Getting their hands dirty, learning new kitchen tricks from the Masterchef finalist, Vanessa Baxter, for a great cause thanks to Auckland City Rotaract.
On August 12th, the Cooking Class attendees turned out to enjoy getting their hands dirty, learning new kitchen tricks from the Masterchef finalist, Vanessa Baxter. Initially, the class was mistaken to be a Cooking demonstration, so people came in relaxed. The mood soon changed after the Fearless Kitchen goddess hyped up the room, challenging everyone to try cooking something new.
 
The goal was to get support for our Rotary year project, but we also wanted the people supporting us to get something out of it. Through this experience, we have seen the importance of Rotary in so many ways. We consider ourselves lucky, having the exposure and opportunity to create meaningful connections because through Rotary, we met Vanessa and the clubs themselves never cease to support us in achieving our club goals. True to this, among other attendees we had representatives from the Rotary clubs of Downtown, St Johns, Auckland Harbourside and Auckland City participating in the Cooking Class.
 
The Rotaract Club of Auckland City (some members pictured left) is proud to say the event was a success with $1610 raised from ticket sales and we hope all the participants enjoyed it as much as we did. None of this would have been possible without Vanessa’s expertise and everyone’s willingness to make a difference to the Fiji community.
 
OUR WHY….
 
The Rotaract Club of Auckland City is working together with the Rotaract Clubs of Suva and Nadi New Horizons (Fiji) on a massive project to build a school library.
 
Saint Francis College in Rakiraki is one of the many schools that was left in ruins after the costliest tropical cyclone in the South Pacific (Winston,2016). Due to the loss of infrastructure which included their staff quarters, a classroom and a science lab, the school currently doesn’t have storage space for the few books they have.  As Rotaractors, we believe these kids deserve the gift of literacy and so we have decided to build them a library and equip it with the relevant educational material they need. We are aware of the enormity of this project, but we are confident that we can accomplish our goal and make a difference to this small community.  Fiji library illustration pictured here in food.
 
So, we thank you now, the Saint Francis College and Naivuibitu children will thank you this time next year!
 
-  Rumbie Muzawazi, Community Services Officer, Rotaract Club of Auckland City