CHANGE OVER DINNER WITH A TOUCH OF CHRISTMAS!
On Thursday evening our members and guests gathered for a very special occasion as we celebrated the conclusion of Robert Knox's year as President, welcomed Gabrielle and Matt into the role, and looked ahead to their year of leadership.
With a mid-winter Christmas theme adding to the festivities, it was a memorable evening of fellowship, recognition and anticipation for the year ahead.
The music was provided by some fine musicians from Glendowie College:
The room was filled with Christmas cheer as many members embraced the theme by wearing festive attire. Matt kept the evening running smoothly as Master of Ceremonies, looking the part in his striking red Christmas jacket.
A Rotary Changeover is always an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past year while looking forward to the opportunities and goals that lie ahead. It was fitting that the evening celebrated not only our Presidents but also the many members whose dedication makes our club such a success.
Robert warmly welcomed our guests and thanked them for joining us:
- Graham & Maureen Kearns – Pakuranga Rotary Club
- Jennie Herring – Past District Governor D9920 and Chair of Rotary South Pacific
- Jeanette Drysdale – Ōtāhuhu Rotary Club
- Shefali & Shailen Mehta – Auckland Harbourside Rotary Club
- Govind & Sandhya Pani – Pakuranga Rotary Club
- Mal McLennan – Men's Shed
- Norm Harvey – Ellerslie Rotary Club
- Lindy Esslemont – Prospective Member
Jyoti Singh – District Governor Elect 2026–2027, Auckland Harbourside Rotary Club
Robert then acknowledged the outstanding contribution of many members throughout the year.
A special thank you went to Muriel, Peter W and Patrick, whose work ensured our weekly speaker programme ran seamlessly throughout the year.
Our Fellowship Committee, led by Gabrielle and Matt, continued to organise enjoyable social occasions that strengthened the friendships within our club.
Julie Louie was recognised for her leadership of Community Service. The Foodbank collections were once again extremely successful, and the Jammies for June initiative provided much-needed support for children at Middlemore Hospital.
In Youth Service, John Lewisham was thanked for his excellent liaison with local schools. During the year the club distributed $15,000 to schools and continued its valuable Dictionary in Schools programme. The Glendowie Rowing Team also benefited from the generous support of Bill Clarke, who personally funded the purchase of a much-needed support boat.
Our annual Golf Day was another outstanding success thanks to the tireless efforts of David Hartstone. His exceptional organisation helped raise $31,000, with proceeds supporting Dove Hospice and the Graeme Dingle Foundation. David has organised 13 Golf Days and raised $500,000 for the club! What a champ.
Willard was recognised for the many hours he devoted to organising a container of furniture destined for schools in Fiji, a project that will make a lasting difference to many students.
The continued development of the Apirana Reserve Sanctuary owes much to the dedication of Peter Buchanan, whose commitment to the project was warmly acknowledged.
Our flagship fundraiser, the Christmas Pudding Trust, enjoyed another highly successful year, raising $31,000 to support the club's charitable work. Robert Knox, Aubrey Miles and Sylvie were a great help and driving force of many sales.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of several well-deserved Rotary honours.
Norm Harvey, a long-time member of the Ellerslie Rotary Club, has supported Robert for many years with the Christmas Pudding project. In recognition of his outstanding service, he was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow +3 Sapphires.
Aubrey was also honoured, receiving a Paul Harris Fellow +1 Sapphire for his exceptional service to our club. Always willing to lend a hand, Aubrey has been involved in countless club projects and programmes, with his dedication to RYLA making a particularly significant contribution. The recognition was richly deserved.
The evening was a fitting celebration of another successful Rotary year—one that recognised the commitment of our members, celebrated our achievements, and set an enthusiastic tone for the year ahead under our new leadership.
Jenny Herring talked about her role as Chair of Rotary South Pacific