Present - Only 14 members but a fair number of apologies, specifically Don C, Ingrid, Dorothy, Avis and Rory. You absentees; to apologise for absence (and yes, we do miss you!) either contact el Presidente or drop YHC a note nickhamnz@gmail. com)
Presidents notices: The club has received from Rotary International a whole lot of Certificates of Appreciation for 25 plus years of membership. These were presented to Peter Barron, Don Symonds, David Jones, Max Morris and Your Humble Correspondent. Certificates for Malcolm, Ted, Peter and Stephen were retained for presentation when they're next at a meeting. All awardees will be expected to immediately get these letters framed and hung where they can appropriately admired by the passing throngs.
Subscriptions - have been received from sixteen members. Fellows, you're not getting any interest on your money so you might as well pay your sub. then Don won't have to chase you!
Guess who's coming to dinner: Saturday 11th September. Some members have already signed up for this fun event. It gives members a chance to meet other members and their spouses in a less formal environment and can lead to lasting friendships. Drop Phillippa
phillippap@gmail.com or Avis avisnelson@xtra.co.nz a note to confirm that you want to enjoy this event.
Kepa Road; In Henry's absence (he'd been there earlier to be on the door, that's true dedication!) we were told that there lots of trees to be planted on 14th August (next Saturday fellows) so turn up there at 9.00 with spade (or mattock) handy to help put them in the ground. Meet at the Pony Club, just near Z Service Station.
Next weeks's meeting Don S reported that as the club's revenue would be much lower, as a result of the changes in the Golf day reorganisation, the club needed to make the decisions on new fund raising events and which charities might have to be dropped. the more attendees at the meeting the better the decisions.
Three minutes speaker. The club was told that Mervyn Peake was the finest English language author of the twentieth century. This outrageous claim was made by YHC who supported it by reading two of Peake's poems.
The Speaker:
Mike Bryan, officer commanding (is that an appropriate title for an officer in the Salvation Army who runs Epsom Lodge?) spoke of his background and related some stories of residents at the Lodge.
Mike is a Brit, from Lancashire who came to Godzone about a decade ago. His wife and three children have been at Epsom Lodge since the start fi the year. The Lodge is an 84 bed hostel for ex-addicts. It has a very strict 'dry' policy, no alcohol or drugs on the premises with regular tests for the residents. The Lodge has an on-site nurse and a doctor's visit every week thus giving significant support to improve the residents health.
Mike, a Newmarket Rotarian, told of the benefits that the residents gained from the regular breakfasts that are catered for by Rotarians and he strongly encouraged us to continue with them. An interesting presentation.
