A New President for a New Dawn

It was a case of in with the new and on with the existing when President Mbali Zulu presided over his first meeting of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn last week.

In accepting the nomination, Mbali becomes the youngest president of New Dawn since the club was officially established in January 2009. Our founder, Don Lindsay, will be proud of this progressive step.

                       President Mbali Zulu takes the reins                 

In his first address to the club, President Mbali confirmed that Donate a Loo, the Spruit Cleanup Day and the Seedling Farm remain three of the most important ongoing projects for the club.

He also announced his new board and the names of people responsible for specific areas of focus.

       President Mbali with members of his new team

The new board consists of: Mbali himself, Julian Nagy (Immediate Past President); Karlien Kruger (Treasurer), Babette Gallard (Secretary); Ian Widdop (Rotary Foundation); Joan Sainsbury (Membership); Linda Vink (Fundraising); Weza Solange (Public Image); Mpho Mogotsi (Youth Services); and Gavin Atkins (Club Projects).

Members responsible for specific areas of focus are: Babette Gallard and Paul Chinn (Environment); Rianna Edwards(Community Development); Paul Channon (Basic Education); Helene Bramwell (Water and Sanitation); Lucille Blumberg (Disease prevention); Amina Frense (Peace Building); and Ivone Vosloo (Fellowship).

                                         Paul Chinn and Babette Gallard

Later in the meeting Paul Chinn and Babette Gallard gave a video presentation on their trip taking two "retired" race horses from France to South Africa and their adventures along the way.

The meeting was also an opportunity to give a progress report on the upcoming Golf Day on 25 August at Parkview Golf Club.

There's still a lot of work to be done and contributions to be made, so please contribute wherever you can to the most important fundraising effort of the club for the year.

The ambitious aim is to raise R100 000, which will only be possible if everybody helps to land a long drive, chips in and sinks the putts.

(Thanks again to Graham Donet for doing the blog in my absence)

                        Lebo's Backpackers in Soweto

This week: Maria from Lebo's Soweto Backpackers is the speaker on Wednesday. A number of us met her when we had a short tour there on our way to Mbali's Induction as President.

A Thought for the Week: Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. - Jennifer Jones, Past RI President