Club Meeting at the NP Club, Monday, 13th May, 2024
Present : President, Wally Garrett; David Brownson; John Pitman; Dennis Eales; Murray Gillespie, Majoie Hemelaar, Michael Archer, Ian Smiley, Jan Northrop, Tony Bird, Jan Dempsey, Myles Derry, Gary Brown
Apologies Des Friedrich, Sally Morch, Simon Northrop (LOA)
Guests: Gaylene Lines (Rotary Club of Tawa)
Fines: Jan Dempsey fined members on various subjects
3 Minute talk: Jan Northrop
Jan gave an interesting talk about The Slaughterhouse Project- in Bangkok
Started in the 1970's to nurture children in the poorest part of Bangkok by a Catholic Priest Father Jo and Sister Maria but embracing Catholic and Buddhist
families.
Home development called Mercy Centres (currently 5 of them) cater for 2000 children ages 2-7 where they are taught the national curriculum.
In 45 years there have been 60,000 children through the programme.
The challenge is to reach out to children enabling them to read and write resulting in a healthier social environment to grow up in.
Guest Speaker: Majoie Hemelaar
Introduced by Jan Dempsey
Majoie talked about her life so far. Growing up in a small town of 800 people in Southern Netherlands, she has a brother 18 months younger.
She graduated with a medical degree and did her specialist training as a Gynaecologist in Amsterdam.
She went on a 4 months elective training in a Cape Town, South Africa hospital in 1993 the same hospital that the world's first heart transplant was carried out by Dr Christian Barnard and heard Nelson Mandela speak at one of his public meetings saying that he had spent number of years picnicking on an offshore island in his intro.!!
She also went back to Capetown in 2010 in an exchange project with The Netherlands where she gained valuable broad experience in having to do everything!!
She's a keen athlete and qualified in an Amsterdam Marathon for The Boston Marathon with a time of 3 hours 39minutes. When she ran the Boston marathon (in 3 hours 49 minutes) it was the same event where a bomb went off 15 minutes after she had finished!!
Majoie is also a keen skier, hike , cycler and swimmer having competed in several events.
She joined Rotary in the Netherlands and was President of her club when they celebrated their 70th Anniversary.
She mentioned that her club had sister clubs in Germany, England and Kenya.
Their club raised money through a variety of events for 10,000 litre Water Tanks in Kenya which included the necessary infrastructure to install them.
She more recently went on a retreat to South Africa where she was immersed in the surrounding wildlife and was encouraged to become a vegetarian.
This led her to volunteer for 3 years in an African Hospital The Hlokomela Clinic which had very basic equipment but she had a great time and learnt a lot. Environment became a bit toxic however which led to her to come to NZ. Aren't we fortunate to have her here.
Thanked by Myles Derry
From President Wally
Induction of Gaylene Lines: A transferee from the Rotary Club of Tawa where she was a member for 31 years. More recently actively involved with the International Student Exchange programme and well know to our club in that role.
Trust Matters- from Des Friedrich
8 units are fully tenanted.
New Tenancy Agreements being drawn up at present.
Janet Dunlop is now contracted to do the gardening.
Des and Geoff have done some garden edge concreting recently and steps/ramps have been installed for the front doors.
Insurance has been renewed gone form $3094 to $8073/year
Fibre is going to be provided to each unit free.
Grant to Marfell School
$300/ month being being granted to Foodbank
Centennial Celebration
Murray Gillespie mentioned that he and Jan had a positive meeting with Gareth Green the CEO of NPDC to discuss potential centennial projects. Should have some feedback from the NPDC by our next Business meeting on the 24th June.
The Centennial celebrations will now be held on the 13th/14th June 2025 date changed to suit the DG's changeover. It is intended to have a mini District conference/Paul Harris dinner as part of the celebrations.
Resignations:
Wally Garrett
Michael archer
Geoff Harding
Wally thanked Michael for his valuable support as Secretary off the club.
Geoff has indicated he wishes to continue to have an involvement with The Trust
Meeting Monday 24th June- Auto Lodge- no speaker Business Meeting 5.30pm
Murray Gillespie will be running the meeting as Wally is an apology for that night
If you don't intend to come for a meal or you are an apology let John Pitman know.
Changeover Night 7th July
This is a partners/friends night
Entertainment will be provided by Kate Vink
Parting Thought: Des Friedrich
Victim or Victorious
Every test in life makes us bitter or better
Every problem comes to makes or break us
The choice is ours to whether we become victims or victorious
