Rotary Club of Plimmerton
Visitors
President Bill welcomed everyone back from the holidays including our speaker, Dr Anna Sullivan, Dallas New, and Sarah Gibb, prospective new members, San Dekker, who we are sponsoring to RYLA, and her mother, Anita, Honorary members Christine Blick, Jim Dearsly, and Ron Lucas. He also gave a warm welcome to Jenny Dawson, a previous member, Plimmerton Friend, Sue Adams, and partners Anne-Marie Garrett, Glenys Greaves, Velma Knight, Barbara Nichols, and Linda Sinke.
The speaker said …
San Dekker began the evening by telling us a little about herself and her wish to regain her former self-confidence through the experiences she hoped to enjoy at RYLA 2021 which will run from 27-31 January. Although she is now living and working in Whangarei, she will gladly speak to us again at a later date when she visits her family in Whitby.
You can read Mike's report here on the first guest speaker of 2021, Dr Anna Sullivan, a doctor in the Emergency Department at Wellington Hospital. On 22nd February 2011 she was in the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Christchurch, helping to deliver a training course on emergency paediatrics.
Viewpoint
Joe Perera used his Viewpoint slot to tell us three jokes, interspersed with connecting comments. One was about chocolate chip cookies and a funeral, another about an elderly man suffering from forgetfulness, and a third about a plane whose engines failed and which landed in the ocean near Auckland. The Viewpoint's concluding comments were 'The final line of any joke is called the punchline in English, and in German, it’s “Du Po Ente.” It’s the line where the miracle happens; the line where we’re surprised by something that is revealed, and from that surprise is released joy. And my parting wish for you all here today is that your own life be a joke, and that they have punchlines; that they have “Du Po Ente,” [sic] Stay funny. Keep laughing. Peace.'
What’s coming up in February and beyond?
The RYLA team has now extended an invitation to you to attend the BBQ with the attendees and supporters of the RYLA 2021 programme. It will be held at the Silverstream Retreat, 3 Reynolds Bach Drive, Stokes Valley at 5.30 pm this Friday, 29 January. Please reply by 27 January to michellesimpson50@hotmail.com The cost is $30 per person.
The next Drinks and Nibbles will be held on Sunday 31 January from 4.00-6.00 pm. Chris Garrett will let us all know nearer the time where we will be going.
On Waitangi Day, Saturday 6 February, we are sharing a marketing stall with Porirua Club, at the City Council Festival Day at Te Rauparaha Arena. Please let Kay or Bill know if you are able to help with set up, time on the stall, or pack down.
After our next meeting on 2 February, we will be having our first Planning Meetings for the year.
The Book Fair Revival will take place from 19-21 February 2021 at 4 Lydney Place, Porirua. and we have access to the venue from 16-23 February which will allow plenty of time to set up and takedown. There will be no heavy lifting for Rotarians. Phillip Reidy is organising this so expect a tap on the shoulder if you haven't already had one! If you are asked about accepting donated books, please refer people to Phillip as they can be dropped off at Ration Creek Orchard. Social media and marketing is about to take place. We have 1,200 boxes in storage which, if sold at $20 a box which could potentially raise a lot of money. This will be the last Book Fair the Club will hold, so please let everyone know the dates and location as the aim is to generate some needed revenue for the Charitable Trust. If you want more details, you can find them on the Events page.
If you want to take advantage of the early bird tickets for the District Centennial Conference at Carterton Events Centre from 19-21 March, you only have two weeks left. Go to this link. And Kay would love us to have a good-sized Club group attending (and needs your company). Why not make this our social event for March?! The Saturday Night theme is the year our Club was chartered - the 1970s. Golf, sunshine, some excellent speakers. What more could you want? And ... Denise and Dexter have offered to host a Saturday afternoon get together - 70s themed food and dress. They also have room for a few people to stay including caravans... Sounds as though this is definitely our March Social Event.
To see some of our future events, you can go here.
Snippets
President-Elect Kay is well down the path of planning an interesting year for Rotary 21/22 and intends to announce her Board next month. Anyone in the Club who would like to make suggestions about the future of the Club, please let her know. She has already been given some good ideas about possible fundraisers and projects. Changeover will probably take place on Tuesday 29 June 2021.
Peter Sinke played a short video clip sent from Cristabel Suarez, our Exchange Student from Chile. Every member of the Club remembers Cris very fondly.
Parting thought
Rhondda Sweetman gave us the Parting Thought this week. She quoted the last six lines of the poem written and recited by Amanda Gorman, America's Youth Poet Laureate, at Joe Biden's Inauguration: The Hill We Climb
When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we're brave enough to see it
If only we're brave enough to be it
Who’s on duty for the next month?
Unable to do your duty? Please find a replacement and inform Graham Wallace.
If you're a late 'no show' please tell President Bill.
Please arrive at 5.45 pm if you're on Door duty or on Introduction duty to greet the Guest Speaker and be his/her host for the evening.
Need to apologise or bring additional guests?
Advise the Receptionist at Professionals before 10.00 am on the Monday before the meeting on 233 9955 or email paremata@dwre.co.nz if you prefer.
Please provide the name (and spelling if necessary). The same applies if you're going to be late.
