banner
District 9705 - March 2021 Newsletter
District Governor's Message
Celebrating 50 Years of the Rotary Club of Coolamon
 
The Bathurst District Conference (from the evening of 19 March  to lunch time Sunday 21 March) is shaping up to work well as the first Conference for District 9705. The line of speakers is outstanding and numbers of participants have been growing. Don’t miss out. There is no cost for the conference, but attendees are asked to contribute to the food that is provided. Registration is easy – simply follow this link to “Klick the Tyre”. More information is on the District website.
 
The following week is the Aussie Peace Walk in Canberra. Has your club (or group of clubs) put together a team to participate?
 
Most of you are now aware of the Children’s Medical Emergency Fund. The most recent request went beyond the resources of the fund and both the Belconnen and Hall Clubs came to the rescue with a very generous donation of $2000 each. Requests to this fund are made by Rotarians and others who are looking to support families of children undergoing medical treatment well away from their homes. Details for donations may be found on the 9705 District website.
 
The District 9705 Facebook is alive and well. Have you joined? Rtn Matthew Winnett is doing a great job on keeping it up to date. It would be so much more lively if your clubs were pasting activities. It would also give ideas to clubs across the District for community contributions and other ideas to “do good in the World”. You can see the celebrations of the Coolamon 50th Anniversary Celebrations  as well as young Rotarians (along with the young at heart) from the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga Murrumbidgee at their ‘Hats off for Mental Health’ Trivia Night.
 
Hats off for Mental Health at the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga Murrumbidgee (whose members are committed to “changing the world – one beer at a time”
 
Mar 11 - DG Andy Rajapakse to Speak in Membership Forum
On Thursday March 11th, 2021 at 6:00pm, DG Andy Rajapakse,  will be giving a talk via Zoom videoconferencing as a guest speaker at the District 9705 Membership Seminar Series. The talk is open to all Rotarians, Rotaractors and interested members of the public.  Click on the blue button.
 
District Governor Andy is a champion in forming new style clubs to attract Generation Z, Millennials, and women to Rotary. His District 9640 has been the only positive membership growth district in Australia for the last 3 consecutive years and home to the highest percentage of women (36%) and under 40’s (8%) in Zone 8. As the current District Governor, he has led District 9640 to attract 183 new members since 1st July 2020 right through the Covid19 pandemic and recorded a +102, net growth on 31 st Dec.
Read more...
Youth Exchange Weekend
As the District 9705 Youth Exchange Committee completed training 12 lovely young Australian students in 2019 preparing them for their 12-month long term exchange overseas none of us could have predicted what 2020 was going to throw at all of us!  
 
The weekend of 6th -7th February 2021 enabled all the Outbound students and parents to come together for a Debrief and Celebratory weekend.  They shared their experiences and how they coped and handled situations no student every had had to cope before.  They all showed remarkable courage, resilience, problem solving and kept their sense of fun.
Read more...
Area 1 Nonagenarian
Meet Dr Bernard (Bernie) Huxtable
 
On his travels across NSW visiting Area 1 Rotary Clubs, Doug Kinlyside (Rotary District 9705 Area Governor Area 1), made an unexpected and delightful discovery,  the number of nonagenarian Rotarians (members in their 90’s) that are still active in Clubs today. 
 
Doug believes the lengthy service of these members should be recognized and celebrated in our District.  With this in mind, last year Doug asked Clubs who have nonagenarian members to prepare a brief background on each of them using the guidelines below.   
 
This month we share the story of Dr Bernard (Bernie) Huxtable from Orange.
 
If you have an nonagenarian in your Club that would like to share their story please send through to newsletter9705@gmail.com. Thanks Doug and Bernie for this wonderful story. 
Read more...
Operation Cleft
Rotary has driven over 14,500 free cleft palate operations across Bangladesh in the last 15 years, by highly trained local doctors.  Training of local doctors is an important aspect of Operation Cleft.  
 
Clefts are repaired routinely in Australia but left untreated, children are unable to speak or eat properly and may start going deaf at around 12 years due to middle ear infections.  Children are often ostracised, experience social isolation and depression, and are not welcome at school.
 
A $350 tax exemption donation covers one operation and changes a child's life permanently.
 
If you or your club would like to know more, please get in touch with Rosemary Castle.  Rosemary is the District Ambassador for Operation Cleft, working on behalf of Box Hill Central Rotary Club which began and remains very involved with this work. She is more than happy to speak to any club anywhere in our District, either in person if you are meeting again or via zoom.  And if you know of other community groups who may like a speaker, please contact Rosemary 0431370859 or (02) 62887243 rosemarycastle@hotmail.com
 
 
There is also more information at https://www.operationcleft.org.au/ 
Early Morning Centre - Canberra
RCC MEDIA STATEMENT
Rotary recognises the work of the Early Morning Centre in support of Canberra's homeless
 
The Rotary Club of Canberra was briefed on Monday 15 February on the work and plans of the Early Morning Centre (EMC), located on Northbourne Avenue in Civic, in support of Canberra's homeless (and those at risk of homelessness).
 
The Rotarians were extremely impressed and presented Nicole Wiggins and her staff with a Rotary Vocational Service award certificate and Nicole, personally, was awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
Read more...
District Conference - Ian Redpath Bathurst Tours
For those Rotarians and Partners who are visiting Bathurst for the District Conference on 20 and 21 March, some of you may be interested in going on a tour of Bathurst with a knowledgeable guide.
 
Area Governor Doug Kinlyside has been in touch with Ian Redpath of Bathurst Tours. He has only limited capacity for the weekend due to many other prebooked tours.
 
However, Ian agreed that he will do his best to arrange some tours on the Saturday morning/ Saturday Afternoon of 20 March or even Sunday Morning if there is enough interest.
 
Contact Details
Ian Redpath
Bathurst Tours
Mobile: 0419 777 950
 
Please contact Ian direct if you wish to go on a tour.
 
Rotary Photo Competition and Exhibition
 This is your opportunity to showcase your photographic skills and be in the running for...
$ 3,500 in Prize Money!  
    So get cracking. Set yourself a challenge and take some photos , or go and find up to four of your greatest images and enter the competition.
  March 1st 2021  Entries OPEN
April 30th 2021  Entries will CLOSE 
May 7th 2021  Photos will be displayed to the Public in a gala cocktail party with winners announced
Click here to get more details
Five Peaks Challenge
18 April 2021 - Register NOW
 

Woden Rotary Club conducts this non-competitive cyclo-sportive event as a fund raiser.

It provides a great challenge to ride the six peaks of Canberra – Mount Stromlo, Red Hill, Mount Pleasant, Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain and Dairy Farmers Hill (in the Arboretum).

It has been named 'Five Peaks Challenge' since its inception in 2004, but since 2015, when Dairy Farmers Hill (in the Arboretum) was added, it has six peaks for you - a 20% bonus.

Read more...
ClubRunner Mobile
"Service Above Self"
Help us put an end to polio today.