From the Pen of the President.....
Dear fellow Rotarians and friends,
This is the last time I will be writing a few words as President. Thank you for making my year a very enjoyable one.
I have just been updating our Goals for the year and our Service Projects – I only see one goal that we did not achieve. Missing the membership goal does not bother me too much as we gained 6 members and lost 6 members – this is life!!
We have completed our projects, except for handing over the clothes, books and blankets to Charity Begins with Me. We have had lots of fun, paid our dues and served our charities and communities.
Nothing more is asked of you all as Rotarians – have fun, and be of service!!
Thank you for your efforts, your participation and friendship.
Let’s CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD for the next year.
Ann
Last Friday....
....We welcomed the Assistant Governor of District 9214 (Uganda and Tanzania) Aisha Saicks to
our club and the customary banners were exchanged. Aisha is also the Immediate Past President of Oyster Bay Club in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The regular quizzers in our club might also remember that we extended a quiz challenge to them not that long ago.
Aisha was asked to tell us a little more about her club.
Oyster Bay Club is the largest Rotary Club in Dar es Salaam.
The club was awarded a prize for diversity, representing 14 nationalities with ages ranging from 26 to 82 years.
Some of the signature projects of the Club are:
Sponsoring Scholarships for post-secondary qualifications at local universities and
colleges.
The ‘Empowering Girls’ project. With this project they partnered with the largest
TV and Radio station in a programme highlighting menstrual health and hygiene.
The club's biggest and most lucrative fundraiser is the annual Goat Race, which is in its third year now.
Please note: No goats come to any harm. The event is well sponsored by corporates and wealthy individuals. Tickets are sold and the more expensive VIP tickets entitles the holder to mingle and watch the race from a separate, luxurious enclosure. The citizens of Dar es Salaam (especially the ex-pat community) support the goat race generously.
Last Friday was also the final business meeting for the 2022/23 Rotary year.
This was no doubt a bitter-sweet moment for our outgoing President Ann, who will be adorning incoming President Costa with the Presidential chain next Friday evening at his induction which will be held at the 2 Thai 4 Restaurant in Illovo.
Unfortunately the handover of the clothes, blankets and books to Charity Begins with Me that was supposed to have taken place on Saturday the 24th June had to be postponed as Stephan Ferreira is taking some well deserved R&R. A new date will be communicated soon.
Treasurer John Symons reported that the club finances were in good order and Ann extended a heartfelt thank you to him for all his hard work during the year even from his sickbed.
David Bradshaw, who heads up the membership portfolio reported that this has been very much an ‘up and down’ year.
Six new members were inducted during the course of the year, but sadly the club lost 7 members which means the club ends the year with a membership of 33. Rotarians were urged to invite friends to the club.
In his role as almoner David also always keeps contact with members or past members who cannot or can no longer attend meetings for various reasons.
On July 7th the new District Governor Riana Pretorius will be visiting our club.
Youth Committee Chair Jean Bernardo thanked her team for their enthusiasm and willingness to get involved in the various youth projects. Unfortunately the Senior Youth Leadership course has to change venue and will be communicated once the new venue has been decided on.
We are expecting a new Rotary Exchange Student to arrive from Norway soon. Michelle von Benecke, whose daughter Emma is living her best life as an Exchange student in Germany has agreed to act as host mom and she will be going to school at Helpmekaar School.
Rotarians are urged to get involved by inviting the exchange student to outings and generally making her stay in South Africa pleasant and memorable.
Lyn Collocott, who heads up the Environment portfolio reported that the annual Braamfontein Spruit clean-up, organized by the Rotary Club of New Dawn is scheduled for 17 September. It has been proposed that the residents of Blairgowrie, Craighall Park, Parkhurst and Greenside join forces to promote the day.
It is a perfect event to showcase that Rotarians are people of action.
Lenore Terblanche, whose portfolio involves fostering international ties, reports that there are various leads that can be followed up in the new Rotary year, such as connecting with the overseas clubs that send Rotary exchange students to be hosted by us or the clubs who are hosting our exchange students.
The ties that we have forged with Kendal Rotary Club (UK) will be reinforced.
The importance of the PR portfolio was highlighted. Club projects and activities are showcased in our weekly newsletter, and in that way come to the attention of the editor of Rotary Africa, who regularly makes mention of them in their monthly publication.
Last but by no means least outgoing President Ann was given a heartfelt thank you on behalf of the club for steering the club so ably in the past year.
And what did the Anns get up to?
From the funds raised at the 2022 Bridge Drive, the Anns donated five ceiling fans and a Smart television to Sally's Workshop at San Salvador. In addition, we donated a garden bench with a plaque which read: "In memory of Joan Burgess, Director, San Salvador 1988 to 1992. Donated by Rosebank Rotary Anns".
A group of Anns, Rotarians and the Burgess family attended the official handover at San Salvador on a bright, cold Tuesday 20th June. The Burgess family were represented by Ken and Joan's son Shaun, his wife Carol and their son Marc. Margie Austin, Penny Robinson, Liz Short, Jane Symons and Diana Serrurier represented the Anns, and were joined by Pam Donaldson and Brigid Booth from the Rotary Club of Rosebank. Ronelle Sartor, the General Manager, welcomed the group and explained about the home and Sally's Workshop which currently employs about 40 beneficiaries from Alexander Township who receive a small stipend for their work, as well as support for the families of those in great need. The home houses intellectually disabled women from 18 years to the oldest who is 82. The ceiling fans were provided for the workshop and were a great help in cooling down the rooms during the summer heat. The TV is used not only for entertainment but also for educational videos for the beneficiaries. The bench is placed in a shady spot in the garden where it is already in use.
A brief history of Joan Burgess's involvement with San Salvador was given by Liz, mentioning that the weekly Ramble used to be duplicated at Sally's Workshop for the Rotary meetings and that the club had enjoyed a series of Italian cooking lessons by Lorenzo in the kitchen. The Anns' meetings were held in the dining room and when Joan was President they lasted 20 minutes with her efficient leadership! Joan was also the instigator and organiser of a number of "Non Talent Nights" which involved every single Rotarian and Ann performing whether they had any talent or not. The best act was Mark Franklin and Barry Coetzee (both 6ft 6 ins) with Roger Lloyd and Wynand Viljoen dancing the pas de quartre from Swan Lake, complete with tutus and hairy armpits.
The handover was a very happy occasion with Ronelle stressing how much they appreciated our support and that everything we had done would be to honour Joan. Their needs are great and any ongoing support in the form of goods, jumble etc. would always be welcome. After the official handover the group was treated to tea and coffee with delicious cake and fruit.
Emma attends District Rotex Conference in Leipzig...
Over the last two weeks Emma went on a trip to Leipzig with her high school, Landau Gymnasium. It was fortuitous that her school trip coincided with the District Rotex Conference which took place there.
She was so happy to meet up with her South African friend Alex at the conference. He is also a long-term exchange student based in Italy, busy with his European Tour. He comes from Vereeniging.
The past weekend she was hanging out in Dresden, as her friend Clarissa from Brazil is on her way home after a year in Germany. They went to a little town called Meissen. Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about 25 km northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche.
This Friday...
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