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The Speaker said ...

Bill McAulay chaired the discussion with the panel of four senior students from Porirua College. Read what Mike Doig has to say about the discussions which covered Labels, Gender, Sports, Stereotypes, and The Future. 

Visitors

President Donna greeted everyone one with 'Talofa lava' as a start to Samoan Language week which our Samoan students appreciate. She gave a warm welcome to our panel of four of the senior school leadership team in years 12 and 13 from Porirua College (shown here from left to right)  Deputy Head Boy, Taupe-Jack Lomax, Deputy Head Girl, Madonna Tui, Head Girl, Tiresa Fomai and Head Boy, Pualaga Tuai'aufa'i, together with Teacher and Guidance Counsellor, Steve Barnsley. She also welcomed June Murugan and Ivan Govinder from Porirua Rotary as well as partners, Laurie Corner and Velma Knight.

This week's happenings

District Governor Marion Johnston has announced that Mark Wheeler of the Rotary Club of Wellington has been confirmed as District 9940 Governor for the Rotary year 2021-2022. After a long and distinguished career in the NZ Army, Mark is currently the General Manager of Aviation Security. He brings many skills to the District Leadership team, most notably his leadership capability.

Missing from last week’s Conference Report in your Update was an absolute highlight, not just for Donna, but for virtually all attendees. The amazing Patea Maori Club’s entertainment on the first evening was wonderful and when the International Exchange students joined in the audience was treated to a fabulous performance.

The 2019 Annual General Meeting of RI District 9940 will be held at 3.00 pm on Sunday 30 June via video conference link. f you would like to join the call, please let Donna know.

There are only 70 places left for District 9940 and Rotary Club of Wellington North Changover which will take place in the Makaro Room on the ground floor of Wharewaka on the Wellington Waterfront from 11.45-2.30pm on Sunday, 7 July 2019. Let AG Adrienne know if you would like to attend.

The Red Puppy Appeal team have written to thank us for helping to raise $31,619.60 in the Wellington Region which added to the total of $278,448.97 that was collected country wide for the Blind Foundation guide dogs. There are more opportunities to help coming up so watch out for future requests.

Our two teams lost out to a much younger winning team (Glynis Denz's young whanau) at the Porirua Rotary quiz night but a good time was had by all. Perhaps it will be our turn to host one next year?

After seven years of involvement with supporting the endangered Pygmy elephants in Borneo, Deb Mair reports that she is waiting for the import certificate to come through from Malaysia then 1.4MT of Fonterra milk powder will be air freighted to Sepilok to feed the orphans. She continues to fight to give orphans like Bani (11 months old) a chance of life. Bani is a new recently rescued elephant that was found wondering the palm plantation. He was rescued by the Sabah Wildlife Rescue Team and taken to Sepilok.

Snippets

President Donna thanked those who responded to the request for support for our incoming Rotary International Exchange Student, 16-year-old Cristobal Suarez from Santiago, Chile who arrives in July. Cristobal is 16-years-old and will be attending Aotea College. He is an age group international soccer player. His mentor will be John O'Connell and host families will be members Peter Sinke and Tania Woodcock and parents of our outgoing students, Rosie Darragh and Annie Grenfell. Treasurer Bruce has broken down the cost to members which equates to $80 per member in addition to the normal subscription. President'elect Euon reassured members that the monies needed to fund the student during his year would be raised, to avoid members having to pay an additional $80 each for the year.

Jenners Worldwide Freight Limited (through Rotarian Ian Jenner) will no longer accept donations in kind for shipments to Fiji, including to Taveuni Island. The last container will be sent early next month. At considerable cost to themselves, they have been extremely generous in providing space for storage, loading containers and arranging shipments for many years. In addition, the Rotary Club of Taveuni is no longer able to support Rotary Volunteers with the exception of the Rotary Taveuni Eye Project.

Assistant Governor, Adrienne, reported on the triple cluster meeting that has taken place between three AGs, Presidents and Presidents-elect. A number of ideas were put forward and discussions took place around a children's hospital in Wellington, Rotary playgrounds with Weta workshop, a stretcher for the Life Flight Westpac helicopter and light rescue planes, planting more trees with the help of a Government grant, immunisation, contributions to the writing of the history of 100 years of Rotary, assistance for a new project in Fiji, a train ride from Palmerston North to Wellington and back up to Masterton on 24 October on for polio. What could Plimmerton Rotary do when the train stops at Plimmerton?

Not only in Borneo but also ... Deb Mair is organising a working bee to 'Clean our stream' on Saturday 8 June from 11.00-2.00 pm. She is expecting volunteers from the local iwi, Porirua City Council, Conservation Volunteers NZ, VUW students, Rotarians, residents, school children and parents. The start location will be in the Samuel Marsden Collegiate School car park at 11.00 am. Porirua City Council will collect the rubbish left here after 2.00 pm. Please wear warm clothing and 'wellies'. Gloves and large rubbish bags will be provided. 

Heart Kids are looking for volunteers to help with their annual street appeal at either PAK'n'SAVE, New World and Countdown from 9-6 pm on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 June. If you can help, please contact Angela here.

Plimmerton Inner Wheel is inviting us to a fundraiser screening for 'Look Good Feel Better' of 'Yesterday' at Light House on Monday 8 July at 6.00 pm. Tickets will be $25 and there will be raffles on the night. Soup and rolls will be provided before the film at 5.15 pm. The critique says, 'Danny Boyle's musical fairy tale about a world without the Beatles, in which an indie rocker brings them back.  At heart, the movie is a fantasy of rebooting the Beatles — of imagining that if their music came at us now, for the first time, it would be, in a word, 'yuge''. The movie also stars Ed Sheeran, playing himself!

The Kapi-Mana Music Festival will be held over Queen's Birthday weekend from 1-3 June. Entry is free. The venue is through Gate 1 (nearest Titahi Bay Road) of Whitireia Polytechnic. On the Sunday, 2 June from 5.30-8.45, seven senior school-age musicians will each give a 20-minute recital as they compete for a prestigious prize. This is a great opportunity to support local youth from the Wellington Region.

A few members will be accompanying Mike Doig when President Donna presents a new sound system to Natone Park School on Friday 31 May at 2.00 pm. This is the last award under our Grant-a-wish programme and at a cost of $2,000.

The Almoner said ...

Good news from Nick Walmsley who reports that he will be returning to Rotary on a regular basis from Tuesday 4 June. His healing is not complete and the clarity of his speech is still a work in progress. We look forward to welcoming Nick back into the fold.

What's coming up in May and beyond?

Next week, 4 June, we will have the last Planning Meetings for this Rotary year. A great time to 'sum up' and be ready to pass your information on to the 2019-2020 committees.

On 11 June, Jacqs Wilton will be talking to us about her work with refugees and new migrants.

If you want to go to the Plimmerton Inner Wheel Changeover on Tuesday 18 June (when we have no meeting) be sure to let Janet Reidy know.

For all future meetings and events, go to our Events page.

Parting thought

Derek Oldershaw gave us a parting thought from Pope Paul II, 'The future starts today, not tomorrow'.

Who’s on duty for the next month?

Unable to do your duty? Please find a replacement and inform Philip Mottram.
If you're a late 'no show' please tell President Donna.
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.

 

Weekly Update - Seventh Formers Educate Club Members - 28 May 2019

 
 
 
Guests are welcome to our Dinner Meetings. 
For apologies or additional guests, please phone or email Phillip Whearty before 10.00 am on Mondays (or before 10.00 am on Tuesdays if Monday is a statutory holiday) on 027 448 9094 or email philip.whearty@harcourts.co.nz

 

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The RI theme for 2018-2019
Be the Inspiration

 
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