Debbie, who is secretary of the club this year, started off by telling us that she is a Johannesburger of long standing and attended school at Orange Grove Primary and Sandringham High School. The family lived in Sydenham.
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| Looking good ... Debbie Smith with her daughter and ex-husband, also a Brazilian |
She went to university in Israel and afterwards wrote a physical development programme that she taught in private schools for 35 years.
She still teaches Pilates at home.
She raised two children as a single mom for 17 years before meeting Greg, whom she refers to as her soulmate. Way to go, Greg!
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| Soulmates in hard hats. Greg and Debbie Smith get ready to explore a cave in southern Brazil, where they visited for the wedding |
They came back with suitcases full of memories and will no doubt be visiting Sao Paulo regularly in the future.
Dates to Remember
Don't forget the Bridge Drive next Thursday, 15 March. This is an important date, as it is the first time we are attempting a fundraiser with bridge players.
So far about 12-15 tables of four have registered, but it would be great to have many more, so renew your efforts to twist arms to attend.
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| Debbie amongst thousands of tiles donated by countries all over the world |
Linda is envisioning a wheelbarrow filled with sparkling wine or champagne and flowers/pot plants as a main raffle prize, so any contributions to that would be welcome.
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| Graffiti never looked this good! |
You'll get to meet the Sunkers, who run the Centre, as well as some of the kids. There's is a report-back on last year and the kids get to perform for the gathered audience, which is normally fun.
If you're interested in going, please let me know and I'll pass the numbers on to Pastor Mike Sunker.
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| There have been record turnouts at club meetings since the new year began. Here members watch the Brazilian slide show |
Frayne Mathijs will be the speaker at the following meeting on 14 March on the importance of the proposed National Health Insurance scheme, followed by Greta Schuler on 21 March on the research she is involved in with migrant sex workers.
It is a good time to mention that even with less than half the potential make-up gatherings/meetings/functions, the attendance figure we reported last month was almost 90%. Between DG Jankees and DGA Judy Sligcher we should by rights be reporting attendance of 200% and higher!
It is particularly heartening that on 7 Feb no fewer than 17 of the 23 club member attended the meeting. For the Assembly on 21 February there were 18 members and it was great to welcome Zena Kimaro back after a prolonged absence due to work commitments.
Note: During her talk two weeks ago, Lucille Blumberg predicted that the source of the current outbreak of listeria would soon be known. During the weekend the National health minister announced that the source is polony from an Enterprise factory, although he warned that other cold meats could also be affected.
It is said that if we knew how polony is made (and with what) we wouldn't eat it. With this nasty bacteria included, hopefully no-one will be eating it now!
Congratulations to Lucille and the team for tracking down the source.
Water, Water Everywhere
President Carol Stier took water donations from the club to the Gift of the Givers depot in Bramley last week and was inspired by the lengths the organisation goes to in their efforts to help where help is needed most.
Carol reports that she managed to spend some time with Mark Pillai of the organisation who told her that Gift of the Givers put together an emergency response to the water crisis in the Western Cape after urgent requests from hospitals and people in distress.
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| President Carol Stier hands over New Dawn's 350 litres of water to xxx Pillai of Gift of the Givers |
It is not only sending scores of trucks with hundred tonnes of water to drought-stricken areas, but is also helping to drill boreholes in some of the driest parts and to install pumps, and is collecting bottled water cash contributions, sponsorship of boreholes, JoJo tanks, warehousing space and free transport.
Read more about the Foundation's response at: http://www.giftofthegivers.org/disaster-relief/south-africa/1165-2018-disaster-relief-sa/cape-town-drought/7008-cape-town-water-crisis.
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| Mark Pillai in front of a pile of water that cannot be used for human consumption, but which will be taken to the Cape for animals suffering from the drought |
Pillai has invited Rotarians to the distribution centre in Bramley from about 8am on Saturday when there will be prayers before a convoy of 15-20 trucks loaded with water leave for Cape Town. Members will have an opportunity to see the operation in action and to lend a hand.
The day she visited, Carol reports, most of the Foundation's other work had been suspended so that staff could concentrate on the water effort, "but I did have the honour of shaking the hand of one of the brave men involved in negotiating the release of Stephen McGown, who was taken captive in Mali in 2011 and released only late last year. The negotiator has since had to flee his country in fear of his life."
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