We had an enjoyable meeting with Simon Woolf, photographer, and Greater Wellington Regional Councillor, on 27 February. Simon has agreed to become an associate member of our Club. More on his messages to us in this bulletin.
We have published the fact that we still have some $3,500 in grant funding in this Rotary year for needy community projects being promoted by non profit making organisations. If you know of any worthy non profit making group in our Rotary catchment area – Makara, Karori, Kelburn and Northland, with a project needing support, please let Allan Frazer know. The Club will again have a full round of community grant funding available for projects in the new Rotary year from July.
March is a key month for Leadership Impact Training in our District. With proposed new groupings under the regionalisation pilot programme now released, and the course last Sunday on Zoom for Presidents Elect and other interested members, our District is getting into stride to address key issues facing clubs.
This month, we have two meetings at Marsden. On 12 March our two Presidents Elect for 2024-2025 will outline their thoughts to Club members for the year ahead at a Club Forum. This is an important meeting with significant implications for the future of our club. Please make every effort to attend. Please note this is a change to the previously advertised forward programme. On 26 March Dani Lim, who has been to an earlier meeting of our Club and is interested in Rotary membership. Dani has just completed her PhD thesis and will talk about Brasilia..
Easter will be upon us on Friday 29 March, early this year, and following that in April we will be in District Conference season which will combine with the centenary of the Whanganui Rotary Club.
Ten schools and four Rotary Clubs, including Karori, were represented at the quarterly meeting for Lifting the Lid on 29 February. Funding this year has increased to $63,500 up from $32,000 in 2022-23. To date since the project has been running $40,077 has been approved in funding for counsellor and other support, with $33,446 invoiced. The Rotary Club of Karori is playing its part with $5,000 in this year’s funding.
Seven clubs in the city are contributing funds to the project.
So far, 10 schools have signed up for support in the capital – Onslow College, Rongotai College, St Mary’s College, Wellington East Girls College, Wellington High, Evans Bay Intermediate, South Wellington Intermediate, Newlands College, Raroa Normal Intermediate, and Newlands Intermediate. A total of 108 students have been involved in receiving support, totalling 314 sessions.
Some new initiatives apart from one on one counselling and working with families have involved sports events to give students leadership and confidence and working with animals, with dogs and with horses.
Further approaches to schools in the Wellington area are to be made with an outline of a forward business plan. This plan includes approaches to Trusts and major businesses to join forces with Rotary to support the ‘Lifting the Lid’ project.
Saturday 2 March saw a band of volunteers from the Rotary Club Of Karori performing gardening duties at the Marsden Club in Newcombe Cres.
The Marsden Club and the associated Chelsea Club in Lyall Bay, provide day care for people suffering from dementia, thus providing a day's respite for their normal carers.
The enthusiastic team weeded, trimmed, cleared up and spread mulch, leaving the garden in a much tidier state. This is an activity that ticks all the Rotary boxes of service to the community. We are planning another session next spring.
Our special thanks to Allan Frazer for his organisation, to Denise and Angela from the clubs for morning tea and to Penny Darwin's son Harry and his girl friend who transported much of the mulch.
It was a pleasure hosting renowned photographer and Wellington Regional Councillor, Simon Woolf, at our last meeting. As President Jay has reported, Simon is keen to take up an invitation to be an associate member of our Club. We have been most grateful for the many occasions that Simon has undertaken photographic assignments for the Club.
He spoke from the heart about his experiences as a three term Wellington City Councillor, the many frustrations he had on that Council and the enjoyment he now has with a “more pragmatic” leadership team of officers and councillors carrying out the responsibilities of the Greater Wellington Regional Council. He welcomes being pro-active rather than reactive as so often in the past.
He said the Regional Council has full on engagement with eight tribal entities across the region and they seek an invitation to meet on local patch terms to address matters iwi want to bring before the Council.
Simon spent some time addressing a vexed local issue, public transport for students from Makara attending schools across the Wellington area and how the Regional Council is trying to address this. With questions he welcomed support from Rotary and other organisations to help overcome some of the pressing difficulties families have to get their children across the hill into Karori to attend schools.
Simon finished up showing a few photos that he is putting into a national competition with a focus on a red chair which has become the feature in all that he is submitting for this photographic event.
This meeting has been cancelled in favour of a joint meeting with Wellington North (see below).
Wednesday 16 July, Joint Meeting With The Rotary Club Of Wellington North
From 6:00pm for a 6:30pm start at Khandallah Presbyterian Church, Ganges Road. This is a dinner meeting with guest speaker Hon Poto Williams, on the work of Challenge 2000. The cost is $20 pp including a drink and a raffle ticket, pay at the desk on the night. For catering purposes please advise David if you will attend.
Tuesday 22 July, Dinner Meeting At Marsden
Our speaker will be Jayathi Jaiganesh, daughter of PP Jay. Jayathi attended the Future Leaders Assembly in Bali in April and will talk about that event.
Wednesday 30 July, Business Breakfast at The Wellington Club
The combined Rotary Clubs of Wellington present John Allen, the new Chief Ombudsman from 7:00am to 8:30am. Please RSVP to Secretary David Watt.
Tuesday 12 August, Meeting At The Karori RSA Off Campbell Street
From 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start. There will be a light meal followed by a presentation from guest speaker Carey Clements, Karori RSA member and Archivist at Wellington High School.
Tuesday 26 August, Dinner Meeting At Marsden
We will have a presentation from PP Jay Jaiganesh on the Rotary District Leadership Committee.
Tuesday 2 September, Wellington Elections Meeting
Starting at 7:00pm at St Ninians Church, Newcombe Crescent. Mayoral and Wharangi-Onslow candidates will speak. Organised by Karori Residents Association and the Rotary Club of Karori.
Wednesday 24 September, Combined Dinner With The Karori Lions
Combined dinner at the Karori Park Cafe. Speakers from Tommy's Real Estate on Campbell Village residential development.
October, Date TBC, Employee Appreciation Awards
A joint event between the Rotary Club Of Karori and the Karori Business Association.
Friday 3 and Saturday 4 October, Lions/Rotary Book Fair
This takes place over 2 days at Baptist Church Marsden Village. Further details to come.
Saturday 18 October - Sunday 9 November, Wellington Heritage Festival
Your club had donated to this growing regional festival.
Friday 31 October - Sunday 2 November, Rotary South Pacific Zone Conference
To be held at Coolangatta on Australia's Gold Coast.
Tuesday 25 November, AGM At Marsden
A dinner meeting followed by our AGM.
Saturday 6 December, Christmas Function At Marsden
