|
Attended
|
40
|
|
Apologies
|
8
|
|
LOA
|
2
|
|
Silent
|
15
|
|
TOTAL
|
65
|
ST PATRICK'S DAY SPECIAL
The wearing of the green was well supported by the majority of members
Visitors:
Alison Rowe PHF
Chris Coughlan (Sally)
Jill McGregor (Julie)
Announcements:
Birthdays etc:
Warren Scobie 16 March
Ken White 19 March
Bill Holland 20 March
Chris Rapson 14 years in Rotary today
Congratulations to all
* Wendy S more appeals to collect puppies next Friday
* David R. More requests to help at RYPEN today and tomorrow
* Julie. Big Sing looks like being a goody. Sponsor somebody
* Michele. Yet more requests for homestay families. Getting a bit more urgent now
GUEST SPEAKER
Our own Sally Morrison, PHF + 2 Sapphire, Past President and all round amazing person on what became known as The Vietnam Project.
This started some 22 years ago and Sally has returned 7 times over the past 11 years. The late Laurence O'Toole PHF was a co-instigator with Sally as he had an aunt Sheila who was was an amazing woman (shades of Mother Theresa?) who was blind in one eye, expelled from Vietnam twice and spent a lot of time at the leper colony in Ben San, some 2 hours north of Ho Chi Minh city.
Sally and the team set about giving the lepers some semblance of life back, so, with a huge input from James Ross in arranging flights etc. and Comvita, who donated over $149k worth of product for use in Ben San. Sally, having worked on the Coromandel learning about traditional Maori remedies, put them all to the test - and all worked.
So many things then happened:
Solar heating was installed for the patients to be able to have a warm shower (for the first time in their lives). The worldly possessions of the patients was stored either under their pillows or under the bed but slowly but surely, with the help of the Comvita donation, life became more bearable and a lack of hope was replaced by smiles.
This amazing story of WHOLE CLUB INVOLVEMENT (together with other local Clubs) received a well deserved standing ovation for an outstanding lady
The raffle was won by guest Jill McGregor
By way of complete contrast, the sergeant's session
was highjacked by Pauline, in honour of St Patrick's Day. Limericks flowed in profusion from Pauline, Dave W and Max (who unknowingly almost scuppered the whole plan by reciting limericks last week) plus a complete off-the-cuff extra set from Greg Brownless and culminated in the presentation of a
Certificate of Appreciation to Pat (He was speechless). Good fun
