RETROSPECTIVES-TWO INTERNATIONAL TOASTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE 

Kieran English Toasts the The Rotary Club of Taradale, Napier, New Zealand.
 

The Rotary Club of Taradale has a very comprehensive website and is also on Facebook. The club has been serving the local community for over fifty (50) years. Many notable local business people are actively involved in the club. It has a strong membership of some fifty (50) active members lead by current President Steve Winter. The President Elect is Keith Lines. 

The club meets every Thursday at 6.00pm at the Taradale Town Hall, Lee Road, Taradale with fellowship starting at 5.15pm. 

Some of the larger projects of note the club supports:

 

Oliver Smales Memorial Trust Supports the education and training of therapy and nursing staff working with children and youth in Hawkes Bay in co-operation with the Hawkes Bay District Health Board. 

Dolbel Reserve A passive council recreation park of some 18ha on the western hills of Taradale. The reserve was started by and is no overseen by club members.

Kelvin Tremain Memorial Education Trust The Trust administers a trust fund for the benefit of Hawkes Bay students. Earnings from the fund are distributed once a year prior to the start of the new academic year.

Rotary Pathways Trust A joint project with Napier City Council and four other clubs. It involved the development of a pathway stretching for many kilometres on the beaches surrounding Napier City. There pathways are widely used the community walking, cycling, running, by families on outings etc. There are also now activities located along the beach pathways.  The pathways are proving to be great asset for the Napier community. 

The club’s main fundraiser is the annual Puketapu Auction and Fair. It is run as a family orientated traditional country fair in a beautiful lakeside setting. Fair stalls have an emphasis on crafts, with the majority being sited under trees and spread around the surrounds of a large lake. A wide range of food is available at the Fair. There are many activities for children including pony rides, horse riding, rides to the local hill top lookout, apple bobbing, a golf competition, boats rides, and various fun competitions. 

All proceeds from the auction and fair go to the Rotary Club of Taradale Charitable Trust. The Trust has previously made donations and supported many causes such as Polio Plus, provision of school desks and chairs to the Solomon Islands, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Summer Science School, Science Technology Forum, and many miscellaneous ongoing grants to local people and community groups. 

 

Ashley West Toasts The Rotary Club of Skipton

 
In July 2000, six weeks after becoming a Rotarian, Ashley West was in Skipton, Yorkshire UK and decided he would do a "make up" at the Rotary Club of Skipton. He turned up at the appointed time only to be told that there was no meeting that night. So to "make up" for what he didn't learn at the meeting, it seemed entirely appropriate to research the Club to learn a bit more about it and then propose a toast.
 
 
The Club was Chartered in 1930 and has forty four (44) members (pictured above ) with a good mix of men an women. They are led by President John Wright and meet at the Tempest Arms on (most) Wednesdays from 6pm. Their main fund raiser is running a Charity Car Park on weekends and public holidays. Over the past ten years this has produced around two hundred and fifty thousand British pounds for their good works which include: Youth encouragement and achievement awards (including the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and the Ocean Youth Trust); the Rotary Sand Dams for Africa, Mary’s Meals (a simple solution to world hunger) and supporting Shelterbox, Aquabox and Disaster Aid.