If opportunity does not knock, build a door for it!
Eden Skipper, who joined our Club in 2020, stepped in at short notice last week to be our speaker.
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Eden shared his life journey to date, where he comes from and how he became a Rotarian.
Eden is Ngai Tahu and grew up in Birdlings Flat in the southern part of the Banks Peninsula. The Flat is also on the edge of Lake Ellismere. Eden spoke of the joy of living among whanau and beautiful natural surroundings which sustained them spiritually and physically. He described it as an environment where one 'made do' and where people were practical and resourceful. He described his environment as made up of family, animals, farm work and being free from the distractions one finds in city life. Wisdom from his koro and other kaumatua and kuia, together with his surroundings, gave Eden a deep appreciation for the natural environment and using resources sparingly to create the best welfare for people. These values have supported Eden's career direction. A graduate in statistics, he now works at the Ministry for the Environment and spoke of his interest in evaluation and ensuring money is well spent and being used in the right places to create the highest value. A Prime Ministers Scholarship to China made a big impression on Eden. It proved  to be a further cultural awakening for him and made him value his whakapapa even more. Eden was involved in Rotary years before formally becoming a Rotarian. He was a Rotary Associate in Canterbury and received a RYLA where he traveled to the US. Eden joined RCPN in 2020 where he is now a valued member. |
David Barnes