The relaxation of
some of the Covid lockdown regulations is most welcome and will allow us to
restock our wine and beer supplies. It will also allow us to consider having
another in-person Rotary meeting soon.
The freezing weather we have had will have made the recipients of the
blankets we distributed thankful to have some means of warmth. A big thank you to all members who assisted
in the blanket drive and distribution.
Keep up your efforts in getting friends, family and associates to
participate in our Clem Sunter event.
Costa Qually
President
Tailpiece
Blessed are those
who can give without remembering and take without forgetting
Last Friday, Tutty's Story.....
This Saturday, the 24th of July, as the Springboks were facing the British & Irish Lions, Tutty Faber would have watched the game with a touch of nostalgia as he remembered his personal encounter with the Lions 59 years ago, nearly to the day. He had been chosen to be part of the 1962 Northern Universities 1st rugby team to play against this formidable team, a game they drew 6 - 6.
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| Tutty, proudly showing us his Northern Universities Rugby jersey. |
It was because of this anniversary date that Tutty was keen to share his life story with us last Friday.
He was born and bred in Linksfield, Johannesburg at the bottom of the Ridge. He only ever knew his father in a wheelchair, but despite his disability he was a mine manager and then went on to running a successful construction company, which Tutty was destined to join one day.
He was schooled at King Edward School (KES) from 1947 - 1957, and was a sporting all-rounder.
He played 1st team rugby, 1st team cricket and was part of the 1st athletics team (he was crowned shotput champion), but Tutty obviously also had a good voice because he was awarded the leading part in an operetta staged by the school.
He managed to fail his first year varsity due to his extensive extra-curricular activities like learning how to fly, but then managed to balance his civil engineering studies and his rugby career, although he admits that he had dreams of being part of the 1963 Springbok tour to New Zealand which sadly did not materialize.
He did however manage to play both rugby and cricket in the year he spent at Stanford University USA doing his MSc in construction . His beloved dad passed away while he was at Stanford, but the family made the decision that he should not return home but complete his tour of the States.
On his return he joined the family business and in 1965 he married Julie, the girl that he had taken to his matric dance. In 1966 they had a daughter followed by two sons.
In 2002 he retired from his chosen career, mainly because most of his construction work had been generated by the mines, which had slowly petered out.
He joined the Rotary Club of Orange Grove in 1975 and over the years served on numerous district committees and was awarded a Paul Harris + 2 by his old club, which eventually was incorporated into the Rotary Club of Rosebank
His rugby coaching career began with a rugby clinic at Wanderers in the same year and in 1982 he started coaching rugby at his alma mater KES. It was three afternoons a week and on Saturdays and after 39 years he will finally be hanging up his rugby boots at the end of this year.
He is a passionate Old Boy and has served on the School Governing Body and even has a rugby field name after him.
Tutty is very proud of his 8 grandchildren, particularly his namesake, who captained the 1st rugby team at St.Stithians and matriculated with 7 distinctions in 2018. As they say in the Classics: the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Every free minute that Tutty has he will head out to their much loved farm, close to the Botswana border which has been in their family since 1953.
Tutty told his story with his quiet sense of humour and deep humility and would it not have been fun to be a fly on the wall at the Faber household on Saturday evening to hear his running commentary of the Springbok/Lions game.
Clem Sunter countdown.....
For those who have still not booked, please click into the link below and secure your seat.
We need your support.
Vocational Service Award Nominations....
In 2020 we were unfortunately unable to honour worthy recipients with the annual Vocational Service Awards, but with the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions we are hoping that it will be possible to have a proper ceremony at the end of September.
We are still accepting nominations until the end of July. Please forward your motivation to Lyn Collocott.
Blankets beat the Big Freeze....
Marilyn Bassin of Boikanyo made it possible that the rural community of Mopani, close to Tzaneen received blankets before the severe cold front set in.
This Friday....
A social meeting.
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