The Week that Was
Last Thursday morning Laurelle, Frank, John and Sandra Doyle, Lynn, Ange, Bob Aston and Bob Antill meet at Easts Van Park to ‘spring clean’ the Rotary Food Van. All the gear was moved out before the shelves, walls and equipment were thoroughly scrubbed, washed and cleaned. The result a ‘sparkling’ van fit for purpose. Thanks to all who helped.
On Thursday night 15 members were present. We welcomed visiting Rotarian Jenni Lean from the Rotary Club of Port Moresby, guests Tara Moore and Rob Merrian and guest speaker Teresa van der Heul and husband John.
In her three-minute talk Lynda spoke about her journey back from major surgery and the influence it had on her and her family. Lynda was pleased to report that her recovery is almost complete, even venturing out to drive!
Teresa, our guest speaker gave an engrossing presentation on the world of fungi. Fungi play a vital role in our ecosystem decomposing organic and inorganic matter as well as supplying plans with essential nutrients.
Lynda Ord won the gluten free biscuits with disc 9, Laurelle won the bread (13), Peter Hartley the mushrooms (4), Mike Young the Rotary mug (1) and Chris took home the wine (40)
The Week Ahead
This week we meet at Rotary Park (6:00 for 6:30pm) to discuss ways we might further recognise the work of Rotary and Rotarians in some way at the Park. Please bring your own food and refreshments, hopefully the rain will stay away.
I asked Laurelle to provide us with a little history of the Park for information of members. Her story appears below.
Our Club created Rotary Park in 1961, in Moran Callaghan’s year as president, in association with the Narooma Urban Committee. Rotary organised the bulldozing, landfill and landscaping to create the park, including the fencing. (Narooma Urban Committee had been formed by Eurobodalla Shire Council in 1931 to manage matters within Narooma’s urban boundaries.)
Rotarians then maintained the park until circa 2001, included mowing and cleaning the barbecues. Council then took over all of its maintenance largely because of liability concerns.
Notable Club projects in the park include:
- ‘People in the Park’ in 1979 in Ted Oliver’s year as president when the Club worked with local artist Jenni Young (later Bourke). Rotarians cut trees Jenni had selected from the forest, carted them to her studio where she painted them as very tall people, and then installed them in the park.
Eurobodalla Shire Mayor Fergus Thomson opens our RI Centenary Project in Rotary Mark in March 2005 during Georgie Staley’s year as president. - Adding two table sets in Rotary International’s centenary year during Georgie Staley’s year as president, going 50:50 with Council. These were opened by the Mayor Fergus Thomson
- We put a sun-shade over them during the following year (Marilyn Gibson’s year as president), largely due to the efforts of Kevin Young, again going 50:50 with Council.
We no longer have any direct responsibility for Rotary Park but continue to provide comment and input to Council over the park’s ongoing management.
Relay for Life
This Saturday and Sunday. The Club is providing breakfast on Sunday morning.
Women share stories of humanitarian service on International Women’s Day
By Jane Lawicki
What motivates everyday women to do extraordinary things — to positively change the lives of people halfway around the world while inspiring so many folks at home?
Three Rotary members answered that question at a celebration of International Women’s Day hosted by the World Bank at its Washington, D.C., headquarters 8 March. Click here to read the story.
A former Rotary Scholar Reports Back
I would first of all like to extend my appreciation to the Rotary Club of Narooma for their tertiary scholarship support from 2012-2014. I will always be grateful.
I thought an update might be on the cards. I finished my Bachelor of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation at the end of 2015, continuing on to complete a Bachelor of Sports Studies (Honours) of which I will graduate from on the 13th of April.
Currently I am undertaking my Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Canberra, my thesis focusing upon the cardio-toxicity of chemotherapy and the role exercise may play in reducing these negative effects. I am learning how to conduct echo-cardiographs, guest lecturing and taking tutorials at the University. I also work in a private practice as an exercise physiologist, as well as being the exercise physiologist based in Canberra for a nation-wide randomised control trial looking into the effects of exercise during chemotherapy within ovarian cancer.
Thank you again to all Rotarian’s and best wishes always,
Joanna Gray
Your Vision for Rotary’s Future
Results of The Rotary International Strategic Planning Committee’ survey.
In January, the committee invited you to participate in our survey Your Vision for Rotary’s Future. If you are one of the participants, the Strategic Planning Committee sends a sincere thank you. Almost 30,000 members of the Rotary family, including 20,000 Rotarians, provided their input for Rotary’s future! The committee is very grateful for everyone’s feedback and want to share a few highlights of what we’re learning:
- When asked about the traits of their ideal organization, almost all Rotarians (95%) and Rotaractors (97%) prize transparency and accountability.
- According to Rotarians, the two top benefits of membership are 1) positively impacting their local community and 2) friendship/fellowship.
In the results, we are also learning where Rotary can improve:
- Almost a quarter of Rotarians say that their Rotary club conducts too few community service projects; even more (41%) feel their Rotary club is involved in too few international service projects each year.
- Many Rotarians (42%) and Rotary alumni (49%) are frustrated with Rotary’s slow pace of change.
- Only 36% of Rotarians fully agree that Rotary acts upon feedback from its members.
We hear you and want to reassure you that we are taking action with the survey feedback. Your Vision for Rotary’s Future survey results are an integral part in the development of a Vision statement for Rotary. Our goal is a Vision statement that is compelling, inspirational, and aspirational — a future towards which all Rotary aspires to reach and reflects the impact Rotary wishes to have on the world. Once developed, the Vision will guide the creation of a new strategic plan and set a direction to ensure Rotary’s ongoing growth and long-term success.
Rotarian input is essential at every step of the project. To ensure the Vision fully captures the shared values and priorities of Rotary, the Strategic Planning Committee will continue talking to Rotarians and members of the Rotary family at all levels and all parts of the globe. In the next several weeks, you may be asked to provide input to help develop the Vision. We hope you will participate if you receive a request.
Snowy Hydro SouthCare
Below is a letter from PDG Len Goodman AO Special Ambassador, “Snowy Hydro SouthCare Helicopter Trust”.
My friends in Rotary,
At the 1995-96 District Assembly, Rotarians of D9710 unanimously supported my request that we get behind the ACT Government’s proposal to have based in Canberra an Aeromedical Helicopter service to cover the ACT and SE NSW region. All Clubs then started contributing funds which resulted in D9710 kicking off the then “SouthCare Helicopter Trust” with donations of nearly $70,000.
Since the “SouthCare” helicopter – ‘SnowyScheme’, then ‘Snowy Hydro SouthCare’ – began operating on 1 October 1998, Rotary has contributed almost $500,000 in cash and kind – a faithful and amazing partnership. As a Sponsor, our RI Logo has accompanied almost 7,000 indispensable aero-medical and life-saving missions operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year round. It has been there for you and your families from the snow to the sea, farmland and bush, in our capital and on some of the busiest highways and holiday roads.
From Rotary’s commitment, I was appointed Chairman of the Trust, serving from 1998 to 2006 – and then as “Special Ambassador”. Sponsorships and community fundraising have been at the heart of establishing and supporting the Snowy Hydro SouthCare helicopter service. Thanks to the commitment, passion and dedication of our donors, Snowy Hydro Limited and other sponsors, our Ambassadors, community supporters and volunteers, the service that started in 1998 with a dream and a vision is recognised and valued as an essential community service.
As SHSC CEO Carol Bennett puts it in commending Rotary – now, from April 2017 the service will enter a new era. Our beloved “Snowy Hydro SouthCare” Bell 412 helicopter, affectionately known as ‘Charlie’, will retire. The ACT and NSW governments have contracted Toll Helicopters to serve our community with a new state-of-the-art aero-medical helicopter.
Now the Agusta-Westland 139 will operate out of Canberra as part of a fleet of eight servicing southern NSW and the ACT. It heralds a new era in life-saving and life-changing capability. Its core operations will be fully funded by government as an essential community service, without reliance on community fundraising as has been the case.
It is an exciting time. So many charities never get to fulfil their mission, but with support from Rotary, our Lions cousins, the many sponsors and individual donors – “SouthCare” has been an outstanding success in saving lives.
Community support for life-saving equipment and initiatives will always be a hallmark of our region’s communities. Thus, the ACT Government is tasked with exploring a new model of community engagement to support regional emergency services, incl. aeromedical.
I thank you, my fellow Rotarians and partners, most sincerely for all you have contributed over the past 22 years in the name of “Service above Self”. A journey of commitment.
District Assembly
The District Assembly this year will be a little different to other years.
We would like to encourage all Rotarians to attend, not just incoming Board members.
There will be a showcase of many of the Rotary programs on display over the weekend, with the opportunity to discuss one on one with committee members.
Breakout sessions will still be held with an opportunity to learn and ask questions.
- DATES: 12 noon 29th – 30th April
- VENUE ASSEMBLY: Kingsford Smith School, 100 Starke Street, HOLT ACT (view map)
- DINNER: Raiders Belconnen, Hardwick Cres, HOLT ACT
- COST: $40pp
Special Guest at the Assembly will be Rotary International President Elect Ian Riseley.
Click here to register. Please also let Bob Aston know if you will be attending.
