Welcome to the first month of a new Rotary year! What an important and exciting year we have ahead. We’ll focus hugely on acknowledging and celebrating our Centennial year in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific. We’ll also focus on ensuring Rotary in our part of the world has a strong base to enable us to continue our important work into the next century. And we’ll continue to have an impact in our communities – all while having fun together.
I’m very proud to have the opportunity to lead our District for the next year. It’s a privilege and a responsibility. And I’m not alone. On the first of July, the world witnessed the largest change of democratic leadership, across 36000 towns and cities in 200 countries. On that day Rotary Club Presidents and officers, Assistant Governors, District Governors and of course the Rotary International President took office. We are all People of Action on an exciting journey. As Rotarians we all have the opportunity to take leadership roles in our Communities.
Our International President, Holger Knaack has provided us with this year’s theme “Rotary Opens Opportunities”. I love this theme. For me it is the essence of who we are and what we’re about. Everything we do opens another opportunity to someone, somewhere in the world.
District Changeover in the Wairarapa, on Sunday 28th of June, was a happy celebratory occasion.
It was an opportunity to recognise and reward those who had given outstanding service to District 9940 during the 2019/20 Rotary year.
Congratulations to you all - so well deserved !!
A PHF 2nd Sapphire Pin awarded to AG Adrienne Murray. Fiona Brown was a special recipient of a District Paul Harris Fellow Award. District Governor Gillian Jones was delighted to be able to award a well deserved community Paul Harris Fellow to Lane Mohi. We have all seen evidence of Lane's photographic abilities as she has recorded IPDG John's year in office. She has been an amazing support throughout.
Rotarians Andrea McKenzie and Gaylene Lines receive District PHF awards for their exemplary work with Rotary Youth Exchange from Governor John H Mohi.
AG Michael Fagg was awarded a District Paul Harris Fellow 2nd Sapphire Pin for your outstanding contribution to the Rotary Foundation 'End Polio Now' campaign.
DG Gillian Jones was very proud to take possession of the District 9940 carved tokotoko, from IPDG John Mohi, at the Rotary Club of New Plymouth West on the 7 July. A very significant occasion.
This does not seem like a time for great optimism, but it has to be. Long before Rotary was founded, the world dealt with great crises that tested humankind’s ability to progress and endure. In the age of Rotary, the world has faced many more catastrophes; however, we have survived, and every step of the way, Rotary has helped the world heal.
The district is adopting a new modern fit-for-purpose insurance regime for the District, Clubs and Rotary Programmes beginning in July 2020. This comes about as a consequence of a major review and analysis of the old insurance policy which is over 15 years old.
The key change in arrangement is that a single district-wide policy is no longer operating.
Each District, Club and Trust are individually responsible for establishing their own insurance cover according to their individual needs.
Over time, regulations and laws have changed and Rotary International requirements have increased, particularly in regard to youth activities with children (under 18). In the 21st century, a single district wide cover that would meet modern legal and RI requirements and adequately cover the whole range of Rotary activities in the district and nationally would be expensive.
Levin Rotary Club pays tribute to Allan Birrell who recently passed away.
Our thoughts go to Heather and their family at this very sad time. We have lost a loyal, active and reliable member of our Club. Allan and his knowledge will be missed.
FROM PRESIDENT JOCELYN: 'First meeting - It was great to be back at Rotary last Tuesday evening. We had 26 members and guests. The meeting revolved around remembering Allan Birrell. Lots of memories were shared. It was also nice to have Alan Smith join us for the meeting and fellowship. Thank you to all who were able to attend Allan’s funeral service. It was humbling to see so meant PDGs attend - a touching tribute to Allen’s rotary life.'
PHF Michael Fagg, wishes to thank those clubs and Rotarians at District Changeover, (28th June) who donated to the auction of my "End Polio Now" shoes. This resulted in raising $620-00 (to date) and with the 2:1 Gate Foundation contribution it will result in vaccinating 2800 children.
Michael was also recognised, at the District Changeover, for his outstanding contribution to the Rotary Foundation End Polio Now campaign and was awarded his 2nd Sapphire Pin.
DG John Mohi was delighted and proud to present Rotarian Brian Mansfield with a District Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award at Hutt Valley Rotary Changeover event.
DG John H Mohi and AG Michelle Simpson share the moment with Brian Mansfield following his acceptance of a PHF for outstanding services to his Club and the District.
PDG Judy Bain congratulated Brian and Nicolette Mansfield at Hutt Valley Rotary Club Changeover.
DGN Marilyn Stevens (Interact District Coordinator) was very pleased to receive the Interact End of Year Report for 2019 -
'What a wonderful years achievement, the students have clearly been very busy.'
The very comprehensive report described the large number of successful projects that the Interactors had been engaged in.
These were: Polhill Reserve - weed clearing, & mulching; Refugee Goods Sorting; Shakespeare / Sheila Winn - off ice admin; Karori Toy Library; Blue Dragon Book Fair; Crofton Downs Tree Planting; Movie Night Fundraiser for Youthline; Art for Oranga Tamarki; Quiz Night; Street Appeals; Zealandia; Interact Day; Each project had an Interact Leader and a Rotary Club member Project Contact.. The report also included feedback/ reflections from Interactors, in response to the questions What went well ? Do you have any suggestions for any improvements that we could make? Do you have any further comments?
Port Nicholson Interact Club has promised to host the 2020 District Interact Day.
Overnight, we received the exciting news from our END POLIO NOW team in Evanston, USA, that we have scrambled over the line to reach our US$50 million fund raising goal for the Rotary year just ended!
Counting will not be finalised for several days yet but senior leaders were very keen to share this news with the entire team which has worked so hard during one of the most demanding years in Rotary history.
Every single Rotary outpost was stretched to the limit as we all reached for that elusive goal – which ensures that our $50 million total grows to $150 million under the terms of our agreement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Even in our own Zone 8 there were loose ends to tidy up …
DG Harry Bolton and his TRF team at District 9640 chimed in with a cool $22,500 to just beat the June 30 accounting deadline.
DG Jane Owens at 9500 advised that their $5,000 was in fact $10,000!
A late delivery of 9,933 went directly to RI on June 29 from DG Graeme Hooper and his team at 9670.
Of course there were several other magnificent DDF donations made during June which have been previously acknowledged – and I apologise most profusely if I have missed anyone. These had tremendous value with the six times multiplier that came into effect during the last few months.
Rotarians around the world have been magnificent in their generosity – especially with the DDF match from the World Fund which attracted TWO major gifts of US$500k in the closing days – from India and USA respectively.
Again, thank you all for your service and unstinting support during the year.
This is my last post after many years as primary Admin-Editor for this ( Rotary Oceania) Facebook page. It has been quite a journey and incredibly fulfilling, but it is time for a break. Thank you so much for your support and the many who have helped out with content over the years. I will be in the background helping with some of the graphics and campaign creation, but a new Editor starts tomorrow and thank you for continuing to support Rotary through the use and sharing of this Facebook page. Yours in Rotary Service, Colin Robinson.
Over its 50 years, Tawa Rotary has been involved in supporting children in need locally and internationally. One particular local charity is Foster Hope, an organisation that makes sure youngsters, often taken suddenly into foster care, have a few items of their own packed in their very own backpack.
Currently, Rotary is helping Foster Hope build up its supply of winter pyjamas. If you can help with some new boys and girls winter PJs for all ages, please drop them off at Rotary’s collection point: ITM, Main Rd, Tawa. One more child with warm PJs is one more child that feels just that little bit more loved.
TAWA ROTARY: supporting children in need for 50 years.
Bob Smith is chair of the Projects Committee for the Whanganui Rotary Club and he says,
“When I found out that my committee numbered 20 or so members, I surmised that there are not many Rotary living rooms that can accommodate so many people. Ever the optimist, of course, thinking I would get that number attending one of my meetings.”
The solution was to approach Club Metro to ask if I could use one of their rooms each month.
Rotary members cum painters – Bernard Corkery, Jo Thomson, Marion Devenport, Martin Visser, Bob Smith
The week beginning 21st June was National Volunteers Week in New Zealand. Road Safety Education Ltd; wanted to take a moment to recognise the 2,646 volunteer hours donated in New Zealand to support the RYDA program. We are very fortunate to enjoy the support of passionate and generous volunteers from The NZ Police, Rotary Clubs around the country, staff members from our major partner, AMI and members of the Rapid Relief Team of NZ To all our wonderful volunteers, thank you. Your time is greatly appreciated.
Wonderful to have a photo of a RYDA volunteer from Dannevirke Rotary Club and Dannevirke Police.
NB. The next RYDA programmes in our District will be:
Naenae College at Fraser Park on the 26th August - The college's inaugural programme !!
Makoura College, Rathkeale College and St; Matthews College - 27th and 28th August at Solway Showgrounds Masterton.
Thanks to all of the Rotary Volunteers who support this outstanding Road Safety Awareness Programme - Freya Kerr RYDA District Co Coordinator
Otaki Interact are co-ordinating a beach clean-up post covid as ppe is apparently washing onto our shores., The Otaki Interactors will be joined by Waiopehu (Levin Interact), and will invite Manawatu College in Foxton, Paraparaumu College and Kapitii College - none of these Colleges have an Interact Club as yet. This clean-up day will be 17 August and every Rotary club in this cluster will be onboard to help with the clean up and hopefully sausage sizzles for the students. Any other clubs who would like to be a part of this, please do it and make sure the local media has the story to show how Rotary can "Interact" with our youth - working together. Marilyn Stevens
A fantastic attendance of 62 at Changeover on 1 July to say thank you to David Shackleton for his exemplary leadership and stewardship of our club over the last 12 months.
His vision for the year was ‘make the club stronger’ and that we did. We look forward to that vision being continued under the leadership of our new President Mike Selvadurai. Changeover is also an occasion to acknowledge and recognize those who stand out among us.
Fittingly the Paul Harris Fellow ruby sapphire pin was awarded to Bev Wells, Bill Day and Rick Hughes and PHF awards to John Bishop, Richard Brodie and Marc Rands for their services in the true spirit of ‘service before self". Good also to have new District Governor Gillian Jones in attendance.
'One woman went to the Rotary Monster Book Fair to find a children's book she remembered from her childhood - and she found the exact book' - reported by the Whanganui Chronicle.
PDG Bob Smith (Whanganui Rotary) brought to our attention this interesting article.
This fundraising effort helps so many. "Some of the proceeds will go to a foodbank in need post - Covid. But the club also sponsors a child to the Science and Technology Forum in Auckland every year, pays for outdoor programmes and leadership courses, sponsors Books in Homes, builds houses in Fiji, and provides dictionaries for schools and prisoners. Every year it puts $1000 into eradicating polio and putting together a package for a Pacific family hit by a cyclone. This year, supporting the Wellington Children's Hospital is a major focus, and a smaller book fair raised $6000 for that."
Plimmerton and Porirua Rotary Clubs have run a very successful annual event for the past five years and the next one is scheduled for 10 August 2020.
It has been suggested – and not only by past District Governors who have been mightily impressed when they have come to take a role each year – that we should brand it and encourage other Rotary Clubs to run a similar event in their area. The event costs very little to run but the pride and joy it gives to the families of the students (and we’ve known grandparents who have travelled from as far away as Hawkes Bay!) and the pride it gives to the students, is dramatic. Schools tell us that their primary student strive each year to be put forward for the award – which can only be good! Here’s a link to the write up from last year’s event – from which you can see that DG John, and Lane, attended.
Deputy Mayor, Izzy Ford, asked Rotary District Governor John Mohi to join Mayor Mike on the stage to present a Rotary International badge to each student. These badges symbolise the theme for the 2019-2020 Rotary year -'Rotary Connects the World'. As each student was called onto the stage Mayor Mike presented the certificate and District Governor John presented the badge.
All are very welcome to attend this year's event on the 10th of August - a new project for your Rotary Club ??
DG Gillian had a wonderful time with South Wairarapa Rotary as outgoing President Paul Mason passed the chains to incoming President Brian Baxter. Both spoke with passion about the need to acknowledge the past and embrace change for future sustainability.
It was great to celebrate France Skeet's 95th birthday with him - the only surviving original member of the Club.
In the face of adversity these two young men still had something to smile about.
They were heading home but not as we know it. The 2 Rotary Exchange students Felipe Martinez with the Rotary Club of Kapiti and Cris Suarez with the Rotary Club of Plimmerton had their home tickets in July cancelled well back in March for their return home to Chile. We were very lucky that the boys were accepted onto a repatriation cargo plane yesterday for their return flight. The Auckland International Airport looked like a ghost town We have heard they arrived in Santiago safely and now go into lock down with their families. They also miss NZ already. Take care our young men and we will see you back one day – Gaylene Lines
DG Gillian Jones loved meeting Whanganui Daybreak Rotary's incoming President Shane King's family. Sophie was inducted into Interact today and Molly and Alex will be in a new Rotokids Club.
Congrats Whanganui Daybreak! - Raewynand Shane are passionate about involving young people.
You will have read in Rotary Down Under about the work that is being done to shape the future of Rotary in our region.
If you haven’t done so already please provide feedback on three simple questions.
1. What is good in Rotary and Rotaract and should be retained?
2. What needs to change and why?
3. In an ideal world, how would Rotary and Rotaract be structured and operated?
Why, you ask?There is further detail here, but simply we want your views so the vision of Rotary can be in the future can be more closely aligned to the needs of its members and the community you serve. Take time to provide honest and bold feedback, either by sending an email to rotaryregionalpilot@gmail.com or by completing the online survey.
Rotarians in our District who are working on this project include Howard Tong, Tony Heyward, John Bishop and Martin Garcia.
The raffle has been drawn and the winners are:
Bob Smith is chair of the Projects Committee for the Whanganui Rotary Club and he says,
