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19 June 2025

Presidents Time

The President welcomed Dana McNicoll from Family Support.

Many members of Rotary attended Selwyn Crawford's funeral the day before, and moments of silence were held for Selwyn.

The incoming President, Robbie Jackson, briefly spoke and thanked members who would be taking on roles under his Presidency (here's hoping he's not taking lessons from Donald!).

Sargeant Session

The usual robbery occurred from those who had misdemeanours, and then there was a quiz per table. Thank you all for your contributions.

Raffle
Colin Shore was the winner, while many continue hoping we may one day win the wine, making it the most expensive bottle of wine we have ever secured.

3-minute speaker

Robbie spoke of his recent experience with the New Zealand health systems, saying he was impressed and thankful for all their attentiveness. Robbie had a spine fusion (he now has metal in his back) and spent four days in hospital, which included a stint in ICU and is presently taking lots of medication.

Guest Speaker

Data McNicoll is the financial controller of Family Support, a recent recipient of $2,000.00 in funds from our Rotary group. Dana has worked with Family Support, an independent social service, for 12 months.

The organisation started in 1942 and was called Heritage, an organisation to support children whose fathers were killed in the war. This transitioned to BirthRight in 1963 with the help of the Rotary Club of Timaru and, more recently, to its new name.

The funds we gave will support updating the family room and replacing furniture and toys. Dana expressed her gratitude to us all for our generous support.

Family Support helps approximately 100 families simultaneously, plus one-on-one support when needed and facilitates supervised visiting. Where appropriate, they refer people to other social services. They are clear to the people they help, and anyone that they are only a phone call away.

Next meeting:

03 July 2025.

Duties for 03 July 2025
Chairman: John Keenan
Thanks, Jay Lovelay
Regalia: Barry Paine
Sergeant: David Hewson
Corporal: Colin Clemens
Scribe: Geoff Cloake

05 June 2025

Presidents Time

Welcome to Vicki Gray and Guest Speaker Paul Fisher.

Notices:
Bookarama. The 2025 Bookarama will run on 3, 4 and 5 October 2024. Set up will be in late September. As the container we use for storage is nearly full, if members have books for Bookarama, please store them at your premises till we are ready to collect them.

3 Minute Speaker:
David Hewson spoke of his family’s journey through the health system – how supportive many of those who work in the system are for the positive outcome that happened. Thanks, David.

Raffle:
Our usual investment contributed to Noel taking home the wine.

1,000,000 Cans from Rotary:
John thanked members who brought along cans as part of the 1 million can target to be given to Food Banks. Members are welcome to bring along a can or more, to our next meeting in a fortnight.

Guest Speaker:
Adrian introduced Paul Fisher, who is responsible for the redevelopment of Mitre 10 in Timaru.

Paul, from Birmingham, England, spoke of his varied career/s till he arrived in Timaru. Growing up in Birmingham was in the era of the IRA and associated bombings, before he chose his first career as a horse trainer. As a rider, Paul was selected to ride for Great Britain, but just before the event, he had a fall and broke his arm, which ended his opportunity.

From there, Paul joined the Navy and spent 22 years on nuclear submarines. Many were fascinated to hear of life on a submarine: working every day, no communication with family for months at a time, living in controlled environments, including manufactured water and air. Paul spoke of the missions he has been on and what they got up to. Fascinating stuff, and we could have listened for much longer.

Paul met and married a Kiwi girl and found himself in New Zealand, and his way to senior roles in Mitre10.

Mitre10 has been around for 22 years, starting in Melbourne, Australia, and today has buyers in India and China as well as New Zealand and imports from other countries. Timaru Mitre10 has about $6.5 million in stock at any one time, approximately 52,000 items.

Wintery joke:

Why did Dad stop using his loyalty card to scrape ice from his windshield? He only got 10% off.

Duties for 19 June 2025:
3 Minute Speaker: Robbie Jackson

Chairman: Trevor Johnson
Thanks: John Keenan
Sergeant: Bill Weir
Corporal: Don George
Regalia: Jay Loveley
Scrobe: Tony Brien

The Timaru North Rotary Art Auction is Back!

Pop in and take a look

All works are on exhibition now at the Aigantighe.

Auction catalogue available here now

Download list here here

The Rotary Club of Timaru North is thrilled to invite you to yet another Art Auction fundraiser at Timaru's Aigantighe Art Gallery on Friday, May 9th, 2025.
Doors open at 7:00 PM, with the auction kicking off at 7:30 PM. Come along and enjoy a fantastic evening supporting the arts and young talent in our community.
So far we have a stunning collection of 94 pieces up for grabs, generously donated by 34 talented artists, local and afar.
This year, we're also excited to feature a piece by the acclaimed Otago artist Anita DeSoto, the proud recipient of the prestigious Margaret Stoddart Artist Residency for 2025!
With a diverse range of styles and mediums, there's sure to be something to capture everyone's personal taste – and you might just snag a piece you love at a wonderful price!
By joining us, you'll be directly supporting our Rotary Club's initiatives in the arts and our ongoing scholarships for young adults and children.
Want to know more about the impact of your support? Check out our scholarship page: https://rotarytimnth.nz/page/art-scholarship
Don't miss this opportunity to acquire beautiful art, support a great cause, and enjoy a wonderful evening at the Aigantighe Art Gallery!

Convenor of the art auction for Timaru North Rotary, Harley Smithson, said he is hoping the public will support the auction by bidding on the artists’ very generous donations and so top up the club’s Art Scholarship fund.

For full information contact Harley at handjsmithson@gmail.com , or phone 0274972792.

See you there!

ARTARAMA 2024

Yet another Artarama at the Aigantighe Art Gallery - being going since 1979 when our late member Dick Logan initiated it.

President Rod Sparrow addressing at the opening with Exhibitions Curator Izzy Hillman alongside, with Jill Harland, President Friends of Aigantighe, and Leslie Brown, President of the South Canterbury Arts Society.

Some of the 700 odd entries by South Canterbury school pupils.

Great H2H morning

The Alpine Energy Hadlow to Harbour (H2H) 2024 was a great success, with over 800 people participating. They spanned all age groups and attended for various reasons; be it competitive running, fitness or those wanting to spend some time with friends as they walked the routes.

These community events cannot happen without the support of our sponsors, who generously give their time and financial support to make the event what it is. The funds raised in 2024 have been donated to the Stroke Foundation, Heart Foundation, Hospice and Life Education Trust.

The 2025 event is scheduled for 02 March 2025, and we look forward to seeing even more people participating.

See Geoff Cloake's Flickr album for a selection of photos.

Team us with us and do great things

By joining us, you can help out on projects like the H2H: Alpine Energy Hadlow to Harbour each year generating $180,000 since year 2000! We also have other events and fundraisers like Bookarama, which has been running since 1976. Help us make these even more successful. Then there's the fun of our social occasions - bring along your family too! You'll love the camaraderie and stimulation of our club, and have the opportunity to network and mix in your abilities to help lead us into the future. Visit http://intro.rotarytimnth.nz. Enquire to Gavin Craig: 021 661 554, Don George: 027 223 424. or Email: join@rotarytimnth.nz

Circus Quirkus comes to town

Some families may never get to see live shows. These shots are from Circus Quirkus, held in conjunction with Timaru North Rotary Club the other night - thanks to tickets sponsored by local businesses.

Team up with us and go places

By joining us, you can explore remote and spectacular parts of our South Island like the Clarence Reserve shown here.

Then there's the fun of our social occasions - bring along your family too!

You'll love the camaraderie and stimulation of our club, and have the opportunity to network and mix in your abilities to help lead us into the future.

Want to learn more learn more

Enquires to

Gavin Craig: 021 661 554,

Don George: 027 223 424. or

Email: join@rotarytimnth.nz

Visit to Glenmore Station

On Febuary 19th, members and partners took on a 50-kilometer return 4x4 trip in the riverbed of the Cass Valley on the Glenmore sheep station, Going was a little smoother thanks to Jim Murray who was reworking the track with his grader.

Harold always likes to make an appearance at the H2H

Harold the Giraffe closes in runners pushing for the H2H finish line

Look out for Harold at this year’s 5th March H2H. He will be on one of his “friends” eye-catching set-of-wheels. He may even wander through the finishing line and pose with fans – he’s a big celebrity throughout Australasia! This is because he is always alongside school children learning about their uniqueness and their right to stand tall and proud – just like a giraffe.

Read more about entering and prepaying here: h2h.org.nz/entering/about-entering

Rotary volunteers working on the H2H preparations

Jeremy Hogan chatting with H2H team member Geoff Cloake about this year’s promotional arrangements.

At the finish line, Jeremy Hogan gets to see the buzz of cheering supporters, the endless huge expressions of relief, astounding smiles of achievement and welling pride topped with congratulatory back-patting and hugging. “Helping on projects like this is just fantastic!” he says. “Being able to give something back to the community I live in, is also loads of fun and you get to meet and work with some very interesting and motivated people.” He adds: “That’s why I like to help out with the H2H. It brings people together in such an friendly and enjoyable way.” About his Rotary Club’s role, he comments: “Rotary projects like this really strengthen our community’s spirit and wellbeing.”

Help is welcome to spread the load and lift the H2H to even greater heights for the benefit of all. Would you like to join in? Please contact John Keenan @ keenanj.s93@gmail.com or 027 292 5267

Read more about entering and prepaying here: h2h.org.nz/entering/about-entering

“The H2H means everything ‘Timaru’ to me!”

“I keep coming back!” Rebecca demonstrates the fun of entering and dressing-up to the camera. - Photo by Geoff Cloake

Read more about entering and prepaying here: h2h.org.nz/entering/about-entering

Step out for the Hadlow to Harbour

Upwards of 1000 people are expected to take to our streets on Sunday 5^th of March to run, walk, jog, and even scooter, the 10kms to Caroline Bay from Hadlow or, for a lighter task, 3kms from Countdown on Church Street. Some will be led by dogs, more in fancy party dress or disguise, while others load themselves with extra challenges like pushing strollers. Free Ritchie buses will shuttle to Hadlow, but please be early to ensure a ride.

Grateful thanks go to all supporters including volunteers and club members who freely provide their time and resources to make H2H so successful. More volunteers are always welcome, even if for a couple of hours on the day or helping more seriously with lead-up tasks. Please contact John Keenan @ keenanj.s93@gmail.com or 027 292 5267

Read more about entering and prepaying here: h2h.org.nz/entering/about-entering

Second successful BOOKARAMA for 2022

Yes we held another BOOKARAMA for 2022!

Donations have been so plentiful we decided to run Bookarama again 4-6 November, making up for the events missed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Extending the Friday hours to 9:00pm proved popular. Friday was an extra day added last time to help spread out attendance and deal to capacity donations.

See this Timaru Herald lead-up item by Racheal Comer - Nov 02 2022 including a video interview with convener Gavin Craig:

272 individually named dictionaries to local students

St Joseph's Year 4 primary school students with their new illustrated dictionaries

Again Year 4 primary school students were thrilled to received the wonderfully illustrated education learning aid from us this year. Schools included Barton Rural, Beaconsfield, Gleniti, Grantlea Downs, Highfield, St Joseph's, Timaru Christian, Oceanview Heights and Waimataitai.

Working with other Rotary Clubs, the cost was covered by a Rotary Foundation grant. Special thank to President Rod Sparrow who individually signed the 272 explanatory letters covering each Dictionary, and members and family who helped prepare, distribute and present the dictionaries to each school.

Otipua Wetlands native tree planting

500 native grasses, shrubs and trees were planted at the Otipua Wetlands on an incredibly nice morning. Eight from the Boy's Brigade 3rd Timaru, with leaders Fiona Blisset and Chris Kronings, joined 16 Club members making short work of the task.. Also digging in was Jim Garden of the Timaru Rotary Club. This project follows a Rotary International initiative, planting 12 million trees world wide.

Noel Crawford preparing a hole for a plant held by Inga, an AFS student from Germany . One day this hillside will be covered with native flora, as seen in the distance.

Rod Sparrow

General: Contact form

president@rotarytimnth.nz

secretary@rotarytimnth.nz

treasurer@rotarytimnth.nz

Mail:

The Secretary

19 Tawa Street

Glenwood

Timaru, 7910

South Canterbury

New Zealand

June 2025

Are you an inspired person who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

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