Our next meeting will take place on 12 May at Ellerslie.
It will be at Ellerslie Events Centre at the usual time. Our guest will be Volker Knutsch CEO of Sandfords.
On 13 June there will be no luncheon at Ellerslie. Instead we will be meeting at and being hosted bythe Medical School where our Oncology Awardee Dr Rosalie Stephens will be keynote speaker. Mark this event in your diarys.
Helping Hands Build. Volunteers are needed for the construction of the dwelling on Broadway. If you wish to volunteer can you contact President Simon or David Bradshaw.
The following are details of speakers and duties for our next meeting. If you cannot undertake your rostered duties please arrange for someone to take your place. Duties will be updated closer to our next luncheon meeting.
Programme
16-May-2017
23-May-2017
30-May-2017
Topic
CEO Sanfords
Salvation Army Visit / Mini Vocational
Speaker
Volker Knutsch
TBC
Salvation Army Update / Ric Buchanan Mini Vocational
President Simon welcomed members and special guests including Rosemary Stewart and fellow ROCON member DG Roger Harvey
Bob Stewart Environmental Award
The Bob Stewart environmental award was presented to Jacqui Du Toit from the Motutapu Restoration Trust in recognition of her outstanding efforts over many years in seed collection and new plantings for the ongoing re-forestation of Motutapu Is.
The award was presented by Rosemary Stewart.
Conference Report from President Simon
What a Fantastic Conference!
Friday kicked off with a golf competition and a sailing “Rum Race” with great conditions for both. The evening saw informal drinks in the dingy locker at RNYS which was packed out. A couple of surprise speakers set the tone for the weekend.
Saturday started with a great buzz. There were some amazing, and hilariously funny, keynote speakers (Nigel Latta and Michelle Dickinson). These were punctuated by some moving and inspirational stories. Sunday started a little slower. Mostly because people were a little worse for wear from the night before. Again, some fantastically funny and inspirational speakers (Sir Ray Avery and Cam Kalkoen).
Well done to all those members in the club who helped out and, in particular, to DG Roger and his conference organiser Scott Burridge. A well deserve PHF was awarded to Scott over the weekend.
Helping Hands Build from David Bradshaw
The Helping Hands Build is going very well thanks to volunteer input from a number of our club members, St Johns, St Cuthbert’s College and other project sponsors.
The roof is on, windows in and most of the weatherboard in place. See the photos of the house and the recipient family.
Larry Morris, Fiona McDonald, Shane Cortese, Mike Chunn, Peter Urlich, Jordan Luckand many more will be taking the stage, to celebrate difference and recognize talent and courage.
Following on from the success of the We Are Oneproject in 2016, this concert aims to shine the spotlight on Autism in a very positive manner, create awareness and provide opportunities for young students who are on the autistic spectrum to get on stage and celebrate with professional musicians.
Play It Strange Trust CEO, Mike Chunn, sees this concert as empowering those who are challenged in this world. For example, “A young boy of five with autism is bullied and rejected by his peers. That lasts for two years - then he retreats to his home where he is schooled year after year with a parent steering and teaching him with love and sincerity. That boy will be onstage at the Concert For Autism where he will be conducting an orchestra, playing violin and standing tall in those triumphant moments.”
The concert aims to raise funds for Autism NZ’s Employment Programmethat assists people with autism to find suitable, paid employment in mainstream settings.
With songs like - I Feel Good, Why Does Love Do This To Me,Let’s Think Of Something, Stuff And Nonsense, Blackbird, Rust In My Car. Expect to be inspired and want to party!
Venue:Sacred Heart College Auditorium, 250 West Tamaki Rd, Glendowie
Date: Saturday 13 May, 2017
Time: 6pm for festive family food and refreshments (cash)
7pm Doors for show (with intermission concludes by 10pm)
M/C: Shane Cortese
Tickets: Eventfinda $45 Adults $25 Children (booking fees may apply)
Keynote speaker was Belinda Vernon, a 15 year veteran and foundation trustee of the Motutapu Restoration Trust who ROCON share a significant relationship on Motutapu where we have been involved since 1990. Belinda gave a précis of the efforts the Trust has made in fulfilling it’s vision of restoring the natural and cultural landscapes of Motutapu since it was originally established. Key accomplishments of the Trust include:
Eradication of possums and wallabies from Rangitoto and Motutapu by the Department of Conservation which was declared predator free in 2011
Fenced off forest remnants on the coastal fringe and inland
Built a nursery to raise native plants on the island which opened in 1992 by the Duke of Edinburgh
Organised volunteers to plant over 500,000 native trees and plants on hillsides and wetlands
Achieved 95 hectares of planted native forest in 18 years and witnessed native plants having grown over seven metres tall
Rescued large areas of native forest from invasive weeds including moth plant, woolly nightshade and apple of Sodom with an intensive volunteer weed programme
Organised two pre-eradication bird surveys by Ornithological Society of New Zealand who recorded 27 native bird species including kereru, NZ dotterel, tui, grey warbler, variable oyster catcher (all indigenous)
Taken part in two pre-pest eradication reptile surveys
Fenced off 15 hectares of Central Gully to exclude stock
Funded contractors to make the initial assault on moth plant infestation in Central Gully
Celebrated in 2010 the eradication of seven remaining pests - ship rats, Norway rats, mice, rabbits, hedgehogs, feral cats, and stoats by the Department of Conservation
Delighted in the island being declared pest free in August 2011
Witnessed the natural return of the bellbird and kakariki to Motutapu - first sightings in over 100 years
Welcomed the first of many translocated endangered/severely threatened native species (takahe, tieke) in 2011, a programme that will extend out at least 10 years.
2012 saw the release of the Coromandel brown kiwi, more takahe, more tieke, whiteheads, shore plover into the volunteer planted native forest of Home Bay
Members of ROCON should be proud of their significant contributions to many of these success stories.
Cyclone Debbie: Belinda also spent some time describing the massive destruction the island suffered as a result of the aftermath of the cyclone - roads blocked by slips which restricted access across the island and to the wharf, slip damage to the Centennial Walkway and Loop track and on and on. DOC has closed the island for the immediate future while contractors are engaged to assess the damage and undertake urgent earthworks. As an aside, MOEC has also suffered significant damage to their buildings and infrastructure and will be closed until September. On the positive side the replanting of native forest must have to some extent mitigated the extent of this damage.
Following on from the success of the 
five with autism is bullied and rejected by his peers. That lasts for two years - then he retreats to his home where he is schooled year after year with a parent steering and teaching him with love and sincerity. That boy will be onstage at the Concert For Autism where he will be conducting an orchestra, playing violin and standing tall in those triumphant moments.”
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