I’ve just realised that I’m coming up to my 15th anniversary at The Club in December. “15 wasted years for us,” I can hear Nigel Robinson booming out. He and the late Frank Pinson were two people I could always count on to put me back in my box, particularly in my three turns at Sergeant (“the highest rank in Rotary”, in my warped view).I joined after Beryl’s presidency; our first lady boss, in the middle of her DG reign. As a writer, I was immediately dragooned into writing a play to be performed at Conference in Rotorua. I wasn’t interested until I heard the first Rotary project was a men’s public toilet. You couldn’t wish for a less pompous project…..something I remind myself of when a grandiose strategist comes along to tell us what we need to step up to!
Sadly, I never saw the play performed because we had a booked family-holiday which clashed. It never got an award, so maybe not so sad?
In quick succession I was chosen to be Sergeant by the next female presidents, Lynda, Toni and Mary Ann. The Club was less PC in those days, so our reputation for fun (and funds…we broke records which still stand)…. mainly, I should add, because these days Sergeants don’t do the full year. When Ainie came along, she didn’t ask me to be her ‘sarge’. I was a bit put out, until she explained she wanted me to handle Youth Education for her – with the ultimate “compensation”, awarding me a Paul Harris Fellowship. Ainie was and continues to be an incredible driving force in schools and youth leadership in our Club.
Have also had stints helming Community and Club Services, plus a number of fill-ins, mainly in education. I also sit on the Glen Taylor School Board, based on my World Bank experience with Adopt-a-School programmes. The incredible role educational improvements have made already, through technology and evolving techniques, backed by seriously high-quality teachers and leaders – and Club members -- Chris Herlihy, a Fulbright Fellow; Richard Dykes Glendowie boss and head of the School Principals Association; Liz Gunn, Churchill School leader and deputy principal at Glendowie, David James, gives you some idea of the contribution our professional educators make….way over and above our own supportive efforts.
Our Youth Committee is continuing to work away with consolidating Glendowie Interact, via Megan’s great coaching and counselling, plus using her influence with the Tamaki Regenerate Project, the site for our first chance to have Trees for Survival. Clean Water trees and shrubs planted in a polluted stream running into the Tamaki Estuary, nearby. Murray (with help from Alex) will guide that through the red tape. The best backup any committee could have, is the ever-present Isabella, who recalls watching trees planted in the Eastern Suburbs, when she was a gal, growing up ‘over a number of decades’…..I promised her I wouldn’t speculate on the time-frame! She feels a proud owner every time she passes them. Many more will have that pleasure soon.
The other new project which I asked for help on, at last week’s meet, is to grow the Empty Lunch Box project, currently only established at Glen Innes School. We plan to pilot an expansion into Ruapotaka School, the poorest in the region, and Glen Taylor, which is always willing and able to make its facilities and staff available, at no cost, will be the other. After that we intend growing it to expose as many kids as we can, in our “parish”, to a delicious, healthy lunch instead of their current fare. This could have a significant health impact in years to come. Psst: I think Brian Fergus will help out with this, on his return; fingers-crossed. He is highly experienced in this niche!