Wynpress
The Rotary Club of Wynberg
President: Stephen Bredenkamp 0825704440 Secretary: Rob Murphy 0837267060 Treasurer: Mike Schreiber 0834140462 Editorial Board: Barry Cleveland, Lina Howard, Hugh Maunder, String Smith, Keela van Niekerk
Vol: 67 No: 33
9 June 2016
EDITORIAL One of the country’s most conservative groups, Rotary, has elected a transgender woman as a local club president. Monica Mulholland was overwhelmed with the support she had received and said her Queenstown club was a credit to New Zealand. “Rotary clubs are mostly white older folks, lots of men, and you would think they would be really conservative,” she said. “I got flowers and phone calls and emails. The response was amazing.” Transgender people have a gender identity that is different from the physical sex they are born with. Mulholland identifies as a transgender woman. The eldest of nine siblings, she was raised in County Cork, Ireland. She knew from a young age she did not belong in the male body she had been assigned at birth. “I knew when I was four or five years old. There has never been a day since then when I didn’t know it.” Mulholland said growing up transgender was difficult. She struggled to live up to society’s expectations of manhood. “It was a small Catholic village, the chances of coming out there were absolutely zero. I would say I was probably a bit of a ‘mammy’s boy’ and a bit feminine early on. In retrospect, I think my parents were worried I was gay. Looking back on the photos from that era, I can see how lost I was in a boxing class, and how unsuited I was to something like that. You just kept that part of yourself hidden.” Mulholland lived as a man until she was in her 50s. She made the decision to start living publicly as a woman earlier this year. “I don’t have many years left, and that’s another reason I decided to come out now. I have been playing a role all of my life. It is time to get real. It is time to just be me. I want to die as I really am, and not as some kind of artificial construct that society has forced me to be.” Mulholland initially had concerns about how the Rotary club would respond to her transition. “The response was amazing; I didn’t have one negative experience, I was blown away,” she said. “The people in Rotary clubs are there because they want to help their communities and they want to do good, so of course they wanted to support me.” Women were first admitted to Rotary clubs in 1989 and the first female club president was elected in 2004. Mulholland thought it was important to have transgender people in positions of leadership within communities. “When I was growing up it was seen as perverted even to be gay. It’s so important to have role models, and for younger people to see that it is possible to live a full and happy life as a transgender person. There is this attitude that being transgender is a curse, well I want people to see it as a gift.” Mulholland said Rotary clubs were still relevant to young people. “There is this idea that Rotary clubs are just filled with doddering old people having lunch together. “We are trying to challenge that. These service clubs have been helping in communities for 100 years and it would be such a shame for them to die out because young people weren’t interested.” Mulholland will take over the role as Queenstown Rotary Club president in July.
Submitted by Ann O ’ Driscoll
Minutes 2nd. June, 2016 MINUTES OF THE WYNBERG ROTARY CLUB MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY 2nd JUNE 2016 Compiled by String Smith Sergeant Are in charge
Attendance Visitors
14 Rotarians + 9 Rotaractors present: 47% Nil rd
Fellowship
Our Pres. and June both have birthdays on 3 . June.
From the President
Pres. Stephen reminded members of Alan’s induction on 23 . th th No meetings on 16 . and 30 ., but members can assist at Adventure into Citizenship for the latter one. Agreement has been reached with Wynberg Improvement District whereby we will receive R5000 pm for the use of the carpark.
rd
Justin: New promotional banners were on show. Adventure into Citizenship. Programme was explained, members support was essential. Participants arrive on Sunday 26 June at Jan van Riebeck HS, meet parents.
Slots
Biffy: Assistance required with painting shelves, 18h00 @ John’s, assemble following week. Isipiwe to be improved with vegetation, considering visitors. David: At a blind wine tasting, Secret Cellar Chenin Blanc @ only R40 was judged best. Ron Davies’ wife Shirley had died of cancer, funeral next day.
Guest Speaker
Swindle
Our own Rotaractor Lee Bergman is currently District 9350 Rotaract Representative. He told us of the progress and activities during the past year, the slow rate of transformation, the small number of Rotaractors globally who go on to become Rotarians, the need for the two organisations to work more closely together despite the age gap and many other matters which elicited good discussion.
Due to technical problems of a viticultural nature, information pertaining to the disbursement of funds is not available.
Duty Roster 9
June 16
23
30
Sergeant
Murphy
NO MEETING
PRES. INDUCTION
NO MEETING
Wynpress Editorial
Smith
Wynpress Minutes
Howard
Door Duty
van Eeden
5th Thursday
Grace
Crous S
Assist with
Loyal Toast
van Niekerk
International Toast
Munday
Speaker Intro
Gowdy
Speaker Thanks
van Wyk
Public Holiday
TBA
Adventure into Citizenship?
Going Forward Dates To Diarise 9 June
Early Learning Research Unit
16 June
Public Holiday – no meeting
23 June 26 - 30 June
Presidential Induction Adventure into Citizenship
President’s Quote Youth has no age
Pablo Picasso
I gave my beauty and youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals. Brigitte Bardot
And from appreciative recipients….. Attention: Keela van Niekerk And The Rotary Club of Wynberg Dear Keela RE: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS FOR SPONSORING A WONDERFULL OUTING FOR THE CHILDREN. On behalf of the SOS Children’s Villages, Cape Town we wish to thank you for the precious gesture and the kindness that you has shown us by means of sponsoring a wonderfull outing for 30 of our children at The Blue Train Park in Seapoint on Saturday 14 May 2016. Our children are extremely grateful and really enjoyed themselves. SOS Children’s Village Cape Town is an independent, non governmental social development organization which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interest and rights of neglected, abandoned and destitute children for the last twenty five years. Disadvantaged children and families are the focus of our work and we respect varying religions, cultures and work in countries and communities where our mission can contribute to the development of children living apart from their biological families for a variety of reasons. We at SOS Children’s Villages remain committed to providing for the basic needs of these children as well as creating the environment of a family unit encompassing the emotional, physical and intellectual needs of the children in our care. We wish to assure you that your support goes a long way in securing these needs and providing the support system that are necessary in order for us to accomplish our mission. We thank you for sharing our vision and believe that the contribution you made will add to the lives of the children we care for. Once again, Thank you Yours sincerely Rezell Januarie International Sponsorship Secretary SOS Children’s Village Cape Town
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