STUTTERHEIM– THE LAST
Stutterheim and the surrounding area have a new state vet. Ayla Rose Newmarch was born on June 23 1993 and calls Marondera in Zimbabwe home. She is completing her community service year after obtaining her degree in the veterinary sciences at Onderstepoort.
Ayla chose Stutterheim for a number of reasons, the first and most important being our proximity to the Hogsback and the snow which falls on those slopes every now and then.
Secondly, being Zimbabwean, Ayla doesn’t speak Afrikaans, Xhosa, Sotho or any other South African language and so she requested a posting where she would be able to communicate with her clients. She assures us that she can still speak “woof, meow and neigh!”
Instead of going home after completing her studies, Ayla wanted to have the experience of being a rural vet with the added benefit of having a job straight after varsity.
Asked what she most likes about Stutt, she says the forests and mountains are her highlights. She loves running in the forest and being so close to so many bird species.
If the snow reference did not give you a heads-up, she also loves our cold winter weather. Something special about Stutt is the community, she says.
A while ago, she treated a horse in the outlying areas of the community and, upon leaving, forgot her stethoscope on the pole outside the homestead. She was already nearly home when she received a call from the woman she was helping who said, “Doc, you left your listening-thingy here!”
Ayla lives by a quote she heard at her graduation, “Saving one animal may not change the world, but it will surely change the world for one animal.”
Stutt cricket team played against Stirling Old Boys on Saturday, a match they will not want to repeat. Stirling scored
140 all out with Josh Manthe taking four wickets, but the wheels came off when Stutt stepped up to bat and they scored 88 all out.
Saturday the 56th annual Round Table 103 induction dinner was held at the country club. The Tablers, guests and
41ers all dressed up to the nines in their finest evening-wear and the women, in particular, were most elegant. Peter Featherstone presented his outgoing chairman’s speech, highlighting the year’s events and thanking the Tablers and the Legs (wives and partners) for their ongoing support.
The 2019/20 committee is Ryan Daniel (chairman); Wynand Botha (vice-chairman); Jotham Stone (IRPRO); Kyle Blom (treasurer); Rohan Lombard (clubhouse) and Travis Scholes (secretary). The honorary members, selected by Ryan Daniel, for the upcoming year are Mark Daniel and Lyle Mundell – men who are both very familiar with Round Table as they have a long-standing history with the organisation. Grant le Roux and Damian Strydom were inducted as the two newest Tablers.
Travis Scholes was awarded the prestigious title of Round Table 103 Tabler of the Year for his dedication and outstanding contribution to Round Table. The 41ers welcomed three new members into their ranks - Gareth Pickering, Peter Featherstone and Wessie van Deventer. The evening was a great success and highlighted the integral contribution that this long-standing organisation makes to the community and further afield.