Pretoria Sunrise Rotary Club

Meetings

The Pretoria Sunrise Rotary Club (formerly the Rotary Club of Pretoria Silverton) meets weekly on Saturdays for breakfast at a venue to the East of Pretoria:

Club Projects

Wine Tasting Fundraiser

Wine-tasting events were organized in November 2007 and September 2008. Some 15 South African winemakers displayed their products, and the public had the opportunity to sample them before placing orders. The events were in aid of several charities, including the Schoolchildren Feeding Scheme, Blanket Distribution Project, Danville Hulp Project, and ABBA House. Another event is planned for 17:30 on Thursday 5 August 2010, to be held at the Willows Country Lodge. For information phone Mo Puttergill at 012 361 4760.

Rotary Open Gardens of the Jacaranda City

The Pretoria Sunrise Rotary club hosts 'Rotary Gardens of the Jacaranda City' periodically. The public has the opportunity to experience the splendour of Spring and Autumn visits to exclusive gardens in Pretoria. The 2009 event took place on 10 and 11 October, and featured 13 gardens. The entrance fee was R5.00 per person per garden and the proceeds of the project were donated to selected charities. To see some photos of the gardens, click on Open Gardens
Interested in the next event on 16 and 17 October 2010? For more information call Bebe du Raan at 082 492 1973

Distribution of Blankets and Jerseys among the Urban Needy

During 2008 Brits Rotary Club arranged the acquisition of blankets and jerseys, and invited other clubs to assist in their distribution among the needy in time for Winter. Pretoria Sunrise Rotary Club assisted in distribution in Tembisa and Ivory Park of food, clothing, blankets and jerseys to people who had been evicted from their shacks the previous night, and to the local homeless people. Again in 2009, Pretoria Sunrise handed out 245 much needed blankets valued at about ZAR 25 000 to the less privileged. In addition eight boxes of jerseys were distributed. Through the efforts of PDG Cliff Peake of Brits Rotary Club, a blanket and jersey matching grant involving a number of clubs in our district, was arranged. Generous contributions by our district and districts in the USA made it possible for all clubs involved to hand out blankets and jerseys. The Sunrise contribution towards the matching grant was ZAR 3500 taken from the gift of USD 1000 (equating to about ZAR 10 000) from our twin club, The Rotary Club and Interact Club of Quail Point in Oregon. This is Rotary at its best! There is no better testimony to the vision of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation than an international project where Rotarians from different countries join hands to make a difference! During 2010 Ann Merryfield of Quail Point made a further donation of USD 500, enabling the purchase of a further 200 blankets which are currently being distributed.

Feeding Scheme for Disadvantaged Pupils

The South African Government provides feeding for disadvantaged pupils in primary schools, but not for pupils in Pre-Primary or Secondary Schools, where the need is sometimes equally great. Pretoria Sunrise began a pupil feeding scheme in July 2006 after Rotarians from New York had visited some schools around Pretoria. The Matching Grant Partner was the Rotary Club of Pleasantville, New York, and with the Rotary Foundation Matching Grant, a total of US$ 53750 was avaiable for the project. The project ran for 33 months until it ended in April 2009 with the depletion of the funds. Five schools with severely disadvantaged pupils benefited from the project. At its peak, the project was serving over 500 meals per day, to pupils selected by their teachers after investigation into their home circumstances.

The original project has now been completed. The children who received the meals flourished, judged by reports from the schools. The schools have been asking Rotary to continue the scheme and the Club is currently doing so with its own funds and funds from the Rotary Foundation. The need continues and the club would like to extend the project if it is able to put together another funding package. The Sunrise Rotary Club members responsible for controlling the project are PDG Chris Pretorius and PP Bebe du Raan.

• Blanket Project
• School Feeding Project
• Current Projects
• Longer-term Projects
• Open Gardens
• Club History

What is Rotary?

• Rotary is a service association of business and professional leaders united worldwide who conduct humanitarian projects, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and work toward world understanding and peace.
• Rotary is more than 1.2 million service-minded leaders belonging to over 32000 Rotary Clubs in over 170 countries.
• Rotary is compassion for the underpriviledged, the ill and disabled, many of whom are the beneficiaries of over 50000 service projects conducted by Rotary Clubs around the world each year.
• The Rotary Foundation spends more than US$60 million annually on a variety of educational and humanitarian programmes to promote international understanding.

Membership

Some Rotary Links

Rotary International Headquarters Rotary in Britain and Ireland Rotarians on the Internet Intl Computer Users Fellowship of Rotarians Rotary District 9250 Rotary District 9300 Rotary Africa Youth Exchange Southern Africa Other Pretoria Rotary Clubs: Rotary Club of Pretoria East Rotary Club of Pretoria West Rotary Club of Brits Contact our webmaster at e-mail: gdehlen@rotarypretoriasunrise.org

The Secretary, Pretoria Sunrise Rotary Club, P O Box 308, Silverton 0127, South Africa