Middelburg Rotary Club assists Belfast Home for the aged!

The Belfast Rusoord is an independant home for the aged and frail in the small town of Belfast. It is reliant on the goodwill of the community and some government subsidy for the continued functioning of its facilities which take care of 60 senior citizens. The Middelburg Rotary Club under President Anna Mart Ott has donated mattresses, blankets, linen, medicines, frying pans and paint inthe value of approximately R 50 000.00 to the home. Anchen Slabber and her team were most thankful when these items were delivered last Saturday.

Middelburg Rotary Club assists Ikageng Care Centre

Rotarians Greame Leathes and Andre Brandmuller delivered Pots, Steel tables and medicine to the Ikageng Care Centre at Doornkop on 31 May 2013 on behalf of the Rotary Club of Middelburg. The Care Centre currently feeds 248 school children on a daily basis. It was wonderful to see real charity in action from the ladies at the Ikageng Care Centre.

One is too many.... 99 is too little!!!!!

The Middelburg Rotary Club has been hosting the well known Steve Hamilton in the Middelburg area for the last week. Steve is the author of the book "I want my life back!" and is known as a hard hitting speaker on the subject of drug and alcohol abuse.

During the past week, Steve has been doing talkks on the subject at a number of schools in the Middelburg area, and has impressed with the impact he has had on the children. His straight talking on the subject of alcohol and drug abuse is intended to ensure that the children of our community do not have the 1st attempt at drug or alcohol abuse, because, as Steve said, it is the 1st drink/drug that causes addiction, and not the last one : "One is too many.... 99 is never enough!"
What is scary though, is the fact that Steve was able to identify so many children who are already abusing alcohol and drugs in the schools where he spoke. He warned parents not to be blind to their own children and what they are doing.


PP Andre Brandmuller of the Middelburg Rotary Club presents Steve Hamilton with a certificate in appreciation of his efforts in respect of the prevention of alcohol and drug addiction

The CV of the Shiny Bum - Drummond Hammond

The “Official CV” of a Bloody Shiny Bum

What is a "

Shiny Bum”?

The Encarta English Dictionary defines

shiny as glossy, sparkly, polished or gleaming and a bum is defined as

buttocks or a vagrant (American) or, interestingly enough, a devotee - somebody who is excessively devoted to a particular activity or place i.e. a ski bum, fishing bum, shiny bum etc.

This definition I think defines all Rotarians world wide –

Shiny Bums – excessively devoted to the well being of mankind.

Now … the author of this specific CV and his best mate “Famous Big Stu” coined the name

Shiny Bums for Rotarians and Round Tabler's of Middelburg (MP) and used the term frequently, loudly and proudly. A few noses were put out of joint in the process but it was always used in jest and always teasing in a kinda loving sort of way.

The author of this CV, whom I will refer to as Plonker, swore blind he would

NEVER become a Shiny Bum “‘cos they don’t give us guns, bullet-proofs and things we can blow up”.

So the Rotarian

Shiny Bums, in their infinite wisdom, slowly and quietly got to work on this anti-Shiny Bum.

 

First they send him to Wales as the class clown of an otherwise brilliant GSE team, to go and find guns, bullet-proofs and things that go bang in the night. And what does the Plonker do? Gets all teary eyed at the Rotary Conference in Plymouth ‘cos of the Rotary Polio Plus project and promptly brings back an anti-drugs program for kids and schools that the

Shiny Bums (Rotary & Round Table) promptly support – what a plonker!

Then the Plonker is informed that he is a member of the Rotary International Foundation Alumni and is promptly made an Honorary Rotarian and Round Tabler in the same year. Oh you devious

Shiny Bums.

And so the sucking-in continues unabated. The Plonker gets awarded with

Rotary Shiny Bum merit certificates, international friendship certificates et al. He allows himself to get involved with the Christmas Lights project (with that hero Charlie Deiner of wheelchair fame), the wheelchair distribution project, the blankets and jersey’s project to name but a few.

But wait, there’s more. The bloody

Rotary Shiny Bums then get the intrepid Plonker involved in the greatest race of all, Rotary’s Greatest Train Race, a race for lives and the betterment of mankind. And what does our Plonker do

– he’s in boots and all (EXCO member and all excuse me!) screaming “

you’ll never make me a Shiny Bum!”.

Ah! But the

Rotary Shiny Bums are patient, they smile, nod & wave and endure his abuse, quietly waiting to strike.

Then they award the Plonker with a gong, the Paul Harris Fellowship gong. They are devious about this … they tell the Plonker he is attending his other best mate’s Rotary farewell dinner before moving to Australia. The Plonker is sucked in, yet again, and receives this most prestigious Rotary award from non other than past AG George Kalell, his other best mate.

Bloody Rotary Shiny Bums!

Now enters a period of loud protestation and screaming – “

you’ll never catch me alive”.

The Plonker moves out of town to the stunningly beautiful town of Bela Bela (Warmbaths) and settles with his family there, well out of reach of the

Shiny Bums.

And one would think here our Plonker lives quietly and happily ever after…

NO, NO, NO – HE DOES NOT!!!!

The bloody fool allows himself to get soft soaped by an old bat, PP Joan Grissel

(PHF++), and gets sucker punched into being inducted as a

BLOODY SHINY BUM!!!! Much to “Famous Big Stu’s ”dismay I might add, hehehe!

On Thursday the 7

th of February 2013 Drummond and Hettie Hammond were quietly (oh yeah!) inducted into Rotary by the Warmbaths Rotary Club. Hettie and I would herewith like to thank a few Rotarians, who along the road, quietly showed our Plonker the way:

PDG Anton Meerkotter, PADG George Kalell, PP’s uncle’s Gabby Kalell, Jacky Deiner & Doc Max Patz, Ashrif Latib, Andre Brandmuller, Gaylene Deiner, Andreas Mastoroudes and President Ana-Mart Ott. Then there are all the Rotarians and ex or retired Rotarians such as Dawie Loots, Rob Sole, Mark McGiddy and so many others of the huge Rotary family.

 

A special thanks must go to two special guys in the life of our Plonker. Our Plonker’s other best mate, Rotarian (jnr) Graeme “Grimples” Leathes, who was inducted the other day and who happily told our Plonker he should join too.

And, without him realising that he tipped the scale in favour of Rotary, ex Rotarian, Selous Scout and all round good guy, Dale Collett – one of our Plonker’s boyhood hero’s, and living proof that nothing is impossible and whom I found out, quite by accident, was a Rotarian in his day.

To PP Aunty Joan Griessel … you got me! And as for Rotary Warmbaths – President Piet and the club - thank you kindly for your warm welcome (and cold pints) and you will soon find out how hot the kitchen gets!

And as the un-named Rotarian whispered … Rotary will never be the same!

Best Rotary Greetings

Your
Shiny Bum!

Rotarian Drummond Hammond

PDG Tini Eksteen- May you rest in peace!

PDG Tini Eksteen passed away on 31 December 2012 after an extended illness.

Tini was a good friend and also the man who brought me into the Rotary family through the Group Study Exchange programme of the Rotary Foundation. He always had a smile and a joke, but more importantly he always had empathy for those in need.

I will miss his eternal optimism and sage advice on matters of Rotary.

My condolences go to Vida and the family.

Andre Brandmuller

Piano's and Organs - A note from AG Charles Deiner

Dear Rotarians and Friends of Rotary

 I include GTR clubs Middelburg, Cycad, Witbank and Our Canadian Rotary Clubs especially Grand Bend RC, Peter Twynstra and all the dedicated helpers that load the containers in their own free time and Xtrata Coal who sponsored the last two containers that contained these pianos and organs.

Recognition by the Education Department is appreciated as we are now finding cooperation with all stake holders.

The feedback from the music departments is so positive. Our biggest challenge is selecting the most deserving school. Our criteria is that they must have choirs already competing in coral competitions, music teachers and a Principal that is supportive. Mr P Mahlangu who is referred to in the letter indicated that there are at least 35 schools that qualify.

To our Canadian partners I thank you for the unselfish support you have given us. Think of the sounds of music flowing over rural fields and be assured that even if you never get here Canada will be remembered in some special way. Who knows what new musician may come from here.

Rotary and all

Charles


 

Wheelchairs- A note from AG Charles Deiner

Dear Rotarians

The year has flown by and many changes have taken place in my life. However here is some feedback on the wheelchairs that have been placed in some of the poorest areas like Vlaaklaagte, KwaMahlanga, Tweefontein, Empumalanga, Kwaggafontein. Many Rotarians are probably wondering where these rural communities are. Well between Middelburg, Groblersdal and Bronkhorstspruit. To get there you go via Loskop Dam or Verena.

When you look at the photos you will notice that there are different types as we have received wheelchairs from Forever Resorts (White Chairs) used chairs from Canada that have come with the containers and the chairs that come in with our wheelchair project. Each and every person has been visited and details obtained. I must thank Mr Philly Raphuti for the assistance that he and his team of committed educators from the Education Department have given me in reaching these people. If you do not shed a tear when forgotten people express their joy.

Rotarians your generosity is appreciated and the results speak for themselves.

Rotary and all

Charles