Our speaker is Konrad Kruger of The Land Rehabilitation of Southern Africa

 As a group of qualified, experienced and enthusiastic land rehabilitation specialists, LaRSSA identified an opportunity to improve, facilitate, support, grow, consolidate, accelerate, evaluate, and communicate land rehabilitation stories. The Land Rehabilitation Society has become the way to channel this energy.

LaRSSA was founded on the 8th of August 2012 and publicly inaugurated and constituted on the 15th November 2012. LaRSSA is a non-profit organisation with a current membership of 250 and growing rapidly. LaRSSA has a potential member database of more than 2500.

Last Week

It was the District Governor Maria Angélica Salomão's official visit though it was virtual as opposed to actual.  Unfortunately owing to unrest she was unable to visit one of our projects but she was shown what we had achieved at Cresset House.

President Lauwrence and I met her at Doppio Zero in Rosebank and then Lauwrence took her through  to Cresset.

Next Week

Dalene Bishop will talk on the Teddy Bear Foundation.  What really interested me during the conversation that we had was her emphasis on Rotary seeking out children that need their assistance.

It is estimated that a child is abused every 8 minutes in South Africa

Our mechanisms of intervention and prevention facilitate quick disclosure by educating children about what abuse is, helping them know where to turn, and reassuring them that they will be supported and cared for. 

International - USA

Southwest Florida Rotary Club members present Chef Vikas Khanna (center) with the Service Above Self Award, honorary club membership, a Certificate of Appreciation, and induction as a Paul Harris Fellow for outstanding culinary leadership in community upliftment. New York, USA. 2025.

4 May 2025 was a day I’ll never forget.

In an inspiring display of Rotary’s values in action, my fellow Rotarians of the newly formed Southwest Florida Rotary Club and I travelled from Florida to New York City — all to honour someone whose work epitomises Rotary’s mission: Michelin-starred Chef Vikas Khanna and his latest culinary endeavour, Bungalow NYC. The occasion was nothing short of extraordinary — a celebration of service, culture, and the profound power of food to unite people across borders.

At Bungalow NYC, we presented the Service Above Self Award to Chef Khanna and his restaurant, recognising their relentless dedication to community upliftment through the culinary arts. Bungalow is more than a restaurant — it’s a tribute to heritage, compassion, and the forgotten stories that deserve to be told through food.

With immense pride, I also recognised Chef Khanna as a Paul Harris Fellow. This honor acknowledges Chef Khanna’s immense global impact. His Feed India initiative fed millions during the pandemic, and his culinary journey elevates Indian cuisine not just with authenticity, but with heart and purpose. His story, rooted in resilience and service, deeply resonates with Rotary’s mission to create lasting change.

To celebrate this connection, we welcomed Chef Khanna and restaurateur Sameer Bhatt, managing partner at Bungalow NYC, as honorary members of our club. Their induction reflects the vision of our young club: to bring service to life across Southwest Florida and beyond through dynamic, cross-cultural engagement.

This event marked a milestone for our club and a reminder that acts of kindness, innovation, and shared meals have the power to ripple across the world. And what started with a vision to recognise and celebrate those who share our values and do good through their craft has led to an ongoing collaboration with Chef Khanna’s new children’s book, which will be released later this month to support cultural literacy around the world.

Here’s to service, culture, and the power of food to bring people together.