Rotary Club of Port Nicholson Bulletin
Wednesday 8 May, 2019
  President's Message
 
Thank you for the warm welcome on Wednesday. It’s good to be back! I have to admit to feeling a bit out of practice, but that will pass.
 
This weekend we have been doing our good ‘stuff’ around the waterfront again, supporting another busker, raising club funds by managing people in cars at the Waitangi car park, and hopefully the piano was wheeled out during the sunshine hours. I’m hearing that members are really enjoying being out in the public eye and having lively conversations with people. It’s raising our profile in the community each time and hopefully people are associating Rotary with friendly people doing good in the community, and they may feel a little bit inspired through their brief encounter with us.    
 
Next weekend, Howard and Jenny, Bill and Sue, David and Sheryn, and Bev will be representing Port Nicholson at the District conference in Whanganui. The programme is packed with speakers on a range of topics from ending Polio, economic and community development initiatives and partnerships, to international matters. I am particularly looking forward to hearing Sarah Agnew, our past Rotary Peace Fellow, speak to us.
 
See you Wednesday!
 
Bev

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Speaker Reportr

Sleep, Health and 24/7 Living
Professor Phillippa Gander PhD, FRSNZ, ONZM
 
Professor Gander is a sleep scientist at Massey University – her opening comments reflected on having to cut her recommended sleep short to arrive on time!
 
Her talk covered the importance of sleep: Why we sleep, How much sleep do we need, Why do we sleep at night, and the challenges affecting sleep in 24/7 living.
 
So, why do we sleep?

The brain needs to go offline for essential recovery and maintenance. While in sleep mode, the brain goes through a complex series of processes during which it reconfigures itself and allows us to wake up with an updated version of ourselves. Memories are consolidated, tissues undergo repair, growth hormones - particularly in babies and children – are activated, immune systems are recharged and metabolisms regulated.
 
If our sleep is restricted in any way and for any length of time, we are likely to feel sleepier, experience irritability, have degraded alertness, poorer coordination, slower reaction times, and less success with creative problem solving.
 
We are also likely to experience uncontrolled sleep. You know the kind – sit down in front of the TV to watch the news (after a hard day at the office or on the golf course) and with in a few minutes ZZZZZZZZZZZZ …. Whatever you may think, uncontrolled sleep is beyond voluntary control!
 
The good news is that our lack of sleep does not accumulate - normal sleep rhythms can be restored within at least 48 hours where sleep is unrestricted.
 
Most adults need an average of between seven and nine hours sleep per night. Our averages change over our life time. For instance, a 0 – 3-month old baby sleeps an average of 14 – 17 hours; a 3 – 5 year old averages 10 – 13 hours, and at 65+ we average 7 – 8 hours. Less sleep or poor sleep patterns are linked with conditions including obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
 
We operate on a circadian master clock - the pacemaker in our brain regulating functions and daily rhythms. It allows us two windows for sleep – an afternoon nap and longer sleep at night. Not surprisingly we have a wake mode and a sleep mode, and we can track light through closed eyelids. Sleep windows are programmed into our brain.
 
We are most sleepy during our circadian low (11pm – 7am). It is also the time when our body temperatures are at their lowest, when we are least functional, and when fatigue-related errors are most likely. There is a high relationship between fatigue and road crashes – statistics show fatigue-related crashes occurring mostly between 4am-5am.
 
Phillippa reported that shift workers have challenges in adjusting to changes in their sleep patterns and find it difficult to stay asleep after lunchtime.
 
Ros Fogel
Club Reporter

 

A Board Notice

The Board decided at a recent meeting to update the charges for visitors, guests and Rotaractors attending breakfast meetings. 

(i) Youth (under 18): no charge
School students and parents /caregivers accompanying them 

(ii) Rotaractors: $15 /club meeting

(iii) Potential members: first meeting no charge; full charge for subsequent meetings. Members welcome to subsidise further attendance at their discretion

(iv) Benefactors: e.g for cheque presentations, etc -no charge up to 2 guests

(v) Guest speakers - no charge

(vi) All other guests -full charge

Mike Selvadurai
RCPN Secretary
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This Week's Caption Competition Winner: 
 

Marc said....if you think the Kiwi you saw was big, the one I saw was this big...

 

Thanks David Shackleton

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Speakers
May 15, 2019 7:00 AM
May 22, 2019 7:00 AM
Innovative Young Minds
May 22, 2019 7:00 AM
The story behind the Treaty
May 29, 2019 7:00 AM
Lets Get Wellington Moving
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Port Nicholson Rotary Board Meeting
1/2 Hood Street
May 14, 2019
5:15 PM – 7:15 PM
 
Rotary Weekly Meeting Wednesday 15 May 2019
The Wellington Club
May 15, 2019
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Funnies!!
 
 

I'm friends with only 25 letters of the alphabet.

I don't know y

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District Conference – Wanganui
17-19 May 2019
 
A great weekend opportunity for Club members in a beautiful city.  Register interest with joy@prosperity.co.nz  We will have a fabulous experience of it.
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Mary Potter Hospice Annual Street Appeal 2019 - seeking volunteers
We are looking for volunteers who can help us collect for the Mary Potter Hospice Street Collection on the May 17th and 18th. Mary Potter Hospice is celebrating 40 years of providing Hospice services this year.
If you can help us by volunteering at this year’s street collection please send me an email  
You can choose any location as per your convenience and for any number of hours.
 
Alternatively, if you wanted to put a team together and run a site for the whole day then this would be great as well. Thank you so much in advance!
 
Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have any queries. Warm regards, Kiki Prasad Admin Aupport Fundraising
 
Any queries within the club see Mike Selvadurai, mselva5511@gmail.com 
Diary now.......
On 1 August a Thursday, the Mayor of Wellington Justin Lester is hosting a Civic Reception for club members to celebrate our 30th anniversary.  This will be an evening event. Details to follow.
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Visitors and prospective members always welcome.  We meet on Wednesdays for breakfast at 7am at the Wellington Club, Level 5, 88 The Terrace, Wellington