Pedal Power to the People

While another Sunday dawned with shocking revelations about State Capture in the Sunday newspapers, members of the Johannesburg New Dawn Rotary club were facing their own dawn - The Carnival City Macsteel National Classic Cycle Race, to give it its full name.
     It must've been a bitter realization for them when waking up at 3.30 am, to find that some of us could creep back into bed and into the arms of healing sleep!

Members of the team of marshals who braved the early morning; from left are Julian Nagy, Sam Donet, Debbie Nagy, Paul Kasango, Carol Stier, Debbie de Vries and Judy Symons

     The benefit of such an early start was that the cyclists passed quite early and the race was over by about 9.30 for our intrepid adventurers.
     As usual the race wasn't without incident. A cyclist died of a reported heart attack, the product of an "underlying medical condition and not from a car accident or fellow cyclist", as stated in a press release. Our condolences go to his family.

A traffic policeman escorts a very impatient taxi driver who disobeyed an order to stop

     It's always a bit of a miracle that more people aren't injured or killed by cars, taxis or trucks at these races, where cyclists are quite literally involved in a dice with death.
     The unfortunate cyclist who collapsed and subsequently died was at the centre of another drama when a motorist ploughed into a vehicle which had stopped to help him. Fortunately no one else was hurt. This is a good example of what the emergency services refer to as "spectator value"
     There was also a bit of spectator value when a taxi driver decided he wasn't going to stop for anyone and went straight through the intersection where Julian and his team of members of New Dawn were marshaling, and into the willing arms of a traffic policeman who promptly arrested him at gunpoint when he tried to run away!
   

Paul Kasango and his team of Debbie Symons, Carin Holmes and Debbie de Vries

     The club once again wants to thank those who volunteered. In typical fashion, while only eight marshals were required (four each at points 6 and 7 in the race), 11 members turned up.
     The roll of honor (in alphabetic order) reads:
Joan Donet
Samantha Donet
Carin Holmes
Paul Kasango
Debbie Nagy
Julian Nagy
Carol Stier
Judy Symons
Debbie De Vries Van Buuren
Henk van Buuren
Linda Vink

Debbie and her husband, Henk van Buuren, share a moment

     In typical New Dawn fashion the marshals weren't even all club members, amongst them soon-to-be member Debbie and her husband Henk van Buuren, as well as Debbie Nagy  
     We also owe a special word of thanks to Carol, who took over the role of organizing the New Dawn participation due to the incapacitation of the president!
   

As usual Cinderella was left at home to do
the sweeping while her nasty sisters went
off to the ball

Luckily, as you can see, the sisters weren't as ugly as the fairy tale
would have it, and lots of fun was had by all!

     The hard work also included much sweeping of the roads with brooms and standing around in the hot sun dealing with often irate drivers, so a big thank you once again to everybody involved. You're champions all.

Looking good. Paul, Judy, Carin and Debbie pose during a break during the race.

Christmas dinner
     The Christmas dinner on 9 December is looming and any suggestions for making it a success will be welcome.
     We'll get an official invitation out in the next few days, so please start talking to friends and family and try to get them to join us. We're limited to about 40 people at Twickenham Guest House, but it's always great to have a full house. Great for us, that is, but not for the turkeys!
     There'll be a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and lots of wine, so start getting in shape for a fun evening.

Speakers
     Philippa Robinson, who came third in Masterchef South Africa last year, is the speaker tomorrow. The week after Beate Schulte-Brader will be addressing us.

The Assembly
     The meeting on 23 November has been set aside for a Club Assembly, where we'll be concentrating on leadership in the club, and succession planning, so get your thinking caps on to be able to take part in the debate.
    Clubs are now required to do quarterly club assemblies, so we'll schedule another one for more general discussion on club policies for February or early March next year, and then have a final one to facilitate the changing of the guard in June.
     Because the fifth Wednesday this month (30 November) is just over a week before the Christmas dinner, I propose that we have an ordinary meeting that day and save the fellowship for 9th December.

The Link
     Ian Widdop has done a sterling job on the proposal for a global grant for The Link Literacy Project, which is now awaiting final touches before being submitted. The process was stretched out considerably, as his proposal has been with district since before the beginning of this Rotary fiscal year, but everything seems to be back on track.
     DGE Jankees Sligcher is in the Netherlands on business at the moment, and has promised to try to get a Dutch club to partner with New Dawn on the project, a requirement of the Rotary Foundation.
     The aim is to increase the number of schools taking part in the scheme from the present 9 to 13 over a period of about three to four years.
     Ian will try to attend the meeting tomorrow and if he can, will tell us more about the progress he has achieved.
     Thought for the Week: Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do. - Voltaire (1694-1778)