This Week - A Business Meeting

 

This is just to prepare you for the Business Meeting.

Last Week

A Fifth Wednesday Dinner at Ottimo, Bedfordview.  

It wasn't well supported as many of us had other things we had to do but those who went enjoyed themselves and liked the venue.

Next Week - Debbie Smit, District Interact Chair

 In 2003, I joined the Rotaract Club of Boksburg, which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Boksburg,which was D9300. I had loads of fun while doing great work in our community. 

While being President in2005/2006, our club received awards such as the DRR & Club Citations, the International, Community & Professional Development Trophies at the Rotaract Awards.

After my divorce I wanted to be part of something meaningful again, so I joined Rotary to do good, grow, learn, network, socialise & most importantly HAVE FUN with like minded individuals & professionals.

I have a teenager & while listening to her talk about the challenges & aspirations of the youth, I realised that there is so much knowledge, skills, expertise and guidance that we, as Rotary, can contribute to our youth of today by developing the next generation of Rotary leaders.

International - Tea

 By Noel Hernandez, Charter Global Chair for the Rotary Fellowship of Tea Lovers 

Noel Hernandez and Heather McInally, spouse of Rotary International Past President Gordon McInally, share a moment of friendship over tea at the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia.

I want to start brewing this story by saying that I love Rotary and I love tea! This is the story of how these two delights blend and continue to steep and create so much connection and meaningful bonds. 

After water, tea is said to be the most drank beverage in the world, so it would make sense if there was a Rotary group centred around tea, right? Well, there wasn’t one in 2022, and I thought to myself, how can we not have a Rotary communi-TEA (pun very much intended) in Rotary’s almost 120 years of existence? 

With the power of Rotary connection, boosted by the energy of social media, I found like-minded tea drinkers and brewers from all over the world, did the paperwork and next thing you know in April 2023, we became an official fellowship of Rotary: The Rotary Fellowship of Tea Lovers! 

We are Rotary members, and our friends from around the world, interested in everything tea, both in our differences and similarities – from brewing and drinking tea, to the variety of cultures, food, drinks and experiences involving this wonderful plant and related herbals. 

Since 2022, we have grown to more than 4,800 members on our official Facebook group with three regional chapters and growing! Our Facebook group has been active with many people introducing themselves and what teas they are drinking. Members can choose to be part of a chapter, if they have one in their area, or be a member within the larger international community. Members share interesting facts, tea drinking traditions, and local events uniting Fellowship members and friends of Rotary around our shared love for tea. 

This community has also been an opportunity for people who are not yet Rotary members to take interest in our organisation. I even get inquiries from friends and family not in Rotary, which opens an avenue for conversation. Since membership is open to all, it creates another path of invitation for Rotarians and Rotaractors to invite friends and family to take part in Rotary activities. It starts with one tea party or tasting event with vibrant and passionate members. Next thing you know, the curious visitor learns about End Polio Now, Rotary’s global initiative to eradicate polio, and the service projects that clubs are involved in – all in a calm and enjoyable atmosphere of tea and conversation. Even members not familiar with fellowships gain a way to be part of the wider world of Rotary. 

The most exciting stories come from our chapters from around the world. In one of our online meetings, members from our Pratham chapter in India shared their in-person and online experiences. They shared that people who are not Rotary members end up considering membership in a club because of the fun time they have in their events. The new chapter in Nigeria had a social, with tea, of course, and seeing their photos is just heartwarming. Members are now talking about how to combine the fun of tea events with service opportunities. Tea production – including cultivation, processing, and sales – is a huge global industry. Personally, I want to do projects related to peace, economic development, and health involving tea. 

In the last two years, thanks to this Rotary tea community, I have made and met many friends in-person and online. I even met fellowship members in Portugal, Italy, the US, the Philippines, and Australia! I am very excited to meet more future friends on my travels. I specifically look forward to Rotary International conventions, where our members from all around the world meet at our booth at the House of Friendship and in other opportunities we arrange as a fellowship. We are very mindful to create both in-person and online ways to connect throughout the year to fully engage our community. 

Now that I’ve brewed and even spilled the Rotary Tea, I think it is time to serve it and have you experience it for yourself! If you love tea in any of its forms and expressions —boba, milk tea, chai, herbals, matcha, breakfasts, teapots, ceremonies and so much more — please join our Rotary Communi-TEA! Connect with fellow tea enthusiasts around the world and arrange to meet up for a cup (or pot) of tea, in-person or online!  

Join our community on Facebook and soak up the warmth of the Rotary Fellowship of Tea Lovers!