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The President's Pen

Kia Ora,

I feel like a bit of a yo-yo at the moment and my office set-up is starting to show wear and tear from being dragged in and out of the car.  

We had a great meeting last Thursday, albeit the IT issues, with Rhondda handling the challenges like a real pro.  Our speaker for this week has asked to postpone so we are proposing a fellowship meeting in the morning with Q&A around club activities.  Please join us with coffee in hand.

Keep safe, avoid the Kmart and the gyms and look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

Hugh 

President: Rotary Club of St Johns
Phone: 021 0813 7313
Stories
Meeting in Review - February 25th 2021
It was excellent that Auckland returned to Level1 last week which allowed us to meet face to face on the 25th.  Zoom Meetings are certainly better than nothing, but there is nothing like the real thing!!  25 members were joined by five guests.  Our guests were; Peter Ross and Alan Haywood from Newmarket Rotary, Barry from the Stonefields Residents Association, potential new member - Robyn's sister Lauren and our guest speaker Rhondda Middleton from the Salvation Army:
 

Since 1883, The Salvation Army has fought poverty and social and spiritual distress in New Zealand.  They have helped more than 120,000 families and individuals in need each year—with budgeting advice, food and clothing assistance, life skill programmes and other comfort and support. 

Rotary in our District started to assist with foodbank packing and food parcel distribution (from the Manukau Centre) during the first Covid Lockdown. Teams of Rotarians from different clubs (including ours) have kept up the volunteer work at their Manukau Food Bank on a regular basis.

There are 75 Salvation Army Centre's throughout New Zealand with a team of 350.  Last year they distributed 110,000 Food Parcels nationally.  Apart from the Food Banks, their Community Ministries are involved with a wide range of activities, such as;

  • Youth Services
  • Welfare
  • Education Programmes
  • Housing
  • Senior Services
  • Early Childhood
  • Building Financial Capability and
  • Whanau Services
Rhondda is the area manager based in Manukau and she was born into a Salvation Army family and she has been fully employed by them for the last 20 years.  Once we overcame the "IT Issues" we were shown a couple of videos that very clearly showed the extent of the work undertaken by the SA and it was very evident by the stories we were told that the SA don't just fix the current problems being experienced by the families they help, but they help to develop  a plan that allows the families to help themselves going forward.
 
Apart from sharing the Salvation Army story, both Rhondda and Peter Ross extended their sincere thanks to St. Johns Rotary, for the hundreds of volunteer hours last year helping to prepare and pack the Food Parcels. 
 
Watch this space for details of more opportunities to help in the year ahead.
Club Activities & Other Important Dates to Diary
 
THURSDAY MARCH 4th - Breakfast Zoom Meeting - LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85143868484?pwd=U1VJWFd3ck1tcnVsRzdkaUJSMGxGZz09    
Time to grab a cup of coffee , or tea, and have a good catch-up, chin wag with fellow members.
 

THRSDAY MARCH 11th - BREAKFAST MEETING - Speaker: St John's Rotary sponsored students reporting back on January's Rotary National Science & Technology Forum.  Our Club sponsored three Y12 students to attend the Forum this summer:  Mya and Joshua from Glendowie College, and Peter from Sacred Heart. Now, back at school in Y13, they will share 'some' of their experience of the two week live-in forum with us.

 

 

THURSDAY MARCH 18th - BREAKFAST MEETING - Speaker: TBA.

 

FRIDAY April 9th - St Johns Rotary's largest fundraising event of the year - our Golf Tournament. 

Great news, this is now sold out.  However, if you know of a team still wanting to enter please pass on details to David Hartstone in case there are cancellations.  Also we are still looking for sponsors - again pass on details to David H.

If you haven't already raised your hand to help on the day, please contact Lesley who is coordinating the large volunteer team who are required to run a successful tournament on the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin's Candid Photo Album
A few candid snaps from our wandering photographer at our February 25th meeting;
 
Good to see you back Steele.  Nice to see you too Alex.
 
 
Now listen here St Johns members - its my way - okay!
 
 
I don't care what you say Peter Ross - my lips are sealed!!
 
 
Okay Peter - one for you, one for me.
 
 
Let's just act normal and pretend we didn't hear Mr. Ross.
 
 
Time for a Smile
EATING IN THE FIFTIES
 
Pasta had not been invented.
Curry was a surname.
A takeaway was a mathematical problem.
A pizza was something to do with a leaning tower.
Bananas and oranges only appeared at Christmas time.
All crisps were plain; the only choice we had was whether to put the salt on or not.
A Chinese chippy was a foreign carpenter.
Rice was a milk pudding, and never, ever part of our dinner.
A big mac was what we wore when it was raining.
Brown bread was something only poor people ate.
Oil was for lubricating, fat was for cooking.
Tea was made in a teapot using tealeaves and never green.
Cube sugar was regarded as posh.
Only Heinz made beans.
Fish didn’t have fingers in those days.
Eating raw fish was called poverty, not sushi.
None of us had ever heard of yoghurt.
Healthy food consisted of anything edible.
People who didn’t peel potatoes were regarded as lazy.
Indian restaurants were only found on India.
Cooking outside was called camping.
Seaweed was not a recognized food.
Prunes were medicinal.
Surprisingly, muesli was readily available, it was called cattle feed.
Pineapples came in chunks in a tin, and we had only ever seen a picture of a real one.
Water came out of a tap, if someone had suggested bottling it and charging more than petrol for it they would have become a laughing stock.
The one thing that we never, ever had on our table in the fifties……was elbows.
 
Thanks for the contribution Miles.
Rotary Four Way Test
 
Next Meeting:
Zoom Breakfast Meeting;
 
 
Thursday March 4th 2021 
7.30 am.
 
Venue - Zoom Meeting - in the comfort of your own home!
 
Bulletin Contents: 
  • The President's Pen
  • Meeting in Review - Feb 25th 2021
  • Activities and other Important Dates
  • Kev's Candid Photo Album
  • Time for a Smile
Speakers
Mar 04, 2021 7:30 AM
Note 7:30am start - Club Business and chat
Mar 11, 2021 7:00 AM
Reporting back on January's Rotary National Science & Technology Forum
Apr 01, 2021 6:00 PM
LegaSea NZ
View entire list
Upcoming Events
New World Golf Tournament
Apr 09, 2021
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
 
ANZAC Breakfast
Apr 25, 2021
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Annual Debate with RC of Auckland East
May 06, 2021
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
 
MUNA 2021 (Model United Nations Assembly)
May 28, 2021 9:00 AM –
May 29, 2021 5:00 PM
 
View entire list
Meeting Responsibilities
Thursday 11 March MORNING
 
Set-Up
Rutherford, Christie
 
Attendance
McGarry, Penny
 
Greeter
Lewisham, John
 
Speaker Host
Mcphee, Angus
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Leyland, Penny
 
Set-Down
Robinson, Neil
 
Stand-By
Gerrard, Tricia
 
Thursday 18 March MORNING
 
Set-Up
Key, Gary
 
Attendance
Buchanan, Peter
 
Greeter
Bhana, Prabha
 
Speaker Host
Ingram, Robyn
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Wheadon, Ruth
 
Set-Down
Hillman, Mark
 
Stand-By
Peacock, Shaun
 
Thursday 25 March MORNING
 
Set-Up
Fergus, Brian
 
Attendance
Robinson, Colin
 
Greeter
Lucas, Claire
 
Speaker Host
Robinson, Beryl
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Francis, Andy
 
Set-Down
Hartstone, David
 
Stand-By
Roake, Muriel
 
Thursday 1 April EVENING
 
Set-Up
Cain, Miles
 
Attendance
Belthazar, Jane
 
Greeter
Gilmer, Gavin
 
Speaker Host
Mann, Michele
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Richardson-Jones, Aubrey
 
Set-Down
Hutchinson, Murray
 
Stand-By
Forman, Michelle
 
Thursday 8 April MORNING
 
Set-Up
Kevany, Kevin
 
Attendance
Tedcastle, Isabella
 
Greeter
Hogg, Janice
 
Speaker Host
Jolliffe, Cheri
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Harris, Lesley
 
Set-Down
Fabian, Graham
 
Stand-By
Boyd, Lynette
 
Thursday 15 April MORNING
 
Set-Up
McGarry, Penny
 
Attendance
Leyland, Penny
 
Greeter
Robinson, Neil
 
Speaker Host
Cornaga, John
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Mayne, Alan
 
Set-Down
Mcphee, Angus
 
Stand-By
Bhana, Prabha
 
Thursday 22 April NO MEETING
 
Deferred for ANZAC Breakfast meeting
 
Sunday 25 April MORNING
 
Set-Up
Lewisham, John
 
Attendance
Bell, Patrick
 
Greeter
Ingram, Robyn
 
Speaker Host
Mann, Michele
 
Speaker Thanks & Close
Street, Tom
 
Set-Down
Rutherford, Christie
 
Stand-By
Jones, Simon
 

Club Contacts

President: 
Hugh Scott-Russell 021 0813 7313 
Secretary, Treasurer & Apologies: 
Alex Gatt 021 571 722
Presidents Elect: 
Penny McGarry 021 702 310   &
Lesley Harris 027 4935 498
Sergeant: 
Michelle Forman 021 0277 9456
Club Services: 
Robyn Ingram  022 0200 171 
Bulletin Editor: 
Pete Walsh 021 747 858
Membership: 
John Lewisham 021 375080
Website:  www.rotarystjohns.club
Our Meetings
 
We meet Thursday for breakfast at
7:00 am for 7:15 am start,
except for the first Thursday of the month, when we meet in the evening at 6:00 pm for dinner.
 
Remuera Golf Club
120 Abbotts Way
Remuera
Auckland 1072
New Zealand 
 
All Rotarian's are welcome 
including family members.
 
Others wanting to visit are most welcome - please phone or email:
John Lewisham. Ph: 021 375 080, email; jdlewisham@gmail.com
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