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PRESIDENT IAN BALLANTINE’S MESSAGE
The Knysna Rotary club remains busy, even with only one month left in the Rotary year.
The District conference was attended by 11 members and several partners. Congratulations to our Ann’s for winning two awards at conference – most Ann’s attending conference and Best visibility in the community.
The annual Golf Weekend held in May was once again a great success. It was well-supported by our members who enjoy the opportunity for fellowship while participating in a club project.
At the business luncheon meeting it was agreed to fund a solar hot water system for the Tsiba/Eden campus. The system will serve the kitchen as well as supplying hot water for more than 60 students. It will make a substantial saving on the electricity costs.
Even though new club committees for 2010/2011 are being formed, members remain active, always aware of the needs of Knysna and the surrounding community.
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ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS
The Rotary Club of Knysna had the privilege to have 6 teachers and 19 Interact students, from different High Schools in Knysna, at lunch on Tuesday, 11 May. The teachers who attended are responsible for the Interact Clubs at the schools. The Interactors were sponsored by Rotary to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp at Outward Bound near Sedgefield. Five students from five different schools reported back on some of the “hardships and uncomfortable beds”, but all agreed that they had enjoyed themselves and now appreciated the every-day facilities much more. The activities at the camp brought the best in the learners and taught them leadership skills for life. Each student received a Rotary Dictionary for their school as Guest Speaker at the lunch.
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The Interactors with the Rotary dictionaries for their schools, from left to right: Natasha Minnit from Oakhill High School, Megan Huttingh from Knysna Montessori, Simone du Plessis from Knysna High School, Sean Gallant from Knysna Sekondêr School and Asemahle Tayi from Percy Mdala High School.
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The group of Interactors from five High Schools in Knysna who attended the RYLA camp enjoyed lunch with the Rotarians. |
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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 9350 CONFERENCE
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Why go to a conference? The Rotary Club of Knysna found a few good reasons and was well-represented at the Annual Rotary Assembly and Conference held at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West. The group was made up of 16 members of the club and Anns.
It was heart warming to meet all the “old” friends from other clubs all over the district, even from Namibia and Angola. We made new friends too and welcomed new Rotarians and the two new Rotary Clubs. There was time for fellowship during the tea breaks and meal times.
The Official opening of the Conference in the Somerset Collage was a well-attended function on Friday evening. The school Jazz Band played very well.
The Carnival on Saturday night was lots of fun with a full hall, good food and good company.
The Exhibitions from the different clubs were an excellent showcase of what is happening in District 9350. After looking at these projects, the different clubs decided to work together and exchange ideas on how to improve and start new projects.
The sessions were very informative and relevant to Rotary today. There were humoristic and serious, boring and exciting moments. The Rotarians are all inspired and enthusiastic about the work Rotary Clubs are doing. One of the highlights was the Shelter Box Project.
The Rotarians are already booking and planning to go to the 2011 Conference in Hermanus. DGN Deon van Zyl has approached the Rotary Club of Mossel Bay requesting that they host his conference in May 2012.
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Some of the members of the Rotary Club of Knysna attended the Carnival on Saturday night.
(Can you find DGE Shân?)
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| THE CASE OF THE MISSING PLATTERS |
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“I’m sorry, madam, but your platters were fetched this morning”. The saleslady at Super Spar was polite, but adamant.
Rotarian Barbara Ikin handed platters of eats to the Nurses at the Provincial Hospital for International Nurses Day
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Panic!!! Six large platters which had been ordered by the Rotary Club of Knysna had simply disappeared, collected by a mystery person… Meanwhile at the Provincial Hospital the nursing staff was expecting the platters for the celebration of International Nurses’ Day. While two managers and two salesladies were frantically trying to solve the mystery of the missing snacks and to trace the anonymous collector, three kitchen ladies were on standby, ready to miraculously create replacement platters.
Finally the puzzle was solved: a member of the hospital staff had taken the platters with him, assuming – without any information - that they had been ordered for the hospital. We all sighed with relief and the kitchen ladies seemed disappointed when they returned to their routine work. With smiles all over, Mr. Clifton Muller of Super Spar kindly gave the Rotary Club a hefty discount. The platters were a small gesture, from Rotary, of appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the nurses in the Knysna Provincial Hospital.
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| GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAM FROM INDIA |
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Rotary District 9350 exchanged GSE teams this year with India and Bulgaria. The Indian team visited Knysna on Tuesday, 18 May. After some sight-seeing, they had lunch with the Rotary Club of Knysna. Their presentation on their country and their way of living was very interesting and informative. Niranjana performed a very special dance for the Club. After lunch members of the Club took them to see some Rotary projects before they went back to Mossel Bay where they were hosted by the local Rotary Club.
The Group Study Exchange programme is one of Rotary Foundation’s popular programs. Four young professionals and a Rotarian, the team leader, visit a country for four to six weeks. The young professionals visit places to learn about their vocations and to exchange ideas with the locals. The team also do presentations at the Rotary Clubs that they visit. The Indian team leader is a lawyer; in the team is an Artist, an Ad Filmmaker, Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax and a Diamond Jeweller.
From left to right: Niranjana Varma, Team Leader Mervyn Jussy, Past President Lesley Satchel, Pooja, Venkatesan, Vidhyadhar and Michelle Luyt who was part of the team that went to India
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| VERMONT OLD AGE HOME’S FRAIL CARE RECEIVED A FACE LIFT |
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Sister Levendal, at the far left, in the frail care bedroom with residents, a nurse and some visitors.
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The frail care at Vermont Home needed a coat of paint badly. The walls were a very dull, industrial colour. The Rotary Club of Knysna hired a local painter to do the job and he did it very well and can be recommended. Now the walls of the four bedrooms, passage, dining room and lounge are much happier, lighter and brighter. The Club purchased all the paint at a very good price. Thanks to the Paint Centre for the good deal.
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In anticipation of the FIFA World Cup in June, Rotary clubs across Africa are gearing up for the final push to eradicate polio on the continent. The Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign launched 23 February with the symbolic kicking of a soccer ball signed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, a polio survivor. Primary sponsor of the campaign is DHL Express. The ball’s journey began in Cape Town, South Africa, one of the host cities for the 2010 World Cup, and will continue through 22 countries, most of them polio affected, en route to the RI Convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada, in June. During the ball’s four-month trip, Rotary clubs in polio-affected countries are organizing soccer-related polio awareness events to generate support for polio immunization. Each national PolioPlus committee chair will also sign the ball. |
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Only unified efforts which galvanise whole societies towards these goals will succeed in kicking this virus, that looks so much like a football, out of Africa, and eventually, out of the world..
Nelson Mandela
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ROTARY'S US$200 MILLION CHALLENGE TOTALS US$ 122.4 MILLION AS OF 1 MAY 2010
Polio Facts & Figures: Area Number of cases in 2010
Afghanistan 8
India 19
Nigeria 2
Pakistan 14
Non-endemic countries 41
Total worldwide 84
(Data as of 27 April/World Health Organization)
For the latest on the number of polio cases, progress reports on polio-endemic countries, and other information, go to www.polioeradication.org
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VERMONT OLD AGE HOME: Knysna Rotaract Club
By Ursula Bond, Knysna Rotaract Member
On Saturday, 15th May 2010, the Knysna Rotaract Club visited the Vermont Old Age Home in Hornlee.
The welcoming was done by Madelaine while representatives Ursula and Stephanie prepared the cakes. While this was underway, the elderly enjoyed having their picture taken by Pierre. Entertainment was provided by Knysna’s Belly dancing school, Sherlene, Lisa and Patricia.
While the 3rd routine dancing routine was being prepared, tea and cake was served to the grannies and grandpas. Laughter was shared amongst many, and some decided to joined in with the dancing. Much appreciation was shown to all of us involved for our small gesture.
The Rotaract Club would like to thank the staff of the Vermont Old Age Home for accommodating us, and to the ladies of the belly dancing group for putting in the time and effort for making this a special occasion.
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The Belly Dancing group at Vermont Home
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ROTARACT DISTRICT CONFERENCE: Hosted by Knysna Rotaract Club
The newly established Rotaract Club of Knysna has proudly been awarded the honour of hosting this years District 9350 Rotaract Conference. This prestigious event will be held between the 30th July and 1st August, 2010, at the well acclaimed Lake Brenton Resort in Knysna.
Our Rotaract club hopes to attract approximately 50 members throughout the district to partake in this celebration. In the festivity of our country being the hosts of the 2010 Soccer World Cup we have adopted a soccer theme for this year’s conference. Each Rotaract club will be encouraged to represent one of SA’s soccer teams and be prepared to challenge other teams/clubs, both on the “field” and in the conference room.
The highlight of the conference will be the induction of 2010/2011 Rotaract District president, Justin Schonegevel, and the elected committee on the eve of the 31st July 2010. We are sure that the new president and his committee will prove to be exceptional representatives for Rotaract District 9350, and we wish them all the best on the undertaking of this responsibility.
For more information on the development of the conference plans, please visit our website www.knysnarotaract.co.za
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A LETTER TO PP LESLEY SATCHEL FROM AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR DAMIEN LA HOUD
Dear Lesley
As I’m typing this email I’m sitting on a train bound for Lund in Southern Sweden. It is an old university town and there is a huge student carnival this weekend that only takes place every 4 years. I’m going to visit my fellow scholar from Scotland there.
It seems the only time I have to do my correspondence is when I’m travelling from one place to another. Now that I’ve finished my classes I’ve been able to do a lot of travelling in Sweden and giving lots of presentations to Rotary clubs and even a few schools. These have been going really well and I’ve been able to raise a lot of interest in my project with a few clubs donating additional funds to sponsor grannies and even a few private donations. If everyone pays what they say they will the project would have raised about R35000 and I still have about 400 Patches to sell and a few more clubs to visit so I can safely say that the project has exceeded my expectations.
I will be returning to South Africa on the 31 July 2010. I will be staying in Knysna for about 2 months after that. I’m currently looking for a job and hopefully I will be able to start working in October this year. During the time I’m in Knysna I would very much like to be involved with the goGos in some way, and I hope you will be able to help me, so that I can put together a report to send to Sweden to show the clubs that their money is being put to good use. We should probably also start to discuss possible dates for presentation when I’m home.
Another big change in my life here is that I’m currently living with a host family for my last 3 months in Sweden. I moved in recently so that I can get a feel for Swedish home life and hopefully improve on my shockingly bad Swedish. They are a very nice couple and Thord has been an active Rotarian for many years and has also been the main Rotarian helping me with my project.
I hope everything is well in Knysna and that the start of winter has brought with it a little rain and cooler temperatures. It’s finally started to warm up here with temperatures in the twenties.
Please send my regards to everyone.
Warmest greetings
Damian
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This article appeared in a newspaper in Foster in Australia
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Pictured above is Baby Jenn-Ray in her new jersey and cap with Jennifer and Sister Brownley
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South Africa Babies keep warm - thanks to local knitters and Rotary
Babies in South African hospitals are keeping warm thanks to some very devoted local ladies. Little jumpers and beanies lovingly knitted by some of our more senior ladies have been sent by the Rotary Club of Foster, Australia, to Ina Thompson of the Rotary Club of Knysna who distributed the first two deliveries of jumpers and beanies to the TygerBear Foundation at the Tygerberg Hospital, a very large hospital in Cape Town.
Last week Ina was delighted to receive 52 more jumpers and 23 beanies from Foster, some of which she has taken to the Maternity Ward at the Provincial Hospital in Knysna and the rest to the TygerBear Foundation. Ina wishes to pass on the grateful thanks from the Rotary club of Knysna and all whose babies have benefitted as a result of the hard work of the Foster lady knitters |
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THE ROTARY CLUB OF KNYSNA GOLF WEEKEND DOES IT AGAIN!
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| The Rotary Club of Knysna organised another very successful Golf Weekend. The Golf Weekend is made up of golf on Saturday at the Knysna Golf Club and golf on Sunday at the Simola Golf Estate. The golfers could play the two days at a special rate. Simola also offered accommodation at a reduced price. Golfers and families came from Worcester, Bredasdorp, Villiersdorp, Napier, Struisbaai, Port Elizabeth, Paarl, Cape Town Ladysmith, Gaansbaai, Kuilsrivier George, Wilderness, and Tsitsikama and from Knysna.
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The Rotary spirit was rekindled in 2003 when the Rotary Club of Knysna sent invitations to all the Rotary Clubs in the district to join them in the Golf Weekend. Nico du Plessis, a past president of the Rotary Club of Bredasdorp, responded magnificently and brought teams from the Overberg. The number of players has increased over the last 7 years and this year he brought 52 golfers to the Golf Weekend in Knysna |
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The Captain of the Knysna Golf Club, John Edwards, handing out the prizes
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| 232 Golfers teed off in very thick mist on Saturday morning. After a hard day’s golf, they enjoyed a supper of rolls and delicious soup prepared and served by the Rotary Anns. Besides the prize giving for the winning players, there were also lucky draw prizes. |
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President Ian Ballantine, President of the Rotary Club of Knysna, putting in the early morning mist
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On Sunday 88 Golfers took part in a shotgun start at the Simola Golf Estate in perfect weather conditions. All enjoyed the snacks and prize giving at 15:30
The Weekend was such a huge success. A special thanks to the golfers who supported the event, The Knysna Golf Club and Simola Golf Estate, the businesses of Knysna for all the prizes, sponsorships, and support and all the hard work done by the Rotarians.
The money made from this fund-raising event will be used for the upliftment of the community of Knysna. Knysna thanks everyone for his or her participation.
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Sunday at Simola Golf Estate
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President: Ian Ballantine; Past President: Peter Klews;Secretary: Des Wearne;Treasurer: Rob Clark;
Club Administration: Franc Bentley;
Service Projects: Derrick Ikin; Membership: Mick Furman;
New Generations: Mendy Weiner;
Rotary Foundation: Louise Pannell;
Public Relations: Ina Thompson; Anns President: Helena Monk |
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Should you not wish to receive further newsletters please email knysna@rotary9350.co.za asking to be removed and provide your name and email address to which the newsletter was sent |
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