President Rhonda opened the meeting by welcoming our guests Fiona Sullivan (Got it right this week, Buddy - Dave) (guest of Buddy) and Guest Speaker Hazel Hape.
Also welcomed Dave McDonald (Ellerslie Sunrise) for his second visit and a very special welcome to Pauline Cowens who is in Tauranga for the weekend.
Presidents Notices
Rhonda mentioned her absence last week was due to her attendance at the Life Education Trust Charity Breakfast, an organisation for which she is a Trustee and thanked Chris Dever for taking the meeting so competently.
There were no birthdays or anniversaries to announce.
Rhonda reminded us that District Conference is being held in Hastings on the weekend of 24 May and invites others to join her and Darren. A show of hands revealed we will have a decent representation.
Rhonda thanked Simon and Michele Beaton for organising the first round of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner which was highly successful and reminded members there is a second round on 1 May.
A final note to pass on the Club’s best wishes and thoughts to Lizzy and Chris Rapson.
Members Notices
Amanda reported that 93 pieces of art have been submitted for Treasured Art out of which 60 will be selected for sale and/or auction. This challenging task is in the capable hands of John Carlson and Kathy Webb together with a team from the Art Gallery.
Everything else is falling nicely into place.
Amanda thanked the club for their willingness to man the roster in the week of the auction and there are only two spaces vacant, those being the 10-00am to midday shifts on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 May.
Let Amanda know if you can help.
Guest Speaker
Hazel Hape, Manager of Tauranga Women’s Refuge was introduced by her Uncle, our Club Member Buddy Mikaere.
She is of Ngati Pukina heritage but also boasts Welsh and Irish forebears so is steeped in social activism and a desire to make a difference.
Born in Matauri Bay in the Far North she says the catalyst that changed her life was going on an Outward Bound course when she was 18.
In 2005 she qualified as a Social Worker and this together with her history of social activism saw her take on a leadership role in Women’s Refuge, a position she has held ever since.
She acknowledged the great support given Tauranga Women’s Refuge by Tauranga City Council and Rotary who have both been steadfast supporters.
The aim of the organisation is to provide safe refuge and support for women and children in situations of domestic violence and increasingly is helping with outreach work such as education, counselling younger family members and providing life skills.
Rotary has over the years helped with funding of these courses, run working bees and provided grants for uniforms and school trips.
The local organisation is standalone meaning that all resources are devoted to the Tauranga region.
After 30 years at their current site in Greerton, this weekend they are moving to brand new premises in Gravatt Rd Papamoa.
This is an important move for the Refuge who increasingly want domestic violence to be seen as a community issue requiring community answers.
They work closely with immigrant groups and organisations such as Shakti and have recognised that while some men may be part of the problem, they are also part of the solution and they have several men involved at the Refuge.
Sadly they cannot help everyone who calls on them so they work closely with various governmental agencies and other welfare groups.
A societal problem that is confronting but one that needs to be addressed and Hazel got her message across quite clearly.
Led by Buddy the Club gave a waiata and Glen made an eloquent vote of thanks, tinged with sadness and shame that such organisations need to exist but optimistic that things will improve as the result of the great work of Hazel and her team.
Raffle
Won by Ron Fyfe
Sergeant
Andy Cameron in his inimitable fashion told us far more than we needed to know on his bodily functions having yesterday had a CT scan.
He mused on matters of life and death and told us of a website that tells you the day you will die. He was given the date he leaves this mortal coil but it seemed way too far in the distance to worry about. (The editor has this date which he willing to take wagers on).
Given that life expectancy has doubled over the past century Andy believes there is no reason why the same will not happen in the next century however to ensure a lengthy life he mentioned there are several essentials.
Not in any particular order these are
Red Wine, sex, cryptic crosswords, more sex, fishing, even more sex …and I forgot the other one.
Parting Thought
From Rosalie quoting Mother Theresa
“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family”.
Occasional titbit of information to celebrate Pat's first Editorship.:
Origin of the phrase 'Fit as a fiddle'
Someone or something that is in good shape. This common expression is about 400 years old but there is really to definitive explanation. Some think that it may have been considered 'fit' because musicians treated their source of income with TLC
Duties
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30 April
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7 May
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14 May
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Welcome
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Warren Banks
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Glenn Dougal
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Barry Fredheim
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Technology Set-up
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Wayne Shadbolt
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John Carlson
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Les Geraghty
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Second Door and Parting Thought
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Mary O’Sullivan
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Glenys Parton
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Steve Read
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Cashier
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Jim Rickard
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Paul Belcaster
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Ross Brown
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Speaker Intro and Host
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Pat Taylor
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Nathan Capper
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Speaker Thanks
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Ken White
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Lynda Burch
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Sergeant
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Phil Mangos
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Kathy Webb
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Dean Thompson
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Bulletin Editor
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Bill Chapman
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Steve Dorrington
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Greg Brownless
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Backup
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Glenn Dougal
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Barry Fredheim
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Bob Sutton
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Speaker
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Emma Goldstrew
Training for the Elderly
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Nathan Capper’s Guest
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Committee Meeting
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