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Taking the pulse

Though Covid has since June put some limitations on our usual community outreach, Rotary Hutt City is enjoying a successful year, based around three elements.

First, where Covid allows, we are continuing to support our community through our effort and resources. In July, we provided collectors for the Womens' Refuge annual street collection, In August, we donated a dishwasher to the Hutt Hospital Childrens' Ward for the use of the nursing staff. We are also continuing to work with the Regional Council in support of the ongoing development of the Hutt River Trail, which by 2021 should comprise 54 kms of walking and cycling trails in the Hutt Valley - a phenomenal local asset.

Second, our partnership with the Hutt City Council is driving forward the Innovative Young Minds initiative, which goes from strength to strength. While it was not possible this year to deliver a residential learning programme, IYM delivered in July an online programme to 70 young women in years 11 and 12, exposing them to research and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and high-tech manufacturing.

Third, as an active group of committed individuals, we are growing our numbers and exploring new opportunities to serve community needs in Wainuiomata, a rapidly growing suburb of Hutt City but with no current Rotary presence. Alongside this growth strategy, we aim to provide our members with a range of networking and social opportunities and the opportunity to hear top-notch speakers at our fortnightly breakfast meetings.

The start of a new Rotary year

A new Rotary year begins in July, with a new club president taking up his or her role for the next twelve months. In July 2020, we marked that occasion (known as Changeover) with a dinner at Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club.

The evening was a popular success – big crowd, splendid meal, much laughter and great fun. The highlight was the welcome to incoming President Britta Hollman by outgoing President Peter McCombs.

In reviewing the achievements of the past year, Peter recalled highlights of our journey:-

- Matariki marshmallows on Wellington Waterfront

- the extension of the Hutt River Trail amenities, now totalling some 25km

- our Rotary Young Leadership initiative

- the annual Tree of Joy at Queensgate with gifts to more than 1500 Hutt Valley families

- the independent status achieved by our Innovative Young Minds initiative

- support given by the club to the Naenae Boxing Academy to benefit disadvantaged youth

- our response to three months of the COVID–19 pandemic with weekly Zoom meetings

- Government approval to begin construction of the long-sought Ngauranga to Petone Cycleway

The evening brought an added thrill from the keen and very spirited bidding in two auctions led by Kaleb Barton of ‘The Professionals’ team offering Items donated by members.

These ranged from vouchers for any desired building project to notably signed rugby balls, a hosted lunch for six to driving thrills in a racing car, and from a pair of embroidered towels featuring Covid-19 heroes Dr Ashley Bloomfield and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to a pair of pedigree orchids.

Regular meetings resume

During levels three and four of the lockdown, we continued to meet virtually. Our weekly Zoom gatherings were strongly supported, with members joining in from locations across Australasia.

Now that we are at level 1, we have been able to resume our regular 'in-person' meetings at our pre-Covid location of the Boulcott Farms' Heritage Golf Club. We welcome visitors - use the Contact function to let us know you are coming.

IYM - a success story

(This is an except from an article that appeared in Rotary DownUnder, April 2020 - for the full article, go to the IYM section above)

In 2016, Rotary Hutt City was looking for a new project that positively impacted young people and bought an economic benefit to the region. In consultation with schools, the business community and research organisations it was clear there was a need for greater diversity in the STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and high-tech manufacturing)sector where women are woefully underrepresented.

Rotary Hutt City partnered with Hutt City Council and Innovative Young Minds, a local programme for 40 young women in year 11 and 12 at school, was established.

Its aim—to encourage young women from diverse geographic, economic and cultural backgrounds to consider careers they may not know even exist!

The Rotary Tree of Joy keeps on giving!

The Tree of Joy has been a Rotary Hutt City project for a number of years and is a great way of involving the community who donate gifts that are distributed to local charities who in turn pass out the gifts to children aged 1-17 years from less fortunate families.

Our partner is the Salvation Army, who uplift the donated presents, sort them into age and gender categories and then pack them to each charity's requirements. The charities provide numbers of gifts they need to distribute to their families.

This year we ran the 'Tree' for 11 days prior to Christmas, finishing at 6.00 pm on Christmas Eve. With 5-7 two-hour slots per day to ensure the Tree was manned at all times during Queensgate's opening hours it could have been a big ask to get volunteers, however the club members and friends readily signed up and we had the roster complete in no time.

Club members enjoy the project and find it heart-warming hearing the stories of those who donate. Some donate remembering their own tough childhoods, others donate to teach their children that not everyone is as fortunate as them, some collect presents throughout the year and bring them at one time. The reasons are endless.

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