Attracting Members: Inviting community leaders and peers who share Rotary values.
Club Retention: Enhancing the club experience so members stay engaged and valued.
New Club Growth: Forming modern, flexible clubs tailored to local needs.
Diversity & Inclusion: Bringing in fresh perspectives and varied backgrounds.
President Tim Orrell
Secretary
Shirley Stratton
Treasurer
Graham Evans
Hosted by President Tim
Guests: Stephen Oatley, Jessica Keltie (speaker)
Marilyn Stevens
Opening thought:
With our friends behind us and no person beneath us;
With the bonds of Rotary between us and our worries behind us;
We are thankful for our individuality and also our common bond.
Parting thought:
We make a living by what we get.
We make a life by what we give.
- Winston Churchill
Raffle winner: Derek
Dinner menu: Roast chicken with stuffing, roast veges and gravy, wild rice salad, followed by chocolate raspberry pudding with cream.
Eddie
Ken
Linda
Marilyn
Notices
President Tim
Thanks to Steph and Karen who attended the Lower Hutt Big Hats High Tea event last weekend. The event raised $19,000 for Life Flight Trust. Karen won a raffle prize basket and Steph bought a weekend in Whanganui.
Tim has received an email from the South Pacific Rotary leadership about a new campaign, Say NO to domestic and family violence. There will be a purple shirt Friday and a walk in November. It has received a lot of support in Australia, including from Police. The Board will consider whether the Club will participate. Details to follow. Learn more here:
Remember Tawa Club has invited us to attend their Oktoberfest on 22 September at the Tawa Bowling Club. Let Tim know if you would like to attend. Their contact details are ph 022 362 0253 or email tawarotary.club@gmail.com
Tawa Club President Michael Nestmann works for Te Whatu Ora. He is speaking at the Paraparaumu Library at 5.30pm on 8 September as part of Dying Matters Week. There are several interesting events and talks:
Expressions of Interest for the role of District Governor 2028-29
Expressions of Interest are sought for the role of District Governor 2028-29. This role provides an exciting opportunity to lead a new Rotary District that will commence on 1 July 2028. The new District will incorporate the current Districts 9940 and 9999. The title of the new District has yet to be determined. The successful applicant will immediately assume the role of District Governor- Nominee (DGN) and be prepared to attend DGN learning and development in Melbourne in late October 2026. They will liaise and work, as appropriate, with the current G-Trains in both Districts 9940 and 9999.
Expressions of Interest are to be completed and in the hands of the Nominations Team by 31 August 2026. Nominations are to be forwarded to: Carol Green IPDG D9940 carol@prozone.co.nz Cell: 0212158346
Linda
It is Membership Night next week. Please look up the month and year of your joining Rotary so you have this handy.
The Club has a stall at the Women's Expo at Southwards on 1 November. Please come and visit for a bit if you can, and talk to people about Rotary. All genders welcome.
Eddie
Golf for Good
Thanks everyone for filling the shifts through to September. Please sign up for the next round on ClubRunner. The Club just received a distribution of over $3,000 which is excellent money for our efforts.
Marilyn & Ken
Almoners' report
Sue Taylor has had her knee replacement operation and is recovering well at home. She is managing her pain well and getting about. A phone call would be appreciated if you have time for a chat.
Marilyn attended a funeral recently. She met a young woman who went to RYLA a couple of years ago, who has now joined Rotary.
Doug sadly lost his brother Bruce suddenly this week. The service is in Dannevirke on Monday at The Hub. The Club extends its condolences to Doug and family.
Ken has introduced Mike C to Keith Flack and they got on well. Mike accompanied Keith on an outing to Specsavers.
Gary
Taveuni Dental Project Quiz Night Fundraiser
At 7pm on 25 September, Eastern Hutt Rotary Club is running a fundraiser quiz night at the Avalon Park Pavilion to contribute funds to the project. Tickets are $25 and Gary would like to field a couple of teams if possible. Supper is provided and it is BYO. Please contact Gary.
Doug
Wood for Good
The next working bee will be on 12 September. Please sign up on ClubRunner or contact Doug.
Ronald McDonald House - 8 September from 3.30pm
We need about 5 more volunteers to sign up to prepare, cook and serve dinner to families with kids in hospital. We turn up in the afternoon and work as a team, and eat with the families. It is very rewarding. Please sign up on ClubRunner or contact Doug.
Ross
Ross has the trailer raffle under control. He will be circulating a roster shunt sheet for 2 hour shifts, starting on 5 September. It will be loaded onto ClubRunner. Please sign up. For new Members, we sell the tickets for a full trailer of awesome goodies, including the trailer. We sell in pairs outside stores and supermarkets around Paraparaumu. It is a good opportunity to get to know other Members, and chat with the public about Rotary. We are also allocated some books to sell to friends and family, or to buy. The proceeds go towards our projects, particularly youth projects. The raffle is an annual event and popular with the public. It is drawn on 26 November.
Rotary Roadie
This is on 16 - 18 October at Foxton Holiday Park. The theme is By the Seaside. Please bring your beach attire and colourful shirts. Visitors will be welcome.
Cherie
Youth - RYPEN
Candidates are being sought by 11 September 2026 for this year's RYPEN (Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment) camp. RYPEN is aimed at young people in the 16 –17 age group who are still at school and are not likely to be selected for Youth Exchange or later for RYLA, but who possess qualities of decency, persistence and application and who deserve further encouragement.
Mark told us about the 3 trips he made as an attending veterinarian on live export ships running pregnant heifers to China. The live export trade was controversial because of animal welfare concerns and was banned in 2023. The trips Mark attended were organised by Fonterra and the standard of care was very high. 1 vet was required to attend to every 1,500 head of cattle.
A lot of testing was required before the trip and the stock were transitioned from grass to a pellet diet, as they had to consume 10kg each a day. Their water supply was desalinated seawater. The stock arrived in good condition and the number lost was very low.
The ships departed from Napier Port and sailed 12,000 km in about 16 days, to a port just outside Beijing. The first voyage carried 4,500 head and the final voyage transported 10,000.
The Fonterra farms in China were well set up and the cattle were in great condition. On one trip Mark got to walk some of the Great Wall of China which was very impressive.
Guest speaker: Jessica Keltie - ThriveKind - Warm, Healthy Homes
Jessica
Home, sweet home
President Tim, Jessica & Marcus
Marcus introduced Jessica, owner of ThriveKind, who also runs a business hiring out baby equipment (Just Bring Baby). In 2024, Jessica was awarded a Kāpiti Good Sorts Award for starting Crop Swap. Jessica is from the Wairarapa and moved to the coast a few years ago. She lost her job in the construction sector, so she retrained and started her business.
ThriveKind has been created with intention. Helping people create homes and living environments where they can genuinely thrive. Jessica provides: • Healthy Homes compliance assessments and reports • Healthy Homes advice • Tenant education • Project management for repairs and remediations
ThriveKind is also about the wrap-around support that often gets overlooked. That can look like: • Organising trades and quotes and project managing any work • Cleaning and decluttering support • Gutter cleaning, lawns, windows, pruning and general upkeep • Test & tag services for electrical appliances • Helping navigate grants for insulation or heating • Advocacy and help with forms or accessing services • Practical support for people who are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start
At the heart of it all is empathy. A healthy home isn’t just about ticking boxes for compliance; it’s about warmth, dignity, safety, wellbeing, and helping people feel supported instead of judged.
Jessica is passionate about supporting people to improve the quality of their housing, whether as homeowners, landlords or tenants. Cold houses kill: estimated at 1,600 extra deaths per annum, and 40,000 hospital admissions. The elderly, unwell and children are far more susceptible to respiratory illness if they live in cold, damp housing. The recommended temperature for a warm room is 18° for regular folks, and 20° for the young, elderly and vulnerable.
The Healthy Homes standards are a minimum standard. Heat pumps provide the most effective and efficient source of heating. Blast ventilate your home every day with doors and windows open for 20 minutes - it will remove a lot of water from your home, as will wiping down condensation.
Jessica is enthusiastic about the EECA insulation scheme, which makes insulating your home far more affordable. Murray has been a keen proponent of this scheme in his work:
2 other useful schemes are https://billy.govt.nz/, for comparing and changing electricity providers, and Warm Up Ōtaki, helping people with a Community Services card to warm up their homes:
13 13 year olds celebrated the end of the football season with mini golf and pizza
Remember you can check your registration for meetings, cancel if necessary, and see your upcoming duties and other commitments at the foot of the Bulletin.
This week:
27 August: Membership Night - come with the date you became a Rotarian
