Volunteer 2 (Aug 24, 2026)

Rotary Shelter Bags

You may or may not have caught a snippet of the Radio New Zealand (RNZ) interview with Paula Bond-Wilson of Merge Café talking about shelter bags. If not please take a look at the RNZ link below (and the Rotary Oceania Link) and ask club members to add these links to their LinkedIn Profiles and Facebook pages/link with the RNZ Facebook page.

As a result of the publicity generated by Paula how directed RNZ to me I have been asked to make myself available for an interview by Jesse Mulligan at 1:20pm tomorrow (Tues 25^th). While this may yet get bumped by a more topical item or Jesse may run over time on something else and drop this item it is providing an opportunity to showcase Rotary.

The RNZ item and webpage is generating interest in the project and offers of support are being provided from both Rotary Clubs outside Auckland and non-Rotarians as far afield as Arrowtown.

The proposal is to bring a further shipment of 1,200 shelter bags into New Zealand in May 2027. To streamline the process and to leverage off the RNZ publicity it is hoped that clubs will nominate the number of bags they are prepared to fund and fundraise to support that commitment with funding to be provided to ROZPS by 16 December 2026. That will allow a single order to be placed for the shelter bags in time for production and shipping to deliver the bags in May.

I trust that your club plans are sufficiently flexible to take advantage of this opportunity for public awareness of Rotary and what it does to support this project and continue the success of the current delivery.

Regards

Malcolm Stapleton

Alex Aitchison - Emagination

Last Thursday Alex gave us an introduction to the Art of Influence. Her company's mission is to make Kiwi businesses seen and heard.

Alex specialises in smart, engaging marketing and digital content to help business brands stand out. Alex had several examples of how businesses like Ventech advertised on social media.

Emagination

Papanui High School Rose Garden

The Rose Garden project has been drawn up for Papanui High's 90th Jubilee and we hope that the Papanui Club members who have expressed an interest will join in to plant and scatter the mulch when it's ready to go.

Simon is taking photos of the work and will include updates in the chat as I get them.

Papanui Rotary Calendar

27 August: Southern Music Therapy - Kimberley Wade.

3 September: Catherine Rietveld introduces her book.

10 September: Pizza and Projects night.

17 September: Preliminary rounds of Junior Speech Contest 9 am - 3 pm Heaton Intermediate. Report of contest at meeting 6 pm.

21 September: Speech Finals. Heaton Intermediate Performing Arts Centre 6:30 pm.

26 September: BBQ at Mitre 10 Papanui.

Duty Roster

Chair: Simon Forsyth

Reception: Gordon Shields

Speaker’s Host: Liz Courtney

Setup & Tidy up: Keith Mitchell

Raffle Ticket Seller: Catherine Rietveld

Duty Roster 3 September

Chair: Simon Forsyth

Reception: Tony Tizzard

Speaker’s Host: Grant McFadden

Setup & Tidy up : Keith Mitchell

Raffle Ticket Seller: Alex Aitchison

Duty Roster 10 Sept

Chair: Simon Forsyth

Reception: Kathy Anderson

Speaker’s Host: Max Wright

Setup & Tidy up: Keith Mitchell Raffle

Ticket Seller: Gary Brawley

Non Rotary Events

Days for Girls is a volunteer project that makes reusable menstrual health kits, helping girls and women stay at school, work, and daily activities with dignity during their period.

The kits are distributed throughout New Zealand, the Pacific, and around the world, together with menstrual and sexual health education. Local women are also trained to make the kits and deliver the education programme in their own communities.

If you'd like to get involved, our next working bees is Saturday 24 October, 1-5pm

For more information, contact Kathy Anderson on 027 455 7889.

Papanui Bush Working Bee

Join us on the second Tuesday of each month, 9:00am–12:00pm, at the picnic table by the big oak tree near the BrainTree Wellness Centre, 70 Langdons Road.

Bring gardening gloves, gumboots, and a kneeler if you'd like. Morning tea is at 10:30am—stay for as little or as long as you can.

Upcoming dates: 8 September, 13 October, and 10 November.

For more information, contact Kathy on 027 455 7889.

ROTARY CLUB OF PAPANUI (INC)
email: secretary@papanuirotary.org.nz
Weekly Meeting held at the Papanui Club
Thursdays 5:30 for 6:00 pm start

Papanui Rotary appreciates the support of local businesses

The Papanui Club Mitre 10 Papanui

Courtney Architects