Today’s attendance:
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Attended
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39
|
|
Apologies
|
7
|
|
LOA
|
0
|
|
Silent
|
8
|
|
Total
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54
|
Visitors: Lisa Phillips (past Member)
Richard Fuller (Guest Speaker)
Welcome From President Lynda Burch. Good to see so many attending our first official meeting of the year. A bit cramped for room some complained. Great to see Lisa back said others.
Congratulations to Dan: - Dan was apparently the regional rep for NZ of the year. Well done that man!
A multitude of birthdays were announced – writer only got a few down, but it would be fair to say a lot of members notched up a milestone over the break…..
Neil and Dale Matson celebrated 45 years of unbridled bliss and all our foundation members received a mention as the club celebrated its 26th anniversary.
Announcement and Upcoming events:
- RYPENS 17th March, which from memory coincides with St Patricks Day. If you tear yourself away from the green festivities, the RYPEN camp is a worthy alternative. Even if your Police vetting has not been revoked, you will need to get it renewed as they have all expired over the Covid holidays. Contact David Robinson to get the process underway.
- Rotary Golf Tournament – Feb 2nd Omokoroa Golf Club. If we have sufficient interest, we can register a team of our own, or if you are not much of a team player you can register directly with the organisers. Johagan@outlook.com 020 4051 2710
- K Valley – great article. Many thanks to Rosalie and Sunlive
- Bait Line: If you like dealing with dead animals then Michelle B will put you on the roster for clearing and maintaining the bait lines in K Valley. This clearly had a lot of appeal for many members as there was a forest of hands wanting to have a go. Get your name down quick to be in on the fun.
- Amazing Places – Shiv tells us he is still after ideas and contacts for this event, planned for later this year. Tiny homes, funky homes and art studios are all on the list. If your imagination is up to the task, send him through your winning ideas.
- Heart Foundation Collection – Friday 24th Feb, (or Sat 25th). Keep the dates in mind as there will be a list coming round.
- Dan Allen-Gordon– Kiora Koutu - Waitiangi Day Celebrations – 2 more people required to collect Koha in t at the Historic Village. Let Dan know if you can help collect the gold coin donations.
- Multisport Support by Sunrise- A big thank to Steve Read and the team for there support again this year as road marshals for the Cycling leg, a sunny day and excellent response from the public made it worthwhile helping out. A few dollars was raised for the Club and we were involved with the community again. Thanks
again team
Guest Speaker: Isla de Pascua, Easter Island & Rapanui. Richard Fuller has been studying them all since finishing his Anthropology degree in 1987.
Easter Island is as remote as a teenager on their phone. Only 67 square miles, no outer islands, 3500Km s to Chile, 2000 kms to the nearest inhabited Island, which itself only has 50 residents (Pitcairn).
Richard ran through a brief and catastrophic history of the island: Tsunamis, civil war (Long Ears v Short ears), Kevin Costner movies, religious indoctrination, deforestation, annexation, South American despots and more. Blackbirding, smallpox and a nuclear airbase could well be added but failed to rate a mention. No mention at all of statue toppling either.
However, Easter Island is of course most famous for its many Moai, "crudely carved" in the "quarry" before being manhandled into position around the island. The statues weigh up to 30 tonnes leading some to suggest they were placed there by extra-terrestrials. Most, although possibly not all members appeared skeptical about this possibility.
Water is a precious commodity, accumulating only in one location. A desalinisation plant would be useful says Richard.
There are volumes of books written about Easter Island, and Richard is about to add to the bibliography. “In the Shadow of the Statue” is due for release in July this year, and Richard has kindly promised us a copy. We look forward to having a read.
Raffle: Bob Sutton
Sergeant Session: John Carlson, kicked the year off with a quick quiz round, which was resolved in short order by some very clever people, before he went absolutely Spare in the fiction department, coming up with all sorts of unlikely autobiographical titles. Driving me Spare, Don’t be Beaton Spare, Time to Spare, followed by a sequel, No Time to Spare.
Fortunately, there was indeed, no time to spare, and we were spared the trauma of hearing the exhaustive list.
Parting Thought Henry Kayser:
“Cheers to a New Year and another chance to get it right.”
Oprah Winfrey
