.png)
On fine, sunny and crisp Sunday 1 July at Whanganui, along with several hundred Rotarians from around the district and a circus going full blast in the background across the road, the dancing fireman outgoing DG Mitch handed the baton to our new petrol-head DG Marion Johnston.
The coincidence of a circus outside going full blast at the same time was not lost on the party goer's on the inside !
Read DG Marion's introduction to our new Rotary year.
PS - the electronic version (pdf) of the new District Directory is available in the Documents library here. (login required)
Remember the 
As the Rotary year draws to a close we have continued to have an amazing year of Rotary: Making A Difference. This was exemplified by the road show to promote the Rarotonga Mobile Health Clinic with Rotary Club of Masterton South Project leaders David Baker and Dr Rob Irwin as they traveled with the Tranzit modified bus that has been transformed into a Mobile Health Clinic by the talented Paul Snelgrove and his team at Tranzit in Masterton! Heading through stop offs enroute to Auckland for shipping, the Mobile Health Clinic stopped of in Palmerston North, Whanganui, Stratford and Inglewood. Upon reaching the Auckland waterfront it was loaded aboard a ship bound for Rarotonga. It arrived and was unloaded in Rarotonga on May 30th and will undergo final orientation and driver training through the Ministry of Health staff, The final stage of this part of the project will be the official presentation to the Cook Islands government, Rotary District 9920 and the Rotary Club of Rarotonga on June 18th, 2018, by the Rotary Club of Masterton South and Rotary District 9940.
My vision for this years key Rotary District event in our Rotary annual calendar was to move away from promoting a conference as the reason to come but to encompass a range of activities and events that would ensure Rotarian's had an amazing experience and that we connected Rotary with the community!
The weekend started for our RotaFEST 18 delegates with a Friday afternoon tour of the WildBase Recovery facility that showcased this world class facility. The facility will ensure that the WildBase Hospital at Massey University Veterinary Science Faculty is able to ensure the native birds and animals that are able to be returned to the wild after injury or sickness. This will be done through this amazing rehabilitation centre, nestled in the Esplanade, Palmerston North
Marie Baker
