April is the Cruelest Month

April is turning out to be a challenging month with the Easter weekend smack in the middle of it and another public holiday next week Wednesday (27 April, Freedom Day), the day the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn usually meets. That's followed by yet another public holiday, Workers' Day, on Monday, 1 May.

The April malaise hit the club when our speaker didn't pitch up this week, for whatever reason. Instead, those few members who attended (only 13, not even a quarter of a club membership of 55) used the time to discuss the somewhat disastrous state of the world, what with flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, war in the Ukraine, Eskom's load shedding, the early winter cold and rain we're experiencing and a looming 5th wave of Covid.

               The children at 5 Cees saying thanks for their Easter eggs

There was cause for cheer for those at Woodside Sanctuary and the 5 Cees who were the recipients of Easter eggs, toiletries for Woodside and cash contributions by some members that Judy Symons converted into even more chocolate to brighten up the long weekend for kids who really need it.

A club contribution and that of members for those in KZN badly affected by the recent flooding, was discussed at the meeting with a proposal that New Dawn donates R5000 to supplement any amounts that members might want to give.

              The District 9370 Flood Relief appeal 

This could either go to Gift of the Givers, who have publicly asked for donations of money rather than goods such as food and clothes, which would take too long to process and distribute, or to Rotary, both obviously very reputable organisations.

It turns out that District 9370, which covers the eastern part of South Africa and Lesotho,  has started a drive of its own and is asking for cash contributions as well as donations of clothing, food, bedding and toiletries.

The board will have the final decision but if you want to donate you can do it through the normal club account (FNB, 62217422609) and it will be passed on. Use your name and KZN as reference.

                Ian Atkins with his two oldest daughters, Manuela and Isobela

At the meeting before the Easter weekend our speaker, Ian Atkins told how farmers in the Amazon region are only allowed to use 20% of their land for cultivating crops and other farming activities. The rest must remain in the natural state.

Despite dire warnings about the deforestation of the Amazon, the Brazilian government is doing a great amount of work to preserve what is known as the "lungs of the world".

If you want to stop forest fires and deforestation, farmers have to have an incentive and Ian said a new company he is involved in (ForestsDAO), is trying to do just that by making it possible for farmers to earn carbon credits through investment, with which they can purchase more land to offset the 80% that they can't use. These carbon credits can be purchased by anyone much as crypto-currencies are.

Next week: There is NO MEETING NEXT WEEK due to the public holiday. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 4 May.

A Thought for the Week: The secret of success is the consistency of purpose. - Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)