Rotary's work around the world again comes into focus in the wake of natural disasters. Rotary and Shelterbox have quickly responded to the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye & Syria and appeals are ongoing for both the New Zealand and New South Wales flood disasters.
The Rotary Club of Parkes has produced a video about the 'heartache and hope' of the small town of Eugowra following the flood there in November last year, which was launched recently. Thanks to Parkes, Orange Daybreak, and many other Rotary Clubs and members who have been involved in this flood response.
Finally, please keep an eye out for details on how you can further serve the district by nominating as the incoming District Governor Nominee. Coming soon!
The Rotary International Convention once again returns to Australia, this time in the Victorian capital Melbourne from 27-31 May, 2023.
If you have never experienced a Rotary International Convention before, this is your chance! Enjoy the global networks of service and fellowship that make Rotary a unique and special organisation.
Post-Covid visit to Sentru Formasaun Ba Juventude – Timor Learning Centre
Rob Uhl from the Rotary E-Club of Brindabella and Mary Brell from the Rotary Club of Orange Daybreak in District 9705 recently joined Libby Bleakley from the Rotary Club of Blackheath on her post-Covid return to Sentru Formasaun Ba Juventude – Timor Learning Centre. Many other clubs in our District contribute via the Centre's Rotary Australia World Community Service fund.
A full report from Libby Bleakley is included below.
This year we are combining both PETS (President Elect Training) and Learning & Development (previously known as Club Assembly). This will ensure more time for Club members to learn their individual roles within their Club, and provide an opportunity to build a strong team, within your Club members and with other Clubs. There is strength in unity. We are providing two opportunities to attend - one in Merimbula and one in Orange. We encourage as many members of your Club as possible to come along.
Indigenous Australians have disproportionally poor health outcomes caused by many lifestyle-related chronic diseases. With your help, we aim to make a difference.
Editorial - Get your stories on Facebook and Newsletter
The District Communication Committee is working hard to ensure stories relevant to members and friends of Rotary are distributed across our social media and newsletters. If you have a story to share, here are some key principles to help us share it well:
If a story is relevant to a wider group, including community members and multiple Rotary clubs, and particularly if it shows 'Rotary In Action', it may be worth sharing for our public Facebook page. Send some details, including photos or links as necessary, to d9705comms@gmail.com. You can also send a message to the page directly.
If a story is relevant mostly to Rotarians but is persistent or ongoing, or maybe an achievement worth celebrating, we could be interested in adding it to the website and newsletter. Include all relevant details and send to newsletter9705@gmail.com. We try to send newsletters around the middle of each month so keep that timing in mind.
Whichever of the three options you prefer, please consider the following:
Include all relevant info so that someone who doesn't know you or your club could know what the story is about. Think about the key principles of journalism: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How?
Add a photo! It's much better for all platforms to include photos. Make sure your photo is clear, and you have permission from anyone featured in it to share the photo publicly. Include names or a short caption if you can.
Contact details? If you have an event or project where someone might need more information, include a phone number or email address and full name of the contact person. Since this could be made public, try to think about using a generic club email address if you have one.
The communication team tries to balance stories across clubs, district areas, and different projects. It is best for Facebook to vary the types of posts so that some have links, some have images, and some have text, etc. And sometimes the Facebook rules pick up posts in the group and cancel them automatically - often this is trying to stop spam. If that happens to you, ask whether your post could be written a different way and try again. The comms team can sometimes help, but often Facebook has made that decision without our intervention.
If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to help.
Newsletter Editor, Travis Holland, Rotary e-Club of Brindabella
This year we are combining both PETS (President Elect Training) and Learning & Development (previously known as Club Assembly). This will ensure more time for Club members to learn their individual roles within their Club, and provide an opportunity to build a strong team, within your Club members and with other Clubs. There is strength in unity. We are providing two opportunities to attend - one in Merimbula and one in Orange. We encourage as many members of your Club as possible to come along.