Sophia's German Style Brunch a tasty success



Our ever-resourceful International Exchange Student Sophia held a German style brunch at Bruce and Dawns (her Host parents) place last weekend.  The purpose was so we could all have an enjoyable time together with the added benefit of raising funds towards funding another Emergency Response Kit; organising a project was  part of Sophia's commitment as an IYE student.

 

Many members and partners, plus some other IYE students attended and had a fantastic time with amazing food.  Thank you to all involved as these opportunities to socialise are a valued part of being a member of St Johns Rotary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting the environment and education is so much fun!



 

 

St Johns Rotary has had a long association with Glendowie Primary School and were instrumental in the sponsorship and setting up of the plant growing unit at the school in association with Trees for Survival.  Each year club members support this environmental learning project by joining the students at their annual planting day and on 24 May a half dozen members went with the students to plant a variety of native flax and shrubs onto a farm in Clevedon. 

Environmental projects were recently identified as a priority by members for future project identification and planning - this will include opportunities to assist the projects of others whether within Rotary or elsewhere but where there is an association with a club member.


Low Down

Trees for Survival is a programme started by the Rotary Club of Pakuranga Inc that has moved on to be an independent organisation that continues to have strong Rotary support throughout New Zealand.  For more information  click here  

Having Fun, Doing Good Packing Emergency Response Kits

That’s the slogan for St John’s Rotary and this week, on a wild and wet Wednesday night an enthusiastic group of members, friends and family could be found in an empty Penrose warehouse packing Emergency Response Kits (ERK’S).

Prepositioned stocks of ERK’s are held in readiness by Rotary Clubs in Samoa & Fiji for immediate distribution when needed with backup and replenishment stocks of ERK’s held in Auckland & Christchurch ready to be air lifted by the NZ Government through NZ AID to any disaster areas in the South Pacific Islands. The kits contain a vast array of household items and clothing including cooking utensils, clothing, blankets and tarpaulins, hygiene items, first aid supplies and a few basic tools and cost approximately $700 each. There’s a degree of precision involved in packing over 120 items into the containers but with 21 able volunteers it was a case of many hands made light work and there are now, courtesy of St Johns Rotary, 75 more kits ready to be airlifted to Samoa.

 

If you’d like to know more about what Rotary is doing in our community, would like to contribute in some way email stjohnsrotary@gmail.com  or visit www.stjohns.rotarysouthpacific.org

We already do very well and we will be fantastic!

Last night a cross section of 18 club members including some just welcomed as members through to long serving got together for a facilitated club Visioning exercise that will be the start of a process that will grow the club in so many ways.  Next stage is to write up the ideas and preferences for presentation and discussion by the whole club in a Club Assembly meeting in a few weeks where everyone is encouraged to help shape the future of our club and their Rotary experience.

One item that came up was better use of technology across all we do ... but what is technology ...

A conference with everything

15 members and partners joined together for a fun and informative experience at last weekends Joint District Conference in Rotorua.

For some this started with organising or participating in a Rotary Leadership Institute Part 1 for 17 from both districts 9920 and 9940.  Some others took to the outdoor cycling through the thermal wonderland , bush and forests.

Then there was the conference itself with over 600 participants and a varied programme of information and motivational speakers but most valued was the chance to meet and socialise with others from across the districts.  The Saturday night saw us all get dressed up for a "Starry Starry Night" that commenced with drinks put on by President Miles and concluded with most dancing to the rip-roaring music of the Rotorua Rotary Sunshine Rockers (a band made up of Rotorua Rotarians).

Everyone, especially those for whom this was their first Rotary conference had a fantastic time and all are looking forward to next year's district conference at Chateau Tongariro