ALEXANDRA ROTARY BULLETIN 28th May 2021
President Kevin's Comments
 
Our Rotary year is rapidly drawing to a close – the 11 months so far has gone very quickly. We have now had a year of meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month and the adjustment seems to have gone smoothly. We are very fortunate with our venue and our caterer, something members have commented on frequently. Member turnout at meetings has generally been very good. It has been pleasing to see the silent numbers have decreased significantly – thank you all for notifying Greg Hunter of your apologies and guests.
 
I was not able to be at the 11 May meeting – thank you Jim for chairing this. I am informed Michael Rooney gave an interesting talk and kept the majority of members well awake – thanks Michael. This week’s speaker, Ingrid Mueller, kept us all captivated as she talked about her life as a child in Nazi Germany and her subsequent journey ending in NZ. It’s hard for us “younger” people to imagine how tough life must have been for people in those areas.
 
Hugh McIntyre has put in a considerable amount of work updating the Club Bylaws. This has now been completed and will help ensure the direction of the Club and its various facets are fitting for the current times and provide guidance for future Directors – thank you Hugh for your efforts. Work is also being done to ensure our Club Trust and the Vince Ashworth Trust comply with all aspects of the Charities Commission and are fit for purpose for the current day and age.
 
While our membership numbers are solid, Directors are keen to ensure we are not missing any potential Rotarians in the community. It is every member’s responsibility to look after membership. If you know of a potential member talk to them, bring them along to a meeting and make them feel comfortable in our environment. We acknowledge we are not getting any younger so it would be nice to try and lower the average age and also to increase the female membership.
 
Our contract with Community House ends next month – they are keen for us to continue so Jim is talking to them about this. The contract gives the Club good income and members seem to enjoy the work and after work activities. Directors are more than happy for us to continue so, I think, we can take it as a given, we will be doing the contract for 2 more years.
 
There’s plenty happening during June with our regular meetings, changeover night and curling. Keep dates for these firmly in mind.
 
Kevin
Hugh McIntyre
 
Events coming up:
 
First up is our curling night on Saturday 12th of June. I have 30 takers at the moment with about 6 members still to catch up on. Starts at 4pm with a break in the middle for a finger food meal prepared by our own cook Jean. Meal cost $20 and no charge for the curling thanks to the wood volunteers who battled with the “super” sized wood cutting and wood splitting for the project.
 
Our changeover night is booked for the Cellar Door on Friday the 25th of June. Final details yet to come. Make sure you mark your Diary.
 
July’s outing will be at Dunstan House, Clyde on Tuesday 20 July. A chance for the Clyde boys and girls to really let their hair down (those that still have some) and walk home afterwards.
 
I am looking at Yummy Asian on 17 August. Yet to be booked in, waiting to see if we get to go to Australia or not! Bring on the vaccinations please. It will happen, possibly under different management!
 
The other news, although not my department, is the Quiz Night proposed for 7 September, this is yet to be confirmed.
 
So that’s it for the moment. August and September could be subject to change depending on what the new Board wants to do.
 
Hugh
 
Social Activities Convenor
'The News' comments
 
New Curling Rink in Alexandra
 
A helping hand financially and a whole lot of community spirit has helped Central Otago’s newest curling rink project get over the line.
 
IceInLine in Alexandra opened its new indoor curling rink to the public last weekend, giving people a chance to try their hand at the sport and ultimately continue it at a competitive level.
Financial assistance helped get the ball rolling, thanks in part to the World Curling Federation, which agreed to provide an interest-free loan of $100,000, provided the new lanes were used for curling only.
Central Lakes Trust, Otago Community Trust and Lotto NZ also contributed.
Many other groups and individuals also supported the new facility, by making donations of money, materials and services (this is where Alexandra Rotary helped)
 
New Zealand Curling past president Bruce Kissel said the support was fantastic.
"We were amazed at how the community got behind it."
He said, as a result, the future of curling in Central Otago was looking bright as the new rink had the potential to be a starting point for people who wanted to represent New Zealand on the international stage.
"If we can get them started on this ice, then hopefully we might get some New Zealand champs out of it — that’s what we hope for."
Despite the project’s success, there were some challenges along the way.
The international component of the build was complicated by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of planned visits from Canadian engineers and consultation had to be done remotely, online.
"There were a lot of Zoom meetings, emails and a lot of working it out for ourselves on how things go and not go."
"It’s an asset and like anything, if assets don’t get used [the community] will lose them."
 
That patronage would help pay the bills and could, contribute to expansion of the facility in the future, he said.
The addition of the indoor rink meant expanding the types of curling offered from crampet, which is traditionally played outside, to hack curling, which could now be part of the repertoire.
 
"At this stage we are looking to stay open until at least Blossom Festival weekend, but after that we’ll just see how it goes."
['The News' Central Otago]
Jim Carroll (PE)
 
Another Iconic Feature for Central Otago
The weekend of May 8th celebrated the opening of the Lake Dunstan bike and walking trail from Clyde to Cromwell.
 
By now 100’s of people will have experienced this spectacular trip along the shore of Lake Dunstan, seeing the lake and the landscape from a totally different perspective. The club has a good number of bikers amongst our numbers, and I suspect most will have ridden the trail at least once over the past 3 weeks.
 
My days of wanting to push my tired bones passed what they are now capable of are gone, so I ventured out on an e-bike 2 Sundays ago on what must have been the most idyllic day we have experienced so far this year. Cloudless, sunny warm day, not a breath of wind and the lake was literally a mill pond along its entire length. Every photo I took of the lake showed a mirror image of the hills above it in the water. Pity I’m not a photographer.
 
The trail itself is magic – from both an engineering and a biking point of view. It’s grading of 1 – 2 is maybe a little ambitious, but as I have said on an e-bike it is a doddle. It gets a little narrow in some spots and there are some long drops (yep there are some toilets along the way as well) if you happened to ride over the edge. Provided all Users respect the fact that there may be others coming around the corner, there shouldn’t be too many incidents.
 
The piece de resistance – the coffee barge almost below the Cainmuir slip.
I get the feeling that this trail will be great for Clyde and may be Alexandra, with visitors coming to Central to ride to either Middlemarch of Lawrence starting at Cromwell, and then making their first overnight stop in our patch.
 
Jim
Amazing view of trail and lake
 
 
The next Bulletin will be produced on Friday the 25th of June 2021. Please have any content (including photos) that you wish to be included, to the editor by Thursday the 24th of June 2021 at the latest thank you.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bulletin Editor
Gil Elliott
Speakers
Jun 08, 2021
To bee or not to bee
Jun 22, 2021
Legend Talk: The history of fruit growing in Central Otago
View entire list
Club Information
Alexandra
Making a world of difference
Tuesdays at 5:45 PM
Alexandra Bridge Club
52 Boundary Road
Alexandra,  9320
New Zealand
Currently meeting on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month
DistrictSiteIcon
District Site
VenueMap
Venue Map
 
 
 
If you are unable to do a duty that you have been listed for below, then please find a replacement for yourself. If you are Sergeant, you can contact the editor for a replacement name and then contact that club member. 
Meeting Responsibilities
Pre Meeting Tasks 8th June 2021
 
Cashier
Roy, Rob
 
Attendance
Wilson, Gordon
 
During Meeting Tasks 8th June 2021
 
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Wham, Murray
 
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Whitham, Bernard
 
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Whitaker, John
 
Introduce and Thank Speaker
Young, Les
 
3 Minute Talk
Baird, Justine
 
Sergeant
Lothian, Ren
 
Pre Meeting Tasks 22nd June 2021
 
Cashier
Wilson, Gordon
 
Attendance
Wham, Murray
 
During Meeting Tasks 22nd June 2021
 
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Whitham, Bernard
 
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Whitaker, John
 
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Young, Les
 
Introduce and Thank Speaker
Baird, Justine
 
3 Minute Talk
Bathurst, Logan
 
Sergeant
Grubb, Nev
 
Jim Carroll (PE)
 
Rotary 2021-22
In just over a month, a new Rotary year will begin – Rotary International’s 116th year.
 
New Zealand Rotary will celebrate its 100 years of existence (1921, Auckland and Wellington clubs)
 
Alexandra Rotary will begin its 78th year (Change Over 25th of June)
 
District 9980 District Governor is Nick Wood from the Cromwell club.
 
The 2021/22year will be a special year for District 9980 because it will be the last year of its existence. Because of falling numbers, Rotary International policies and procedures dictate that Districts 9970 and 9980 must merge into one district – and that will start in the 2022/23 year.
 
The new district will be South Island wide and will be known as District 9999.
The Rotary President for 2021/22 is Shekhar Mehta from West Bengal in India.
His theme for his 20/21 year is;
 
“SERVE TO CHANGE LIVES”
 
                   
Coffee anyone?
 
 
Firewood splitting
 
Keep Thursday the 10th of June free for our usual wood splitting morning.
 
Steve