May 2020
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Club News
Announcement
Congratulations Marilyn Stevens
At our last zoom meeting we were joined by many DG’s – Past, Present and Future where DG John Mohi announced 
“Marilyn Stevens of the Rotary Club of Kapiti has been selected by the Rotary District 9940 District Nominating Committee as the District Governor Nominee Designate for the 2022-23 Rotary year”. 
Marilyn will join the District Governance Train along with Gillian Jones (DGE), Mark Wheeler (DGN) and John Mohi. Marilyn has been a Rotarian since 1993 when she became a charter member of the Hutt Valley Rotary Club.  She has held club positions including that of President of the Rotary club of Otaki, has been an AG and she led a Rotary District 9940 Group Study Exchange to Sweden.  Currently Marilyn is Chair of  District 9940 Interact Committee and Chair of the District Youth Service.
Marilyn’s working life has included management in the early childhood sector and in a local electrical company.  She was the joint owner, with husband Wayne, of a compressed air and construction equipment company, has been a motel owner and was a Field Officer for the NZ Cancer Society.  Marilyn and Wayne have a long standing commitment of service to their communities.  
With her experience as a local body representative on the Otaki Community Board as well as the various roles she has held in the workforce and Rotary, Marilyn is ideally suited to the position of DG.
Kapiti Rotary wish her the very best in this prestigious role.
ZOOM 2
 
MORE FIRSTS 
More firsts at this week’s second Zoom meeting – a virtual induction for new member (Nic) and an introduction to the newest member of the Kapiti Rotary family – Leo (3 months).
41 members, 1 exchange student and several family members attended.
Matthew and children – Isabelle, Archie and baby Leo gave the opening/closing thought from their moon setting. “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
Nicola (Nic) Dunham was invited to become a member of the club by President AnneMarie.
 
           
  A virtual certificate and badge presentation
 
Nic works at Massey University as an educational developer and she looks forward to being able to share her skills, expertise, passion and humour. She has found us warm and welcoming and we are delighted that she has agreed to join our Club.
 
Our own Richard May was the guest speaker. Hong Kong Reflections 1974 – 2020.       
              
  
 
Richard lived in Hong Kong for 19 years and he gave an insightful talk on the political, cultural and commercial changes that have taken place there over the last 46 years.
 
The link below is to a video of the meeting.
 
                             
                                                         
                                                           
 
ZOOM
 
Kapiti Rotary’s First Virtual Meeting
 
 

30 linked into the zoom meeting on Thursday 2nd April – 31 Kapiti Rotarians, 1 Exchange student and several family members.

Our own Stuart Ayres was the guest speaker. He used his power point presentation (technology is amazing) to talk about his and part timer Vic Hewson’s epic biking adventure - Tour Aotearoa - a self-supported 3000km bike ride from Cape Reinga to Bluff consisting of a combination of cycle trails, tracks, paths and lanes connected by country roads.

Some of the reasons for these two, as the Rotary Kapiti Kruzers, taking on this mammoth adventure included “to inspire others, and to raise funds to assist Kapiti Youth to participate in inspirational programmes”. They raised an amazing $15,000.

Stuart’s list of what he loved about the venture – beautiful scenery, warm generous people, off the beaten track, community spirit, camaraderie, support from cyclists and the public, simplicity of survival, overcoming challenges and type 2 fun - showed the passion that he, Vic and their supporters had for this life changing venture.        

 
             
 
IWD 2020
 
 
International Women’s Day (8th March) 2020 was celebrated on the Kapiti Coast on Friday 6th March at Southwards.
 
                                         
Organised and co-hosted by the Kāpiti Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Group and Kāpiti Rotary, the internationally recognised event celebrated #eachforequal and  raised funds for the Kāpiti Women’s Centre. 
                                                                                  
 
The aim of the event was to encourage the Kapiti community to consider how practising #eachforequal could benefit their businesses, employees and the wider community.
Over 200 women and men joined for a family style lunch prepared by celebrated chef Helen Turnbull (and her team) of 50/50 restaurant in McLean Street Paraparaumu Beach and Paraparaumu College students were the amazing Front of House Staff.
                
                    
MC was International journalist Victoria Gaither - an African American Journalist from Washington DC. Victoria created and produced ‘At Home with Victoria’ which focuses on women’s issues, the work of non-profit organisations and community stories.  As she has been travelling around the country, Victoria has taken photos of New Zealand women and she shared many of these (and the women's stories) during the event. 
 
Wellington Paranormal star Karen O’Leary was the main speaker. Karen made her acting debut in Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s cult classic 'What We Do in the Shadows'. She has also appeared on Have You Been Paying Attention, Seven Sharp and Anika Moa Unleased and has recently joined the Alternative Commentary Collective.  She was highly entertaining and brought lots of laughs from the audience on the #eachforequal topic.
 
                                                                                                                         
Guest Speaker: Peter Wilson
Subject: Life in Singapore, “an amazing and safe country”
 
Mr Wilson gained his university qualifications in New Zealand and Scotland, and after some years of experience in his field was posted to Singapore for 5 years.  He provided some very interesting information regarding the lifestyle living among a population of 5.9 million people.  He attributed reasons as to why it is safe in Singapore, and the points he made included the crime rate is very low by world standards due to the threat of serious punishment. This includes capital punishment by hanging, and immediate imprisonment for loutish behaviour.  Drugs are not tolerated in any form, and firearms are completely banned. Graffiti is classified as a serious crime and usually results in immediate canning, with no exemption for females.  Holding cells are primitive and no place to look forward to.
Notwithstanding the strict discipline that is required, Singapore is a lovely to visit and to enjoy, said Mr Wilson.
Interesting questions followed from the floor.
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