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MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT IAN BALLANTINE
Season greetings to all who read our newsletter. May the festive season and the New Year bring health and happiness to us all.
The year has finished off on a very busy note, in the last month, having hosted Wheel Chair foundation visitors from the UK, GSE from Bulgaria and the medical team from Cape Town who spent the week here in Knysna assisting the local ENT specialist with the backlog of operations.
The first phase of the Walkway to the heads, with our clubs involvement in the two bridges, was officially opened by the Mayor on Thursday. This walkway will certainly be an asset to locals and visitors once it has been completed.
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Left to Right: Des Wearne, President Ian Ballantine, Adriaan Auckland,
Aileen Auckland and Ann’s President, Helena Monk.
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TRAINING EQUIPMENT FOR THE KNYSNA PIPE BAND
President Ian Ballantine presented Steve Collins of the Knysna Pipe Band with musical instruments for the training of new recruits for a junior band that the local pipe band are starting to train.
The instruments included ten Practice Chanters, ten Practice Chanter Tutor books and ten sets of drumsticks.
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MATCHING GRANT FOR KNYSNA SPORT SCHOOL
A cheque from the Rotary Club of Nieuwkoop in the Netherlands was handed over to the Chairman of the Sport School Trust, Colin Mathiesen, by Hans Tollenaar, the Rotary contact with the overseas club. The Director of the School, Keith Cretchley, is on the left.
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BULGARIAN GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAM VISITS KNYSNA
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Violeta Toncheva Zlatkova, the Bulgarian GSE Team leader, presented President Ian with a banner from the Rotary Club of Sofia, District 2482 |
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Left to Right: Doncho Angelov, Environmental Consultant; Radena Dragieva, Planning and Risk-Controlling of L.I.B.; Alexander Vassilev, Attorney at Law; Rotarian Violeta Toncheva-Zlatkova, Project manager in Education; and Orelin Kalev, Managing Director of INFO JSC |
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R I INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP TOURS OF CHINA
The R I International Friendship Tours project is one of the oldest ongoing projects of our Club. The tours are designed to promote international fellowship between Rotarians world wide.
In September and October tour organizers James and Louise Pannell arranged two back to back Friendship Tours to China. Many of the 54 participants, from 8 different countries, were old friends of the Knysna Club who had travelled on R I Friendship Tours before, both to South Africa and to other destinations world wide.
The 20 day tours were an introduction to both old and modern China, visiting Beijing and its Forbidden City, cosmopolitan Shanghai, the Great Wall, the amazing terra cotta warriors in Xian, Guilin with its spectacular landscapes, off the beaten track villages amongst the rice fields and ancient terraces, ancient Suzhou with its network of canals and bridges. They also enjoyed a cruise on the mighty Yangtze River.
The groups saw some amazing shows – a breathtaking display of Kung Fu, the Tang Dynasty Show of song and dance, the Shanghai Acrobat Troup and much more.
Rotary is again up and running in China after being discontinued at the time of the 1949 cultural revolution. Meetings were attended in both Beijing and Shanghai.
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Left to right: Patti and PP Alan Hougen from Abbotsford, Canada, who have supported the RI Friendship Tours since 1989; Rtn. Louise Pannell, tour leader; Renate Rathonyi-Resuz from Maple Ridge, Canada and PP James Pannell, tour leader from Knysna |
With much fun and hilarity, the sergeants at arms raised an amount of R4,000.00 in fines during the two tours. This money is being put to good use to purchase a laptop for a young local girl of 17 years old, partially paralyzed in a car accident, who will probably spend most of her life in a home for the disabled, as her alcoholic parents are unable to take care of her. This will enable her to obtain her Matriculation and possibly assist with further studies. She will also be the recipient of a wheelchair from the Rotary Wheelchair Foundation.
In addition, the tours raised an amount of almost R40 000.00 for the Club. |
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THE OPENING OF THE NEW PATHWAY TO THE KNYSNA HEADS
Finally, after much negotiation, discussion and waiting, the phase one of the new pathway to the Knysna heads was officially opened by the Executive Mayor of Knysna, Eleanor Bouw- Spies.
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PP Peter Klews showing pictures of the new path during the Official Opening
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Executive Mayor, Eleanor Bouw-Spies officially opening the new pathway to the Knysna Heads |
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Cutting the tape with PDG John Satchel looking on! |
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CHRISTMAS LUNCH ON THESEN’S ISLAND
A very pleasant and fun-filled lunch was held on Thesen’s Island organized by Penny Bentley and her wonderful team. Thanks Penny for the great fellowship that the club could share at this special time of the year. |
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| We were also privileged to have DG Mike Saxby and Eve join us for our Christmas celebration |
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President Ian and Wendy with our new Rotarian Adrian Auckland |
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Thanks! Franc and Penny for a most pleasant lunch |
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President: Ian Ballantine; Past President: Peter Klews;Secretary: Des Wearne;Treasurer: Rob Clark;
Club Administration: Franc Bentley;
Service Projects: Derrick Ikin; Membership: Mick Furman;
New Generations: Mendy Weiner;
Rotary Foundation: Louise Pannell;
Public Relations: Ina Thompson; Anns President: Helena Monk
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