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Kāpiti Club meeting
18 April 2024
 
President Vic Hewson
 
Secretary
Shirley Stratton
 
Treasurer
Mike Redman
 
Hosted by President Vic
 
Guests:  Mal Bird and Steve Pasene (inductees), Peter Turnbull, a former Greenmeadows Club (Hawkes Bay) member, sussing us out. Frequent Flyer Dennis Jackson, Graeme Milne (speaker), First Lady aka MaryAnn, who was present because VSA is one of her 3 passions in life. Vic said he was her first passion with the grandkids a close second.
 
Doug won the raffle, once he turned it round the right way. 
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Many of our projects have a positive impact on our local environment. Tree planting makes a significant difference to the health of ecosystems and carbon reduction. Our financial and practical support for local school students engaging in water testing and wetlands restoration projects helps now, and sets them up for the future.
Paul Adams:
Opening thought(s)
Welcome, Rotary Rockstars!
 
It's great to part of group of people who are as passionate about community service as they are about Fellowship. You know you're in the right place when the conversation veers from fundraising strategies to debating who makes the Pot luck dinner.
 
Let's take a moment to appreciate the fact that we're all here because we genuinely care about making a difference., we bond over our shared enjoyment for tackling social issues and occasionally getting roped into organizing the odd event or 3...
 
Seriously though, Rotary is where the real action happens. From Mary Potter fundraisers to Polio eradication.
 
And let's not forget about the fellowship – because what's better than doing good in the hood with friends! Whether it's sharing war stories from our latest service project or arguing over whose turn it is to bring the morning tea. Rotary is all about building meaningful connections while making a positive impact.
 
So, here's to us – the unsung heroes of the neighbourhood, the champions of service, and the kings and queens of fellowship. Let's keep spreading smiles, lending helping hands, and maybe sneaking in a few laughs along the way.
 
What a great journey we’re on! 
 
NOTICES
 
President Vic
announced that members had overwhelmingly voted to support Marilyn's nomination for the District Community Leader role. Good luck, Marilyn!
 
Vic attended the Whanganui Rotary Club's centenary dinner which was an impressive event. They have 34 members, yet in their 100th year have made $100k of donations to worthy local and international projects, including exercise machines along the river path, an antenatal unit in Zimbabwe and hoists to enable people with physical disabilities to use their local swimming pool. A truly inspirational Club! The speaker was retired District Court Judge Dugald Matheson who has moved to Raumati and may be persuaded to join us.
 
Doug
The last Wood For Good working bee went well and a lot was accomplished. The next one is 11 May. Doug and the family will be planting daffodil bulbs this weekend at the farm, so they will be picking daffodils on 7 and 14 September. The next Ronald McDonald House dinner is on 15 October. The next roadie is in mid November.
 
Richard Moulton
managed to fill most of the foodbank collection slots on Thursday night and the last one has now been filled.
 
Kevin B
Lifting the Lid (mental health support for college students) has been quite quiet recently and they are considering extending the service to intermediate age children. The logo design has been used up north in District 9930, which is awesome for the student who won the design competition.
 
Rod Lingard
Reminder to everyone who bought tickets for Saturday night's show, Oliver! Update: it was an outstanding production and everyone had a lovely evening. Thanks Rod and Carol for organising this outing for us, and thanks to all the members and partners who attended.
 
Josie
The Marketing and PR efforts are proving effective in spreading the word about what the Club does. The team is entering the Club in the Not for Profit section of the Electra Business Awards to showcase what we do, why and who we help in the community. It is a great way to increase our profile, which may help us attract new members and inform the community of the assistance we can provide.
 
Ian Ayson
The Foundation Lucky Lotto draws are back on. The $20 chances to win prizes sold like hotcakes. This fundraiser contributes to Club funds.
 
Steph
Thanks to everyone who has signed up for the 2 May Mary Potter Hospice auction event. Mike will take the $50 a ticket from your accounts. We have 4 tables booked. Mal and Steph have put in a lot of work - Mal is the best table salesman by a country mile! Please let Steph know asap if you still want to join us: dyhrbergsa@gmail.com. 
 
Mary Potter Hospice collection: request for help

Mary Potter Hospice Annual Street Appeal which is coming up on Thursday 16 and Saturday 18 May.

We would love to invite members who are keen to collect for an hour or two, to register individually online here - https://marypotter.org.nz/events/street-appeal-volunteers-2024/

Mary Potter Hospice provides specialist palliative care services free of charge to the people of Wellington, Porirua & Kapiti Coast.   If you can give one or two hours of your time, you would be making a bucketload of difference for your local community. Every person out helping to collect, helps to raise more funds for the work that Mary Potter Hospice does and keeps our services free of charge.

 
 
6 May Raumati School will visit Whareroa to see the trees planted and hear about the project, the local ecosystems and how the planting impacts on the stream and wetlands. A few volunteers are needed for this outing. Contact Steph if you would like to go.
 
 
INDUCTION OF 2 NEW MEMBERS
 
President Vic was delighted to induct our 2 newest members, Mal Bird and Steve Pasene.
 
2 great new members on one night! How many more could we each bring into the Club??
Steve Pasene, youth justice reformer, waka ama champion and all round good guy has made a huge impression on us all, having attended a few meetings and the bowls night. He is a wonderful addition to our Club and will be joining the Membership Committee. Steve said he has been made very welcome, and is humbled to be joining the Club. He is keen to contribute and help to grow the Club.
Steph and Mal each insisted the other one is the master and they are the apprentice. 
Mal Bird is a legend in construction, spearfishing and fundraising. He is a man who really makes things happen. Steph has been in awe of his efforts on the Mary Potter fundraiser already, and we look forward to seeing what Mal does next. He is joining the Projects Committee. Mal said he was looking forward to becoming a member and realised he doesn't have to do it all alone.
 
5 minute speaker: Dave Edwards
 
reminded us of the Rotary values, areas of focus and family of organisations. In 1905, 3 business men including Paul Harris got together over dinner in Chicago and created Rotary. Women were only admitted to membership in 1989, evidently after decades of lobbying and several close votes. Inner Wheel was established 100 years ago for the wives of Rotarians, and it is still an active force to be reckoned with, as Marion reminded us recently in her 5 minute speech .
 
Dave reminded us of the 4 Rotary values: Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity and Leadership, and the 7 areas of focus: Environment, Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy, and Community Economic Development. There are now 1.4 million members of Rotary. The Rotary Foundation has invested more than US$4 billion in thousands of life-changing, sustainable projects. 
 
 
Dave reminded us of our history and guiding values
The place it all started
 
 
Volunteer Service Abroad
Our areas of focus
Speaker: Graeme Milne, Volunteer Service Abroad
 
Marilyn introduced Graeme, Fundraising and Membership Manager for VSA for the past 17 years. VSA has 52 staff, 30 in Aotearoa and the remainder spread across 10 countries.
 
The organisation been going strong for 62 years in Aotearoa, initially under the Presidency of Sir Ed Hillary. In 1963 the first group went to Thailand. Since then, over 4,000 volunteers have served overseas in a wide range of places, projects and roles.
 
VSA aims to place 170 people a year. They work in partnership with major funder MFAT, and a range of other corporate, not for profit and individual partners and donors. VSA has to raise 10% of their funding annually, so please consider making a contribution if you can: https://www.vsa.org.nz/donate/
 
 VSA has a goal to transfer the right resources, skills and knowledge so projects are sustainable. The aim to to create a fair future for all. The geographic area of focus is now largely the Pacific and Melanesian countries.
 
The skillsets required are varied, from brand new graduates to mature people, highly specialised medical professionals to trades. There is a vacancies page you can check out to see if you would be a good fit: https://www.vsa.org.nz/volunteer/filter/all/all/
 
Vic and MaryAnn have served abroad on the island of Malekula, Vanuatu, and they found it incredibly rewarding.
 
President Vic donated $250 from the Sunshine Fund to VSA.
Graeme and President Vic
MaryAnn spoke of her time overseas. Vic evidently made himself useful too.
Graeme is retiring to Kāpiti soon, so naturally Vic is working on him to join the Club...
 
A thank you from Paraparaumu College
 
The Board granted $250 towards lunches and snacks for the Paraparaumu College team participating in the Relay for Life
 
Kia ora Rotary Club of Kāpiti, 
 
Thank you so much for your support of our Relay for Life event. The students had a great time on the day and were fueled by the food you kindly provided. The students raised over $9000 for the Cancer Society, through a car wash, a bake sale and online fundraising. Ariana Savage raised the most money this year, as the cause is close to her heart. On the day students enjoyed face painting from Daizy Design, Zumba, and exceptional performances from school singers and bands. They also participated in a backwards lap hour, bubble hour and dress-up costumes where Max White donned a cowboy outfit for his laps! 

Lots of fun was had by everyone involved, and the baton completed 176 laps of the track, many of which were completed by Adam O’Connell running during the afternoon. 

 

Thank you again for your support of this event, we are able to donate all of our fundraising to the Cancer Society because of the money you have donated. We are very grateful. 

Nga mihi nui, 

Claire Casartelli and the Relay for life Team at Paraparaumu College

 
Some of the Paraparaumu College Relay crew. What an amazing effort!
Giant bubble fun
Still going strong.
We have been missing Doug's sartorial elegance lately - he's still got it! He also still has his glasses, which are regularly misplaced...on his head.
Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).
Flags on the Wellington Cenotaph at dawn, ANZAC Day
 
This week
 
NO MEETING ANZAC DAY
 
Coming up:
 
2 May: Mary Potter Hospice event at Southwards - no Club meeting
9 May: Bill English - social impact. Partners' night - register guests by Monday 6 May
23 May: Louise Waterworth - Kāpiti  Women's Centre