What a wonderful Celebration!!!
Kia ora club members,
What a wonderful celebration we had on Saturday night!
It was lovely connecting with those that were able to make it, and for our members, past and present that were unable to attend - we did sorely miss you all! It was really humbling to speak about our club achievements over the last 100 years, and of course the memories shared where priceless!
I'd like to mention a very special thanks to our wonderful MC Craig Smith for such an outstanding job on the night. He kept us to time and the programme ran like clockwork! A special thank you to Sergeant Richard Russell and due to his creative fines we've increased the coffers just a wee bit 
We need to acknowledge the wonderful support by the Kelvin Hotel that always looks after us so well. The food was lovely, the set-up was amazing and the service absolutely superb!
But my sincere and heartfelt gratitude goes out to the 100th Anniversary Dinner Committee including Lisa-Maree Fleck, Helen McCurdy, Helen Cook, Trish Lindsay and Karen Witham. You fine ladies outdid yourselves with the organisation of this event, the memorabilia, the decorations and table settings, the photos, the runsheets, the media coverage, the food selections, the cake... and so much more! Thank-you!!
I'd like to share a part of my speech with you today, that outlines some of those projects, as it is a reminder to us of all the great work we do to support our communities.
"The Rotary Club of Invercargill has undertaken many projects to support our community starting with the ‘Big Brother’ movement at the Invercargill Borstal. We made the city’s first ever children’s playground and built the paddling pool, jungle gym and shelter shed at Queens Park. As a club, our first major working project was out at Omaui Camp where we built the camp building, redecorated it for our 50th anniversary and now this year, as we celebrate our centenary, we go back to Omaui to refurbish the pond, build tracks, walkways and a viewing gallery to grow engagement with the environment and eco systems - supporting the learning opportunities for the youth attending the camp.
We were the ones that initiated the milk-in-schools scheme – which developed into a national programme, stood up the crippled children’s society, built the Blind Centre and its gardens, supported the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, built the Southland Hospital Gardens, built a Youth Hostel and continue to invest and support the Deep Cove Outdoor Education Centre with our yearly working bees. We installed the flood lighting at the Invercargill water tower and through the proceeds from our annual book sale, we have supported many other charities and projects"
This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the list was way too long to go into further detail. I hope this snippet instills in you a sense of achievement, pride and solidarity - this is what Rotary is all about.
And on that note... we have more community projects to complete with a busy month ahead!
- Details of the combined club Rotary Environment Day on 23 March 2023 can be viewed in the events sections of this bulletin. Those that can help out for this should contact Trish Lindsay directly as we need to give numbers to the organisers for Health and Safety reasons.
- Don't forget to register for the Rotary conference in Christchurch in April. The last day for the early bird discount is today (01 March)
- Please register with Alice Pottinger to help with Surf to City on Sunday 10 March 2024
- I have created an event to meet Tori Peters our New Zealand Javelin Throwing Champion on March 21, 2024, at the SBS Bank, Invercargill Branch from 5;30pm. this invitation has been extended to all Rotarians in the city. Please RSVP to Dave McKissock, DGE directly on or before 14 March 2024.
- We will have working bees out at Omaui - details will be shared by PP Lisa-Maree Fleck at our next meeting
We have been requested to collect any expressions of interest from club members that would like to host Rotary Friendship team from DISTRICT 6840 LOUISIANA in April 2024. I'll send an email with the profiles. Dave McKissock is looking for 4 more hosts - any takers, please let me know asap.
I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday 05 March for our formal club lunch time meeting.
Chami