District Governor’s Message – December
As the year draws to a close the world continues to be in the grip of the pandemic
Jock McIntyre joined Rotary on the 2nd of Dec 1970 – Jock has completed 50 yrs of service above self, including his latest commitment as “Puddingman” or “Santa Pud Jock”.As one of those “Baby Boomers” born in the mid-forties, I have formed part of that large group of people who are an embarrassment to all of those who are not baby boomers.
Probably one of the most embarrassing subjects for politicians through the years has been old age and superannuation, a subject which has been addressed (badly) by successive governments as well as those who thought they had a right to govern.
On the heels of World Polio Day, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) unveiled major developments this month to tackle the threat posed by polio. UNICEF and WHO issued an emergency call to halt outbreaks and vaccinate millions of children left unprotected against measles and polio during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, in my district has held an annual fundraiser every summer, selling donated items during a live auction the first weekend in August. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the club, like many others, faced a problem:
How can a club hold a fundraiser during the pandemic, when traditional sponsors are facing economic hardship, community members have little extra to share, and social distancing alters the rules of what is possible?
During a typical year, the club stores donated items – furniture, boats, cars, bric-a-brac, tools, and books –
Rotary Give Every Child A Future, is Rotary Australasia’s centennial project to introduce three vaccines into nine Pacific Island countries.
It has just reached a significant milestone with the approval of NINE Global Grants by The Rotary Foundation.
These grants, one for each country for the first year of the project, have a combined value of US$1.3 million.
Global grants are made up of Rotary club fundraising and Rotary District Designated Funds which are then matched by The Rotary Foundation’s World Fund.
Over 400 tickets were sold on Ladies Night at Mitre 10 Mega recently. Ladies Night is an institution in Napier with over 500 ladies attending this year. The aim of the night is for women to improve their confidence levels and make DIY seem less intimidating.Rotary Ahuriri sells tickets for a brand new registered tip trailer filled with $1,000.00 worth of groceries with a ticket price of just $2.
This year Ahuriri has printed 9,000 tickets and is well in front of their sales target to date.
An online presence is now more important than ever. Not only has Covid-19 changed the way we communicate,
but it has also opened a new door to increase visibility for your Club and how you are connecting with your communities. CLICK HERE....
District Governor Grant Spackman is pleased to announce that Ken Smith has been appointed as the Chair of the District 9930 Rotary Foundation committee replacing David Campbell who resigned recently.Ken comes into the role with a wealth of experience having served on the committee for more than ten years. During this time he has been the Foundation Administrator and Chaired both the Paul Harris Society and Endowments/Major Gifts sub-committees.
In addition to being a Major Donor, Ken’s knowledge and passion for The Rotary Foundation will ensure that our District is well represented in all matters relating to the Foundation.
Thanks.
Lockdowns, social distancing measures, and self-quarantines have become a familiar part of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as a second wave of the virus threatens countries around the world.These measures can keep us safer, but also create feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
We asked experts for advice on coping with these pandemic-related stresses and asked Rotary clubs what they are doing to help in their communities. Read more
There was much excitement and many tears when we said farewell to 18 month old Vincent who returned to his home in the Solomon Islands at the end of October.
Vincent arrived in Canberra as a 2-month old baby, accompanied by his mother, Cosinta, in July 2019 requiring urgent surgery to connect his oesophagus to his stomach. He was being fed through a canula into his stomach.
It was expected that he would be in Australia for around 6-8 months.
As part of our alliance with Toastmasters International, we’re offering a series of leadership and communication courses to Rotary and Rotaract members.The first two courses, now available in multiple languages in the Learning Center, discuss fundamental leadership skills like motivation, integrity, and team inclusiveness. You’ll also discover how ethics, decision making, goal setting, and delegating help you develop the skills necessary to lead a team effectively.
Watch this video to learn how to find the courses in the Learning Center and how to get the most out of them.
CLICK ON VIDEO ABOVE
“Rotary opens opportunities” as seen here. The Taradale Rotary Club has been helping in the community once again and over a number of weeks, Club members have rallied around gathering preloved curtains to support the local Red Cross Curtain Bank.
President Claire Connor and members of the Taradale Rotary Club collated around 40 used, nearly new and pre-loved sets of curtains and donated them to the Red Cross Curtain Bank depot in Onekawa. Curtains were gathered from
their own homes; from family and friends; and even found some sets of curtains that had been stashed away (for a rainy day)!!!!
‘MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION’ The Current Situation …….The long-term trend across all Districts in Australia and NZ and much of the developed world is about 4% membership loss per year, but what would it take for us to have a net increase each year, rather than a decline?
Reasons for Leaving?
Rotary International survey data shows that the main reasons people leave are: · For members under 40 - life-changing event (work, move, relationships, children), club environment, cost or time constraint.
Nick and Maria Dangerfield and Roger and Ester Mark were very smart looking couples.There were a number of ladies looking very swish although Jill Kitchen stands out in my mind in her outfit of Rotary colours of blue and gold.
There were 3 sweeps run - $5, $2 and $1. Jill Kitchen and Ester Mark were winners with Jock McIntyre, Roger Mark and Peter Washer 2nd. Jill Kitchen, Roger Miller and Rob Thompson all came in 3rd. I forgot to write down who had picked the winner in the $2 sweep and nobody claimed it so that money will go towards Polio Plus.
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