I will be following the advice from The Chief Medical Officer Dr Paul Kelly, “Vaccines alone will not be enough to completely suppress the circulation of the virus, at least in the [near future].”
As more restrictions are eased with 80% of NSW adults double jabbed, Australia’s top health official says, “suppression measures - such as mask-wearing and distancing - will need to stay because of the Delta variant’s highly infectious nature”, SMH 18/10/21.
District Governor club visits will continue safely online and will be reassessed late November. I understand that you want to meet each other as soon as possible, so we will schedule in-person DG Club visits to dates in 2022.
My concern is that Tania and I could become ‘super spreaders’ by visiting multiple clubs, travelling from the Beaches to the Mountains, Hills, Central Coast, back to the North Shore.
To date, attendance at online DG’s visits have been extraordinarily high with great participation and valuable member engagement. The feedback I have received is that clubs and directors have been delighted and there’s wonderful work being done across the district, despite the limitations.
Welcome to the 38 new members since July.
Since 1 July 21, D9685 has 38 New Members!
1,708 Members (30.7% female)
Rotarians are active, diverse & fun!
Over 80% Club’s members joined DG’s Zoom visits so far.
World Polio Day on the Sunday 24th October!
I encourage Rotarians to continue supporting this vital program that might JUST be “this close”.
We will be delighted to attend your upcoming activities from December, especially those plans deferred earlier in 2021. Send event details to Communication Director Marilyn Kenney for Club Buzz (communications@rotarydistrict9685.org.au)
In 2022, District 9685 plans to hold in-person RYLA and District Conference, but Summer RYPEN will be online. Please check the District Website for more details.
A quarter of the Rotary year is now behind us. I am sure you are helping Rotary to grow more and do more. And I hope you have already done your part for the Each One, Bring One initiative by introducing one person to Rotary.
Do you ever think about your earliest days as a Rotarian? I often do - because those first moments of discovering the power of service shaped who I am today. When I joined my Rotary club, our efforts focused on India’s rural communities, where people were living without toilets, getting their drinking water...
1. District 9685 Clubs Using Global Grants to Serve to Change Lives In the first three months of the new Rotary Year, Clubs in our District have already had seven Global Grants approved, bringing the overall total this calendar year to 19. Working with international partners in Nigeria, Turkey, Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, our clubs have embarked on projects worth over $US 1,450,000. This has required the clubs in our District to... See More
2. DISTRICT 9685 ROTARY AWARD FOR VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, 2021-2022
Be part of the District 9685 Rotary Award for Vocational Excellence, 2021-2022, and highlight your club by identifying and nominating someone (or a small team) who has made an outstanding contribution to advancing their vocation. See More
To find out more information on our District website about the Vocational Excellence Awards, click HERE.
3. SUMMER RYPEN IS BACK!
Youth Directors have received an email this week advising that the Summer RYPEN is being held on-line from 4th to 6th February 2022. A huge amount of work has been put into the preparation for this event, and now it is up to all Rotarians to encourage young people going from Year 9 into Year 10 at the beginning of next year to participate in this life-changing event. Click HEREfor more information, and click HERE for the RYPEN Package.
4. Let your voice be heard in the 2021 all-member survey Our all-member survey helps Rotary learn about our members and their experiences in Rotary and Rotaract so we can continue to build a stronger Rotary. To make sure you receive the survey and have an opportunity to tell us about your experiences, update your email address in ClubRunner on your Club website, or the District 9685 website, by 1 November. If you have problems logging into the District website, please contact communications@rotarydistrict9685.org.au
5. Australia Day Grants
DG Lindsay has very recently been advised by Rotary International South Pacific & Philippines Office (RISPPO) that the National Australia Day Council will soon be announcing that they are making community grants available for funding of community Australia Day events in 2022. Their Chief Operating Officer has reached out to IPDG Philip Archer (D9800) to engage with Rotary across Australia as they did last year. Click HERE for more information about these grants.
6. Enviro Awards
Our planet faces many challenges, such as pollution, water shortages, habitat loss, energy insecurity, loss of biodiversity and waste management. Rotary is in an ideal position to take leadership that inspires action to ensure we leave a world that is no worse, but better, than the one we inherited. The District 9685 EnviroClub Awards have been adapted from a successful environmental awards program in the United Kingdom. Clubs register their environmentally sustainable (ES) initiatives (activities, projects, programs and events) and are encouraged to improve these through a series of awards, starting with a Bronze Award and moving on to Silver and Gold Awards. Individual Rotarians are also encouraged to be catalysts for environmental action within their communities. See the EnviroClub Awards Information Pack, and the EnviroClub Bronze Award Application Form
7. Zone 8 Virtual Conference Videos
Following the recent Zone 8 Virtual Conference, several videos have been uploaded to Youtube. More will follow once they have been edited. The first four are now available and feature:
Ann Lee Hussey - a wonderful presentation for clubs in the lead up to World Polio Day on 24 October
President Elect Jennifer Jones - some words of inspiration from our 2022-2023 RI President
Mark Pearce - CEO of Volunteering Australia - a thought provoking 'membership' themed presentation on the changing nature of volunteers and volunteering
John Hewko - CEO of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation
You can find the videos via the Zone 8 website: Please click HERE
8. Rotary Matters
If there is anyone in your club who might be interested in taking on a producer/presenter role on Rotary Matters, please put them in touch with Ian Stuart (Mobile: 0416 138 860; Email: Ian.Stuart@optusnet.com.au)
9. World Polio Day, October 24
Take action for World Polio Day!
Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta says that polio eradication can be achieved if Rotary members stay committed. He calls on every club to offer support this World Polio Day.Watch and share President Mehta’s World Polio Day video message.
10. Courses on the Foundation in the Learning Centre
The coming month of November is Rotary Foundation Month. To prepare for that month, celebrate the Foundation by recommending these Learning Centre courses to your Club members:
Recently, the Danish Queen's younger sister, Princess Beneditke, received a PHF plus 2 sapphires from Copenhagen Rotary Club.
A little bit of information from Denmark via AG Torben Nielsen (Wyong Tuggerah).
12. Cop26: What’s all the fuss about?
The news is alight with mentions of COP26. What is it exactly?
On the 1st to 12th of November, world leaders will unite in Glasgow in the 26th meeting of the Conferences of the Parties. Their task: to refine previous global responses to the increasing climate crisis.
Why should Rotarians care? To find out more, read the report from the District 9685 Environment Chair, Melanie Lewis by clicking on See More
13. Wow!
Someone has lots of patience, and LOTS of Lego.
DG Patricia Shraven D9465 (West Australia, south of Swan River to Kalgoorlie and Albany, Esperance)
Spotted at Bricktober in Perth, sharing Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta’s message all made out of lego
Bricktober – Perth is a project of The Rotary Club of Ascot (Inc). in conjunction with The West Coast LEGO® Users Group" https://www.bricktober.info/
Radio is a powerful way to spread your Club stories. If your Club has a project, local or overseas, which would interest the wider general public, discuss it with Rotary Matters presenter Ian Stuart who will be glad to help spread the word. Ian.stuart@optusnet.com.au 0416 138 860
Northern Beaches Community Cancer Care on Rotary Matters
For all information about the International Convention 2022, click on the image below.
District 9685 Governor
2021-2022
Lindsay May OAM
THE ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE COURSE 66
5th to 7th November, 2021
On-line by Zoom
As the face to face course RLI 65 was being held during the current lock down, RLI 65 has been cancelled. The next opportunity is RLI 66 which will be held on-line.
You are receiving this email as a member or friend of one of the Rotary Clubs within Rotary International District 9685. If, for any reason, you do not want to receive communications of this nature, please unsubscribe by un-checking the box in the 'Privacy' tab of your member profile on the District website, or by selecting the 'unsubscribe' link at the foot of this newsletter.
District eNews is reviewed weekly for publication on Thursday at least every two weeks. Content provided and all rights reserved by Rotary International District 9685 Inc
"The Club Buzz" is somewhere that you will find some exciting 
