Next Monday’s Zoom Meeting – 28 September 2020
This will be the fourth Monday of the month and under our new convention, this is an opportunity to get to know each other better via Zoom. We will have two Board members, Kristen Flannery and Jackie Hinchcliff, giving 5 minute speeches and then Jackie will talk more about the Australasian Centenary vaccination programme ‘Give Every Child A Future’ (GECAF) and her role. Please join us at 12.30pm on Zoom using the following link:
Monday 5 October will be a Physical Meeting
The following week on Monday 5 October 2020, will be our first physical lunch for some time. Our speaker will be the eminent QC Jim Farmer, who will talk to us about the Cannabis Act. Venue details will be confirmed next week.
This Week’s Meeting
This week we heard from Caralise Trayes on Zoom, who spoke about the End of Life Choice Act. The clear message was that this is a complicated and multifaceted issue. Her book ‘The Final Choice’ is selling well in book stores and online https://www.thefinalchoice.nz/
James Wheeler Davidson – The Marco Polo of Rotary International
On Monday I participated in a Zoom call with 42 participants, all celebrating the achievements of James Wheeler Davidson. James was one of two Canadians who started the four initial Rotary Clubs in Australasia in 1921 – Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington and Auckland. In 1929, at a personal cost to himself of $250,000, James set out on an extended world trip promoted by Paul Harris himself, to establish Rotary Clubs around the world. The Rotary Clubs on the Zoom call were all founded by this renowned explorer, who had previously visited even the North Pole. We heard from Presidents from Athens, Cairo, Jerusalem, Bombay, Madras, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington, to name just a few.
Mana Tangata
I’m delighted to report that we have received the first draft of the New Zealand Rotary history book, which is currently being reviewed and it looks fantastic. My thanks to Past President Jim Johnston, who has reviewed it and found its contents extremely interesting.
Regards
Tony Caughey
