“There is no greater weapon against poverty than Education” PRIP Jonathon Majiyagbe
“You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books! The best weapons in the World! This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have” Dr WHO
My Friends in Rotary,
I have chosen these two quotes to begin the newsletter with this month because September is Basic Education and Literacy month.
Rotary clubs around our district and around the world spend many hours and many dollars working to improve the educational and literacy levels of the children of the world.
Our District has wonderful projects that cater for children here at home and overseas. My own club of Lower Blue Mountains has provided the funds to build 3 schools one in Cambodia and 2 in Mando province in Papua New Guinea. We also take part in the books in homes project providing less fortunate children in selected local schools with books for 3 terms of the school year. These children select the books they would like from a list provided to the school and once a term they are presented with them to start what we hope is a lifetime of learning and a love of reading.
During the month I have been made aware that many clubs are sending assistance to schools in the drought affected areas of our state in many forms, Providing gift vouchers for the purchase of breakfast and lunch supplies and personal need items such as shampoo and soap. Many country schools are opening their amenities blocks to farming families so they can have a shower and conserve what little water they have on their properties for other uses.
I am immensely proud of all of the Rotarians in this district who have wholeheartedly thrown themselves into helping our country folk. What ever you do will not only be appreciated now but will build a lasting connection between your clubs and the clubs in the country regions.
August was a busy month with John and I into the full swing of club visits. What a great pleasure it is to be able to meet with the clubs and celebrate their success’s. I was also thrilled to be asked to assist in the induction of 4 new members at 2 different clubs during my visit. It is pleasing to see that during July we gained more members than we lost. Retention of our current members is a very high priority this year and many clubs are working on their social and fun side as well as their fundraising and project work.
We also attended the Sunday of the Youth Exchange Inbound and Outbound Students briefing weekend. Again, we are very fortunate the leaders of this district project are committed to providing the best experience for the young people in the program. The Sunday morning briefing with their parents and club counsellors was excellent and the lunch and activities at Bella Vista Farm provided by Glenhaven Rotary club was a showcase of out own unique culture and food.
Well done to everyone involved in the day.
The Rotary Inspirational Women’s Awards presentation at the Epping Club on 26th August was another great event. This year we had applications from all over the state of NSW with finalists from country NSW; Bega, Batlow, Blayney, Tumut, Armidale Wagga Wagga and Orange as well as from Metropolitan Sydney.
Nominations came from Rotarians, and the General Public and in yeo categories Young Inspirational Woman and Inspirational Woman.
The Inspirational Woman for 2018 is DR Vera Sistenich nominated by the E-Club of Greater Sydney and the Inspirational Young Woman is Angela Stansfield nominated by the Rotary club of Wetherill Park.
Two Inspirational Guest Speakers during the luncheon Detective Superintendent Debra Wallace from NSW Police and Louise Azzopardi a heavy-duty motor mechanic wowed the crowd with their presentations.
All in all a wonderful event please look out for the information for next year’s awards.
Continue to Be the Inspiration as you go about another month of Rotary fellowship and Service.
The Rotarians and Clubs in our district have responded magnificently to the drought relief appeal. It does not matter where you send your money. There are many and varied organisations that are working hard to provide relief to the rural communities.
I would like to highlight that it is all of the rural community that needs our support. The farmers and their families are of course a high priority but the business’s in the rural communities also need the support. I would like to encourage everyone to send the support in forms that support everyone.
The notion of taking trailer loads of “goods” to the bush is wonderful but it is not going to help the supermarket/general store in the small towns or the chemist or the local feed and grain merchant. These business’s also need people shopping with them if they are to survive.
Many clubs are now organising visits to small country towns within an easy drive from their areas, spending the night in the pub or caravan park, buying meals and afternoon teas in the clubs, pubs and cafes. Buying groceries and essential items in the local stores and putting them in the collection bins in the towns.
This way everyone is being supported.
Please continue to update Barry Edmundson with your efforts so I can keep my Governor colleagues advised to how we in District 9685 are assisting.
Thank you for what you are doing every little bit helps.
Bank details BSB 032005 Acc No 810633 Name The Salvation Army Red Shield appeal
Send an email to donations@aue.salvationarmy.org detailing payments (date and amount)and receipting details (Nam as well as a note specifying the donation to Rural Support and address)
RURAL AID
Acc Name RiuralAid limited
St George Bank BSB 114 879
Acc No 439 938 530
Ref ( your name) then email us at deposits@buyabale.com.au with your reference number, name and donation amount a we will email your receipt
BUSH CHILDRENS EDUCATION FOUNDATION
BSB 062195
Acc no 10104674 then please email info@bcef.org.au with details of deposit amount to get a receipt
RAWCS
Log on to rawcs.org.au/project-search find project listed as Drought Relief NSW project number 2-2018-19
This year, on 24 October, Rotary will again mark World Polio Day. I am writing to ask all of you to join me on that day in raising global awareness of the urgent need to End Polio Now.
I have been a Rotarian since long before Rotary committed to eradicate polio. When I was inducted as a member in April of 1980, the idea of taking on polio eradication as a corporate project had not yet been seriously raised; polio still ravaged the lives of some 350,000 people, nearly all of them children, every year.
Today, the world is a very different place. Thanks to the vision of Rotary’s leaders then, and the commitment of the generations of Rotarians who have followed, we now have fewer cases of polio than at any time in history. As I write this message, only 14 children have been paralyzed by the wild poliovirus in all of 2018. Only three countries are still polio-endemic; wild virus still circulates in only one remaining reservoir, on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The success of this work has come as the result of decades of concerted and sustained effort by Rotary and all of our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Rotary’s involvement has been wide-ranging: we have raised over 1.9 billion dollars to date, and have contributed countless volunteer and staff hours to the practical work of eradication, including immunization, fundraising, and advocacy. Our success has been tremendous, and we are confident that our work will soon be complete.
Yet significant challenges remain, and the need for continued funding is acute. Until eradication is certified—at least three years from the time the last poliovirus is found anywhere in the world—every single child must be immunized, at a continuing cost of hundreds of millions of dollars per year. If any of that work is slowed or stopped, if any of our momentum is lost, we risk losing everything we have worked for, for so many years.
This is why I am asking every Rotary club to find its own way, on 24 October, to raise awareness of Rotary’s work to eradicate polio. At EndPolio.org, you can find some great resources to help plan an event, where you can also promote your event, find nearby events, and join our World Polio Day livestream from the College of Physicians in Philadelphia at 18:30 United States Eastern Time.
I look forward to coming together with all of you on World Polio Day—when we can all Be the Inspiration to End Polio Now.
Yours in Rotary, Barry Rassin Rotary International President, 2018-19
District Governor Susan Wakefield OAM was delighted to receive a real financial bonus for District 9685 and The Rotary Foundation’s END POLIO NOW campaign during her recent official visit to the Rotary Club of Belrose.
President Shane Broekman presented a cheque for $100,000 from the deceased estate of resident Kathleen Sheather.
Fortunately for Rotary and three other charities, Rotarian solicitor Kos Psaltis was requested to advise on suitable charities for donations from the estate and $100k has been donated to The Rotary Foundation – specifically for the Polio campaign, along with The Fred Hollows Foundation, Cancer Council and Westmead Children’s Hospital.
District TRF Chair PDG David Rands was aware of the pending gift and was delighted to learn of the recent presentation.
He emphasised that the best news was that the $100,000 will become $300,000 when Rotary applies the multiplier effect of the Gates Foundation and other bonuses.
TRAIN RIDE TO END POLIO
All Rotary Clubs and senior leaders are reminded of the momentum building for the TRAIN RIDE TO END POLIO on Friday, September 28 …
Mark and David Anderson of the Rotary Club of Beecroft will ride the Sydney train network to visit ALL 187 railway stations and Rotarians and Rotary Clubs have the opportunity to be part of the largest and most successful public Polio promotion in Australian Rotary history.
Many clubs are already planning special activities to draw public attention to the event which involved the two Sydney Districts and should attract a colourful ‘army’ of red END POLIO NOW t-shirt ‘soldiers’.
The Andersons have called for club representatives to join them on the ride – and bring donations to grow District Polio funds –
Suggested personal gifts of $187 – one dollar for each station.
Club gifts of $10 per station - $1,870,
Canvas corporate supporters for $100 per station - $18,700.
Remember, personal and corporate donations are tax deductible through the Australian Rotary Foundation Trust and will be boosted by the Gates ‘multiplier’.
This event is a wonderful opportunity for club interaction. The Blue Mountains Clubs are urged to join Governor Susan Wakefield OAM on the morning train leaving Blackheath and taking in all stations to Emu Plains on Friday, September 28. Susan and her Lower Blue Mountains entourage will be on the 11.14 am train from Emu Plains so Rotarians along the Mountains line should check their time tables to coordinate their travel
Members from all over the Sydney area (Districts 9685 and 9675) are urged to wear their red END POLIO NOW T-shirts and join trains at station of choice.
Governor Susan and her entourage will join the train at Emu Plains Railway Station – where the Lower Blue Mountains Club is planning another END POLIO NOW barbecue to sell sausage sandwiches to commuters from 7 am.
The club will have promotional material and banners on display, and distribute membership flyers to train travellers.
All District Rotary Clubs are urged to make a ‘fun’ day of this excellent promotional initiative. Contact Mark Anderson on 0408 622 698 or email mark.anderson@rotary.org if you require further information on times and donations.
FURTHER $96.5 MILLION ‘END POLIO NOW’
FUNDING FROM ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
The big Rotary International news last week was announcement of a further US$96.8 million in grants to support the END POLIO NOW campaign.
The announcement came as Nigeria marks two years without further reported cases of wild poliovirus – following four reported in 2016.
The new grants support ongoing efforts in Nigeria ($16.1m), Afghanistan ($22.9m) and Pakistan ($21.7m) and underline the vital importance of continuing intensive fund raising efforts around the world to ensure surveillance and vaccination continues in vulnerable countries.
Rotary is committed to raising US$50m per year to maintain the Gates Foundation support.
Remember, our fund raising goals this Rotary year remain similar to last year –
US$1,500 per Club – to raise a world goal of US$50m.
20% or more from District Designated Funds (DDF) – goal of US$10m.
Ongoing quest to attract major donors in all Districts – goal of US$4m.
Please click HERE to view - download the ‘Rotary On The Move’ Newsletter for September 2018. Please feel free to share and send us your great membership stories.
**FABULOUS PRIZE** The participant* (*must raise minimum $1000 to be eligible) who raises the most money for this year’s Cross Country Challenge will win 2 night’s accommodation at a luxurious penthouse in Hamilton Island** plus two return flights departing from Sydney. The total prize is valued at more than $4,000!
Please study the following excellent summary from RI’s Rob Byrne if you are keen to take advantage of a simple ‘fund raiser’ for your Rotary Foundation commitment this year …
Several clubs throughout our District stage regular charity movie nights and all are very successful.
Apart from the obvious fund raising benefit, such nights involve members of the public and provide the perfect public relations exercise for contact with potential new members.
So, please take time to study Rob Byrne’s excellent guidelines, then make arrangements for a meeting with your local movie cinema manager.
We recommend clubs in one suburb/city combine forces for the evening and make this a combined event.
Be sure to take Rob’s notes with you to the cinema meeting and share with the manager. Such action makes it very clear that Rotary has the full support of Fox Studios with this annual promotion.
I also suggest you print your own copies of the poster to share with Rotary club members – or circulate on line via your club bulletin once the event is arranged.
You will need to negotiate your special price with the cinema manager but please remember this is voluntary community service on his/her part and they are under no obligation. We need to build relationships with cinema people in the best possible way.
Some clubs serve finger food and beverages to add to the social occasion but such arrangements need to be made with the cinema manager.
Lower Blue Mountains Rotary has a great success story with charity movie nights and if anyone was further discussion, don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
With thanks and best wishes,
Bob
PDG Bob Aitken AM JP
District 9685 Public Relations Co-Chair
From Rob Byrne:
As you would know, this year’s Polio Movie Event is looking like the biggest and best ever. Bohemian Rhapsody, the story of Queen and Freddie Mercury, is something that we can all relate to, no matter what our age. Check out the trailer at www.bit.ly/BohRhapTrailer -- it will rock you!
To help your clubs to promote the event, I’ve created an A4 promotional flyer. I did it in PowerPoint so that clubs would easily be able to personalise it. Once they’ve done this, they can:
get flyers printed:
by printing it themselves (for small volumes)* or
saving it as a PDF and sending it to a printer (a good printer can shrink it to A5 if that’s preferred)
save the file as a .jpg image and use it in their:
club bulletin
Facebook page
website
email campaigns
etc.
But first, they will need to:
decide whether to partner with other local Rotary clubs
discuss the event with their local cinema, explaining that:
it is a fundraiser for Rotary’s #1 cause, EPN, and the cinema’s assistance would be greatly appreciated (please note that clubs need to avoid aggressive negotiations – this has occurred in some areas in the past and has damaged our relationship with Fox)
the offer from Fox is available for the seven days commencing Thursday 1st November (which is also the date of the worldwide release)
the cinema needs to contact James Warhurst, Sales Coordinator at Fox Studios (james.warhurst@fox.com) to discuss terms (this is not done by Rotary)
the cinema is likely to regard the Rotary event as great word-of-mouth promotion for the movie.
the club may want to consider making it more than just a movie event, by including other activities, such as dinner or canapés, raffles, prizes for best-dressed (Freddie-style?!), etc.
Please let clubs know that, to maintain consistency, the event is only to be used to fundraise for End Polio Now.
I’ve also attached a PowerPoint that you may wish to use to create an ad for your district bulletin, Facebook, etc. Feel free to edit.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
* Unfortunately, PowerPoint leaves a large margin around the printed area of a slide. If the club would like to reduce the size of this white border, they just need to increase the flyer’s printed size. In PowerPoint, select Print > Printer Options > Effects tab > Percentage of Actual Size and use about 110% (varies by printer).
Club Presidents will remember that Rtn John Waterhouse from Rotary Club of St Ives presented a short segment about this wonderful project at the July Presidents Meeting.
These are the short details of this project and John’s contact details.
This Project has been made possible by the combining the efforts of Diabetes Alive, Medtronic (pump supplier), Variety The Children’s Charity and St Ives Rotary.
Our goal is to supply Type 1 Diabetic children from disadvantaged families with an Insulin Pump. These pumps cost over $9000 each and by breaking down the costs with the help of a number of supporters, we are able to achieve this.
Fifi Hazzouri, Founder Diabetes Alive and myself, would like to present to your club our proposal and request an opportunity to address your members at a time convenient to all.
Mental illness is very common. One in five (20%) Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year. The most common mental illnesses are depressive, anxiety and substance use disorder. These three types of mental illnesses often occur in combination. Australian Rotary Health is one of the largest independent funders of mental health research within Australia.
Australian Rotary Health have a number of different events that will engage with your members and potential members.
Save these Dates and register:
Thursday,11th October, 2018 – Golf for Research – Camden Lakeside Golf Club, 50 Raby Road, Catherine Field.
This will be an Ambrose Event (team of 4) with players sharing carts. The Full Package includes Breakfast and Buffet Lunch. 7am - Registration starts and 8am - Shot Gun Start Presentation and Lunch at 1.30pm.
Thursday, 25th October, 2018 – A Night with Researchers’ Dinner – Dooleys, Lidcombe Catholic Club, 17 Church Street, Lidcombe
This night will be an opportunity for Rotarians and the community to hear from some of our researchers in a relaxed atmosphere.
Researchers that will be with us on the night will include:
Professor Jane Pirkis - Jane has undertaken a number of policy-relevant studies of suicide and suicide prevention in Australia. She has a particular research interest in suicide and the media.
Professor Vera Morgan – Vera is a psychiatric epidemiologist with a special interest in studying schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders using record-linkage and survey methods.
Professor Allison Waters -Allison focuses her research on the cognitive-neuroscience of emotional disorders in children and aims to translate findings from laboratory and basic science research into clinical practice.
Book now to avoid disappointment ….. $60 per person
Saturday, 27th October, 2018 – Epiphanies, A Musical Theatre Gala Concert – York Theatre, Seymour Centre.
2 Sessions: 2pm and 7.30pm
Epiphanies will present some of the greatest pieces of music from the great shows of the 20th and 21st Centuries, backed by a stunning 18 piece orchestra. Rob McDougall (Les Miserables), Kerrie Anne Greenland (Helpmann Awarded Eponine, Les Miserables; Violet, Sideshow) and Daniel Belle (The Ten Tenors; Cover Valjean, Les Miserables) perform a dazzling array of pieces from the most beloved musicals, including Phantom of the Opera, Carousel, Wicked, The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard and The Sound Of Music.
Rotary Matters goes to air on community station Triple H 100.1 FM, on Fridays at 3 pm. The idea is to attract interest and engagement from non Rotarians. Each program features an interview about a prominent Rotary topic eg Shelterbox, National Youth Science Forum, Pride of Workmanship Awards, MUNA, ROMAC, Interplast etc.
The program finishes with a What’s On giving details of Rotary activities in 9685 open to non Rotarians. Clubs in 9685 are invited to propose topics, causes, activities and people who would make an interesting radio interview and to send details of their club activities to be mentioned on air. Triple H covers Hornsby and Kuring gai shires but the signal can be picked up much further afield. Contact Ian Stuart, presenter Rotary Matters, ian.stuart@optusnet.com.au
All Rotary and Rotaract Clubs across Australia are encouraged to enter teams in the 2018 Waterline Challenge® which will be held 12-18 November. ‘Rotary Working Together’ will raise significant funds for ROMAC to help many more children from the Oceania island nations receive life-saving or dignity restoring surgery. See www.romac.org.au
Waterline Challenge® is a national event. Teams of up to 10 people can walk, run, cycle, paddle, row, swim, skate, horse ride, windsurf, along our waterways; coast, estuaries, rivers, lakes, islands. Be as creative as you can! You choose how you do it, how far you go, when you do it, and the money you raise goes to ROMAC. Each person is asked to raise a minimum of $200, so a team of 10 to asked to raise a minimum of $2,000 between them.
Clubs are asked to nominate a Waterline Challenge® Champion to put their team together and also promote the event to other community groups in their area to put teams together to raise funds for any of the 14 Waterline Charities. For further information or to register your Rotary or Rotaract Club go to www.waterlinechallenge.org
Julian Day, President RC Drummoyne and Founder of Waterline Challenge® will be attending the President’s Meeting on Saturday 29th September. He can be contacted on 0413 309 056.
It is time to provide you all with an update where the community is at following the 18 March fires that impacted Tathra.
Most of the Rotary Clubs contributed to the Mayoral Appeal and this fund has now accumulated over $1.5m.
The seven persons Committee set up to distribute these funds to individuals included 4 community members, one of which is Bega Rotary Past President Richard Galton.
Stage 1 - Initial distributions of a “flat rate” of $300,000 have been made to people where their house was destroyed either as primary residence owned or renting.
Stage 2 – Payments totalling approximately $609,000 has been made to 105 people with damage to their property.
Stage 3 - The criteria for the third distribution is currently being confirmed.
As previously advised, funds that were donated to Bega Rotary are being held and will be used as we identify specific cases that other funds do not cover. As previously indicated we have a long-term focus in this regard. The local Lions Clubs are taking a similar approach.
A summary of the current status
All blocks have now been cleared of fire debris.
Council has moved the “one stop” office to Tathra. This is to assist people work through the planning and development process for any rebuild. There is also dedicated people to address the emotional and social needs.
Replacement of retaining walls and repairs to damaged property is well advanced.
The first houses to be rebuilt are in progress – one already has frame & roof complete and the other the frame is being erected. Several others have materials on site and are ready to start.
I am aware 4 to 5 properties have been sold after the fires. The prices paid have been higher than if sold before the fire.
As expected, the social welfare issues have emerged with some families or individuals struggling with the situation on “rollercoaster” periods as predicted.
Two Rotary ladies have organised two “Ladies lunches” for the locals to get together as part of moving forward. Over 50 ladies attended each lunch.
Rotary has sponsored the publishing of a book by students at Tathra Primary School telling of their experience of being affected by the fires. These funds were from proceeds of our Winter Book Fair.
Rotary members have assisted in landscaping for an elderly couple that had fire damage. This will move into plantings in burnt gardens as we get into spring. Tathra Lions have been very active in this area.
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drought relief appeal. It does not matter where you send your money. There are many and varied organisations that are working hard to provide relief to the rural communities.
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get flyers printed:
