Power of One – Special Event Evening Meeting
Our June 8th meeting was a well attended and superb evening for outgoing President Ainie Kwok, celebrating completion of an extremely positive and enjoyable year leading the “irreverent” Rotary Club of St John’s. Ainie opened the evening and expressed gratitude to the club for supporting her through a very busy and successful year. She explained how she felt she had really grown into the President role; recommended the leadership experience to new members to consider; and personally thanked a number of key mentors who had provided ongoing support and prodigious advice throughout her year as President.
Proceeds from the evening are to go to the Taveuni Rotary Club in Fiji, specifically to utilise for their many building projects. Jefferey Amos is the President of the Taveuni Rotary Club. He presented at this year’s District Conference in May and received a Rotary Legend award. His approach and commitment is inspirational. The Taveuni Club do an enormous amount of work for the community which is totally disproportional to their membership (reported at 11 members). They are supported in this work by other Rotary Clubs in NZ and Australia. Chris Ward joined us from Rotary Club of Pakuranga and explained how they have been sending working teams to Taveuni for some years. His PowerPoint outlined the projects they help with and showed photographs of the building work they have completed, rebuilding teachers houses and schools. It is heart-warming to learn that Rotary is the only organisation rebuilding teachers houses and schools in Taveuni after any disaster.
Donald Bowie reminded us that our club will be sending a working team in August in which he needs one further member to commit. Please contact Donald asap if you are keen!
A lively Sergeants session followed where $280 was happily extracted from members and guests; and four surprise auctions also received great support. New World Stonefields sponsored a huge gift basket and Ingrid Starnes (www.ingridstarnes.com) donated two gift vouchers. The final auction item was a hand-crafted step ladder which our Rotary Youth Exchange Student Henning had spent the previous two school terms making in his Building and Construction class at Glendowie College. The promise of supreme German craftmanship saw our clubs tallest member outbid himself to win this stunning piece. We are delighted to advise that $490 was raised via these special auctions.
Following a selection of desserts, the special entertainment of the evening began. Members and guests were entertained with a superb performance from the Shadez singers. Shadez are a group of four handsome male singers, all currently studying singing performance at the University of Auckland. Relaxed and full of humour, Shadez treated us to refrains in English, Spanish and Maori. Their performance was greatly enjoyed and provided a truly stylish close to Ainie’s presidential year.
Thanks Ainie for arranging such an enjoyable event; with all funds going to a great cause.