Wednesday 19 June 2013

Rotary Moment - 100 bikes

- By 9980 DG 2013-2014 Gary Williams

Two years ago during then District 9980 Governor Trish Boyle’s conference in Invercargill, NZ a surprise was given to 100 unsuspecting 8-9 year olds at the culmination of a special project by the combined Rotary clubs of Invercargill. 

The five clubs’ conference project was to fund and provide the manpower for a three-phase project in Invercargill.  It is a city made for cycling with its wide roads and flat terrain.  

This community-based project on District Community Day refurbished a cycle park in the city where children are taken by their parents and in school groups to learn how to safely ride their bikes on the road, and get confident with the rules that regulate the use of roads and cycle ways. 

Apart from safely riding bikes, the project focused on encouraging children to get onto bikes as a healthy alternative to relying on their parents taking them places in cars. 
Working with the local schools and through their health and physical education curriculums, the importance of safety and exercise were promoted. 

With $2000 funding from each club, a District Simplified Grant and access to some conference funds plus corporate sponsorship, the work on the park was completed, and 100 kitset bikes were purchased. 

Rotarians put the bikes together, and a special event was arranged at the cycle velodrome where conference attendees we were joined by 100 unsuspecting children and their families. 

The children were nominated by their schools because they didn’t have a bike and their families were unlikely to be able to supply a new bike to all of their children.  They were average students with a caring attitude. 

For unsuspecting visiting Rotarians, it was a very special moment to see the surprise on the young children’s faces as they were presented with their own bike, backpack and safety gear. 
 

The reaction from the children was priceless, almost matched by their parents who were astonished that a group of strangers could care for so many children in such a practical way. 

From the outside, it was easy to see the impact that Rotary clubs working together can have close to home. 

After the event, in the general confusion of parents, children, bikes and Rotarians, we were proud to be thanked for what local Rotarians achieved that day. 

Smiles All Round

Rotary North Harbour  recently completed a Community Project which commenced in February 2011. It was then that PP David Hutcheson learned  that the 40+ year old toy digger for the local Playcentre sand-pit had been retired as it was no longer safe for play.
David decided to build two replacement diggers, and also a digger for each of the other Playcentres, 22 in all.

There was no workshop, nor a budget in the Club's plans for the year, however Rotarian Alan Astrop of the East Coast Bays Club, Auckland, offered his workshop and his skill, time and machines, a huge advantage for dedicated amateurs.


With premises now arranged David secured all the materials from local businesses by way of sponsorship, hoping this would make for a fully funded project.

Production started on a small scale with just a few Club members offering their time, but soon more than half the Club were involved. After more than 1300 volunteer man hours the Diggers were ready for presentation at a "Big Beach Dig and Fete."The  twenty one Playcentres' representatives, watched by many others, came forward to receive a Digger each from a volunteer member of  Rotary North Harbour.


Members summed up by saying that," this was a great Club Community project which allowed us to commit with Sweat Equity  not cash. This was surely the Four Avenues of Service in action."

When asked his feelings after the presentation, PP David said "when you consider the number of children that have used the old digger over the 40+ years of its life, think of the thousands who will use ours x 22 over the next 40odd  years. "

Treasured Art

During the first half of the year Rotary Club of Tauranga Sunrise members scour the Bay of Plenty in NZ and further afield for impressive works of art.

This club’s efforts and networks have raised more than $60,000 from their Treasured Art Auctions over the past three years, with proceeds donated to the Foundation for Youth Development's Kiwi Can programme.

Three of Tauranga Sunrise's long-standing members combined their talents to create a unique and satisfying fundraising event. Ross Brown and his wife Lynne have the art knowledge, Sally Morrison brought the business expertise, and Mary O’Sullivan  provided the sales and marketing edge, with other club members also supporting this successful fundraising campaign. 

Treasured Art 2012 organiser Sally Morrison and the charity auction’s guest artist Peter Wallers (photo courtesy of Sun Media)


A wonderful art scene is created at Ingham-Sears Mercedes-Benz showroom in Mount Maunganui. Each year in June, some 50 pieces of work go under the hammer, with a further amount on display for sale and silent auction.

The popular event combines an auction evening with a three-day art exhibition and sale.  Some of the art is donated by people changing or downsizing homes, and those who simply don’t have the space for the art they have collected over the years. The rest of the art is sold on a 50/50 commission basis.

A known artist or collection is featured each year. In 2010, the auction sold a beautiful collection donated by Joy Drayton (1916-2012), DNZM, MBE, former Tauranga Girls College principal and local body politician. The exhibition featured works by nationally-known Tauranga artist Arthur Dagley in 2011, and in 2012 works by guest artist Auckland-born Peter Wallers, who now works out of his studio in Tauranga.

The city's mover and shaker guests are greeted with a glass of champagne, and nibbles are handed out all evening, while the auctioneer cajoles them into opening their wallets for magnificent pieces of art.

Buyers, Rotarians, Kiwi Can leaders and students supporting the very successful Tauranga Sunrise Treasured Art Auction in the Ingham Sears Mercedes Benz showroom

Support for the major fundraiser has come from Ingham-Sears Mercedes-Benz (venue), the New Zealand Cadet Corps (art security), Sun Media Tauranga (for The Weekend Sun promotion and articles), Frank Vosper (auctioneer), and the local Tauranga Sunrise Rotary members providing logistics, hosting and handling sales.

A Paul Ny piece goes under the hammer at the Tauranga Sunrise Treasured Art fundraiser

Kiwi Can is the national primary school programme that teaches essential life skills and values such as resilience, respect, integrity and manners. It is a whole school programme with all children attending a Kiwi Can lesson once a week during the school year. Specially trained Kiwi Can leaders work in pairs delivering the high energy, interactive and, most importantly, fun lessons. The leaders encourage the children to take responsibility and be accountable for their actions, they instil a sense of self-worth and self-confidence, and above all they engrain a `can do' attitude to the challenges of life.

Students from a Tauranga Primary School assisting with a Kiwi Can community project

For further details, contact Robyn Skelton of the Rotary Club of Tauranga Sunrise, phone +64 21 275 8034.

Additional

For information about Kiwi Can:
http://www.fyd.org.nz/Programmes/KiwiCan(Year18)/AboutUs.aspx

Sunday 16 June 2013

Parnell Rotary in action with Garden to Table Trust

The Rotary Club of Parnell decided to support the new Garden to Table project at Wynyard Quarter this year and have been on stand-by to get underway with the first of many planned working bees.



The Garden to Table Trust currently works in schools teaching children to grow, harvest, prepare and share healthy seasonal food in a curriculum integrated programme. In this programme extensive fruit and vegetable gardens  are established in which 7 to 10 year old children help to establish design and maintain the garden and growing of food. A wide range of vegetables fruits and herbs are harvested, prepared and shared in a home-style sustainable kitchen classroom.

Waterfront Auckland has allocated land in the Wynyard Quarter where such a programme will be centrally located and utilised by 4 or 5 schools who will come to the site weekly.
Garden to Table Chairperson, Catherine Bell is a well-known foodie who is passionate about quality food, eating healthy local fresh food and teaching our young people these necessary skills.

The first working bee held by Parnell Rotary took place on a  glorious sunny Saturday 12 May when a dozen or more Rotarians turned up with Trustees of the Garden to Table Trust with wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes and strong backs to move and spread five large piles of gravel 40mm thick over a 400+square metre area. Rotarians produced delicious scones and savouries plus a little wine as well as Catherine providing coffees for the workers.

Everyone is keen to return to help with the next stage which could be fencing, planting, erecting pots or any task asked of our members. This is a great project that will be of significant interest as it develops in this central location.

For more information go to www.gardentotable.org.nz

Submitted by:

Phillippa Pitcher
President
Rotary Club of Parnell

Monday 3 June 2013

Congratulations Bill Boyd

From the Queens Birthday Honours:

Companion of The New Zealand Order of Merit - CNZM

William Bernard Boyd, QSO - For services to Rotary International

Low Down

Bill Boyd is a member of the Rotary Club of Pakuranga Inc, Auckland, New Zealand and was Rotary International President in 2006-2007

Congratulations to NZ Queens Birthday Honour's Recipients

District 9920 Recipients

Companion of The New Zealand Order of Merit - CNZM
William Bernard Boyd, QSO - for services to Rotary International.  Bill is a member of the Rotary Club of Pakuranga.

Member of The New Zealand Order of Merit - MNZM
David Wardell, Auckland - for services to education.  David is a member of the Rotary Club of Pakuranga.

District 9940 Recipients

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit - ONZM
Dawn Jane Sanders, QSM, Wellington, for services to theatre. Dawn is a member of the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson.

The Queens Service Medal - QSM
Brian Leslie Poole, Wellington, for services to health and the community. Brian is a PP of the Rotary Club of Wellington North.

District 9970 Recipients

Queens Service Medal (QSM)
George Ward for his services to agriculture and the community. George is a member of the Rotary Club of Ashburton