Inner Wheel

Inner Wheel
Madras South- 50 Years of Golden Service

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Lexiphile- A Word to Know- Part of Inner Wheel Knowledge Bytes Series from Inner Wheel Members

Thanks to Rooma Bhaumik for sending this across



"Lexiphile" is a word used to describe those that have love for words, like: you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish, or:
 
To write with a broken pencil is . . . pointless.

When fish are in schools, they sometimes . . . take debate.

A thief who stole a calendar . .. . got twelve months.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles , . . . U.C.L.A.

The batteries were given out . . . free of charge.

A dentist and a manicurist married. . . . They fought tooth and nail.

A will is a . . . dead giveaway.

With her marriage, she got a new name . . .  and a dress.

A boiled egg is . . . hard to beat.

When you've seen one shopping center . . . you've seen a mall.

Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was . . . resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? . . . He's all right now.

A bicycle can't stand alone; . . . it is two tired.

When a clock is hungry . . . it goes back four seconds

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine . . . was fully recovered.

He had a photographic memory . . . which was never developed.

Those who get too big for their britches will be .  .  .  exposed in the end.

When she saw her first strands of gray hair, . . . she thought she'd dye.

Acupuncture: . . . a jab well done.

Sunday, 2 February 2014

Eco-Fun Trip of Home of Hope Children to Vandalur Zoo...a day with Nature's best creations

A day planned to take 30+ children to Vandalur Zoo as a joint project between Rotary Club of Madras South and Inner Wheel Club of Madras South was successfully executed with support from Volunteers of Sevai Karangal.

Children reached the venue by sharp 9 am on 2 Feb 2014, along with the founder of Home of Hope Mr Dominic and other volunteers lead by Thilak, Raghu, and Uma.  We were joined by Nandan, Padmasree, Devi, Sasirekha and Vadivel along with Sudhir Oberoi and his wife Lovely Oberoi.  The crowds were just starting to come in and we were lucky to get two carts to go around the 1400 acres of green lush grounds with variety of animals to watch.  The digital boards exhibition at the entrance was a sure welcoming thing for children to create the enthusiasm to start with. After a fulfilling breakfast, children enjoyed the ride into the forest.  Watching various species of birds and animals, including tigers, white tigers, lions, leopard, bears, elephants, giraffe, zebras, gorillas, reptiles, birds and turtles and many more, children were truly excited.   After the beautiful ride and walk for close to 2 hours, kids got into a Lion Safari and Deer Safari and they enjoyed watching Lions and Lionesses closely.   Animals were kind enough to pose for our pictures as well.

Then kids were let to play in the playground with swings, ladders and trees for close to an hour before they headed to a happy meal organised by volunteers.  Children expressed their gratitude and thanks for a wonderful day to us and extended the same to Rotary Club of Madras South and Inner Wheel Club of Madras South being their sponsors for the day.  They also hugged Thilak for organising so well, that we never felt tired of walking around or being on rides on a sunny day.

After providing them with a can of cool drinks, children helped us clean the place we used proving that they are very disciplined and taught to be waste warriors.. and then planned our way back to the city with full of memories and loads of happiness.   Thanks to the last minute volunteers who jumped into action to help us manage the day and Thanks to Rotary and Inner Wheel for sponsoring such a beautiful project.   We spent close to 6 hours together and children invited us to their Home of Hope in Tiruninravur.  Glad we were able to compensate to these children who missed to be part of our Malazhalai Oli project due to logistics constraints.  

Pictures of the day:  @Vandalur Zoo 2.2.2014, with Home of Hope Children


HOH children after breakfast ready for the zoo

Thilak Explaining the digital boards info in the Museum

Seal with Zeal posing for us


Wonderful watching White Tigers...They were really looking Royal

Curios kids at the Reptiles zones

We saw the elephants playing

Lion tailed ancestor

Team of volunteers who jumped into action with just one call

Happy Kids at the end of the rides and play area


Food at the end of a tiring day....delicious and homely food



Biding the zoo a happy farewell..

Saturday, 25 January 2014

Tributes to May George - Grand Old Lady of Our Club- Charter Member and Tamil Nadu First Lady Civil Engineer

A Tribute to May from our hearts



As we saw her in her final sleep
A Sense of achievement was in her calmness
Many steps and paths that she crossed in leap
Making things in her stride and peace

She slept quietly after an untiring journey
Untiring because she did it with all passion and grace
A feeling of love and warmth in her eternity
Always the smiles that did not leave her face

As we bid adieu to our grand old lady of our Club
We remember her baby steps she took till the last
To join us and cherish being with us like a little cub
A year of Golden jubilee where she joined went off fast

Though our generations were different and far
She inspired both old and young alike
We could not hear her technical sessions or classes
But we heard about her achievements galore

Engineering in early days was a man’s domain
She broke the glass ceiling proving her herself there again
Not just  being the first few engineers of the State
But becoming the 1st Lady Civil Engineer with grace

In harmony and peace, she believed in herself
And more in the strength of the Lord guiding her
She gave back to the society in every way possible
Making her life remain in fulfillment and graceful

Thank you dear old grand mother of Madras South
We children of the club you all started will be proud
For you left behind us a heritage to continue
And paths that we would thread endearingly for long

May you Rest in Peace dear May George
We are happy you are now resting in HIS hands
Happily holding hands with your husband again
And far away from human choices and pain


Thank you and we bid adieu dear May!


About May George


Rotarian CV George
·    May George was the Charter member of Inner Wheel Club of Madras South since 1963.  She also served the club as Charter ISO and as President during  1967- 1968.    52 years of unremitting willingness to continue with us as a strong pillar for Inner Wheel club of Madras South shows the determination and warmth of a person we cherished amidst us till today, 25th Jan 2014, when she was called to be in the God’s kingdom of Peace.   May George was the 1st Lady Civil Engineer in Tamil Nadu and built  2 Cottages for leprosy affected people in Madhavaram as our club project way back in 1965.       Mrs. May George was the first woman Chief Engineer in Madras, Tamil Nadu.         Mrs. May George, wife of PDG C V George passed away on 25th Jan 2013 at the age of 89 and led an active life till recently.         May George  was with the club during the installation of the Golden Jubliee Year in July  2012 and also during the Golden Jubliee Celebrations held on 29th Jan 2013.

May George

"My women are my source of strength. When I see them fighting a deadly virus everyday with a smile, I feel inspired. I know I have to go on, just to ensure their welfare."
 The first woman chief engineer of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (she retired in 1983), 81 year-old May George has always bucked convention. Hailed as 'a people's technocrat' for her low-cost housing designs, she defied contractors and threw in her lot on the side of the poor. From 1963 to 1969, George served as principal at the Polytechnic College for Women in Chennai, which taught her the importance of vocational training. In 1991, she opened a short-stay home and vocational training centre for needy women, most of whom are HIV positive. Zonta Resource Centre, in Pallavaram in Chennai, is run by Zonta International, a not-for-profit organisation based in Chicago. In 2003, George built another home in Madambakkam in Chennai with funds from Amaidhi Foundation, a Dutch philanthropic foundation. The home has been vandalised by people who don't want HIV-infected people in their neighbourhood - George is standing firm.


- Vidya Venkat

Featured in Harmony Magazine
February 2007


 Few Moments to Cherish ....