The Rosebank Ramble: The monthly business meeting, who won February's Club 100 draw, Highlands North Boys High School Interact Club's blood drive and a very successful Day of Action in the Delta...

From the Pen of the President...

“Tempus fugit” – time certainly is going by very quickly and I realise that I need to give attention to several of the tasks that I have planned but postponed. No doubt many of our members experience the same pressures. That is one of the reasons why I am so appreciative of those who gave of their precious weekend time to help clear some of the overgrown and weed infested garden area in Delta Park. A big thank you to all who assisted!

Costa Qually

President

Tailpiece

Be nicer than necessary to everyone you meet. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle (Socrates)

Last Friday....

.... was our monthly Business Meeting which was conducted via Zoom. As from next month the business meetings will be hybrid meetings.

David Craik from the Rotary Club of Seven Oaks in the UK attended the Zoom meeting. He is no stranger to our club and has visited with us many times on his S.A. visits to his daughter, who lives in Johannesburg. He receives our Ramble and enjoys reading about all our club activities. He mentioned that his club struggles to attract new members, and their numbers have sadly dwindled to seven. They collaborate with their local Round Table club on certain projects, as they too are down in numbers.

President Costa announced that as from March going forward only the first meeting of the month shall be on Zoom, thereafter the second and third meetings will be hybrid meetings at Wanderers and also via Zoom, whereas the Social meeting at the end of each month will only be an in person meeting at Wanderers.

Costa mentioned his concern about the poor attendance of late and he and others will be touching base with those members who have been scarce to try and determine what the problem might be.

The announcement that Ann Hope-Bailie will be President Elect for the next Rotary year received a warm round of applause.

John Symons could not present his financial report in person as he was still recuperating from a cataract operation, but all is good.

Our almoner David Bradshaw reported that he had been in touch with Carol Lawrence, Bernard Neuhaus (who hopes to visit and give a talk soon) and Judy Powell. Roger Lloyd is slowly settling in and is planning a visit to the Rotary Club of Claremont. Chrispin is having endless problems with his asylum papers which is the reason we have not seen him at meetings.

In his capacity as Chair of membership David shared that he had prepared a proposal for consideration by the Board on membership which he should be able to present at next month's business meeting.

On the Youth front Jean Bernado reported back that our Interact Club at the Highlands Boys High School's community activities are once again gaining momentum. They had held a successful blood drive and would be inducting new members in two weeks time.

Sadly the Careers Day will have to be postponed to a later date, probably May.

The Youth Leadership weekend is being planned for October.

On publicity Ann Hope-Bailie reported that she updates the club's Facebook page at least twice a week, and it was agreed that this social media avenue was more valuable than our website, which has been dormant for a while now. The Rosebank Ramble is being read by the editors of Rotary Africa and District 9400 newsletter and also goes to many members of other Rotary clubs.

Ann would like to hold training sessions for new members with regards to online learning.

Sonja Hood, who chairs the fundraising committee, announced that we had secured two dates for the ever popular quiz evenings, namely Wednesday the 25th of May and the 26th of October at the Parkview Golf Club.

Friday 4th March we are hosting a fellowship/ fundraising bowling evening at the Swiss Club in Midrand. Please let Sonja know if you would like to attend. Numbers are limited.

The Environmental committee has been hard at work organizing our club's contribution to Rotary's Day of Action taking place at the Delta Park Environmental Centre. The event was widely publicised on our Facebook page and other Facebook groups.

Scroll down in this edition of the Rosebank Ramble to read all about it....

Blood Donations save lives....

..... and the young men of the Interact Club of the Highlands North Boys High School did their bit by hosting the first of four blood drives that they are planning for 2022.

AG Jean Bernardo rolled up her sleeve, extended her arm and gave a pint of her precious and rare A negative blood to the attending SANBS nurse.

Making sure that Jean was well looked after are Interactors Philani Mgquba and Arethbeng Mothapo, and also Mimi van Deventer, who teaches at the school and is the liaison officer for the Interact Club.

The Rotary Day of Action...

.... started off wet, cold and gloomy but we were determined to soldier on and not let the weather get the better of us.

We had chosen Saturday the 19th of February to prematurely celebrate Rotary's birthday and there was never a question that our club contribution to the Rotary Day of Action would be of environmental importance.

The resurrection of the Delta Park Waterwise and Sensory Garden was our mission and at 9:30, armed with spades, forks, rakes and trowels, our team of Rotarians (from Rosebank, Randburg and Morningside) as well as Anns and friends and family attacked this mammoth task head on.

Although we had sent in Kenneth the previous week to start clearing the black-jacks and weeds this is what we were faced with.