Reflections of a Lifetime Career in NZ Police

Our guest speaker, Club member Des O’Sullivan, gave an extremely interesting address covering his 36 year career as a Police Officer.

On his arrival in Wellington, on the overnight express train from Auckland in the winter of 1972, Des and his fellow recruits were marched to the Central Police Station and immediately sworn in as Constables. Their initial four week recruit training commenced at the Police Training School in the old Trentham Army Barracks that afternoon – the last recruit wing to graduate there prior to the opening of the NZ Police College in Porirua.

On completion, new constables were assigned to the beat – no cars, no radios. In 1979 Des was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and he became a favoured supervisor and mentor of his many watches, as he served at Stations throughout the lower North Island. Des described many of the cases in which he had been involved over the years – homicides, rescues, community and road policing. He was seriously injured during a gang brawl in Hopper Street, Wellington early in his career and he still bears the scars of that encounter today, both physical and emotional.

Des was awarded the Queens Service Medal for service to the community prior to his retirement in 2009 – just as in Rotary – “Service Above Self”.

Raffle Winner

Congratulations to winner of the New World raffle: Phil Harland

Parting Thought

Parting thoughts delivered by Malcolm Sparrow: ““Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.” ― George Bernard Shaw

“Vote for the candidate who makes fewer promises, then you will be less disappointed” - Anon.

Notices

Saturday 13 Sept          Spring into Tawa

                                      Duty Management – All Blacks vs South Africa

Saturday 20 Sept          Key of Friendship

Thursday 25 Sept          Street appeal for Wellington Children’s Hospital

Tuesday 30 Sept           District Conference early bird registration closes

Connect with our community - Spring into Tawa

This Saturday 13 September:

You are invited to connect with our community at the Tawa Rotary table in Spring into Tawa. Our table will include pedometers to raise funds for Diabetes NZ and we’re sharing the table with Steve Wilson of Te Rito Organics.

We need helpers available from 8.30 am – 1.00 pm.

This is an important annual event to raise awareness of Tawa Rotary in our community. We’ll have new membership brochures and information available on the pedometer fundraiser.

Please contact Laura Sommer, Community projects, to help out - thank you.

Key of Friendship

The first round for Key of Friendship is just around the corner on the 20th of September (Election Night).

If you could please advise Ngaire (via email ngairebest@xtra.co.nz or phone 2329000) of your availability for this night and let me know if you would like to host this round or a later round.

The following date for Key of Friendship is scheduled for 15 November, with the final round in February / March 2015.

If these dates are really not an option to you and you would like to participate please contact Ngaire to discuss this. If there is enough demand she can arrange an alternative date.

For those of you have not participated in Key of Friendship in the past, it is a great way to get to know your fellow Rotarians a little bit better and a way to contribute to our clubs fundraising activities.

How it works is that we run a series of three evenings where you share a meal with two other couples from the club. One evening you are asked to host, catering for yourselves and your guests. The guests are asked to pay $20 per couple as a donation to Rotary and to bring a bottle of wine, chocolates or something similar for the hosts. The secret is that the hosts don’t know who is coming for dinner until they arrive at their front door, and the guests don’t know where they are being hosted till between 4:30pm - 5pm the night of the event. Its always a fun night, and this year should be no different.

If you have dietary restrictions let Ngaire know ASAP so that she can let your hosts know well in advance.

Appeal – Wellington Children’s Hospital

Tawa Rotarians are asked to help with the collection for the Wellington Children’s Hospital – at Outlet City, Tawa.

Between 10am and 5pm on 25 September 2014.

All funds collected will go directly to the Children’s Hospital to help improve the facilities and provide vital medical equipment and much needed comforts for the kids and their caregivers.

We have two remaining hour slots to fill. If you are able to give an hour of your team, please contact Chris Black.

Register for Conference 2014

Ken Pearson and Martin Garcia are encouraging members to attend the combined District Conference and Institute from 5 to 7 December. This is a unique opportunity right on our doorstep to experience two days of information, inspiration, entertainment, fun and meeting with fellow Rotarians from the District, New Zealand and Australia.

Early bird registration closes 30 September.

From 1 October the current $285 + $70 (for the Saturday night function) will increase to $325 + $70. So get on line and register now at www.rotaryinstitute.org.nz. (A saving of $40 if you register early).

A programme is available on line; and you can register now. More activities and speakers will be added. The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/RotaryWellington2014

Register at http://institute.huttvalleyrotary.org.nz/

PS: The next District 9940 Conference after this is not until May 2016 (no District Conference in calendar 2015).

Good health @ Revolve

The Tawa Rotary Revolve Gym class is held each Sunday, at midday, or 10 minutes earlier if you wish to warm up on a treadmill. At Revolve Gym, The Mall, Tawa. Tawa Rotarians and their friends / relations are very welcome to join - so come along and give it a go. FREE for first time attendees – else only $10pp per session. A bargain for a 40 min. weights and exercise circuit to tone up those muscles. Want to find out more? - get in touch with Richard Herbert.

For print copy of notices, select the following: Bulletin notices 7 September 2014 [size 325 Kb].