Oh What a Night!

It's official! Carol Stier is now President of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn. How do we know this? Through the fog of waking on Saturday morning we dimly remember a few formalities, an honouring or two, a ceremony and a speech.

     Jokes aside, the Induction dinner went off well and there was even some food and a few bottles of wine left over.

Carol Stier tells the club what to expect during the coming year during her address at the
presidential induction on Friday

The changing of the guard ... outgoing president Mike Vink, incoming president Carol Stier and District Governor and past president Jankees Sligcher enjoy a moment together

          Seventeen club members attended, including DG Jankees Sligcher and DGA Judy Sligcher as "guests" of honour. Also there were Lyn Collocott, our assistant governor for last year and president of the Rosebank Rotary club this year, and Jean and Jerry Bernardo. Jean was AG the year before last.
     All in all there were 25 people at the dinner.

Nick Stier pins the presidential ribbon and medallion onto Carol, who
 is already wearing the chain of office

     The three-course dinner with wine was provided by club members, which means that the income from the evening can go straight into the bank account, where it is sorely needed. It added up to around R7500 because of a lucrative brag.
     Thanks once again to Judy Symons for a most delicious zucchini and pesto soup. Lucille Blumberg made a whole salmon as well as salmon pancakes (both very delicious) and Linda and I and the staff at the Twickenham Guest House did the meat main of fillet with a creamy mushroom sauce, green beans and a most delicious potato bake.

Linda at the beautiful dinner table, a highlight of the evening

     As if Carol didn't have enough to think about, she also provided two desserts to round the evening off. Both were huge hits: a brandy tart with whipped cream and cherries and a chocolate and banana bread and butter pudding which was sinfully good.

The sinful puddings before the battle ensued. The puddings lost.

     Now that the important matters have been dealt with, we can move on to the rest of the evening.
     It was a presidential privilege, one of the joys of the position, to be able to hand out Merit Awards to club members who helped me the most during the year.
     I decided on four people and built it around the theme of how I see the role of each of these in the club.

Joan Donet with her merit award

     First up was my secretary for the year, Carol Stier, whom I said was the Boss of the Club; de jure because of the induction, but de facto because of her not shying away from leadership roles despite being a fairly recent catch for the club. (Debbie de Vries will have to correct me on my Latin use!)

Paul Kasango with his merit award

          Next came Joan Donet, the treasurer and youth officer for the year, who I described, for obvious reasons, as the backbone of New Dawn, and equally obviously Sam Deveneuil as the future of the club, for her work with the blanket drive.
     Paul Kasango I described as the conscience of the club, the person who keeps on reminding us why we are Rotarians through word and deed.
     Paul was also the first recipient on Friday night of a Paul Harris Fellowship for his work within the club, but also his charitable deeds outside of Rotary.

Paul with Lucille Blumberg

     The second Paul Harris Fellowship went to Judy Sligcher for her educational role in teaching kids from all walks of life to swim, but also for the way she has immersed herself in Rotary as District Governor Anns.
     Carin Holmes became the recipient of a Paul Harris Sapphire (a second Paul Harris) for her tireless work with the Salvation Army. Last up was Frayne Mathijs for her charitable work on many fronts, both within and outside of Rotary and New Dawn.

Judy Sligcher with her Paul Harris certificate

     A different club member was asked to read out the Paul Harris commendation for each of the four recipients. Lucille Blumberg was Paul Kasango's praise singer. Linda Vink read out Judy Sligcher's commendation. Jenine Coetzer did the honours for Carin Holmes as did Amina Frense for Frayne Mathijs.

Jenine Coetzer congratulates Carin Holmes with me looking on

Amina hangs the Paul Harris medallion around Frayne's neck

     Congratulations to these four, they were well deserved. All four of you set a great example to the rest of us in placing service above self in true Rotarian style.
     Rotary is of course also about fellowship and there was plenty of that.
     Here follows a gallery of photos that speak for themselves. Thanks to Jenine Coetzer and Carol Stier for some wonderful pictures.

Steve and Jenine

Joan and Graham Donet

     Graham Donet was as usual an excellent master of ceremonies and even sang a song. Graham has, unfortunately resigned from the club again as he feels he cannot contribute anything due to work pressure.
     We'll have to work on him to eventually get him back again.

Jankees and Judy Sligcher.

Frances and Mike MacDonald with Judy Symons and Lyn Collocott

Greg and Debbie Smith

Ronnie Kasrils and Amina Frense

     In a bit of good news for the club Ronnie Kasrils pledged all the royalties from a book launch that New Dawn organises, from his soon to be published memoirs. This fits in nicely with Carol's aim of concentrating on fundraising for the year.

Carol and Nick Stier

Steve du Plessis and Ronnie Kasrils share fellowship and a glass of wine 

Elegant as always ... Susan Kasango added more than just a touch of Africa

     Near the end of proceedings Carol Stier introduced her new board for the year. It consists of many familiar faces, but some of them in new positions.

The new board poses with DG Jankees. You could go to war with a team like this!

     Carol is president, Linda serves on the board as president-elect and will help with fundraising and PR, Debbie Smith will be secretary, I'll remain as treasurer, Steve is the IT officer as well as executive secretary and Paul is again Foundation officer.
     With a team and leader like this, we can continue to be one of the most vibrant clubs in the district.
     And there it is! Officially the blog with the most photographs.
     A Thought for the Week: It's never too late to be what you might have been. - George Eliot (1819 -1880)