Don't Let the Train Leave Without You!

He remembers standing on the platform of the Orange Farm train station with a friend at 4.30 one very cold morning in July 2002, says Siphiwe Moyo, when the friend said: "Siphiwe, we cant't go on like this. We gotta get outta here!"
     Those words inspired him, Siphiwe said at the Rotary Paul Harris function at the Bryanston Country Club on Saturday night.

Siphiwe Moyo speaking on Saturday night. He was brilliant!

     In 2015 on a return visit to Orange Farm, where he grew up, Siphiwe says he found his friend still waiting for the 4.30 train every weekday morning. When asked why he'd never moved on, his friend said: "It's the system."
     Rotarians are people who don't get defeated by "the system", Siphiwe said, because they're defined not by intentions, but by their actions.

Paul Westcott, district secretary, thanks Siphiwe for his inspiring speec. Siphiwe is a motivational speaker by trade, but could easily swap his day job for that of stand-up comic!

     Rotarians understand that past performance is no guarantee for future results. We have too keep moving forward and understand that nobody really cares how amazing you were, only how amazing you are.
     It was an inspiring and humorous talk and a fitting tribute to our wonderful organization.
     The dinner was arranged as part of the centennial celebrations for The Rotary Foundation. It is truly the turn of The Rotary Foundation to shine, as 2017 is the centennial year for this remarkable organization, started after the first Rotary International convention when the organization was barely a year old.
     The story is that $26,50 was left over after the convention and that money was used to fund the Rotary Foundation.
     The fund is a reported $3.1 billion strong 100 years later.
     Literally hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent through the Polio Fund, and of course many more millions over the years on global grants to projects big and small by Rotary clubs, regions and districts all over the world.
    There must be a story to be told for every single dollar that has been spent!

PDG Greg and PDGA Elaine Stathacopoulis with DGEA Judy and DGE Jankees Sligcher at the Paul Harris dinner on Saturday night

     To celebrate, Zone 2 of District 9400, the zone in which Johannesburg New Dawn falls, held a Paul Harris dinner at the Bryanston Country Club on Saturday night, aimed at people who have been honoured with Paul Harris awards. It was a fun evening.

Jankees and Judy returned from San Diego bearing gifts. Here the two of us display two banners from American clubs.

    At last weeks' meeting Jankees and Judy Sligcher handed over banners from clubs they visited during their DG training in San Diego, California.
     We have quite an armful of new banners and are looking to make another big banner displaying them all.

The banner for the Rotary Club of Vero Beach
 Florida, host club for the traveling DGE's.

I'll wear this badge with pride as editor of Jankees' DG
newsletter

    Speaker: Carol has arranged that Bridget van Oerle address the club tomorrow morning. She represents clients in the arts, culture, entertainment and creative industries and is the owner of Buz Publicity.
     The speaker the following week, 15 February, is Inge Hoffmann, who represents the wines of Boekenhoutskloof  (which includes Porcupine Ridge and Wolftrap) in Gauteng and is a winemaker in her own right.
     We're also expecting a visit tomorrow morning from Andrew Parsons, father of Emma, who is one of two candidates the club has put forward for the Short-Term Exchange Programme, for which they'll be able to spend six weeks in a foreign country towards the end of the year. Emma and Tim Lee go through for final District interviews next weekend. Both look very likely to succeed.
     Many thanks to Joan Donet and Paul Kasango for handling the arrangements, and also to Joan for organizing another two learners for the next RYLA camp. All this activity seems a bit exhausting at times, but is well worth the effort.
     Dates to Remember: Tuesday, 14th February: Valentine's dinner! Monday 13 March, 5Cees dinner to thank donors; 1 April, PETS training; 6 May: NPO training.
     A Thought for the Week: Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. - John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)