Co-Presidents St. Johns Rotary, Penny McGarry (Ph: 021 702 310), and Lesley Harris (Ph: 027 4935 498)
That would have to be the fastest AGM on ZOOM! Chaired by Alex Gatt, ( who waived his fee on this occasion) and supported by Past President Hugh's report, professionally put together by none other than Colin Robinson. The montage of photos showing what a wonderful Club and Membership we have, but we knew that ahead of the AGM!
The frivolity continued and Sergeant Angus tested our knowledge, which most of us failed miserably! Then the highlight came with our member Chris Herlihy demonstrating his admiration for fellow Glen Taylor School Board member Kevin Kevany, and sharing with us Covid Delta, Glen Taylor School style. It was also interesting to note his hairstyles during lockdowns!
How lucky are those Glen Taylor kids to have such a fun and inspiring principal navigating the way through the complexities of Covid!
Peter B. extended an invite for members to front up for a socially distanced, masked, but outdoors, clean up and weeding of the Apirana Reserve. It is so good to finally have a tangible project for our keen members to get their hands dirty with - it would be great to see good support for this from those who are able.
Plans have been 'penciled in' for 11 December for a Christmas get together - fingers crossed we get to get together in person and not just by ZOOM before the end of the year!
To ensure that you see the entire Bulletin Content, when you first open the Bulletin Email each week, you will see a question, "Having trouble viewing this e-mail Click Here to view it on-line". Please ensure you click.
Also included at the end of this week's Bulletin is a new Image of the "Rotary Four Way Test" - If you haven't read this lately you may like to, to refresh your memory. You never know - the Sergeant may include some questions about the test!!
Our AGM and club weekly meeting on November 11th attracted 24 members, all eager to have their say at the AGM :) and listen to one of our own - club member Chris Herlihy. More about Chris' presentation below, but first a couple of club notices;
AGM - minutes will be circulated in due course
The club's final meeting for the year will be Dec 11 - more in "Board Meeting Update" below
Quiz night date still to be confirmed
District Conference, Wellington June 2022 - Penny is asking for interested members to contact her as soon as possible to allow for accommodation options to be sourced.
Working Bee November 21st - see the separate story below.
As mentioned by our Co-Presidents above, Colin prepared an excellent presentation that captured last years activities very well. To review the presentation click on links below. The first link is the video version, https://youtu.be/nmhSzKl-BfI and the second https://tinyurl.com/SJR2020-2021inPictures, is a PDF still picture version. Thank you Colin.
Our guest speaker, club member Chris H, had been asked to share his thoughts on how the current lockdown and school resuming has impacted on his school, the teachers, and of course the pupils.
After a disruptive year in 2020, the planning in place for 2021 indicated that it was going to be the best start to a year that Chris could recall. However, two mini lockdowns early in the year quickly disrupted the plans and the early excitement of what was to be a great year faded, although initial plans were starting to get back on track - and then DELTA!!
The DELTA Lockdown has been very difficult for all and certainly for schools who have struggled to maintain and develop new plans as restrictions tightened and eased over the last few months.
Although the announcement last week that schools will begin returning to face to face learning, effective November 17th, is positive, there are still many unanswered questions as to what this will actually mean as each school begins to understand what restrictions and flexibility will be introduced.
It is still not known how a mixture of face to face and online learning will be managed. The implications of introducing and managing health and safety requirements is also mind blowing - starting with the challenge of how do you manage physical distancing with 5 year olds, to name just one of dozens of challenges that will need to be managed.
Chris and his team are committed to doing everything that they can to overcome the hurdles they now face, but it is clear that with Chris at the helm, students at Glen Taylor school are in very good hands as they implement a safe and happy learning environment.
There have been many times over the last few months that Chris felt like pulling his hair out. However, when he tried that, it was more painful than he imagined so as the obstacles over the last three months have arisen, instead of pulling his hair out, he tried new and different hairstyles - a few of these are pictured below! Well done on your management of lockdowns to date Chris, and best wishes to you and your Glen Taylor family in the months ahead as we move into and through new and old challenges.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 18th - BREAKFAST ZOOM MEETING - 7.30am - Guest Speaker Dr. Ian Smith:
Topic – "Living With Volcanoes".
The study of volcanoes and their eruptions has taken on renewed significance over the last 40 years as major eruptions around the world have impacted communities and disrupted patterns of human activity.
In parallel with that, there has been an extraordinary development of techniques focused on understanding how volcanoes work and how the potentially dangerous impact of their eruptions can be mitigated. Ian’s research has focused on volcanoes of the ’Pacific rim of fire’ particularly the southwest Pacific Islands and New Zealand.
Dr Smith has worked as volcanologist at the Central Volcanological Observatory in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. He then took up a research fellowship at the University of Toronto in Canada studying some of the oldest volcanic rocks on the planet and their role in the formation of the Earth’s early crust. In 1980 Ian began a teaching position at the University of Auckland where he remained until retirement.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25th - BREAKFAST ZOOM MEETING - 7.30am: Guest Speaker - Robert Wheadon:
Topic – "IT Helpful Technical Tips"
As computer programmer for over 20 years, Robert has a Bachelor and Masters degree in Computer Science from Waikato University along with a Certificate in Web Development. This year he started "On Beam Consulting", to assist people with their systems and generally help make things go. For more details, go to www.onbeam.nz. Robert is the partner of our member Ruth.
This presentation will provide ideas to help people in their daily use of computers, such as;.
Backups - really handy when things go wrong
Taming those pestering upgrades
Keeping your passwords safe
Fun Internet Facts
Electronic Recycling - being a tidy Kiwi in the 21st century
What to do when your system stops (apart from take a deep breath)
Staying out of trouble online
How to find qualified IT people to help you
and more....
THURSDAY DECEMBER 2nd - DINNER ZOOM MEETING - 7.00pm - Guest Speaker - Sarah Blyde:
Sarah is a project engineer at Rocket Lab, a space company that builds and launches the Electron rocket in New Zealand. Sarah grew up in Auckland and went on to study engineering at the University of Auckland before moving to Western Australia to work as a petroleum engineer. While there, she became fascinated by the growing space industry and decided she wanted to be part of all the action so went to France to do a masters degree in space studies.
The pandemic kicked off halfway through and she came home to New Zealand to finish her studies remotely before ending up with her dream job at Rocket Lab! Space isn't her only passion though - you'll often find Sarah out training for her next marathon, on the water kiteboarding, or hiking up a mountain somewhere.
Remember when we could actually meet together?? (photo below as evidence that indeed this was the case once upon a time!)
Well you can relax, the opportunity to do so is just days away. Our first opportunity to meet since lockdown began last August will be to join in the post-lockdown, 2-hour Working Bee at Apirana Reserve - outside, physically distanced and masked up.
Task: weeding especially around plantings from last planting season
Preparations: dress for the weather conditions (which have been arranged to be fine, like last time!)
wear a mask, gumboots, gloves
bring a hand-grubber or fork or similar as suitable for weeding; spades not needed.
Rewards: getting together!; releasing young native plants from competition from weeds; sharing a coffee together afterwards
Please RSVP (to Peter B, (email address below), by Tuesday 16 Nov. so that Ken, Nanda, and Roger (coordinators at Apirana Reserve), can plan our activities
Subject to Covid Restrictions our volunteers will be limited to 22 from St Johns, so be quick - email Peter B now.
It's now time to be chatting with your networks, local businesses, friends, family etc etc, all whom have been on the edge awaiting the arrival of this years Rotary Christmas puddings!!
Our "ultimate pudding salesman" (Christie Rutherford), has supplies ready and waiting for you.
These are a great little fundraiser for the club! To avoid disappointment contact Christie asap to arrange to your purchase. Price $20, same as last year.
To Order: email Christie at windesign@xtra.co.nz, or phone 027 4731378
Pickup: Christie will deliver if required, or you can arrange to pickup from Christie - It couldn't be simpler - order now!!
Lanaco and Rotary Supporting Needy during Covid times.
Lanaco is a New Zealand company which has developed and manufactures world leading filter technology, based on wool. Lanaco air filters are now seen everywhere protecting people from Covid and Lanaco has Aotearoa New Zealand’s first certified medical grade respirator manufacturing plant and developed new respirator masks to suit the needs of the population, especially Maori and Pacifica, in close cooperation with District Health Boards.
In early 2021 Lanaco met some key Rotarians in Auckland who mentioned the plight of many needy in the Pacific. Together, Lanaco and Rotary donated an initial 70,000 masks equalling $300,000 worth of high protection N95 level masks to needy in Covid-delta ravaged Fiji, distributed by Rotary Fiji’s efficient network.
The collaboration then realised more could be done with Delta now firmly in Aotearoa New Zealand. Rotary Clubs organised a donation from Lanaco of another 30,000 masks equalling $120,000 to the Salvation Army, The Auckland City Mission, and Glen Innes Citizens Advice Bureau, as the economic and health ravages of Delta took their grip on an ill-prepared country, particularly among the most vulnerable and needy via their foodbanks. Most Rotary clubs support their local foodbanks, and this is one small step to helping everyday citizens contain the spread of the coronavirus and keep their families and communities healthy.
By way of thanks to Lanaco for their incredible generosity, Rotary has embarked on the “One Million Masks initiative”, details via www.rotaryoceania.zone, where Lanaco produces high-quality high-performance “Brezy” masks and Rotary sells donation packs which are passed to needy groups through the greater regional Rotary network. Rotary’s support into local communities via their clubs is extensive and this initiative continues to build on that and is yet another example of the awareness Rotary has for helping the community and ability to translate that into meaningful action.
The project was reported on in the November 10 issue of the Courier East & Bays on page 4. If you haven't seen the original story in the Courier click here for a link leading to a copy of the article featuring non other than our own Gary Key. Gary has been working with Colin and others in Rotary to help make this project a success. https://www.neighbourly.co.nz/e-edition/east-bays-courier/44303
St Johns Rotary has long supported the Emergency Response Kit programme for the Pacific. The NIWA and MetService assessment of named tropical cyclone (TC) activity indicates 9 to 12 named TCs could occur in the Southwest Pacific basin between November 2021 and April 2022 so these kits will again be a vital first response to families who may have been severely affected during a cyclone. This RNZWCS newsletter explains (CLICK HERE).
This Expo is designed to showcase the numerous volunteer organisations in the district, and of course Rotary and certainly St. Johns Rotary, are taking this opportunity to promote our club, our projects, our events etc etc
Let's show the public just how active we are and how much good we do in the community.
Colin is our go to man in coordinating our participation in the event, but he does, of course, need others from the club to support his efforts. To date he has a few members who have put their hand up to assist, but he is still looking for others, particularly between 10.00 am 12 noon or from 12 noon to 2 00 pm.
Details:
Date: Saturday 12 March 2022 from 10am to 2pm
Venue: Auckland Netball Centre, 7 Allison Ferguson Dr, St Johns (next to Stonefields).
Are you able to assist Colin and other club members? Please contact Colin now.
Co-Presidents St. Johns Rotary, Penny McGarry (Ph: 021 702 310), and Lesley Harris (Ph: 027 4935 498)
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25th - BREAKFAST ZOOM MEETING - 7.30am: Guest Speaker - Robert Wheadon:
THURSDAY DECEMBER 2nd - DINNER ZOOM MEETING - 7.00pm - Guest Speaker - Sarah Blyde:
Yes its that time of the year again!
Volunteer Expo - New Date!
