DG's eNews, 3rd June, 2021 (Jun 03, 2021)

District 9865 eNews

3rd June, 2021

We wish to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners of this land

– the Aboriginal people past and present.

It is upon their ancestral lands where we are today.

As we share our knowledge, Rotary practices and ideas, through this newsletter and all of our activities, may we also pay respect to the knowledge embedded forever within the Aboriginal Custodianship of Country.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR'S WELCOME

The year that was - A Report From DG Dave Clark

To my dear Rotarians, family and friends,

It has been a huge honour to serve my Club (Lower Blue Mountains) and District 9685 as your District Governor for 2020-21. Lower Blue has a wonderful history of producing seven members through the ages, who have been selected as District Governors and I believe, it is because of the wonderful culture of leadership that we have in the club, and I feel this tradition will continue in the future. It has been a challenging and difficult year for everyone; first we had to deal with COVID-19 and all the changes in meetings and activities. Zoom became the thing of the present (not the future), and nearly all clubs in the District met regularly in this way. Out of the 70 clubs that I had my official visit with, 90% of those meetings were through the Zoom format.

In the earlier part of the year, there was the huge explosion in Beirut and the clubs in the District, and all over Australia, banded together to support a Global Grant project, started by PDG Bruce Allen from the Castle Hill Club. With a very wet summer, we were saved this year in our District from bush fires, but not in Western Australia. There was still plenty of work to do from the fires from 2019/20 and we were able to give out grants to several clubs for fire brigades to replace equipment that had been lost in that terrible fire, and of course, at the end of our Rotary year the terrible COVID problems in India, and once again Districts and Clubs banded together to raise funds for this catastrophe.

With lots of rain came floods, not only in our District and in Australia, but also in neighbouring Timor Leste. The constant need for supporting our friends in need continued, and as usual RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) set up a Bomb, Fire, Flood and COVID appeal accounts for all Rotary clubs to donate money. All the clubs have done a wonderful job at keeping the fundraising going. I can only officially talk on my own club’s donations listed below, but I do know many clubs kept up their commitments in helping their community. So WELL DONE everyone.

Lower Blue Mountains giving.

In relation to the Floods, we were extremely fortunate to be approached by two young promoters who are putting on a concert in Windsor and wanted to give the profits to RAWCS to be distributed through the three Hawkesbury Rotary clubs for people affected by those floods, as many just could not afford flood insurance. The concert is being held on Sunday, 6th June at 12.00 pm (see advertisement below). Hopefully we can give you an update on money received next newsletter.

Clubs had to think of new ways to raise much needed funds, so they tried virtual Trivia nights, virtual pet and art shows, and other virtual fundraising projects which proved very popular and profitable. Other Clubs suspended their project only to find that the sponsors who would normally provide money for the event said to the club to keep the sponsorship money and give it to the organisation for whom they were raising the money. This was a wonderful gesture from them and they all said they wanted to do this because they know just how great our organisation Rotary is, and they knew that the money will go to do good in the community.

Just before Christmas many Clubs did their usual Christmas Tree sales and Christmas raffles, and these were unbelievably successful. It was almost as if people had been hanging out for Rotary Clubs to get back to selling and being out there and being seen.

As the new year came things started to get better and Clubs started meeting again face to face. I found my life getting a lot busier as more clubs were getting back to doing physical projects, meetings, and fundraisers, and I was invited to lots of events celebrating the 100 years of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand. This is the part of the DG’s job that is most fulfilling as you actually get to see just what wonderful work our members throughout the District are doing.

Unfortunately, we were not able to hold our Conference on a cruise ship in March, but the District Committee did a wonderful job of producing the very first virtual District Conference in Australia. My sincere thanks go to all the members of District Conference Team and to (Barking Mouse) our production company who put our program together. Many Clubs are still using some of the presenters for guest speaker spots at their club meetings and at last count over 1,200 people have clicked on and viewed all or part of the conference, so I believe it was highly successful for a new way of doing it.

There are so many people who I need to thank who have helped me throughout the year and if I started to name them all I would go over my allocated 1.000 words and inevitably I would miss someone out, so to everyone in my club, my Assistant Governors, my District Team and all the clubs and members, A HUGE THANK YOU.

To keep with my nautical theme of the Conference, I might have been the Captain of the ship, but without all of your support and help, the ship would never have be able to leave the wharf, and we then would not have been able to go sailing and be out there doing good in the world.

So, I leave you with my motto for the last time: “If it stops being fun stop doing it”

... and let’s go out there and ...

And if you think you have had a bad day, think about the poor owner of this vehicle

David Clark JP

Rotary 9685 District Governor 2020/21

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Hello Rotarians of D9685,

CLUB GIVING AWARDS AT THE PRESIDENTS MEETING

D9685 offers Club Giving Awards to recognize generous support for Our Foundation as a result of Club fundraising, excluding personal Rotarian donations.

Year to date April, the Rotary Clubs of Lower Blue Mountains, Nepean, Chatswood-Roseville and NorWest-Bella Vista have all qualified.

Then just after end of month Rotary Club of Lane Cove also qualified.

THANK YOU to all of these Clubs for their support.

It was a great privilege to present the Awards to the Lower Blue and Nepean Foundation Chairs at the recent Presidents Meeting.

A Call out to all the other Clubs….You can do it!

One month to go. As you finalize your donations for the year,

Please include Our Foundation as best you can.

DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD DASHBOARD

With the compliments of Grants Chair, Haran Ramachandran, you can see details of the many Club projects that are being supported with Foundation grants.

Just go to the District website and click on Club Services/Foundation/District Grant dashboard or Global Grant Dashboard (on he left hand side of the screen).

You find a lot of interesting information about the projects and what our Clubs are doing. They look a lot like this….

http://rotarians4sustainability.org/GrantActivities/DistrictGrants/

http://rotarians4sustainability.org/GrantActivities/GlobalGrantsDetails/

THANK YOU….

I am standing down as your Rotary Foundation Chair with effect from 30 June.

I will be handing over to PP David Dean who is very well qualified to continue the good work of your Foundation Committee.

David has served as Grants Chair, Stewardship Chair, Coordinator of many grant projects and is a generous supporter of Our Foundation.

It has been a privilege to serve as your DRFC and I look forward to catching up with you somewhere down the track.

Thank you for reading.

Stay safe.

PDG Bruce Lakin

District Rotary Foundation Chair

HAWKESBURY FLOOD RELIEF CONCERT

OTHER NEWS

1. RDU Monthly Themes

For June - Together, We Connect

Rotary Theme: Rotary Fellowships Month

Rotary unites problem solvers around the globe behind one goal: to do more good. Our members are driven to bring communities together to create lasting change. Connecting to make things better – that’s what People of Action do.

Also, just a quick note to remind you of the theme for the upcoming July edition of Rotary Down Under – ‘Together, We Empower’ for New Leadership Month.

“Potential shines brightest when it’s inspired. That’s why Rotary clubs invest time and expertise in encouraging others to be the best they can be. Empowering those who have big dreams to achieve great things – that’s what People of Action do.” If you have anything exciting in mind, please let RDU Magazine know for that month’s publication. They will have limited space in July due to the new RI President’s profile along with the new DG profiles.

2. Rotary Convention

Rotary Opens Opportunities | 12-16 June 2021

We always need moments to connect and celebrate. Join us at the 2021 virtual convention to learn and engage with the family of Rotary and see how we’ve been growing and adapting!

You don’t want to miss this year’s rich schedule of events which include:

Inspiring speakers sharing how Rotary and its members are connecting with our communities around the world.
The Virtual House of Friendship where you can connect with fellow members, chat with staff, shop, and explore exhibitor booths.
Twenty featured Breakouts Sessions covering topics including: how to create sustainable impact, rebuilding after COVID-19, developing leadership skills, Rotary’s new area of focus: the environment, and much more.
Exciting new activities including meet and greets with leaders, virtual cooking classes, Rotary trivia contents, a virtual photo booth, a 5K walk to end polio, and a DJ dance party.

Don’t forget to share how you’re participating by posting a selfie or other photos on our event page on Facebook.

REGISTER TODAY!

3. ‘Save The Date’ – Share the Big Picture of Rotary Impact at Zone 8 Conference

By RI Director-Elect Jessie Harman

To celebrate our Centenary, this year’s Zone 8 conference is all about sharing the wonderful impact of Rotary. It will take place on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September 2021.

There are some great reasons to attend this year’s event:

Be inspired by Rotary projects in communities around our Zone
Meet some of our Rotary heroes – dedicating their lives to making a positive difference
Learn new ways to deepen engagement and impact from Rotary’s senior leaders
Connect with Rotary friends old and new
Share the ‘big picture’ of Rotary impact with your newer members
Be inspired to deepen your engagement and make an even greater difference through Rotary.

The 2021 event is virtual with a flexible two-day program designed to inspire and energise you. The event will have all the best elements of the face to face conference – you can ask listen to great speakers, ask questions, network with Rotarians friends (old and new) and choose the sessions you want to attend – all from the comfort of your home or in a shared space with other Rotarians and friends. This event will bring together the best of Rotary in one place over one weekend. Keep up to date with all the speakers, sessions and sizzle at the conference website: https://rotaryzone8.org/sitepage/2021-zone-8-national-conference

Registrations open 1 July 2021.

4. Aboriginal Support Programs

Still thinking about supporting a project for 2021/2022? Check out Indi Kindi: www.moriartyfoundation.org.au/programs/indi-kindi

Featured in the Sydney Morning Herald 25/5/21 - search under the the heading "How a town Tony Abbot described as having the worst housing in Australia is changing the game"

5. Oxygen Concentrators for Nepal

At the Presidents meeting on Saturday, President Jan Pryor spoke about the plight of her staff, families, friends and their community in Nepal. The RC of Northlakes Toukley is the international partner with the RC of Rudramati in Kathmandu who is going to apply for a global grant to purchase oxygen concentrators for our local hospitals in Nepal. Therefore, the RC Northlakes Toukley is seeking Rotary clubs to partner in this grant and pledge $500 -$1000+ in order for the grant to be lodged. Funds will not be required until the grant is lodged and accepted. If you are unaware of the situation in Nepal, news reports are saying that it is worse than India. There are more than 200 deaths a day, hospitals are full to capacity and people are dying due to lack of oxygen. The government has said, "there is nothing we can do". This is where we as a collective Rotary Clubs can make a difference, to those in dire need of help.

SPECIAL INTEREST STORIES


Rotary is relevant across all generations. Those approaching their working life can participate in the many respected youth programs, and there are programs for those early in their careers. Rotary clubs are open to good people whether starting out in their careers or winding down to enjoy an active post-career life. For those wanting to be more engaged with what Rotary does there are a multitude of clubs, all with their own special character so have a look around by visiting a few and meeting the men and women who are Rotary. There are clubs that cater specifically for the younger Rotarian.	FOCUS AREA 7 - THE ENVIRONMENT Please click on the image below for more information about the Environment Area of Focus Launch For more information about environmental programs or projects, please contact District 9685 Environment Officer, Melanie Lewis melanie.lewis@rotarysocialimpact.org
Historic Paul Harris Memorial Lookout - Take a look when you visit Blackheath .... Image taken in April, 2021 Blackheath Rotary built a lookout near the end of Staveley Parade, Blackheath, and dedicated it to Paul Harris.	Erected by Blackheath Rotary Club in 1954 as a memorial to Paul Harris (1868-1947), the lookout has been there for 67 years, but visitors often pass it by in favour of more popular lookouts in the Blackheath area. Blackheath Rotary elected to build a lookout near the end of Staveley Parade and to dedicate it to Paul Harris, who had died seven years earlier. (Historic Blackheath, 201; plaque on lookout) Directions Next time you visit Blackheath, cross the railway line from the Great Western Highway, turn left, and go past the road to Megalong Valley. Staveley Parade is on your right and the lookout is about 200 metres on the left, just just down the road. Ref: "Horizons" - Rotary Club of Central Blue Mountains newsletter, 2.6.21
Mina Howard and her Larapinta Trek for ShelterBox District Governor Nominee Mina Howard is undertaking the Larapinta Trek in July this year. On this once-in-a-lifetime adventure, she will trek through the Australian outback on one of the most spectacular walking tracks in the world - the Larapinta Trail. From the old Alice Springs Telegraph Station to the peak of Mount Sonder, the trail stretches 223 kilometres. The track will follow Aboriginal Dreaming tracks and explore the beautiful mountains, valleys, rivers and the dramatic desert landscapes of the Red Centre. By day, the group will trek through the ochre-landscapes of the outback, witnessing the sacred sites of the Arrernte people and by night the group will camp under the stars, falling asleep to the sounds of native wildlife. To support Mina in her fund raising eﬀorts for ShelterBox, please go to: https://shelterbox-larapinta-2021.raisely.com/minahoward	Aboriginal Support Programs There is a new Kindy student at Ryde Public School. He has come from the Docker River community near Uluru. He only speaks Ptijantjatjara. He is attempting to learn single sounds and to be able to match pictures to sounds and symbols. He needs to develop a small bank of high frequency words. He enjoys looking at books and is learning to identify and label the pictures. He is learning to understand spoken instructions/questions. He receives English language support through school EALD resources https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/student-diversity/meeting-the-needs-of- students-for-whom-english-is-an-additional-language-or-dialect/ and this is focused on vocabulary development and some communication skills through play; he is very active and likes ball games. In addition he needs basic interpersonal communication skills to help him engage effectively with his peers. When writing he is learning to write his name and orient his work left to right and top to bottom and would benefit from pre writing experiences to build fine motor skills. The School wasn’t successful in getting funding from the Dept. for him to have concentrated English lessons and is looking for a couple of volunteers to work with him.
Please click on the image below
HUMANITY IN ACTION – THE PERFECT CHANGEOVER GIFT! TO ORDER - Click on the image below	Club Presidents are reminded that there are still ample stocks of ‘Humanity in Action’ - the beautifully bound record of Australian Rotary’s first 100 years - available to make the perfect end of Rotary year changeover gift for deserving Rotarians. Many District Governors have already purchased large supplies of the acclaimed book for gifts at District changeovers. Just $25 plus postage, this is not your standard text dominated history book. This 512 page volume is ‘choc a block’ with an accurate record of all Rotary senior leaders, amazing Rotary adventure stories, 30 pages of colourful images and captions, and fascinating ‘grabs’ of unique tales from Rotary’s past.

DISTRICT 9685 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022

TO FIND OUT MORE, AND TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE.