I have always been conscious about ensuring that when we get together for our breakfast meetings we engage with each other, have fun and that when you leave the meeting and head off to work, home or whatever it is that you do, you feel good and that you had an enjoyable and hopefully uplifting morning. The mood that you walk away with often defines how the rest of the day will unfold. The fun we have obviously only comes from the collective engagement and participation of members, which we at Port Nic do pretty well. I thank you for that.
The coffee session we have following the meeting offers further opportunity for some to engage more with their fellow Rotarians and guest speaker(s) who join. There is a lot of banter and an opportunity to learn more about each other and also a forum to invent new ideas, how we can do things better and what we need to do to ensure sustainability, viability and a sense of purpose. We enrich our lives through social engagement and servicing others without any expectation of return. The reward is the knowledge and manifestation that we have helped others and made a difference.
As an organisation we can only function effectively when we work as a team and everyone plays their part. Some are visible and we readily recognise the work they do. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank our invisible members who volunteer their time ‘behind the scenes’ and like the cogs in a wheel keep us in forward motion.
Paula and Linda are the driving force behind the preparation, publication and distribution of the weekly bulletin which is packed with information and news about what we do and the programmes ahead. We should not underestimate the time and effort they put into this, often sacrificing family time during the weekend. I am very grateful for their support, including editing my weekly report for grammatical and spelling mistakes!
Darryl for the amazing work he does in finding guest speakers for our breakfast meetings. There is a considerable amount of work involved in searching and researching suitable speakers for our apolitical and areligious agenda. Then comes the challenge of approaching and inviting them to attend and speak and to ensure that they turn up on the day. I cannot remember any occasion when a speaker had not entertained and/or informed us. Good work Darryl and we look forward to your continued commitment to this challenging and sometime frustrating task which you do solo!
Brent for preparing the weekly roster for member duties during our breakfast meetings. We have 57 members so the task of evenly distributing duties can be time consuming. Thank you to all members who turn up on the day to attend to their duties. The morning runs smoothly because of you!
Peter and Louise for the notification and registration of member attendance at our meetings, socials and events and working with Wellington Club for catering purposes and to ensure that things run smoothly on the day.
Lindsay for recording attendance against each member’s account, reconciling receipts/payments and collections on the day
Brenda, Anne, David B, John B and Brent for stepping up and sharing the reporting on our guest speakers for the following weekly bulletin.
Anne, Heather, Ross and Bill for hosting and entertaining us at our weekly buy the box sessions. Whilst on occasion it may sound impromptu, it does take a bit of planning and crafting of a theme for the occasion.
If I have missed anyone by name or task, be rest assured it is not intentional. I am appreciative of all the services and time volunteered by each and every one of you.
We have one of our members speaking on Wednesday. I look forward to another exceptional turnout and a another fun morning to kick off the day!
Hiria Tareha addressed us, with her colleague Marama in attendance, to inform us about the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust which is a charity dedicated to making a difference within our community by providing support and accommodation to homeless women in central Wellington.
They have 5 rooms on the first floor of a building in the alleyway next to the Opera House. Up until now, their funding has been through donations only but recently they have been given funding to add another 9 rooms to their capacity. In one sense it’s great that they are expanding but in another way it’s a sad indictment on what’s happening to the less fortunate women in our society.
The Trust receives referrals from Wellington Hospital and other extremely short-term refuge entities. Most of the women have suffered domestic abuse and violence, drug or alcohol addiction or have severe dysfunction in their family lives.
The women have a maximum stay of up to 3-months and the trust’s task is to re-unite them with their family or another supporting environment so that they have somewhere to go after 3 months. The good news is that since being established in 2013, with help from the Sisters of Compassion, the Trust has had a large number of homeless women who have been well supported and have successfully engaged with health care services, employment opportunities, study and career paths as well as towards sustainable housing solutions.
It’s a tough gig, but camp mother Hiria and her team of staff and volunteers are doing an awesome job – best wishes to them. If anyone would like to assist with support they are contactable through their website.
Brent Gerard
Club Reporter
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Farewell to Nick Duncan
Last week was Nicholas Duncan's last meeting with Port Nicholson Rotary before he heads to Washington DC. We wish Nick all the best and sent him on his way with some gifts to help him along his way and remind him of home. We look forward to hearing of Nick's adventures and welcoming him back at some stage in the future. T
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Visiting Tony Fullerton-Smith
A group of Port Nicholson Rotarians visited past member Tony Fullerton-Smith at Stokeswood care home in Stokes Valley. They arrived only to find he had gone out for an appointment, so they headed to the Turmeric Cafe round the corner for a cup of excellent coffee to while away the time and then returned to the home in time to catch Tony on his return. They spent a good 20 minutes chatting with him He is looking good, albeit in some slight discomfort but he was infirm form and still has his wit and sense of humour.
The Rotary Club of Port Nicholson have teamed up with The Friends of Tawas Bush Reserves to plant trees at the Tawa Bush Reserve.
Our goal is to build on what we have done in previous years and continue planting native trees in Tawa. This is helping to regenerate our native Bush to provide habitat and food for the increasing numbers of native birds, to make lovely walking areas for us all, and to help slow down global warming. Interact and Rotaract members are also welcome to join us! We had a huge turnout from Rotaract last year and together we planted our
500 trees in record time!
If you would like to take part, please contact
Lisa King (lisa.king@treasury.govt.nz), who is a member of The Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves, and coordinating our Club’s participation. ..................
Funnies!
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4-year old: Can we get a kitten?
Mum: I'm allergic. We can't be in the same house.
4-yearold: You could sleep outside.
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Rotary Predator Free Waterfront Trapping Schedule
Kia ora Trappers
Please find the updated trappers schedule to take us through to July 2021. Many thanks to all for helping out. In need give me a call Rick 022 071 0064.
20-Mar
Jeff Lee
MarcRands
3-Apr
Steve Lawton
James Moran
17-Apr
Brent Gerrard
Eden Skipper
1-May
Bev Wells
Peter Whittington
15-May
David Shackleton
Rick Hughes
29-May
Paula McKnight
Dennis Small
12-Jun
Jenny Flannigan
Howard Tong
26-Jun
Ross Buxton
David Marment
Please note: As always swap if your allocated date doesn’t suit and arrange which day and time that suits you both. Text Fraser Ebbett (WCC) 021 765 694 when you arrive and leave the site.