Visitors
President Denise gave a warm welcome to our speaker, Wendy Shaw; to guests of Graeme and Christine Blick (and to Honorary Member Christine herself) Mack and Barbara Thompson, and to David Anderson, guest of Bruce Phillips and Rotarian with Noosa Daybreak in Queensland. She also welcomed former member, Jenny Dawson, and one other Honorary Member, Ron Lucas.
The speaker said …
Wendy Shaw, Secretary of the NZ Geographic Board, talked to the club this week about the Board's work in assigning names in New Zealand. You can read Mike's report here.
Viewpoint
Chris Garrett was 'The Person Behind the Badge' tonight and he told us some fun anecdotes about his childhood based on the background that you can find here.
What’s coming up in March and beyond?
On Friday, 24 March, Kay restarted the Friday drinks and has re-named it the 'Orphans' Club'. Yesterday six of us had a great time together. It was fun. The next Friday will be 21 April, this time at the Co-op in Whitby at 5.30. If anyone has other venues that they can think of for future get-togethers, please let Kay know.
It's going to be a social week. The next Drinks and Nibbles will be held this Sunday 26 March at the home of Dinah and Barry McEwen. You can find the details here.
Next Tuesday, 28 March, the Network Quiz has been cancelled. The Social Committee have planned an alternative evening. Prepare to be informed and entertained by something we haven't done for several years.
As mentioned in last week's Update, Bruce reminded us to keep Saturday 22 April free for a Pot Luck Movie Night that will take place at Allan and Barbara's home in Whitby. The chairs might not be as comfortable as those at The Light House, the movie isn't known yet, neither is the time, but it's going to be a fun night (as those who have attended before will attest)
As ever, you can find future events and the Rotary calendar here.
Each of us will have received an invitation from President Denise and President-Elect Tania. In case you missed it, here it is:
"We are delighted to invite you to join with us and begin the celebration of Plimmerton Rotary’s 50 years of achieving great things in the community. Here is your preferential registration invitation to the Plimmerton Rotary event. The preferential period is open for members (including honorary) until 30 March 2023 as there are a limited number of seats available for the function. Click here now to register or on the graphic above. It is a special night so dress to impress and enjoy as we celebrate the golden years and look to the diamond years to come."
Snippets
You may have caught up with the fact that a small team has been asked to produce a Multi-Media Archival Record of the 50 years of Plimmerton Rotary. You may want to read the Archived Highlights so they are now on our About page (under the heading 'About Us') so that you can dip into them from time to time if you want to know some of the exciting things that happened in our Club since 1973.
Plimmerton Inner Wheel have shared their March Newsletter with us and you can read it here.
This week’s happenings
A contingent of fun-loving Rotarians joined the District Conference at Southwards on Saturday evening. The mixing and mingling in the foyer was a great way to catch up with members from other clubs before we were ushered into dinner. The music was great, the food was excellent and the dancing - well! They say that what happens 'on tour' stays 'on tour' so we won't divulge too many details. Suffice to say, most of the members managed to get into the photo and those who didn't were spotted elsewhere!
President Denise has written an outstanding report about three of the presentations that particularly impressed her at the Conference and you can read that here.
Thanks to Secretary Nick, the Minutes from the Board and Charitable Trust of 13 February 2023 are in the usual place for your reading pleasure.
Our Club has just donated some soil and Little Gardens (seeds) to Ascot Park Kindergarten. Nick Walmsley and Teacher Hepe Toomunga, carted soil from the trailer on the street and dumped each load into the VegePods the Kindy has been given. Special thanks to Nick who was en route to Auckland on an urgent mission. Children helped by filling up their buckets and pouring the soil into the Pods. Nick used fertilisers that Kay mixed in and then Kay helped Head Teacher Cinnamon, to plant seedlings of lettuce, spinach and spring onions, showing the children how it’s done. This means the children get to see actual plants while waiting for their seeds to germinate.
Parting thought
David Knight gave us the Parting Thought tonight and told us that on a step outside a church a priest sat next to a drunken old man struggling to read his newspaper. Suddenly, with a slightly slurred voice, the old man asked the priest, “Do you know what arthritis is?"
The priest thought, this is my opportunity to lecture the old man and bring him into the fold. So he replied “ It’s a disease caused by a sinful and an unruly life; excess consumption of alcohol ,drugs, marijuana, loose women, prostitutes, sex binges and other things I dare not say."
The old man widened his eyes and continued reading his newspaper. A little later the priest, thinking that he had been too hard on the poor man, tried to soften his words and asked, "How long have you had arthritis?”
The old man turned to the priest and said “I don’t have arthritis but it says here in the paper that the Pope has it.”
Who’s on duty for the next month?
Unable to do your duty? Please find a replacement and inform Leigh Corner.
If you're a late 'no show' please tell President Denise.
Please arrive at 5.45 pm if you're on Door duty or hosting the Guest Speaker for the evening.
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 The same applies if you're going to be late.