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LAST MEETING: A Raid from Petone Rotary
We welcomed Petone Rotary members to our evening last meeting. We had two speakers tonight, firstly Michelle Stronach-Marsh from Petone Rotary, followed by President Jan sharing an experience she had.
Michelle: No-one likes litter. Most people do not drop litter, but some do. Everybody else complains but only a few people do something about it - picking up other people's litter and Michelle is one of the latter. Every day she goes for a five-kilometre run along Petone Beach and picks up litter as she goes. She has been doing this for two and a half years, and has inspired several others, often teenagers, to help her. The amount of litter she collects is amazing and appalling, but gradually the beach is getting better as the message gets home to more and more people. It was good to see that her work has been publicly recognised on the "Good Sorts" television programme, and she showed us this item, spoke to it, and answered questions arising.
Dropping litter is a learned or unlearned habit: you rarely see people dropping litter in Queensgate BECAUSE it is kept clean, but if you visit Naenae Centre too often you see litter all over the place, so the litterers just don't mind adding to it. I think if everyone just picked up some litter as they walked around - no need to go to Michelle's heroic lengths*- gradually we would wean the litterers off their habit.
Jan: Jan talked about her particular skeleton in her cupboard. As a young person she was faced with looking after a disgraced relative who had been thrust into a most unwelcome spotlight in the full glare of national and international publicity, television interest and all. He was due for a heart transplant. Paul Holmes raised a deal of money by a public appeal to send him to England to have it done but the press discovered and published his past just before he was due to leave. She had to spirit him to England, avoid the ferocious English press, and get him to a London hospital for the transplant. She succeeded and got him there incognito, only to find he did not need such treatment. She got him back safely to NZ. He lived for another fifteen years until he died of unrelated causes. She never met him again. Jan ensured that the funds which had been raised by the public appeal were given to a children's charity.
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General Notices:
* Next Meeting: A reminder this is the 1st Monday meeting for April and both books and produce will be on sale.
* Poppy Day Collection - Friday 16th April: This happening again at Countdown, High Street and Gregory will circulate a board looking for collectors this coming Monday.
* First Choice Dinner - Sunday 18th April: Chinese banquet lunch to raise funds for a emergency response kits. It's a BYO for 50 people maximum - $30 per person. For bookings or further details, contact Rachael Carpenter HERE ...and please wear something red.
* Funds Raised: Sergeant's Session, including WFMH quiz $113.90
Around 300 walkers gathered in the grounds of the Wellington Tenths Trust (supporters of the Walk), many of them students from schools around the Hutt Valley. They completed the recent 3-kms walk from Petone’s Hikoikoi Reserve, to the Petone Wharf.
"If a person does not make new acquaintances, as they advance through life, they will soon find themselves alone. A person should keep their friendships in constant repair." ~ Samuel Johnson (1775)
Please study and plan ahead, especially if you are on duty to write a Bulletin Contribution. A reminder that it's also your responsibility to find a replacement if you are unable to fulfill your duty.
Eastern Hutt Rotary e-Bulletin
We meet at Avalon Pavilion, Taita Drive entrance, Mondays, at 5:55 pm
Visitors and prospective members always welcome.
For catering purposes, contact our Secretary (027) 241 5092
