Ange’s Chat
Maybe it was due to the Canberra long weekend and crowds after the Anzac Service, but our market on Sunday was a hub of activity with big crowds and brilliant autumn weather. Respectful silence was observed by everyone at both sunrise and 11 am for the start of the Anzac Day service organised by the RSL at Club Narooma. The local RSL had approved our holding the market on Sunday.
Thank you to everyone who helped at the markets. Special thanks to Akash Sharma and Dave Swilks for coming to our rescue on the barbecue, to our butcher Dave White who kindly dropped off our meat order at the van knowing we were short staffed, and to David McInnes who made at least five trips to the IGA to replace our depleting food stocks. Market takings were: Gate $1,025, Van $1,005 and Wishing Well $364. It is clearly evident that having a friendly Rotary presence at the gate encourages the public to give generously to our wishing well.
Meanwhile across the way, thanks to Lynda Ord for organising a wreath from Narooma Rotary for the Anzac Day service at Club Narooma. It was beautiful.
Happy birthday this week to Andrew Lawson for the 27th.
THIS WEEK
As most of you would have realised, there was no Rotary meeting this Thursday being the fifth Thursday in the month. Apologies from the editor for not getting this week’s bulletin out sooner (been full on since our return to Narooma late on Tuesday) so hopefully no one turned up at the Golfie.
The Week that Was
Business Breakfast meetings
The recent breakfast meeting was a great success, but we are unable to continue holding them at The Inlet so the search has been on for another venue and catering. Full details next week.
World Immunisation Week
This week (24-30 April) is World Immunisation Week where Rotary raises awareness of the work to End Polio throughout the world and to remind everyone that our progress in the fight to end polio is proof that vaccines work.
In today’s interconnected world, an outbreak of a disease anywhere is a threat everywhere. Vaccination is one of the best tools we have to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Even as COVID-19 vaccination efforts take place, vaccinations for other preventable diseases, such as polio and measles, need to continue in order to protect vulnerable people. The World Health Organization estimates that immunisations save up to three million lives per year. Thanks to the work of Rotary and our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), more than 19 million people who would otherwise have been paralysed by polio can walk today.
Out and About
Our members help at RYDA
President Ange, President Elect Andrew Lawson and Chris O’Brien are off to Bega next Friday (7 May) to help out at the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) programme at the Frog’s Hollow Kart Track. That’s when Narooma High Year 11 students will be there.
From Merimbula Rotary
Last year Merimbula Club carried out some bushfire restoration work to the barbecue and toilet facilities at Wandella, then offered to provide power/PA and cater for their community ANZAC Day Ceremony/Service as their hall had been destroyed.
Covid-19 prevented them from doing that last year, so this year Merimbula Rotarians catered for a community barbecue with cakes and tea/coffee, and set up a PA system for the Wandella Community. It was greatly appreciated by everyone.
It’s all happening Saturday 22 May
First there is the District 9705 Club Development Seminar (9am – 4pm) at Broulee. Organisers have asked members to register for this free seminar. Many sessions are sure to be of benefit, such as social media/communications and public relations, Rotary Foundation, new Rotarians, Youth, Planning for success and expanding our goals.
This seminar occurs on the same day as our combined 100th celebration of Rotary in Australia at Moruya Golf Club. For this reason, District has been advised that local members will need to leave earlier.
Our celebration of 100 years of Rotary in Australia at Moruya Golf Club that evening at Moruya Golf Club is 6 for a 6.30 start. Fortunately we will have a few to represent our Club.
GPEI experience underpins Covid response
In March last year, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) put all polio campaigns on temporary hold and volunteered polio staff and infrastructure to support the COVID-19 response.
The pause was necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 but it sparked an unfortunate uptick in both wild and vaccine-derived polio cases. Four months later, in July, polio campaigns restarted under new safety guidelines, adopting physical distancing, personal protective equipment, and sanitation requirements. However, these requirements also increased operational costs.
GPEI hotlines, emergency operations centres, computers, and vehicles have all been enlisted to support the COVID-19 response. While critical functions of the polio eradication effort continued, polio workers in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan became involved in contact tracing, testing, and educating communities about hand washing and other ways to reduce transmission of and exposure to COVID-19. In many cases, they carried out both polio eradication and COVID-19 response activities simultaneously.
NEXT WEEK
Our next get-together will be via Zoom on Thursday 6 May with Kathryn Maxwell bringing us up to date on the Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA) and their plans for the next three years. Lynda Ord will host our Zoom meeting at 6.30pm and Laurelle Pacey will chair it. Please be ready to go at 6.30.