HELPERS REQUIRED! - This Saturday we need 3-4 people to help prep the Plunket rooms for painting, then the following week we will paint. It will probably take about half a day to prep? Michael Horne will have his water blaster, if helpers can bring a scraper and a wire brush if they have them. The rooms will be open for toilet and to have morning tea. All interested in helping please contact Michael on 0272125967
There will be no club meeting on 6 February (Waitangi Day).
The Big Easy fundraiser is on Saturday 29 February. This is an important fundraiser for the club and we need Rotarians to volunteer as marshals.
Jim Rayner has spare copies of the large print 2020 calendars to give away.
Claire Rollinson spoke to us about the Rotaract Club of Dunedin, the largest Rotaract club in New Zealand. Claire, a former out-bound Youth Exchange student from Waimate, is the secretary of this club. The club is for 18 to 25 year olds, and meets every second Wednesday. The club has plenty of support for volunteer events, but the regular meetings are attended with smaller numbers.
Guest speakers; Leola Smith (Manager of South Canterbury branch of the Cancer Society), Dionne Wilkins (Chairperson of Relay for Life 2020 Committee).
Our two speakers, from the Cancer Society, spoke to the club on Thursday. Leola spoke about the work of the Society assisting suffers of cancer in our community, nationally and locally. In 2019, 45 people from Waimate were newly diagnosed with cancer. The Society is funded solely with donations, and the Relay for Life is a major fundraiser. Two years ago, the Relay was held in Geraldine and raised $110,00.00. This year the Relay will be held on 14 March in Waimate at the A and P show grounds, from 10am to 10pm. Dionne spoke to us about her plans for the event. Our club will be involved in this year's event so please keep this date free if possible. $100 was donated from the sunshine fund, and a further $112 from donations/fines on the night which was gratefully received.
Thought for the day: Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. Mary Anne Radmacher, author.
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President's Message
EVERYONE WELCOME AT WAIMATE
It is really pleasing to see more visitors popping in to our weekly meetings, whether they are friends/family of Rotarians, grandkids, visiting Rotarians, alumni, or just members of the public wanting to see what we do.
This past week we had Patrick from Hornby Rotary drop in - he was on his way to Oamaru but saw on our website that our meeting was on that night so decided to join us. He was a bit of a laugh and seemed to really enjoy his evening.
I love that our club is open to new people and new things, and just want to remind everyone that they are welcome to bring people along...... just book in meals through the Rotary phone please.
The more, the merrier!
No Rotary this week due to Waitangi Day but as you can see in the notices there are still plenty of opportunities to "do Rotary". Thanks to those who are hard at work organising the Big Easy, Kenyan Trip, working bees etc - please help them where you can.
Well if the weather decides not to cook me or drench me I will be spending the next few days painting the rest of my house (and prepping the Plunket Rooms). I hope you all get some time to reflect on what Waitangi Day means to you, and have a wonderful rest of your week.
It would appear that Reese is having a fabulous start to his exchange in Chile, and like most teenagers he is already scoping out what good to eat. I thought New Zealanders liked their bbq'd meat but check out the photo of the Chilean BBQ!!!
