Roadshow 2011-Week 1

My round of club visits has commenced. Tradition has it that the first club I must travel to is that of the Immediate Past District Governor and so I booked myself out of work on Tuesday afternoon for the rest of the week and Margaret and I headed off to Wellington where the sun was shining and the wind was barely discernable. Quite the reverse in hometown Wanganui I'm told.

We dined with IPDG Howard and Jenny on Tuesday evening and attended their breakfast meeting next morning where President Jane Mitchell presided over her first meeting. It was great to have Past DG David Watt there as well, doing a make-up.

We are indebted to MooreLaw and Dot McKinnon who offered their Apartment on Queen's Wharf as a base for the week, and also Assistant Governors Martin Garcia and Colleen Singleton who made sure we were where we were supposed to be at the right time.

On Wednesday evening we were met at the door of the Amora Hotel by President Trevor Slater and I was delighted to be invited to present a cheque of $4000 on behalf of the Rotary Club of Harbour City to a representative of Youthline.

Tom from Youthline with a cheque for $4000 presented by yours truly on behalf of the Rotary Club of Harbour City

This has great significance for me, of course, given my interest in Suicide Prevention and our World President Kalyan Banerjee's focus on Strengthening Families.

On to Wellington North on Thursday for their luncheon meeting. Lynnette Manttan entertained Margaret while her husband and President Maurice introduced me to the Board of Directors and told of their plans for the New Year.

Margaret and Lynette Manttan ( wife of President Maurice) at Wellington North

In the evening we were hosted for dinner by PDG Tony Fryer and Sheryl, where Margaret and Tony swapped recipes, followed by a meeting of The Rotary Foundation Committee.

And so to Friday to another luncheon meeting at the Courtney Place Rotary Club and more wonderful hospitality. Thanks President Stephen Dacombe-Bird and members of that club.

We were warned about expanding waistlines and it is now blatently obvious that we need to monitor ours very closely over the next four months.

We have been received very graciously by four clubs - 55 to go.

Vocational Scholar to Holland ( just about to depart) Catherine Harwood and chair of the Scholarships committee Margaret Emerre, at Wellington North. Catherine’s speaking schedule has outstripped mine – she has spoken at over 30 Rotary events over recent months.