A very special event this week, with the Breakfast on Wednesday being at the Pipitea Marae, for the Goal Setters Award Presentations and the Guest Speaker Chief Ombudsman, Peter Boshier’s, address. Being in the middle of his visits to the cyclone-ravaged areas, so that he can experience the situations and hear the effects on the locals face-to-face, it will be all the more poignant. This aligns completely with appreciating overcoming of adversity, the overarching theme of the Goal Setters’ Awards. Many thanks to Jane and Richard for their organisation of this event.

Those who attended last week’s Breakfast at which Dr Sue Barker spoke on the Charities Law Reforms, will realise the impact that these will have on all charities in which you are involved and/or to which you donate (including Rotary). If this does ultimately result in losing the 1/3 rd rebate on donations with Charitable Donee status, the effect will be hugely significant. “Watch this space” applies – and especially, be ready to make submissions as and when called.

Another ‘head’s up’ is regarding the request Eden will be making at the following meeting for suggestions of potential new members. If you can put your mind to this over the next 10 days, it will hopefully mean you will have some names to write down to be followed up. There is a goal of at least 5 new members before the end of this Rotary year! Note the excellent speakers on the list – well done for securing these Heather and Tony, and invite someone to attend with you.

With Daylight Saving now over, the mornings are not quite as dark, though BBQs are now only for lunchtimes. However on 26 April, some Perambulators will be enjoying a gourmet dinner at Turere Lodge, followed a month later, on 25 May, 3 walks in 3 days at Ohakune.

I look forward to seeing all those attending Goal Setters this week at 6.30am!
Dawn, President

Next week...

Lindsay Chitty will bring along 5 Exhibition frames (80 pages) of material from his Prisoner of War collection of Postal History, as part of Anzac Day.

What he is bringing is Civilian Internee Mail relating to Civilians interred by the Japanese during their occupation of the Far East in WWII. These were people who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and were interred because their home Countries were at war with Japan. Included in this is some very scarce material relating to New Zealand internees. The best award for this material is Large Gold at the Canberra Stamp Show in 2020. This exhibit is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Far East WWII.

This will be a silent display, but Lindsay will be around after the meeting to talk anyone through the exhibit who is interested. Pictured is one on the documents – surrender document at Singapore, signed by the three Chiefs of Staff. Mr Charlwood was the Governor of Singapore and interred by the Japanese, and this certificate is one of two remaining examples produced for attendees at the ceremony.