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5.30 pm:  Social hour 
6.30 pm: Start
The Albie
20 Alison Avenue
Albert Town 9382
(Apologies by 12 noon Monday prior please)
 
 
For apologies for one or multiple
meetings or if bringing a
guest follow this link:
 
 
(All apologies and guest notifications
to be completed by Noon Monday)
 
In an EMERGENCY Contact
President Marie Fitchett
 027 672 5069
 

 
 
Speakers
May 12, 2026
Committee Meetings
May 19, 2026
Tony O'Regan
May 26, 2026
Robyn Brighouse
Alzheimers NZ
Jun 02, 2026
Chris Wright
Hosting - Bring own Food and Drink. Indicate attendance as usual.
Jun 09, 2026
Committee Meetings
Jun 16, 2026
MAC Speech Competition
Jun 30, 2026
No Rotary Meeting this week
Jul 03, 2026
Rotary Change Over Night
View entire list
Executives & Directors
President
Marie Fitchett
 
President Elect
Geoff McLeay
 
Past President
Alan Richardson
 
President Nominee
Rod Pemberton
 
Secretary
Geoffrey Tomkins
 
Treasurer
Richard Gray
 
Administration Director/Chair
Geoff McLeay
 
Rotary Foundation Director/Chair
Elaine Kelly
 
Club Membership Director/Chair
Patrick Heffernan
 
Youth Director/Chair
Nikki Carey
 
Fundraising
John Huddleston
 
Club Fellowship Activities
Peter Borrie
 
Public Image Chair
Tony O'Regan
 
Service Projects Chair
Rod Pemberton
 
Webmaster
Julian Warren
 
Club Young Leaders Contact
Nikki Carey
 
Club Vice President
Geoff McLeay
 
Birthdays
Member Birthdays
Hannah Walker
May 1
 
Lois Haynes
May 2
 
Geoff McLeay
May 10
 
Pam Brown
May 12
 
Richard Purdy
May 15
 
Bernadette Costello
May 20
 
Tony O'Regan
May 22
 
Tony Brown
May 25
 
George Russell
May 29
 
Ian Haynes
June 4
 
Laurence Mikkelsen
June 4
 
Bulletin Editor:
Ron Horner
Mob: 022 393 2140

Email:hr.horner@gmail.com
 
Copy deadline Sunday 12 noon
 
Please inform Sally Angus 
mob- 0274 479 338
if you know of any club member
requiring pastoral care due to
illness or family bereavement
-  or just a helping hand
from the club. 

 The Rotary Foundation – Our Charity of Choice
Is it yours?
 
 
Information about donating to The Rotary Foundation is available at:
www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/take-action/give
 
 
 
 
 
Image

To celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand, we’ve teamed up with UNICEF to give life-saving vaccines to 100,000 children across the Pacific.

 
 
 
 

Rotarians out and about

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Image result for print it logo wanaka
 
 
 
 
 
 
Presidents  Report  Monday 30th March  2026
Hello fellow Rotarians,
The weather for the North Island is not looking good as I sit in Dunedin typing this.  I am enjoying a few days’ stay with my uncle while aunty represents Taieri in the National sevens bowls tournament in Wellington.  Her team finished third.
 
On Tuesday 31st March we heard from MJ about the importance of ensuring your vote in the November elections will count & the work that happens before election day on 7 November 2026.  I had to laugh when one person thought I was going home to change ‘my dress’ after this meeting rather than hearing that I was going home to change our address on the electoral roll! Vote.nz is the website to check your details.
 
Warbirds Over Wānaka once again was an outstanding success of Easter for those who attended & those of us who worked the merchandising tents.  A special thanks to Chris & Ellie for hosting Andrew, a visiting Rotarian from Australia who spoke highly of our inclusive club culture as he worked with Rotarians in the merchandising tents.  I think we raised about $8,500 for our efforts over the long weekend.   
 
On Tuesday 7th April we heard from two of our new Rotarians about their life journeys.   David spoke of his opportunities & experiences working for Wrightson over many years.  Carol shared her passion & interests through education, sports & community involvement, especially in the theatre & writing.  I drove home thinking how fortunate we are to have amazing individuals with their skills in our region & club.
 
The Rotary Enrichment Literacy Programme is progressing with further meetings with District 9920, South Auckland, who established this programme back in the 1990’s.  The basic principle of the programme is not remedial reading but rather to improve literacy through relationships.  All Rotarians involved in this programme will be Police checked by MAC & Noelene is obtaining further documentation & details from District 9920.  Check out this website for more information about the programme.  Please contact Noelene to register your interest in assisting with this new initiative for our club.
 
Next week is committee night & then our next Directors meeting is on Monday 20th April at the A&P rooms.  On Tuesday 21st April we have Jamie Ward from Fish & Game talking to us & on the 28th of April Ken Goldfinch is going to share his amazing photographs from the Doubtful Sound trip back in January. 
 
Please remember if you are not attending a Rotary meeting that you register your absence on the website.  As we head towards winter several Rotarians will be off traveling so please enter your absences.
 
Dates going forward for your calendars –
 Friday 8th May Winter Crop Competition at the Rugby Club rooms. 
There will be no meeting on Tuesday 30 June as change over dinner is booked for Friday 3rd July.  More details to follow.  
 
Have a warm & fun fortnight with the start of the second school term on Monday 20 April.  All the literacy packs have been delivered for new five-year-olds starting school on this day. 
 
Bye for now
Marie
Club Duties
Duty roster notes.
1. All active members (except honorary members and Directors/President) are eligible to be rostered for duties.
2. Rostered members are responsible for doing the duty or arranging a substitute. Please assist us with this.
3. Please advise Jenny Dickie of substitutes on 021 342 227.
4. Duties are for the rostered week only.
5. Duties are notified in the fortnightly bulletin.
 
CLUB DUTIES ROSTER

 

      14th April   
       
   21st April   
  
     
    28th April    
      5th May        

Attendance

 Committee Meetings Tony Johnston   Mathew Abraham  Chris Scott  

Meet, Greet and Photography

 Committee Meetings Richard Howarth   Kelley Budd Ken Goldfinch

Introduce Speaker

 Committee Meetings Bernadette Costello
  Sally Angus Deans Hudson

Thank Speaker

 Committee Meetings Mike Elliot   Rosie Burridge Anne Lindsay
 
3 Minute Speaker
 Committee Meetings TBA   TBA TBA
 
Raffle
 Committee Meetings Vanessa Hills   Graeme Brown John Milburn

Parting Thought

 Committee Meetings Doug Lovell   David Brewer George Scott
 
Audio Visual Support
 Committee Meetings Ron Horner   Ron Horner Ron Horner
 
 
 
 
Upcoming Meeting Night Events
April 21st: Jamie Ward: Otago Fish and Game.
Jamie Ward is the Operations Manager for Otago Fish and Game Council and is based in the Cromwell field base. He comes from a background in agricultural science. He is a born-again freshwater angler and game bird hunter. Jamie’s passions are wild places, recreation and getting people enthused and immersed in these things. He uses his science and management experience to enhance habitat, game bird and sports fish populations for licence holder enjoyment. He will be discussing what Otago Fish and Game actually does, some of the organisations we partner with, and how we work to provide these enjoyable experiences for our licence holders.
 
April 28th: Ken Goldfinch- Landscape Photographer: “From Puysegur Point – Fiordland, to Wedderburn through a viewfinder”
Ken's Bio includes, Wanaka resident – With the mountains calling 20 years ago, it was time to end my banking career. I left the corporate world, and we moved to Wanaka from Pukekohe.
Family - Wife of 50 years Sandy a retired radiographer, plus our sons Hamish – a valuer in Auckland and Guy – a soldier in the NZ Army.
My background - Soldier, agribusiness banker, and valuer but I cannot paint or draw, somewhat
unusual given my mother’s family were all artistic
Life before photography - Geriatric snowboarder” for 20 years beginning age 53 but eventually retiring
following inside knee joint replacement surgeries (both the result of snowboarding). This necessitated relinquishing my title as - “Wanaka’s oldest snowboarder” coined by my friend Fran Tate
Ski fields and locations I have boarded and skied include – Whakapapa (where it all began), Turoa, Cardrona, Snow Park and Treble Cone – NZ, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming – USA, British Columbia Canada, plus Japan
Prior to snowboarding it was yacht racing (dinghies, trailer yachts, and keel boats) scuba diving and ocean sailing
Photography, my motivation coming from - David brewer – friend Jackie Rankin and Mike Langford – professional photographers, photography tour guides, and instructors and Sir Grahame Sydney – Central Otago’s renowned landscape artist
My other interests include -Rotary Club of Wanaka, Wanaka U3A and  NASCAR - USA and Shane Van Gisbergen’s stella motor racing career
May 5th: Ian Clark (and Guy Kennedy)
Topic is: How Rotary donations are helping protect our native birds and insects from predators along the Clutha River 
Bio: Ian grew up in South Otago, farmed there for a number of years and spent many summer and winter holidays in Wanaka. Ian's first engagement with predator control was in Wellington where he was a keen supporter of trapping efforts at Makara Peak mountain bike park. Thanks to the success of predator control around Wellington, night riders at Makara Peak can now see kiwi on the trails. This experience has been formative for his desire to create an environment around Wanaka where native species flourish.
May 26th: Robyn Brighouse: Alzheimer's Otago.
Robyn Brighouse will present on dementia, outlining what it is, how to recognise the early signs, and ways to support a family member or friend in the initial stages.
Robyn has been involved with Alzheimer's Otago since 2013, following her partner’s diagnosis with younger onset dementia. After his death, she moved into a volunteer role before becoming a paid facilitator for the Aspiring Wanderers programme. She now works as a Dementia Advisor, supporting people with dementia and their families, and also leads the Music and Movement programme.
Robyn holds a Bachelor of Dementia Care from the University of Tasmania, further strengthening her knowledge and experience in supporting individuals and families living with dementia in the Wanaka area.
 
Previous Meeting Night Events
March 31st: M.J. Moffat on the upcoming General Election organization.
M.J discussed her role as the Electoral Lead in the Taieri electorate in increasing voter participation, particularly in low socio-economic areas with high Maori and Pacific populations. She detailed their career progression, starting as an issuing officer in 2008 and becoming an electorate manager in 2020. The 2020 election faced challenges due to COVID-19 and boundary changes. M.J.  outlined the logistics of setting up voting places, including assessments and staff recruitment. M.J  also highlighted the importance of voter enrolment, noting 602,000 enrolments post-election day in 2023. The process of counting votes and ensuring accuracy was also covered.
  
 
April 7th's meeting Parting though from Peter Harridge
You give but little when you give of your possessions
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
Warbirds over Wanaka. Photographs to share.
All photos taken from the MAIN Merch Hub.
      
  
      
 
Rotary Bike Ride Sunday 12th. 
A fine Autumn morning for a ride around Mt Barker.
  
 
Rotary Winter Bowls
Each year our club is invited to enter a team in the winter Thursday evening Wanaka Indoor Bowls Social Competition.
The team consists of 3 players each night, both male and female on a rostered basis.
Play on Thursday evenings begins at 7pm sharp and is over by 10pm.
It is social but has an element of competitiveness, with prizes for the winning team on the night.
The cost is $10 per player each night, payable to the Bowling Club for the use of their facilities, which includes the use of Wanaka Club bowls.
A light supper is provided.
The 2026 Season will commence on Thursday 14th May
If you are interested in being rostered to play, please register your commitment with Peter Harridge , pthnph@xtra.co.nz. by Friday 1st of May .
As the draw is made up for the whole season, you must include any dates you are not available to play on any Thursday evening up to and including the 27th of  August.