Thank you for the warm welcome as the new President. I also want to express my gratitude to Jillian for her dedication and hard work—I truly appreciate the support she has already provided. 

 

Although I’ve been involved with Rotary for a while, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself to those who are newer to the club. 

I consider myself a local. My grandfather, Robert Paulin, came to Earnscleugh over 100 years ago and established an orchard.

 

My parents, Peter and Wilma Paulin, continued the family tradition with the original orchard. My two brothers, Kevin and Musso (Raymond), expanded the business into Clyde Orchards, a sizable operation producing cherries and flatoes (flat peaches). Like our children, Blake and Brie, I attended St. Gerard’s School, followed by Dunstan High School.

 

Tony and I were married in 1980, and after three years of travels during our OE, we returned to Clyde. I was fortunate to secure a teaching position at Dunstan, and the rest is history. 

 

Recently, I stepped away from full-time work. My career has included roles at Cromwell College, as Assistant Principal at Dunstan, and later as Manager of Central Otago REAP. Throughout my career, I’ve been privileged to work with incredible people and contribute to meaningful community projects. 

 

One highlight I cherish is the Alexandra Community House, which we managed to fund and build for just $3 million. It now serves as a hub for nearly all of our local social services, community initiatives, education, and arts programs.

 

My efforts in education and community service have been recognized with a Paul Harris Fellowship and a QMS Award. However, these accolades reflect the collective effort and commitment of everyone involved. 

 

On a personal note, I’m also a bit OCD about exercise—having completed five Coast to Coast events, five Southern Traverses, and most recently, the Great Southern Brevet. Rest assured, I’m not overly competitive! 

 

During my term as President, my goal is to ensure that club members enjoy Rotary and the activities we offer. You, our members, work hard, and the contributions we make to our community are significant. I believe we should celebrate these efforts more openly. 

 

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Michael Burdon. From all accounts, Michael was a talented and generous musician, as well as a man of many skills. Our thoughts are with Bernie and their families during this difficult time, and we look forward to welcoming Bernie back to Rotary. 

 

I am fortunate to have an experienced team of Directors, and we recently held our first meeting. There’s always much to learn, and I welcome any suggestions you might have. I look forward to getting to know each of you better throughout the year. 

 

 

 

 

 

Karl started out at university to do a physical education degree, but switched to physiotherapy at Otago University. He played rugby during his time at university.

 

Karl quickly got into helping sports people with their various injuries and this is Karl’s 28^th year in sports physiotherapy. He said he could hardly believe it when he got approached to be the All-Blacks Physio.

 

Karl is Married to Carla and they have 4 children (2 children from a previous marriage).

Being involved with the All Blacks involves a hard work ethic with lots of travel, like two and a half months in Japan last year.

 

Wayne Bennett and Jamie Joseph have both had a good influence on Karl’s life and work. Karl said he had worked with Jamie Joseph in Japan and described him as a tough ruthless coach.

 

Scott Robinson or Razor as he is called is the current All Blacks head coach who Karl describes as clever although he is dyslexic. Robinson is very experienced and very practical.

 

The All Blacks have a 77% success record. The team performs a haka to new All Black recruits.

Karl says that the work he does is enjoyable and that there is a good work/life balance. Family is also an important consideration in the All Blacks.

The team have get together sessions from time to time where they sing various songs and have raffles.

 

There is always a post mortem after each game and the All-Black philosophy is to win each game.

 

Invercargill physio Karl McDonald says it’s been a pretty surreal year doing his dream job.

This time last year he was named as the All-Blacks’ new physio for the 2024 season under the new All Blacks era led by head coach Scott Robertson and his coaching team.

 

A year has gone and McDonald admitted he did look back sometimes and wonder if it was all a dream.

 

“It was a whirlwind really. At the start I was very nervous and feeling a bit of imposter syndrome. As we worked our way through the year and got comfortable with each other it was awesome. It’s an amazing team to be part of.

“Busy, enthralling, you felt the pressure of the job and the importance to the country but now, at the end of the season, I feel like I belong, and I feel like the whole team and management has made huge progress, but overall, it’s just been a huge honour and privilege to be working with the most successful sporting team in world history.”

 

Before this, McDonald had spent time with teams such as Japan, the Highlanders, the Stags and various others.

 

“It is surreal looking back and thinking you are part of the All-Blacks setup. It demands a lot, the black jersey, and being part of that legacy is demanding.”

 

McDonald said he enjoyed getting to know the players as he worked with them.

“It’s their careers I have in my hands with the daily decisions I make around rehab but I feel like I have grown and really belong in that role. It’s definitely interesting working with all the individuals.

 

The national anthem and haka against the French at Stade de France were a highlight for McDonald.

 

“The atmosphere was amazing. Just being pitch side when the haka was performed and when 80,000 French fans sing their national anthem. It was unbelievable. It’s just gutting we lost by a point.”

 

Now he was back in Invercargill, McDonald intended to spend time catching up with friends and family, and playing some golf, so he could improve enough to join some of the players next year when they had a hit on tour and headed up to Central Otago for some warm weather.

 

 

 

A keen group of members and family enjoyed a social evening of curling at the indoor rink.

 

Lessons from Tony Lepper and Stu Beattie and teams of 3 putting down the stones becoming more competitive as the games continued.

 

A few drinks and pizza, chips and garlic bread for supper.

 

 

 

Pam was born in the North Island but with her father working on farms she spent time in a number of South Island schools from

Correspondence to a sole charge at Kaikoura with 13 children to Twizel with over 1000 pupils.

 

Later she was to live at Hindon and teach at Lee Stream school and then Taieri High School.   

 

Changing careers, Pam started as a shorthand typist at the Otago Savings Bank moving to teller, relieving manager and to Branch Manager at Caversham.

 

Pam then moved to Nelson with her husband and again worked in the bank there.

 

Shifting to Roxburgh with 2 young daughters she became a Budget Advisor. She shifted to Alexandra and has now worked at Budget Advice for 25 years being the Manager.

 

In her spare time, Pam has been involved in Scouting and moving through many positions helping the young.
 

 

 

Just remembering a notable Alexandra Rotarian no longer in our presence, one Richard (Dick) McArthur son of two very well-known Alexandra residents Wiff and Glad McArthur.

 

With information assist from two long term Alexandra Rotarians Graeme Bell and Ren Lothian. Dick was a stock agent, lamb drafter and later a wool classer at various locations around the fine province of Otago then back to his home town of Alexandra.

 

Dick was a big man, good natured and good company. Not necessarily on the rugby fields however where his vigorous play got him banned from most of the sub unions he played in – Maniototo, West Otago, Vincent and probably South Otago if he ever resided there.

 

In his time at Rotary when there were weekly Rotary meetings with either only one or two dedicated Sergeants. Dick was without script famed for walking around the room and fining everyone present with an appropriate and witty response. He was followed later by two other renowned sergeants, Bruce (Bruno) Robertson and  Dr. Richard McKenzie.

 

Jim Harborrow the local undertaker was quite a target and was christened the “great southern planter” by Dick, and later by Bruce Robertson after the chinaman “ah sup”

 

I remember Dick when thinking of “the great duck race” a club fund raiser of the 1990’s. a one-off disaster as a spectacle which took place between the Rail Bridge and the Shakey bridge, when most of the plastic ducks rather than getting to the finish line floated to the side of the Manuherikia and got caught up in the willows.

 

Beforehand duck ticket sales had been rather slow so Dick came up with a cunning plan to have a sales drive through some of the country hotels. So, we took off in Dick’s car, Maurice Mason, Graeme Bell and myself on appropriately a Duck Shooting weekend Graeme Bell recalls. First of the brief stops Chatto Creek, then Omakau, Lauder, Becks, Ranfurly, and then our final unknown destination Patearoa, always Dick’s plan, as he was well known in that area.

 

Not a brief stop in this case, many hours later we wended our way back home to Alexandra.

Sadly, Dick had a tragic fall at his home whille gardening leaving him paralysed. He spent much time thereafter at Burwood Hospital, Christchurch and then at home. Dick’s wife Beth recalled just recently to us that Dick never complained once during that period of his plight or ever uttered a “why me”.

 

Dick McArthur a pretty unforgettable character!