Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS)
Congratulations to Sue O’Neill OAM from Brisbane Water RC on receiving the Rotary Australia World Community Service Humanitarian Service Award. Sue was presented the award by Her Excellency Governor General, Sam Mostyn, also our newly appointed RAWCS Patron at Government House, Canberra. Many other Rotarians were recognised for their extinguished service through RAWCS at this prestigious event.
District 9685 continues to shine when it comes to the amount of good our Rotarians are doing in the world and in our communities. At present we have 92 projects registered in 24 countries with 27 of those projects in Australia. Many clubs are taking advantage of the further $1m donated by Dick and Pip Smith to carry out projects via the Rotary Australia Compassionate Grants (RACG) arm of RAWCS. Clubs can get a matching grant up to $15,000 to assist with fundraising.
Through this initiative,
- Pennant Hills Rotary, were able to supply a wheelchair;
- Greater Blue Mountains Rotary are raising for an Accessible Spinner to be installed in a children’s playground in Katoomba, that will allow children in wheelchairs to join in the fun outdoors;
- Ryde Rotary was able to access the grant to help them fund their DV Safe Room soon to be established;
- Toukley-Wyong are supplying school breakfasts;
- Brisbane Water was able to give out substantial gift vouchers to the Koolewong bush fire victims and
- North Sydney Sunrise have been able to provide funds to Mary’s House for Cyber Security Health Checks.
These are just some of the projects set up this year alone using the RACGs.
Recently, I was fortunate enough, along with Rotarians from the Central Coast and beyond, to accompany Jan Pryor from Toukley-Wyong RC to Nepal to visit her amazing project, the Didi Foundation and witness the life-changing effect for thousands of women and children that her work has achieved.
If you want to increase your impact consider RAWCS as a pathway to achieve your goal.
Information can be found on the RAWCS website – www.rawcs.org.au
Mariam Middleton in possession of the chair provided by Pennant Hills Rotary’s RAWCS Project
1. The Did Foundation: Empowering women in Nepal to achieve financial security.
2. Me attempting to teach ‘Five little monkeys jumping on the bed’ to an eager crowd.
PP Sue O’Neill OAM was awarded the RAWCS Humanitarian Service Award at Government House
A well-deserved recognition for the amazing work Sue enables throughput the world in so many different countries.
Members of Gosford North RC and exchange student Victoria admiring their installation prowess.
Gosford North donated the funds to purchase this electronic whiteboard for a school that educates children from the lowest Hindu caste.
PDG Mina Howard
District RAWCS representative.
PDG Mina Howard
District RAWCS Chair