November is The Rotary Foundation (TRF) month. This reminds us that we are all part of a global whanau of more than a million people with shared values across more than 250 nations. We are all in the Rotary Foundation waka and it is a beauty.
The Rotary Foundation is our charity of choice. Put simply ‘Doing Good in the World’ is our motto. TRF needs capital to invest. We support it through Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) contributions, gifting, bequests and our End Polio Now efforts among other inputs. In turn TRF invests well and supports our District Grants, Global Grants, Rotary Peace and other scholars and Vocational Training Teams (VTTs). I am hearing a lot of support for the VTTs concept in my travels. I intend to champion an agreement in principle to support VTTs at the Board level and take that further. Right now, I am very interested in your feedback on VTTs.
PDG Martin Garcia is notifying members that PDG Don Speirshas passed away. His funeral was held on Wednesday 30 October in Whanganui. Don (Jenny), of Wanganui North Rotary, was District Governor in 1990-91 with the RI theme Honour Rotary with Faith and Enthusiasm.
PDG 9920 Rob Crabtree (New Plymouth North) also passed away last week. Rob’s funeral was held on Saturday 9 November in New Plymouth.
"The family of Past District Governor Rob Crabtree has advised that that Rob passed away peacefully Wednesday afternoon, surrounded by family. Funeral arrangements to come. In lieu of flowers, Rob asked for donations to go to 'Big Brothers Big Sisters Taranaki' of which he was a trustee. Correspondence to calpr@xtra.co.nz. [dated 31 October 2019]. Rob Crabtree was District 9920 Governor 2001-2002 and a member of the Rotary Club of Howick before moving to New Plymouth where he joined the Rotary Club of New Plymouth North."
Our condolences go to all of Rob’s family. Rob will be remembered as a Great Rotarian and Past District Governor who put service above self.
Last month on End Polio Now Day (24 October), the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocates from across the globe celebrated a major step on the path to a polio-free future – the eradication of wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3).
For the families, health workers, scientists, Rotarians and donors working to “End Polio”, this achievement is an inspiring reminder that eradication is within reach.Next month, leaders from around the world will gather at the Reaching the Last Mile Forum in Abu Dhabi to announce their continued support of the GPEI and ensure the programme has the resources needed to overcome the final hurdles to eradication.
Two out of three wild poliovirus strains eradicated
On End Polio Now Day, the Director General of the World Health Organization, announced that WPV3 has been eradicated globally – the second of three wild poliovirus strains to be wiped out.
With only one wild polio strain remaining, the polio programme is fully focused on overcoming remaining challenges and delivering on its promise of a polio-free world. Learn more about this historic public health achievement and what it will take to eradicate the final wild polio strain.
Dedicated health workers across Afghanistan – one of only two countries in the world that still have wild polio – have committed their lives to protecting children against the devastating effects of the poliovirus
The heading from a Herald article on 19 October read "Clerics issue fatwas to end vaccine panic"
Leading Muslim clerics are supporting Pakistan's polio vaccination programme in an effort to end Islamist violence against medical staff and dispel panic that shots can be fatal. The article goes on to say "Doctors'research suggests that these drops and vaccines are useful for the prevention of harmful diseases and this polio vaccine is not dangerous"
What wonderful news to come out so close to End Polio Day 24 October
RYDA Chair Mel Cook informs Rotarians that nominations for RYPEN 2020 are now open. The programme is being held two weeks earlier than the last two years and as schools are about to head into the Christmas break, an approach to schools before Christmas would help streamline the process; the students can be identified now which allows plenty of time to complete and return nomination forms during January and February.
Probus is a Service organisation involving people who are retired. It is all about Friendship, Fellowship, and Fun.
There are a number of member benefits, and one of these is travel insurance. These privileges are available to members of Rotary through the Probus website. The underwriter is Chubb Travel Insurance.
You will need a certificate from your doctor to say you are fit to travel and be aged under 1oo !!
Inglewood Rotary is currently working on a landscaping/relawning project at Marinoto Rest Home and Hospital. 7 of us doggedly worked in the rain and showers today with Rotary Hoes, rakes and shovels. Thankyou to Cam for helping us. Thankyou Rose for the welcome tea and soup and warm muffins.
It was a lovely sunny day in Masterton (9/11) as hundreds of bears and friends gathered together for the Masterton Rotary Club's Teddy Bears Picnic. An annual event, held free of charge, for the Community to enjoy.
A wonderful day of fun for everyone. Congratulations Masterton Rotary. You have done it again !
The boxes for our Rotary Predator Free Waterfront project are already to go after some of our trapping team got together for a very focused couple of hours yesterday morning.
A huge thank-you to Placemakers for donating the materials.
Lynne Phillips - Chair of the District 9940 Rotary Youth Exchange Committee, urges commitment from clubs for the July 2020 intake !!!
We were privileged once again to be welcomed back to Kauwhata Marae for our Inbound and Outbound students to experience our unique NZ culture. For the students departing in January 2020 this is the last time we will all be together and it was fitting that they were presented with their formal jackets by DG John Mohi. These jackets will return in 2021 weighted down and covered with pins which will remind the students of the places they have been, the things they have done, people they have met and the lifelong relationships they will have made.
Our District has the opportunity to vote for or against these resolutions and this must be done by 15 November.I am seeking your feedback on the resolutions and your vote for or against them so that I might best represent the wishes of clubs when I submit our District's vote.
The Rotary Publication of 'Service in Action' contains a wealth of relevant and topical Rotary success stories, within an international context.
Following on to the success story of the Marton Skateboard Park, (October RDU), I found this article (Service in Action, 10th October, 2019) to be so very interesting and had not thought of the implications of this type of community project in such a broad far reaching way.
Please take the time to read - gates foundation.org and search 'What do skateboarding and global health have in common'? Freya, Ed;
Take the Woodville Wanderer through the Manawatu Gorge and view its magnificence from the safety of the railway track. On the other side you will see the area at the southern end that has resulted in the Manawatu Gorge being closed to road traffic.
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.
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.’