Our meeting on Thursday 14 May at the Windross Farm Golf Club was a resounding success, filled with excellent company, great insights, and deep local connections. While our President was unable to attend, the club was left in the incredibly capable hands of our fellow Rotarians, who gave our guest speakers a wonderfully warm Papakura welcome.
We were delighted to host Emma Chatterton, the recently selected National Party Candidate for the Papakura electorate, alongside Claire Schoeller, Senior MP Advisor, who introduced Emma to the club.
A Strong Local Connection
If you happened to notice a heavily sign-written car prominently parked in the Golf Club carpark, you knew we were in for an interesting evening! Emma proved to be a fantastic, highly relatable speaker who made a genuine effort to chat with all the Rotarians in the room.
At just 36 years old, Emma has packed an incredible amount of experience into her career. She shared her deep roots in the region, noting that four generations of her family have lived, worked, and farmed in the Counties-Manukau area. She also mentioned that her family plans to relocate back to the area permanently if she is successful in the upcoming election.
Generational Ripples & Rotary Impact
One of the most touching highlights of the night was the discovery of generational ties to our very own club. Claire Schoeller was thrilled to spot her grandfather’s name on our President’s Board for the 1952–53 year, fondly recalling his budgeting community work in the 1960s and attending "grandchildren’s nights" on O’Shannessey Street.
Furthermore, Emma revealed that her own mother had been a Rotary Impact Scholar—an opportunity that fostered her musical talents and passed a legacy of success down to Emma. It was a proud moment for our members, beautifully illustrating how the work of Rotary ripples through generations. This was a timely reminder of the enduring legacy of our own club, where stalwart members like George, Bernie, Warren and Lloyd have been actively serving the Papakura community for nearly 50 years.
A Taste of Education Reform
With a professional background in teaching and social investment, Emma currently serves as a senior advisor to Education Minister Erica Stanford. She provided our members with an exclusive, insightful "taste" of the major education sector changes that were officially announced in the days following our meeting, focusing on building a bright future for our children and grandchildren.
Looking Ahead
Emma is incredibly keen to learn more about the active community organisations making a difference in Papakura. We are delighted to report that she thoroughly enjoyed our hospitality and has already been officially locked in to participate in the upcoming Santa Parade!
A massive thank you to Alan and George for doing the introductions, and to Lloyd, Bernie, Donna, and everyone else who made our guests feel so welcome. It was an inspiring evening that showcased the very best of Papakura Rotary.