A New Member and Tom Wheeler.

Welcome, Nici Hammerschmidt, to the Club. It was President Graham's first Induction and he carried it off with aplomb! He's got a quite a few more in August!

Please note the dates for the Club Assembly and the chartering of the Dominican Convent Interact Club in the "Future Events" column. I'll be filling this up soon as the Annual Directory for the new District 9400 is out at the end of this week. Gone are the days when it is free to every Rotarian...there are 1 700 in the District...but each club will receive some and we can decide whether we want to buy more.




Thank you for kind remarks on my fill-in talk last week on "What went wrong with SA Cuisine".



Here's one of the pictures taken last week at the SA Chefs Association.








Our Speaker this week is Tom Wheeler, Research Associate at the SA Institute of International Affairs based at Jan Smuts House on the Wits Campus. Tom recently led a GSE Team to The Philippines and here he is with Wendy Harbottle, Marc van Heerden and Vera Naidoo at the International Rice Genebank Training Centre at Rice World Museum and Learning Centre just having watched the audiovisual presentation "Rice Science for a Better World". They look a little bemused. Unfortunately he is not going to talk to us on Rice Science but rather on "The Great Game in Central Asia" Nothing to do with the Raj, yet in a sense it is. Tom was Ambassador to Turkey from 1997 to 2001 and his representation was expanded to include the Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. His talk will discuss the competition between the major world powers for access to the natural resources in the region and the possible long-term effects this may have on the world at large.

Rotary International News -- 16 July 2010

Former Ambassadorial Scholar writes book about Katrina

By Ryan Hyland





Kathleen Koch, former CNN correspondent and Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar, reports from her hometown of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, USA, after Hurricane Katrina devastated its residents and infrastructure.

Photo by Skip Nocciolo/CNN


Just days after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast in 2005, CNN correspondent Kathleen Koch rushed to her hometown of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to cover a story that other media outlets weren’t telling.

Much of the immediate news focused on the chaos in New Orleans, Louisiana. Koch, a former Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar and an award-winning broadcast journalist, reported instead on the devastation in communities along the coast of Mississippi.

"I had a deep fear the history books would focus only on Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans. Most Americans didn't realize that Mississippi caught the brunt of the storm," Koch says. "Before I left my hometown, I made a promise to the residents that I won't let anyone forget what happened."

In her new book, "Rising from Katrina: How My Mississippi Hometown Lost It All and Found What Mattered", she fulfills her promise.

Koch made two award-winning documentaries about post-Katrina Mississippi for CNN and reported extensively on the state's recovery before leaving the network in 2008. But she felt a book would be a more concrete way to illustrate residents' perseverance after the hurricane.

"I want people to see what I saw, to hear what I heard, to feel what I felt," Koch says. "I was so struck by their resilience, faith, and determination. They never felt sorry for themselves.
"While so many people today are losing their homes and jobs, I think this story can resonate," she adds. "It tells the story of the whole Gulf Coast and how they lost everything and didn't give up hope."

In her book, Koch mentions several Rotary clubs doing their part to help victims, including the Rotary Club of Jonesboro, Arkansas, which rallied support from clubs across the country to collect more than 10,000 toys for the Boys and Girls Club of the Gulf Coast in time for Christmas.

"I was always aware of Rotary's commitment to help those in need. And more impressive is the dignified way in which they do it," Koch says. "Rotary was everywhere and still is. How can you not recognize a group like Rotary?"

Koch studied in Dijon, France, during her scholarship year, and is a member of the Rotary Foundation Alumni Advisory Committee. She says it is important for alumni to stay involved with Rotary.

"Rotary shouldn't let alumni slip away and vice versa," she says. "We need to reach out more to each other to create relationships."

Koch is excited about the 2011 RI Convention in New Orleans. "I look forward to seeing Rotarians around the world come and enjoy our Gulf Coast."

Enjoy Edith Piaf in the Video Bar!

Mark's Minerals and no response regarding the DG's Visit

No, this is not Mark Cresswell giving his talk it's rather a picture of what might have been.

This is to cheer up all those who are missing the Soccer World Cup and are wondering what to do with their lives, what to watch on TV...certainly not the rugby......and getting to know the people they live with again. How many will be rushing off to watch Bafana Bafana play Ghana, I wonder?

Mark's talk was fascinating and really give me a tremendous insight as to what he actually does. The photos of him looking for coal in rural Nigeria
and the Sahara Desert were a real surprise. Equally interesting was historical minerals survey and his life long interest in lumps of rock! You can see the mineral samples he brought along. Iron Pyrites is real "bling" compared to Gold. I'm amazed more people aren't wearing it!



Neither President Graham or myself had any response concerning our queries about the DG's Visit and the Dinner on the evening of the 20th so we decided to go ahead with our normal meeting this week.



Graham Donet & Mike Vink are both going to the Dinner at the Country Club that evening and anyone who wishes to accompany them please let Mike know. We know it is at 19,00 but we don't know the cost.


I cannot accompany them as I am giving a talk to the Modderfontein Probus Club that evening, "What went wrong with South African Cuisine". As it has been too short notice to organise a speaker for us I will repeat it to the club the next morning. There are lots of pictures so you won't have to listen to me too much!








The Rotary clubs of Hout Bay, Blouberg, and Sea Point, South Africa, helped organize a bit of fun for Under 13 soccer players during a recent event in Cape Town, South Africa. With World Cup fever still in the air, the players learned about Rotary's Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign. Photo by Janey Ball

Mark Cresswell and the Business Meeting.

Once a month we'll have one of our own members speaking to us. This month it's Mark Cresswell who is that rare breed, a Mineral Engineer. He is ex Imperial College, University of London, near the Royal Albert Hall so maybe music comes into it somewhere.

His main business interest seems to be coal but he's going to be bringing many different mineral samples with him to show us and discuss. It'll be a talk with a difference!



Four important things came out of the Business Meeting:

a) Mike Vink will be asking you which committee you want to be on. Every member has to be on a committee so start thinking which Avenue of Service you would most like to be involved with this year. It's a good thing to think about a committee you haven't been on before to broaden your experience of Rotary.

b) We have to pay the standard breakfast price of R60 per person irrespective of how much or how little we eat. The Club is billed a standard amount per person as the cost to STH is the same.

c) We are still not clear as to what is happening with next week's meeting following our discussion at the Business Meeting. The DG's aide has forwarded my email to him to the DG. As soon as I have clarification I will let you all know.

d) Everything is ready for the chartering of the Dominican Convent School Interact Club and now that schools are going back this week we'll be able to fix a date very soon.

It's Madiba's birthday this week so I've put a number of seminal moments in his life in the video bar.

The 2010 - 2011 President of Rotary International is Ray Klinginsmith.

Ray Klinginsmith, a retired attorney from Kirksville, Missouri, USA, served as general counsel and professor of business administration for Truman State University (formerly Northeast Missouri State University) for more than 20 years. From 2001 to 2004, he served as a county commissioner for Adair County.
Ray has served as a director of the Macon-Atlanta State Bank in Macon, Missouri, since 1971, and he was one of the initial trustees for the Missouri Family Trust, which the Missouri legislature created in 1989. He was the president of Chariton Valley Association for Handicapped Citizens since its inception in 1982 until 2009, and is now president emeritus. He received the 1988 Parent/Caretaker Award from the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities. He is a former member of the executive board for the Great Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the holder of its Silver Beaver Award for adult volunteers. He is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Kirksville and a former lay speaker for the church.
A member of the Rotary Club of Kirksville and a Rotarian since 1961, Ray has served Rotary as district governor, chair of the 1998 Council on Legislation in New Delhi, and chair of the 2008 Los Angeles Convention Committee. He was a member of the RI Board of Directors from 1985 to 1987 and chaired its executive committee in 1986-87. Ray joined The Rotary Foundation Trustees in 2002, serving as vice chair in 2005-06, and was a member of the Future Vision Committee from 2005 to 2008. Ray is a Major Donor and a recipient of the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award.
Ray’s wife, Judie, is a former elementary school teacher in Macon and Kirksville and a former consultant for the Child Development Assistant program at the Kirksville Area Vocational Center. Ray and Judie have two children, Leigh and Kurt, and three grandchildren, Morgan, Grant, and Sydney Perkins.

Here is the first of his monthly messages, for July......the South African connection is interesting!


Winds of Change

What an amazing world! Advances in technology are happening so quickly that they cause constant changes in our businesses and professions. Yet about one-third of the world’s population is still living at a subsistence level with little change in their lives. It is a stark contrast and a cause for concern.

Rotary has both a distinguished heritage and a bright future. My primary task as president is to enhance the vitality and viability of Rotary clubs and to enable them to succeed in the midst of societal changes. This is an important task because it is the clubs that address and alleviate the root problems of society and thereby make the world a better place.
Wind of change was a new and significant phrase when I was a Rotary Scholar in South Africa in the early 1960s. It is serendipitous that the phrase that was first publicized in my host city of Cape Town is now applicable to Rotary as we contemplate the changes in society that dictate some corresponding changes in our organization. The phrase is now better known as winds of change.

We are currently enjoying a culture of innovation at Rotary International. We have the ability to look at all of our programs and practices to see if they can be improved, even as we steadfastly maintain our core values. I hope many Rotarians will take advantage of this opportunity to identify and implement improvements in their clubs and districts as well.

Rotary lives and breathes in our 33,000 clubs, and it is the clubs that improve lives by Building Communities – Bridging Continents. If we succeed in helping clubs to become Bigger, Better, and Bolder in the next year, then it will be clear that the best days of Rotary are still ahead. We are fortunate to be Rotarians! Together, we can make the world a better place!

Jenine Coetzer...at last! A Business Meeting and Things that have been Happening!

Here, at last, is Jenine and her fascinating talk on her experiences in Haiti. It obviously had a profound effect on her just living in that environment with bodies just dumped on the top of mass graves and limb amputations going on all the time. Many thanks, Jenine, for sharing this with us and you can see her husband Steve slaving away at the laptop!

Here's President Graham's comments on the DG Francis Callard's Induction as the District Governor of the new District 9400...plus the two Past District Governors!

Joan and I represented the Club on Sunday at the Induction of the incoming District Governor, Francis Callard, and District Governor Anne, Janet Callard. It was also the induction of the new President of Northcliff Rotary Club, Paul Westcott, and the Anne President, Alison Turner. As it was the amalgamation of Districts 9300 and 9250 into the new District 9400, Francis was inducted by two District Governors, namely Beth Thomas and Albie Venter. The boys from the other side of the Jukskei certainly add colour to any occasion and this was no exception as we were all instructed to drink the bottle of blue “witblits” on the table! The blue colour refers to a certain rugby team on their side of the Jukskei! DG Francis thanked all at Northcliffe Rotary Club for their support and also thanked PDG Beth and Albie for all their support in the amalgamation of the two Districts. We sat at a table with the team from Bedfordview Rotary, including our very first AG Peter Mokabe. All in all a grand occasion and we look forward to a great year with a new DG and a new District!

Our donation of 20 wheelchairs to Woodside Sanctuary appeared in the Northcliffe newspaper but unfortunately it is in PDF format so I cannot post it on the blog. The spin off from that was a donation of mattresses by Woodside to our CCCCC Project through Rtn Hugh Rix who has kindly offered to offered to assist the 5 C's in showing them how to present for corporate funding which is a tremendous help.


This week's meeting is a Business Meeting but unfortunately both our President and our President Elect are away. We will let you know what came out of the first Board Meeting of the year but I think it will be more social than business!

I attended the last District 9300 Rotary Oscars Night and we did pick up a couple of awards about which I will tell you on Wednesday.

Finally I attended the Induction Dinner of Parktown Excalibur of which I am a Past President. I was very proud to see Jean receive a Paul Harris Fellowship for all her hard work for the Scout Movement over the last 45 years.

Here she is with President Ian Moore.