November is probably my favourite Rotary month – it’s Foundation Month. Having Foundation Month follow closely after International Polio Day really focuses our minds on the importance of supporting these two great Rotary flagships.
New to Foundation Month is Centurion Week – 9 to 15 November. To celebrate this special week and help us focus on the amazing work of the Foundation, a District event has been organised. I hope all clubs and Rotarians can join us for an address by Past RI President and Foundation Trustee, Ian Riseley. For details, please see the item below.
All Rotarians not already committed to the modest $100 annual donation to the Rotary Foundation (TRF) that constitutes Centurion membership, are urged to think carefully about the significant impact their contribution can make. Won’t you join me in making an annual pledge to support our charity of choice? I hope you do.
Other great items in this issue of Open Doors are (among others, all of which are great 😊)
Centurion Week
Membership Inspirations
Looking ahead to 2021-22 and even to 2023-24
Two great D9810 projects and an amazing fundraiser
How to help in two international disasters
Help for clubs with OHS, Corporate Memory and WASH projects
Great new things on the RI website
Another Rotary Fellowship to explore
Enjoy the read!
Centurion Week Activity
Tuesday 10 November at 7.30pm - An Address by Past RI President and Foundation Trustee Ian Riseley
PRIP Ian, a charter member of Rotary Sandringham, is only the 5th Australian (and 3rd Victorian) to be RI President and we are greatly honoured to have Ian address Rotarians in D9810 on current and emerging issues impacting on all of us as Rotarians as well as shaping the future of our Clubs, our District and our Region. Ian will also launch Centurion week. This is a District Foundation event.
I’m really excited to announce that on Friday 13 November, at the District Presidents’ & Leaders’ Meeting, a new District Membership Strategy will be launched. I am very excited about this new approach to membership matters and, with five separate activity pathways, I hope every club will opt to be involved in one of them.
Membership Inspirations
As usual, I have been collecting items to provide inspiration for club membership teams and all those working towards increasing our numbers in D9810 – and that’s all of us, I hope.
Our Victorian neighbours in D9780 have put together a 5-minute video featuring Rotarians from clubs with a successful recruitment record giving their tips for attracting new members. Have a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL2bWrZmXuc&feature=youtu.be
On 2 November, RI President Holger Knaack joined a meeting of Zone 8 membership champions. The video is one hour so grab a lunchtime sandwich and coffee and sit down to listen to the experience of our RI President. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWEv010tZGc&feature=youtu.be
And, for those who have been waiting for it, here’s the recording of Jessie Harman made at D9810 “Kickstart Your Day” seminar. This video is full of fantastic tips for keeping existing members engaged and interested in Rotary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsBiibYbphk
Paul Harris Society Annual Luncheon
On Sunday, November 1, 2020, Rotary District 9810 marked the commencement of “The Rotary Foundation” month by holding the 7th Annual Paul Harris Society Luncheon virtually. The recording of this great event can be found at https://youtu.be/CEkbJrpfEfY
The event moderator was Past President Greg King (Rotary Manningham) who introduced the speakers: District Governor Alma Reynolds (Doncaster); Past Rotary International President Ian Riseley (Sandringham); Past President John Nanni (Middletown-Odessa-Townsend, Delaware, USA); and Past District Governor Bob Aitken (Lower Blue Mountains) Zone 8 Polio Plus Coordinator.
Owing to the generosity of those in attendance almost $1000 was raised in donations for the End Polio Now campaign.
The Paul Harris Society (PHS) recognizes Rotary Members and Friends of The Rotary Foundation who contribute $US1000 or more each year to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or approved Foundation global grants. The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to identify, engage, and thank Members who have the ability and desire to make substantial annual gifts to help communities around the world.
For more information regarding The Paul Harris Society please contact Greg on 0416 045 157 or gregking.rotary@gmail.com
Assistant Governors for 2021-22
Gather ye Rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying: (R. Herrick)
Wow! It sure is flying and, although the end of this Rotary year is still more than 6 months away, the wheel keeps turning and the cycle goes on. DGE, Daryl Moran, has finalised his list of AGs and has pleasure in announcing the following team:
Daryl and all Rotarians in D9810 thank the incoming AGs for volunteering to fill this important role.
Looking Ahead to 2023-24
On Monday 16th November District Secretary, Judith Eadon, will be distributing by email the applications for participants in the DG selection panel and nominees for the position of District Governor 2023-24.
All details of required qualifications to take up either role will be included in the email.
I urge all qualified Rotarians to seriously consider being part of this vital District process.
Our District You Tube Channel
Thanks to the fantastic D9810 TechComm team, D9810 has a new YouTube Channel. Go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCllp4QnV2Lzp3sAKiCIqK-Q to check the range of videos and call back frequently to see new videos going on. Better still, subscribe to the channel for regular updates.
Clubs wishing to add their own videos to the channel should be in touch with Webmaster, Trish Carr, of RC Box Hill Burwood.
If you’re searching for the channel use D9810 Rotary as your search parameter as this will take you to the new channel.
Noodles, Brown Rice and Pasta
RC Beaumaris has been collecting food items for Holmesglen Institute’s International students.
It seems that some Members have developed a new shopping habit. Or perhaps they just remember the message, “It’s not just one extra packet of noodles in the basket, it’s a message to the Holmesglen students that someone cares.”
This straight-forward, practical and inexpensive way to help student with little or no income while COVID stranded in Australia has an enormous impact both in providing food and providing moral support. Can your club help RC Beaumaris? Or perhaps your club can partner with an education provider to give similar support.
Virtual Sausage, Anyone?
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Noble Park Dingley for raising nearly $6,000 at their virtual sausage sizzle. Organised by Rotarian Sue Hilton, the club launched their fundraiser by having the art of sausage sizzling demonstrated online. The fundraiser was established on the MyCause site, see mycause.com.au/page/238025/rotary The appeal to possible donors was made by email and online asking for donors to purchase a “virtual sausage”. It just shows that Rotarians can be an imaginative and innovative group. Well done!
Wandin Apple Day
Over one thousand primary school students across the Yarra Valley took home a bag of apples on Wednesday 28 October thanks to the Rotary Club of Wandin.
Each and every student at Wandin North, Seville, Wandin Yallock, Coldstream, Silvan, Gruyere, Yering, and Woori Yallock primary schools were surprised with a bag of fresh apples totalling over one tonne delivered by Rotary.
The Rotarians packed and delivered the apples on the same day. Well done to RC Wandin for delighting children and parents alike with a fresh surprise.
Looking for Rotary Inspiration?
This less than 3 minute video from Interact Club of Kathmandu Mid-Town will provide this week’s dose of Rotary inspiration and probably bring a lump to your throat as well. Don’t miss this!
In the last “Open Doors” I reported that D9810 has contributed $2,000 to an Australian project submitted to TRF to refurbish the neo-natal ward of St George Hospital in Beirut. I have received an email from the instigator of the project, PDG Bruce Allen of the Rotary Club of Castle Hill with information about the project. To see his message see https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50071/Documents/en-au/ee27d6d9-b3b9-46a1-9db9-b98efb10c399/1/
The RAWCS appeal is still open. Go to https://rawcs.org.au/ and click on the link on the front page.
Eastern Mediterranean Earthquake
During this week I received an appeal from Rotary District 2440. The clubs and Rotarians of that District are in the thick of disaster relief and providing practical assistance to those impacted by the earthquake that affected parts of Greece and Turkey. I passed this information on to RAWCS to request they consider setting up an appeal account. For those interested in making a donation, the letter I received from DG Ertan Soydan and the D2440 Disaster Coordination Committee can be seen at https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50071/Documents/en-au/205f8a67-a9b8-4ef5-9792-5045e9582f8f/1/
OHS Essentials Program - Help for Clubs Employing Staff
WorkSafe Victoria's OHS Essentials is a free workplace safety consultation service, delivered by independent occupational health and safety (OHS) experts. The service is a great way to receive free, independent, and personalised advice to manage safety at your workplace.
Do you own a small business with 60 or less workers? Small and medium businesses are busy but making your small business safe is essential. It often saves you time in the long run. The best part – the consultant comes to your business at a time that's convenient for you. The consultant will work with you to identify hazards and risks and provide a practical safety action plan, tailored to your business needs and size.
By Rowan McClean, District 9800 Chair Club Service
Regular changes to Rotary Club structures and the number of decisions made over time, particularly relating to compliance will often present challenges to a newly appointed Board.
At the time of its first decision-making challenge, a new Board may look to how previous Boards approached the situation. Having a record of previous significant Board decisions will ensure continuity and save considerable time.
For clubs undertaking a WASH project or planning to do so, WASHRAG is conducting a webinar series on conducting successful WASH projects. The first session was held late in October. The topic is “Assessments”. The second will be held on November 19 and repeated on November 20. The topic will be “Sustainability”. To see the recording or register go to https://www.wasrag.org/page/wash-global-grants
Rotary Fellowships: LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship Edited from material by Helena Wimpole
The LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship is a group within the family of Rotary, dedicated to promoting global friendship, service and education. The Fellowship aims to create an inclusive understanding and welcoming community, fostering goodwill and peace and realising a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for LGBT+ people.
The Fellowship also aims to educate Rotary clubs to be more inclusive, to provide a safe and welcoming community within the Rotary Family, and to undertake Service projects that impact and benefit the LBGT+ community. The Fellowship is also available as an LGBT+ advisory group, contributing to, and consulting on practices to be an inclusive club, providing policy development and projects of significance to the LGBT+ community.
The Rotary Showcase recently had a facelift! This is a great tool for all clubs globally to use when searching for a new service project inspiration or a project partner. There are specific sections for COVID-19 projects, and End Polio projects.
For Australian clubs specifically–AG Melissa Hebbard in Victoria is trying to kick-start a new project to assist build positive relationships with Indigenous Australian communities. Whilst the approach is still being worked through, an early gap identified is that there is no existing central point where Australian clubs are capturing that they have a project (completed or in progress) which touches on an Indigenous cause. Please encourage all clubs to add a tag of “Indigenous” to suitable projects that they capture in the Rotary Showcase for ease of identification. See https://map.rotary.org/en/project/pages/project_showcase.aspx
West African Project Fair
RI is conducting a virtual project fair for West Africa. The event will be held from 9 to 13 November. Clubs and Rotarians with an interest in this part of Africa or those just curious to see how an online project fair works, can learn more and register here https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cf1OMgKXSxyh6Wo_mA568w
New Courses in the RI Learning Centre
The RI Learning Centre is just bursting with a wealth of information and opportunities. There is a course for every role in Rotary, chances to learn a new skill or methods to apply an existing skill in the Rotary environment. Here’s a list of the new course added recently. There’s bound to be something to interest you!
Vacancy: RAM Regional Supervisor (Southern Region) Position
The Southern Region RAM Supervisor provides oversight of six Rotary Districts (9780, 9790, 9800, 9810, 9820, 9830) with support from the National RAM Manager and Secretary. The appointment is for a three (3) year term beginning from July 1st 2021
We are looking for an experienced Rotarian / Rotaractor who is passionate about international service, has some knowledge of malaria (or willing to build that knowledge), and a leader who enjoys working in a Team. We provide orientation to and follow-up with all Supervisors. Specific to this role, we would expect the incoming nominee to take the opportunity to be mentored by the existing incumbent Gloria Hargreaves.
If you able to commit to the position, please contact our National Secretary Gloria by November 16th for the role description:egharg@netspace.net.au
Southern Regional 2021 PLAN: “END MALARIA IN VANUATU – for GOOD” PROGRAM
On behalf of Rotarians Against Malaria I would like to send a huge thank you to clubs and individuals who so generously contributed funds to the Vanuatu Global Grant application for the "End Malaria in Vanuatu - for Good Program" that was submitted in June 2020.
Vanuatu is facing enormous challenges in its malaria elimination program and there is still much to be done. Vanuatu is still recovering from Cyclone Harold that struck the islands in June 2020. Contributions are sought to assist rebuild the health clinics that were destroyed .
Rotarians Against Malaria are proud to be associated with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. The Rotary Club of Doncaster is hosting WEHI scientist Professor Ivo Mueller speaking on the latest research in Malaria : Eliminating P.vivax from Asia-Pacific . The challenges, opportunities and new approaches. Please join us Wednesday 25 November at 7 PM by following this link
As you all may know, Knox Rotaract have been providing free, online small group tutoring for high school students over the last few months, to support students through this challenging time of virtual learning. Many students have felt the strain of this learning and having to quickly adapt to a large change, and we hope to help them in any way we can. We've had a small group of students who have regularly attended our tutoring classes, coming back week after week to get some extra help.
We're happy to announce that we will be continuing this tutoring for the rest of the year, over the course of term 4 as well.
I'm hoping that you all can pass on this message to whoever you see appropriate; whether it be any school contacts you may have, your own Rotary or Rotaract club and any personal relationships that you believe could benefit from this service. The more students we can help get through these times and lower any stress and anxiety levels they have, the better!
I've attached a small poster that you may also use to spread the word, with a link to our website where students can book inwww.knoxrotaract.wixsite.com/freetutoring. Also attached is apdf documentabout this initiative if you'd like to pass that on to anyone, and a sample letter that can be sent to schools.
Thank you in advance for helping support our project!
Whilst some normality returns, there are still some of us whose home office remains set up
Here are some quick reminders to look after yourself, make sure you have a designated work area and that you switch off when your work day ends.
As part of the R100 theme where Rotary in Australia and New Zealand celebrates the First 100 years of Service in 2021, D9810 has been challenged to grow our Centurions in the District by 100 members.
NewGen's VP Kiel Egging has released his first photobook and is raising money for music industry workers hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.
The book features pictures of more than 50 of his favourite acts and bands which he's taken at gigs and festivals over the years. Everyone is in there from Silverchair to Slayer, John Farnham to the Foo Fighters, and AC/DC to Aqua.
Kiel's donating $5 from the sale of every book to Support Act, which provides mental health support and services for struggling Australian musicians.
You can grab one for $20 at http://snappedbykeggs.square.site - and if you use the code 'FREESHIP' at checkout, he'll send it to you for free!
RDU Advertising Commission - Boost club funds by up to $7,000
Rotary Down Under is offering a 25% commission incentive to clubs and districts that secure advertising in the magazine. See information above and, for more, contact Judy Drake at RDU on 02 9633 4888
Tuesday 10 November at 7.30pm - An Address by Past RI President and Foundation Trustee Ian Riseley 
Regular changes to Rotary Club structures and the number of decisions made over time, particularly relating to compliance will often present challenges to a newly appointed Board.
Edited from material by Helena Wimpole
