Rotary Club of Plimmerton
Visitors
President Bill gave a warm welcome to Judy McCoy, guest of Barry McEwen and to Honorary Member, Ron Lucas.
Viewpoint
Jenny gave us the Viewpoint tonight. It is so well inside the time limit of three minutes, and therefore short enough to post here, instead of as a separate blog. Jenny said, 'a few weeks ago when the Black Lives Matter protests swept around the world, I was totally overwhelmed with a sense of absolute helplessness. The incident which led to the protests was inexcusable but seemingly there was also a back story, as is so often the case. We do not always get both sides of the story. But my reaction was - Where was this going to end and what was needed to be done to fix it. I wondered if the protests were partly a release of pent up emotions over the lockdowns and restrictions imposed because of Covid-19 or whether they would have happened anyway. I knew I could do very little to change the sentiments surrounding us but I was able to rationalise my feelings which took away some of that overwhelming sense of hopelessness. It all comes down to RESPECT. No matter what colour, creed or race, if respect is there and also acceptance that differences exist, we should never need to experience protests like the recent ones. So my viewpoint is: Everyone is entitled to respect, but respect must be earned. All Lives Matter.'
This week’s happenings
We have received the August newsletter from Mana Zonta which you can read here.
Snippets
Nick Walmsley brought members up to date with an excellent report on the Plimmerton Rotary Scholarship support for disadvantaged females into tertiary education at Svay Reing University in Cambodia. Sok Vanda has completed her 4-year degree and now has a full-time job, Khiev Channy has started a 4-year degree and will graduate this year and Keo Kaknika has started a 4-year degree which she will complete in 2023. All the stories demonstrate the courage that these women demonstrate, especially considering the hardship they have experienced in their early lives.
Mike Doig has asked for more volunteers to help with Reading to Children at Rangikura School each Wednesday or Thursday morning from 9.15 for about an hour. Please contact Mike.
Donna also asked for more volunteers to help with the Myanmar Homework Club that meets every Tuesday afternoon from 4.15-5.30 pm. Please contact Donna.
Kay asked members to fill in the form about Guess Who's Coming to Dinner that was doing the rounds. If you missed the form, please ring Kay as she needs numbers to give to the caterer by Friday.
Kay announced that our Club has begun a new informal Rotary International membership category: Friends of the Rotary Club of Plimmerton (RCoP). Friends of RCoP will be on our Update list so they can keep in touch with what we are currently doing and would be on our list of invitees to functions such as special dinner meetings and other special events we host from time to time. We also envisage some or all of our Friends of RCoP being open to assisting from time to time with events for fundraising activities in support of Rotary charities. Some Friends may choose to become full members as they become familiar with our club and members. They do not have the rights of a Rotarian and can only participate when invited. Our first official Friend of the Rotary Club of Plimmerton is Sue Adams. Welcome back, Sue. She has already mentioned the Book Fair as the first project she might like to get involved with.
Peter Sinke gave us the latest news from Chile. Cris's shoulder operation was successful but he will be off sport for five months. Peter shared an email he'd received from Cris which said (unedited), 'Santiago is so different, the streets are empty because of corona, but supermarkets are full, sometimes you need to wait two hours to go into it. This year has been raining a lot and we have snow on the mountains, my brother and sister are more mature and taller now. I enjoy playing with them, due to the lockdown I can go out just two times per week and only three hours. But everything is getting better. The plane was so cool, because I had 3 seatings for me, due to the social distance. The plane was the same as the others, not a cargo plane as I expected, nothing special about it, I got food and I watched movies the whole flight. I did not travel to Melbourne and Doha, they changed the schedule, so I flew from Auckland to Santiago. How is everybody in the club? I miss the Rotary meetings. I will let you know if I get a girlfriend but looks difficult at the moment. I am having my shoulder surgery next Wednesday 29 of July, I broke a piece of bone, but in NZ they did not know it. I need your help with something, I am trying to get a scholarship in the USA, so I wanted to know if like Rotary club of Plimmerton, you could make a recommendation letter, about how I was part of the meetings, the activities I was involved and of course that I was the best exchange student ever and forever in this world Hahahahaha. Nah, but being serious, would you do it for me, please? It'll help me a lot, in general it must say how I did my exchange and the activities like the MenzShed.'
Just as an aside, The New Zealand School of Music is putting on a free concert on 13 August at 1.00 at Pataka Museum for budding opera stars. In case you're interested, here's the link. (You might have to rotate it!)
What’s coming up in August and beyond?
This is a weekly reminder to check out Nick's new Plimmerton Rotary Calendar - mentioned on our Home page.
There's an ongoing invitation on the Events page to volunteer to help with planting and weeding with the Friends of Taupo Swamp. All future dates are set out, the next being Thursday 13 August from 9.00 am-12.00 pm.
Next Monday, 10 August, the Porirua Primary School Leadership Awards will take place at Elim Church from 10.30-12.00. If you want to come along and haven't told Wendy yet, please do so right away.
Next week, Tuesday 11 August, Tony Sutorius will be talking to us about 'Reframing the Boungainville Independence Referendum'.
On Friday 14 August at 5.00 pm, the next Friday Frolics will take place. The venue is the Supply Room.
Our Club has booked a stand at the Love Local Expo to be held on Saturday 15 August from 10.00 am till 4.00 pm at Te Rauparaha Arena. You can find out more about it here. Kay would like some help to set up at about 9.30 am and also for a few people to help at the stand in one of our two-hour blocks. We already have 2 people for the 10.00 - 12.00 block. Perhaps you can only do one hour - that's fine too. If you can help please contact Kay.
The first Guess Who's Coming to Dinner has been scheduled for Saturday 22 August at 5.50 pm and will start with the main draw at the home of Allan and Barbara Nichols. You can find more details here.
The District Governor's visit will take place on 1 September and will be a visit with a difference. We are going to showcase one or two of our projects for her, dinner will be informal, and we will enjoy a special speaker who will be organised by Bryan.
You can find future events on the Events page.
Parting thought
John Barber gave us the parting thought tonight. He said, 'Time decides who you meet in life. Your heart decides who you want in your life; and your behaviour decides who stays in your life.'
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.
