Visitors: Greg, Guest of Barry, Kat who is close to becoming a member and Julia, Guest of Warren Banks
Speakers
Venue: The meeting was held at Tauranga club on Devonport road.
Introduction
Lynda welcomes the speakers, and a big welcome back to Erica and Rosalie
Important milestones: Simon Beaton 25 years with Rotary club, and Ron for 35 years anniversary
Notices
Pat Taylor had a deal for people for people who get excited by meeting people and making a difference in people’s life. Rotary club is collecting for the Alzheimer’s foundation for next Friday and need fellow Rotarians to help with the collection duties.
Post announcement
Alzheimer’s Foundation Annual Street Appeal
Countdown Cameron Rd
Friday 23 September
Once again the Rotary Club of Tauranga Sunrise has come up trumps.
Thank you very much to the following Members who have volunteered their time for this cause near and dear to our hearts.
Colin Beere Neil Matson
Kat McMillan Dave McDonald
Buddy Mikaere Ray Scott
Pat Taylor
If anyone else would like to come along to add support you will be made very welcome
Steve Read: Volunteers/ Marshalls needed for the Mount community support event for a Saturday morning. Need a dozen people at least. Dates to be confirmed. Please let Steve know if you are able to assist.
Rhonda: We have been approached by breast cancer support trust. They are looking for marshals to usher the marching people in the CBD on 5th of October from 5pm till 7pm. They need 20 people for the job and Rotarians are encouraged to put their hand up. Contact Rhonda using text or email.
Ross: The auction is next Friday’s meeting so bring yourself and a friend with shallow pockets and the change to pickup a bargain. Some very exciting products and services available for the picking.
Michele: Guess who is coming of for dinner fundraising for environment committee. It is great socialising event on 29th of October and 5th of November. Please do sign up for
Environmental day invitation for breakfast with the gulls in Maketu reserve to feed the red billed gulls. It’s a magical event and members are encouraged to join in.
25th of September is a students for environment get together. We are going to reserve at 10am. Please bring your child and grandchild to this special event.
Shiv: Amazing Spaces tour, the project team is looking for members to help with finding spaces which can be considered for the tour.
Speakers: Chris Dever welcomed the guest Jillian Fitter who is a environmental consultant in the Bay of Plenty event.
Jillian expressed his emotion as he invited all members to join the breakfast with the gull by Maketu Ongatoro society. Jillian then explained to the members the functioning of Bay conservation alliance. It is an alliance of several conservation initiatives and organization that endeavours to make a positive environmental impact. Jillian then listed few of environmental issues that confront us in the region such as climate change, rising sea water levels, water pollution and soil erosion. A stark example is the flooding in Nelson region. He highlighted more problems such as siltation, bad farming practices and bad land management. He emphasised that we use land as a cash cow, over intensive farming, use of chemical, over fishing. Considering soil and other natural resources are directly related to economy, we need to look after this intangible resource. Other issues raised were invading plants, insects and animals.
Jillian also mentioned that New Zealand has a unique and diverse biodiversity and if we are not careful we will lose it just as we lost Moa. Climate change is going to offer ample challenges to maintain this native biodiversity, agriculture and eventually the economy. One fine example is Pampas plant that is not only danger to damaging to local flora and fauna but also to the kiwi fruit industry. The challenges are complex and need complex initiatives as solutions. We not only need it for economy but also for our basic needs in daily lives.
Some of the area that need attention are local air quality, buffer against extreme weather, waste water treatment in wetlands, soil control, soil management, pollination, biological controls, maintenance of local bio diversity, habitat for species and their cultural resource and tourism as a resource. In essence the natural resources need looking after and underpin any economic growth and we cannot take it for granted.
We have 2000 odd community groups that are working in areas mentioned earlier but are small initiatives and organizations and need impetus (Financial and human). To offset the challenges of these small organization that are fighting the most important battle, Bay conservation alliance brings them (24 of them) together to make a larger impact as a collective. The organization looks after environmental and ecological restoration. It is important to bring these efforts to a common platform to have a bigger stick to bang on the door for a bigger punch. It also serves the purpose of bringing change to a bigger areas which is significant for net positive ecological and environmental impact. Jillian then again invited members to join the breakfast with gulls and contribute towards the environment because we only have one environment and if we bugger it all up that’s the end of us.
Simon Beaton thanked the guest speaker for his enthusiasm and also highlighted Rotary club’s involvement in environmental initiatives such as K valley tree plantation. He also appreciated him for his time and for his energy during the presentation.
Raffle: Indeevar won the raffle and hence the bottle of wine.
Sargent session: James Ross. Today beetles realised “She loves you in 63” on this day and 4 months later they had top 5 hit songs on the American hit parade in the US. A lot had happened in terms of the Royals in the recent days and Phillip had some interesting thoughts. He said, A marriage he said, When a man opens a car door for his wife its either a new care or a new wife. Another one was when he was hosting a press reception and he said to a guy “Who are you?”. The guy replied, that I am the editor in chief of Independent Sun, to which Phillip replied “well what are you doing here”. They guy said, you invited me. Phillip said “well you did not have to come”. H also spoke at a aircraft research association and said “if you travel as much as we do, you would appreciate the improvements in aircraft design, less noise and more comfort, provided you do not travel in the so called economy class which sounds Ghastly. On the queen, James told that she had 15 prime ministers serve under her. She did have one this she was allowed to do that nobody was allowed to do and that was drive without a licence and she never had a passport either. Her hobbies included horse racing, pigeon racing and she was a great Arsenal fan. She owned an elephant, 2 giant turtles, a Jaguar and 2 sloths, which were all given to her and they all live in the London zoo. There was a tradition that Royal pipers had to plat a song outside her window at 9 in the morning for 15 minutes, no wonder she had a cocktail of gin for breakfast to settle her nerves.
She had a reception once and a fancy dinner and had some wind building up and thought I can let it out quietly and no one will hear it. Just then the butler appeared right beside her and had a bit of a fright as the noise was a bit louder than she anticipated, so she said, stop that!! And the butler responded “certainly madam, which way did it go?”
Parting thought
by Kat: Kat reflected upon the Māori language week and familiarised members to the Māori word Papatuanuku, which mean mother earth. It tied the presentation by the guest speaker and reminded all members to get out in nature and find the time to connect with it. If we get out in nature and connect with it then we know to look after it and protect it. Parting thought is get out in nature and smell it, feel it, hear it and hear it and breathe her all in.
