Rotary changeovers, whether in person or virtual, are an opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous effort undertaken by all involved at every level throughout the Rotary year.
The movie Groundhog Day springs to mind. Coming out of hibernation, Dave as DG, was on the road every day covering the entire district. Dave has made up for where COVID restricted him at the start of his term.
Thank you Narda for your support of Dave, as the role of DG isn’t a one year or one person job. A lot goes on behind the scenes to keep the show rolling and a huge team of; committee chairs, assistant governors, sub committees, club presidents and executives.
The John Hopkins University survey estimated a total of expended hours at 47 million volunteer hours’ worth US$850 million. No wonder you feel like a battery recharge is required this week. DG Dave’s’ report mentioned examples where District 9685 clubs have delivered outstanding, life changing projects. These are the tip of the Rotary service iceberg. So many people have contributed countless hours of effort and expertise to ensure that D9685 remains as the premier district in Australia and ranks highly worldwide. Thank you!
Congratulations for what was achieved in 2020-21, and now, I'm asking you to do it all over again.
District Governor Lindsay May
Who am I?
I was raised in Wollongong and a competitive swimmer and surf life saver. I’ve worked as a computer programmer, founded and ran a direct marketing company, sold that in 2016 then retired July 2020 to concentrate on the role of District Governor.
My introduction to Rotary was in 1977 on Group Study Exchange to Canada. Joined Lane Cove in 1978 and served in most club roles.
Assistant Governor 3 terms, Club Service Advisor, District Training Chair, Membership Chair and Rotary Foundation Chair 2009-12 and appointed to the 2014 Sydney Convention Host Organising Committee.
A Paul Harris Society member and Major Donor, I’m committed to supporting The Rotary Foundation and was a member of TRF Fund Development Committee 2018-21, tasked with raising US$2.025 billion by 2025 for the Endowment Fund.
Over 40 years I’ve visited most clubs usually to talk about my yachting exploits which include 4 Sydney Hobart wins across 47 years and competed overseas in all 4 major offshore yacht races.
Tania and I want to make the most of this wonderful opportunity and get out amongst D9685 Rotarians doing what they do best, serving their communities with projects to change lives.
As District Governor, I have set 6 goals for myself;
Meet every club in person, and Tania will join me where possible
Engage our Grants committee with more collaborative humanitarian projects
Increase contributions to The Rotary Foundation
And Rotaract: We must identify and invest in our future Rotary leaders
Achieve membership growth of 2022 by 2022
Celebrate your successes at district conference 18-19 Mar 2022
Tania and I are actively engaged Rotarians and encourage every member to aspire to RI President Shekhar Mehta’s theme Serve to Change Lives.
I believe the lives we change are not only those we touch, but also our own.
THE BIG RED R100 BUS
Now rebranded in the RI 21-22 Presidential theme
‘Serve to Change Lives’.
Special thanks to Jason Cronshaw of Fantastic Aussie Tours in Katoomba who has extended our use of the bus for another six months.
Thanks to Norm Kitto, the ever ready and jovial bus driver.
Paul Harris was a remarkable man and until 1947 he observed the growth and reach of his vision of Rotary service to communities. He wrote extensively and many of his quotes are as relevant today as when they were made.
Over the last 18 months one quote has just keeping resounding in my brain.
“This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it.
The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again.”
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion is a Rotary Core value and I believe we must work to build our membership balance that reflects and connects our community.
The impact will be profound for many reasons.
Tania and I look forward to working together to help you achieve your club and personal goals in what will be another fabulous Rotary year for District 9685.
2021-22 RI President Shekhar Mehta announces his theme "Serve to Change Lives"
Click on the image above to hear the presentation by RI President Shekhar Mehta at the International Assembly
Click on the button below to go to our District website for more information about the theme and theme materials.
Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta urges members to become more involved in service projects, saying that caring for and serving others is the best way to live because it changes not only other people’s lives, but also our own.
Shekhar Mehta is a member of the Rotary Club of Calcutta-Mahanagar, West Bengal, India. He has been a Rotarian since 1984 and served at every level of Rotary. Shekhar and his wife Rashi are Major Donors and members of the Bequest Society.
In welcoming the current cohort of District Governors, Shekhar spoke about how participating in service projects through Rotary changed him as a person and made him empathise more with the needs of others. Soon after joining his club, he helped carry out projects that benefited rural communities in India. Some of the poor conditions he saw in those communities strengthened his commitment to service. He has participated in initiatives that brought artificial limbs to children, clean water and sanitation to homes, and better health care facilities to communities.
“Rotary kindled the spark within me to look beyond myself and embrace humanity,” he said. “Service became a way of life for me and I, like many others, adopted the guiding philosophy that ‘Service is the rent I pay for the space I occupy on this earth, and I want to be a good tenant.’”
Mehta encouraged district governors to lead by example during their term and inspire Rotary and Rotaract members to participate in projects that have measurable and sustainable impacts. It’s no surprise his motto is ‘Do More, Grow More’ and clubs are urged to collaborate and scale up their humanitarian programs and to do so, we need to Expand our Reach and Enhance member Participation. His Presidential Theme, ‘Serve to Change Lives’ reflects the life changing experiences he has enjoyed since becoming a Rotarian.
It has been a huge honour to serve my Club (Lower Blue Mountains) and District 9685 as their District Governor for 2020-21. Lower Blue has a wonderful history of producing seven members through the ages, who have been selected as District Governors and I believe, it is because of the wonderful culture of leadership that we have in the club, and I know this tradition will continue in the future. So, look out for more DG’s from Lower Blue Mountains.
Thank you to all Rotarians and Clubs that supported The Rotary Foundation in 2020/21!
Despite the disruptions of Covid-19, you have continued to show your generosity in giving, as well as your determination to “do good in the world” with a record number of District and Global Grants during the year.
Donations to The Rotary Foundation exceeded those from last year!
Your donations to the Polio Plus fund will be used quickly to continue the work to eradicate this disease completely. As of June 2021, there have been only TWO cases reported worldwide this year, but continuing efforts are needed to finish the job.
Your donations to the Annual Fund during 2020/21 will be invested by the Foundation until Christine Owen’s year as District Governor in 2023/24, when a portion will be returned for use in District and Global Grants.
This year, Rotarians have been busy using the funds that were donated three years ago -- in Peter Ward’s year as District Governor.
Thirty-eight clubs received District Grants for 16 projects here in Australia and 22 projects overseas spread across 12 countries. The Rotary Foundation returned $AUD 138,000 of our contributions for use in District Grants to provide the “seed money” in matching grants that led our clubs to raise an additional $298,000 for the projects.
The amazing list of projects is available on the district website. Just click here for more information.
The past year was our most active ever for Global Grants, too! The Rotary Foundation approved 27 Global Grants that were sponsored by 12 clubs in our district, involving many other clubs around the world. With approximately $US 140,000 in “seed money” donated by Rotarians in our district three years ago, these clubs were able to raise over $US 2 million in additional funds to carry out these projects! Two of the Global Grants are being implemented here in our District. One helps children with Type 1 diabetes throughout New South Wales, and the other helps premature infants at Nepean Hospital. For more information about all our Global Grants, please click here.
Our District Rotary Foundation Committee is ready to help you with your District Grant or Global Grant applications during DG Lindsay’s year. This year, we have over $AUD 100,000 in “seed money” available for District Grants, and a similar amount available for Global Grants. The deadline for District Grant applications is 15 July, so please contact our Grants Chair, Haran Ramachandran (0419 980 529) or me right away if your club needs help in applying for a District Grant.
There is satill money available in the RAWCS Flood Appeal Funds set up for the recent floods. Contact RAWCS to find out which of the flood appeals have available funds, particularly for the Hawkesbury Valley area, set up a RAWCS Project, and apply for the grant. Let's use these funds so generously given.
Explanation of the conference theme “Learning, Leading, Action” and more.
To read these stories and more, click here. The contents of the newsletter will be shared on the conference's social media pages (Facebook @RotaryZone8Conference and Instagram #RotaryZone8Conference). You can register on the Rotary Zone 8 website after 5 July.
Registrations opened 1 July 2021.
3. PDG David Clark Appointment
PDG David Clark will not be resting this year. He has been appointed as the National Manager for Health & Educational Equipment Repurposing Activity (HEERA).
4. Tragedy in Afghanistan
We are deeply saddened to inform everyone of a further tragedy involving Polio volunteer workers in Afghanistan. Rotary International’s PolioPlus Chair/RI Past Vice Chair Mike McGovern reports that six Polio workers were killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday and a further four injured. President Holger has sent official condolences on behalf of Rotary International and our Polio Chair in Afghanistan has visited the four injured volunteers in hospital. Past Vice President Mike said the situation in Afghanistan will become very tenuous in the months ahead. He said there is an ongoing civil war between the Taliban and Isis/Isil groups and the government has little control of the situation. These people are truly unsung heroes and the situation emphasises the extreme importance of our end of year Polio fund raising to ensure the program continues and is completed as soon as possible.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Rotary Club of Saigon and Rotary Club of Saigon International, both being chartered on 18th June 2020.
CONGRATULATIONS to all other Rotarians involved especially Past RID and Past Trustees Mike Webb as the RI Representative with Vietnam; Mr David Peterson of RI Club and District Support, Rotary Foundation Trustee Ken Schuppert and Past RI Presidents Bill Boyd, Ray Klinginsmith and Gary Huang. President Holger Knaack and his team have finally completed this challenging task of getting Rotary back to Vietnam.
PDG Danny Low OAM of Mosman has worked tirelessly for over 30 years to have Vietnam reintroduced into the world of Rotary. Danny has made over 60 self-funded trips to Vietnam to not only implement humanitarian projects, but also to meet with, and lobby, the Vietnamese Government to allow Rotary to operate in Vietnam. He organised a GSE style visit of Vietnamese professionals to Sydney as part of his ground work in demonstrating what Rotary could bring to the Vietnamese people.
On behalf of everyone thank you PDG Danny.
This is indeed a historic moment as the previous 7 (seven) Rotary Clubs have been terminated in 1975 after the end of Vietnam Wars. So, it had been some 46 years absence from Vietnam. For your information, Rotary Club of Mosman, NSW Australia is the first Rotary Club which has been approved to hold a PACCOM PERMIT UNDER DECREE 88 in 1975 which was later converted to a CERTIFICATE OF OPERATION under Decree88/2012. This allows the Rotary Club of Mosman to operate as a Foreign Non-Government Organization (NGO) in Vietnam like many of the over 700 NGOs operating there.
Here is a way of coming out of the lockdown (hopefully) It is a high-profile Leadership Forum – see invitation on the left – that the Rotary Club of Northbridge is organising for Tuesday 13 July 2021 at the Northbridge Golf Club. This ‘breakfast’ event features presentations from our Sate Premier, Federal Member for North Sydney and Mayor of Willoughby on the subject: “Beyond COVID” and offers guests the opportunity to pose questions to these three speakers. All proceeds from the event will go to Taldumande Youth Services
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
Supporting Children And Young Adults With Autism
Helping Sick Children Maintain Their Education - Janine Rogers, Catch The Clouds
Posted by Communications Director, Rotary District 9685
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
We at ShelterBox Australia want to thank each and every Rotary Club within our District 9685 for their contribution/donation for this Rotary Year 2020-2021.
No matter how large or small, every dollar counts. This has been a particular difficult year for fundraising so we appreciate the effort every Rotarian and volunteer has contributed this year.
In this month's ShelterBox newsletter, we are looking at the growing crisis in the Tigrayan region of Ethiopia, where the UN has recently declared a famine. There is also news of a planned response in Mozambique and a report from Burkina Faso, as part of our response to the 'Forgotten Crisis' in the Lake Chad Basin.
This month's quote is from Phil McGraw “Don't wait until you're in a crisis to come up with a crisis plan” Thanks for championing ShelterBox and being part of the team.
Ambassador Johanna Johns
ShelterBox Australia Representative District 9685.
EMERGENCY DISASTER RELIEF
Click on the image above to see more
Right now, more than 104 million people around the world have been made homeless by natural disaster and conflict. We’re working to change this.
By providing emergency shelter and tools for families robbed of their homes by disaster, we’re transforming despair into hope.
We are impatient to see a world where no family is left without shelter. Are you? Find out more about us.
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