Stories Sam's Talk Sam Clark's Visit     Last Thursday Sam Clark, grandson of Rotary member Tony Tizzard and Cynthia came and spoke to us about his participation in the RYLA course held at University College in January.   Sam is no stranger to Rotary having two grandfathers who are Rotarians at the Belfast/Kaiapoi and the Papanui clubs and having been to many of our activities with his parents Lisa and Stuart. It was great that his parents and both sets of grandparents were present last Thursday.  Sam's older brother Josh was also a RYLA student some years ago.    Sam gave us a day to day account of RYLA. He enjoyed the entire week but his favourite speaker was Richard Smith who was diverse, very informative and assisted the students in a range of activities and skits.   The first morning of RYLA the students were asked to get up at 6.00am to participate in a daily exercise routine. Sam wasn't looking forward to this but after the first  morning he was hooked as were many of the other RYLArians.    On one of the activities Sam needed six volunteers to come and together hold a fishing rod with one finger whilst they lowered themselves down and did a squat. Try as they might they were not able to get into the squat position and hang onto the fishing rod.  This exercise proved you don't always need an entire team to be successful in an exercise.      On day four the group went to the high ropes course. There they learnt you did some activities as individuals but at times you need to assist others who might feel challenged in some way get across the line. Sam had done the high ropes course several times before so with some encouragement from the others he did part of the course blindfolded including grabbing the trapese swing.    Sam is doing an engineering degree at Canterbury University and is open to the opportunities open to him when he completes his degree.  Sam thanked Papanui Rotary for the sponsorship stating that he had made friendships that he believed would last a lifetime. Already the group had met several times for a meal and a drink together.   Sam was great ambassador for Rotary and we wish him well for the future.      Kevin's Story Kevin - Another ROMAC Success Story   Submitted by Liz   Kevin, born in 2004, was a normal healthy active child growing up in a rural area in the New Britain Province on the island if Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. The youngest of seven children to Paul and Veronica, the family owned land on which they grew crops for the markets among other enterprises. Their community, Toma, is one hour inland from Kokopo, the island's main town and commercial centre.   Life was simple for Kevin. There was no electricity or running water and from an early age he was required to chop the firewood each day to fuel the oven. Other chores involved pollinating crops and tending nursery plants and making and selling ice blocks.   He was very enterprising and diligent at school, attended the local Catholic Church every week with the family, and even played the music for services by the time he was 12. But this idyllic life was about to change.   At about age 11 in 2015 Kevin started experiencing dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, nose bleeds and hearing loss. His nose was so blocked he couldn't breathe through it. Even eating was difficult. Eventually he was diagnosed with a juvenile angiofibroma - a relatively rare condition which only occurs in teenage boys, where a growth develops between the eyes and spreads within the skull.   Eventually, in January 2018, Kevin and Veronica flew to Port Moresby seeking treatment. Without beds available at the Hospital the pair slept on an open veranda on the deck for six months. The growth had become too advanced to be treated locally and the family was referred to ROMAC (Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children).   Finding a surgical team willing to take on Kevin's advanced case was not easy, but two Auckland Surgeons Dr Peter Hepner and Dr Richard Douglas said "we do difficult, bring it on", so ROMAC NZ did just that.   NOTE: the full PDF of this wonderful story, including the challenges and successes achieved, will be emailed out shortly.   Club Chat Publisher   SPPEDS SPPEDS Food Requirements   Deb Gimlett   Food Requirements for Morning/Afternoon Teas on the 6th & 7th of March 2021 at St Margaret’s College are as follows:   9.35am-10am - Saturday Morning Tea (arrive 8.30 am) 3.50pm-4.15pm – Saturday Afternoon Tea (arrive 2.50 pm) 10.50am-11.15 – Sunday Morning Tea (arrive 9.45 am)   The Papanui Club is catering Saturday and Sunday morning teas. Another Community group is catering Saturday afternoon tea.  We will be catering for around 200 Rotarians.   Closer to the day we will know everyone’s dietary requirements. Deb will let Club members know final numbers and what the dietary needs are.   The Club will need to supply tea, coffee, herbal teas, sugar, artificial sweetener and milk.  Enough for two day’s supply.   Food suitable for morning and afternoon teas: scone, muffin, fruit loaf, slice or biscuits. There are no facilities to heat savouries. There is a fridge in the kitchenette. 150 cups and saucers. SPPEDS committee will supply 150 disposable hot drink cups if needed.  If anyone has access to extra mugs please contact Deb.    Members will be preparing in the kitchenette and setting up in the Atrium of the Auditorium at St Margaret’s College.  We have access to 3 urns (Thanks Heather) for hot water. If anyone has more urns can they please let Deb know.   Arie and Janice will provide rubbish bags for rubbish. Allow time to clean and clear away and leave tables ready for lunch.   Thanks to those at Reality Café Friday, who volunteered to bake (Heather, Deryn, Adrianne) and Mandi and John to be Marshalls.   We still need more offers of baking, assistance to set up for morning teas and Marshalls to assist in the smooth running through-out Saturday and to help clean and pack up Sunday 2-4.30pm.    On Saturday we need two Marshall Teams of four members. Start times for Saturday: 7.30 am-12 noon and 12 noon to 4.30pm and Sunday: 2-4.30pm to clean up and pack away.   Any questions please contact Deb 021 105 6139  0r email he on deb.gimblett@gmail.com .   Snippets   Next Mitre 10 BBQ Update from Gary   The current status of our BBQ Rosters for this Sunday 28 February is that we still need four helpers.  We have four rosters as follows:   8:15am to 9:00am:  Arie dropping things off, Gary, Janice and Arie setting up. 9:00am to 11:00am: Arie and Janice, Gary and Mark Bond (full). 11:00am to 1:00pm: Deb Gimblett, Tony Tizzard and Lois Flanagan.  One more helpers needed. 1:00pm to 3:00pm: Simon Forsythe, Donna Cherry, Euan Hilson  1 more helper needed. 3:00pm to 4:30pm: Gary. 2 helpers needed.  This shift does clean up at 4:00pm).  Euan is rostered for 1-3pm but is happy to do 11-1pm if it helps anyone.   John Stringer is working at Mitre 10 on Sunday and happy to help if something is needed.   Also, thank you to those who responded and said they would normally help but they are tied up on that day. That allows me know that you have read the request for help.     Papanui Bush Development   The Canterbury Brain Collective has announced that Armitage Williams have been appointed as head contractor for the BrainTree build by Papanui Bush and have become anchor donors. The team have been very supportive since the get go, and have a real affinity with the cause.   They are working with the civil contractors right now and plan to start earthworks on site in early March. It's pretty exciting for them to be finally breaking ground after almost four years of planning and fundraising.      Saturday Lotto Draw   We have now begun Round 4 of Saturday Lotto. There are still a few numbers not taken, however, if has been decided to run this round as we do Wednesday Lotto, where winnings from numbers not taken go to Usa River Club.   Any winnings from numbers in Saturday Lotto that are not taken will go directly to our own club.   If you didn't get an email with the results of last night's draw and you want to be in this round please contact Deryn so she can arrange a number for you.       Dear Lois   The safety of all New Zealanders is our priority and due to the recent community cases of Covid-19, we have decided to cancel our Big Heart Appeal Street Collection.   We are so grateful to you for volunteering to be an Area Co-ordinator and to the thousands of volunteers who were prepared to give their time for us.   Please pass on our thanks to the wonderful volunteers you have been working with over the last months. We are truly grateful to you all for your support. But you can still help, as now more than ever, we are relying on big-hearted people like you so we can continue to fund our life-saving work.   The Big Heart Appeal is our largest public fundraising campaign of the year and we are incredibly disappointed that we can’t proceed. Funds raised from the Big Heart Appeal Street Collection go towards life-saving heart research and supporting our loved ones who are living with heart disease.     We still need you to help us, please take the time now to join our first ever Virtual Street Collection. Join and help us spread the word throughout the country, by sharing this with your friends and family to ensure that we can continue to raise much needed life-saving funds.   It’s quick and easy to get started. Simply create your fundraising page and then spread the word.   Create your online Virtual Street Collection page – in a few simple clicks you will have set up your page. It’s easy – just follow the steps. Add personal touches – Share your story, tell your friends why you choose to support the Heart Foundation and why the cause is important to you! Spread the word and tell the world – Share your story with your friends, family and colleagues. Tell them why you’ve chosen to help and why the cause is so important to you! Let them know they too can help make a difference by donating online to your fundraising page.   Alternatively, please donate online at heartfoundation.org.nz/donate or by calling 0800 830 100.  Every donation no matter how big or small, helps. Please support us by donating today.   Once again, thank you for your support, it means so much. Stay safe, Kia kaha.   The Big Heart Appeal Team     The President’s Blurb   Last Thursday we had Megan Waddington and Sam Clark speak to us. Megan came to say thank-you on behalf of Presbyterian Support Services for the gifts from the Tree of Giving we have in Northlands Mall at Christmas time each year and she presented us with a Certificate of Appreciation. Sam spoke of the great time he had at the RYLA course that the club sponsored him to attend at the beginning of the year.    I spent a lot of time last Thursday before our meeting began trying to organise stand-ins to cover absent members rostered on to do duties. All our members have others things going on in their lives that mean they will be absent from club meetings from time to time. Most of the time, but not always, they remember to put in apologies but I am finding that more frequently members have not organised standins to do their duties for them.   Please remember to do this and when you have organised a stand-in send me as President a quick message so I am not racing around organising somebody else. It makes my job easier and I also get to enjoy the meetings and am able to relax and meet & greet people.    We are looking forward to the International dinner at the Netherlands Society clubrooms this Thursday. The clubrooms are at 637 Marshland Road and it will be 6.00pm with dinner being served at 6.30pm.  There is no bar available at the Netherlands Society but you are welcome to bring your own. Carafes of water and wine glasses will be supplied.    Gary Denhard is busy finalising his rosters for the Mitre 10 BBQ Hut for Sunday 28 Feb. Have a look at your diaries and see if you can help him by doing a shift.    See you on Thursday.   Janice     Thought for the Week    “Life offers so many choices … all you have to do is see them.”

Upcoming Events you are welcome to attend   International Dinner Netherlands Society Clubrooms Feb 25, 2021 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM   BBQ at Mitre 10 Mega Papanui Mega Mitre 10 Feb 28, 2021 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM   No Club meeting tonight to be advised Mar 04, 2021   Preparation for SPPEDS St Margarets College Mar 05, 2021 – Mar 07, 2021   Club Committee Night to be advised Mar 11, 2021   View entire list Meeting Responsibilities Duty Roster 25th February International Dinner   Reception Hilson, Euan   Speakers Host Flanagan, Lois   Vote of Thanks Cherry, Donna   Duty Roster 18th March   Reception Gimblett, Deb   Speakers Host McFadden, Grant   Vote of Thanks Forrest, Helen   Visitors Host Wright, Max   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   Duty Roster 8th April   Reception   Speakers Host   Vote of Thanks   Visitors Host   Sergeant   Meeting Setup McMurtrie, Denis   Banner Setup & Room Tidyup Sedgley, Ron