October is Economic and Community Development month. My focus in this panui is on three examples of Community Development in our District. The six Rotary communities of the Kapiti/Horowhenua cluster began by seeking advice from their secondary schools and kura on local priorities. The feedback was clear. The young people of the area needed non-judgmental, immediate access to qualified professionals to help students in need and to prevent suicide. Several services were already in place but were not always accessible to all students seeking help.The cluster, lead by Kapiti Rotary, organised a luncheon fundraiser for the cluster last week and launched the process. Radio NZ covered the story well.
PDG and Foundation Chair, Simon Manning, brings this critically important project to our attention:
For all members of Rotary in our district, I commend to you and your clubs to support this great project. For more information go to https://everychildafuture.com/
Please discuss this project with your club and commit to making a difference in the lives of children in our part of the world.
You can email me simon@funeral-link.co.nz if you need more information.
The Kapiti/Horowhenua cluster of Rotary District 9940 launched a community driven programme for young people at risk. “Lifting the Lid” on youth suicide launched at fabulous Rotary charity lunch and auction today (4 Oct). 'Congratulations to the six Rotary Clubs from Paraparaumu to Foxton. You have truly demonstrated the power of “together we connect” to make a difference in your communities.' Radio NZ covered this event well. ( DG John Mohi)
Included in this story ( read more), is the address from the Key Note Speaker Dr Chris Bowden. Michael Fagg also reports that, 'Final figures are still be finalised but we did received a donation from the Nikau Foundation for $5000-00 and raised just over $10,000 from the auction'.
After a three-year hiatus, Rotary returned to the Republic of Kiribati (pronounced KIRR-i-bas) on June 30, with the chartering of the Rotary Club of Tarawa.
The island nation of Kiribati, located in the central Pacific Ocean, found itself Rotary-less in 2016 following the closure of the Rotary Club of Bairiki and the previous termination of the Rotary Club of Kiritimati in 2015. One of the world’s poorest countries was now without a Rotary presence. In 2018, a member of the Rotary Club of Richfield, US, approached District 9920 (covering part of Auckland, NZ, and the Pacific) about assisting a young Kiribati man, Eritai Kateibwi, to provide hydroponic units to grow fresh produce for the island’s communities.
Planning is well underway for the Innovative Young Minds (IYM) 2020 programme. Run jointly by Rotary Hutt City and the Hutt City Council, IYM is designed to encourage young women in year 11 and 12, to explore science, technology, engineering, mathematics and high-tech manufacturing - fields we call the STEMM sector. Our goal is to inspire young women to consider careers they may not even know exist.
Why just females? Women are significantly under-represented in the STEMM sector. Increasing female participation in STEMM will mean greater innovation and economic success for everyone.
Students at the top of their class and who have a clear sense of direction for future studies are not necessarily the targets of the programme. Instead, we are looking for young women with an interest in STEMM, who may not have had the confidence or opportunity to explore STEMM study and career options in the past.
Tony Heyward – D9940 Club Development & Membership Chair recently attended - the Regeneration New Zealand / Australia Conference in Christchurch 20-22 Sep).
Here is his quick take on what he saw and enjoyed:
Wonderful weekend catching up with friends and more importantly making new ones, with the added bonus of hearing what works for them in the big Rotary world.
'One of the many benefits of a Rotary Conference like this, is that you learn from other Rotarians first-hand about the opportunities they recognised, both in their local community and internationally'.
There's now a Facebook page up and running for Ride a Train to End Polio. Please like the page, and share it with your friends on social media.
This is going to be a fun day, with a serious message; let's support it, and give the profile of Rotary in the lower North Island a shot of adrenaline!
Applications for RYLA 2020 are open and we encourage every club to find an amazing young person with leadership potential within your community to participate in the programme.
The early bird rate closes on 20th November. This means we need the application in, you will have interviewed the candidate and submitted the endorsement of their application by 20th November. So now's the time to get rolling with finding your RYLA candidate.
This group photo on the left, is when members of District 9700 came to visit our District 9940 in Feb/March of this year, and now it was our turn for the reciprocal visit to their soil. Our two week Friendship Exchange Programme in Australia began on 2 September where members from our District 9940 were collected, from various locations around the area by members of the District 9700. After some refreshments together, we were shown local attractions in Bathurst and Orange.
I hadn’t even heard of Rotary Friendship Exchange, when I had an e-mail from Neville Gimblett asking me whether I could take a Rotarian couple from North New York State, for 4 days, because the club that had invited them, didn’t have enough beds, due to ‘unforeseen” circumstances. In the end, this became 3 people, a couple and a single lady.
The couple were going to come to NZ early, to see something of the country. I had a coffee with them before they did a whirlwind tour of the South Island. When they asked me whether there was anything I needed to tell them I said “Whatever you do, KEEP LEFT!”
The lady arrived on the late flight into Wellington from Sydney.
I spent the next 4 days showing them the sights of Wellington, and cooking at night. We had a hilarious time, and I was sorry to see them go.
Introducing Cristobal (Cris) Suarez from Santiago, Chile, to Rotary Club of Plimmerton.
Cris is enjoying attending the weekly Rotary meetings as he gets to know other Rotarians. He is finding we still speak too quickly but his English is improving. He has been to some homes with offers of going fishing and learning to play golf.
Cris with DG John Mohi and AG Adrienne Murray
So far he has attended a working bee and the opening of the MenzShed in Porirua where he met MP Kris Faafoi and his son Theo.
Marion Patchett reports that the RANZES NZ Students have returned home to NZ after 12 weeks in Australia – completing their 2019 Exchange year – 12 weeks in NZ with their Australian “Match”, then 12 weeks in Australia with their “Match”. What an awesome experience they have all had – well done to you all.
District Governor John Mohi last night presented the Tawa Interact Charter to the head boy of Tawa College.
Canadian Rotary International Youth Exchange student Olivia Goodridge initiated the Tawa Interact during her exchange. A special night with a visit from Rotary 9940 district Governor John Mohi and his wife Lane. John presented a Charter certificate for Tawa Interact to Tawa College head boy, Tayne. Tawa Interact was initiated by Olivia Goodridge during her Rotary Youth Exchange. Congratulations Tawa Interact! #Rotary#TawaCollege#Rotary9940#TawaRotary
Tayne with Tawa Rotary President Judith. and DG John
Last year we had 9 inbounds and boy did we have a busy year! This year our intake is reduced to just 4;
Cristobal from Chile hosted by Plimmerton Club
Felipe from Chile hosted by Kapiti Club
Maxime from France hosted by Hutt/Petone Rotary Clubs
Rebekka from Switzerland hosted by Masterton South and Carterton Clubs.
The reduction in Inbound numbers was planned as the Ministry of Education insists that over all of New Zealand the Rotary Exchange Programme student numbers must, over the course of two years, balance to nil. To balance we must ensure that our inbound numbers match our outbound numbers as the students are treated as domestic NZ students in the education system. Of course, if we have more overseas students at NZ schools than NZ students in overseas schools, this puts a burden on the NZ taxpayer which the Ministry of Education will not allow to happen. We put our certification as an EPO (Education Provider Organisation) at risk if we don’t balance.
For the 12th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.
The Foundation earned the recognition for demonstrating both strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. Only one percent of the organizations Charity Navigator evaluates have received 12 consecutive 4-star evaluations.
"Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that The Rotary Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work", says Michael Thatcher, president and chief executive officer of Charity Navigator. "This exceptional designation sets the Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness." The rating reflects Charity Navigator's assessment of how the Foundation uses donations, sustains its programs and services, and practices good governance and openness.
PDG Martin Garcia comments: 'It is great to see the District gazebo being used so widely and so regularly'.Just to keep you up-to-date on how well and widely the District gazebo is being used, it has promoted Rotary projects and people at: The Tawa Rotary Book Fair; Whanganui Daybreak Kite Festival; It is also booked for: 'The Polio Project'; Plimmerton Golf Tournament; Johnsonville Christmas Fair; Otaki Rotary ( pictured) and there are already several bookings for 2020.
Phillip Reidy asks those clubs who are wanting to use the gazebo to please ' keep him in the loop' so that he can keep track on its use and whereabouts - so that the chances of double bookings are kept to a minimum. Phillip only needs to know the location and dates as the gazebo does not have to come back to him before going out.
I have been proud to have been a Rotary member since 2 May 1992. Initially inducted into The Rotary Club of Karori and a member there for 19 years and then transferred my membership to The Rotary Club of Carterton upon my family’s move to the Wairarapa in 2011, both clubs in district 9940.
Joining rotary initially was to contribute my time outside of business interests and to become involved in our local community. I was initially invited to join The Rotary Club of Karori by an existing female member of that club who knew of me and my involvement in the initial setting up of The Women in Business Network in Wellington.
Knowing nothing of Rotary I went along and was made to feel very welcome by fellow members. The club gave me the opportunity to mix with other businesspeople and was it was an organisation completely apart from my business and family links. Something just for me, not dependant on who I was married to or what my two children and their interests were.
In my district 1580 Noord-Holland, the Netherlands, we have been very busy trying to be the inspiration for a clean and sustainable world. You may have heard of the Amsterdam initiative End Plastic Soup https://endplasticsoup.nl/?lang=en Join us! Rotarians are inspired.For example, Inge Kuyt, Rotarian at Rotary Club Radboud Medemblik, the Netherlands, asked me if I could help her with contacts in New Zealand. She is going to New Zealand in November for a study trip to delve into the agro forestry (agro sylvo pastoral system) there.Do you know Rotarians who can put her in contact with entrepreneurs who are also working on this and who want to share their knowledge with her?
inge kuyt: ingekuyt28@hotmail.com
(from Past District Governor Barbara van Goethem March, D1580)
Mana Tangata: Centenary History of Rotary in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands - A reminder from PDG Martin Garcia.
From October to December, our professional historian, Dr Stephen Clarke, will be working on Chapter 4 of the coffee table book, ‘Changing Society (1972 – 1996) - from peak membership Rotary faces socio-demographic challenges.’
This period was a time when many of our Rotary Clubs were established and/or were developing and facing challenges and opportunities. As DG John Mohi has been exhorting Clubs, please make sure our historian has access to information about your Club’s stories and please highlight the important elements for him.
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Applications for RYLA 2020 are open and we encourage every club to find an amazing young person with leadership potential within your community to participate in the programme.
PDG Martin Garcia comments: 'It is great to see the District gazebo being used so widely and so regularly'.
In my district 1580 Noord-Holland, the Netherlands, we have been very busy trying to be the inspiration for a clean and sustainable world. 
