This Wednesday 7th July at 19:00 our intrepid quizzers are one again venturing across the border when they take on the e-Club of Harare. Everyone is welcome to join.
Lockdown restrictions did not dampen the spirit of this year's Presidential Induction and it was heartwarming to see that so many of the Zoom attendees made an extra special effort and donned their glad rags and certainly looked the part.
Thank goodness our incoming President Costa was able to attend the ceremony in person.
DG Stella honoured us with her presence, and made a very special announcement that our very own Juanette McCrindle and her partner Rainer Bartram have both become Major Donors (Level 2).
This generosity was applauded by everyone and Stella emphasized the importance of Giving back to Society.
I have taken the liberty of publishing outgoing President Ann's speech verbatim (mainly for those members that missed the occasion)
She made special mention of the members we lost to Higher Service this year and they are immortalized in the in the In Memoriam section above.
President’s address
I have had a great year as President and I would like to thank
everyone for your patience while I got used to the protocols and while we all
got used to the online meetings.
It was very different – hybrid, virtual, online, challenging, sad,
educational, emotional, but made one count your blessings and be grateful.
My looking back over the year is all about celebrating the members
of Rosebank Rotary Club and saying many thank you’s – please bear with me.
We have such wonderful members in our Club. I would like to share
with you a list of our longstanding members – you can only be in AWE of the
number of years these gentlemen have served Rotary and the community – they are
AWESOME>
|
Years in Rotary
|
Name
|
Date joined Rotary
|
|
47 years
|
Tutty Faber
|
Oct 23 1975
|
|
45 years
|
David Bradshaw
|
Dec 01 1976
|
|
44 years
|
PDG Ken Stonestreet
|
Jan 01 1977
|
|
44 years
|
Howard Johnston
|
Jun 28 1977
|
|
41 years
|
James Croswell
|
Jan 18 1980
|
|
36 years
|
Bernard Neuhaus
|
July 02 1984
|
|
36 years
|
Roger Lloyd
|
Aug 23 1984
|
|
33 years
|
Les Short
|
Dec 11 1987
|
|
32 years
|
Richard Tonkin
|
Jul 01 1988
|
|
32 years
|
Costa Qually
|
Oct 24 1988
|
|
32 years
|
Richard Moloney
|
Oct 24 1988
|
Many of our members have served in District in the past –
currently we have Kevin Wolhuter, Jean Bernardo, Costa Qually and James
Croswell flying our flag. You all do us proud.
I would like to thank most especially our Assistant Governor Jean
who I have on speed dial for her mentorship and support – she is a very special
friend.
I would like to give the thanks of the Club to PP Peter
James Smith who has transferred to a club closer to home. Peter thank you for
your years of doing the Ramble, building up to what it is today – a winner in
District. Thank you for all your hard work, leadership and friendship. We will
miss you, your stories and hope you will visit us.
Although we had to adapt to new ways of working and thinking we
have achieved a lot in the past year thanks to the efforts and generosity of club
members.
My year started in the midst of lockdown – we made July ‘Mandela
Month’ and collected food and money for hampers, some of which went to Charity
Begins with Me. Everyone was doing their bit to alleviate some of the hardship
resulting from lockdown and lack of work – donations to charities and persons
both privately and through the club. And not all the donations came from
members, but families of members too.
We cottoned on to online events and had 2 very interesting talks
by Rob Caskie – Spionkop and Ernest Shackleton in Antarctica – fascinating
story teller and some welcome money raised for our projects.
During the year Africa was pronounced Wild Polio free and the push
is on to eradicate Polio from the last few countries – Rosebank donated R5000
to Polio Plus.
Rosebank Rotary Club donated R10000 to Rotary Foundation – there
are also members who have made personal donations.
Our quiz night at Parkview Golf Club was a resounding success and
we made R22350 – thanks to the fund raising committee and especially Sonja for
her hard work. Thank you Sonja, not just for that evening but for all your hard
work. Just a quick heads up, Sonja has got Clem Sunter to give us a talk in the
near future – watch this space…
We have become the Quiz Club – recently we hosted our 50th
online quiz. Every Wed evening, thanks to David’s excellent organising we have
a quiz, mostly against other clubs – I will not say we have got cleverer, but
we are getting better at it!! It is a lot of fun. Thank you to our excellent quizmasters
Gareth and Sonja – who have done the lion’s share of the questions.
2020 was the year of the Nurse and because we could not have our
normal Rotary Family Health Days, we were able to give recognition to nurses –
and there was never a better time than during the pandemic to be honouring
nurses!! We recognised the Nursing Department at Wits Medical School and the
nurses at the Palliative Care Centre. It is heartwarming to see what it means
to people to be recognised and thanked.
We gave the annual Lester Connock award to a very interesting and
deserving nursing student at Wits – R25000 to further her studies and share
what she learns and implement her research.
Marianne has taken over the Interact Club at Highlands North High
School. Thank you Marianne, having someone like you will benefit the young
Interactors as you have such compassion and understanding when it comes to
young people.
PP Les Short always looks like a softy but when we get out of
line, we hear about it – thank you Les for keeping me on the straight and
narrow.
Pam is active behind the scenes keeping tabs on attendance, with
the assistance or Lenore and Les at times – Pam does travel a lot!!
Jeannette Horner never ceases to amaze us all. She has made over 5300 masks and 255 dozen rusks since lockdown began
and COVID took hold, She also got people in her complex to provide soup
packages when they were needed.
We missed out on SYLC, Careers Day, Art Festival, Vocational
Service awards – but hopefully if and when, we get back to them in some format,
they will be bigger and better than ever.
Momo – our Rotary Exchange Student returned last year in November
from Thailand. She was already there when COVID began and opted to stay – she
had a great year and proved to be a great ambassador for South Africa. Since
returning she has given us some insights into what she learnt and also a demo
of Thai cooking – a very entertaining evening. She is sick in bed right now
with COVID.
Sybi and her Community Services committee have had the most to do
over the past year – Spar food collection went ahead and we supplied our
charities with food vouchers and groceries to the value of R27000. Thank you to
those who manned the trolleys and donated.
We spent some of our money on a Jojo tank for Charity Begins with
me for their food garden. Money was donated to White Cane Project for educating
people to teach the blind.
Our new members – Lorenzo, Chrispin, Gareth, Anne and Charmaine.
Ringing in the changes, we now have 2 e’members – in China and Italy. Chrispin
had no sooner joined us and he was selected to train as a Peace Co-ordinator
(one of 100 in the District). Anne and Charmaine were quickly in spanned by
Sonja to fund raising!! Welcome to all, we love getting reports from around the
globe – sometimes we have Germany, Italy, China and South African
representation on our meetings!!
Thank you to Jean for making sure we feature in Rotary
publications and the media. Both Jean and Sybille are responsible for us our
name out there. The Rosebank Ramble being numero uno in District when it
comes to newsletters!! YAY!!
The club had 2 District Grants which we have closed and completed.
James Croswell did an amazing job obtaining a container for the Palliative Care
Group at Bara, managing the logistics around moving it more than once and
keeping the records. Jerry Bernardo did a sterling job refurbishing the
container with the help of John Hope-Bailie. Thank you James for your efforts. The
thanks of the Club to John Hope-Bailie for his time and effort.
A huge, huge thank you to Jerry, not only for the container work
but also for the Madiba buggies which he worked on. Thank you to Costa for your
assistance with them as well. Madiba buggies are wheelchairs which have been
retrofitted with a shelf to assist the disabled. They had been donated to deserving disabled children who had
travelled for many miles from their rural homes with their care givers.
I had the pleasure during lockdown of visiting Bernard Neuhaus on
the occasion of his 90th birthday – if I can be like that when I am
90 I will be very happy. We do not see much of Bernard but he is there in the
background.
Our other District grant was used to set up a group of ladies to
sew masks and later other items in order to sustain themselves and their
families. Thanks to Jeannette and Jean we have such a group of 5 ladies and it
looks like it could be something which will grow.
Our youth programme took a dive due to COVID but we did manage to
do some school awards and took part in the online RYLA event which went around
the world for 24 hours, as well as the District RYLA.
We have had a great variety of very interesting speakers this year
thanks to David – topics and characters too many to mention – always a
favourite is the MY STORY told by Rotarians.
Fellowship an important part of Rotary – that always sounds very
proper – it is actually just fun!! We spent a night playing kegel, we auction
marmalade, we drink, eat pizza, we party and luckily our new DG is a person who
believes in dancing and singing so roll on the next Rotary year!!
Every year at this time we collect money to buy blankets for the
needy. If you have ever stood around and asked for money from people you will
understand that it is not easy – Roger will tell you!! Our collective
collection efforts this year were very fruitful and we have been able to fulfil
many blanket requests, close on 450 – and after tonight hopefully many more.
Thanks to all involved in the blanket drive.
Thank you to all the members of Rosebank – I know I have not
mentioned everyone by name but everyone plays their part. During this time
there have been some members who for one reason or another have not been seen –
but thanks to David we know where everyone is and how everyone is.
Thank you to the members of the board – Costa, thank you.
We say farewell to Judy Powell who has been with us for a long
time and enjoyed many memories.
I love being part of this
club – Rotary projects are sustainable, we are not a charity and we do not just
give money away BUT we listen to what people ask for and rally around when we
get requests for food, clothes, wheelchairs, used furnishings – when there is a
need no one questions it. You are all so generous and kind – that is why you
are Rotarians.
JERRY BERNARDO Just because we do not see him does not mean that
he is not hard at work on something to do with one of our projects. Over the
past year alone Jerry has spent countless hours on the refurbishment of the
container and the Madiba buggies. There are many projects we have done as a
club which depended almost entirely on Jerry. I cannot name them all but we all
know that without Jerry his passion, innovation, perfection, unwavering effort
many a project would not have succeeded. For just being you Jerry – the person
you are and the person we love and value you for.. you are awarded a PHF +1.
Richly deserved.
DAVID BRADSHAW I keep saying Thanks to David, David did this and
David did that – actually there is only ONE David in the club. As you saw,
David has been a Rotarian for a very long time and for most of that time with
Rosebank. David is currently THE membership committee, he is the Club Almoner,
he organises the quizzes, he is involved in the Youth Committee and the
Community Services Committee. 200% attendance – what can I say? Oh and the Speaker
program co-ordinator – I have mentioned what great speakers we have. But David
is the person who calls on all the members we do not see often and makes sure
they are OK. David keeps up with the family of past members. David volunteers
for everything the club does – he collects money, cleans rivers, delivers,
fetches, carries. David you have such empathy for your fellow man – you are so
kind, gentle and always happy – the board voted unanimously for you to get a
PHF. A PHF +1 goes to you with all our thanks, love and respect.
SYBILLE ESSMANN For the past year you have camped at my house, we
have done the Ramble together, you join me for Zoom meetings and you became a
regular for Monday dinner. You had your sadness during the year and never let
it get in the way or get you down – you are caring, dedicated and hard working.
Sybi you have so many hours in your day for Rotary since you became a member –
your enthusiasm is inspiring. Nothing is too much trouble and you are willing
to do what is necessary to get stuff done. Anyone interested in recycling and
making EcoBricks – Sybi is your person – just make sure you have a few hours!!
The success of the Ramble has been noted and we are so proud. You
richly deserve this recognition – please do not go away too soon!!
JEAN BERNARDO.
Thank you for being my
mentor, my support, sounding board, friend. It is almost impossible to walk in
your shoes, I will have have to follow in your footsteps if I can!! – you are
one in a million. Sorry I did not clean the silverware!!
COSTA QUALLY
With this collar,
which bears the names of all the Presidents of our Club, including your own, I
induct you as President of the Rotary Club of Rosebank for 2021 – 2022.
President Costa
Qually, I present you with your President’s badge and the Club Charter.
On behalf of the
members of your Club and all the visitors & guests assembled here tonight,
I congratulate you and wish you a successful & rewarding year.
Fellow Rotarians, I
present to you our new President, Costa Qually.
My Role as president
4 past presidents
were ladies - that is a hard act to follow
I have to admit that I am somewhat
apprehensive
o
many
long-standing members of the club
o
many
members are past Presidents
o
I am
going to need ongoing support and commitment of the board and of club members
The club is
working well and our existing club activities will continue
Thinking of the year ahead
The nature of
Rosebank Rotary
A good number of
our members are retired/semi-retired and have ranked for vaccinations
Fortunately, our
newer members are younger and are still active in their careers
I hope that these
new members will each have a long and distinguished role in the club and in
Rotary
Our members have a
mix of characters, skills and varying amounts of time available for Rotary
activities
Our members also have
varying beliefs, motivations and objectives in life
So, what is Rotary? In my view:
Rotary is not a
political organisation, but all Rotarians are vitally concerned with everything
pertaining to good citizenship and the election of good people to public office
Rotary is not a
charitable organisation, yet its activities exemplify the charity and
sacrifices that one should expect from people who believe that they have a
responsibility to help others
Rotary is not a
religious organisation, but it is built on the eternal principles that have
served as the moral compass for people throughout the ages
Rotary is an
organisation of people pledged to uphold the highest professional, ethical and
moral standards
Rotarians believe
that worldwide friendship and peace can be achieved when people unite under the
banner of service.
The current RI
theme of “Serve to change lives” is one way of expressing this.
This Rotary year's goals - which is a work in progress - and Board members can be readily found on the right hand side of the Ramble.
On the night we also inducted two new members into the club:
Welcome to Sheldon Rampanapasi and Roger Wedlake.
This Friday....
Promises to be another meeting highlight. Our guest speaker will be addressing us from across the Pond all the way from the UK
Mark Herbert is a former teacher and church pastor.
His company seeks to help
release untapped leadership potential.
He is the author of the book: I’m (not) a Leader.
He is married to Steph and has a son called Rafe.
They live in Surrey, South East England.
