Opening Thought --- Susie Your Perspective is not My Reality, but Mine is ---
A famous book writer sat in his study and began to write a few points on the year that had passed:
• Had surgery to remove my gallstones.
• Turned 60, Retired, quit a company I loved and left a job I had been doing for 35 years.
• I was abandoned by my beloved mother who passed away.
• My son failed his final medical exam because of a car accident. The cost ofrepairs marked the peak of a truly miserable year.
The writer’s wife entered the room and saw her husband sad and pensive. From behind she could see her husband’s writing. Slowly she backed away.
Fifteen minutes later she returned and place a piece of paper on the desk in front of her husband. It read:
• Last year my husband finally managed to get rid of the gallstones that were causing him so much pain for years.
• I am grateful that he was able to retire in a healthy and happy state of mind and body. I thank God that he was given the opportunity to work and earn for 35 years to support our family.
• Now my husband can spend time writing which has always been his passion.
• In the same year my 95-year-old mother-in-law, without any pain, returned to God in peace.
• The same year God protected our son from harm in a terrible accident. The car was seriously damaged but our son survived without any injuries.
• Last year was full of extraordinary blessings for which we are grateful.
We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
Past District Governor Grant Spackman introduced Mark as a highly skilled at engaging and influencing decision maker, both internationally and within Australia.He has a reputation for leading and delivering successful sales initiatives at state, national and international level. Mark is Member of the Rotary Club of Beecroft and Rotary District Membership Chair 2012-13. Beecroft has come from a club of fifteen to a club in the forties and growing with engaged members that represent their community and its needs, matching the 6 avenues of service to the communities need and being a place for great fellowship and meaningful engagement in projects.
Diversity is key and having clubs aligned to projects, business, families and traditional needs can be good way of achieving this. Mark has a copy of guide to Rotary form the 1930s he found when moving from buildings. What was true then is still true now, a place for fellowship and business acquaintances doing good in our communities.
Mark shared many ideas and we will review these to use and likely implement. Doug Syme thanked Mark for this thoroughly engaging talk his leadership and insights into his club had evolved to match what its community needed and wanted and how its new resources had continued to grow the club and help Rotary to be its best. Mark was presented with a local bottle of wine and thank you card by our own artist Joan Hay.
An international bestseller, inspirational speaker and award-winning advocate Juliana became a member of our Papamoa Rotary on the 1st of December 2022.How lucky we are, here in Papamoa. After becoming a paraplegic at 19 caused by a mysterious illness, Juliana began her journey as a spokeswoman for the inclusion movement, championing her way from South America to here in Papamoa.
After a 7yr battle with NZ Immigration Juliana has recently been granted her residency.
She doesn’t let anything hold her back. Juliana has succeeded locally and internationally, creating and directing TV show Make A Difference, short film If The Eyes Cannot See, The Legs Cannot Feel, as well as winning the award for Best True Story in Marie Claire Magazine and making her autobiography “In my chair or yours?”. I suggest you all go onto her website and read what you really “can do”. www.juliana.co.nz
This event is scheduled for the Thursday 23rd March and we have had 250 tickets printed and are starting to sell tickets. Next week at Rotary President John will start his big sales pitch. Our partner organisations are Days for Girls, Cambridge Community House, Cambridge Cricket Club and the Rotary Club of Cambridge.
Please get behind and support this event. A post has been released on the Rotary Club of Cambridge Facebook page so if you can please share this with any groups you have access to.
From our Friends in Melbourne
Melbourne is an expert at big events, and our city is enthusiastically welcoming the Rotary International Convention,
Melbourne is an expert at big events, and our city is enthusiastically welcoming the Rotary International Convention,
27-31 May. We’re excited to meet you, and we’re creating all kinds of unique experiences that you won’t want to miss!
Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake on 6 February that has killed tens of thousands of people,
destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and left people across the region without shelter in bitterly cold winter weather.
Kaileen Casey, partner of Immediate Past District Governor Jeff Egan, adopted SolarBuddy as her partner project throughout 2021-22.
SolarBuddy is an Australian charity uniting a global community with a big dream to gift six million solar lights to children living in energy poverty by 2030, to help them study after dusk and improve their education outcomes.
The initiative is the brainchild of Queenslander Simon Doble, who invented a renewable energy-powered light that became a solution in refugee camps across the world. Simon realised the enormity of light deprivation – each night, 789 million people are plunged into complete darkness as they don’t have equal access to clean energy. So, he started raising global awareness and designing solar light solutions for the most at risk communities.
As the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approached, Rotary magazine’s Wen Huang
went on a personal trip to Europe, where he witnesses the resilience of the Ukrainian people
and the wide reach of Rotary’s global network
This event is scheduled for the Thursday 23rd March and we have had 250 tickets printed and are starting to sell tickets. Next week at Rotary President John will start his big sales pitch. Our partner organisations are Days for Girls, Cambridge Community House, Cambridge Cricket Club and the Rotary Club of Cambridge.
Please get behind and support this event. A post has been released on the Rotary Club of Cambridge Facebook page so if you can please share this with any groups you have access to.
Avalon Waterways are major sponsors of our 2023 Conference.
See them for a great deal! www.avalonwaterways.co.nz
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