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No. 2 - October 2018

 
Can you believe that we are already three months into the current Rotary, we are now looking at the monthly theme of “Economic and Community Development Month” along with the upcoming World Polio Day on the 24th October with many Clubs looking at celebrating what has been achieved to date, yes we are “This Close” but we are not quite there with the number of the Wild Polio cases reported being 18 and the Vaccine derived cases at 43.
 
Many Clubs are also undertaking fund raising events as it will cost around US$150 million per year for 3 years once there are no reported cases of polio to have eradicated the virus.
 
In Sydney on Thursday the 27th September a number of Rotarians rode the entire length of the Sydney metro rail system and raised in excess of $245,000 for the End-Polio cause.
 
Of course, we cant forget the huge effort that has gone into the Drought Relief program run by RAWCS, Channel 9 and the National Farmers Federation, in excess of $10 million has been raised. A big thank you is extended to all Rotarians and Rotary Clubs who have supported the appeal.
 
If you are considering ways to help the farmers and communities in the northern areas of Australia check out the proposal from the Caringbah Rotary to “Adopt a Town”, would make a great Club project/holiday.
 
Also, at this stage we are mindful of the situation in the north of our own District with many farmers now cutting the crops for hay rather than harvesting. Our District Committees have been very active over the past months with RYLA, Defying the Drift, Youth Exchange, NYSF all planning or conducting successful projects.
Must also pass on congratulations to Claire Holt from RC Portland Bay who has been selected by the Interplast Committee to be the Rotary D9780 Interplast Observer for 2018.
 
 
 
Read more...
 
Presidents Message
 
September’s message, Barry Rassin, RI President 2018-19
 
The world needs Rotary, and Rotary needs strong clubs and engaged members in order to do more good. It is our responsibility – yours and mine – to make sure everyone who shows an interest in joining Rotary gets an invitation. Make use of the Membership Leads tool at Rotary.org, which helps people who are interested in joining Rotary connect with a club that's right for them. And let's ensure that every member has a reason to stay. By building strong clubs that engage in meaningful projects and have fun along the way, we provide value to our club members that they cannot find anywhere else.
 
I challenge you to invite leaders of all ages, men and women, who are looking for a way to give back. By doing so, you will Be the Inspiration in your community and help Rotary continue to do good in the world.
 
What do Rotary & McDonalds have in common ?
 
This is a question I ask Rotarians when I address their meetings on public image and the importance of branding. Most respond with the obvious – that apart from both being large multi-nationals they are completely different organisa-tions with little in common. One pro-vides convenience and fast food, the other provides hope and assistance to those in need around the world.  
 
But the biggest difference, I believe, is in their approach to corporate branding. If you walk into a McDonalds store anywhere in the world you know exactly what to expect. Apart from the easily identifiable gold-en arches, and the free wifi, the shop fit-out is the same, the staff are in identi-cal uniforms, the menu is consistent, you are greeted with the same words of welcome and you are always asked “would you like fries with that” when placing your order.
 
In contrast, Rotary is much less recog-nisable. Apart from our logo – the Ro-tary wheel – we have little to identify us as an international service organisation. Rotary in each country is different. Our clubs are autonomous which means what we say, what we do and how we look differs from club to club and dis-trict to district. We meet at different venues at different times, we run our meetings differently, we carry out different projects and programs and when we are asked “What is Rotary?” we give a variety of different answers. This results in confusion and misunder-standing in the community – we look like a number of different organisations - and it is not surprising that only about 20% of the population has any reasona-ble understanding of who we are and what we do. Why is this important? Because we want people to recognise us and to understand the good we do in the world, so they will connect with us, volunteer on our projects, support us financially, and join us in membership.
 
Read more...
 
POLIO LETTER from Bob Aitken AMJP
 
Greetings friends,
 
Trust you are all rested and enjoying the service back in your respective Districts?
 
Disappointed to report ONE new WPV Polio case in Afghanistan – taking the total to 14. However, no new cases in Pakistan (4) or Nigeria leaves the world total at 18 in 2018, compared with 22 in 2017.
 
The good news is that no further cases of Vaccine derived Polio have been reported in PNG, leaving the total for this year at 12.  World wide, we have had 43 cases of vaccine derived polio, compared with 98 in 2017.
 
Please take time to read the attached weekly global update from our END POLIO NOW ambassador Jenny Horton.
 
Please note the second attachment headed Contact Details – and take time to circulate to your Rotary Clubs.
 
It is from a young Rotarian, Hardeep Girn, working with the Australian Film Institute and Screen Producers on a special documentary ‘World Made Good’ promoting Rotary’s END POLIO NOW campaign.
 
He is requesting Clubs to register their names and contact details – and to down film clips, videos, etc on their Polio fund raising activities this year.  He plans to release the documentary soon after World Polio Day and such will be available to all of our Districts and your Rotary Clubs.
Read more...
 
 
How will your club celebrate World Polio Day?
 
 
Join the Celebration
World Polio Day is 24 October!

Now’s the time to start planning your World Polio Day event. Spread the word in your community about the ongoing fight to end polio. Together, we can — and will — make history by ending polio for good. 

You can join our global celebration in many ways:
  • Hold a fundraiser. Consider making virtual reality a part of it so people can see what it’s like to vaccinate a child against polio.
  • Educate your neighbors. Talk with friends, family, and colleagues about Rotary’s work to end polio.
  • Hold a viewing party. Watch the livestream of Rotary’s World Polio Day event as a club or with another Rotary or Rotaract club.
  • Light up your city. Illuminate a local landmark with the End Polio Now logo.

No event is too big or too small. Whatever you’re planning for World Polio Day, be sure to tell usabout it.

Find resources to help you plan or promote your event at endpolio.org.   
 
 
 
 
Worlds Greatest Meal
 

My friends,

 

The graphic below tells a great story about the enormous success achieved by Susanne Rea and her team in raising funds for the eradication of polio. You have all heard of the program and you have all probably participated in one way or another.

 

With World Polio Day coming up on 24th October, this might be a good program for clubs to run. It would be greatly appreciate it if you could circulate the message to clubs with a strong recommendation that the program be adopted and implemented.

 

 
 
Clean Water and Ending Polio 
 
World Polio Day is on October 24. Polio can be spread by drinking water that is contaminated by feces from an infected person. Food washed by contaminated water is also a source of infection.
 
In recognition of World Polio Day, WASRAG is holding a contest to recognize projects that improve the quality of water and/or increase the level of awareness of the need for clean water. 
 
Two prizes of $500 each will be awarded to the Project with Most Impact and the the Most Innovative Project. Entries need to be submitted by December 1, 2018. Winners will be announced in February 2019. 
 
For contest details visit World Polio Day Competition.
 

Club flexibility 

Since the 2016 Council on Legislation, Rotary clubs have had the flexibility to choose when, where, and how clubs meet and the types of membership they offer.

5 ways to use the new flexibility

It's up to your club to decide how — and if — you want to make it more flexible. Look at the examples below to see what changes may benefit your club. After you settle on a change, remember to update your bylaws.

Here are some examples of how your club can apply the new flexible options:

  1. Change your meeting schedule. Your club can vary its meeting days, times, and frequency. For example, you could hold a traditional meeting on the first Tuesday of the month to discuss business and service projects and get together socially on the last Friday of the month. You just need to meet at least twice a month.
  2. Vary your meeting format. Your club can meet in person, online, or a combination, including letting some members attend in-person meetings through the Internet.
  3. Relax attendance requirements. Your club can ease attendance requirements and encourage members to participate in other ways, such as taking a leadership role, updating the club website regularly, running a meeting a few times a year, or planning an event. If your club is dynamic and offers a good experience for members, attendance won't be a problem.
  4. Offer multiple membership types. Your club could offer family memberships, junior memberships to young professionals, or corporate memberships. Each type of membership can have its own policies on dues, attendance, and service expectations. Rotary will count these people in your club membership and will consider them active members if they pay RI dues.
  5. Invite Rotaractors to be members of your club. You can invite Rotaractors to join your club while remaining members of their Rotaract clubs. If your club chooses to, it can make special accommodations for these members, such as relaxed attendance requirements or reduced fees, as long as they are reflected in the club bylaws.
 
 
Epiphanies in Sydney
 
The stars of Les Miserables Australia come to the Seymour Centre in Sydney to present Epiphanies – a celebration of our struggles and hopes through some of the great melodies of musical theatre!
 
Presented by Rob McDougall (Bishop of Deign/Cover Javert, Les Miserables; Mephisto, Faust), Epiphanies will present some of the greatest pieces of music from the great shows of the 20th and 21st Centuries, backed by a stunning 18 piece orchestra.
 
Kerrie Anne Greenland (Helpmann Awarded Eponine, Les Miserables; Violet, Sideshow) and Daniel Belle (The Ten Tenors; Cover Valjean, Les Miserables) perform a dazzling array of pieces from the most beloved musicals, including Phantom of the Opera, Carousel, Wicked, The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard and The Sound Of Music. Guest artists include Patrice Tipoki (Wicked, Les Miserables), Naomi Livingston (Les Miserables, Wicked), Trevor Ashley (Les Miserables, The Bodybag).
This is an event not to be missed, and you will also be supporting mental health research through Australian Rotary Health!
 
When
Saturday October 27 2pm, 7.30pm
 
 
 
The wonders of Russia from the eyes of Dr Vladimir Donskoy our recent visitor to District 9780.
 
Dr Vladimir Donskoy, co-founder of Rotary in Russia, spoke to the members and guests at recent  Rotary Club of Ballarat West meeting about… the collapse  of  the Soviet Union and traumatic transition from communism to capitalism.  There was a shortage of everything. Now things are getting far better.  However, in the 90s it was a bit like the Wild West.
 
A number of the Russian people who originally joined in 1990 joined Rotary to be able to visit or go to live in the USA. As of now, there are 127 cubs in Russia and 1,200 members. Slowly but surely Rotary in Russia is growing and is getting integrated in RI through participation in RI and TRF programmes. Rotarians in Russia undertake major projects in the community service area by providing books for orphanages and playgrounds equipment for disabled children. They also support hospices and do a plethora of other projects
 
We have many exchange students from all parts of the world on a humorous note German students are sent for correctional reasons.
Read more...
 
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
 
CAPTURE THE MOMENT click here  Rotary President Barry Rassin: 2019 Rotary Convention Invite
 
 

Join Rotary President Barry Rassin at the 110th Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany, 1-5 June 2019. The historic port city of Hamburg offers something for everyone. Germans call it “The Gateway to the World” — and the 2019 convention will be your gateway to the world of Rotary. At the convention, you’ll connect with people of action from across the globe while learning the latest news and strategies for keeping clubs strong.

As a leader you can make a difference in Rotarian attendance at the Rotary Convention. Now’s the time to extend a personal invitation to your members, encouraging them to attend the convention, make new friends, and experience the fun.

Join your Rotary friends in Hamburg at the 2019 Rotary Convention where together, we’ll Capture the Moment.  To Register

 
 

District 9780 Foundation Fundraising Chair 2018-19

PP Val McGlashan (Naracoorte RC) has formally taken over the role of District 9780 Foundation Fund Raising Chair. Val will now deal with all individual and club contributions including Centurion contributions to our Foundation as of 23rd August 2018.

Contributions shall now be sent to:

 

PP Val McGlashan

35 FOSTER Street

NARACOORTE 5271, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Updated D9780 Contribution forms with Val’s contact details are available at District 9780 Web site:  click here  

Val can be contacted by email: fynecottage@rbm.com.au or via cel phone; 0408 840 925.

 

I will still deal with Paul Harris Society membership development and contributions for D9780.

I wish Val all the best for her new challenges in her Rotary journey.

PP Peter B. Simons

Past District 9780 Foundation Fundraising Chair 2017-18

 

 
 
 
 
 
Search for a Rotary Observer for an Interplast program
 
We are searching for a Rotarian from our District to be an observer on an Interplast program. Our committee has been successful in raising enough funds over the last two years to sponsor not only an observer, but also to fund a program - to the Solomons next month.
 
The Position of Rotary Observer involves visiting a Pacific Island with an Interplast team for a week during a program, and observing how the team not only does compassionate surgery, but teaches surgical, anaesthetic, nursing etc skills to the local team.
 
The successful applicant will be expected to promote Interplast within the District on their return. Information is available from me, from the web or from previous successful observers throughout the District;
  • Alan Richardson (The Rotary Club of Mount Gambier: Rabaul 1999),
  • PDG Kel Hobby (Ballarat West, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan 2004)
  • Amanda Hough (Torquay Balikpapan 2007),
  • Kathryn O’Connor (Belmont, Tonga 2012),
  • John Richmond (Ballarat West, Fiji 2014),
  • Barbara Pipkorn, Ballarat South, Solomons 2016).
 
The guidelines and application form are attached to this note. Could you please bring this marvellous opportunity to the attention of your members?
 
John Oswald
Chairman Interplast Committee Rotary District 9780
0418 508 219
 
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