Overview of activities for 2025

2025 Speakers Report

March: Des Lines — a life-long pilot who started his service with NAC in Fokker Friendships and carried through to Boeing 747 jumbos. Now, in retirement, he mentors young adults who are seeking a career in flying. A most enjoyable talk.

April: Brigit Blair - the founder of Linden Leaves - a natural skincare business. Two of her children suffered severe eczema and allergies so she started making creams and solutions to ease their symptoms. Friends asked her for these products encouraging her to start the business. As a thank-you to Brigit for speaking, the Club donated $50 to the Champion Centre.

May: Reuben Davidson, our MP for Christchurch East, spoke to us, filling in at short notice after our planned speaker pulled out. He gave us a sketch of his younger life where he studied broadcasting at Christchurch Polytech. He was a local young man interested in politics. After moving to Auckland and Australia for work, he returned to Christchurch and became very involved in politics.

Reuben was selected and stood successfully for the Christchurch East electorate in 2023.

June: Josh Keating entertained us for our Club's Birthday meeting. With his guitar and great voice, Josh sang a wide range of songs for us. He concluded by singing "How great thou art" which he dedicated to his grandmother, Trish, who was unfortunately unable to be at the meeting.

July: Our speaker was Heather Schimanski from Christchurch City Mission. Heather started by telling us a little of the history of the Mission and the very large amount of community work done by the organisation. Her current position is as a Service Supervisor in the Drug and Alcohol Counselling Service. A very big thank you to the members who donated items for the Foodbank and cash for the Mission's work. Heather's boot and back seat were loaded with the Foodbank items and $116.70 in cash was donated with the Club adding $50 making the total $166.70.

August: Our speaker was Kalilah Yusaf (who brought along her friend Rachel). Kalilah and Rachel work as Dispatchers in the communications centre of FENZ. They serve 12 hours shifts, 2 day shifts followed by 2 night shifts then 4 days off. They need that break after the intensity of the job. We heard that the control centre in Christchurch covers the whole of the South Island and deals with 111 calls. The discussion then went on to fire safety in the home including discussion about fires caused by lithium-ion batteries (mobile phone batteries) etc.

September: Valda Thornley, has had a varied professional life, her favourite position being Customs officer at Christchurch International Airport. This position has extensive legal powers and back-up from on-site Police. The passengers' arrival area at the Airport is extensively covered by cameras which are being checked in real time. Some passengers have been seen changing lines to evade the Customs dogs, making themselves even more visible. Shift rosters can disturb sleep patterns with starting times well before the first incoming flight and after the last flight to leave. All part of the job. Valda's hobbies involve anything that moves really fast (flying and fast cars).

October: Emma Stevens, opened her very interesting talk by asking if anyone had been to Alaska, several hands were raised, and Emma's map showed places visited. Emma was teaching in Balclutha and followed her American husband, Gary, to a teaching post in a remote Yup'ik Eskimo village in southwestern Alaska. Emma then explained Alaska's geography and population. The northern expanse called 'The Bush' has no roads, transport is by light plane and the population is Innuit. The South has 'The Road' which is a loop including Fairbanks and Anchorage and a larger population is Eskimo. About one third of the country is within the Arctic Circle, the Land of the Midnight Sun in summer and total darkness during winter. Emma closed by showing us some beautiful furs from various wild Alaskan animals. A very interesting presentation.

November: Gill Atkins, who specialises in reciting Pam Ayers poems, gave us light moments from beginning to end. Pam and Gill are friends, first meeting while working in the administration office of the WRAF. Pam was already writing and entertaining in folk clubs and a TV show. She has an Oxfordshire accent, Gill comes from a nearby county, giving the poems an authentic sound. Poems like "I wish I'd Looked After My Teeth", "The WonderBra", "I'm Going To Kill My Husband" and "Where There's a Will (There's a Sobbing Person)" had us all chuckling away. A most enjoyable offering.

December: Mandi Miller our guest, born in Portland, Oregon, USA and a qualified Psychologist, is a seasoned entertainer, a singer, and has lived in Christchurch for over 20 years. She performs at schools, retirement villages and venues such as ours. Mandi has several backing bands each with a different style of music. Our December meeting is special in that it is a celebration of the coming Christmas. Mandi interspersed some Christmas themed songs into her repertoire — ending with "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" which we all sang along to.