District 9705 - March 2022 Newsletter (Feb 15, 2022)

International Women's Day

On International Women's Day (IWD), Tuesday 8 March, we held a District-wide series of IWD breakfasts with some at club level and others with a wider audience. In Canberra the breakfast was held at the Royal Canberra Golf Club with guest speaker Vanessa Low OAM who was also streamed to other regional centres holding IWD breakfasts.

Vanessa was inspirational and provided real motivation to turn adversity into advantage, to look for areas for progress in a positive sense and to consider that "normal" is a personal thing. Her story resonated with many in the audience and all were in awe of her success in life after such a debilitating accident when she was 15 years old.

When planning for next year's event, it will be difficult to find another speaker with so much resilience, so inspirational and with such motivation to overcome adversity in her life.

The video of Vanessa's talk is available on the District 9705 website.

District Conference 2022

Coming ready or not - have you registered? See the web page for details.

Collecting for DV Safe Phones

The Rotary Club of Blayney has been approached to partner with Domestic Violence Safe Phone (DV Safe Phone). DV Safe Phone collect, repurpose and gift mobile devices to victims of domestic violence (DV) in need. This is done in partnership with registered charities, safe houses and law enforcement authorities serving this vulnerable community.

Collection boxes will be provided at the Temora District Conference for your "old phone" donations. Fellow Rotarians, please join RC Blayney to get a safe phone into the hands of EVERY victim of domestic violence in need.

Tidy Town Sustainability Award

A Win for Rotary and Bungendore

The Rotary Club of Bungendore has won the NSW Keep Australia Beautiful ‘Earn and Return Litter Prevention Award’ under the banner of the Sustainable Communities Tidy Towns Award 2022.

As the Winner of Category B (Population 1500-5000 residents) the Bungendore Rotarians are most proud of their community and this fantastic award. An initiative developed by the Rotary Club of Bungendore at the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic has assisted in reducing landfill and allowed the club to continue to fund local projects and other initiatives.

Shave for a Cure

Stephen Meere (Rotary Club of Boorowa) is shaving his hair and beard as a fundraiser for "Shave for a Cure" If you would like to support him in this cause, please donate by going to the Shave for a Cure website and search for Stephen Meere's. It is all coming off on Saturday 19 March.

"As a friend of the Leukaemia Foundation, and one who has shaved six times, I was very happy to make a donation to Stephen, and encourage others to do so too. Wishing you, Stephen and all the very selfless Rotarians the very best, may you all stay safe and well..." A/PROF JULIAN COX, Honorary Associate Professor (Food Microbiology) School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Sydney

Parkes Youtube Library

The Rotary Club of Parkes embraced this year’s Australia Day theme of Reflect, Respect and Celebrate by recording six episodes featuring migrants who now called Parkes home. They share their struggles and experiences about their new culture and their old one. The series of six videos are part of a series created for Australia Day under the theme “Stories From Around the World”. They have been launched on the Parkes Rotary YouTube channel and are available to all members to view and share.

MHERV is Coming to a Town Near You

The Men’s Health Education Rural Van is a regional project made possible by fundraising, generous sponsorship and time freely given by hundreds of Rotary Volunteers.

A custom built caravan with a dedicated Registered Nurse travels the state of New South Wales offering free health screenings to regional and rural men, who are notorious for being completely in the dark about the state of their health. Check the calendar and see when they are near you.

Antique Fair in Canberra

Aussie Peace Walk - 2022

This year's Aussie Peace Walk will be held on Saturday 26 March and Sunday 27 March 2022. Enter a team and enjoy the event with your friends, or register as an individual and make some new ones!

Aussie Peace Walk

Give Every Child a Future

Register online NOW

Five Peaks Challenge

Five Peaks Challenge - Sunday 24 April 2022
Register now with early bird discount at https://www.rotaryrides.org.au/registration
Event details https://www.rotaryrides.org.au/