Members are encouraged to attend Thursday lunch meetings whenever they can. They are an opportunity for fellowship, to hear interesting speakers, and to catch up with our Club activities.
Remember that if you are unable to join our lunch meetings in person, we can still provide a Zoom option. Please contact President Katie for details of the link to use.
Meal Orders @ the dish cafe-
Please remember to pre-order your food and drink from the menu ahead of time. This assists the cafe provide us with good service and timely delivery.
For members and friends/guests who choose to come along but not purchase a Rotary lunch, a $5 contribution to room hire is applied by the cafe (see menu). As a club, we appreciate the continued use of the venue facilities.
Gordon Tucker speaking at our lunch meeting on Thursday 9th May on What is ESG and how does it impact investing?
Gordon is a financial investment advisor with Forsyth Barr. He commenced his talk referring to the cyclical nature of investment, and used Warren Buffet quotes to highlight why patience is a virtue when it comes to financial investment.
Gordon explained that Environment, Social and Governance or ESG principles are used to assess the sustainability and ethical impact of an investment in a business or company. The actions and impacts of ESG can be viewed from either the lens of the investor or that of the business/firm. Forsyth Barr uses ESG criteria to check companies practices and assist investors select socially responsible investments. An example of ESG in action happened in 2016, a NZ Herald article reported how KiwiSaver dumped $109m of investments in tobacco and weapons. Forsyth Barr carry out research and reported on a recent Meta study from the NY Stern Center that provided evidence that companies who were applying ESG principles and measuring their impacts on Environment (e.g. loss of biodiversity, resource depletion), Social, eg. Human rights and child labour, worker benefits, and Governance – equality, tax strategy, anti-bribery & corruption etc. had better structure, greater longevity and profitability than companies whose practices are not aligned towards transitioning towards a more sustainable economy. In New Zealand, the NZ – EU free trade agreement is an example of a current ‘step up’ in terms of policy promoting better sustainability practices in return for market access. Gordon ended his talk with the grim statistic that 2023 is now recorded as being the warmest year on record, the planet is heating up, being an average 1.2C above baseline levels from the period 1950-1980 (NASA Analysis Confirms 2023 as Warmest Year on Record - NASA). Responsible investing based on ESG principles is now an important strategy for Forsyth Barr. For more information you can access an excellent resource published by Forsyth Barr which is available on their website titled "ESG: Charting the course of Change"
If you attended Thursday's meeting and heard Gordon speak, Gordon has requested you fill out a feedback form and return it to him. Feedback helps guage whether the presentation slides hit the mark or not, and can assist Gordon when doing future presentations.
Please click here to access the feedback form, and return it filled in to Gordon.Tucker@fosythbarr.co.nz
Cheese Rolls!
Thank you, all orders are in. We've met and slightly exceeded the 500doz target. Exciting- your orders will be freshly made and ready for collection next weekend!
Volunteer to make the cheese rolls!
Thank you if you've already volunteered to join the production crew, you'll receive an email to confirm the time and venue location on Monday.
Additional people are welcome to join us at any of our three of our production shifts, especially the Sat afternoon!
Friday 17th May, 4pm-7.30pm
Saturday 18th May, 9am-12.30pm
Saturday 18th May, 1pm- 4.30pm (production)
Use this google form to volunteer, just click here and add your name, or contact Fiona Nyhof (0274821103, or email fiona.robin@outlook.com) to add your name.
This week's Cheese Roll Fun Fact
Every cheese is an ecosystem of bacteria and fungi! the bacteria and fungi play a big part in shaping the flavour and texture of the cheese. Mozzarella is mild and soft, Parmesan is salty and hard, and some smell pungent like Gorgonzola. Brian Daniels shares his story that confirms gorgonzola is very pungent. 40 years ago, while on OE, he was on his way to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany (famous copy at Disneyland). The bus he was travelling in was packed, standing room only. Mysteriously all the bus seats at the back cleared around Brian. Lunch had been staple bread and cheese, with Brian's favourite Gorgonzola, a very nice, soft, sticky, even runny but VERY stinky cheese. Brian looked down to spot the cause of the bus evacuation- a big lump of gorgonzola stuck on his sandal!
Which cheese does the Pope like most? Swiss Cheese, it's holey
Big shout out to all our volunteer helpers at recent activities!
OTAGO RALLY
Marshalling at the Otago Rally on 13 April was a successful fundraiser with Rotary share of the gate takings being $6,500 with our club receiving $2,100.
Special thanks to the team leaders David Neill, Ross Taylor & Ah-Lek Tay who make it all run sweetly.
The Rally organisers have passed on the appreciation of Rotary’s role. Image above: Rally Winner Jack Hawkeswood on Rotary’s Tarmac Special Stage.
Image right:
Overseas Star Guest Driver was Irishman Chris Meek
ROTARY PARK WORKING BEE, 7 May
It was a very successful and pleasant hour to remove an old fence at Rotary Park. The materials were salvaged, and $35 was returned to the project. The job was made easy by many people from the Rotary Clubs in Dunedin and Mosgiel. A very big thanks to all who helped.
TREES FOR FAMILIES 2024
Second year of planting at Rotary Park.
Sell out event for Keep Dunedin Beautiful who acknowledged their longstanding partnership with Rotary.
Rotary Dunedin volunteers dug and prepared the holes and assisted the public with planting and mulching.
52 + 3 more 2023 replacement trees were planted
A Stunning Day for Trees for Families 12.5.24
Events coming up
Rotary Dunedin Friendship/Fellowship event
May 30th
This will be an inter-committee event to give us the opportunity for fellowship above and beyond lunch meetings. It's a chance to catch up, chat, share news and discuss Rotary, while enjoying some inter-committee competition via fun activities (the inter-committee club challenge trophy will come out!).
It will be held in the early evening (5-7.30pm approx) so we can share a little bit of kai. Friends and family welcome. We have a home host! Location Vauxhall, so nice and easy to get to. Food and drinks will be 'bring a plate' one from each committee, and 'byo'.
Please RSVP, let your own Rotary Committee Director know, or Contact Anna Thomas directly at 027 551 1975, anna.thomas@raywhite.com) by 27 May.
A Mid Winter tramp is planned for 17 and 18 August 2024
If we have sufficient interest it will be an anniversary tramp as it is 10 years since the last mid winter tramp.
The plan is to drive to Te Anau on Saturday morning and walk on good flat track from Rainbow Reach bridge to Moturau hut on Kepler track after lunch.
We will have a slap up mid winter Xmas dinner on Saturday night and head back home on Sunday morning.
All Rotary members and friends and family members are welcome.
The walk is normally around two hours each way.
If you are interested please contact Malcolm Liddell malcolm.liddell@icloud.com
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Request from Age Concern for extra volunteer drivers
for Meals on Wheels
Age Concern advise that they are looking for people willing to be reserve drivers.
New reserve and permanent drivers are needed to cover for a number of current drivers who are retiring from their runs and who need to give up for health reasons. They also need more relief drivers to cover for illnesses, holidays etc.
They are especially looking for additional support for the Ravensbourne run but would like to find relief drivers for any other areas.
If you can help or know of someone who could help, please contact Mardy Shaw at Age Concern mardy@ageconcernotago.co.nz
Rotary International Convention, Singapore, 25-29 May 2024.
Jon Nabb's Run
A NZ Ultra Marathoner, Jon Nabbs, is raising funds for Child Cancer and at the same time hoping to set a Guinness World Record with a run from Bluff to Cape Reinga.
Due to more delays, he's now aiming for a May 13th start date leaving from Bluff. Follow the route:
Brian looked down to spot the cause of the bus evacuation- a big lump of gorgonzola stuck on his sandal! 
ith our club receiving $2,100.
Rotary International Convention, Singapore, 25-29 May 2024.
