A special 100th celebration for Wellington Rotary 24 May 2021
Further commentary below
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President
Mike Selvadurai
“Together we make a Difference”
Tena koutou katoa
Thank you to those who have been attending in strong numbers at our breakfast meetings, especially as the mornings are becoming colder as we head into winter! It’s your support that makes us the vibrant and energetic organization we are.
On Wednesday we will bid farewell and bon voyage to Nicholas Duncan as he leaves to take up a posting in Washington DC – or is it a secret mission!
I take this opportunity to thank Nicholas for his unfailing commitment to Rotary and active involvement in the causes we serve. Nicholas joined Port Nicholson Rotary in 2017 and it wasn’t long after he was thrown into the deep end to take on the role of Treasurer, which he did without much effort given his mathematical mind and a knack for technology. Nicholas, thank you for all of your contribution, volunteering of your time and participating in the various projects and services we have engaged in over the time of your membership and partaking in the various social activities. You have helped to strengthen Port Nicholson as a Rotary organization and brought friendship and fellowship to our community of Rotarians. We wish you well and safe journey. Above all we look forward to welcoming you back to the fold when you return from your mission in Washington.
We are fast approaching the start of a new Rotary year. Our president-elect, Marc Rands, will take over the reins at changeover on 7 July and set his theme and objectives for his year as President. Rotary International will also welcome its new President in July, Shekhar Mehta, of Rotary Club of Calcutta-Mahanagar, West Bengal, India. Shekhar Mehta has espoused three special initiatives for the 2021-22 Rotary year aimed at increasing our impact through service and expanding our reach by introducing new members to Rotary. Mehta is asking every Rotarian to make membership a responsibility through the ‘Each One, Bring One’ campaign.
His initiatives for his term are:
Equality is a fundamental human right, and it's necessary for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Still, girls and women worldwide face inequities in areas including health and education and experience significant violence and disproportionate poverty. Rotary encourages clubs and districts to prioritize projects that improve the health, well-being, education, and economic security of girls in their communities and around the world. Take on a club-based initiative, a district grant, or a global grant that engages members of your community in a project that will protect and empower girls and increase equity by ensuring their access to resources that will improve their lives.
Host a Rotary Day of Service: a meaningful day of hands-on service activities where Rotary members and the community come together to improve their community.
Plan to attend a Presidential Conference. The 2021-22 presidential conference series will highlight the humanitarian work that Rotary clubs and districts pioneer locally and support globally.
Let’s make June a month to celebrate our achievements over the last 11 months and set the scene and commit ourselves for the 2021-2022 Rotary year!
Retailing has had a difficult year navigating Covid 19, according to Retail New Zealand CE Greg Harford. This has led to both survival strategies and innovation, and creating some permanent shifts for retailers and retailing.
Retail NZ is a not-for-profit organisation which represents the retail sector. It provides business and HR services and 'sticks up' for retailers.
Greg said retailing is a $100 billion industry and consists of around 27,000 businesses with 9 % of retailing turnover now online. Greg described the retail sector of having an "unsexy" image yet part of the 'glue' holding our communities together as well as providing venues for social interaction.
The beginning of 2020 saw growing malaise and then panic buying during the run-up to and early stages of the lockdown. This was followed by a bust and then a post lockdown boom. Retailing then settled but has suffered from disrupted supply chains and higher costs due to increased shipping expenses.
45% of retail businesses did not have an online presence before Covid and half of these now have online platforms. This has added costs as these retailers now need to maintain both a shop front and online infrastructure. There are growing shop closures and vacant properties in Auckland and concerns this is spreading to Wellington.
In the past year there have been retail winners and losers. Fashion and DIY have prospered but retailers in tourism centres and big city CBDs have found business tough.
Challenges for the future include: closed borders; higher minimum wages and sick leave provisions; and a long term trend of people working from home for part of the week and not going into the CBD.
David Barnes
Club Reporter
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A special
100th celebration
for Wellington Rotary
24 May 2021
The Beehive Banquet Hall was the venue of a special 100th celebration for Wellington Rotary. There was a lot of mixing and mingling with our Rotary friends, as well as enjoying a beautiful meal.
The Honorable Grant Robertson spoke well and reminded all of the important role Rotary has to play in the next 100 years and reminded all that the young people of today possess a service ethic that matches that which drives Rotarians to serve others.
News Flashes were used in the evening, and it appeared it was One News featuring Rotary's 100th year. But as we sat to listen to the third installment, the screen blacked out and in walked Simon Dallow to present first hand much to everyone's surprise!
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Stephen Kos was a marvelous key note speaker introduced so well by Anand Satyanand.
The final entertainment was from one of Wellington Rotary's own members, Jennifer Little accompanied by Mark Dorrell.
A great night and Port Nicholson Rotary was well represented.
Spotted in the crowd!!
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District 9940 Interact Day
Wellington 22 May 2021
The Port Nicholson Interact Club taken at the Exhibition of "Rotary - 100 years in NZ"
David Watt wrote:
Kia ora koutou,
With 10 minutes to go supervisinig the Exhibition of 'Rotary - 100 years in NZ' display, a group of Wellington Interacters arrived just before closing time with mentor Gillian Robertson from Port Nic Club, along with DGE Mark Wheeler, Marc Rands, your President Elect and Manawatu AG Venkatesh Kannan. The future of Rotary membership!
Great to see and talk with them. Unfortunately the Library was about to close but I had enough time to give them some of the highlights of the exhibition, told them to come back Monday or Tuesday this week and have a closer look at the exhibition, but there was time for a photo opportunity. The girl in yellow in the front features on one of the banners.
Well done everyone!
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100 years of Rotary in New Zealand.
Here is the link to the photos of the Mana Tangata Book Launch.
They can all be downloaded using the link. Click here
The images are open source, and available for anyone to download.
NB: If you are rostered for duty and cannot make it, then please arrange for someone else to take your place and let Brent know at brent.gerrard@outlook.com or 021 725060 Txts are fine too!
Duties
2 June
Desk: Kamini Hermon
Greeter: Tamaris Livera
Opening Thought:
John Mills
Buy the Box:
Heather Lucas
Introduction:
Marc Rands
Thanking: Lindsay Chitty
Parting Thought:
Eden Skipper
Reporter: David Barnes
4 week
Roster below
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Perambulators
Excursion Sunday 30 May 2021
A lively group turned up for today's perambulation in the Eastern Hills of the Hutt Valley.
Thanks to Peter W for organising & Barbara W for the amazing afternoon tea.
Most of the group
Who is this do you think!!
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Tree Planting
13 June 1pm
Let’s help our planet
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!
T- Shirts for Seniors
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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.
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