Tuesday night's meeting was a first and a last for the combined Penrose Newmarket Rotary Club and for the Penrose Club.

 

Bruce Watson the outgoing president of Penrose made Paul Harris Fellowship awards to David Jack, John Scott and Terry Scott. Owen Barwood would have received one as well but he was away. Congratulations to those who received their PHF. They are hard earnt.

 

In addition, Jim Espie gave us a brief history of the Penrose Club from inception. 

 

He noted that the club had hosted such luminaries as Sir Ed Hillary, it had sponsored GSE trips, more than 50 members had been awarded Paul Harris Fellowships and had started the Mt Smart/Go Media stadium parking program which generated significant funding for the club. Jim also noted the success of the REP program which is going from strength to strength.

 

Kalle is about to return home to Germany after a year in NZ.

 

He arrived in NZ as a nervous 17-year-old from Germany. ◦ He was not sure about what to expect. Kalle noted the changes he has experienced, including learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, and personal growth.

 

He acknolwedged the support and community provided by Rotary, which allowed him to step out of his comfort zone and see the world in a different way.

Kalle highlighted the various ways he has grown, becoming more outgoing, independent, open-minded, and resilient. He shared his experiences of joy, challenges, confusion, and laughter, which have shaped him. In doing that he also acknowledged the difficulties he faced, such as missing his family and struggling to express himself. 

 

Kalle emphasized the importance of small acts of kindness, inclusion, and support from his host families and the Rotary community. In particular he thanked his host families and the Rotary club for welcoming him and making him feel like part of their family.  It should be noted that Kalle learned to fish, discovered the perils of getting up too early on Christmas Day and played indoor soccer from time to time.

 

    

 

He mentioned the deep friendships he has formed and the new perspective he has gained.

 

In closing Kalle noted that 9920 will not be hosting any exchange students this year due to a lack of host families. While he understands the reason for this including the age of potential hosts and the number of times they have hosted before he did encourage those who have hosted before to consider hosting again, emphasizing that age is not a barrier.

 

(Editors note) I can say the Lucas family enjoyed having Kalle in our home.  He is an engaged young man who is a credit to his family. While your editor managed to lose the function photos he was able to put his hands on some of photos taken during Kalle's stay.

 

 

 

Reported to us on their, separate, visits to Antarctica, and in Alastair and Jill McFarlane's case their visit to South Georgia.

 

Both trips sounded fantastic and the photos that backed up each presentation showed the majesty of the frozen continent.

 

John Meadowcroft told us that the trip started with a flight to Houston and thence to Buenos Aires for a brief stay.  This was followed by a visit to the Uco Valley, a fast growing wine region south of Mendoza.  After the Uco Valley it was back to Buenos Aires for a longer stay and then a visit to Iguazu falls.  

 

John then took us through the cruise visting penguin colonies, old research stations wildlife of which there was plenty.  John also noted that he has now been around Cape Horn, although in a cruise ship rather than under sail, so he can now be called a Cape Horner.

 

Alastair spoke to us about his second go at a visit to Antarctica - the first having been shortened due to medical issues. 

 

He flew to Santiago in Chile and thence to Peurto William in the Beagle Channel to meet their ship.  He told us of the trip to South Georgia and showed us a number of photos of the wildlife, of which, again, there was plenty. He told us about the extraordinary voyage Shackleton undertook, after his vessel the Endurance sank in the Weddell sea after becoming trapped in pack ice, to South Georgia and then the trek that he and his men undertook to get across the island to the whaling station on the northern side of the island.  Alastair showed us a number of shots of the whaling infrastructure built when whaling was at its peak.

 

After South Georgia came the Antarctic.  Alastair discussed the reasearch activities undertaken  noting 18 countires have ongoing research programs.  He noted the 1959 Antarctic Treaty governing activities on the continent and in particular the ban on military and industrial activities. Alatair noted the abundance of wildlife in Antarctica, including penguins, seals, and whales. Particular mention was made of the importance of biosecurity measures to protect the environment when leaving and returning to the vessel.

 

The photos that Alastair shared with us gave a clear picture of the wildlife, the tranquility of the Antarctic landscape and the voyage to and from the continent.