It's Time For a Break

Rotary clubs should not live in isolation, so the visit last week by our outgoing AG, Jean Bernardo of the Rosebank club, was a very welcome one.
     This was doubly true when in walked Lyn Collocott, the incoming AG for Johannesburg New Dawn. Lyn is also from the Rotary Club of Rosebank and used to be a member of New Dawn.
     Lyn takes over from Jean in July this year.
     Johannesburg new Dawn would like to thank Jean for her year as our AG and hope she learnt as much from the experience as we did.

Jean Bernardo listens while Frayne has the floor

Back amongst old friends ... Lyn Collocate, incoming AG, with Linda
 Vink, Paul Kasango and Judy Sligcher

     Frayne has the floor for most of the meeting, telling the story of a young lad with a decent qualification who couldn't find a job, basically because he couldn't write a CV which would convince prospective employers.
     As we've become accustomed to from her, Frayne took young Kanti under her wing and with the resources of the Humanitarian Centre, taught him the finer arts of CV writing.
     The upshot was that he was offered a job in Polokwane ahead of 56 other applicants, even though he was about the only one without a university degree, having a diploma from the TUT in Polokwane.
     Those of you who could not attend the meeting, missed out on an inspiring talk.
     Dates to Diarise: At the meeting last week it was decided that we wouldn't be meeting this week, as it is 27 April and therefore public holiday (Freedom Day). The next meeting will be on 3 May.
     Sam Donet has set aside four Saturdays for selling blankets at the Parkview Spar. They are 30 April (this coming Saturday), 14 and 28 May and 4 June. If you can't make those dates, please suggest alternatives to Sam. New Dawn has set a target of 200 blankets, so get your sales forces together!
     Linda and I will be at the Humanitarian Centre next Saturday (7 May), but there are still gaps in the roster for the rest of the year, so please let Frayne know when you can do duty. If anyone has the roster she sent out a few weeks ago at the meeting, please forward it to her. The Humanitarian Centre is fast becoming one of the major Rotary resources for the district and our presence there on the first Saturday of the month is very important.
     Frayne is also in charge of the club involvement with the Jozi Book Fair from 1 - 4 September at Wits where New Dawn will have a presence.
     Paul has asked us to diarise Friday 16 September for A Night With the Stars at Kyalami on behalf of the Woodside Sanctuary. Fortunately Paul is not the star of the show, but the likes of Jennifer Jones, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Lilian Dube and many more will be providing the entertainment.

President Jankees Sligcher at PETS in Krugersdorp

          While the rest of the club was doing what you normally do on a Saturday morning, Jenine, Joan, Paul and I were at the presidents-elect training in Krugersdorp (Carol went to the session in Benoni) where Jankees and Judy were as District Governor Nominee and District Governor Anns Nominee. A good time was had by all!
     The sessions were informative and, as always, a necessary preview of the year ahead for incoming club officers.
     A thought for the week: Inspiring words from an inspiring man on the first Freedom Day, 27th of April 1995: As dawn ushered in this day, few of us could suppress the welling of emotion, as we were reminded of the terrible past from which we come as a nation; the great possibilities that we now have; and the bright future that beckons us. - Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)