disease. Issues relating to strengthening Rotary were not forgotten and the conference finished with lively promotions for the 2015 Nelson and Melbourne Institutes and the Sao Paulo Convention.

 

Saturday night black and white themed dinner
Photo credit: Photography by Simon Woolf [W]

The plenary sessions were interspersed with entertainment including renowned international opera star, Dame Malvina Major, and a variety of local performers. Saturday evening was devoted to a reception and black and white themed dinner followed by dancing. The dinner was part of the “World’s Greatest Meal” and it raised $10,000 for polio eradication.

 

Judging from the feedback, the initiative of bringing three separate conferences together was judged a resounding success.

 

See also: http://rotarystories-nzandpacific.blogspot.co.nz/2014/12/what-welcome.html 

Outdoor Oasis prepared for Battered Women and their Children

A bare and muddy lawn would have been an uninspiring sight for women and children escaping domestic violence in Christchurch. Yet against all odds, residents of a newly-converted ‘safe house’ were welcomed into a local oasis of fruit trees, vegetable patch and children’s playground. The Rotary Club of Christchurch Sunrise contacted the Women’s Refuge at the right time.  

“I phoned the Women’s Refuge to see what Rotary could do for the Christchurch branch of this organisation. Our Club wanted to get our hands dirty and get behind a local cause,” explained President John Mackenzie.

John spoke to Lois Herbert, manager of Christchurch’s Battered Women’s Trust.  “Lois told me of a disused children’s playground that needed to be relocated, but the Trust lacked funds to do so. The playground had not been in use since 2011 and needed cleaning and urgent repairs” said President John.

Rotary members rallied together the next weekend, well aware of a tight deadline. The first stage of the project had members’ manually removing the playground and water-blasting the parts. Afterwards, housing solution company Laing relocated the playground free of cost. Justine Rae of the Battered Women’s Trust oversaw the project, and made an interesting discovery. 

“It quite ironic that Rotary actually installed the playground on the original site,” Ms Rae said. Over a decade ago Rotary funded the installation of the same playground. This historical link surfaced as a happy accident, but gave the current project new meaning for both parties.

During the relocation process, Lois and Justine accepted Rotary’s invitation to speak about their organisation’s services and mission. The Women’s Refuge is a non-profit organisation which provides services for vulnerable women and children in New Zealand. An essential service provided by the Women’s Refuge is safe housing. In September alone, 556 Christchurch women and 273 children were supported Women’s Refuge. The average stay in a safe house was reportedly 26 days.

“We learned just how important the Women’s Refuge is for otherwise struggling women. After completing the playground relocation, [Rotary members] seized the opportunity to do more was initially asked,” enthused President John.

To go the extra mile for the Battered Women’s Trust, David Watson of Rotary ordered $5000 worth of new parts, which brought the playground up to the current NZS5828:2004 building standard. “We wanted to make the play equipment as safe as possible” David explained.

Rotary’s work was not yet completed. “More work was required to spruce up the muddy backyard. Lois showed me a rough sketch of what she’d like to see on the new site, but so far lacked funds for. Rotary now endeavoured to bring that plan to life” said President John.

Timber was procured for the playground boundary, which was supplied at a significant discount by Higgs Construction. Parkhouse Garden Supplies provided soil for the garden and bark for the play area. The Little Big Tree Company sold discounted fruit trees to Rotary for the safe house garden.

“In one weekend, Rotary members built the timber surround and shovelled in the bark. The next weekend saw installation of the refurbished playground. We spread topsoil and tidied up the lawn, including weeding and trimming.”

“The project continued to gather pace leading up to the deadline. Rotary introduced fruit trees; feijoa, plum, lemon and some oriental trees as well. A vegetable patch was carefully put together. Our final job was to build a handrail to safeguard the toddlers’ area” recalled President John.

When Saturday 18th October finally arrived the landscaping was completed and the women seeking a refuge were able to enjoy a stunning garden. Though Rotary stepped in at short notice, the members nonetheless got the job done in time. Nearly every club member volunteered his or her time to the project.

Justine Rae thanked Rotary on behalf of the Women’s Refuge. “My heartfelt thanks to you and your team for all the work you have done. We are moving in today and the place looks wonderful. You are all awesome, and have made a huge difference for the vulnerable woman and children we care for.”

 

Reported by Simone Mackenzie

Included in April

Rotary Down Under

magazine

 

An example of a great, enduring partnership

Lights, costumes and comedic styling’s, at this years Southern Stars Christmas pantomime, sent joy across the faces of many children, through the sheer delight and spectacle of “A Christmas Tale”. There is nothing more musical than the sound of children’s laughter as it fills the room and the event has become the perfect way to welcome in the festive season. Children and families staying at Ronald McDonald House Auckland (RMHA) alongside the Auckland community enjoyed the annual performance put on by Southern Stars charitable trust, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland.  And this year, as with the many before, a staggering $100,000 was raised in support of RMHA.

Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland has been with RMHA every step of the way since their humble beginnings in 1994, to celebrating their 20^th birthday in October 2014. As a founding community partner, our initial fundraising campaign helped first open their doors, with the first 10 rooms, and we have aided in the expansion to the current 80 rooms on offer to kiwi families today. Wayne Howett CEO of RMHA said “It is simply amazing to see the level of support the Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland has shown to Ronald McDonald House Auckland throughout the last 20 years (in total well over $2,000,000). This fabulous longstanding collaboration has enabled us to grow and expand our support and care for more and more New Zealand families. Here at RMHA we house over 500 Auckland families and over 2,200 from the entire country every year and we wouldn’t be here without the incredible community backing that we receive from the Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland”.

The tireless efforts of the team at Southern Stars to help raise funds and promote the pantomime can be attributed for the huge amount of money raised for RMHA. These funds will go a long way to supporting the various ventures at the House. RMHA does not only offer accommodation to families with children receiving treatment at the National Children’s Hospital, they also offer a wider support programme seeking to alleviate some of the emotional and financial burdens that families can face during their medical journey. It costs over $100 to accommodate one family for one night, so the money received from the pantomime will go a long way towards enabling RMHA to provide their essential service to everyone who needs them. “I personally would like to thank everyone at the the Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland and Southern Stars who put in a huge amount of time and effort to making the pantomime possible and help fellow kiwi families in need” Wayne Howett.

Bill Boyd talks sanitation

Photo credit: Rotary Int'l / Alyce Henson

“Sesame Street” Muppet joins Past RI President Bill Boyd on stage to talk about Rotary and clean sanitation at the 2015 Rotary International Assembly on 19 January. The puppet is part of the kids TV show’s sanitation campaign in Bangladesh, India and Nigeria. 

On-board with some Christmas Cheer for the sailors

A little Christmas Cheer was given to the crew of a large container ship
that was in Napier Port for Christmas. A collaboration between Ahuriri
Sunrise Rotary Club, Mission to Seafarers and the Taradale Anglican
Church; each year boxes of home cooking, chocolates and other delights are
delivered to ships in port for Christmas Day.

This year the JPO Libra, a 266 meter container ship carrying a crew of 25,
visited Napier on Christmas Eve on its way from Lyttleton to Tauranga then
bound for Japan.

"A lot of these crews don't get to celebrate Christmas, and of course are
miles away from their families." says Richard Spence, Chaplin for Mission
to Seafarers.

The crew of mostly Filipinos, were delighted with the boxes of cheer, and
some excited faces eager to experience new candy, with bewildered looks at
the bags of licorice allsorts.

The Taradale Anglican Parish had also knitted enough beanies for each crew
member

David Trim, president of Ahuriri Sunrise Rotary Club, Napier
Dobrochna Kaminska, Ship's Second officer
Richard Spence, Chaplin for Mission to Seafarers
on board the JPO LIbra at Napier Port.

Cromwell's 'Rotary Day' 2015 - 4WD adventure for all

The 21^st Cromwell Rotary 4 Wheel Drive event held on Sunday 4^th January enjoyed near perfect weather with a little cloud cover tempering the heat of the day. This was Cromwell Club’s ‘Rotary Day’ for 2014-15 bringing together Rotarians, other locals and summer visitors to the Central Otago area of New Zealand.

 

The trip, covering almost 100 km over challenging terrain was tackled by more than 70 people in 28 vehicles. The event started at the Golden Gate Hotel with an introduction by Club President Jean Morgan, a safety briefing from co-organiser Murray Dennison and the allocation of the now traditional box per vehicle of mouth-watering Webb’s peaches. The convoy then headed towards the Nevis Valley and on to seek out the source of Bannockburn’s water from the Carrick race.

 

The day’s trip was punctuated by a few vantage point pauses and a welcome picnic lunch break next to the Nevis River and then on to view the Cromwell basin from the shadow of the aerials at the top of Mount Difficulty. A steep hill descent was rewarded by a barbeque in Bannockburn to conclude this year’s Cromwell Rotary 4WD fundraising event. As always, Cromwell Rotary very much appreciates the considerable effort devoted by the team organising the event and the local landowners who permit access during the planning stage and on the day.

www.cromwell.rotarysouthpacific.org

The Rotary Club of Mount Eden Helps Eradicate Polio

The Rotary Club of Mount Eden have made a conscious effort this year to help raise funds towards the eradication of Polio. It has also had a busy time with holding three fundraising events in less than four weeks.
 

The first event the club held was a bucket collection day on the 25th October in Mount Eden Village. Over $100 was raised, and the event also helped raise awareness of Rotary’s activities and of the Mt Eden Club.
 

The second event held was a movie night on the 13th November. It was a great night with over 100 tickets sold. The club raised a total of $1074.06. over $1,000. The funds raised from these events will be donated to Rotary International’s EndPolio campaign. As the Club’s President, Penny Jorgensen, told the movie audience, the funds will be tripled thanks to the 2-to-1 match by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and could help vaccinate up to 3,000 children.
 

The third event held was a sausage sizzle on the 23rd November outside Bunnings in Mount Roskill. The Club was offered the fundraising opportunity at very short (less than a week’s) notice. “It was wonderful how members rallied to make this a success” said Penny.

Club web: www.mteden.rotarysouthpacific.org
Polio web: www.endpolio.org

New Year Honours 2015

Rotarians and Friends of Rotary who received recognitions:

PP Neville Jordan, CNZM, of Lower Hutt, was made a Knight Companion for services to business, science and the community. Neville was a member of the Rotary Club of Wellington Central some years ago. The Wellington Central Club ceased to exist in December 2014. Neville is a trustee on the Eureka Trust in Wellington, along with District 9940 Governor, Anthony Scott, to give expression to science innovation in NZ in accordance with the vision of the late Sir Paul Callaghan.

PP Bill Day, of the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson in District 9940, was made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to health and to the community. Bill is chairman of Capital Coast Health Foundation and the Wellington Life Flight Trust.

Judge Bernard Kendall, of the Rotary Club of Auckland East in District 9920, was awarded the Queen’s Service Order (QSO) for services to the judiciary.

PDG Doug Bull, JP, of the Rotary Club of Whakatane West in District 9930, received the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for services to dairy farming and the community.

PP Toni Millar, JP, of the Rotary Club of St Johns in District 9920, was awarded QSM for services to the community.

Past AG Glenn Mottram, JP, of the Rotary Club of Otahuhu in District 9920, received QSM for services to the community. 

Congratulations!