President Lynda
Lynda started the meeting with the call to order, advising our scheduled Speaker was unwell and our new member Rod Large would be filling in.
But first up we had notices and reminders.
Shiv spoke at length, about the Arts and Fine Homes tours, which for many reasons has now changed to Arts and Amazing spaces tour and he invited the Club and Community service committee to find and put forward some amazing places for the joint committee’s to consider.
Ross reminded all that the auction is on the 9th September and that the last day to bring any further items is Friday 2nd. Please ring Les Geraghty 021315366 for items which may need picking up.
Steve Dorrington was lonely at the last couple of Friday Fives and urged members to support Rotary and the Tauranga Club by attending the last Friday drinks each month ( next is on Friday 30 Sept )
President Lynda noted that Shiv Thammalla is celebrating a birthday on 31 Aug.
Dean Thompson gave our last minute speaker
Rod Large a warm welcome.
Rod began speaking by advising us that he is used to giving motivational talks but on this occasion he thought he would talk about himself. He began by describing his Whaka which was the HMS Rodney. His Father and his Grandfather had both served on this vessel built in 1920s a Nelson class battleship as a result he was christened Rodney. With a name that was considered upper class he was tormented by his peers.
He had three brothers and grew up in a state house in Totteridge. Which was a great village life to grow up in. Rod was partly-dyslectic; spelling was not a strong point at school often having to stand in the dunce corner this never stopped him learning life skills. Playing football for school, then for the local county and was then picked up by Tottingham Hotspur - life was a dream until at 15 the coach called him in and said “Rod you’re not good enough”. He then Joined the Police as a cadet which was good as he went to college and furthered his education.
Football again changed his direction in life, after a game between the police v RAF an RAF recruitment officer approached Rod and asked him if he wanted to be a Plod for the rest of his life or would he like to apply to the RAF as a flying officer cadet. Unfortunately for Rod he nearly flew his training aircraft into the ground so after another eyesight test he was placed in the intelligence service as an officer, not quite like James Bond.
In 1965 Oman was an interesting place until being fired upon and shot at In a full scale Arab skirmish. Latter in Aden he was being air lifted out in a C130 with ramp down with a heavy caliber machine gun firing hot at the Guys chasing us down the runway.
After the RAF it was back to Rods happy place Football at Middleburgh F.C. Rod had learnt from life and has dads saying “ Winners never quit and quitters never win “. After a couple of years of pro football his knee gave out through too many tackles or dives and he changed profession to a salesman of fine English Cars including Austin Allegro’s, Morris Marinas and then British Laylands masterpiece the Austin Princess. Rod discovered and developed and put into practice - to sell a car put on your biggest smile and make customers laugh. The bill of sales kept on being signed - life was good.
Rod married a Kiwi moving to NZ in 1984. Through family he was Invited to a dinner in Auckland and was offered a job with Bob McMillian who had the BMW franchise and also obtained the Toyota Franchise. Bob McMillian was big on training in product and sales which Rod took full advantage of.
A company in Australia called ‘Fortune‘ which Rod trained with, impressed Rod so much that he brought the Company Fortune Group NZ and subsequently formed another company Smart Train NZ. He has enjoyed helping people using lots of laughter. Rod had to understand what causes laughter and why do we laugh. To do this Rod went to the States and completed a degree in Behavioral Psychology. Rod learnt that if you can smile or laugh it triggers the brain to produces and release of endorphins, (the body’s natural feel good chemicals) and can stop a feeling of pain, hurt or dark thoughts.
Editor’s note - So I am going to keep a smile on My Dial!
Ian Burns gave thanked Rod for being a last-minute speaker. Ian said “He will be taking all the info onboard”
Raffle was drawn B53 won by Warren
Sergeant was James Ross The topic was this Day 26 August, with a mathematical calculation that if you were born on this day you were likely to be conceived on Dec 3 . Just a thought for those people would like to know that. Calculation #2- only 127 days till the end of the year! 1920 Women got the right to vote in the USA. 2008 was the first Afro American to be nominated for presidency.
Today is cheery Popsicle day go figure! Dog appreciation day, Web Mistress Day – a women who’s occupation is designing and developing websites
Parting thought : Sanjana
Quote from Brene Brown – inspirational speaker.
“Vulnerability is not about winning or losing. It is having the courage to show up when you can’t control the outcome” and “Courage is contagious”.