District 9705 - August 2020 Newsletter (Aug 03, 2020)

District Governor's Message

Bikers from Leeton - DG Michael Moore and Helen with Leeton Central President Lionel Weston

The first couple of months of this year have been an important time for me to get to know clubs and so many more Rotarians. At this stage I have managed to reach about a quarter of the clubs in District 9705 - mostly by Zoom. I am looking forward to meeting other clubs and to the time that I can get out and about for face to face meetings.

Helen and I did have the pleasure of delivering a number of Banners that are specifically for clubs for District 9705 to a range of towns west of Canberra. As part of the process we were able to join the "bikers" evening changeover for Central Leeton and had a wonderful evening. A special thanks to outgoing club president Jackie Kruger and incoming president Lionel Weston. We were also able to meet other presidents in places like Murrumburrah-Harden, Temora, Junee, Wagga Wagga, Lake Cargelligo, Condobolin, Forbes, Parkes, Orange and Bathurst. It was a terrific opportunity to catch up with incoming board members and presidents on a one to one basis. A special thanks to those people who accepted a number of banners and are now in the process of distributing them.

We were also able to attend a couple of face to face meetings in Canberra including the Changeover for Aurora Gungahlin and meetings of Canberra East Rotary Club and Canberra Sunrise. Whether at the meetings or at these changeovers, Helen and I keep being outstanded at just how many programs are being taken on by Rotarians across the district. There are local projects, national and international. And at the same time it is clear that Rotarians are enjoying themselves while they are working to make a better world.

I have also been pleased at the way clubs have accepted the four requests that were made of clubs by International President Holger Knaack:

Explore new and innovative club models
Each club to have a least one Strategic meeting each year
Ensure new members are a good fit
Support End Polio Now
- (as of 5 August cases remain steady at 87 this year - in Afghanistan and Pakistan)

Out teams are all working hard to complete the transition from 9700 and 9710 to 9705 and their efforts are really appreciated. There have been considerable challenges but prior planning, commitment and knowledge have assisted in minimising the disruption. A special thanks for this goes to the leadership displayed by PDG Steve Hill and PDG George Weston over a sustained period along with an array of other experienced Rotarians.

Finally, as much as I am keen to visit as many clubs as possible, it is important to remind you all that the official visit (with all that it entails) is carried out initially in the new district 9705 by the Area Governors. I will discuss the outcomes and the reports they prepare before being submitted to Rotary International. However, this different process is part of the way that a more innovative approach has been proposed in the new District.

I am enjoying the role of District Governor, I appreciate the support that so many have provided and I really appreciate the warm welcome that has been extended by so many Rotarians.

Michael

Meet the Area 1 Governor

Doug Kinlyside

Doug has been a member of the Rotary Club of Bathurst Daybreak since 2006. He has held the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Administration Director over that time. He was very much involved on the committees of two major Club events being the annual Blayney to Bathurst Cyclosportif and the annual Bathurst Carillon Business Awards. He especially enjoys leaning more about Rotary, by attending District Training and District Conferences. Since 1 July, Doug is relishing in his new role of Area Governor, visiting and talking with Clubs from Lake Cargelligo to Oberon in Area 1.

Meet the Area 4 Governor

Philip Byrne

Phil joined the Rotary Club of Canberra in 2005 and immediately became involved in Rotary Adventure in Citizenship which he has Chaired twice and been on the organising committee every year. He served on the Club Board for many years being Secretary, International Director, Club Service Director and President and was Assistant Governor for the past two years. The most fun he has had in Rotary was with a Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) trip to Tonga in 2015 with the Rotary Club of Jerrabomberra. He looks forward to more RAWCS involvement in the future.

Meet the Area 5 Governor

Andrea Grosvenor

Andrea is a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Queanbeyan. She was an Assistant Governor in District 9710 for the past two years, looking after the clubs in southern Canberra. Andrea is deeply involved in Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM). She has just taken up the role of RAM Eastern Region Supervisor and is coordinator of the ‘RAM Champions’ for D9705. She is very keen to promote the work of RAM to clubs across the District.

Bushfire Recovery Update

Update from the District Bushfire Recovery Committee

Many Clubs are working well on their own or in conjunction with other Clubs to work through the recovery process. Many of the planned projects are under way and progressing well while others are being held up by COVID-19 restrictions and limitations. A few points to highlight what Rotary as well as many other organisations are doing towards the recovery are below.

BlazeAid Trailers from Merimbula

Donation from Lae (PNG) funds much needed trailers for BlazeAid

Rotary Club of Merimbula members with BlazeAid volunteers

The community of Lae city, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea raised and donated an incredible $61,000 for bushfire disaster recovery in NSW. The Rotary Club of Merrimbula accepted this wonderful gift and have distributed the funds ($50,000) to Bega Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund with the balance to purchase two trailers for use by BlazeAid camps at Bemboka and Towamba.

Rotary in Action

A Story of Rotary in Action

Read the full story from Doug Kinlyside, Molong Rotary Club - From a landscape of steel, concrete and bitumen (with water views!) to a landscape of dust and decimated livestock with no water at all, two Rotary Clubs worked to together to bring hope and joy to some young Australians in a time of need. Once again Rotary – doing good in the world!

Photograph: Janis Glasson and Margaret Dean of Molong Rotary with Doug Kinlyside

New Clubs Forum

Webinars - September and October

The New Clubs Forum Webinars will be held on 3^rd September and 8^th October. District Membership Chairs, Development Officers and all other members are encouraged to attend these 1 hour online webinars which are designed to assist those who would like to learn from the "experts" who have had success with growing Rotary.

Inbound and Outbound Rotary Exchange Students

Exchange students caught up in COVID pandemic share their story

The coronavirus pandemic is testing the resilience of young people on student exchange in Australia and abroad. Rotary's Youth Exchange Program (YEP) sends, on average, 150 teenagers overseas each year and hosts a similar number of foreign students. The global health crisis has seen 80 of the current contingent return home to Australia or overseas. Some say they are glad to be home, while others are resisting a premature end to their exchange. See the ABC news article report HERE on some current inbound and outbound Rotary Exchange students and the experiences and difficulties they have had in their Covid-19 affected exchange year.

Rotary Branded Masks

As a Community Service project, the Rotary E- Club of Brindabella have organised the supply of Rotary branded masks for any club and its members of District 9705. These masks are Australian made and meet Government health and WHO guidelines. They are re-useable and re-washable.

Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty

The Hibakusha (atom bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) have issued a unified appeal that says, in part: “So that the people from future generations will not have to experience hell on earth, we want to realize a world free of nuclear weapons while we are still alive.” The Rotarian Action Group for Peace (RAGFP) endorse the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons - please join them and sign the appeal today.

A special ringing was held at the Canberra Rotary Peace Bell to remember the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima Japan on 6 August 1945. A short statement was read by His Excellency Ambassador Mr Reiichiro Takahashi — Japanese Ambassador to Australia. See the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin video HERE.