Visitors: Greg, Guest of Barry, Kat who is close to becoming a member and Julia, Guest of Warren Banks
Venue: The meeting was held at Tauranga club on Devonport road.
Introduction
Lynda introduced all the members to the aforementioned guests. She then called upon Chris Dever for a special presentation on Friday morning.
Chris Dever Presented
Warren Banks with Paul Harris Fellow award. He counted some of the great achievements of Warren Banks in the New Zealand Military and the Rotary club (member since 2001). Notably his contribution in starting RYPEN designed for developing young people’s potential that has helped 600 students over the years. Warren designed and initiated the program at the request of Rotorua Sunrise club. It was then offered to Tauranga Sunrise club in 2000. The program aims to help those students that need little bit of a push to develop confidence to pursue their potential and ambitions. His contributions in other activities in the club has been invaluable. Warren has demonstrated the object of Rotary of service.
Warren thanked all the members for supporting him during his time as her served the communities.
Messages: Les Geraghty encouraged members to donate to the auction coming up in September. He informed members that they kindly donate what you can. Also being some friends with money! Members can take photo of the article to be donated and send it to Lynda Burch. Funds will go to shelter box and Vanuatu library project.
Speakers: Pat introduced guest speaker our district governor who is attending Rotary club meeting across our district. Ours was the 14 club he visited and he has another 36 to go. Kevin was welcomed with a huge round of applause.
Kevin’s Presentation
Kevin thanked Lynda for the kin invitation and
introduced himself and his family with great pride. They live in Tekuiti and run a successful law firm there for 35 years. He introduced his 2 daughters and 2 grandsons. Elder daughter Racheal works for police and younger one has just returned home with Master of Psychology. He also thanked the club members to be present there and then acknowledged our clubs’ wonderful programmes.
Kevin then elaborated on this career with Rotary club where he served for 32 years and president 3 times and other engagements.
He is also a huge fan of West Tigers rugby team. He is also passionate for motorbikes and Moto GP. Kevin and his wife have travelled to different places to watch the moto GP.
Kevin then fondly told the members of Rotary international recently elected their first woman president Jennifer Jones. Her theme is
Imagine Rotary!
Jennifer wants all Rotary members to imagine possibilities and enhance connections to make those possibilities a reality. She also wants members to work on diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure everyone is welcomes and engaged.
Theme of imagine Rotary gives us opportunity to think out of the square. “A dream you dream alone is only a dream but dream you dream together is reality” Jennifer sent an artwork to all district governors. Raffle is on for the art, $5 each and it will be drawn in April 2023 in Tekuiti. All the proceed will go to polio programmes.
The logo of the new theme introduced by Jennifer Joes has meaning. Purple is for polio, green is for environment and white is for peace. Kevin also discussed his goals as a district governor to keep things simple. Kevin emphasized to keep mentally active and well. He wanted members to keep good balance between Rotary and their lives. Family first, work second and Rotary third. He described members as assets and wants all of them to look after themselves and continue to achieve great heights. He then further emphasized on importance of mental health. Kevin is asking each club of the district to do a fundraiser .
Kevin then talked about membership and stressed that without members we will cease to exist without them. It is not just about attracting members but also retain them. It is essential to make Rotary an enjoyable and engaging experience. Putting ourselves in the shoes of the visitors is a good starting point. Even though there is no one solution for attracting members but it is a responsibility of every member to spread the word of Rotary and attract new members and retain for the long haul. Knowing more about Rotary is a good starting point. We have a good training team, a learning centre run by Rotary international, and all the courses offered are for free. Kevin encouraged to jump on their computer and have a good look at it.
He then urged members to focus on Rotary core values. Values of fellowship, diversity, service, and leadership. These values even though incorporated in 1905 remain relevant and significant. Furthermore, he outlined the blue-ribbon programmes offered by Rotary especially outward bounds that will restart in mid 2023.
Kevin also encouraged to support Rotary foundation and money that goes into it comes back to the Rotary. He reminded our president to make application for a project to access funds from the district grants.
7 areas focus as per the logo by Jennifer Jones, promoting peace, fighting disease, providing safe water, protecting mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economy and new one being environment. He then urged clubs to do one environment project a year.
District conference next year is in Te Kuiti to give back to the community that has supported Kevin and the club.
A emotional video was then played in relation to the upcoming District conference in 2023. Kevin then closed his presentation by thanking Lynda quoting Jennifer Jones “you don’t imagine yesterday, you imagine tomorrow”. Pat Taylor then thanked Kevin for his service and for highlighting where the district is heading.
Raffle: Raffle was won by
Sargent session by Buddy: What happened on this day in history. In 1976, John walker ran the sub 3:50 mile, Minnie Dean became the first woman to be hung in New Zealand and 1895.
Thomas Kendall, one of the first missionaries to New Zealand, started a school in 1817 in bay of islands and had the protection of Hongi Hika in Waikato. Hongi Hika had a reputation of being a fierce warrior but was also an interesting character. Kendall took Hongi to England where he met the king. The king gave Hongi various gifts including an armor which he kept but traded for muskets. Then on a trip to Sydney in 1821 Hongi came back with over 100 muskets. His portrait is now in Auckland Museum. He belonged to Ngapuhi tribe and was raiding Tauranga region with muskets especially the outlaws and people in McCaw islands. He was once shot in the head once, but he had Some of the replicas of his muskets made in 2014 and are up for sales. The result of the wars here in by of plenty was that kids were taken to north as slaves. In 1840s when we started fighting the British in the north, the kids, by then adults, fought the wars, notable Ruapekapeka. Hongi then under the banner of Jesus and peace avoided trouble and brought the slaves in the Bay area.
When the slaves were released, they came to Gate pa with experience of operating the artillery and fought the British here in Gate Pa. One prominent slave was Penetaka Tua, who was an engineer and designed the building of the Gate pa defenses. This is the link between Hongi, slaves going up north fighting the British up north and bringing them back down to fight the British in this area.
Parting thought by Chris Dever: Once all villagers decided to pray for rain, on the day of prayer all people gathered but only one boy brought the umbrella, that is faith. When you through a baby in the air they laugh because they know you will catch them, that trust. Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive tomorrow morning, we set an alarm to wake up, that’s hope. We plan big things for tomorrow despite zero knowledge of the future, that’s confidence. We see the world suffering, but we still get married and have children, that love. An old man’s T-shirt red a sentence, I am not 80 years old, I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience, that’s attitude. Have a happy day and live your live like the 6 stories.
