Stories Actor Extraordinaire! Actor Extraordinaire!   Mark with President Janice & Tony   We were delighted to hear from Mark Adlow, an Aussie born “Kiwi”, who introduced his life’s work as “large and interesting”.   Mark’s 1st experience of talking to an audience was as an alter boy in his Dad’s church.  After that his travels began with moving to India which led him becoming interested in the acting world.   One of his early favourites were  Wayne & Shuster, a Canadian comedy duo  who hosted a regular comedy show on CBC. He avidly watched them for two years.  After returning to Australia, he then moved to NZ in 1969 following the Wahine disaster which he spied when flying in.  He then attended St Martins school where he did his 1st performance at age 10 to 150 parishioners.    At this stage his parents decided to send him off to board at Christ’s College where he came under the tutelage of Head of Music which had a strong influence on his development at that time.  While scrapping through School Cert he also manged to learn a lot about acting. And, as fate would have it, ended up deciding to join the Navy!     During both his school and the Navy Mark had to manage his fair share of bullying which helped him realise that what hurts you also makes you stronger while at the same time his parents instilled in him the value of “”family”.   The Navy also led to him learning to play the trumpet and how to make cups of tea in record time for large groups.  Following an eventual honourable discharge, Mark then worked as encyclopedia salesman for the respectable time of one week and then returned to Australia to join the National Institute of Dramatic Arts.   This surrounded him with an amazing group of actors which was a great learning experience. This included an interesting time working with a lovely woman he was mad about and the opportunity to pass her some soap while she was in a shower which was an experience that stayed with him for some time.   He came to realise how important it was to get along professionally with everyone involved in putting on a show that became especially valuable later in his career when he joined the Court Theatre.   After a raft of varying roles, Mark then – at age 49 – applied for a role at the Council that managed a team of entrepreneurs.  This included looking after Classical Sparks which was a real hit.    Other work quickly followed including acting in The Hobbit and a number of varied  roles in the Court Theatre including Wind in the Willows being a notable favourite.   At this time, Mark has been involved in his 5oth play focussed on the winding up of people’s lives.  He finds this especially poignant and very topical of our live at this time.   “The real vale of live theatre”, noted Mark, “is that it captures and shares who we are in a wide variety of ways.”   In closing , Mark shared that he has no regrets over his 42 years in this industry and considers himself very fortunate to have had such a varied interesting and thoroughly enjoyable career.   We thanked Mark for sharing his fascinating life to date look forward to him continuing in what is obviously a varied, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable life so far.       Read more... BBQ at Burwood Spinal Unit BBQ at Burwood Spinal Unit     This Thursday 11 Feb we are being hosted by Liz Oliver and the staff at Burwood Spinal Unit BBQ shelter. Hans Wouter CEO of the NZ Spinal Trust who came and spoke to our club 18 months ago will also be present. The evening is being put on as an appreciation for our partial funding of the BBQ shelter from a trailer raffle several years ago.   Come through Gate 5 on Mairehau Rd and park in the public carpark. We will have the Rotary teardrop banner up to direct you to where you need to go.   Dinner is being served at 6.00pm   Bring an outdoor chair and $15 for your  meal. Burwood are funding part of the meal - we are covering the balance. After a bite to eat we will take our chairs into the dining hall for a short period of club business. If the wind is too cold we may also eat in the dining hall.    Burwood Spinal Unit is on CDHB land  so there is zero tolerance of smoking and alcohol. Burwood Spinal Unit will have water and orange juice available. If you want something different bring it along but please no alcohol. Glasses, plates etc will be provided.      Snippets   Photos from our Foodbank packing on 28 January!     International Dinner – Partners Night   This is being held on the 25th of February at the Netherland Society Clubrooms, 637 Marshlands Road.   The meal, catered by Deborah Gill-Smith, starts at 6.30 pm at a cost of $30 pp  for a two course dinner.  Drinks BYO.   The speaker is Nicole Macaballug, the Honorary Vice-Consul of the Consulate of the Philippines in Christchurch / South Island.   Numbers to be confirmed by Thursday 18th February       Click here to see a 7 page slide show about the event.     Our Peer Support Shirts are “Go”.     The President’s Blurb   What a great evening with Mark Hadlow who did not disappoint with his hilarious stories.   Thank you to the partners and spouses who came along, thank-you to the three members of New Horizons Rotary who attended and also to Assistant Governor Craig Murphy and his wife Shirley for coming. With the added numbers there was a lovely buzz in the room.   Evan Thomson hosted the Celebrity Golf Tournament on Sunday at Kaiapoi Golf course and had 20 Rotarians and friends turn up. Well done Evan. Sadly Arie and myself weren't able to attend as we had a litter of pups born in the weekend.   As I write this piece Rotarians are helping Deb Gimblett cook the meal at Ronald McDonald House. Tomorrow Rotarians will be helping Denis McMurtrie at Papanui Bush.   This Thursday we will be hosted by the Burwood Hospital Spinal Unit at the BBQ shelter that we partially funded from our trailer raffle several years ago.    Liz and Nick are still busy with Governor-elect training on line meeting they are having to get up at 3.00am to attend sessions.    This weekend Arie and Nick have a 2 day Board meeting of the Hanmer Springs Forest camp. This is the beginning of the year strategic planning meeting and it is an overnighter.   Several of our members have been affected by health and family issues recently and have had to be absent from Rotary. We don't need to know the detail but can still be thinking of them and supporting them. If you haven't seen somebody for a few weeks it is OK to ring them or email them and tell them that you missed them.    Have good week and see you on Thursday at Burwood.   Cheers    Janice     Thought for the Week   ”I am still waiting patiently for the wisdom that comes with age.”

Upcoming Events you are welcome to attend   BBQ night at Burwood Hospital Spinal Unit Burwood Hospital Feb 11, 2021   Community Knowledge and Skills Workshop 2021 Papanui High School Feb 13, 2021 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM   Board Meeting to be advised Feb 16, 2021   Sam Clark, our RYLA student will speak The Papanui Feb 18, 2021 5:55 PM – 7:30 PM   Coffee Club morning Reality Bites Cafe Feb 19, 2021   View entire list Meeting Responsibilities Duty Roster 11th February 2021   Reception Digby, Neville   Duty Roster 18th February   Reception Shields, Gordon   Speakers Host Hilson, Euan   Vote of Thanks Thomson, Rob   Visitors Host Stringer, John   Sergeant Thomson, Rob   Meeting Setup McMurtrie, Denis   Banner Setup & Room Tidyup Sedgley, Ron   Duty Roster 18th March   Reception Gimblett, Deb   Speakers Host Nicholl, Rob   Vote of Thanks Thomson, Evan   Visitors Host Spicer, Anne   Sergeant Geerlofs, Arie   Meeting Setup McMurtrie, Denis   Banner Setup & Room Tidyup Sedgley, Ron   Duty Roster 25th March 2021   Reception Bond, Mark   Speakers Host Geerlofs, Janice   Vote of Thanks Taylor, Tony   Visitors Host Tizzard, Tony   Sergeant Thomson, Rob   Meeting Setup McMurtrie, Denis   Banner Setup & Room Tidyup Sedgley, Ron