JUNE 2018 – DISTRICT GOVERNOR’S NEWSLETTER

JUNE is Rotary Fellowship month – As the days get shorter and cooler, what better time than to have some fun Club fellowship – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Club organised outings to the movies or a show, After 5 drinks, or just an evening around a roaring open fire (does anyone still have these?).  Rotary is part of our leisure time so it is important to remember that if we are not having FUN, then why do we belong to Rotary?  It is through fellowship that we get to know one another better and to enjoy doing things together.

 

Due to a family bereavement, I asked District Governor Elect Graham Jull to write last month’s District Governor report, thank you, Graham. This was a great opportunity for Graham to inform you about the 2018-2019 Rotary theme "Be the Inspiration".

 

DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2018 - “Journeys Making a Difference”

 

Our District’s annual ‘event’ was the opportunity to share ideas, be challenged, informed and inspired by all the Guest Speakers – Grainne Moss “Swimming with the Sharks”, the 2013 Group Study Exchange team “Five Years On”, Celeste Mergens (Days for Girls) “Pathways to Dignity”, Robbie Francis “My Journey with Rotary”, Jasmine Cox “Voyage Extraordinaire” and Annabelle White “What I wish my Rotarian father had told me at 18” along with our own Rotarians Michelle Tanner “Polio Eradication Update” and Ian Dykes “Taupo Cycle Challenge Many & Varied Journeys” and our Rotary International Exchange.  It was also a great opportunity to enjoy the fellowship of Rotary.

 

 

Following Michelle’s Polio update we were delighted to surprise her with the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World, presented by Rotary International President’s representative Basker Chockalingam on behalf of The Rotary Foundation Trustees.  This award is in recognition of Michelle’s significant active personal service contributions towards the goal of polio eradication and is awarded annually to no more than 60 recipients per year.  Congratulations Michelle for the efforts that you continue to give to this significant Rotary program.

 

The Saturday night theme “A Night at the Oscars” certainly challenged Clubs to think outside the box and I congratulate the combined Whakatane & Whakatane West Clubs for taking out an “Oscar” and the coveted Best Costumes trophy.  Cambridge also won an “Oscar” as runners up in the contest.  Congratulations to all for making it a FUN evening.

 

Thanks to Greening Taupo and the rain holding off, we saw many of the conference attendees don their gumboots, gloves and wet-weather gear to plant 2000 trees in less than an hour!  This achieved in one event Rotary International President Ian Riseley’s theme to Plant a Tree for each Rotarian in our Clubs.  I was also pleased to present a cheque for $1310 to Greening Taupo from contributions Conference attendees made to ‘buy a tree’. Well done.

 

I have received a number of positive feedbacks from both first time attendees and to those who have attended a number of conferences.  A small sample:

 

It was no small effort putting this weekend together over the past two years and I especially want to thank my Conference Committee, Chaired by David Hulme (Rotary Matamata).  We achieved what we set out to do, to make the Conference accessible, affordable, entertaining, informative and fun.  THANK YOU for attending.  Without your participation, this fantastic event of our Rotary year would not have been the success it was.

 

As this Rotary year draws to a close I wish to express my sincere thanks to you all for your commitment to Rotary.  Your hospitality during Club visits was very much appreciated by Lindsay & I and I am overwhelmed by the projects and activities being carried out in this District to Make a Difference to someone’s life, to your community and throughout the world.

 

Thank you for your continued support and ensuring Rotary is Making a Difference.