Bob’s Buzz

Hello Everyone

I have decided it’s time to again publish our Narooma Rotary Beacon. We will publish a Beacon every two weeks until normal Rotary activities can be resumed.

As you can guess with social isolation, not a great deal has been happening in the Rotary world, however, a few things keep ticking over, Rod has been doing a great job keeping us informed of what has been happening across the District and more broadly.

It is interesting to note that for those of you who receive a hard copy of Rotary Downunder, the subscription rate for 2020/21 will rise to $44.00 while those who receive an electronic version will see the rate fall to $34.00. If you currently receive a hard copy of the magazine and would like to go electronic please let Rod know so that he can update your details on the Rotary Downunder  website. 

The District has received $200,000.00 from the RAWCS National fundraising appeal and we are encouraged to apply for funding to help the bushfire recovery in our area. If you have an idea or suggestion please let me know. There is more information in the latest bulletin from the Rotary Bushfire Recovery Committee. The Committee has a dedicated website, you can access it by clicking here. 

As we struggle with COVID -19 we should remember that this week is ‘World Immunization Week’. Over the years Rotary has done a wonderful job helping to eradicate polio across the world. Each year, Rotary and our partners vaccinate more than 400 million children against polio, it is though the leadership of Rotary that we have almost achieved the goal of a polio fee world. If you want to know more click here 

THIS WEEK – a  Zoom meeting

I suggest that we hold another online meeting this Thursday @ 6:00pm. I would like to use Zoom this time as Jitsi seems to have a number of limitations. I understand there have been some privacy concerns with Zoom; however, I have been told that these have been addressed. A number of other Clubs and organisations have been using Zoom and report it works well. If you would like to attend the meeting please download the Zoom app and let me know you will be joining the meeting so I can send you the details of how to log in. 

Hopefully we are over the worst of COVID – 19 and we can make tentative arrangements in the next month or so to meet face to face. 

Stay safe everyone and enjoy the serenity of isolation 

Cheers Bob

OUT AND ABOUT

From Moruya Rotary

Moruya Rotary President Marian Pearson is hard at work sorting out her own rural property after the bushfires. Fortunately her house was saved. It’s a big project involving the removal of trees (and cutting them up for firewood), removal and replacement of a large shed, water tank and fences. It will be another few weeks before she will be back to normal domestic arrangements.

From Batemans Bay Rotary

Dave Harding, one of Batemans Bay Club’s outstanding Rotarians, has died. He was President of the St Cecilia Music Scholarships for ten years and organised Royal Military College Band concerts.

More on Bushfire Recovery

The NSW Government has partnered with Minderoo Foundation’s Fire Fund to provide recovery pods” to people rebuilding after the disastrous bushfire season. The design was based on feedback from impacted people in rural and remote locations who need to stay on their properties and in their communities while working towards longer term rebuilding.

The 7.2m x 2.4m units pods are stand-alone temporary accommodation units with built-in electricity, water and ablution systems and would be provided to people for up to two years.

District Bushfire Recovery Committee Chair Phil Armstrong has asked us if we know of anyone in our community who may have fallen through the cracks and not been registered with Minderoo, to please let Bob know and he will in turn let Phil know.

On a lighter note

Reproduced from the April Rotary District 9710 newsletter – not to say our Zoom meeting on Thursday will be anything like this!

Bob’s Buzz

Hello Everyone

Welcome to the new normal. As all members are aware, all Club activities have been cancelled until further notice. Hopefully we will be able to meet again before the new Rotary year commences. However, at this stage it appears unlikely.

Laurelle has asked me to continue as president for the time being, which I am happy to do as I don’t think I will be required to make too many decisions. If a decision needs to be made I will consult with Board members by email. Rod will continue to forward messages from the District and RI for individual members’ information.  

To get the latest from Rotary International regarding COVID-19 click here.  It is interesting to note that Global Youth Exchange for 2020/21 and the 2020 Rotary International Conference have both been cancelled.

I propose to hold a virtual meeting this Thursday from 6:00pm if you would like to participate please let me know by Wednesday afternoon so I can send you the information about how to join. Please remember to bring a drink with you to the meeting!

Stay safe everyone and keep up the contact with other members, it is important to keep in touch.

Kind regards Bob

THIS WEEK

As Bob said, this Thursday we’re having a virtual meeting at 6pm. Have a glass of wine or whatever with you. Let Bob know please if you would like to join and he will send info. Your editor had no problems linking up so it’s obviously quite easy. Thanks Frank and Bob for exploring this.

Out and About

Rotary Youth Driver Awareness update

RYDA organiser Neil Simpson reports in the Bay Rotary newsletter that trying to hold RYDA later this year presents many challenges. These include securing the presenters and venue and fitting in with all school calendars.

Year 11 students do exams in late September and start their Year 12 HSC work in October. With schools closing, Neil predicts all face-to-face learning time will be very precious. So, once the coronavirus bans are lifted, there is not much opportunity to get it running for this year.

RYDA is a joint youth project of Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma Rotary Clubs. It is a wonderful programme that gives students an extensive introduction to road safety from understanding how personality impacts risk, to the impacts of a crash, to how to buy and maintain a safe car. In the RYDA workshop, students work with their peers to come up with strategies to be better prepared and make good decisions, both as drivers and as highly influential passengers.

MUNA 2020 postponed

MUNA organisers, the Rotary Club of Canberra Sunrise (RCCS), have announced the postponement of MUNA 2020. Although it is impossible to say what the situation will be on 7-9 August, the dates originally scheduled, current restrictions make it impossible for schools, Rotary clubs and Districts to properly prepare for the event, particularly where they wish to organise run-off competitions. As the situation becomes clearer, they will work with all those interested to identify a date later in the year.

Narooma High teacher Monique Weeks says they are still keen to participate should it go ahead, so we as a Club need to register our interest in sponsoring a team at a later date should that be the case. Something for this Thursday’s meeting perhaps.

What’s also interesting is that RCCS is considering options to run online MUNA-style events while Covid-19 restrictions are in place, to provide an opportunity for students to participate in a positive activity during this difficult time. The format of these would be determined in consultation with schools involved; at this stage we believe that costs to participate, if any, would be minimal.

Rotary Youth Exchange suspended

Rotary District 9705 (a combination of previous Districts 9700 and 9710) has suspended its Youth Exchange Program for the foreseeable future because of the corona virus pandemic

This means students will not be arriving from overseas  in the middle of the year, selection of Australian students to go overseas in early 2021 has been cancelled, and some students currently here on exchange have already headed home. All other students here are being supported in discussion with their parents.

 The program is designed to promote peace and understanding globally as well as to build individual leadership skills in through the exchange program. Organisers look forward to the time when the program can recommence; meanwhile Rotarians will be working hard through the ‘stand down’ time to evaluate the program and determine how to improve it.

On a lighter note