Junior sailing club meeting on horizon

 

JULIA WADE

Setting sail on Mangawhai’s estuary has received  a  loud  ‘ahoy!’,  with a high level of interest registered at a recent successful meeting aimed at getting local kids tacking over local waters. 

Held at Mangawhai Boating & Fishing Club on  May  18  by  members of  Maungaturoto Rotary Club (MRC), discussions covered  the establishment of the Rotary Junior Sailing Club as well as the formation of a satellite Rotary Club in Mangawhai, spokesperson and organiser of the recent sand sculpture competition,  Dennis  Emsley says. 

“There was a great turnout, been a great deal of interest in both projects,” he says. “A public meeting  will  be  held  later in June which will be the inaugural meeting of the newly-formed  Rotary  Junior Sailing Club. This will be an open-style forum, question and answer session, and all attendees will  be  updated  on  the progress to date of the new club. New members and any interested parties are most welcome to attend.”

Initiated by MRC after member and enthusiastic sailor Graham Carbery noticed the lack of sails in Mangawhai’s estuary, the junior sailing club is an ongoing Rotary Club project and aims to teach 10-17-year-olds how to  sail  small  Starling  and Optimist dinghies for a small fee. Training sessions, which will initially be land-based until students are deemed confident enough to take to the water, begin in September  and  will  be  fully-supervised with professional tutor Wayne McLellen. 

For over 100 years, members  of  international networking organisation Rotary  have  dedicated their time to work on sustainable projects such as providing clean water, literacy, family support and promoting  peace,  with helping to eradicate polio being one of the agencies biggest projects to date

As well as supporting individuals and community groups, Emsley says Rotary also opens doors to many opportunities and  wider  networking platforms locally, nationally  and  internationally for anyone in business. “Rotary offers various training schemes such as leadership skills and confidence, mentoring and Rotary exchange programs between various counties,” he says. “Members can commit to as little or as much time as best suits them, and there are a great variety of  projects undertaken by Rotary such as the junior sailing club. If this interests you, please contact me.”

The public meeting for the newly-formed Rotary Junior Sailing Club is to be held at Mangawhai Boating & Fishing Club, Tuesday June 22, 7pm. Interested in becoming a Rotarian or like more information? Contact Dennis Emsley on 021 0808 7933 or dennisemsley47@gmail. com.

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