Monthly newsletter of District Governor Cecil Rose April 2015 No 10 Nearly 40 new and recently new Rotarians attended the New Member Workshop held on Saturday 11 April 2015. The consensus was that it was a really well run and highly informative training opportunity which was greatly appreciated. Some of the feedback sent in by attendees after the event were: I can just say that everything was fantastic. Top class! I had no idea what it would be like, but the speakers and input from other Rotarians was fun. Everybody was happy to be there. I found it very informative and useful and a good opportunity to meet members of other clubs and exchange ideas. The event should be compulsory for all new members. The Membership Committee are planning to hold this event at least annually and are also hoping to roll it out in other regions of our District so that it will be accessible to more new members. Candidates line up for the picture when they attended the New and Recent Member Workshop - 11 April 2015 in Cape Town DISTRICT 9350 DIGEST WELCOME TO ROTARY AND ITS WONDERFUL WORLD OF INTERANATIONAL PHILANTHROPY Definitely no X-Factor in Rotary
Transcript
Monthly newsletter of District Governor Cecil Rose April 2015 No 10
Nearly 40 new and recently new Rotarians attended the New Member Workshop held on Saturday 11 April 2015. The consensus was that it was a really well run and highly informative training opportunity which was greatly appreciated. Some of the feedback sent in by attendees after the event were:
I can just say that everything was fantastic. Top class! I had no idea what it would be like, but the speakers and input from other Rotarians was fun. Everybody was happy to be there.
I found it very informative and useful and a good opportunity to meet members of other clubs and exchange ideas. The event should be compulsory for all new members.
The Membership Committee are planning to hold this event at least annually and are also hoping to roll it out in other regions of our District so that it will be accessible to more new members.
Candidates line up for the picture when they attended the New and Recent Member Workshop - 11 April 2015 in Cape Town
District Conference and Training Assembly : Upington
Now we know why some people didn’t go to conference in Upington – they were just too sleepy… But never mind, watch out for the next issue of the District 9350 Digest which will be a Conference special and bring you lots of news and views of what went on there. Picture by Sally van der Woude.
By the time many of you read this District Digest the District Conference and Training Assembly will be underway or just completed. When registrations closed we had just over 250 people registered for this great event. I am sure that we will be welcomed with warmth and great hospitality and excellent organisation by the members of our lone club in the Kalahari, Upington. I take this opportunity to thank all those who travelled to this unique part of our District to participate in the fellowship and experience of our District Conference. I trust it was worth your while.
Cecil Rose DG 2014/2015
Interact Conference in Namibia
EMPATHY AT A TIME OF TRAGEDY
District 9350 and DG Cecil Rose send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those
who lost their lives in the Nepalese earthquake, and our sincere good wishes and prayers to those
battling to bring relief to those who were injured and remain behind.
District Grant Application Cut-off Date
Club officers and Presidents-Elect are again reminded that the cut-off date for applications for District Grants is 31 May 2015.
Interact Conference in Namibia
More than 90 youngsters from Interact clubs or of clubs in formation stage from
Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Windhoek attended the annual event held at
the Habitat Centre in the city’s high density suburb of Katutura. In Windhoek Interact clubs
operate at four high schools, Hage Geingob, A. Shipena, DHPS and Khomas High.
As a strategy to
introduce primary
school students to
the Interact Club
concept, for the
first time ever
student leaders in
grade 7 at Marti
Ahtisaari Primary
School were
invited to
participate in the
event.
Ali Impinge addresses the Interactors
The enthusiasm displayed indicates that they are going to join (or start) an Interact Club
when they get to high school next year.
The programme at Saturday’s event included inspirational presentations by dynamic
Namibians, Ali Ipinge, Theo Ickua, Claudine Mouton and Lizette Ferris. All four hold key
leadership positions in the public or private sectors. Additionally Petra Dillmann of Autism
Namibia introduced the organization and Haaveshe Nekongo-Nielsen made a presentation
on career planning. Ali and Claudine
are already Rotarians with Theo and
Lizette eager to join Rotary. Lizette has
been a guest at RCW and in the
membership ‘pipeline’. In turn Theo
based in Oshakati, who run Coca Cola
Namibia’s operations in the northern
regions, is working with Richard Cook
and Danny Meyer on getting a Rotary
Club up-and-running in that part of
Namibia where more than 50% of the
country’s population live.
Lunch is served! Continued…
INTERACT CONFERENCE, NAMIBIA continued
It was not all work, but fun too. The Interact Conference ’15 programme incorporated an
icebreaker run by Marybeth Gallagher that encouraged the youngsters from different
schools and towns to mix and mingle.
The youngsters
thoroughly enjoyed
Martina
Schwardmann’s
dancing lesson that
was followed by a
dancing competition
in which they all had
to participate.
Martina's magic
worked - amazing how
this helped the
youngsters gain
confidence over such
a short period of time. Claudine Mouton presents to the Interactors
‘The children enjoyed it tremendously and the venue was magnificent, said Liza Day
a teacher at the Otjiwarongo Secondary School. Day accompanied youngsters who are
members of that school’s Interact Club to the Interact Annual Conference ’15 held in
Windhoek in March.
Teachers like Liza have an
important role as they
provide guidance and
mentorship to the
youngsters. Additionally act
as the link between the
school, its Interact club and
the sponsoring Rotary club.
In her feedback to the event
organizer, Rotary Club
Windhoek, the Otjiwarongo
teacher Day added, “Keep up
the good work Rotarians as you help
develop tomorrow’s leaders today”. Martina Schwardmann giving dancing lessons
The 2015 edition is the fifth Interact Annual Conference in Namibia to be organized and
hosted by Rotary Club Windhoek. There are seven Rotary Clubs in Namibia, three in
Windhoek with the other four situated in Lüderitz, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and
Otjiwarongo respectively.
Riebeeck Valley Special School Project
The Rotary Club of Cap des Tempêtes has recently completed a project at the Riebeeck Valley Special School with generous financial support from the Rotary Club of Claremont's Outreach Programme. The Project
With the help of the funding from Rotary Club of Claremont, they assisted the school in setting up a hairdressing training class.
Pupils hard at work learning the art of hairdressing
The funding of R23,000 covered the furniture and equipment as well as an overhead projector in the classroom that was converted into a hair salon.
Description of the School
This school caters for learners with special needs. These children did not progress in school academically and a need was identified for a school for learners that would benefit from a more technical syllabus. At Riebeeck Valley school they learn a skill that will help them find a job in the future, which will help them to be responsible citizens rather than a burden on society.
Skills taught at the school are for instance: hairdressing, welding, motor mechanics, hospitality, etc. These children also follow an academic curriculum but on the specific level that the child is at. Some learners can hardly read or write when they come to the school at the age of 14. Special programs are in place to help them with this.
The learners that come to the school are from the immediate vicinity as well as neighbouring towns. This is the only such school in the west coast area. There are many socio/economic problems and these parents are not able to pay for schooling. Most learners stay in the school hostel during the week and are taken home with school transport.
Edited by Chip Michie [email protected] Ph: 021 851 9254 For RI District 9350 information, contact District Services Centre Monday to Friday, 9 am to 1 pm at +27 (0) 21 686 4499 fax +27 (0) 21 689- 3970 or send email to [email protected] or post to PO Box 255, Newlands 7725
DAYS OF OUR LIVES There are all sorts of special ‘days’ designated throughout the year. Just for your interest, here are some for this merry month of May.
