Bulletin No. 45 - 8 June 2010

Bulletin No. 45 - 8 June 2010

Today’s meeting was called to order with the blowing of that modern monstrosity, the vuvuzela!

This item of excruciating noise was described by Ben Trovato in last week’s Sunday Times as the noise “a goat makes when in considerable pain” or “an elephant makes when suffering from flatulence”.

Both descriptions are extraordinarily accurate!

Let us rather start our meetings  with the tradition gong!!!!!

Attendance at Today’s meeting - Peggy Saunders

Make-ups

Ian Pringle, John Rauch, Les Kirkland, Peter Long, Gavin Gilmer, George Tzemis and Richard Stephenson at the Project Committee meeting on 3 June

Fred Roberts                                      D.G Induction Dinner                                                     5 June

Attendance with Make-ups  76 %

Visiting Rotarians

Phil Gutsche                                       P. E. Club

David Counihan                                                Sunrise

Non-Rotarian Guests

Alan Young accompanied Anthony Oshry, Chantal Muller came with Ed Gutsche and Pam Cameron-Ellis was accompanied by Denise Black, an Exchange Scholar from Ohio

President Ian’s Announcements

• The Induction Dinner will be held at the P.E. Golf club on 29^th. Cost R125 per person. Please pay Anthony Oshry personally or, and preferably, deposit your payment directly into the Club’s bank account (ABSA bank. Branch code: 632005, Savings Account: 9147171028 in the name of Algoa Bay Rotary Club).

No payment will be received at the function

• Trevor Long has reported that Denise is recovering well after her successful operation in Johannesburg and Bev Radue is waiting very impatiently for his operation scheduled for 22 June.
• Denise Black, the Exchange Scholar from Ohio and hosted by the Port Alfred Rotary Club, spoke briefly. She is obviously having an action-packed stay in South Africa having bought her vuvuzela and tickets to the Korea-Greece game, swam the Red House Mile and bungy-jumped off the Gouritz bridge!

It is most encouraging to see Exchange students getting involved!

• Pres Ian is of the opinion that because of the absence of some of our lady members eg Michelle Brown (on duty at FIFA) and Michelle Lehy and Gianna Doubell (at the Passion Play at Oberammegau) the meeting was much quieter than normal!
• We need to watch Carte Blanche on Sunday evening because Port Elizabeth will apparently feature rather prominently in the programme

Our Speaker - Vidah Manyana

A qualified nurse, mother and grandmother, Mrs Manyana in involved in the Mavai organisation which aims at maximising the potential of young people and giving them the knowledge and skills they will need as they approach their teenage years.

One of the instruments this organisation uses very successfully to achieve their goals is the book Witney’s Kiss,  written specifically for Grade 6 and 7 students and features a rather adventurous 13 year-old girl, a popular guy  and Mrs Pillay, their English teacher.

The book raises issues youngsters normally face at the end of their junior school years which will help them cope as they enter high school and later adulthood. The book encourages them to get involved in critical thinking, establishes values and offers  them choices. Health, social development, HIV/AIDS and life orientation are further issues the book raises.

The book  is published in English, Xhosa and Afrikaans

An  interesting and informative talk

Sergeant -  Ken Munro

After establishing that Arthur Ahlschlager is in possession of the Fellowhip Box and encouraged him to move it on he wished the following happy birthdays:-

Cameron Scott (9^th), Jenny van Graan (10^th) and Malcom Andrew (11^th).

Wedding anniversaries this week are Peter and Wendy Long (10^th) and Michelle and Gavin Brown (12^th).

Ken went on to establish the degree of support and extent of involvement of the Club members in the forthcoming World Cup by asking who is flying the SA flag on the vehicles and/or home, on their side mirrors, how many have makaranas etc etc

Other Matters

a)      Terry and Dorienne Baker were welcomed back from their 3 week 8 527km motorcycle trip via Namibia, Botswana, Caprivi Strip and Zimbabwe. From all accounts this was a wonderful trip which, after a 2 week break, Dorienne  says she will be ready for the next one - apparently up the east coast of Africa!

b)      Bored out of his mind lying in bed waiting for his next knee operation, Bev has used the endless hours very constructively  knitting squares for the Ann’s project that has grabbed the headlines lately.   Honorary Ann?

Vocational Readings - Les Kirkland

a)       Man is a complex being: he makes the desert bloom - and the lakes die

Gil Stern

a)      When we Indians dig roots, we make little holes. When we build houses, we make little holes. When we burn grass for grasshoppers, we don’t ruin things. We shake down acorns and pinenuts. We don’t chop down the trees. We only use dead wood.

But when the white people plow up the ground, they pull down the trees, kill everything. The tree says,           ”Don’t. I am sore. Don’t hurt me”. But they cut it down and chop it up…… They blast rocks and scatter them on the ground… How can the spirit of the Earth like the White man? Everywhere the White man has touched it, it is sore.

Wintu woman, California

As a Matter of Fact

In last week’s Bulletin it was incorrectly stated that Morgan Lehy is a student (I dislike the modern “learner” intensely) at Collegiate.

Morgan of course is a top student at Woodridge.

The error is regretted.

Forthcoming Events for your Diary

15 June                 Barry Upton and Mike Howell             The Ironman competition                        Lunch venue

22 June               Kevin Mills: The Camino de Santiago de Compostela.The way of St James     Lunch venue

29 June                Induction Dinner                                                                                                                    Port Elizabeth Golf Club

14 October          Annual Golf Day                                                                                                                   Humewood Golf

Duty Roster

Malcom Andrew