The President opened the meeting at 7.35 am.

 

The community garden fronting Parnell Drive has been named: Gizmo's Garden, in memory of a now-deceased four-legged furry friend - a stalwart of the community. A sign is in preparation. The deputising Sergeant (Corporal?) suggested the planting of catmint!

 

A club meeting next week will address the future plans (tautology?) of the club. The President will report in full.

 

Our speaker for the day was Wayne Howett of Ronald McDonald House. He provided a history of the organisation, internationally and in New Zealand, and an update of developments and challenges.

 

RMH was founded in Philadelphia in 1974 - 50 year anniversary, Now in 60 countries covering some 90% of top paediatric hospitals. Six million children are helped annually.

It started in New Zealand in 1989 - there are now 97 rooms in Auckland with 87% occupancy - i.e. it is overflowing. Never turn a family away!

Big development schemes are in hand - $100 million - based on a commercial model.

Local help - networks, sponsorship of rooms and volunteers ($2M per year and growing)

 

Sergeant - a long list of misdemeanours was read out - members had much to pay.

 

We had a brief lesson in cosmology with the introduction of UY Scuti, the biggest star in our galaxy, some 1,700 times the size of Solaris (Our sun)

 

Suitably humbled, the meeting was concluded at 8.12 am.