Members, we were saddened to learn last weekend that Life Member and a long time active member of the Karori Rotary Club, David Stevens, aged 84, had passed away suddenly on Friday, at Rita Angus where he had moved to following time in Wellington hospital.
The Club was delighted in February this year to award David a Life Membership of the Rotary Club of Karori for his service and advice in Rotary.David had a lengthy career in banking management. He was made a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland in August 1988, following which he and Ann moved to Wellington where he took up membership that year in the Rotary Club of Karori.
David was an English gentleman, with a good sense of humour. He maintained high professional standards throughout his business and community service and was a respected member of our Club. He was a devoted Rotarian. Together with Past Presidents Doug Langford, and David Watt, I was able to attend a small function at David and Ann’s inner city apartment prior to David going into hospital. We presented David with his Life Membership Award on behalf of the Club.
In accordance with David’s wishes a private family service has been planned. A memorial service is being considered later. We extend to Ann and her family our deepest condolences.
Former member of our Club Jean Morrison, who was also a resident at Rita Angus, passed away recently aged 87.
Jean’s husband Dr Bruce Morrison joined our Club in 1988 and following his passing Jean became a member in 1993. Jean was an active member of the club until ill health prevented her continuing a few years ago.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Jean’s family.
We are delighted to welcome District Governor Gillian Jones to our meeting on Tuesday 27 October. This will be her official Governor visit to our Club.
Gillian has been a close friend to Rotary Karori, stemming back to her time as an Assistant District Governor to David Watt in his year as Governor in 2009-10. We have met often with Gillian and joined Gillian and husband Kevin at our combined Christmas function with the Wellington South Club.
Gillian has many good ideas to take our District and Rotary forward and we are keen to hear from her.
Partners are welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting but please advise Doug Langford for catering purposes.
Club Christmas Function with past members and Rotarians from the Mt Victoria and Courtenay Place Clubs.
Tuesday 26 January, Social Event With Tawa Rotary
A combined meeting with the Rotary Club of Tawa to Wrights Hill tunnels, followed by a meal at the entrance to the tunnels. Note this will be an early start 5.30pm for an organised tour of the tunnels.
Thursday 18 Februry at Karori Park Cafe
The first Rotary/ANZ Business Breakfast for 2021, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson.
Our first meeting this month was special for two reasons.
Firstly we managed to get Dr Matt Wheeler, who was a successful nominee from our Club in being awarded a RI Scholarship to study medicine in Canada to come and address members on his time at McMaster Univerity in Hamilton, Ontario.
Secondly to have a “raid” from the Rotary Club of Wellington, who supported our nomination for Dr Matt Wheeler, with 17 attendees at our meeting, helping to swell our ranks and to give Matt a great audience to address. We owe a great debt to Marion Eades, Chair of the District Scholarship for her leadership in steering Matt’s application to Rotary International and gaining him a very substantial financial grant for thrombotic research.
Dr Matt Wheeler and his wife and family were in Canada for less than a year, unfortunately curtailed by the onset of the covid virus throughout the world. They returned home to New Zealand in early 2020 for safety and family reasons, but with the hope that they can go back to enable Matt to continue his studies.
Dr John Carter, recently retired head of Haematology at Wellington Hospital and head of the Wellington Cancer Centre, and Dr Matt Wheeler’s boss, introduced Matt to our meeting as an outstanding haematologist. John said that Matt had been chosen to go to McMaster, one of the world’s leading research units in the study of thrombosis. John said Matt is an outstanding young doctor he is doing particularly well in his chosen research path. Matt has brought back to Tauranga where he currently working in the public hospital a vast knowledge of information gained in an area of medical concern for so many groups in our community, in particular amongst Maori and Pacific Island families.
It was interesting for members to learn about this specialist area of medical research, and about life for Matt and his family in Hamilton, Ontario. With his very down to earth approach, Matt warmed to our audience and he conveyed his very sincere thanks to Rotary for providing an opportunity to extend his knowledge and skills in a very specialist area of medicine for on-going practice in New Zealand.
At our next business breakfast on Tuesday 17 November we are looking forward to welcoming Sharon Zollner.
Sharon is the Chief Economist at the ANZ and is in high demand as a speaker and commentator on the New Zealand economy.
Now that we are post the General Elections, attention turns to the recovery of the New Zealand economy and we will be interested in Sharon’s views on how she sees the big issues ahead for our government.
Last year the District 9940 Ride The Train project raised $30,000 to help end polio. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matched this 2 for 1 meaning that $90,000 went to help end Polio. Africa has now been declared free of Polio in the wild leaving only Afghanistan and Pakistan where the disease persists.
You can help by supporting Ride The Train. Buy a tee shirt and cover the 62 stations between Palmerston North and Masterton or sponsor someone who will. A suggested donation of 50 cents per station will raise $31. Wearing the tee shirt means you can ride for free.
If you can't ride the train, there will be a stall selling bacon butties at Wellington Station. Sign up for a couple of hours at
By the way, Polio only exists in human populations. When eradicated it will be only the 3rd disease eliminated from earth, after Smallpox and Rinderpest (a cattle disease).
