EDITORIAL
What an amazing journey this gradual build-up to the start of the DG Year is turning out be, as the
count-down to midnight on 30th June looms closer and closer. Fortunately, the highlights and
experiences that I’ve enjoyed so far have inspired me in the right direction, giving me all sorts of
opportunities to share Rotary news with you through the medium of this, part one of my 12 issue series
of newsletters, and later on more directly and personally with you, as we meet on official club visits.
As I write, we’re right in the middle of the annual Induction Dinner season, and I’ve been blessed with
many invitations to attend functions in and around this part of the Eastern Cape. I’ve taken the liberty
to illustrate and discuss a few of what I have called my more unusual visits in this issue….
· like the right way to use Public Relations skills effectively in an article published by the local
press after the fantastic hospitality of the Kenton-on-Sea Induction Dinner,
· like an Induction Breakfast with the East London Sunrise Club, in which Rotarians from the far
north of England honoured a young librarian as a Paul Harris Fellow via the miracle of modern
technology and Skype,
· like the Stutterheim Club really astonishing us all by inducting a bevy of beautiful young girls as
members in their New Generations expansion programme,
· and then like the massive support of no fewer than 125 Friends of Rotary just last night, as we
celebrated my own Induction Dinner with my wonderfully loyal club Arcadia.
Also in this issue, in order to share the news of a special friendship of two lady Rotarians who
completely bridged the cultural divide, I’ve taken the unusual step of submitting a heart-warming
eulogy. Read it yourself, and see whether you, too, were emotionally moved.
1st July: Today is the start of the new Rotary Year, and, in wishing you well for a year filled with Peace
through Service, I sit down to think about the last couple of hectic days. Our combined Club and District
Induction Dinner on the 29th was nothing short of fantastic, followed by an all Saturday morning session
of Rotary business with past and future District Governors and Assistant Governors in what is known as
the District Advisory Council. District Secretary Ron Bruce handed out copies of the new District
Directory to our Assistant Governors, and they have promised faithfully to get them out to you in the
next couple of days. Please let us know if you haven’t received yours by Friday 6th July…..just drop me or
Ron an email on either [email protected] or [email protected]. We already have a few
changes to record, caused by exciting things like fitting in the Charter Dinner of our newest club in
Despatch near Uitenhage. Any other changes will be recorded through our webmaster Barrie Downs on
District 9320’s web page.
Enjoy this edition!
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District Governor-elect Dave Briggs with newly
inducted Rotary President of Kenton, Colin
Armstrong, and Past President, Barrie Brown
Rotary in Kenton has New President
Written by Hennie Marais of The Announcer
KENTON ON SEA – The Rotary Club of Kentonon-Sea inducted their 2012/13 President on
Tuesday evening.
Past President Barrie Brown handed the President’s chain to Colin Armstrong in the presence of many
visiting Rotarians and the District Governor-elect Dave Briggs from East London.
Armstrong said it was an honour for him to be elected as President and that he had to be mindful of the
circumstances that have evolved in recent months that brought him to that point.
He thanked Brown for a wonderful job done during the past year and for the leadership provided. “You
have kept us all on our toes, kept us focused on our work and still retained the happy atmosphere that is
one of the hallmarks of this lovely young club. You have dedicated yourself to Rotary and know I will be
in trouble if I don’t acknowledge the significant role that Brenda has played in keeping you on the
straight and narrow and in giving you loving support. Thank you to both of you.”
The newly appointed board of Rotary Kenton Past Presidents Bruce and Bridget were also thanked for
their role in establishing the club.
“I am conscious of the challenge before me to maintain the high standard the three of you have set,”
Armstrong said.
He said that the club was a very busy one that had a significant impact on Kenton on Sea and the
neighborhood but needed to find new, energetic quality members, to enable them to continue and
develop the wonderful work that has taken place so far while welcoming new Rotarian Tony Weiner into
their ranks.
“We serve the community in which we live and we should not lose that sense of purpose and if we wish
to leave something behind it should be in the form of a vibrant club that is sustainable,” he said while
quoting from Mahatma Gandhi, “the future depends on what we do in the present”.
Armstrong encourages the further development of New Generations. “We live in a village that is not
restricted to this side of the main road and this side of the Bushman’s River and we need to reflect on
that,” he said.
A recent article written by the Director of Customer Channels at Standard Bank said, “The marginalized
youth is bitter and destructive and caught
in an inhumane dilemma that affects all
spheres of their lives. They have no
prospects of earning an income, choosing
work and being integrated into the
economy. This is a toxic situation for
South Africa. It is a time bomb that
threatens the future of our country. But
there is hope in that according to an old
Rotarian Mike Wilmot was honoured by Rotary
Kenton as a Paul Harris Fellow
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Rotarian Stella Swanson was awarded with the Rotary
President's Award by Past President Barrie Brown
African proverb, it takes a village to raise a
child. Many who had earlier setbacks had
an entire village that turned them from an
angry mob into responsible individuals. It
is too late for some of what are called the
lost generation but what of the future, the
New Generation?”
“We as Rotarians in the Kenton village
have the opportunity to play a vital role as
villagers in helping to raise the children in
whatever way we can by giving them hope and creating opportunities. Perhaps in so doing, who knows,
we may leave a Rotary legacy for our village that builds on the wonderful work done this past year and
we may even be able, through our endeavors, to touch eternity and in so doing fulfill the Rotary
International President’s theme for the year which is, Peace through Service.”
“Through our Rotary service, we know that co-operation is more productive than conflict. We learn to
value each other. We know that every one of us has something to give and everyone has something to
teach,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong then proceeded with the introduction of the new 2012/13 board that consist of Brown, Stella
Swanson – President Elect for 2013-2014 and the Director of New Generations, Dave Slater – Secretary,
Tony Swift – Treasurer, Mike White – Membership, Louis Hattingh – Vocational, Brigid MacKay – PRO,
Bruce Steele-Gray – Rotary Foundation, Marlene Thompson – Club Admin and Roger Carthew – Service
Projects.
The Wilmot family has played a central role to the well-being of Rotary Kenton over the last few years
Various awards preceded the induction of Armstrong as President.
Special merit awards were made by Past President Brown to Justin Wilmot and Marlene Thompson. The
President’s Award was made to Stella Swanson while Mike Wilmot was honoured by Rotary Kenton as a
Paul Harris Fellow.
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Skype Enables Paul Harris Fellow Presentation
The Rotary Club of East London Sunrise held an unusual Induction Breakfast recently, with the surprise
use of modern technology making it possible to recognise a Paul Harris Fellow initiated by the Rotary
Club of Lymm in District 1280 (North West of England and Isle of Man).
Their President John Beard spoke to us on a big screen via Skype, and, after reading a motivation naming
“The Book Angel” Angela Tuson a Paul Harris Fellow for her ongoing work with library projects in
disadvantaged areas, asked me to present her with her surprise PHF certificate, medallion, and pin.
The picture below was taken shortly after the presentation, and shows the East London Sunrise Club’s
Immediate Past President Margaret Albrecht, PHF recipient Angela Tuson (with medallion and
certificate!), and the club’s newly inducted President Janet Young.
Angela will be one of our guest speakers at the District 9320 Conference in East London during
September, linking her special skills to the conference theme of Education and Literacy.
Booking has opened on the District 9320 Web Page today for the 2012 District Conference. All
seven Rotary Clubs in East London have been working tirelessly over the past several months
in order to present a really exciting conference, with the overall theme linked into one of our
six Areas of Focus: Education and Literacy.
Follow the footprints to the Guild Theatre and Museum in East London, and diarize the dates
of 20th to 22nd September.
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Stutterheim Club’s New Generation Membership Drive
The Rotary Club of Stutterheim surprised us all at their recent Induction Dinner, with the
induction of no fewer than seven New Generation members, increasing their membership by a
massive 50%.
Seen in the picture here are District Governor Kevin Dersley (who has this picture as his new
screen-saver), with six of the seven new members: Rotarians Jessica Bauer, Alisha Petzer,
Suzanne Burger, Elané Nel, Kim Wardle, and Megan Venter, with Assistant Governor Judy
Flanegan and District Governor Elect David Briggs.
Rumour has it that the average age of the Stutterheim Club has now halved, and the
attendance figures of the club have doubled. AG Judy was congratulated by DG Kevin on an
outstanding recruitment drive.
Over the last 27 years, I’ve attended a number of funeral services linked to friends in Rotary.
Recently, I listened to a eulogy at the funeral of Past President Glen Wilson (originally of the
East London Rotary Club), who had, shortly before her death, transferred to the Arcadia Club.
I was moved by the sincerity of this message, and have taken the liberty of sharing it with
you. It was presented by Rotarian Iris Mqotsi, PHF, of the East London Club. She is seen at
the East London Induction Dinner in the photo on the next page taken last week, wearing her
traditional outfit and smiling with the editor.
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I got to know Glen soon after I joined the Rotary Club of East
London, about eight years ago. We took to each other like a fish
to water. Our friendship, based on the numerous ideas we had in
common, flourished and a formidable team of two Rotary
friends was born. She was a beautiful person full of jokes and
laughter and the ability to laugh at herself. Her Rotary work is
what I wish to expose. She had the fund raising expertise; I had
the ability to speak to our “black communities”. We believed we
were sisters – but the only problem, as I used to tell her, was
that I felt she had come out of the “oven” a little too early. She
wouldn’t let me win the argument. After a few minutes of
silence she’d say “Who, by the way, said you came out of the
oven timeously?”. “OK Glen you win” I’d say. At this stage we
would be in stitches, laughing at this silly joke.
There are people from destitute communities, who would wish
to say THANK YOU MAMA WILSON –LALA NGO XOLO – Thank
you Mrs Wilson, may your soul rest in peace. I am saying it on their behalf as they cannot attend the
funeral since they do not have private transport or the money to organize some form of transport.
Mama Glen has helped organize and deliver a great number of wheel-chairs to the destitute
differently challenged people of Fort Beaufort.
We supported two schools in Ilitha Township near King William’s town - supplying warm clothes in
winter. This soon extended to the community at large, since the parents of the children were also in
need.
She brought bundles of clothing from her personal friends (overseas and local) and from her own
wardrobe; to clothe the people of Ilitha.
She paid for the shipment (from overseas) herself: of used football gear that we distributed to
barefoot football players and schools.
She made and sold jam and cut roses, cultivated at great horticultural cost, from her garden and
ploughed all the money into Rotary work for the poor.
She gave me R1000 of her own money to contribute towards my street soup and bread for the hungry
unemployed of East London.
Huge parts of the Ilitha and Fort Beaufort’s elderly communities, would have been blind from
cataracts, had it not have been for Glen Wilson involving herself, and inviting me to join her, in a “Fred
Hollows” scheme to help those too poor to afford these eye services. The exact numbers can be found
from a Dr. Mary Hlalele who worked with us. They were hospitalized and operated on at a
Queenstown hospital.
“The Tree of Joy”, which may have been her brainchild, is a yearly Christmas event that puts a smile
on hundreds of poor children in townships like Ilitha, Fort Beaufort and Mdantsane. She was always
very enthusiastic about it. The “branches” of this wonderful Christmas tree also reach out to the poor
in old age homes. They got warm nighties, pajamas, slippers, knee blankets and toiletries.
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These are a few of the projects that I, as a personal friend, can remember. Glen was a Rotarian long
before I came on the scene. She must have done a lot more, that time and writing space does not
allow here.
Her immediate family has lost a mother – ON MOTHER’S DAY – beneficiaries of the poor township and
rural communities are mourning with us; I have lost a very dear personal friend. In the name of
ROTARY, I say:”Go well Glen, your selflessness which was a true example of “Service above Self”, is to
be emulated. We shall miss you. I loved you very much my friend and thank you for loving me”.
Thanking you,
(Rotarian) Iris Mqotsi.
The Arcadia and District Governor Induction Dinner was attended by prominent Rotarians from
all corners of District 9320. The Pictures below were all taken by our roving photographer from
Algoa Bay, PDG Fred Roberts.
Past Presidents John and Lynne Hall
from the Gonubie Club.
Lynne, who has been President of the
Gonubie Club twice and has served as
an Assistant Governor for 9320, was
presented with a Paul Harris Sapphire
Pin for her enthusiasm and
commitment to the Youth Exchange
Programme, as well as her many other
achievements in Rotary.
President Kim Steyn of Viljoenskroon
with her handsome young husband
Past District Governor Jaap Steyn,
enjoyed every moment of their long
trip to the coast.
Jaap set a new standard for toasting,
when he excelled with his rendition of
his “Toast to our Countries South
Africa and Lesotho”.
Jaap and Kim were the last to leave
the Advisory Council meeting, as they
find it very difficult to say goodbye.
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Assistant Governor Wally
Jacobs from Orkney shares a
joke with Past District
Governor Lionel Heath from
Port Elizabeth East.
Lionel was honoured by being
the first winner of the
Visionaries 2012-2013 Award,
for his great vision in
understanding both sides of
giving to The Foundation for
recognition of Paul Harris
Fellows.
Past President Rainer
Wiethoff of the Rotary
Club of Arcadia is
flanked by the Outgoing
and Incoming DGs,
Kevin Dersley and David
Briggs.
Rainer received a Paul
Harris Sapphire Pin for
his excellent work in
running the District
Project ROMEX, now
about to receive their
100th container of
medical equipment.
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