Welcome to our latest Newsletter. With the recent passing of Dolly Parton - a champion of her Imagination Library - and 8 September being Rotary's International Literacy Day, this edition features a couple of articles around creating a lasting impact with books.
We need your candidates! RYPEN (16-17) and RYLA (18-24 year olds) details below, not long for RYPEN.
Contributions to our bulletin are welcome and if you have anything please send to Richard at nabbo_123@hotmail.com
And if you have any comments on the layout, content and information provided, let us know, because the Newsletter is yours.
Rotary Hutt City breakfast meetings
Meetings are held 7am to 8.30 am on the first and third Wednesday of the month at Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club, Military Road, Lower Hutt. Please RSVP tochrissi@roll.nz.
For those of you who have not pre-paid, breakfast continues to cost $25 per person, payable on arrival to this coming week, to Michael Markham.
Members, don't forget to check the Duties Roster (Meeting Responsibilities) below for your nominated duty for our next meeting on the 16 September.
Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
Cherian, Ganesh
Payment Taker
Markham, Michael
Reception Desk
Webb, Douglas
Opening thought
Brown, Allan
3 Minute Who Am I?
Brockelsby, Murray
Intro to Speaker
Adams, Linton
Thanks to Speaker
Brockelsby, Sandy
Quizlett (6 questions about your industry)
Braniff, Judy
Closing thought
Thornbury, Shirley-Anne
President's Report
Hi everyone,
It was great to have our newest member, Helen Down, speak to us at our last meeting about her business, The Alternative Board. Helen gave us a very useful look at how she works with local business owners to help them grow and develop — bringing structure, accountability, and an outside perspective to the table. It's exactly the kind of expertise that makes our club stronger, and it was a good reminder of the value new members bring with them. Thanks, Helen.
Full house for the DG, please
A quick but important one: District Governor Brent Gerrard is speaking at our meeting on 16 September, and it would be fantastic to have a full house. Let's show him some real club strength and unity — and have a bit of fun while we're at it. Get it in the diary and bring a friend along.
Bee in the City is buzzing into town Bee in the City kicks off next week, and I'll be at the Opening Ceremony next Tuesday to represent the club. Our sponsored Bee will be on show at Glover Park, right in the heart of Wellington City, so if you're in town, go and say hello! We're also looking at a good date for a club event built around the trail — so watch this space.
While we're on the subject: I bought a record yesterday by a band called The Wasps. When I got home and played it, I said to myself, "this doesn't sound anything like The Wasps." Then I realised — I was playing the bee side 😊
We want to hear from you
Behind the scenes, the Board has been working on ideas to help our club grow, and we want your input. What do you like about our club? What could we do better? Any ideas for events, fundraising, or how we run our meetings? Your feedback is vital, so keep an eye on your inbox — we'll be sending round a link to a quick, three-minute survey soon.
It's completely anonymous, and I'd be very grateful if you could take the time to fill it in and let us know how we're doing.
Thanks, as always, for everything you bring to this club.
United Airlines Flight 93 was the fourth aircraft hijacked during the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Unlike the other three aircraft, it failed to reach its intended target in Washington, D.C., which investigators believe was either the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House.
Instead, the plane crashed into an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This disruption occurred because the passengers and crew bravely revolted against the four hijackers. After learning through air-to-ground phone calls that other hijacked planes had struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the passengers realized their aircraft was also being used as a weapon.
A group of individuals, including Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, coordinated a plan to retake the cockpit. Beamer’s famous phrase, "Let's roll," became a historic symbol of their resistance. Their heroic counterattack forced the terrorists to deliberately crash the plane early, saving countless lives in the nation's capital.
Tragically, there were no survivors on board. All 40 passengers and crew members, alongside the four hijackers, perished in the crash. The memory of their extraordinary sacrifice is permanently preserved today at the Flight 93 National Memorial, located in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
For President Craig
Level 42's ''It's Over'', became the first CD video single to go on sale in the UK. It contained twenty minutes of music and five minutes of video (which remained unseen until CDV players went on sale).
As we get closer to the official opening of Bee in The City (and Katrina hopes to organise a trail walk on Sunday 4 October to be confirmed), we can reveal the bee that Rotary Hutt City has sponsored, that will appear in Glover Park: Fruit Bowl. Will it look like this? You will have to bee there to find out!
Run the Wainuiomata Hill - 12 September 2026
Alex Nolan the Wainuiomata Hill Run Event Manager writes:
Sign up for the second annual Mitre 10 Mega Wainuiomata Hill Run and put your fitness to the test. Starting in central Wainuiomata, the 6.5k takes you up the hill to the lookout and back, and the 10k option takes you all the way over the hill and back. Run or walk, tackle it solo or alongside your friends, enjoy the beautiful bush and push through the climb!
This year we're supporting Kokiri Marae Pātaka Kai. Pātaka Kai is a kai hub that distributes kai out to whanau in need in our community. They service whanau who live in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, Naenae and Taita.
We would love to invite your members and wider Rotary community to get involved in the event. There are 10km and 6.5km run/walk options, a 6.5km buggy walk and a 1km Kids Dash, so there is something for a range of ages and abilities. It would be wonderful to have Rotary Hutt City represented at a local event that brings people together while raising funds for a great community cause. Thanks so much, and please feel free to get in touch
I've created a discount code that will give you $10 off entries (the equivalent of Earlybird). It's 'ROTARY' at checkout. Members are welcome to use this code for any family and friends who would like to join them, whether they are Rotary members or not.
Thanks again and hopefully see some of your members there!
Above is a flyer about RYPEN, along with an email from the District (apologies for slight hazyiness). The ''nitty gritty'' however is below.
Objective
RYPEN is aimed at young people in the 16 –17 age group who are still at school and are not likely to be selected for Youth Exchange or later for RYLA, but who possess qualities of decency, persistence and application and who deserve further encouragement.
It is suggested that students who have participated in previous outdoor education activities do not attend e.g. Outward Bound, Spirit of New Zealand, or any college outdoor pursuit type course. For details of the programme contact the convener.
RYPEN 2026
When: Thursday 8th - Saturday 10th October 2026
Where: Kawhatau Outdoor Education Centre (KOEC), Mangaweka.
Candidate nominations before: Friday 11th September 2026.
If anyone amongst our members knows someone that they believe might fit the bill then please contact either Craig (021799551) or Cameron (021430977). Thank you.
Wayne Wilmshurst from Joinery Productions enlightened us during his What is My Business? slot and very informative and educational it was too. Wayne illustrated his talk with examples of woods and other important components used in his windows and joinery business.
New member Helen Down took centre stage at this meeting. Not only was she inducted by President Craig, but had agreed also to step in as our main speaker.
Helen spoke about her company The Alternative Board. Whereas a traditional advisory board consisted of a customized panel of experts appointed by that company to offer strategic guidance, the Alternative Board was a peer advisory model where business owners from non-competing businesses could meet regularly to share ideas and best practice amongst one another.
With a succession of informative slides, Helen concluded that those who gained most from the Alternative Board were those who welcomed change, who wanted a sustainable business beyond just the owner and who were willing to share and learn from the experience.
Rob Cranna then entertained us with his Quizzlet centred around printing and packaging. You did very well if you answered A all the way through!
And then (possibly) a first for the Club when Rob was able to present a banner to President Craig that he had received from the Rotary Club of Apia on Samoa, where Rob had visited for work.
President Anish of the Rotary Apia Club commented (in a Facebook post) that they had a wonderful time sharing both the work done by Rotary Hutt City and the stories that Rotary continues to make across New Zealand, the Pacific and within its communities.
Tired and emotional, tread carefully!
Looking Forward 16 September - Brent Gerrard, District Governor
Brent will be providing an update on all things District, and more.
Brent is a lifelong Wellingtonian of Māori descent (Ngāti Porou), originally joining Rotary in 2010 through the Port Nicholson Club. Over the years, he has thrown himself into hands-on community projects, serving as a native tree planter or as a charity fundraiser.
His core leadership focus centers heavily on enhancing the everyday club experience to retain existing members, alongside supporting the global mission of Rotary.
Professionally, Brent brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the IT, sales, and business development sectors, notably working as a Business Development Manager for Zephyr Consulting.
Outside of his professional life and extensive volunteering commitments, he is a dedicated father of four who loves spending his time skiing, walking, and being with his family and two dogs.
Save the Date!! You’re Invited to Celebrate IYM’s 10th year & to Have Some Fun at the IYM/Hutt City Rotary Quiz & Auction Fundraiser …
Kia ora Contributor & Supporter of IYM & Rotary Hutt City 😊
Firstly, Thank you for your support of Innovative Young Minds over the past 10 years. Yes! you heard right, we are into our 10th year of operations 😊
We work really hard to keep costs down for students participating in our Online, Satellite and Residential programmes.
One way we do this is by running a yearly live action, raffle and quiz night in conjunction with Hutt City Rotary.
You keen to help us keep costs down? You can 😊
Donate an item, activity or prize for the Auction
Join our quiz yourself or as a team - please see the quiz flier attached for the 1st October at Boulcott Farm Golf Club and save this date!
Forward this notice to someone who might be keen to support us!
A grocery item would also be most welcome – there was a lot of competitive bidding for a generous grocery hamper last year!!
Thanking you all in advance …..
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Dolly Parton’slegacy reaches far beyond the stage. For over six decades, the beloved singer, songwriter, actor, and philanthropist proved that sass and substance coexist beautifully. Following her passing on 25 August 2026 at age 80, the world collectively mourned a legend who sold over 100 million records, won 11 Grammy Awards, and earned inductions into both the Country Music and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame.
Yet, behind the songs and sass lay a profound commitment to helping others. In 1988, she established The Dollywood Foundation, followed by her most enduring humanitarian project in 1995: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The inspiration was deeply personal; her father never learned to read or write, a barrier she believed kept him from achieving his dreams.
The Imagination Library provides a free, age-appropriate book monthly to enrolled children from birth until their fifth birthday. Eligibility is entirely independent of family income. What began in Sevier County, Tennessee, has expanded globally to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland, distributing more than 330 million books worldwide. Australia joined in 2013 through United Way Australia, delivering over two million books to local children.
Crucially, Rotary has supported this mission for over 15 years, helping to put books directly into the hands of children worldwide. Dolly's enduring impact ensures that her love for literacy will continue to shape generations to come.
Rotary Clubs in the Hutt Valley - Book Initiative
My thanks to Cameron Tooley for highlighting this story.
The Rotary clubs of the Hutt Valley have a rich history of international educational support, driven largely by the efforts of Chris Crawford, formally of the now closed Heretaunga Rotary Club, but still a leading light within the Heretaunga Bookfest Charitable Trust.
The initiative began in 2008 following a conversation with a Rarotongan teacher (Chris grew up with a Rarotongan family), which inspired him to purchase $50 worth of fiction books from the Heretaunga Rotary book sale, a sale that started in 1995.
By 2009, the project had been established through a partnership. In New Zealand, using Chris’s personal NZ Customs client code, books started to be collected and dispatched goods free of charge to entry ports, while in Rarotonga, the ‘’Chris’’ equivalent managed local customs, costs, and distribution.
In 2009, the first consignment was dispatched to the Nukutere Library in Rarotonga, utilizing Chris's personal New Zealand Customs Client Code.
The project has achieved several milestones reaching 1000 cartons delivered by 2016, 2,000 by 2019, 3,000 by 2021 and 4000 by 2025.
At the same time, book deliveries have extended beyond the Cook Islands to Tonga, Fiji and many other destinations, and it is proposed that future consignments will also go to Papua New Guinea.
Packaging Products Ltd's sponsored cartons are regularly used for the consignments, whilst transport is provided by Booth’s Logistics and shipping is conducted through Kalgin Global Logisitics.
Whilst the Bookfest Trust is still a major donor, many schools and clubs across the Hutt Valley and beyond now regularly contribute too.
Awaiting departure for Fiji, Booth's Silverstream
Destinations!
Unloading
A Reminder of Club Meeting Duties: Who Am I?
Our three-minute ''Who Am I'' is for you to briefly tell your fellow members about who you are and where you have come from.
So, this is not primarily, about your career or what you have done.
Rather, this is your opportunity to tell us all about your background, where and how you were brought up, and the timing and events that have shaped you and your character.
The timing is purposefully limited to three to five minutes so we hear of the people and spaces that have led to your life and interests.
RYLA, or the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, is an intensive, hands-on leadership development program for young adults, sponsored by local Rotary Clubs. The program uses seminars, group activities, and community events to help participants develop leadership, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Participants are chosen by sponsoring Rotary Clubs or companies and are selected based on their potential for leadership and desire to grow.
Rotary Hutt City has budgeted to sponsor two candidates and we are looking to Club members to suggest possible candidates. Rotabiz members especially would find it an excellent leadership course fo younger staff (18-24 years).
Please contact Andy Soper (on his return from holiday) for further information or to offer your suggested candidates. andy@maudelegal.co.nz
The District has just transformed its website, which has all the information needed to interview, endorse, and sponsor a candidate. The link can be found below:
No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it."
Best remembered for the above quote about teamwork and community, Halford Edward Luccock (1885-1960) was a prominent American Methodist minister, author, and scholar.
Luccock dedicated a quarter-century of his life serving as a beloved professor of homilectics (the art of preaching) at Yale Divinity School from 1928 until 1953. Known as "the most quoted preacher among preachers," he also wrote 25 books and penned a popular weekly social and moral critique column for The Christian Century under the pen name Simeon Stylites.
For more than 10 years, Innovative Young Minds (IYM) has been helping young women discover pathways into STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) careers through industry engagement, mentoring and real-world experiences. With more than 1,000 participants, exceptional programme outcomes and a growing alumnae network, IYM has proven what works.
Now we're ready for the next phase of growth.
We are seeking a small number of strategic partners or angel supporters who want to help shape New Zealand's future workforce by investing in a proven organisation and expanding opportunities for thousands more young people.
Whether through funding, connections, advocacy or collaboration, your support can help us build stronger talent pipelines, increase diversity in STEMM and create lasting impact across New Zealand.
Be Part of the Growth Story
If you or your organisation are passionate about developing future talent and making a meaningful difference, we'd love to talk.
Join us as a strategic partner or angel supporter and help scale the next generation of STEMM leaders.
ContactGaylene Hughes today to explore these opportunities.
Remember to bring some loose change along to the meeting so you can contribute if you answer a Quizlett question incorrectly :), or wish to "Buy The Box".
If you should have any interesting stories about fellow Rotarians then please pass them onto Craig so he can share them at the meeting. Email: craig@packprod.co.nz
Payment is also now available by Eftpos onsite - no excuses!
Last time I asked: What is the 2026-27 Rotary theme? Create Lasting Impact
This time: How many Bee sculptures will feature in Wellington's Bee in The City?
You wot.....
