Happy New Year - Welcome to 2021
Welcome back to ‘normal duties’ and the start of another exciting Rotary year! With what seems like a blink of the eyelid, 2020 has come and gone and we are already towards the end of the first month of 2021. During my youthful days the year seemed to pass slowly but as I get older the years whizz past- even though the earth rotates virtually constantly at 1,670km/hr! I am sure most of you feel the same!
I trust all of you and your families had an enjoyable festive season and a wonderful start to the summer. We have to be grateful that unlike much of the rest of the world we have the luxury and freedom to enjoy the outdoors, socialise in groups and to travel around the country without restrictions. However, the pandemic still lingers, with a more aggressive variant in our midst, which means we are still in the danger zone. We all have an obligation to ensure that we continue to behave responsibly, adopt good hygiene practices and avoid complacency. Register or scan on the QR code poster when you visit premises.
2021 saw one of our honorary members being named in the New Year Honours List. Melisa Moon was awarded the Order of New Zealand for her services to athletics and charitable causes in New Zealand and around the world. I sent her a note of congratulations which she appreciated very much and to which she replied ‘Port Nicholson Rotary played an important part in my athletics and I always enjoyed the breakfast and enthusiastic group of people that attended.’ I have extended an invitation for her to attend one of our breakfast meetings.
A few events to bring to your attention:
- A reminder that the District 9940 Conference is being held Friday 19th-Sunday 21st March at the Carterton Events Centre. Early bird registration is $220 till 31 January ($250 after). This covers attendance and dinner on Saturday. I encourage as many of you and your partner to attend if you can.
- Rotary Club of Wellington is hosting a banquet on Sunday 21 February at Dragon Restaurant to celebrate Chinese New Year. Tickets are $75pp, proceeds from which will be a fundraiser for Rotary’s ‘Give Every Child a Future’ centennial project (https://everychildafuture.com/goal/). Dr Michael Baker of university of Otago will speak about the importance of vaccination. RSVPs are required by 10th February.
- The RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) team is hosting a BBQ evening on Friday 29th January at the Silverstream Retreat in Stokes Valley from 5.45pm at $30pp.
Links to register for these events are elsewhere in the bulletin
Prior to Christmas parts of Fiji was devastated by cyclone Yasa. A number of Rotary’s emergency response kits (ERKs) in stock over there were deployed to assist devastated communities. Port Nicholson Rotary will be making a donation to replenish these kits ($600 each). If members wish to contribute towards this please do so to the Trust’s bank account with reference ‘Fiji Cyclone’ by 12 February. Please note all donations above $5 can be claimed as a tax deduction. I thank members who have already done so, your support is greatly appreciated.
We have a busy year ahead and I look forward to your continued enthusiastic support and involvement in the services and projects we undertake. The big events are Goalsetters in March (date to be confirmed) and the Charity Auction on 7th May. We will continue with membership drive in 2021 and I would ask all members to play a part in this initiative.
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