2011-11-06
On Saturday 5th November, members of the Rotary Northcliff visited the Emthonjeni Community Centre to perform a site inspection and obtain greater insights about the Emthonjeni Community Centre which will serve as the site for a solar bread project in the very near future.
 | Emthonjeni Community Centre Zandspuit , which is a registered public benefit organisation, that works primarily in disadvantage communities, has been selected by a Bread Companions, a section 21 Company, to host a solar oven that will be used to bake bread. The bread baked is planned to be sold within the community as well as used for feeding schemes within the community. The Solar Bread Project is in its initial stages and is managed and steer headed by the dedicated members of the Bread Companions. Rotary Club Northcliff has recently partnered with Bread Companions, as the members of the Club seen this as an amazing opportunity to get involved in an exciting, innovative and community worthy initiative. The initial stage of the project involves the importing of a unique solar oven from USA and constructing a building that will host the oven and serve as the work station for baking the bread. The Bread Project is making sound progress with, Sesego Cares, a CSI institution at Absa, having already sponsored the purchase of the solar oven. |
 | The site visit to Emthonjeni Community Centre was designed not only assess the Clubs involvement with the Bread Companions project but also meet the team of ladies and gentleman from the Zandspuit community itself, that will actually baking the bread and running the business once it is established in the New Year. The Bread Companions has already arranged business training for this enthusiastic team, who cant wait for the project to be kicked off. The Northcliff Rotary Club recently hosted Night of the Races, a fund raising event for this project. A sum of R43 000 was raised at the event and this money will be used to fund the building to house the baking workstation within the next few months. |
2011-10-27
Byron ter Morshuizen and Ayesha Karrim from the Northcliff High Interact Club recently attended the RYLA Camp at the Warriors Base Camp in Magoebaskloof, Limpopo Province.The pupils were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Northcliff.
 | “The RYLA programme gives clubs the opportunity to directly influence and develop the youth and this programme forms part of the club’s strategy in investing in our youth” said Club President, Mrs Annemarie Mostert. |
 | The camp is designed to create a structured environment with a balance mix between outdoor activities and indoor presentations. The programme emphasizes leadership skills, personal development, emotional development and good citizenship. |
 | Byron and Ayesha together with their parents recently visited club to convey their experiences during the camp. Ayesha commented that “the trip was a long and tiring journey as we did not know anybody but the homeward journey was in stark contrast as we had forged friendships with the other participants”. Both pupils enjoyed the mental and physical activities and “it was overall an awesome experience” said Byron. “The club will endeavour to send at least two young leaders annually to RYLA and in our little way contribute to the upliftment of the youth so that they become worthy citizens of the country” said Club President Annemarie Mostert. |
2011-10-25
Northcliff Rotary Club together with 2010 winning school, Trinity House Preparatory School hosted the 2011 speech competition at Weltervredenpark on Monday, 24 October.
 | Participating schools in the 2011 competition included Franklin D Roosevelt Primary, Greenside Primary, Melpark Primary, Northcliff Primary, Sharonlea Primary and Trinity House Preparatory School. Dr HE Staples, Principal of Trinity House welcomed the participants and guests and said that “it was indeed pleasing to see that after his many years as a teacher and Principal, Rotary is still active in promoting speech competition within our communities”. |
 | The speeches were divided into two categories, prepared speeches and impromptu speeches. The winner for the prepared speech category was Rececca Barrows who spoke on “Music for the soul” and runner-up was Rumaanah Osman from Greenside Primary who spoke on ‘The word at your fingertips”. The impromptu category which proved a little challenging and was won by Emilio Radebe of Melpark who spoke on “Get real”. The judges were impressed with his communication skill and his ability to sustain the attention of the audience for the duration of his speech. The runner-up in this category was Amaarah Garda from Greenside Primary whose topic was “I’m a survivor”. The overall winner was Greenside Primary School who after a long absence was presented with the floating trophy and will have the opportunity to host the competition in 2012. Northcliff Rotary Club President, Annemarie Mostert congratulated the participants and winners and also thanked our hosts, Trinity House Preparatory School, and sponsors including Absa Bank for their goodie bags and Exclusive Books for the discount on the prizes. |
2011-10-24
On Saturday evening the 22nd of October the Rotary Club of Northcliff raised R43 000 at a glamorous "Night at the Races" event held at the Rand Park Golf Club.
 | Annemarie Mostert thanked Jason Grove from Roxsure, the Main Sponsor for the evening together with members of FNB (Platinum Sponsor), Lebone Cleaning Services, Tiger Wheel and Tyre, Constantia Insurance Company ltd and SecurExcel (the Gold Sponsors), who ensured the 180 guests placed their bets at the various betting stations to support of their favourite horses and jockeys. Showgroup put together a spectacular event and the National Eisteddfod Academy was the printing sponsor. |
 | Guests were all dressed up in black and white with a touch of "bling". They could "own" a horse and buy a jockey - all in the name of charity. Prizes were awarded for a number of different reasons , so that lots of people were winners, even though their horse did not make it! |
 | The profits from this event has been donated to the Bread Companions Project in Zandspruit. It is a self-sustaining Sun Oven Bakery project which will be run by 12 motivated women from the local community. The Northcliff Rotary Bread Companions Sub-committee chaired by Rani Pillay and Nico Goosen have partnered Roelita Cloete from PWC and her dynamic team members, to ensure the detail and management of this project are in good hands. |
 | "We will ensure the Night at the Races will be the high light on the calendar of the Melville and Northcliff Community. |
 | Rotary is built on fellowship through "Service above Self" and we hope to raise funds by having great fun and meeting new and interesting people. |
2011-10-21
On Thursday 20 October, a combi departed from OR Tambo to Ficksburg with 7 excited Rotarians on board from three different Rotary Clubs to visit Lesotho. President Annemarie and Rotary husband Hans Mostert represented Northcliff Rotary Club; Prof Dr Wernt and Gudrun Brewitz, DGE District 1800 whose home Club is The Rotary Club of Salzgitter-Wolfenbuttel-Vorharz and Board Members Andre van Eeden, Dr Carl-Heinz Duisberg and Past President Lynette Stassen from the Rotary Club of Helderberg Sunrise in Somerset West.
 | These Rotary Clubs, together with The Rotary Club of Ficksburg, have a stake in the seventh solar pump borehole to be drilled at one of the 2 500 primary schools in Lesotho. The Rotary Clubs of Helderberg contributed R25 000, Ficksburg R20 000, Northcliff R7 000 and the Charity Organisation Sesego Cares, an organisation linked to Absa donated R28 000. Prof Dr Wernt from Germany was so impressed by the six boreholes installed and sponsored by Rand Water and the Rotary Club of Ficksburg that he pledged his involvement going forward.
The rural school to benefit from the solar pump borehole is situated in an area with no electricity. The borehole will be equipped with solar panels and will cost a total of R220 000. This includes the irrigation system to the school and community. Rand Water Foundation has agreed to sponsor 50% of the total cost of the borehole. The Rotary partners together with Sesego Cares have pledged R80 000 but an additional R30 000 is needed to complete this project.
On the way back, the Rotarians in the combi agreed that the relatively small amount of R30 000 should not stand between getting water to 600+ kids and members of the community, as the alternative is water borne diseases....who knows? Maybe the various clubs can come to the rescue!
When Rotarians work together, results flow! In this case, it is crystal clear water flowing out of the boreholes that were drilled at 6 Lesotho schools. All thanks to the efforts of three Rotary Clubs supported by the generous contribution of Absa’s Sesego Cares.
School kids in the rural areas of Lesotho had to bring their own water to school –walking 1,5km to the river hole to fetch dirty water. Then Rotary with the help of Absa’s Sesego Cares stepped in. Now there are about 3000 kids in six schools with beaming faces drinking the cool, clear, cold mountain water. No purification needed! During the few days all the kids also received a stationery pack sponsored by Sesego Cares.
To the Ficksburg Rotary Club, this is their signature project and it is hugely exciting. The small club with only 12 members are very involved in the schools. Apart from drilling holes for the “water of life”, they also actively engage in vocational projects and support orphanages. Lesotho has a very high AIDS problem. To cap it all, the Ficksburg Rotary Club also already distributed over 600 wheelchairs. What a feat!
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 | BOREHOLES FACTS
While waiting for the DG dinner to start, I had a very interesting discussion with Verney Halse, a lovely 80 year old Ficksburg Rotarian with an infectious smile and lots of energy. Some of the facts that I got from him regarding the borehole drilling projects are:-
• 1st borehole drilled in 2009;
• Borehole projects started with an Irish Government donation of Euro2000;
• Rotary Clubs in England and Northcliff, together with Sesego Cares donated money for the 1st borehole;
• A total of 6 boreholes have been drilled so far;
• It costs R200 – R300 per metre to drill;
• The deepest borehole is 100 metres;
• Volumes of water yielded varies from 400 litres per hour to 7000 litres per hour;
• In over 43 years they have no problem in getting water from boreholes drilled in Lesotho.
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2011-10-19
Northcliff Rotary Club would like to thank all their sponsors who have contributed so generously to the Roxsure Night of the Races to be held on the 22nd October. In addition to the main sponsors listed below there are also host of individual supporters who bought Races, Horses, Jockeys and Tables to make this event a night to remember. The support the local community has shown will be put to good use for the Bread Companions Project.
 | Main Sponsor: Roxsure Insurance Brokers - Jason Grove from Roxsure Insurance Brokers has said that the company is very happy to be the Main Sponsor for the Northcliff Rotary Club's "Roxsure Night of the Races" and is looking forward to working with the Rotarians in the future. Roxsure Insurance Brokers has for nearly 30 years focussed on the short term insurance needs of our clients. "As a family business we have made a strong commitment to protect your commercial and personal assets. Our service is backed by a team of professionally trained, well-motivated and technologically driven personnel. We continue to build on our reputation as a community oriented business with strong traditional values through client satisfaction." |
 | Platinum Sponsor: FNB Business Banking is proud to be involved with the Northcliff Rotary Club. Our commitment and passion to help makes this a natural fit. FNB is very happy to be the Platinum Sponsor and they wish the Northcliff Rotary Club a wonderful 2012, and encourage them to keep up the great work they do for the community. |
 | Gold Sponsor: Tiger Wheel is very pleased to be a Gold Sponsor for the Northcliff Rotary Club Night of the Races. |
 | Gold Sponsor: Constantia Insurance Company is very involved in Community based projects through Rotary and will continue to support the Northcliff Rotary Club's projects |
 | Gold Sponsor: Securexcel are security originators of choice and are really pleased to be associated with this Northcliff Rotary Project, |
 | Gold Sponsor: Lebone Cleaning Services are thankful for the opportunity to partake in the "Night of the Races" event |
 | Event Sponsor: ShowGroup is looking forward to providing a fantastic evening at the Night of the Races and is happy to provide all the decor, sound and visual systems as part of their commitment to the Project. Northcliff President Annemarie said that "Without the support of Showgroup this project could not be as professional as it will be and she is confident that it will truly be a night to remember, and looks forward to making this an annual event of the Northcliff Rotary Club." |
 | Printing Sponsor: The National Eisteddfod Academy is happy to be able to sponsor the printing works for the evening and wishes the Northcliff Rotary Club all success with the Roxsure Night of the Races. |
2011-10-06
The Bread Companions Project will be the main beneficiary of the "Night at the Races" fundraiser which will become a flagship community based project for the Northcliff Rotary Club. The funding provided by Rotary Club of Northcliff will initially go toward purchasing the much needed solar oven. The Club will also provide the necessary guidance and assistance to the management company to make this pilot project as great success. It is anticipated that it will then be possible to develop a winning template to roll out to other needy communities within South Africa.
Bread Companions was a dream born in 2007, and with the help of a few friends' combined skills, knowledge, experience and passion the dream started to become reality towards the end of 2010. Roelita Cloete has been one of the key drivers for the project. She has had a passion to uplift under developed communities in urban and rural areas and to alleviate poverty. She has been involved in a number of community projects since 2004. One of the objectives is to strive to empower the people in these communities to regain self-worthiness and self-respect and be able to help themselves.
 | The Mission of the Bread Companions Project is to use supervisory personnel from reputable organizations in developing-world communities, and identify "entrepreneurs" from the specific target community to establish a bakery. The Zandspruit Community, to the north of Johannesburg, has been identified to start the first bakery under Bread Companions. Twelve entrepreneurs have already been identified from the local community by the leaders of Emthonjeni, an organisation already resident in Zandspruit. Training and team building activities for these entrepreneurs started during January 2011 and the bakery "Vukusenzelo" will start as soon as the funds are obtained to purchase the machinery and equipment. |
 | It is anticipated that the bakery will utilize a solar VILLAGER SUN OVEN to bake bread and cook meals for sale in a specified geographic region as well as supply to feeding schemes and other not-for-profit organisations providing meals to their people. The management company will purchase the VILLAGER SUN OVENS and lease it to the entrepreneurs at minimal cost. These entrepreneurs will also be trained in basic business management skills and specific solar bakery management techniques. The company will provide the training for the entrepreneurs and monitor the project to ensure the sustainability thereof. The required stock will be purchased by the company and issued to the entrepreneurs at cost as and when needed. The rental income will be re-invested in order to be able to initiate the next bakery in another identified community. |
 | Roelita Cloete(second from the left), Executive Director of the Section 21 Company, was invited to come and speak to the Northcliff Rotary Club about the Bread Companions Project in Zandspruit. This initiated the Club's current interest and started the journey to where we are now, namely the Northcliff Rotary Club's collective approval and buy in. The Northcliff Rotary Club is very excited about this new opportunity that will provide an additional long term community focused project for the Club. (Photo: Divan Botha, Roelita Cloete and Sophia Venter of Bread Companions with President Annemarie Mostert). |
2011-10-04
Following receipt of the latest consignment of wheelchair units from Rushmoor Rotary Club, a successful work session was held by Rotarians of the Northcliff at the Stott Street depot on Saturday the 1st October.
A significant number of wheelchairs were readied for dispatch to such diverse destinations as "Sesego Cares" and the Rotary Clubs of the Cape of Good Hope, Kyalami, Pretoria East, Roodepoort Central, Three Rivers, Umtata and White River. The Highlight of the morning was the usual great fellowship aided by the provision of Boerewors rolls, etc. by Woody!
 | A wheelchair was handed over by the Northcliff Rotary Club at the Stott Street Depot on Monday the 3rd of October to a delighted Nosakhile Msitshana. |
 | The Northcliff Rotarians received a note of thanks recently from the Physiotherapist at the Johannesburg Hospital Ward 297, Linda Lurie saying: "Thank you so much for assisting and enabling Dimpo, a little girl of 4 years, to receive a wheelchair. In doing so you have eliminated the last stumbling block to her being accepted at school. She was so excited to finally have her own wheelchair and with a big smile on her face all she wanted was for someone to push her." |
2011-09-28
Much needed syringe drivers were donated by the Rotary Club of Rushmoor in the UK to The Rotary Club of Northcliff for their distribution. Sesego Cares, one of the Northcliff Rotary Club's partners, assisted with importing permits of these much needed items.
President Annemarie Mostert accepted the valuable 5 items from Rotarian Phil Nutt from the Rotary Club of Rushmoor and then later handed it over to Sister Sheila Lace at the Hospice Witwatersrand. The syringe drivers cost approximately R10 000 per unit. The Rotarians at Rushmoor is currently busy sourcing an additional 150 units and these will also be donated and distributed to the Hospice Witwatersrand for further distribution to various Hospices in and around the Gauteng area. An additional 10 were brought in October making the total to date now 15.
 | PP Dennis Stewart, President Annemarie Mostert and PP Phil Nutt from the Rotary Club of Rushmoor in UK handing over the syringe drivers. Phil brought the syringe drivers on his business trip to RSA and presented them on the 7th September. |
 | President Annemarie Mostert, Sister Sheila Lace of the Hospice Witwatersrand with Rotary Ann Margaret and PP Norman Macleod. Sheila accepted this donation of the syringe drivers with gratitude on the 21st of September. |
2011-09-17
Members and friends of the Rotary Club of Northcliff had the most wonderful Murder Mystery evening on Saturday 17th September at the Rand Club of Johannesburg. Guests were from all around the Northcliff Melville area. The "murder" took place on 16 January 1937 at the Watersdown Mansion in Yorkshire.
 | Audrey Sloane who played Flo, the wife of the Banker, Annemarie Mostert, called Audrey Sloane who played Flo, the wife of the Banker, Annemarie Mostert, called "E", The confidential and Private Secretary of Sir Roger, with Andy Lottering, the Actress and Hanco Mostert, a tennis coach, played Roger Junior who "murdered" Sir Roger Watersdown. |
 | Hans Mostert and Tommy Stratten who played the role of a professional Golfer and successful Banker. |
 | The guests invited to "The Mansion" |
2011-09-08
Rani Pillay, a resident of Northcliff has joined The Rotary Club of Northcliff. Apart from her activities at home, supporting Ruben and her 2 children Varisha (14) and Myuoor (5), she is Head of Partner Management and Partner Acquisition at Absa Rewards. Passionate about serving her community, Rani is actively involved in Absa Reward's CSI project which involves initiatives with Guild Cottage in the current year and Njbulo Home last year.
She strives to adhere to the principles of Do Good, Be Good, Love All and Serve All. Further, inspired by the wise words of Mahatma Ghandi "Be the change you want to see the World" Rani hopes to work actively with her fellow Northcliff Rotarians to implement meaningful changes in the community.
During her induction to the Club on Wednesday evening, President Annemarie welcomed her by saying that "Rani has displayed outstanding and unique qualities and values which have been the back bone of Rotary apart from her own support to various charities and vulnerable people in our country."
 | Rani Pillay with Past District Governor Francis Callard and President Annemarie Mostert |
2011-08-17
District Governor Anton Meerkotter the Rotary Head of district 9400 (Clubs in Gauteng including Pretoria, Northwest, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Swaziland, Botswana and Mozambique) visited projects and the members of The Rotary Club of Northcliff and Blackheath on Wednesday. The members enjoyed dinner together with his wife Annetjie at Randpark Golf club.
 | President Annemarie Mostert, President of the Rotary Club of Northcliff with District Governor Anton Meerkotter, President Hans Endress of the Rotary Club of Blackheath |
 | President Annemarie Mostert handed District Governor Anton Meerkotter a decorative walking stick to celebrate his leadership in district 9400 and "As Chief of the Rotary Tribe", wished him well over the year. |
2011-07-27
Professionally Jaqui Dingemans was a High School Teacher for the past 31 years. She has taught in Gazankulu, Venda, Secunda, Middelburg and for the past 13 years at Northcliff High School where she was in charge of Girls cricket, the school gardens for the past two years and running Rotary's Interact Club for the past four years.
Jaqui became associated with Rotary some 28 years ago in Louis Trichardt, when Rotarian David Dingemans was transferred there. In Middelburg she was a Rotary Ann President, involved in the Rotary Inter-High speech competition, as well as on the panel to interview outgoing Exchange Students.
Lynn Clarke Somody, was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Haenertsburg in Limpopo. After her active role in the Club, focusing on the development and leadership of Youth, she travelled to the UK and joined the e-club in London. Lynn is married to Dr Laszlo Somody, a members of the International Committee of the Red cross in Geneva.
 | Left: Lynn Clarke Somody, Pres Annemarie Mostert and Jaqui Dingemans. Left: Lynn Clarke Somody, Pres Annemarie Mostert and Jaqui Dingemans. |
 | Pres Annemarie Mostert, Dr Laszlo Somody, and Rotarian Dr Zoe Lees. Dr Somody is a members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which is based in Geneva. He is a Rotarian from 1992 in Hungary and Pietersburg 100. He has just left for Europe for 3 months. |
2011-06-29
At a glamorous occasion held at the Rand Park Golf Club On Wednesday, 29 June 2011, Annemarie Mostert was inducted as the 39th President of the Rotary Club of Northcliff. Rotarians and Anns from South Africa and Baltimore in USA attended this special annual event. Mr Louis von Zeuner, Deputy Chief Executive of Absa, Mrs Mushe Kirsh and Mr Issie Kirsh who received Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow recognition from the Club, were some of the guests.
Annemarie, a resident of Fairland, is currently Head of Protocol and Public Relations of Absa. She has been President of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg in 2004/5 and an Assistant Governor in 2008/9. She describes herself as a 'lifelong volunteer' and will assist the members of the Club to increase their membership, enjoy great fun and fellowship and continue to manage and support community projects.
In her introduction of Mr Issie Kirsh, Annemarie mentioned that Rotary Foundation of Rotary International named Mr Issie Kirsh a Paul Harris Fellow, in appreciation of his tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among people of the world. He is an inspiration to all of us. He contributed significantly to the community of Alexandra and more recently, the national educational drive to ensure the deprived youth receive equal opportunities.
As a founder member of radio 702 and Primedia, he truly Leads South Africa!
Mr Issie Kirsh shares this honour with several distinguished South Africans, including President Nelson Mandela, Mama Miriam Makeba, Mark Shuttleworth, Mama Albertina Sisulu, Beyers Naude and Helen Suzman. The award was presented to Mr Issie Kirsh by Past District Governor Francis Callard.
 | Mushe Kirsh, Annemarie Mostert and Issie Kirsh - Mr Issi Kirsh received the PHF Award |
 | The Rotary Club of Northcliff has also received a R25k donation from the Rotary Club of Helderberg Sunrise in Somerset West for the Lesotho Water project. |
 | Past Pres Paul Westcott inducts President Annemarie Mostert |
 | Past Pres Paul Westcott, District Governor Anton Meerkotter, President Annemarie Mostert, Assistant Governor Steve Margo |
