As I work through my official club visits schedule, I continue to be impressed with the projects that our Rotarians are involved in. Regardless of their size, clubs are working successfully in their communities and globally, making a measurable difference as people of action.
An exciting project that shows the power of Rotary is the ABCD (Association of Bell, Clarence and Dargan) Hall project. In the 2019-20 bushfires these small communities in the upper Blue Mountains were devastated with a huge loss of homes and habitat. They also lost the only place where the community could meet. A miracle arrived in the form of a generous
anonymous donation to RAWCS for bushfire-affected Turning the sod for the new ABCD Community Hall.
communities and we were able to secure $140,000 to Photo by Michael Small - Upper Blue Mts Sunrise Rotary Club.
rebuild the hall. On Sunday, the grateful community gathered to ‘turn the sod’ and get the building underway. If we are successful with our Global Grant application Rotary can also contribute to the fitting out of the building and provision of water tanks. This project is about more than providing a space, it is about building community and developing resilience.
I’ve been asking members to take a really good look at their club culture and how it may look to an outside observer. One suggestion is to bring along a non-Rotarian with the express view of asking them to provide some feedback of their visit. They may need to attend more than once. Often, we are so used to the way we are operating that we are oblivious to things that may present a barrier to a new person joining. Having someone you trust to give some honest feedback may provide your members with something to work on to make your club meetings more attractive.
Last week I was privileged to attend Australian Rotary Health’s (ARH) ‘Healthy Children- Bright Futures. Improving the Mental Health of 0-12 Year Olds’ Symposium. This is ARH’s new research grant funding focus. Excellent research reports were presented by doctors and professors from around Australia to show the urgent need for this work. Please consider supporting ARH when you have funds to disperse.
The Regionalisation Team have successfully completed their visits to all clubs, and presidents will be asked to vote on your behalf very soon. The feedback is positive for a ‘yes’ vote so let’s hope that the other districts allow us the chance to trial new ways of managing Rotary in Zone 8 – Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Again, I’d like to give a big thank you to PDG Kalma McClellan and her team.
Meanwhile, continue the good work and let everyone know about it! Start thinking about the hiking stick that you will bring to the Cowra Conference, and register for the International Convention in Melbourne. Look after each other and enjoy what you are doing.
Rotary Foundation District Grants and Disaster Response Grant Approved!
Thirty clubs have received approval and initial funding for District Grants from The Rotary Foundation. Each year, our District receives up to 25% of the funds our members previously donated to the Foundation’s Annual Fund for use in District Grants. The remainder of our donations to the Annual Fund is used to support our Global Grants, World Fund projects, and for operating costs of The Rotary Foundation. This year, we received $AUD 105,695 to distribute as District Grants for 17 club projects to be conducted here in Australia and 13 club projects to be conducted overseas. Each club is also contributing at least as much to each of these projects as The Rotary Foundation. The total value of projects is almost $AUD 250,000. This is an amazing effort by clubs in our District!
Information about each of the District Grants is available by clicking on this link.
My thanks to our Grants Committee Chair, Haran Ramachandran for his efforts in getting these applications submitted and approved. If you have any questions about District Grants, please call Haran at 0419 980 529.
Our application to The Rotary Foundation for another Disaster Response Grant to assist victims of the Sydney area floods in July has also just been approved! The amount of $US25,000 translated to $AUD 35,750, and will be distributed as Woolworths “Essentials” vouchers to affected families via clubs in the flood areas. We should be able to $400 Vouchers to about 90 families through this grant.
Please contact me at 0412 798 526 if your club has identified families in need of flood relief in your area and is prepared to distribute some of the vouchers.
You can also contact me (0412 798 526) or our Grants Chair, Haran Ramachandran (0419 980 529) if you have any questions about District or Global Grants.
All Rotarians would have received an email from current RI President, Jennifer Jones, on Wednesday of this week. If you missed it, here it is:
Dear Rotary family,
I’ve always been inspired by something my brother David once told me: “In order to live in the kind of society you want, you have to help build it.” As people of action, Rotary members have a long history of creating positive change within our communities and ourselves. And now, as we begin the 2022-23 Rotary year, I’m excited to continue the work of growing Rotary into the organization we want it to be and know it can be.
You may have seen the latest news from Pakistan, where flash floods have affected more than 30 million people, killing at least 1,000.
The sheer scale of the flooding is devastating. Tens of thousands of people have had to flee their homes, with this number expected to rise as the true scale of the destruction becomes clear.
“After weeks of flooding, the heavy rains are not letting up – homes are being washed away, people are losing their livelihoods, and in too many cases their lives.
“With our experience supporting flood-affected communities in Pakistan in 2010, and flood-hit areas across the world, we’re looking to get an assessment team out there as soon as we can to see what we can do to help.”
Please donate today to help ShelterBox provide lifesaving aid for families affected by disaster around the world.
2. Australian Rotary Health
This is a poem penned by David Tanare from Umina Beach RC. Are there any more budding poets out there? (Note: Greg Ross is no longer Chairman of ARH. It is Kevin Shadboly from Tasmania).
3. Rotary Club of Blacktown City’s Flood Relief for Greater Sydney Initiative
Since the beginning of the year, the greater Sydney area has experienced multiple severe flooding events, in one case receiving eight months of rain over four days. These events have caused devastation and distress throughout the region, with tens of thousands displaced.
A strong urge to do something to help Sydney’s flood victims came from watching the news on 5 July 2022, witnessing how devastating these latest floods in the Camden and Hawkesbury areas were, the most severe of those this year. As a result, Flood Relief for Greater Sydney with Comedy was born and supported jointly by Rotary Districts 9675 and 9685. To read more, click HERE.
3. Raising funds for Australian Rotary Health - The club hiking stick challenge.
DG Mina’s partner Larry is throwing out a challenge to all clubs. He wants you to design a hiking stick and bring it along to the Cowra Conference,
17-19 May2023.
The sticks can be decorated using any design or method limited only by your imagination.
The attendees will be asked to vote for their favourite stick by putting in a minimum of a dollar donation per vote.
The stick that raises the most money will win a PHF for their club to award to an outstanding member of their community.
All entries must be available for sale to attendees.
The club whose stick sells for the most money will also be eligible for a prize.
All proceeds will be donated to Australian Rotary Health.
Restrictions:
One entry per club.
So get cracking and see what you can come up with!
4. Membership
While you’re thinking about membership, take the quick and useful courses in Rotary’s Learning Center that will give you lots of practical ideas for your club’s membership initiatives. These courses include:
"The Club Buzz" is where you will find some exciting and relevant programs or events happening in our Clubs and in District 9685.
With Clubs working hard to prepare for the end of the Rotary year, and the Club Chngeovers, Club Buzz will resume in the first eNewsletter after the 1st of July.
Radio is a powerful way to spread your Club stories. If your Club has a project, local or overseas, which would interest the wider general public, discuss it with Rotary Matters presenter Ian Stuart who will be glad to help spread the word. Ian.stuart@optusnet.com.au 0416 138 860
Ian Stuart is having a well earned rest and holiday. This week we bring you some previous episodes of Radio Matters. We do hope that you enjoy them.
Reduced (early bird) registration fees are in place until 15 December 2022. There is still plenty of accommodation available and some great rates so lock them in now.
There is much to do in Melbourne in addition to the convention.
Our district currently has 86 members and partners registered and increasing. You can bet these people will be the “movers and shakers” in Rotary of the future.
to let us know of any bereavements you would like published.
You may also inform your Assistant Governor, the District Secretary, or the Governor. Remember to also update your club's member database on the District website.
THE MONTHLY THEME FOR AUGUST IS BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY
THE ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE COURSE 71
7th to 9th OCTOBER 2022
Face to face
(RDU, Norwest)
The next opportunity is RLI 71 which will be held face to face.
You are receiving this email as a member or friend of one of the Rotary Clubs within Rotary International District 9685. If, for any reason, you do not want to receive communications of this nature, please unsubscribe by un-checking the box in the 'Privacy' tab of your member profile on the District website, or by selecting the 'unsubscribe' link at the foot of this newsletter.
District eNews is reviewed weekly for publication on Thursday at least every two weeks. Content provided and all rights reserved by Rotary International District 9685 Inc
An exciting project that shows the power of Rotary is the ABCD (Association of Bell, Clarence and Dargan) Hall project. In the 2019-20 bushfires these small communities in the upper Blue Mountains were devastated with a huge loss of homes and habitat.
design a hiking stick and bring it along to the Cowra Conference,
"The Club Buzz" is where you will find some exciting and relevant programs or events happening in our Clubs and in District 9685. 
