International Youth Exchange

At International Assembly in January Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee talked about the International Youth Exchange ( IYE ) Programme and described it as a stellar programme of Rotary. On Saturday 24th September I dropped in to the Tatum Park Conference Centre to our Youth Exchange Orientation weekend. There were 10 Inwards and 11 Outwards students present and what a great bunch of talented young people they are. I urge you all to take the opportunity to invite them to speak at our clubs. Our vocational programmes set us apart from other service clubs. I want to pay tribute to John O'Connell and his committees for the magnificent work they do in arranging these exchanges, and to the parents and the counsellors who contribute so much of their time to make these events so worthwhile. I am very ,very proud of them all. This programme is building friendships throughout the world and in doing so contributing to our goal of better understanding of our divergent cultures and world peace.

I was invited to give a 'View From The Top' to the group and received a bouquet for my efforts . I love carnations.

The 10 incoming students. Note the gender imbalance

The full group of 21 students - 10 inwards, 11 outwards

More Highlights From Week 10 In the Manawatu

Awapuni is a small club with a big heartbeat. Here I was reminded that our World President Kalyan is Indian, the Assistant Governor from this club is Indian and President Anand is Indian. I was an honorary Indian for the evening. The club has just entered into a 3-year sponsorship at the Manawatu Business awards, starting a new category,' Ethics and Integrity'. They also sponsor a trophy and prize at the Awatapu High School end-of-year prizegiving - excellent public relations strategy I would think - well done Awapuni. Another unique programme is their Plant-to-Plate programme where they coach and mentor primary school students to plant, grow, harvest, prepare cook and serve their home-grown produce. Good stuff.

Past President David Chappell received a Paul Harris Fellow. President Anand is very pleased.

Craig Ross also received a Paul Harris Fellow.

Terrace End Club meets at Wharerata Homestead at Massey University, an excellent venue which they have been using for about 7 years. They are a club which likes to work with other clubs to achieve Bigger Better Bolder results. The Terrace End Memorial Trust ( page 154 in the District Directory) was set up in the memory of Mike Hansen who was drowned in Lake Taupo and Reg Dixon who died in the Dash 8 crash in the Tararua Ranges. The club are seeking more nominations for assistance from this Trust.

Great venue, great food at Wharerata Homestead , where Terrace End Rotary meets

Assistant Governor Ashok Dahya provided wonderful support to Margaret and me

Takaro Rotary meets at the Manawatu Golf Club, another very good venue with very good food. A third of the members are women and the club will soon induct another two - way to go Takaro. This is a hands-on club of "good thinkers and go-getters". The club is well immersed in community projects ranging widely from supplying toothbrushes and toothpaste to pre-schoolers to reading assistance at Takaro School to entertaining the elderly. They also support overseas projects such as Shelterbox and Bali Eye, a project sponsoring eye operations.

Good venue, good food at Takaro

A visiting Australian from Melbourne introduces himself to the club and told me afterwards he totally agrees with sentiments regarding support for The Rotary Foundation

More Highlights from Week 9

Breakfast at Hutt Valley, lunch at Hutt City.

At Hutt Valley I was delighted to be introduced by Wanganui man Bernie Rush, their President Elect, and to present Paul Harris Fellows to Kevin Stratton, Dominic Hayden and Paul Newsom. Congratulations.

A project that captured my attention was the leadership course run by the club for year 11 secondary school students. About 20-22 students attend the course which includes talks by motivational speakers and business leaders and culminates in an evening meeting of the Hutt Valley Club which is run by the participants. What a good initiative.

It was a pleasure to meet Ambassadorial Scholar Justin Zuniga and wife Angela and IYE student Winona Ruard (centre). Justin is studying History and Maori culture at Victoria University.

President Christine Oldham proudly showed us some club projects  including a beautification project at Epuni School which had input from Ruud Kleinpaste.

Our guides at Epuni School were Najmi Khairul and Anton Weitzel

Epuni school vegetable garden.

No-one home at the Weta House

 

On to Hutt City where we found they were celebrating their 68^th birthday and I was asked to present a Paul Harris Fellow to Charlie Peterson.

Charlie Peterson receives his Paul Harris Fellowship

It was a special moment when I was introduced to Hutt Valley icon Billy Graham who runs a remarkable program for troubled youth at the Naenae Boxing Academy.

Hutt Valley Icon Billy Graham: “ What we are doing here should be done in every city in New Zealand.

Hutt City, like Hutt Valley, are involved in a long list of impressive projects and all members are actively engaged in club activities.

Notable among them is their sponsorship of 2 students to the Otago Medical School Summer School and their pending involvement in the Technological Valley project in the Hutt Valley, a programme to assist young people who will become quality citizens of tomorrow.   Hutt City, of course, initiated the Rugby World Cup Home-hosting programme. This project became not only a national project but  also an international project with 1000 recorded interactions between New Zealand and overseas.

Another really impressive initiative is the ambitious Great Harbour way. The Petone to Ngauranga Gap section is estimated to cost $14.5 million and Hutt City Club will assume an advocacy role.

Thanks President Simon for your hospitality and to Brad for entertaining Margaret. She will long quote his now famous comment “It is not for sale” when she tried to convince him to purchase a silver rose in a glass case..

Week 9 concluded at Fielding which was named after British Army General William Feilding.

It was in Feilding I bought my first car a 1949 Mark VII Jaguar.

David Stroud and David Young took great pride in showing us Feilding’s best keep secret, the Coach House Museum. This award-winning museum brings the stories of self-reliance determination and innovation from a bygone era.

Horse drawn farm machinery and early vehicles have been lovingly restored to their former glory and is a must-see attraction.

Another programme which I am enormously supportive of is the Young Dreams Education programme. This is a programme equipping teenage mums with life skills.

Margaret reminiscing over a seed drill

Outgoing IYE Student Vicky Stevens and mother Susan

Patricia Linklater received a Paul Harris fellowship

Outgoing IYE student to Belgium, Sarah Elmers and her mother

From South Wairarapa Rotary Club, thanks

Many thanks to the many clubs that took part in project COOL. I appreciate that it did not suit all clubs but for all those that took part the South Wairarapa Rotary Club is very appreciative.

We had great support from Keep New Zealand Beautiful with the supply of litter bags and from the merchandise firms for stocking the litter bags, namely PGG Wrightson, RDI, Farmlands and CRT. We appreciate that the project was a lot to ask for new Presidents about to start their term. Also, it was a very busy time on the farming calendar. However, with the timing of the World Cup we had little option if we wished to present our country well for all our visitors.

The amount of litter on our roads was noted by the media, both radio and television. It appears that we have a "throw-away" mindset for part of our population and our roadways are one of the targets. However, it is very rewarding to see clear verges after a clean-up.

Thank you once again.

Tony Didsbury South Wairarapa Rotary Club.

Wainuiomata

Next up Wainuiomata, a community of 18,000, all to itself, over
the hill from Lower Hutt. What a brilliant night view of Wellington
on the return journey.
At Eastern Hutt we were accompanied by Assistant Governor
Ian Grigor and his wife Betsy. Assistant Governor Leanne
Campbell was there for us on the Wainuiomata Rotary Club
trip. Many thanks to President Nikki Wynne and the club for
another enjoyable evening.
Highlights of the meeting included:
Local fire chief Dave Smith was present to receive a cheque
in appreciation of the Fire Services assistance to the club with
their major fundraiser, the book fair.

Don Waugh was honoured for his 25 years
service to Rotary and presented with a special cake

 Dave Smith receives his cheque

Roadshow Week 10

We are closer to home this week - exploring the Manawatu clubs. First up Palmerston North , one of the larger clubs in the district with 85 members. Palmerston North Rotary Club was chartered just weeks before my own club Wanganui, in 1924.

Ken Rush updates the club on a major project , the Kahuterawa Native Bush Restoration and Development Project

The Kahuterawa Native Bush Restoration and Development Project is a partnership between Department of Conservation, Linton Army Camp, Rotary Club of Palmerston North and Palmerston North schools, namely Palmerston North Boys High School, Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School and others. I am very much in favour of partnership projects such as this one as a vehicle for raising the profile of Rotary in the community and as a means of finding potential new members.

Next up was Milson, a vibrant club with a good spread of ages and home of Past District Governor Glen Caves who introduced me in a style unique to Glen. In my formative years as an engineer in Palmerston North I worked with Pat and Michael Higgins, in those days the sons in D. Higgins and Sons, and learned a great deal about bituminous sealing from them. Pat is a member of this club and was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the contracting industry.

It was a delight to catch up again with Pat Higgins, now Sir Pat, at Milson Rotary Club

With Christine Jones, also a former President of the club, and current President Andrew Sievwright.

Roadshow 2011-2012 : Week 9

Week 9 was our busiest yet in which we enjoyed the hospitality of four clubs in the Hutt Valley and concluded the week at the Feilding Club. We began our week at Eastern Hutt which turned out to be a 'riot', and believe it or not we had singing lessons as well. We were treated to an excellent presentation stressing the importance of engineering and the extraordinary contribution made by engineers to society. I was thanked by Past District Governor John Cole who presented me with a Rotary Personal Emergency Pack, a very successful Eastern Hutt project, and a very generous gesture from Eastern Hutt.

Special wine for the occasion provided by one of the two viticulturists in the club. Take special note of the label.

And Margaret received a bouquet of flowers.

New member Cam McIver and wife

Snapped with International Exchange Student , Anna Schneider from Germany.

Top table

Rugby World Cup

On behalf of District 9940 and indeed the other five New Zealand districts as well it is my great pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to all  Rotarians visiting our shores for the Rugby World Cup.

We sincerely hope you have a most memorable stay and can also find the time to join us at a Rotary club meeting or two.  There are 260 clubs to choose from. You will be made most welcome I can assure you.

To those of you who are being home-hosted thank-you for taking up this offer because, in doing so, you are supporting our fundraising effort to meet the $200 million Gates Challenge and the final push to eradicate Polio from the planet once and for all.

Ki a koutou katoa

Haeremai

( Greetings to you all. Welcome)

Hawera Rotary Shows the Way

One of my three key focus areas is to "To engage with the New Generations and create a greater awareness of Rotary among our students and our young people". Hawera Rotary Club are doing just that. Here is a extract from their latest Bulletin.

"President Peter has expressed a wish to build ties with youth to cultivate future members and become rejuvenated by the energy and new perspectives that young people have to offer. Directors discussed this and agreed to remove a barrier of cost by agreeing to pay for meals for any youth that are encouraged to attend our meetings. The facts are that young people are so interconnected and acutely aware of global issues. Many actively volunteer wherever they can and genuinely want to make a difference. Most are ambitious, are looking for mentoring and want to do what is right towards others. These last wants are where we as Rotarians can help." "They of course, will connect through their social networking systems and we can show them the way through our own website and RI New Generations website. We will them need to quickly find out and hit their areas of interest then guide and support them to achieve service projects of their choice." Abridged.

Fantastic. Well done Hawera.

Guard of Honour – Heretaunga style

Guard of Honour – Heretaunga style

Hilarity in Hats at Heretaunga.

We were met and welcomed at the Lodge door by the Sergeant-at-Arms

 and entered through a Guard of Honour formed by an assortment of members in an assortment of hats wielding an assortment of broomhandles.

During a fun-filled evening I managed to present President Colin Charles with a Centurian Club Certificate

once he had dispensed with his I-Pad

and to meet IYE student Winona Ruaud from France

She diplomatically told me she had not learned about Rugby yet which she thought was boring, preferring football.
 
We were honoured by a good representation from the spouses at this evening. A representation of hats is shown in the next few photos.