What a lovely Autumn we are having. Stunning colours, clear blue skies and a taste of winter with a frost to greet us this morning.
We had a very interesting speaker on April 8th with Russell Anderson talking about the Alpine Fault Fracture 8 – the implications and measures we can take to prepare for such an event. There is a 75% chance of a rupture occurring in the next 50 years! It is good to know that our emergency services have a plan in place should an earthquake of this magnitude hit our region (and see below)
On this evening, Pam Hughes and Jonny Whybrow were inducted into the club. We hope they enjoy being Rotarians and know that they will be great additions to the team.
Many of you enjoyed a coffee with Bronwyn and John Whitaker at Industry Lane before they moved to Auckland last week. Robyn presented them with a couple of books to remind them of Central Otago. We wish them both well and thank them for their good company and contribution to Rotary.
We have the opportunity to work with the Alexandra Garden Club and Lions to upgrade the Palliative Care Gardens at Dunstan Hospital. Many of you will recall Rotary’s involvement in setting up the gardens when the hospital was built. It would be good to be involved again. A landscape plan has already been approved, and work will be carried out in the spring. Arnold will liaise with the two parties.
Wood splitting continued this month with wood deliveries being in high demand. If anyone hasn’t seen the operation at the Community Gardens on Dunstan Road, it is worth a visit. It is a big area of land with vegetable plots and fruits trees under production. Many thanks to the wood splitting teams. You do a great job. The scones at morning tea were to die for!
The Dunstan High School fund recipients spoke to the club on April 22nd. Amelie Sutherland and Hamish Attfield attended the Science Forum in Auckland and Andrew Baird went to Outward Bound. By all accounts their presentations were outstanding (and see below).
Dewald de Beer is our speaker on 13th May. His topic: The newly formed Alexandra Business Group.
Jillian
ANZAC day today the 25th of April…lest we forget
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
A poem during World War one written by Dr. John McCrae.
John McCrae
1872—1918
McCrae’s well-known poem “In Flanders Fields” memorializes the April 1915 battle in Belgium’s Ypres salient. For 17 days, McCrae tended those injured in the battle. The poem, written after the death of a close friend, was first published in Punch magazine and led to the adoption of the poppy as the Flower of Remembrance for the British and Commonwealth war dead.
Born in Guelph, Ontario, Canadian poet, soldier, and physician John McCrae earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Toronto, where he received the Gold Medal. As a physician, he worked at Toronto General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, McGill University, the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Montreal General Hospital, and the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal.
He served in the Boer War in South Africa as an artillery subaltern in the Canadian Contingent from 1899 to 1900, was promoted to the rank of major in 1904, and reenlisted in the First Canadian Contingent soon after the start of World War I. McCrae became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and was the first Canadian to be appointed consulting surgeon to the British Army.
In 1915, McCrae was transferred to Boulogne No.3 General Hospital to oversee medicine. He worked there until his pneumonia-related deathon January 28, 1918, at the age of 45. McCrae was buried with full military honours in Wimereux Cemetery near Boulogne, France.
His family home in Guelph is preserved as a museum, and the main street in Wimereux is now named Rue McCrae.
There were three speakers at the Rotary meeting Tuesday the 22nd of April. All 3 were year 13 students at Dunstan High School.
Two attended the Rotary National Science and Technology Forum Auckland 2025 and the third an Outward Bound course.
Hamish Attfield and Amelie Sutherland-Harris were sponsored by Alexandra Rotary to attend the above science meeting at Auckland University and Andrew Baird was sponsored to attend an outward-bound event.
Andrew who is DHS Head Boy, gave an account of his Outward-bound experiences and sailing on a rather large yacht amongst other activities appealed to him. Andrew said his confidence has improved a lot and for example, he now coaches an under 13 girls’ netball team. He is thinking of enrolling for surveying at Otago next year.
Hamish and Amelie spoke about the science symposium. The symposium was a two-week course. There were six groups with about 25 young people in each group. Included in the symposium were sports like volleyball, and visits to various technical and medical sites.
Sites visited included: Sports science and nutrition where they had their BMI and blood pressure checked, psychology department, rocket lab, anatomy museum with lots of horrible specimens in jars, Applied maths and physics department, computer technology including AI, various interactive displays, chemistry department where a few experiments were conducted, robotics and digital construction.
Along with a fairly hectic schedule there was some free time and there were recreation options like visiting the university gym. There was also a disco and a beach day although it was a bit windy but all the same some students managed to make sand castles.
Hamish and Amelie said that the event was thoroughly enjoyable, thanked Rotary for support and said that they both felt their confidence had improved a lot from being able to attend the forum. Amelie is thinking about psychology or neuroscience next year and Hamish is looking at engineering at Canterbury. He is also applying for support to attend a science forum in London in July.
At the conclusion of the forum, there was a dress up dinner and farewell.
Arnold Hooykass did a great job organising and interviewing these fine young people.
Andrew
Farewell Coffee with John Whitaker
Several Rotary members met for coffee at Industry Lane on Tuesday, 8th April to say farewell and to swap a few stories with John.
John and Bronwyn are moving to Auckland next week after several years in Alexandra.
We will miss his good company and friendship but wish him all the very best.
We know too that he has appreciated the support given to him over this past period of time.
John joined Rotary to make a difference and (along with introducing craft beer to our club beverage options) he has certainly done that.
We have been very fortunate to have him lead the Club as president and to organise the Charity Dinner for many years.
John and Bronwyn will be moving to the retirement village Country Club Huapai (Villa 79).
Jillian
Russell Anderson, Alpine fault fracture, implications and preparation
Speaker on Tuesday the 8th of April
The Alpine Fault
(Comments from Barry Hambleton)
Russell Anderson the Alexandra Fire Chief for 22 years spoke about the Alpine Fault Structure AF8. The fault line stretches from Fiordland right up the middle of the South Island. The two tectonic plates are continually moving and when the earthquake comes it will move from Fiordland to the top of the South Island in 4 minutes sounding like a huge train approaching. We will be isolated with damage to homes and roads
The fire brigade is prepared with battery generators and equipment for communication by satellite. They will be the hub for others needing help and communication. We need to be prepared for this event with food water and batteries for at least 3-4 days. It will happen but WHEN?
And on another thing:
Volunteers in the fire service number 14,000 and are not covered by ACC. A petition with 30,000 signatures is waiting for YOUR signature on the Parliamentary Website under Petitions. These dedicated people in our community need our help to change an outdated law. Can you help them?
Barry
(information from the internet on the Alpine Fault)
Although the Alpine Fault has the potential to cause catastrophic damage on the West Coast, and elsewhere in the South Island, should there be major movement along all or part of its length, there has been no such movement in historical times.
On the other hand, there have been a number of documented earthquake events causing surface rupture along other fault lines akin or adjacent to the Alpine Fault which give us some measure of what we might be in for when the predicted large event occurs.
Projection about what may or may not happen along this Fault Line is the subject of much research currently in New Zealand and new material is coming in all the time.
In any study about the Alpine Fault there is inevitably reference to the past whether it be maps, surveys, texts, reports or theories. And behind all the wealth of material accumulated about the Alpine Fault are the geologists who went out there and found out about it.
An historical account about the Alpine Fault is a worthy study in itself as it goes hand in hand with the development of the theory of modern plate tectonics and all the technological leaps and bounds which made gathering information about the fault line more easy - improved access, aerial photography, modern instrumentation such as ground penetrating radar and interpretative tools such as Carbon 14 Dating.
Russell Anderson
Alexandra Community House- working bee 1st April. Convenor Phil Sumser
The Alexandra Rotary garden maintenance contract with ACH includes the trimming of the hedge surrounding the parking area and this is done usually once a year as a working bee.
On Tuesday April first a team of 15 members turned out at 5pm with their electric and petrol driven hedge trimmers, rakes etc. plus three trailers and Utes and, with great gusto and determination, completed the job by 6.30pm.
A magnificent team effort and a big thank you to all involved (see pictures).
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 13th May 2025
Cashier
Ford, Paddy
Attendance
Hambleton, Barry
During Meeting Tasks 13th May 2025
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Hooykaas, Arnold
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Howley, Andrew
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up after
Jenkins, Rhys
Introduce and Thank Speaker
Martin, Carolyn
3 Minute Talk
Philip, Owen
Sergeant
Checketts, Paul
Meet & Greet and Last Word
Quinn, Graham
Pre Meeting Tasks 27th May 2025
Cashier
Hambleton, Barry
Attendance
Hooykaas, Arnold
During Meeting Tasks 27th May 2025
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up ...
Howley, Andrew
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up ...
Jenkins, Rhys
Set up/bar/kitchen duties/tidy up ...
Martin, Carolyn
Introduce and Thank Speaker
Philip, Owen
3 Minute Talk
Quinn, Graham
Sergeant
McKenzie, Richard
Meet & Greet and Last Word
Robertson, Steve
John McCrae
Bulletin reminder
The bulletin is produced on the last Friday every month although perhaps not in December.
The Bulletin contains amongst other things, the Duty Roster which is prepared alphabetically. The duty roster is for the next month’s two meetings. So, as an example, the April Bulletin (this one) is produced on Friday 25th with duty rosters for Tuesday May 13th and Tuesday May 27th.
Separately is the Sergeant's Roster. These members do not usually also have a duty on the normal duty roster.
There is therefore plenty of notice for members regarding whether or not they have a duty to perform and certainly time to find a replacement if the member is going to be away. Please do not contact Greg or the editor to find a replacement for yourself.
There are eight duties on the duty roster, starting with ‘Meet and Greet and Last Word’ and ending with ‘Attendance’ and ‘Cashier’. This can be a little onerous because once on the roster you are committed to eight consecutive Tuesday meetings.
The duty roster appears in the Bulletin and again when Greg sends out information regarding apologies. Please if you are on the roster write it in your diary or on your calendar.
Disappointingly, some members rostered for a duty, although presumably contacting Greg with an apology, still don’t find a replacement for their duty. This is very annoying for the President in particular who has the meeting agenda and names on the duty roster in front of them.
It is very disruptive for the president and for the meeting to find that the member rostered to introduce and thank the speaker for example hasn’t bothered to find a replacement.
The Bulletin editor welcomes comments and photos from any member.
Editor
Amelie and Hamish
Steve Robertson
Firewood splitting
Keep Thursday the 8th of May 2025 free for our fire wood splitting morning starting at 9am. Community garden, Dunstan Road (next to the Fulton Hogan yard).
Steve to confirm this!
Steve
Pictures below, courtesy of Barry Hambleton and Jillian
Morning tea
Working Bee Community House
Working Bee Community House
Rotary International theme for 2024/2025
The next Bulletin will be produced on Friday the 30th of May 2025. Please send articles and any photographs to the Editor (gil.elliott42@gmail.com) by Thursday the 29th of May 2025 at the latest, thank you.
