Rotary Club of Port Nicholson Bulletin 13 April 2018
President's Message
On Monday we did several things which speak well of Rotary. One was to induct a new member in Tony Robinson. As it turned out he had been a member before, when he was a school principal in Havelock North, and he drew attention – favourably – to the differences between his former club and Port Nich. Continuing to refresh the membership is a basic function of all voluntary organisations and Tony will be a great addition to the club.
Secondly, we heard from two speakers from organisations that we are going to support in our major fundraising event of the year. Charlie Holland from the Malaghan Institute and Rachel Carr from Wellington Free Ambulance both talked of the importance their organisations attached to our work. Helping the community through efforts like this is a basic role of Rotary.
Thirdly we had a fine example of service above self with a member making a generous donation so that we could complete the purchase of a second Emergency Response Kit. Members will recall that we raised enough money from our appeal at New World (with a top up from another generous member) to get one kit.
And then we devoted the funds from a sergeant’s session and the “Buy the Box” towards a second kit. We then added $70 raised during our Round the Vines walk in Martinborough last week and another generous member offered to make up the rest, so we now have the funds for two kits.
We can also celebrate Keith Hales’s birthday. He is 80, but certainly doesn’t look it. Well done and congratulations Keith. He is a member who keeps on attending and keeps on giving and serving. I can personally recommend his marmalade and olive oil – and part of the proceeds go to club funds.
We didn’t have a guest speaker, but in the best traditions of the club, that didn’t seem to matter too much. We entertained ourselves and did well.
As part of the District's goal of planting a tree for every club member, the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson have teamed up with The Friends of Tawas Bush Reserves to plant trees at the Tawa Bush Reserve on Sunday June 10th 1:30 p.m.
The plan is to have an afternoon starting with a picnic lunch (BYO) and then to do some tree planting. Afterwards we could do a short walk to admire ours and previous planting in the area, and Interact and Rotaract members are welcome to take part.
If you would like to take part, please contact Lisa King (lisakingaling@gmail.com), who is on the committee of The Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves, and coordinating the Club’s participation.
The Rotary Club of Port Nicholson is looking to support the settlement of refugees that arrive in Wellington, in co-ordination with the Anglican Cathedral. Club members are invited to help provide dry pantry items for refugee families, roughly six times a year.
We have been provided with a list of 20 items to source for the refugee family's pantry pack, which work out at around $100 for a family of four, but if split between five, would be only $20 each, or you may have the items in your own pantry that you might like to donate.
The next family will be arriving in April, so if you would like to take part, let me know and I will allocate the items between those interested, and arrange to collect the items on Sunday 22 April.
If any Club member has any house hold items/linen that they would like to donate to the refugees, please contact Patricia Cooper (Anglican Diocesan Refugee Resettlement Co ordinator) on patricia@wn.ang.org.nz