Collaboration is the name of the game for Wellington North Rotary

PDG Ross George, Margaret & PDG Morris Robertson, Denise and DG Martin, AG John and Lane Mohi,
Sheryl & PDG Tony Fryer

I believe the collective noun associated with my former occupation as a public servant is a "Shuffle of Bureaucrats", although I don't think that does our hard-working public servants justice.  I'm not sure what the collective noun is for a group of Past District Governors (any suggestions?), but Wellington North Rotary had all three of their PDGs and some of their partners in attendance when Denise and I visited on Thursday.

The fact that Wellington North Rotary has three PDGs, AG John Mohi and others who serve or have served on District Committees, such as Margaret Emerre and Lionel Nunns, I believe strengthens their ability to be a collaborative Club that recognises opportunities, knows who to connect with and works with others to achieve success.

President David Bennett

We heard an update on the Timor L'Este nursing training project which involved several Clubs, and which received a Rotary Foundation global grant and is now developing further into the possibility of bringing nurses to New Zealand for training. Wellington North developed and shared the Healthy Heroes programme which has spread to other Clubs and other Districts, including in Australia.  They are engaging other Clubs in developing the Te Araroa walkway with plantings of trees and other amenities.  They are working with other Clubs to fund the fit out of an ambulance for the Wellington Free Ambulance service.

Wellington North Rotary, along with Karori Rotary, have both fully supported the establishment of our new Rotary Club, Kaukau Rotary - a tangible demonstration of collaboration with new and existing Clubs rather than a sense of being in competition.

There are many other activities Wellington North Rotary is involved in, including administering two trusts that assist students to have opportunities they may never otherwise have had and helping hospices.  They participate in Reading in Schools, and not just in their local area but further afield in Wainuiomata and Titahi Bay - and then there is RYLA, dictionaries in schools, blood pressure checks, running in the Round the Bays sporting Rotary-branded t-shirts, and so much more.

The Club is aiming to have 100 percent of members personally giving to The Rotary Foundation as individual Centurion Club members by the end of the year.  Wellington North Rotary is already giving an average of NZ$100 per member, making them a Centurion Club, but you can see the benefit they get from the Foundation by not only giving but also accessing grants to help them and other Rotarians improve the lives of others.

President David Bennett exemplifies how a busy person can still lead their Club with the support of other Club members.  David leads the Salvation Army's disaster response team so he never knows when he might be required and in recent times has been called to Nepal after their earthquake and Fiji after the recent cyclone.