The monthly business meeting, Rotary Leadership Institute, the return quiz challenge Rosebank v. Kerala (India) and The Club 100 winner for May....

 From the Pen of the President...

I have been having particular problems with trying to get refunds of the balance of rates paid in advance on properties sold from my wife's estate. I have finally been told that a refund has been made by Buffalo City after more than 2 years of sending numerous emails, copies of documentation, etc. For the City of Johannesburg, I am in the process of escalating the matter to the Ombudsman. What a pity that many of our municipal and government officials do not apply the Rotary 4 way test - life would be so much less frustrating if this were done!

Costa Qually
President

Tailpiece

They say that age is all in your mind. The trick is keeping it from creeping down into your body.

Last Friday....

.....being the third Friday of the month was the Club business meeting. 

President Costa demonstrated that he was more than capable of dealing with the technical side of running a hybrid meeting. 

It was refreshing to see members like Marianne Soal, Hugh Rix, Lenore Terblanche and Roger Wedlake make an appearance in person at Wanderers, and good to welcome back Richard Tonkin and Juanette McCrindle on Zoom.

Welcome also to our guest Michelle von Benecke, who is considering becoming a Rotary member.

  Committee chairs Pam Donaldson (Attendance), Richard Moloney (International), Youth (Jean Bernardo), Ann Hope-Bailie (Public Relations) were not present at the meeting to do their report backs, but on the Youth front President Costa was able to update us that he had inducted a new Interact President at the Highlands North Boys High School on Wednesday the 18th of May.

He was delighted that about 40 high school pupils were in attendance at the ceremony.

Their new President is Neo Segooa, and he is flanked to his right (our left) by past presidents Philani and Ari. Teacher Mojuta Motlhamme, on Neo's left (our right) will be taking over the responsibility as liaison officer from Mimi van Deventer who will be going into retirement at the end of this month.

We wish Neo a successful year as President.

Our Treasurer John Symons was able to give us the final Blanket Drive figures which amounted to a very impressive R46 000. Sonja Hood was instrumental at getting a donation of R10 000 from E-Toll and through Tutty we received a R5 000 donation from KES and a further R3 000 from King Edward Preparatory School. Our presence at the Nicol Highway Pick 'n Pay brought in about R26 000.

David Bradshaw has compiled the list of how the blankets will be distributed amongst the various charitable organisations that stand to benefit.

Our head of fundraising Sonja Hood informed us that we have 88 confirmed bookings for the Quiz evening taking place at the Parkview Golf Club this Wednesday the 25th of May, and with all the wonderful prizes up for grabs it promises to be an occasion of spectacular proportion.

Rotary Leadership Institute...

Last weekend Sybille attended two full days of very valuable training offered by the District 9400's ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (RLI)  - Part 1 and Part 2 - and which was generously hosted by the Rotary Club of Meyerton/Henley-on-Klip and facilitated by fire-cracker trainer Wendy Damons. Wendy is a member and PP of the Rotary Club of Ermelo.  She was ably assisted by Fiona Brokensha (a member and PP from Meyerton) and Rita Millan (a member and PP from Kyalami). Most of the attendees hailed from the Vaal area but there were quite a few of us that had made the trek from other parts of Gauteng. There were many members new to Rotary, but every one of us was eager to learn more about this amazing organization. Wendy's opening statement was that Rotary is a Service Organisation and not a Charity and all topics covered in these two days touched on the nuts and bolts of the impact we as Rotarians can and will have on the community. It was two days well spent, and Sybille would recommend that when the next training opportunity is availed, JUST DO IT! THE ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (RLI) provides quality education on Rotary Knowledge and Leadership Skills to Rotarians, Anns and Rotaract members. These educational opportunities aim to teach skills that will benefit the members in their lives and in their volunteer service.  RLI is a recommended program of Rotary International, and is open to all Rotarians, Anns and Rotaracts.    The Certificate courses consist of Parts 1,2 and 3 and the Graduate courses  of Parts A, B and C.  These courses include the following topics: Rotary Basics Leadership Service, Foundation & Public Image Membership & Volunteers Diversity Effective Public Speaking                                                                                                                      PART 1 •             My Leadership in Rotary •             My Rotary World •             Ethics and Vocation Service •             Foundation I: Our Foundation •             Engaging Members •             Creating Service Projects    PART 2 •             Rotary Opportunities •             Effective Leadership Strategies •             Attracting Members •             Club Communication •             Team Building •             Foundation II: Targeted Service   PART 3 •             Strategic Planning •             Foundation III: International Service   •             Public Image & Public Relations •             Building A Stronger Club •             Making a Difference   RLI GRADUATE course content includes:       GRADUATE PART A •             Motivating Volunteers •             Membership Issues   GRADUATE PART B •             Diversity: The key to saving Rotary?   GRADUATE PART C •             Effective Public Speaking, hosted in conjunction with Toastmasters  International Virtual Quiz Kerala India v. Rosebank.... Last Wednesday saw a rematch between various clubs from Kochin, Kerala in India and the Rosebank Rotary quiz team. After some initial loadshedding issues we managed to get the challenge going and Quiz master Baburaj's questions were interesting and challenging and certainly put us to the test. Sadly, although the likes of James Croswell and Debi Lieberthal put up some commendable scores, we were still well and truly trounced. However, we all agreed that it was a fun evening of fellowship and laughter. This Friday.... ... please join us at Wanderers (or on Zoom) when we will present  Zamokuhle Mguli, who is a Oncology Nurse Navigator and currently studying for a Master's degree, with the prestigious Lester Connock Award for Postgraduate Nurses.

Nonagenarian Bernard Neuhaus shares "His Story" and an invitation to join the weekly Quiz Challenge which goes international...

 From the Pen of the President....

The frequency and extent of electricity blackouts is recurring far too often. It is difficult to understand why so many generating units break down on a regular basis despite the increased emphasis on maintenance by Eskom for the past few years. Apart from the annoyance and inconvenience experienced by individuals at home, the economy is being adversely impacted and job creation hampered. Let us hope that there will be a significant improvement in this situation going forward.

Costa Qually

President

Tailpiece

What is the hardest part about buying a new boomerang? ….. Throwing the old one away!

[courtesy of Jean from Australia)

Last Friday....

... we were assigned the Cigar Bar on the ground floor of the  Wanderers Club for our weekly meeting, which turned out to be a much cosier and intimate venue for our small group of physical attendees.  

David Bradshaw, our program coordinator, had been in talks with longstanding and oldest club member Bernard Neuhaus for a while, for him to attend a physical meeting and tell us "his Story".

His friend and fellow Rotarian from Orange Grove days Tutty Faber did the introductions.

As Ramble editor Sybille was taking careful notes, and when Bernard was asked whether he was 90 or 91 years old, he quipped that he was indeed 91 years young, and that he still actively works in his practice as  a chartered accountant every day. He considers himself a workaholic.

Bernard was born in Berlin, Germany in 1931. His father was a Judge of the Court, but because of his Jewish faith he was disbarred and as a family they made the painful decision to leave their homeland for an unknown future in South Africa. Their first home was in Schweizer Reneke, and as it was  predominantly a farming community Bernard learnt to speak Afrikaans before learning to speak English. German of course remained his mother-tongue and even to this day his accent is still very distinct. 

Bernard matriculated from co-ed  Athlone High School in Johannesburg in 1948, and he had wanted to become a veterinarian, but in those days it was difficult for a young Jewish English speaking lad to be accepted into Onderstepoort, so instead he became a Chartered Accountant, specializing in taxation.

He met his wife Lily in 1963 and he speaks with pride of his three beautiful children, Linda, a physio who has two boys, Joel, a property administrator with one son living in Sydney and Hazel, a commercial film producer who is unmarried with two horses and two cats.

Bernard himself is a great lover of animals and has in the past donated two guide dogs to the Johannesburg Society for the Blind.

In 1984 Bernard joined the Rotary Club of Bramley, where he served as President on two occasions and was awarded a Paul Harris. His club was eventually incorporated into the Rotary Club of Orange Grove where he earned a further Paul Harris with Sapphire, and in 1998 joined forces with the Rotary Club of Rosebank.

In 1960 Bernard became a Freemason and was instrumental in establishing the Grand Lodge of Mauritius in 2005. He has been awarded the Order of Service to Masonry, which is the highest honour a Grand Master can confer on any member of the Craft, and is an acknowledgement of exceptional services to the Craft.

Bernard is fine example of a philanthropist is indeed an inspiration and a Mensch.

This Wednesday...

You will remember that a few months back we had a highly entertaining virtual quiz challenge against a number of Rotary Clubs from the coastal province of Kerala in India. They proved to be formidable opponents and this week they will be the quizmasters testing our knowledge once again.

An email from President Bibu George, who extends the invitation beyond our Club. We will gladly send you the Zoom link.

Dear President Bradshaw  (David did let them know that he is a PP)

 

Apologies for the long gap in communications. We were a bit busy with our Governor's official visit to our club which concluded on Friday.

 

Hope we are still "a go" for the quiz on 18th this month? The quizmaster will be our club member Rtn Baburaj. We are inviting a few clubs from our district to participate. 

 

Please invite clubs from your district and abroad too. 

 

Let me also tell you how much we appreciate this opportunity to partner with you in this great fellowship. What you are doing here is really commendable. Our DG spoke about twinning program and we would be very happy to consider this with your club. Please do discuss it in your board and let me know if it is possible. 

 

Thank you 

Dr Bibu George 

President 

RC Cochin Smartcity. 

District 3201 

 

This Friday....

... please join us for our monthly Business meeting. If you are unable to attend in person, the Zoom login details remain the same as every week.

A glimpse of Lorenzo's home in Italy and a very successful Blanket Drive 2022....

 From the Pen of the President...

The blanket drive held over last weekend was possible only because several Rotarians, some spouses, Anns and a relative were willing to give up some of their time to take part in a shift.  A huge THANK YOU to those who did – your assistance is greatly appreciated.  Several needy people will benefit by having a level of warmth this coming winter that they would otherwise not have had.  This was a practical demonstration of what Desmond Tutu had in mind when he said “Do your little bit of good where you are.  It’s these little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

Costa Qually
President

Tailpiece

Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?

Last Friday....

... Lorenzo took us on a virtual scenic tour of his beautiful home situated  to the south of Rome and for a layman he did a jolly good job of presenting a most entertaining video. It felt as though we were right there  with him experiencing the essence of his surroundings.

Although Lorenzo was present at the Zoom meeting he took part horizontally, as he had unfortunately done his back in and was prescribed bedrest.

For our members that missed the meeting or for those of us who would like to watch it again please click into the link and enjoy.

Lorenzo's Palestrina

We also welcomed a special guest to the meeting - Adrupio Scovia, who is a RotarActer  from Uganda, District 9213. Adrupio is attending the University of the Witwatersrand as a Masters student. Hopefully she will be able to join us again.

Blankets, blankets and more blankets....

Friday, Saturday and Sunday saw Rosebank Rotary volunteers at the William Nicol Pick and Pay appealing to the generosity of its patrons to donate towards the annual Rotary District Blanket Drive.

The spirit of giving was overwhelming and this will translate into many desperate souls being able to ward off a cold winter which is imminent.

 

Many worthy charities  and organizations will benefit, amongst others:

• The Boikanyo Deon Herson Foundation
• Phutadijhaba (Alex)
• Assmblies of God (Alex)
• Boeregemeenskap Transvaal
• Lesedi (Lanseria)
• Gracepoint (who support Cosmos City, Clay Oven communities and others)
• Kaya Manzi (Crossings Church) 
• Charity Begins With Me

This Friday...

...will be a hybrid meeting at Wanderers and via Zoom, and we are all looking forward to seeing Bernard Neuhaus at Wanderers who will share "His Story" with us. No doubt in 91 years on this Earth he has many a tale to tell.

Rotary Fellowship at its best and fledgling satellite Rotary Club of Dainfern hosts a Blanket Drive....

 From the Pen of the President....

 

It is often only after someone has gone that we appreciate that person.  Similarly, we sometimes realise the advantages of a situation only in hindsight.  Perhaps we need to take time every now and then to recognise and appreciate the relationships and advantages we are experiencing in the present.  Doing so may well make us more relaxed and thankful for the blessings we have.

Costa Qually
President

Tailpiece

Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have. (Thomas Edison)

Friends, Fellowship and Fine Weather.....

Usually the last Friday of every month is reserved for a social meeting where we can kick back, shoot the breeze and interact with fellow members. In its stead it was decided that this month we would  replace the meeting with a Bring and Braai, which  PP Jean Bernardo's generously offered to host at her  home.

It was never going to be easy to settle on a date that would suit everyone, particularly with the numerous public holidays in April, but consensus was reached for Saturday the 30th of April.

We were blessed with glorious autumn weather which allowed us to sit in the shade of the beautiful old trees in Jean's garden.

It was lovely that some of our Anns joined us and that we could welcome a visitor, Michelle von Benecke, who is considering becoming a Rotary member.

Delicious food, joyous company and  lots of laughter were the hallmarks of a successful fellowship afternoon.

The Annual District Blanket Drive kicked off at Dainfern....

David Bradshaw is very hard at work trying to establish a satellite Rotary Club in the sprawling gated community of Dainfern. 

Club activities are still in their infancy, but they enthusiastically agreed to hold a blanket drive at the Dainfern Clubhouse this past Sunday 1st of May.

Although the uptake was slow with only about 30 blankets "sold", hopefully the posters and blanket table created awareness of a Rotary presence. 

Liz Purvis, a Friend of Rotary always available to volunteer her time to help out where she can.

Dainfern residents and potential Rotary member Thomas and his wife Sarah welcoming potential blanket donors with their wide smiles.

This Friday...

..... please join e-member Lorenzo Locatelli- Rossi as he gives us a virtual tour of his home town Palestrina, not far from Rome in Italy. No doubt it will be very entertaining.

A Business Meeting, Calling all music aficionados for our Music Quiz, Donate a Blanket and Bring-and-Braai.....

 
From the Pen of the President.....

We have been experiencing important religions occasions of several groups of people at pretty much the same time – Easter for Christians, Pesach for Jewish people and Ramadan for Muslims.  All of them seek to concentrate our thoughts and feelings on matters spiritual rather than on material concerns and encompass the need to consider and care for the wellbeing of others and our environment.  Several of these elements form part of the objectives of Rotary and will likely be in our minds throughout the year and not only at present.

Costa Qually
President

Tailpiece

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do! ( Mother Teresa)

Last Friday...

.... our monthly Business meeting  saw only a handful of stalwarts meet in person at Wanderers and sadly even the Zoom attendance was pretty dismal. The low attendance figures of late was one of the topics addressed in the meeting, and we will have to put our collective heads together to come up with solutions to attract our members back to our weekly gatherings.  Do we change the venue? Maybe we should consider changing the time we meet? Mentorship for newer members?

All constructive input would be greatly appreciated.

Report backs:

President Costa:

Richard Tonkin has requested leave of absence from May to August and we all wish him God speed on his travels overseas, and Bon Voyage to Pam Donaldson who will also be winging her way to Europe in the near future.

Pam Donaldson, head of Club Service counted an average of only 20 members per meeting in the past month, and has asked members to please let her know of any make-up meetings and committee meeting attendance.

Finances - John Symons:

Club Finances are in good shape.

It was agreed that the Rotary Club of Rosebank would donate a sum of R5 000 to District 9370 to assist in the relief efforts for the flood ravaged KZN. Various members  donated funds in their personal capacity and John was able to transfer R15 500 to the District Relief Fund.

International - Richard Maloney reported back that he had been in contact with Shoprite CSI to pitch the cervical cancer project to them, but it will still need a lot of spade work. He will also be travelling to Germany in the next few months and plans on visiting Rotary clubs with the aim of building international connections.

Membership - ably steered by David Bradshaw, who is chipping away at potential candidates, and hopefully we will soon have some serious commitments.

David is trying very hard to establish a satellite club in Dainfern, who plan on holding a prostate cancer awareness talk for Dainfern residents in the near future.

Youth - The Interact Club of the Highlands North Boys Highschool have elected a President who will be inducted shortly, and they are planning on holding a Blanket Drive at the Norwood Hypermarket.

The Senior Youth Leadership Course will be taking place in October and deposits have been paid for 50 participants.

Jean and Ann Hope-Bailie  interviewed a couple of Rotary Exchange student candidates and were very impressed with their calibre.

The date for the Careers Day has been confirmed for the 15th of July at the Holy Rosary College.

Publicity - Ann H-B regularly updates our Facebook page and our Rosebank Ramble is in the running for a District Award to be presented at Discon in June.

Fundraising - Bookings for our Quiz Evening with the Music Guru Sean Brokensha have been going well, with more than 60 tickets already sold. Sonja has managed to secure some wonderful prizes for our popular raffle, but we still need many more and asks all members to bring, bring, bring....

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/145191-quiz-evening-with-the-music-guru-sean-brokensha/#/

Please avoid disappointment and book your team soonest.

Vocational & Community Services - The annual Blanket Drive at the William Nicol Pick & Pay will be taking place on Friday 6th and Saturday/Sunday 7th and 8th of May. Thank you to all the members, Anns and friends who are volunteering their time to "sell" as many blankets as possible. The Board has agreed to the purchase of a second Yoco Point of Sale machine, which should also help with more blanket purchases.

 

And this Saturday....

.... on the last day of April we can look forward to a wonderful day of Fellowship.

Guest Speaker Alison Groves on "green" buildings, Our Indian Quiz opponents win by a margin, the Anns hold a successful Jumble Sale, and Bookings are open for our Charity Quiz evening with the Music Guru

From the Pen of the President.....

A quick transition from a disappointing summer to winter weather that is both wet and cold highlights the need to assist the many underprivileged people in our community.  We will be involved in another blanket drive in the near future.  You will be able to assist in this drive by volunteering for a shift at Pick and Pay, Republic Road or by approaching people and enterprises to donate money to buy blankets – or both.  You can serve to change lives!

Costa Qually
President

Tailpiece

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions. (Confucius)

Last Friday....

.....our guest speaker  was Alison Groves, a Sustainability Consultant and environmental activist who had been invited to address us about "greening" of buildings.

Our technical director Ann Hope-Bailie was faced with some challenges because our meeting had been relegated from our usual venue at Wanderers to some less than adequate room, but in her unflappable manner Ann connected the Zoom participants with the meeting and somehow made it work.

Alison, who has been part of the "green" movement in South Africa since its inception in 2007, and a recipient of many environmental awards proudly told us of her involvement with the Emira Property Group, whose Knightsbridge, Block A Building in heart of Bryanston had just received a net zero, energy performance certification - the first one in South Africa. 

The anchor of a "green" building depends on the materials it is constructed with. Alison mentioned fly ash, which is a waste product in coal-fired power stations which offers an energy saving substitute to Portland cement; also aluminium and gypsum, both of which are recyclable and are extensively used in the building industry.

"Passive" buildings use maximum daylight, keep out the heat in summer, yet bring warmth in during winter months.

The heat emissions of buildings can be reduced by clever shuttering and creating shade by planting trees and establishing gardens around them.

Environmental difference can be achieved by making incremental changes in our homes: using LED lighting, taking shorter showers, turning off lights and taps.

Alison makes mention of the 5 R's - Recycle, reduce, re-use, refuse (straws, plastic bags and promotional gifts) and reclaim (by using recycled goods).

Food for thought an a topic that fits in very much with our seventh area of focus.

The Rosebank Rotary Quiz Team versus a formidable Indian Opponent....

Last Wednesday five Rotary Clubs from the Indian city of Cochin, in the province of Kerala -  RC Cochin Smartcity, RC Cochin Beachside,  RC Cochin Periyar, RC Cochin Uptown and RC Tripunithura Royale put together a formidable team who took President and Quizmaster Costa's challenging questions in their stride and we were no match against their collective brain power. 

Well done Cochin, this calls for a rematch.

Have you booked your Dream Team.....

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/145191-quiz-evening-with-the-music-guru-sean-brokensha/#/

Avoid disappointment, only a limited amount of seats available and tickets are selling out fast.

Next Friday...

...have a blessed and peaceful Good Friday and Easter weekend.

 

PP Grace van Zyl promotes Rotary's involvement in peace programs, Rotarian Gareth Hood's letter from China and final Club 100 Winners are announced....

From the Pen of the President...

You cannot share what you do not have.  It may be time, resources or talents – very often it will be a combination of these.  Our members have demonstrated over and over what can be done for others by sharing and positively impacting the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.  Keep up your contributions to the goals of Rotary – you have much to be proud of!

Costa Qually

President

Tailpiece

If you cannot feed a hundred, then feed just one  (Mother Theresa)

Last  Friday....

Past President of Rotary Club of Johannesburg and recently elected director for Africa on RI's  Rotary Action Group for Peace Grace van Zyl addressed our club and shared how the RAGFP works together to advance peace and prevent wars throughout the World. 

One of the objectives of the RAGFP is to forge a path for existing Rotary peace programs to become involved directly with Rotarians and their activities.

Rotary and Peace and how to approach projects with sustainable peace in mind.

 

Peace is in Rotary’s DNA “…to build goodwill & Peace”  and hence has partnered with the Institute of Peace & Economics (IEP) regarding positive and sustainable peace.  Anybody can complete the free courses offered by the IEP by going onto Rotary’s Peace Academy.

 

Peace is measured by two indexes, The Global Peace Index and the Positive Peace Index.  The global Peace index measures how peaceful a country is by the absence of war or conflict or the fear of conflict – this is viewed as negative peace.  The positive peace index measures looks at attitudes, institutions and structures that when strengthened lead to a more peaceful society.  It is not only associated with higher levels of peace, it is also associated with stronger macroeconomic performance.  The IEP uses thousands of data sets in each pillar of positive peace to measure peace. The Positive Peace index for 2021 showed the following:

In summary the world became less peaceful by 0.07% since 2020.  Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, with Afghanistan the least peaceful. 

 

There is a synergy between Rotary’s 7 areas of focus and the IEP’s 8 Pillars of positive peace.  Every project we take on as Rotarians improves positive peace in the communities we serve.  We are unconsciously competent at peace building but with training and a mindset change we can be consciously competent. There are 4 key steps for a mindshift change when approaching our projects:

 

1. SEAK HEALTH – not mission accomplished

Continue wrong and adapting to make improvements

2. SEE PATTERNS – not just problems

Step back from the problem at hand and see the bigger picture and patterns behind the problem  (look at the cause as opposed to the symptoms)

3. UNLOCK CHANGE – don’t impose it

Don’t get focussed on looking for the problem and then rush in to fix it.  Rather unlock the forces within the system to create the change.

4. PLAN TO ADAPT – don’t stay the course

Navigate the everchanging dynamics whilst still keeping your eye on the end goal

 

Many projects fail when we apply “Clock-Like” fixes to “Cloud-Like” problems.

 

So where does the Rotary Action Group for Peace (RAGFP) fit into all of this?  The RAGFP encourages Rotarians, Rotaractors & Interactors to become part of the action group and then ultimately convert to peace builder clubs.  The cost to join the RAG is $20 for Rotarians, $10 for Peace Fellows and $5 for Rotaractors and Interactors for the year.  The benefits of joining the RAG gives you access to the following:

 

To become a Peacebuilder club, you need at least 2 Rotarians to form a Committee.  Each of these Rotarians must complete the free training on IEP and join the RAGFP.  The club can decide if they will fund the $40 or if the Rotarians will fund this themselves ($20 dollars each).  We encourage members to become part of the District Peace Building Committee as well.  The club must identify one project a year to showcase/enhance positive sustainable peace (it can be an existing project).  The club must also commit to training their members and communities on positive sustainable peace.  There are chapter meetings every week that meet virtually, currently in Hong Kong, Germany & Serbia.  We have also launched the Africa Peace Hour that takes place on the last Sunday of every month via zoom at 7pm SA time on the following link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84438091586.  These meetings allow you to collaborate with peace builders in Africa that can give you a different insight into projects, what has worked and what are the challenges.

 

Becoming a peace builder club will help your club:

• More powerfully implement RI’s Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution area of focus in your club
• Address the growing problem and danger of divisiveness and polarization that fractionalizes and stagnates societies, disrupts peaceful relations, and increases the potential for violence,
• Build stronger, more harmonious communities and a more peaceful world,
• Help Rotarians maximize the peacebuilding impact of every Rotary project in all seven areas of focus, and

Assist in the accomplishment of Rotary’s mission to “enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace.”

 

Peace starts with each one of us, it is only when we become more peaceful within ourselves that we can build positive sustainable peace with in our committees.

A message from Rotary Ann Liz Short....

Dear Rotarians

 

At our last meeting we decided to continue with the Hundred Club fund-raising this year but we have had to reduce the cost of the tickets as people felt that money is so tight these days.  Your ticket for the year will now cost you only R200 and you will still go into the monthly draw for prizes of R150 and R300.  However, our end of year prizes have been slightly reduced, otherwise we won't make any money at all!

 

We would greatly appreciate it if you would support us again - we really value the contributions from our Rotarians and friends so please ask everyone you know if they will help us out.  Last year we only managed to sell 78 tickets so this year we are aiming for a full 100 and should raise about R12,000.

 

Thank you so much and love

 

Liz. 

And from further afield a letter sent to us from Gareth Hood....

The past year in China has been a fascinating year from many different perspectives. From a personal side, I have grown more in the last year as a person than I think I ever grew before in a similar period of time. I have experienced the challenges of being restricted from going home to see my family and friends who I miss dearly but through this experience I have realized that I have a strong mental fortitude and have developed a method of internal reflection that has greatly helped me through more challenging days. Another thing that has helped me greatly has been exercise of both my mind and body. Daily meditation and CrossFit have become hugely helpful tools in strengthening my mind and body. 

 I have missed the weekly quizzes and seeing the Rotarians online but due to blocks for security reasons, Zoom and very often any Google services will continue to not be viable communication sources for some time into the future. But be this as it may, I still strive to embody the values of a Rotarian on a daily basis and once the lockdowns in China are eased, I hope to start travelling internally again and make contact with fellow Rotarians. 

 With regards to my experiences in China so far, I have to say that China continues to amaze me by its beauty both natural and the beauty of their cultures and traditions. Never have I lived somewhere where people are so proud of the culture and still practice traditions thousands of years old. The people here are friendly and welcoming and love to hear my many stories about South Africa. One person even likened South Africa to the Wild West which I told them if they lived in Johannesburg could just mean Krugersdorp. 

 My students have been the highlight of my experience and life here so far. Never have I ever been so excited to walk into a classroom every day. My Grade 6s are the epitome of hungry minds, always inquiring. Our current unit is called Life on Mars in which we are exploring the pros and cons of humans going to Mars and a highlight of this unit was when one of the Grade 6s stood up during a class debate and stated that humans should fix Earth first before running away to another planet or we would eventually do the same thing to Mars. A life lesson if ever there was one. My Grade 10s are currently discussing conflict resolution focusing on game theory which discusses finite vs. infinite players and our discussions regularly give me hope that these students will one day lead the world into a more peaceful and prosperous period. 

 Overall I can comfortably say that so far my time in China has been the best time of my life and I am excited for the years to come here in which I can continue to grow and learn. I hope you are all staying safe and healthy and hopefully, I can eventually attend a meeting in person. 

Cheers for now!

 Love Gareth

This Friday.....

Alison Groves will address us at a hybrid Zoom/Wanderers meeting.

Alison has been involved in the ‘green’ movement in South Africa since its inception in 2007 and is a Green Star Accredited Professional. She is particularly interested in designing resilience into buildings, thereby future proofing against resource scarcities. A fundamental principle of her approach is to find synergies between systems and materials used, maximising potential for passive design.

Having worked closely with the Green Building Council South Africa since its inception, she has been involved in the development of a number of the Green Star rating tools, serves as assessor and sits on the GBCSA Technical Advisory Group. She has won several awards, including winner of the highest rated Green Star Building – Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre in 2013 and the Leadership award for the most Established Green Star Accredited Professional in 2015.