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ROB'S RAMBLINGS
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As the exciting season of inductions and changes in Presidents fades into the past, the reality of the honour and privilege of being granted an opportunity to become involved in the leadership of a Rotary Club, takes over. With that appointment comes the realization of the responsibility of the position and the fear of failing where others before have so admirably succeeded. Here in Knysna, I have the assurance of such a wealth of experience and knowledge and a membership that continues to amaze in terms of involvement and commitment, that failure is not part of the formula.
Our outgoing President Franc Bentley and his willing assistants did me proud at my induction, held at The Knysna Golf Club, and I have felt nothing but support and encouragement since. For that I thank you one and all. I extend my gratitude to those who attended from other Rotary Clubs and organizations, not forgetting AG Mika, for their attendance and good wishes. |
As part of my dreams for the year ahead, I expressed a desire to develop a unity and cooperation amongst the Rotary Clubs of the Southern Cape, both on a social and project level. I am happy to report this initiative has already been launched and the Presidents of Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, George and Knysna met for an introductory luncheon on July 17 2011. We were honoured to have our recently elected AG, Mika Luchman and her predecessor Mike Mills and wife Sue, present and offering support and encouragement. In keeping with the appeal at Conference for Clubs to become actively involved in public awareness of Rotray and its activities, those present at this initial meeting have committed to having a special day to fly the Rotary flag in the Southern Cape. This initiative will involve not only the Rotary Clubs but also the Anns and interactors. Any suggestions will be appreciated. The Southern Cape initiative is also aimed at bridging a perceived widening gap between our area and District and we hope to encourage District leaders to visit and address our meetings.
One of the astounding things is the fact that people actually listened to my acceptance address during which I admitted, to my shame, that whilst I had knowledge of all the Rotary Knysna projects and activities, I had visited very few sites and was not aware of their physical location. I am happy to report this has now been rectified and the visits are complete. However, I have serious doubts about ever finding them again. Our past President Lesley Satchel very kindly gave of her time and organized a lightening tour over two afternoons. I returned from these visits a very proud Rotarian and deeply encouraged by the enthusiasm of the leaders, their love, joy and uncommitted acceptance of the roles they have so willingly assumed and the happiness of the children and scholars being cared for.
Thank you Lesley, our dedicated guide, and Graham Waterston for being our transporter.
We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give |
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PRESIDENTS COME AND PRESIDENTS GO |
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On Friday, 24. June 2011, Rob Clark was inducted as the 50th President of the Rotary Club of Knysna at the Knysna Golf Club.
In his farewell speech, outgoing President Franc Bentley paid tribute to his board members and to the outstanding work done by the club during the Rotary year 2010/2011.
The many and diverse projects of the club reflect Rotary International’s theme for 2010/2011, namely, “Building communities, bridging continents”. 24 Interactors from Bath, UK, not only provided a matching grant of R100’000 for two crèches in Knysna, but travelled to Knysna to upgrade the crèches, working together with Knysna Interactors. This was truly a model of international cooperation and building communities.
President Rob Clark promised the club a year of hard work, fun and fellowship, while keeping this year’s Rotary theme “Reach within to embrace humanity” in mind.
Supporting President Rob in the committee for 2011/2012 will be John Satchel (Secretary), Adrian Auckland (Treasurer), Mike Mills (New Generations), Ina Thompson (Club Administration), Graham Waterston (Membership), Alan Warne (Service Projects), Dereck Wheeldon (Public Relations) and Peter Southey (Foundation).
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President Rob also shared his dream of greater cooperation and synergy amongst the Rotary Clubs of the Southern Cape region and pledged to work towards this. In conclusion, he expressed the wish that Winston Churchill’s famous maxim “we make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” could serve as guidance and inspiration for the Rotary Club of Knysna this year.
Outgoing President Penny Bentley of the Rotary Anns Club of Knysna inducted Dori Waterston as the Anns’ President for 2011/2012. Both the Rotary Club and the Anns
Both the Rotary Club and the Anns look forward to a year of working together in serving our community
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THE 24TH PICK N PAY WEEKEND ARGUS ROTARY CYCLE TOUR |
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This year the Cycle Tour was again a great success, rewarding all those who took part with a challenging but fun week-end. It all started for the majority of Rotarians and Anns on the previous Monday, with an outbreak of packing but, of course the Race Committee were hard at work, planning, negotiating, pulling hair out etc, long before that. The registration process went well, with much help from Interacters, bursary students and many friends of Rotary, despite the tented accommodation being down a star or two from previous years.
In the event, the numbers were similar to the past couple of years (see breakdown below) with a shift towards greater participation in the Mountain Bike events. The new 30 km route this year – aimed at attracting those riders who are beyond the novice stage but not yet complete endorphin junkies – was very successful, with almost 800 participants! The weather was kinder than forecast although the Saturday Mountain Bike riders returned with a lot more mud than they might have expected. The promised rain on Sunday did not materialise, much to the relief of everyone.
There were no serious injuries and very few complaints. Much debate continues over the relative virtues of the alternative Road Race courses.
Finances for the event were not available at the time of going to press.
Looking to the future – the committee is looking at national and international cycling trends with a view to upping the appeal of the event, for next year.
Much more detailed information and a large gallery of photos is available on the Cycle Race Facebook -
Click here to view the Knysna Cycle Race Facebook Page.
linear graph of comparative numbers – 2008-11
Pie Chart showing entrants
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| Cycle Race Helpers Get Thanks |
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On Thursday 21st July the Club entertained and thanked some 50 individuals and representatives of organisations who assisted with the running of this year’s Pick n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Cycle Tour at the Yacht Club. PDG Elwin Thompson handed out awards for services rendered and thanked all who attended. Without the support of the Knysna community, the Tour would not be the success that it was. Special thanks were expressed to the main sponsors of the tour, Pick n Pay and Weekend Argus.
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| Sea Cadets March to the Beat of a New Drum |
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The Sea cadets again provided a detail of cadets to help out at the Cycle Race. The cadets were smartly turned out. The senior ratings showed great leadership qualities and produced an atmosphere of good discipline, whilst not detracting from the fun element of the event. There were more than 6,000 cyclists registered, each of whom had to be handed a medal, and other items, shortly after they crossed the finishing line, often accompanied by friends and relatives. This often produced a confusing situation which required common sense and resolve to manage. The cadets took all of this in their stride with a cheerful attitude.
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The Sea cadets also fielded their very smart marching display team, on both days. This unit has had to borrow a base and snare drum to help with the timing of the display team, in the past. At the request of Lt Com Steve Eriksen, part of their reward for assisting at the Cycle Race included drums of their own which were presented at the Thank-you party.
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Mad About Art: How does your Garden Grow?
Update on Veggie Gardens July 2011
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See how the veggie garden grows! |
All it took was a donation of seedlings and compost from Knysna Rotary Club to enable Ashley Tyuka - Youth Ambassador of Mad About Art - to grow his gardening dream!
With the much appreciated gardening goodies funded by Mike Smerdon’s Garden Project Fund, Ashley put his talented greenfingers to work to launch a community garden project in the township.
To date, he has 23 participants who are enthusiastically digging, planting, watering (when allowed, of course!) and nurturing an array of nutritious vegetables. The eager gardeners include retired mineworker, Jackson Msedenzi (87) who spends many happy hours working in a flourishing veggie patch with his wife, Priscilla (73).
Ashley’s goal is to expand the project to 50 residents. With the assured continued support from Knysna Rotary Club, here’s a wonderful community project that will grow and grow and grow ……! |
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MIKE SMERDON
Community Services: Garden Projects
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| Compost - these keen gardeners take the project very seriously! |
Jackson (87) & Priscilla (73) Msedenzi in their garden |
Rows & rows of healthy veggies. Spot the decoration! |
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| Rtn Mike Smerdon, Ashley Tyuka of Mad About Art with keen gardeners Jackson (87) & Priscilla (73) Msedenzi |
Ashley Tyuka, Garden Project Manager with Nolandile Skali |
Happy healthy plants! |
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| Correspondence with Knoxville
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From Lesley to Knoxville – Dear Townes and Erin
Firstly, thank you both VERY much for your generosity towards the youth of Knysna. Townes, for once again sending money for bikes for the Safe Cycling programme run at the Knysna Sports School. The 10 children from Brackenhill, Rheenendal and Sunridge did us proud, with 4 of them finishing in the first 10 riders! Erin and friends, thank you for raising money for the Development Cycling project for older riders (surfas, which are bikes with gears), also at the Knysna Sports School. The 3 young men who run the programmes at the KSS and at the outreach programmes are very good, Vernon, Glennard and Willem, appear on some of the photos. Our new Rotary President Rob Clark is with the youngsters on the photos.
The announcer allowed 2 of the participants to introduce themselves and speak over the loudspeaker, which charmed them!
Vernon sent some photos especially for you, taken with the Knysna Heads in the background. He is keen for you nto see that part of Knysna! The Safe Cyclists looked good in the Rotary tee-shirts. I hope you like them.
I have been showing the recipients of your generosity, maps of USA to see where Knoxville is! I was at Rheenendal Primary taking educational equipment to the Grade R class last week, showing the teacher how to use it, and she was shown the location of Knoxville. I did tell her that we are friends because both of our towns start with "Kn", which amused her! You probably know that your club is also doing a MG with us at Rheenendal Primary (where Erin and Interactors took books last year). There will also be library books as part of that MG. The Grade R class is at the edge of a lovely sunny green field, a super place for those very disadvantaged children to start their education.
Our club is also involved in a literacy programme, which originated at a Rotary Club in Peachtree USA, called SOUNS. We have started it in about 30 preschools in townships and rural areas (because we can use it in indigenous languages too), and it is working very successfully. Our education authorities, notoriously slow at changing systems that are already in place, are showing interest in the programme when they see how well children aged 3 and 4 have latched on to the sounds and words.
So.....as always there is much to be done in our part of the world.
Knoxville to Lesley - Dear Lesley,
You are wonderful! Thank you so much for the heart-warming photos of the children and the bicycles. Wish you could see the smile on my face.
You do such a marvelous job organizing this program. I feel you are all kindred spirits and can't wait to meet you at some point in time.
If anyone in the club plans to travel in the USA, please know there are welcome arms in Knoxville.
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While we Anns decided not to have a formal meeting in July this year, I have had quite a busy month already, starting with the Cycle Race where many of us Anns were registering the cyclists. On Sunday morning, July 3rd Ina, Lesley, Sue, Ailean and I braved the cold breeze and were handing out medals and goodie bags at the Spur cycle race for children. Excited young cyclists, 2-4, 5-6, and 7-11 year olds (and their parents!) enjoyed the race at Steenbok Park on Leisure Isle and everyone was a winner!
A big thank you goes to the Rotarians, especially President Rob and Elwin, for the generous donation made to the Anns to help fund our many projects. This donation was gratefully received at the Cycle Race 'Thank You Party' on Thursday evening, July 21,at the Knysna Yacht Club. |
Lesley has kindly offered to take President Rob and anyone else interested, to see and learn more about the various Rotary Projects. Irmela, Graham and I went along as well and were very impressed with all the work done: the Pickles Library at Ruigtevlei Primary; the Rondevlei Primary, where the headmistress, Mrs. Johanna Zaayman, so proudly showed us around; Tsiba Campus with the striking motto: 'Igniting Opportunity' the friendly students and lush vegetable gardens, which the students have to tend to themselves; Chalky Talky Crèche; Die Werkswinkel, where President Rob presented a soft, warm blanket to each worker. At the Mazisame Art and Education Centre I was so happy to meet Yonela Tyuka again. He was one of my pupils at Knysna High and is now a proud young man who helps 40 scholars with their homework every afternoon. We also visited Siyafunda pre-primary school, decorated and painted with happy animal pictures by the Bath and Knysna Interactors and then Noluthando, the pre-school still waiting to be brightly painted and where happy little children were waving at us!
Thank you Lesley, we truly enjoyed these two afternoons, but most of all gained valuable insight in the Rotary Projects.
The Anns will be meeting on August 15, Monday afternoon at 14H30 at the Thesen Island Club House. We will be discussing the Hospice Ballet performances. Every year in August/September Hospice Knysna & Sedgefield invites the dancers from The South African Ballet Theatre and Academy to present a programme here at the Dutch Reformed Church Hall in Fitchart Street. The Rotary Anns supply and sell tea/coffee and eats at every performance. This year the first performance will be on Friday, August 26, at 3 pm. On Saturday, August 27, there will be a performance at 3 pm and one at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be bought at Sotheby's in Woodmill Lane. Every year the tickets are sold out far in advance and the performances exquisite.
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Emil Moller has now joined us again after business dictated he spend almost all his time tending the family Office Hotel EmSes (furnished office suites), in Johannesburg. Emil was born in the Netherlands, trained in the prestigious Hotel School in Lausanne and most of his professional career was taken up working for multinationals in the Hotel, Catering and Hospitality industry in 7 countries. Emil is multi-lingual – speaking and writing in Dutch, French, German, English and Afrikaans. He has clocked up some 30 years living in South Africa on various assignments and has now been here full-time since 1995. Emil has been a Rotarian since 1987, in the Netherlands, Austria, South Africa (Sandton) and now Knysna. He is a past president of Sandton (1992-93) and a Paul Harris Fellow. Emil joins the Club Administration team. |
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Dawn Schmoor was born in Zambia but moved to South Africa at the age of 5. Early years were spent in the Jo’burg area. Dawn joined the Rotary Club of Port Alfred in 2009, where she has been busy serving on the Board as the Vocational Director. She was involved in two major initiatives – a Xhosa based literacy project for young children and a Life Skills project in conjunction with FAMSA , aimed at single parents and children. Dawn relocated to Knysna about a year ago, attracted by the lifestyle offered by the Garden Route.
Dawn joins the Public Relations team where she will be very welcome.
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This Newsletter will now be available in a Printer Friendly version to allow members to make a handy hard copy, should they wish to do so. Please click here to download the PDF.
We are also in the process of initiating a new Facebook page which will allow wider communication with anyone who may have an interest in the Rotary Club of Knysna, facilitate rapid communication and enhance our networking capability.
Many thanks
Dereck
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President: Rob Clark; Past President: Franc Bentley;
Secretary: John Satchel; Treasurer: Adrian Auckland;
Club Administration: Ina Thompson;
Service Projects: Alan Warne;
New Generations: Mike Mills ;
Rotary Foundation: Peter Southey;
Public Relations: Dereck Wheeldon ;
Anns President: Dori Waterston
Venue for Tuesday Meetings: Yacht Club at the Knysna Waterfront at 12:30 for 13:00 |
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