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Monthly Newsletter of Rotary District 9640 | Edition 6 | December 2015
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District Governor’s Message
Rotary Foundation Contributions
Satellite Launches Into Orbit
Days for Girls Gold Coast
Welcome New Members
Umoja Orphanage in Kenya
Quacking Day at Kingscliff
A Message from France
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Gold Coast Suns Homeless Sleepout
Calling all Riders !
Broadbeach Used Book Sale
RI President’s Message
Register Now for Seoul 2016
Rotary Global Rewards
Key Dates and Events
Official DG Business
If you are travelling over the holiday period please take
care and we wish you a safe journey and look forward to
your return to District 9640
Yours in Rotary
Anne Egan
District Governor 2015/16
[email protected]
0418 489 836
Welcome to the District Governor’s Newsletter and in
particular in this wonderful month of December. In 2015,
December is “Disease Prevention and Treatment Month”.
We actually have a wonderful focus on this at District level
at the present time as the District has newly adopted the
SOAP Project of which our District Chair is Karen Thomas
from the Rotary Club of Mudgeeraba. Karen has offered to
fulfil this role and to conduct the project on District’s
behalf as a memorial to our late PDG Max Wortman.
The SOAP Project has very much as its focus, disease
prevention, a cause that was vital to Max in his last year of
life. Thank you Karen for your work and support of this
wonderful project. More information is available to all our
members and guests on the SOAP Aid website
www.soapaid.org. All Clubs and District Rotarians are
urged to support the project.
As we draw to the end of the calendar year we cannot help
but take stock of where we are and how we are travelling.
This is particularly so given that we are also nearing the
midway point of our Rotary year. It is time to look back,
take what we can learn from the past and draw inspiration
and motivation to move forward into the next part of our
journey. It is also a time to refresh and renew and all
Rotary Clubs in our District will be suspending their normal
weekly program at least for a short period to enable the
Rotarians to focus on family, friends and the spirit of this
season. I trust that you will find time to rest and refresh.
Both Jeff and I wish all our Rotary family and friends a
wonderful Christmas Season in whatever way you may
celebrate this time of year. It is a wonderful time not only
to rest and enjoy each other’s company but to reflect upon
the meaning of our relationships and their purpose in our
lives. Only good can come of such reflection. Please
remember also that there are many in our world (and even
in our own communities) who don’t have access to the
basic requirements of life, let alone the festive
accompaniments to which we are accustomed.
Rotary's top priority is the eradication of polio, but our
members take on far greater responsibilities to fight
disease. They set up health camps and training facilities in
undeveloped countries and in communities struggling with
HIV/AIDS and malaria. They also design and build the
infrastructure for doctors, nurses, governments, and
partners to reach the one in six people in the world who
can't afford to pay for health care.
Disease prevention and treatment takes on many forms,
from supporting studies to helping immunize people to
improving drinking water and the sanitation infrastructure.
The world relies on Rotary to tackle these global
challenges, and to set an example for others to follow.
Read More
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Polio vaccinators make significant headway in Nigeria
Giving voice to those who might otherwise live in a
silent world
Drug wars, financial setbacks no match for Mexico
clinic
Family health days help 250,000 in Africa
November was Foundation Month and in last month’s
edition we outlined some of the significant benefits the
District has already received in 2015/2016 from
Foundation Programs. This month we focus on recognising
the fundraising that got us there.
Thank you to all the Clubs and Rotarians involved. These
funds will be matched 2 for 1 by the Gates Foundation so
your efforts will have generated over $12,000 toward polio
eradication.
Rotary Foundation Contributions
With a deteriorating exchange rate our contribution in
2014/2015 was most commendable and the following
clubs received Foundation banners for their efforts –
Program
Club
Annual Fund
Contributions
per capita
1st Tweed Coast (USD 436.76)
2nd Surfers Paradise (USD 290.90)
3rd Hope Island (USD 271.29)
100% Sustaining
Member
Kyogle
100% Every Rotarian
Every Year
EndPolio Now
(contributions of USD
1,500 or more to
PolioPlus)
Kyogle
eClub NextGen
Lismore West
Mt Warning AM
Ashmore
Boonah
Broadbeach
Burleigh Heads
Currumbin-Coolangatta-Tweed
eClub NextGen
Hope Island
Mt Warning AM
Murwillumbah Central
Southport
Stanthorpe
Congratulations to each club on a job well done.
Most pleasing was the increase in Every Rotarian Every
Year contributors. A record 527 or 42.5% of Rotarians in
District 9640 made a personal contribution to The Rotary
Foundation in 2014/2015 which is almost double the
23.3% of Rotarians Australia wide.
Congratulations and thank you to all concerned. Our task
now is to continue to improve over the current and future
years.
Polio Movie Night
There were five showings of the movie “Bridge of Spies” at
Ballina, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Lismore, Murwillumbah
and Warwick with over 400 attendees raising $4,200 for
PolioPlus.
Simon Jeanes, Secretary, PDG Sandra Doumany and Regina Tucker
Our district's second satellite club, the Satellite Club of
Southport-Griffith University, was chartered on 10
November before a packed house of around 70 Rotarians
and friends.
After a year's planning and work by a dedicated team, PDG
Sandra Doumany presented new Club Secretary Simon
Jeans with the Charter document and inducted the 14
charter members. Satellite Club President Paul Fitzmaurice
was inducted about two weeks ago and the Club has
several more members set to join.
The Club will hold monthly e-meetings and regular
breakfast meetings at an on-campus cafe.
Our district has one other satellite club, the Rotary Club of
Glen Innes' Satellite Club, and negotiations recently began
for the formation of a third satellite club.
It was a terrific launch of a stellar new club.
It all started with a trip to the Rotary International
Convention in Sydney in 2014 where there were over 400
projects vying for support and yet this one was picked out
by the wife of a member of the Rotary e-Club of NextGen
because "there wouldn't be too many blokes that would
run with it!".
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Days for Girls is a worldwide organisation made up of over
180 chapters and teams who produce kits that are made
up of shields, liners, a face washer, soap, panties, a zip lock
bag and a fabric bag for storage. These kits provide girls
that are living in third world areas with sustainable sanitary
hygiene products so that instead of having DAYS without
school, DAYS without income, DAYS without leaving the
house and instead of girls having to use leaves, mattress
stuffing, newspaper, corn husks, rocks, anything they can
find, they do not have to miss out on up to 2 months of
school every year as they do now. This is, in itself, a
surprising but instrumental key to social change for women
all over the world.
The Gold Coast Team that is operating as part of the e-Club
was only formed this year. It is in addition to the work
being completed within District 9640 already through Mt
Warning Sunrise and it is great to see such support for a
fantastic project that makes such a huge difference to the
lives of so many young girls in third world countries.
The support from the local community has also been
tremendous and provides great exposure for the Club
through Facebook in particular and we are continually
being contacted by people who are keen to donate their
time or fabric and other items to help out. The first sewing
day has just been held but there are another 7 planned
over the next twelve months.
Mark Boothman, Member for Albert and Councillor
William Owen-Jones, both Rotarians of RC Coomera Valley,
handed out the Awards to community members who were
nominated because of their Pride of Workmanship. This
was determined by their commitment to their profession,
their passion, care and concern to all.
Pictured above (L-R) are Amanda Leng, President Rick McElhinney, Jan
Sorrensen, Councillor William Owen-Jones, VJ Kovacic, Wendy Baker, Jen
Hobbs, Don Priade and Member for Albert, Mark Boothman.
Firstly, there were a number of new members joining clubs
in our District from July – October that missed out on
being published in earlier newsletters due to a data issue.
Those new members are now listed below along with
those who joined in November –
Club
Broadbeach
There are already plans for kits to go to Cambodia,
Vanuatu and India but the is no limit to the girls that need
these kits but there is talk of a group who will be
contacting us for 500 kits to go to a rural area of Cambodia.
Some very exciting news is that we have been approached
by a consultant for doTERRA, a company that sells essential
oils & has a strong connection with Days for Girls in the US.
She recently came back from a conference in the US where
she was introduced to Days for Girls and came home and
approached our team offering support in many areas but
she will also have her team of ladies to support us.
More information can be obtained by contacting the team
through the E-Club or the Days for Girls Gold Coast Team
or by emailing the team on [email protected].
Broadwater-Southport
Burleigh Heads
Currumbin-Coolangatta-Tweed
Gold Coast
Hope Island
Mount Warning AM
Runaway Bay
Stanthorpe
Summerland Sunrise
Surfers Paradise
Tweed Coast
The RC of Coomera Valley recognised six very deserving
recipients at their meeting on 16 November at the Arundel
Hills Golf Club.
Name
Peter Dimond
Andrew Mills
Bill Waller
Richard Barrow
Denise Dunn
Andy Mizarollis
Philip Kreig
Trevor May
Teresa Seeney
Shobha Srinivasan
Cheryl Hadley
John D’Anna
Peter Watkins
Jo-Anne Cardosi
Lionel Cansdale
Wanda Tereba
Margie Davis
Ken Arnett
Sarah Davis
Alan Guignon
Robert Templeton
Late September, 11 volunteers from Australia arrived in
Kenya to work at the Umoja Orphanage Kenya Project.
(RAWCS Project 51/2011-12).
Currently Umoja employs 3 full time Kenyans. Cathy
returns to Kenya 2 -3 times a year. Having mentoring
orphanage owners from another orphanage 2 hours away
which has been open 8 years, their advice and experiences
are such an asset to Cathy and the team.
51 volunteers have worked at the project in the past 3
years (8 returning twice) to assist in training local Kenyans
in fencing, (both electric and standard), permaculture
design courses, basic construction, irrigation practices, and
basic animal first aid.
Local knowledge and assistance, together with dedicated
Kenyans, and amazing volunteers (mostly Rotarians) has
helped the project move continually forward which
encompasses Umoja’s vision “Together we achieve the
extraordinary.” Umoja is much more than an orphanage.
If you would like to know more or your club would like to
become involved with this wonderful project, please email
Cathy at [email protected], follow us on Facebook
or visit our website (www.umojahome.com).
When Umoja Orphanage Kenya was founded 4 years ago
by full time Teacher, Mother, Grandmother & Rotarian
Cathy Booth (member of E-Club of NextGen), it was
imperative, prior to even building the first children’s house
that the firm foundations for sustainability were in place,
and that there would be many projects within the project
to contribute to sustainability. During this time the local
community have been continually involved in the project
by way of consultation, training, permanent employment
and casual employment.
On Sunday 15 November, the Rotary Club of Kingscliff
successfully staged their 4th Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP)
event and Duck Race. The community was invited to Ed
Parker Rotary Park on Cudgen Creek to participate in
festivities from 9am which included a Stand Up Paddle race
involving over 35 people from as far away as Brisbane.
This was followed by the Corporate Duck Race and a new
pro division where Ducks were encouraged to be
motorised. Over 120 BIG ducks were sold for $50 each and
many were decorated to reflect their owners personalities.
Volunteers have also undertaken free health clinics for
local the community with medical supplies donated from
Australia. With the infrastructure for sustainability securely
in place, the first children’s house is nearing completion,
and with ‘Umoja Tours & Safari Company’ being launched
in 2016 with all profits to be returned to the project,
Umoja is well prepared to secure their children’s future
and continue to create jobs in an abject poverty
community.
The finale was the famous community duck race were over
1100 little ducks were thrown from the bridge and raced
towards the ocean and finishing line where one lucky duck
was declared the winner and its owner had the chance to
pluck one of 50 ducks from the bath tub to possibly win a
car.
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“Dear Rotary Club of Hope Island,
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Club President Courtney Challinor said, “it was our biggest
event yet with hundreds of people from the area coming
down to the creek to have fun with Rotary. A final balance
is yet to determined but so far we have raised over
$16,000 with the majority of these funds going towards
our local project partnering with Tweed Shire Council to
upgrade facilities in Ed Parker Rotary Park. This day
wouldn’t of being possible without the help of hard
working Rotarians especially the dynamic team of Maggie
Ann and Baz Leybourne who coordinated the event with
military precision”
I wanted to say thank you. Yes, thank you for your support
with all the French flags and Eiffel Tower’s all over
Facebook and the internet.
Thank you to Australia for this support. I’m safe and not
even in Paris but ‪#PrayForParis is a bit like‪#PrayForFrance
and ‪#PrayForTheWorld.
Paris was attacked but the all world is touched by the
horror…
I remember when I was a little kid, war was only part of
history, stuck in the past. We heard about it at school and
our grand-parents were sometimes talking about their
memories… But it was far and over. Then I grew up a little
and I learned that war still exist in some countries. I saw
images on TV and my parents and teachers talked to us
about it to explain to the kids we were the violence… But it
was so far away to be realistic to the little girl I was.
But now I am a young adult and I realise the horror going
on, and now the kids I see in the streets aren’t as preserved
as I was because horror is in France too, because people
are scared everywhere…
Courtney went on to say, “With the help of our major
sponsors Twin Towns Services Club, James Frizelles
Automotive and Service NSW, donations will also be made
to the Cudgen Rural Fire Service, ST Johns Ambulance and
Cudgen Surf Saving Club who all assisted the club to make
it a Quacking good day”
I am lucky. I am not in Paris and none of my friends nor
family was involved. I wasn’t there and I didn’t get to see
anyone getting hurt in front of me. I have the choice to
watch or not the video on internet, on the news…
I am still preserved from the violence, from this horror.
I am lucky.
France never knew such a long period of peace, I wish it
had last. I am sure it could had last … but it didn’t.
Thank you for supporting France. Thank you for supporting
Peace,
With love
Solveig Arthaud
Inbounder in 2010-2011”
On Friday 13 November, a number of Rotarians throughout
Rotary District 9640 supported this years Suns Homeless
Sleepout at Metricon Stadium.
As the world recently reeled from the events in Paris,
Beirut and Ankara amongst others, a former YEP student
from France, Solvieg Arthaud, penned a poignant note to
her former host club, Hope Island.
Even though it was ‘Black Friday’ it was a great night
weather wise though it promptly rained the next day !
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Bookings open on 4 January 2016. Numbers are limited
so get in quick !
The District Chair of the Gold Coast Suns Horizons Program,
Clinton Ford joined around 200+ people who slept out
under the stars.
Above: Some of the riders from last years event
After the successful bike ride from Glen Innes to
Goondiwindi last April, Glen Innes Rotary is again
conducting a fun 4-day bike ride.
In addition there were hundreds of others who attended
the early evening festivities, including movies on the big
screen but who were unable to stay the night.
Due to the generosity of those in attendance we managed
to completely sell out of raffle tickets and had very
generous bidding in our silent auction resulting in plenty of
funds raised for our Horizon Program Homeless Charities.
A big thank you also to Gold Coast Benji and Hope Island
member, Graeme Sowter for kindly donating backpack
beds to the threeHomeless Charities, YHES House, Gold
Coast Youth Service and Gold Coast Project for Homeless
Youth.
From the scenic mountains of New England to the lush
Tweed River Valley at Murwillumbah, funds raised will go
to Australian Rotary Health for Rural Mental Health
Research. The ride starts at Tenterfield on Tuesday 3 May
2016 and finishes at Murwillumbah on Friday 6 May.
Riders finish in time to attend the District Conference.
Overnight camping is available at Liston, Woodenbong and
Kyogle or motels if preferred. All meals are fully catered
while you relax round a campfire.
Go to www.gtoc.com.au for details, and to register your
interest.
On 22, 23 & 24 January 2016, the Rotary Club of
Broadbeach is holding a used book sale at the Albert
Waterways Community Centre. The Community Centre is
located on the corner of Hooker Boulevard and Sunshine
Boulevard, Broadbeach Waters.
The sale is open from 10am to 6pm (until 4pm on Sunday
24th).
Come along and grab some great holiday reading at
bargain basement prices !
Above: Gold Coast Suns Staff Member, Michael Gugliotta with
Clinton Ford, Gold Coast Benji and Youth Exchange Program
student Ilari Hauhai and two of the backpack beds.
For more information please visit the following website –
http://www.broadbeachrotary.org/booksale/index.html
For an hour, joyful chaos reigned as packages were opened
and exclaimed over, sweets were tasted, dolls caressed.
The last wooden truck, the last bar of chocolate, went into
the hands of a little boy who had been waiting patiently all
the while. After thanking the men, he turned to the priest
and said something to him in Dutch, his face alight with
happiness. The priest smiled and nodded. "What did he
say?" one of the soldiers asked.
The priest looked at them with eyes full of tears. "He said,
'We told you he would come.'"
When the Canadian army liberated the Netherlands in
1945, they found the country on the brink of starvation.
Seeing the suffering of so many, and especially moved by
the faces of the children, four Canadian privates stationed
near Apeldoorn that year decided to make that Christmas
special for as many Dutch children as they could.
Together, they made the rounds among their fellow
soldiers, collecting chocolate bars and chewing gum, candy
and comic books. In their spare moments, they built toy
trucks out of wood and wire, sawed scrap lumber for
building blocks; one, risking the military police, sold his
cigarette ration on the black market, using the money to
buy rag dolls. Each thought longingly of his own family at
home; each channeled his energies instead toward the
children whose Christmas they knew they could brighten.
By 1 December, four sacks of gifts lay ready; the soldiers
eagerly looked forward to the 25th. But two days later,
they learned the date they were to depart for Canada: 6
December, long before Christmas. With mixed emotions,
the soldiers decided that the best plan simply would be to
take their sacks over to the local orphanage and leave
them there to await Christmas.
The night before they were to leave the Netherlands, the
four set off for the orphanage, one of them in a makeshift
white beard and red cap. On their way, they were
surprised to hear church bells ringing and see houses lit
brightly, with Christmas still some weeks away. As they
approached the orphanage, boots crunching in the snow,
they saw through the windows that the children, two
dozen girls and boys, were gathered at their evening meal.
Only a few months after the war's end, food was still
scarce; the meal was small, and the children's faces pale
and thin.
"Santa Claus" raised the knocker on the door and knocked
three times, hard. As if by magic, the chatter of young
voices inside fell silent; a priest opened the door. His polite
expression gave way to one of shock, as the children
behind him erupted into cheers, rushing forward and
swarming the private who had dressed for Christmas three
weeks early – but exactly on time. For in the Netherlands,
Sinterklaas comes on St. Nicholas Eve: 5 December.
By sending joy out into the world, we do not sacrifice it for
ourselves – we only multiply it. As we enter this season of
giving, let us multiply the gifts we have been given by
sharing them with others. Through acts of caring, kindness,
and generosity, in our clubs and through our Foundation,
we become and remain a gift to the world.
K.R. (Ravi) Ravindran
President 2015/16
“Touch the World in Korea” from 29 May to 1 June 2016.
CONNECT WITH KOREA –
TOUCH THE WORLD
Book your trip to Seoul by clicking on the register link on
the image above, visit www.riconvention.org or simply
contact PDG Brian Heaton at [email protected] or by
calling 0409 007 848.
Rotary Global Rewards is a new member benefit program
that offers discounts on products and services like travel,
hotels, dining and entertainment
You can learn more and redeem Rotary Global Rewards at
rotary.org/globalrewards
Mark your diary for the following key dates, including training dates. Don’t forget you can get more details on these
events as well as what else is going on, via the District Website.
Date
Details (Location)
28 Nov – 04 Dec
Rotary Youth Transition Seminar (RYTS) Camp (Tyalgum Ridge)
05 Dec – 06 Dec
Youth Exchange Program – 2016 Outbounders Camp 2 (Lake Ainsworth)
13 Dec
College of Governor’s Christmas Luncheon (Greenhills Reception Lounge)
07 Jan – 10 Jan 16
Rotary Palm Beach Antiques Fair (Jupiters Casino, Broadbeach)
22 Jan – 24 Jan 16
Broadbeach Rotary Used Book Sale (Albert Waterways Community Centre, Broadbeach)
For more information visit http://www.broadbeachrotary.org/booksale/index.html
31 Jan 16
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) - Part 1 (Italo-Australian Club, Clear Island Waters)
01 Feb 16
Youth Exchange Program - deadline for 2017 outbound applications
07 Feb 16
Quarterly Leadership Meeting (Ocean Shores)
27 Feb 16
Inaugural Alumni Dinner (Southport Golf Club)
28 Feb 16
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) - Part 2 (Italo-Australian Club, Clear Island Waters)
05 Mar 16
President Elect (PETS) Training (Saint Stephens College, Coomera)
06 Mar 16
District Assembly (Saint Stephens College, Coomera)
13 Mar 16
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) - Part 3 (Italo-Australian Club, Clear Island Waters)
17 Apr – 15 May 16
Inbound Group Study Exchange from Pennsylvania
23 Apr – 21 May 16
Outbound Group Study Exchange to Pennsylvania
03 May – 06 May 16
Bike Ride for Mental Health (Tenterfield to Murwillumbah)
For more information visit www.gtoc.com.au
06 May 16
College of Governor’s Luncheon (Greenhills Reception Lounge)
06 May - 09 May 16
District Conference (Murwillumbah)
10 May 16
Youth Exchange Program – District interviews
Listed below are the dates for upcoming official DG visits to clubs around the District. Dates are correct at the time of
publishing.
Date
Club
08 Dec 15
e-Club Next Gen
14 Dec 15
Lismore
17 Dec 15
Burleigh Heads
25 Dec 15
The DG will be having Christmas Lunch !