He Profits Most Who Serves Best

There are two Rotary mottoes that come to mind in connection with the Rotary Family Health Days last week; Service Above Self and an earlier version, He Profits Most Who Serves Best.
     Read through the Objects of Rotary as well, and you'll agree no-one in the club epitomizes these noble ideals more than Paul Kasango.

Paul the Rotarian doing the things he does, and loves, best: helping and
 comforting others, especially children

     He is the best kind of Rotarian, willing to help, volunteering to be available wherever and whenever he needs to be, infinitely patient and diplomatic but emphatically getting things done at the same time ... he should be president!
     The Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn is making a habit of tackling projects successfully, and the Rotary Family Health Days last week were no exception, thanks in very large part to Paul
     He attended meetings with the Department of Health officials, and waited patiently while he was sent from pillar to post with regards to sites, supplies and personnel, amongst other things.

Debbie Smith and Judy Symons bonding at the Pennyville Creche site on Thursday

     Two days before the opening day he still had large, gaping slots open in his roster for members attending at the various sites, but he didn't blink, knowing that in true Rotary fashion things would work out in the end.
     They did, and everybody who could make it to any of the sites must surely have come away enriched by the experience.
     The club owes Paul a big vote of thanks, but also to everybody else who took part, whether it was just for one day (like Linda and myself) or those who served for all three days, like Carol and the indefatigable Frayne, who made sure that everybody was sitting in the right chair in the right place at the right time ... or else!

Brian Skosana of Jhb North Central pretending to be a New Dawner. It's time to drop the pretense, Brian ...

     Having a full schedule of volunteers meant that Paul and Brian Skosana, his counterpart at Johannesburg North Central, were free to drive around organizing food, forms and other things.
     They were often put to the test and reacted with grace and diplomacy, smoothing things over while never losing sight of the end goal; to serve as many people as possible in as short a time as possible.
     As president, drumming up enthusiasm and support for the RFHDs is one of the things expected of you, and Paul made it easy on me this year, so from my side, a very big thank you, Paul.

Yes, ma'am, no ma'am ... Frayne Mathijs takes charge of a class full of rowdy Pennyville Creche kids

Helping little kids like this and their often very young mothers, is what it is all about

Where's my chair? A little girl arrives for tests

     My personal view of the RFHDs is that organizing the day, even at club level, places a big burden on individuals, especially if we want to try to expand the services available. We need a debate within the club over whether we're going to carry on trying to service two sites, or narrow down to focus on just one; also, a debate on whether Soweto is where we're needed most as opposed to, say Hillbrow, Berea or Yeoville.

Look who came to visit. While Paul and Brian were away arranging things, Jankees, wearing his District Governor Elect badge, dropped in at Pennyville on his way to the Soweto cub and the other New Dawn site at Freedom Park. From left is Debbie, Judy, Mike, Jankees, Linda and Frayne

     The board meeting and the club meeting last week were dominated by arrangements for the RFHD, so there was not enough time for a debate, but it is one worth pursuing.

Debbie De Vries Van Buuren waiting in the wings. Debbie has checked us out and wants to become a member

     We did have some very good news at the meeting when Debbie de Vries visited again and afterwards submitted a CV for our consideration. Debbie lives in Killarney and runs her own firm of attorneys and has expressed real interest in becoming a Rotarian. We don't have any lawyers in the club, so this is very good news indeed.
     Her CV will be circulated soon and barring any objections, we can get on with the task of inducting her as our 24th member.

Last week's meeting ended with Linda handing over two pot plants on behalf
 of the club to Carol Stier, club secretary and president-elect, on the death of her mother

Wednesday's meeting
     Remember the second half of John Myburgh, SC's talk on the American election process on Wednesday morning.
     To ensure an uninterrupted talk, we ask that you get to Parkview early, order your breakfast and eat it before 7.25, when John will start speaking.
     Even better, let Carol know what you want for breakfast before the end of the working day tomorrow, and she can get an order through to the kitchen early so that most of the food will be ready as soon as we get there.
     Dates to diarise: Coming up at us like a racing bicycle at full speed, after the excitement of the successful Golf Day and the RFHDs, is the Carnival City Macsteel National Cycling race, for which New Dawn has pledges 8 marshall, to serve at two points.
     As stated before, we're doing duty at points 6 and 7, right towards the beginning of the race, which means an early getaway time.
     Please diarise Sunday, 6 November at the crack of dawn. Details to follow.
     A Thought for the Week: When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right. - Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
     Spare a Thought: I had to write this blog lying flat on my back. I'm currently consulting the Kama Sutra to find new positions.