New Zealand’s largest Motorcycle Show

The Rotary Club of Papakura, NZ held their third Motorcycle Show on August 15 and 16 at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland. This year, the show was open to both classic and custom bikes. It was sponsored by Star Insurance, Indian Motorcycles, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) Ride Forever national training programme and Motorcycle Trader magazine. 

 

Four thousand visitors enjoyed the spectacle (and noise) of 475 bikes, 25 bike clubs and numerous trade stands selling everything from new bikes, through to clothing, accessories, spare parts, services and bike related information.

 

From the Indian and Victory Motorcycle trade stands to the Auckland Veteran Motor Cycle Club, from Ducatti to Triumph, from $1 million machines to the most basic and ancient of motorcycles waiting to be restored, and from top names in the motorcycle racing community to amateur enthusiasts, they were all there, and so to were the public who turned up in their droves to support Papakura Rotary’s fundraiser. 

 

Indian Motorcycles prepared a 2015 Indian Scout prepared as a tribute to Burt Munro.  It was themed with Burt’s racing colours, 35 race number and “Spirit of Munro” logo on the tank. Then they donated the bike to the Rotary club and it was auctioned on Trademe raising $36,700 which enabled the show to open with expenses covered.

 

This fundraiser for the Rotary club was well supported by 34 club members assisting over the weekend, some of whom braved the rain on the Saturday as they stoically endured their time on the gate and car parking duties. Overall $70,000 was raised which will go to charity, including further education for staff at the National Burn Unit at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland, as well as many Rotary programmes, including Rotary Safety Education (formerly called RYDA), Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) and Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN).

 

The most enriching part of this project is the fellowship of working together both before the weekend and during the long hours which need to be put in over the show weekend to ensure its success.

Concert at Karaka features International Youth Exchange Student Paula Busse from Germany

The Rotary Club of Papakura, NZ held their 17^th annual Concert at Karaka on May 23 and 24. The Concert at Karaka was initially organised to showcase local and youth talent and to give experience to young emerging musicians.  It has achieved this aim magnificently over the years. 

This year was no exception, with the star of the show being inbound Rotary International Youth Exchange Student and violinist Paula Busse from Witten, Germany who was accompanied by Jonathon Dunlop on the piano.  Paula had already demonstrated her talents by arranging a musical evening at one of our member’s homes to raise funds to purchase an Emergency Response Kit which was immensely successful. Paula began violin lessons when she was eight and music has developed into a real passion for her. From the age of twelve, she has participated in national young musicians’ competitions with excellent results in both solo and chamber categories. Due to her outstanding results, she was given grants for international master classes for string instruments as well as for piano trios. Prior to her Rotary exchange Paula was first violinist and principal Concert Master of a youth orchestra in Dortmund, Germany.  Truly Paula was the star of the show!

Joining Paula were baritone Benson Wilson who was born in New Zealand of Samoan descent and had just completed his BMus (Hons); Maia Vegar, soprano, who has recently completed four years at the University of Auckland studying Classical Performance Voice; the Aorere College Front Row junior boys choir; Juan Kim who has played the piano since the age of six and who has recently completed a Batchelor of Music in Piano Performance; and our annual favourite the Dalewool Auckland Brass Band conducted by Nigel Weeks who have appeared at all of the 17 concerts.

The concert is held at the New Zealand Bloodstock sales centre where the artists perform in the sales ring where a few days before hand yearling horses traded for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.  New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd provide the venue each year at no cost, but reap the reward of a thorough clean of the centre and a polish of the brass railings which surround the sales ring.  The acoustics in the centre are magnificent with many of the professional artists who have performed over the years declaring them to be the equal of or better than many concert halls in which they have appeared.

This weekend is important to the club as a fellowship opportunity and many stories are shared over the polishing rag while shinning the brass rail or manoeuvring the vacuum cleaner or broom.  Partners of the members turn out in force to provide refreshments to the audience at half time and the after show party.  The Papakura Floral Art Group fill the premises with floral arrangements and many of the patrons look forward to seeing these every year. 

Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment challenges

The Rotary Club of Papakura, NZ organised the District 9920 Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) which is a residential weekend seminar for 14 to 18 year old students who show potential to become leaders. On the last weekend in March, 85 young people came from many schools throughout Auckland, from the most deprived areas to the most privileged. It was very rewarding to see the way in which they all worked together and the many friendships made.
 

Auckland Rotaractors, six of the district’s inbound International Youth Exchange (IYE) students and two returned IYE students also attended.
 

 

The program was held at Camp Adair in the Hunua Ranges that is fully set up with accommodation, cooking, meeting and physical exercise facilities, including YMCA instructors who challenged the participants.
 

The balanced program’s fellowship, seminars and challenging activities filled the weekend and left all who attended with a real sense of achievement.
 

Participants were divided into well mixed teams of male and female, age and race. For example one group had people with backgrounds from Korea, India, Iran, Tonga, Samoa, Argentina, Cook Islands and NZ. There was encouragement for and from each team member.
 

The teams bonded during challenges that ranged from low wire walking to pole climbing (10 metres high) and balancing exercises, followed by a very wet and muddy confidence course where they spent time jumping, sliding and bombing amid much laughter.
 

During seminar time, the attendees were challenged by life experience coach Rhonda Maughan, motivator and Rotarian Jim Hainey, ex-car thief Mark Duffey and former policeman Nick Tuitasi to know and believe in themselves, make wise decisions and guard their reputations. Mark’s special message was that success comes in “cans”, not in “cannots”, and “can’t” is a word that should never be used. 
 

IYE Matt Hitching and Rotaractor Megan Gallagher told the various Rotary activities that were available, including Interact, Youth Exchange and Rotaract. They shared that life is your own choice and it is what you make of it.
 

The organisers were especially grateful to those Rotary clubs who sourced and sponsored students from outside their own club’s area, as this ensured a good mix of attendees and contributed to the great success of the weekend that the attendees will remember for a long time.