Each year, across the globe at the end of June, Rotary Clubs elect a new leader, new team and plan for the year ahead.
After such a disrupted 2021-2022 year and to maintain good continuity the Rotary Club of Howick is moving forward with many of the existing team including re-electing its current President, Madeleine East MNZM for the year to come.
As the number of changes were few the club decided to refer the normal “Changeover” function to more like “Gliding On”.
However, MC on the night Ian Fox assured the audience that the Howick Rotary administration was significantly superior to the “bumbling bureaucrats” that acted in the early 1980’s TV humour series.
In reviewing the year President Madeleine outlined some of the many projects we have been able to complete despite Covid including our most recent highly successful ‘Blankets 4 Kids 4 Winter’ project.
These included packing food parcels for the Salvation Army, Christmas Food Hampers for All Saints, planting at Mangamangaroa, supporting young people through the Howick College Environment Award and Scholarships, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment, NZ Young Shakespeare Company Study Tour and holding the annual Police Awards.
In addition, the club supported the Trees for Survival programme, Covid 19 Fiji, Tonga Assistance, Stop Polio Now, Interplast appeals as well as making donations for Emergency Response Kits and ShelterBox to be used in international emergencies. President Madeleine commented “not a bad effort for a Covid disrupted year”!
The club also welcomed District Governor Steve Chaney and Edith who together gave us a snapshot of the many challenges Rotary Clubs have faced during these Covid times.
A Paul Harris Fellowship Award was presented to Past President Mike Abercrombie and a Paul Harris Sapphire Pin to Past President Rob Mouncey for the considerable work they have done in supporting our club and the community.
The club is looking forward to a less disruptive year ahead as they now plan for the annual Bookarama sale in October.
