2016 Activities
Rotary Youth Committee Annual Mystery Dinner Fund Raiser 2016
Another very successful Mystery Dinner was held over two weekends during April 2016. This was the fourth Mystery Dinner the Youth Committee has taken much pleasure in organising.
Increasingly more members and guests are enjoying the opportunity to further the wonderful fellowship such an evening provides. This year’s Mystery Dinner has been the most successful to date and it is expected the Youth Committee will attempt to keep the momentum going forward.
Three generous hosts provided a memorable night 
entertaining 14 guests on Saturday 2 April, and another three hosts did likewise on Saturday 9 with 19 guests.
Holding the Mystery Dinner over 2 Saturday nights offers the opportunity for hosts to also be a guest on the alternative evening which has a lot of appeal. A lot of inspiration and work by the hosts goes into deciding on the style of cuisine and subsequent 3 course menu.
A total of 33 guests plus a donation of $100 resulted in $1,750 being raised for Youth orientated projects with The Otago Wellness Trust being this year’s benefactor.
Helen Richards
Toys for Syrian refugees
Rotary Youth Exchange – outbound
Telford Gowrie Trust scholarships
One of the charitable trusts administered by our club is the Telford Gowrie Trust, which grants scholarships to students of Lincoln University’s Telford Division. Scholarships of $1000 each have been awarded to three confident and able students at Telford, Matthew Day, Phoebe Hawker, and Jonty Wylaars.
Relay for life
Working bee
We had another constructive morning’s work on the West Harbour Recreation Trail recently.
Blood pressure awareness
We partnered with St John again to support their blood pressure awareness campaign on Saturday 1 October, inviting supermarket shoppers to have a free blood pressure check.
Refugees to benefit from quiz night
The City and Community Committee ran another successful quiz night on Thursday the 8th of September at the Otago Golf Club in Balmacewan Rd. There was a good turnout from members, friends, family and colleagues. Paul Fielding, the quizmaster, once again came up with some challenging and innovative questions but not to the detriment of overall enjoyment. The winning team called themselves Billy Idol and was “captained” by President Murray Bayly.
The raffles were popular with an extensive range of prizes. Three of the larger donated items were auctioned, which contributed to the evening’s net takings of $1221.50. This, along with money from other fundraisers already held and planned, will go directly to an initiative our club is operating in partnership with the Red Cross, to help local refugee children and youth with aspects of living and integration that they might not otherwise be able to access such as; school camp fees, club subscriptions and sports clothing and equipment.
West Harbour Recreation Trail
Our monthly working bees continue. In September a team of members erected information panels.
Rotary Youth Exchange – inbound
From August 2016 we are enjoying having Juliette Franzen from France staying with us and participating in club activities while she experiences a year in New Zealand.
Changeover
Another Rotary year is over as at 30 June, and we have celebrated all that we have achieved under Grant Chirnside’s presidency. He has now handed over the chains of office to Murray Bayly.
FanFare!
We put on a great concert on 26 June at 5pm, celebrating music in Dunedin. Our thanks to all the artists and groups involved in this performance. Final numbers are now in; we’ve donated $4440 to each of our chosen charities, Keep Dunedin Beautiful and Otago Heritage Trust.
Otago Rally
We helped provide marshals for the Otago Rally again this year. Here are two of our club members – about to go for a spin or have they just been?
Supporting young talent
We are delighted to have been able to support four up-and-coming talented artists with grants from the Mona Semke Trust. Luke Major is one of only 24 New Zealand secondary school students selected to participate in the Shakespeare Globe Centre’s Young Shakespeare Company in London. Kimberly Dainty plays cornet with the St Kilda Brass Band and Dunedin City Jazz Orchestra, and will be travelling to the Shanghai Tourism Festival later this year with the Invercargill Brass Band. Ellen Simpson is a member of the Dunedin Youth Orchestra who is going to participate in a seven day programme with tutoring from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra members. Alex Lee is a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir, and will be touring with the choir to Singapore, Prague, France and England. We wish these young people well in their careers.
Circus Quirkus
Circus Quirkus came to Dunedin on 19 May, and we helped ensure families facing difficult circumstances were able to participate. Read more here.
West Harbour Working Bee 14 May
Yet another working ”bee” by Dunedin Rotary. The day was splendid – sun shining, birds singing – what’s not to like! – and all the willing helpers – not forgetting the’ junior brigade’ of youngsters. Work all cleaned up by 10:30. Planted and mulched. Now that’s what I call efficient. Mick Field
Trees for Babies
On 9 May 2016 the annual planting of Trees for Babies was held. As usual members of our club turned out on the day to help members of the public plant trees in the holes which we had dug earlier.
The planting was at the West Harbour Recreation Trail, where we hold regular working bees to improve plantings and provide amenities.
Catlins safari
On 22 to 24 April our club’s Town and Country committee held their annual safari. This year they visited the Catlins.
Rotary Showcase
Also on 16 April our District Showcase was held, to inform and equip local Rotarians to continue serving our communities. Hear District Governor Elect Janice Hughes here.
