Everywhere I go around our District (metaphorically because, like you, I’m staying at home) I find amazing skills and talents. People with exceptional knowledge and a career lifetime of accumulated skills. Also people with generous hearts and giving natures willing to use their skills and talents to help any Rotary project. At the same time I have found clubs with projects that have stalled due to a lack of knowledge or skill in a particular area. How do the two fitting pieces of this puzzle find each other? Well, I’m not telling! I think you need to do the research to find the answer. If you’re completely stumped, why not have a conversation with your AG?
It’s been a very busy two weeks (when is it not, I ask myself) visiting clubs, which is always great fun, and attending to emails (never ending!) and joining online meetings. I’m now more than half way through the clubs visits and I want to say a great big thank you to the AG team. When they were appointed I knew we had a talented and reliable group of Rotarians and they are repaying the District over and over. The entire team are knowledgeable and helpful, which is a great combination if you’re looking for assistance or information. What a great resource for our District they are and I’m sure we are all most grateful.
Not sure if anyone noticed, but Rotarians and Rotaractors from D9810 were featured in three separate articles in RDU this month. Congratulations to RC Box Hill Central for the article on its partnership with Canteen Creek in the Northern Territory, New Gen Rotary (a satellite of RC Nunawading) for the article on its free coffee for teachers project, and Rotaractor Bianca Lobo for her article on 10 years of Rotaract Australia. Fabulous to see our District and our members creating a great profile on the national stage. Well done.
Heaps of exciting stuff in this issue including:
- Register now for free Zone 8 Conference,
- Fabulous WASH presentations,
- Advice from Consumer Affairs Victoria on your club AGM,
- Three fantastic membership and club excellence conversation starters, and
- Lots, lots more
Zone 8 Conference
Zone 8 Conference is scheduled for next weekend, 19 and 20 September. Registration is free. The event will take 90 minutes on each of the two days and will feature a galaxy of Rotary speakers “zooming” in from around the world. To register, go to
Two Very Special WASH Addresses
At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central two very special Rotarians made two very special addresses on the topic of WASH programs.
Ron Dehman joined Rotary in 1958 (!), was the founding Chair and is now Chair Emeritus of WASRAG. He is extremely knowledgeable and an excellent presenter.
Click here to see his address to RCBHC and guests.
Bill Boyd joined Rotary in 1971 and was RI President in 2006/07. You can view his heartfelt, and occasionally amusing, address here https://youtu.be/A6ZZrFMM7lQ
Great Website Initiative
I saw an example of a really well done news section in Rotary website this week. Congratulations to Rotary Club of Beaumaris for it “In Touch” page. Current, interesting and infused with a bright personality, this page is really worth a look.
Foreign Coin Collection
Today I am reminded of a modest fundraiser contributing to doing substantial good in the world. While moving items in my office I noticed a small purse. Not remembering what was in it, I opened it to find $42 in US currency – most in notes. I have put it aside so, when it’s possible, I can give it to Ron Brooks of the Rotary Club of Forest Hill. Ron collects all foreign coins and notes. The final value of them is passed along to UNICEF to fund the Rotary “Give Every Child a Future” project (see https://everychildafuture.com/) a major activity instigated as part of the celebrations of 100 years of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand. So while you’re using lockdown time to clean out cupboards and sort out drawers, remember to keep aside any of those foreign coins you find and make sure they make their way to Ron.
Holding Your AGM – Advice from Consumer Affairs Victoria
Need for Community Support
On my club visits so far I have been discussing the need for Rotary Clubs to focus on their local community. As we weather the economic storm that COVID has brought with it, many people will be in financial difficulty and need help. By expanding existing Rotary projects, establishing new local projects or partnering with community service providers, clubs can make a significant difference. The likely major contraction of the charitable sector, means the need for Rotary will be even greater.
Charities in Danger of Collapse
A recent report by financial analysts, JB Were, indicates that 14% of Australian charities are on the brink of collapse as donations are dramatically reduced. One in 10 Australians work for charities – more than manufacturing and more than agriculture – and up to 170,000 of them could lose their jobs. Read more here:
Membership & Club Excellence Discussion Starters
Three interesting items for those clubs really aiming for excellence.
The second is a video in which an American past club president describes how he and his team moved the club from long-term decline to significant growth. This video is fascinating and full of fabulous ideas. It’s about 30 minutes long so best to grab a cuppa before you sit down to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj101zYJjh8
Recently, a Zone 8 webinar was held on the subject of new style Rotary clubs. This one is even longer at about an hour and is well worth it. If, however, you don’t have an hour check the 4 minutes starting from about 19 minutes and 30 seconds into the webinar. It’s a non-professional video of young Rotarians stating why they joined. It’s worth having a good think about whether your club is providing the things sought by these members. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL_r0x04sD8&t=106s
Take action on World Polio Day
“Donation Dollar” to be released by Mint
The Royal Australian Mint has commenced production of 25 million special $1 coins called “donation dollars”. The coins are legal tender but the Mint hopes people will give them away to charitable causes. The coin is very distinctive with a green centre. I would love to hear your ideas on how Rotary can collect “donation dollars”.
Enviro Club Awards
In 202/21 Rotary District 9810 will participate in the Rotary Sustainable Communities Enviro Club Awards. Of the three levels of award available clubs may, in the first year, apply to for recognition at the Bronze level. Requirements for a Bronze level award are;
- Appoint a Club Environmental Sustainability Officer (ESO)
- Form a small committee or working group of 2 or 3+ members with the aim to meet formally or informally several times a year to review the environmental initiatives of the club and to consider future possible projects
- Have these projects or events recognised by the club Board and shared with the rest of the club members
- Once this has been achieved, submit an application for the Award to the District Environment Officer (DEO) Pat Armstrong of Rotary Club of Doncaster.
- To retain the award, send an annual statement of environmentally sustainable projects or events to the DEO
For more information see the District website page “Recognising Excellent Clubs” and the “Sustainability & Environment” page found under the Avenues of Service tab.
Empathy Does Us Good
A conversation with Marc Freedman. This longevity expert has found that both younger and older people thrive when they work together with a common purpose — something Rotarians know a lot about. This article provides loads of information about why Rotarians do what they do and provides some interesting examples that could be useful for clubs in our District. See https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50071/Documents/en-au/9d929df7-a3fb-4a48-8ed0-6b7d7cbedbe4/1/
International Service Forum
Recently the D9810 International Service Committee (chaired by Tony Stokes of RC of Box Hill Central) held a forum with club International Service chairs. There was discussion on some of the major international projects being carried out in our District including; Water & Sanitation in Indonesia, Community Development in Cambodia, agricultural development in Kenya, Solar Energy in Timor L’este. A report of the meeting can be found here https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50071/Documents/en-au/7d1cdccb-b0b9-4214-8d66-6962b928c8af/1/
Fun and Games for You and Your Club
If you’re stuck in lockdown, bored and already done every course in the Rotary International Learning Centre (just kidding!) these sites have some Individual “brain exercises” to help you pass the time. Ignore the “elderly” tag – they’re good fun.
If you’re looking for some fun things for your club members to do during online social events put the words “win it in a minute” into your search engine. Piles of ideas that can be done on line and even more that you could incorporate into a social games night when we can get back together. In this case many of the games seem to be directed at the child to young-adult age bracket but ignore that and enjoy!
Preventing Dementia – The Latest Evidence. Free public lecture
Hat Day is Coming
Every October Australian Rotary Health conducts its main fundraiser “Hat Day”. For ideas on how to run a COVID-safe event check their September newsletter. Also you can register here - https://hatday.com.au/
ROMAC
Recreational Vehicle Fellowship
Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians (Aus.) Inc or RVFR as it is known by members.RVFR is a fellowship of Rotarians that have a common interest and love of outdoors, enjoy participating in recreational pursuits including caravanning, camping visiting different places within Australia most of all the friendship and fellowship that you make.
Most of our activities occur on the East coast of Australia as that is where our present membership lives. For convenience membership is divided into Zones on a geographical basis. Each zone(gathering) is autonomous and conducts its own musters (event) throughout the year. Members from other zones are welcome to join in each muster. A combined muster and National AGM meeting is held once a year and all members are invited to attend. Each zone regularly produces a newsletter which are available on our Website :-http://www.rvfr-aus.org.au
Membership is open to Rotarians and Partners and we welcome visits from overseas Rotarians.
More detailed information on our musters can be found on our website
See you soon,
Regards,
