Co-Presidents St. Johns Rotary, Penny McGarry (Ph: 021 702 310), and Lesley Harris (Ph: 027 4935 498).
For last Thursday’s meeting, Co-President Penny was unfortunately confined to barracks as a result of a tummy bug, so just as well we had a spare President!
Most important business first, and Namrata Gulani was welcomed back and ‘re inducted’. It is great to see her in our midst again, welcome back Namrata!
There were presentations made to two members who were 25+ years in Rotary,’ young’ Gary Key and Andy Francis were presented with their badges, and letters acknowledging their service from Rotary International. The Club is lucky to have such a wealth of Rotary experience within our membership.
Directors gave their updates. Remember all, that there are still slots to be filled on 31 July for the Foodbank Drive, and RSVP if you would like to see the AB’s v Australia in St Heliers Ray White on 7 August. Gary also spoke about another successful RYLA week.
There was a brief update of the matters agreed at the Tuesday Board Meeting. (See details below).
Danielle Bergin spoke about the Island Child Charitable Trust, it was very interesting and Danielle deserves commending for her initiative and vision in establishing the Trust. The Club has asked that they are made aware of areas where we can help.
There was discussion re the Picture Poser, where in NZ is it? Congrats Brian Fergus and David Hartstone you were “spot on’ !
Next week Hugh is in charge as your Co Presidents are both away – bad planning eh!
L and P
The View From the Presidents Desk:
"The shot tower", on Normanby Rd, Mt Eden behind the Vietnamese Restaurant Sen, is the last remaining 20th century tower of its sort in Australasia. It was built to produce lead ammunition as demand increased during the World War I.
Ammunition was made from melting lead and dropping it from the height of the tower into water.
The Colonial Ammunition Company that used the tower closed in 1986. The tower has category one heritage status.
Most of what unfolded at the last meeting has been covered above by our President on duty on the day, so just a few photos here to round off the meeting notices.
The meeting started with first time sergeant Angus ringing the bell, calling all to breakfast and welcoming Co-President Lesley to the microphone to what was her first solo meeting.
24 members and 1 guest were in attendance and pictured below is Namrata responding to her welcome and Andy Francis and Gary Key - receiving their "25 year Service Awards".
Our guest speaker on the day was Danielle Bergin, founder and Manager of the "Island Child Charity Trust",
The Trust, established in 2005, is a small grassroots organisation with a big heart making a sustainable difference in the lives of whānau facing a housing crisis.
Based in Glen Innes, the Trust successfully rehomes between 48-55 whānau (residential and non-residential clients) each year, depending on available housing. Their goal is to assist more individuals and families. The Trust provides transitional housing and a 12-week residential programme that operates 24/7 from premises in Glen Innes. At any one time they can host up to 12 families or a total of 40 people across three properties. They work with single parent families, two parent families and adults.
Currently, the Trust has a full-time manager, a homeless worker, a part-time administrator and a resource coordinator/house caretaker. Seven volunteers contribute over 250 volunteer hours each month. Volunteers do cleaning, gardening and household maintenance, provide parenting and emotional support, and organise their clothes and linen bank. Danielle is very passionate and proud of the work done by the Trust and the successes they have had with Government Agencies that support their Vision which is to provide warm, safe, appropriate and sustainable housing for all whānau. Their Mission is to provide shelter, care, support and opportunities for whānau experiencing a housing crisis.
Conrad is the General Manager for Habitat for Humanity Auckland, a non-profit organisation that helps families build and improve a place to call home, here in NZ and around the world. They believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. Conrad (who has been a guest of our club a number of times over the years) and advises this time he will be coming with some controversial statements on housing to illicit debate!
THURSDAY JULY 29th - Breakfast Meeting - Guest Speaker TBC
Saturday last week, (despite the weather), saw a very large group of St. Johns Rotary members plus friends and family, participating in the planting day at Apirana Reserve. A big thank you to all volunteers.
The following email received from Ken, Nanda and Roger, sums up the appreciation of our clubs efforts;
"You guys are total fruit cakes, but the nicest fruit cakes in the world in braving the elements, the mud, the pestilence, and the abuse, at the reserve this morning. 660 trees in the ground and getting home around 12 noon has to be a record, we are seriously grateful for your help and support, and as a consequence you are all officially given the keys to the reserve to come work there anytime you wish. The transformation even as we left was hugely obvious, and the TLC we are going to give those plants in the coming months will ensure they reach for the sky and move from puberty to adulthood quickly. For those of you unable to make it there will always be a next time.
So many thanks again, and it was great to catch up with you all. Peter, we would be very grateful if you would pass on our heartfelt thanks to all your members, whose addresses I obviously do not have. Catch up soon.
St. Johns Rotary have now installed four defibrillators in the Community, the most recent, pictured, was installed last week at the Glendowie Community Centre on Crossfields Road, by Miles and Aubrey.
The cost of the unit was funded by Glendowie College Rotaract Club. The other three units are located at; St. Pius X School, the Pony Club on Kohi Road and Churchill Park School.
Well done and many thanks to all for the fundraising, purchasing and installation!
Gordon Robertson, Principal Glendowie College, was our guest speaker earlier this month and we have since received the following email from Gordon;
"From: Gordon Robertson, Principal Sent: Wednesday, 14 July 2021 9:32 AM To: berylrobinson@xtra.co.nz Subject: Re: Rotary invitation!
Morena Beryl
Thanks for the email and for the opportunity to speak at the breakfast. It is good to reinforce the connection between the school and the club. I will take up the invitation to join you for breakfast on occasions. We have David James as a link but my involvement is also important. I appreciate the support St Johns Rotary has given our students over the years.
Another small group of St. Johns Rotary Club members have had the good fortune to visit the club house in Pauanui and catchup with custodians Robyn and Tony who are doing a great job conducting tours and feeding the visiting members, It was hard to beat the Melting Moments offered on an earlier tour, but the Afghans were pretty close! Gary and Aubrey also enjoyed their visit to the "toy box".
Let the fun begin! It doesn't get much better than this. A great night of fellowship, a great night of rugby, (potentially) and a great opportunity to raise some funds for "doing good in the community" .
Did You Know the following about your Club Membership;
Current Membership: = 52
Honorary Members: = 15
(John Anderson, Donald Bowie, Mary Ann Davison, Mike Henry, Tim Jones, Ainie Kwok, Gary Lord, Andy McCarrison, Alex McKenzie, Toni Miller, Dr Paul Shard, David Stone, Neville Sturmfels and our most recently appointed - John Cornaga)
July Membership Movement:
Newest Member: Namrata Guland. Re-joined 1st July after two year absent
Transferring Rotarian: Avi Figuelredo. Avi has moved to Wellington and will be looking to transfer to a Rotary Club in Lower Hutt
AVOCADOS: A wife asks her husband, Could you please go shopping for me and buy one carton of milk and if they have avocados, get 6." A short time later the husband comes back with 6 cartons of milk. The wife asks him, "Why did you buy 6 cartons of milk" He replied, "They had avocados."
WATER IN THE CARBURETOR: WIFE: "There is trouble with the car. It has water in the carburetor." HUSBAND: "Water in the carburetor? That's ridiculous " WIFE: "I tell you the car has water in the carburetor." HUSBAND: "You don't even know what a carburetor is. I'll check it out. Where's the car? WIFE: "In the pool".
THE PHONE: A young man wanted to get his beautiful blonde wife something nice for their first wedding anniversary. So he decided to buy her a cell phone. He showed her the phone and explained to her all of its features. Meg was excited to receive the gift and simply adored her new phone. The next day Meg went shopping. Her phone rang and, to her astonishment, it was her husband on the other end. "Hi Meg," he said, "how do you like your new phone?" Meg replied, "I just love it! It's so small and your voice is clear as a bell, but there's one thing I don't understand." "What's that, sweetie?" asked her husband. "How did you know I was at Sylvia Park?"
HE MUST PAY: Husband and wife had a tiff. Wife called up her mum and said, "He fought with me again, I am coming to live with you." Mum said, "No darling, he must pay for his mistake. I am coming to live with you.
FROM GENESIS:
"And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the earth." Then he made the earth round and he laughed and laughed and laughed!