Greetings to all Rotarians in our fabulous District.
I must say 2023 is shaping up to be an absolute screamer with many Rotary activities and events on the agenda including Presidents Elect Training Seminar (PETs) & District Conference in Feb23, District Assembly in April, RI Convention in May23.
I have been speaking to many club presidents since the beginning of the new year and it is a very busy time for most clubs. Rotarians / clubs are working hard to prepare and run some key events in Feb, March & April. January23 was a particular busy month also for lots of Rotarians. It is just fabulous to listen to clubs / Rotarians talking proudly about their projects and fundraisers including, Annual Art Shows, Motor Shows, Charity Golf Days, Community Markets, Gala Dinners, Local Community Environment projects, Business Breakfasts etc Adele & I were invited to attend a number of club events during January including several well-established Annual Art Shows. See photos below.
District Newsletter Articles.
In the Dec22 edition we had several articles and pictures from a number of clubs in a “South Gippsland News” segment. We will feature other clusters of clubs in the coming months. But we would like to also see articles and photos from your club. We have many clubs who manage and run significant events during the year. These successes and achievements are of particular interest to other Rotarians in the district. If your club ran an event last month that you are very proud of, please consider an article and photo in the next monthly newsletter. I will give you an example. Last month we had a club in our district that raised $8K in a particular event which they donated proudly to our wonderful Rotary facility in Traralgon – Gippsland Rotary Centenary House. We had another club who raised a significant sum at a large auction /dinner, then celebrated with a free Australia Day community breakfast event.
Emergency Management and recovery
Our D9820 Emergency Management Committee are presently looking at ways we can support and help Rotary Clubs in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, who were adversely impacted by significant flooding in January. We will keep you posted on this. At our January 23 District 9820 Board meeting we approved a grant of $5,000 from our Emergency Relief fund, to go to the Rotary Club of Karachi, Pakistan who are administrating a micro economic farming assistance program to assist farmers recover from significant flooding in Pakistan.
Australia Day 26th Jan 2023.
I hope you had the opportunity to tune into the Multi District – Rotary Australia Day event streamed live from Nossal High School Berwick hosted in Rotary District 9820. An occasion to Reflect, Respect and Celebrate the spirit of community on Australia Day. We all Call Australia Home. Adele & I really enjoyed this event on site at Berwick and I have included a photo below with the MC and key speakers. I am proud to say that on Australia Day many of our clubs organised and ran special events to mark the occasion, including free community BBQs, Local festivals and Breakfasts, Flag raising ceremonies etc. Rotarians were well and truly, out in force on Australia Day. Well done everyone. Did you take a photo or two for the Newsletter?
Club Ballot at District Conference 25th Feb
Earlier this month District Secretary Gael, sent out a notice to all clubs about a club ballot at District Conference to select our D9820 Representative, to sit on a selection panel for our next Rotary Zone 8 Director. Each club attending conference will need to select a club voting representative. Would all Club Presidents please advise Gael the name of your club Rep asap if you have not yet done this. gael.traa@rotary9820.org.au
Tony’s Trek
Many clubs / Rotarians in our district will be collaborating with their local Emergency Services volunteers to participate in events and welcomes during Tony’s Trek. This is a walk by Tony Pearce the CEO of the Emergency Services Foundation to raise awareness for the health and wellbeing of our emergency services personnel. Tony and his team will be travelling through our district from 10th March to 9th April. For those clubs who are participating, I encourage club members to please get involved. This will increase our connection with these local volunteers, some of whom are potential Rotarians.
D9815 – future District Governor 2025/26. In January, D9810 DG Ken Miller & myself issued a joint notice to all Rotarians in both districts 9820 & 9810 calling for Nominations for District Governor Nominee Designate who will become the DG for our merged districts in 2025-26. Any enquiries please contact DG Paul Mee governor@rotary9820.org.au
Australian Rotary Health and The Rotary Foundation
In the coming few months many club boards will be making decisions on annual donations to their chosen entities. Could I ask you to please consider Australian Rotary Health &/ or the Rotary Foundation as our charities of choice.
District 9820 Conference Feb 24th to 26th 2023 Cape Schanck. Registrations will close on Fri 10th Feb.
In the past week, I read a notice sent to club members by a club secretary which I thought you would like to read.
It goes like this -
With only weeks to go, it's not too late to register for our District Conference! Have you ever been to one? How long since you have enjoyed the friendship and fun of a whole bunch of Rotarians and their partners together, face to face? Old friends, new friends, fun, frivolity, and some awesome speakers to inspire you in all aspects of your life - leadership (Kate Roffey, CEO Melbourne Football Club) Environment and Sustainability (Julia Kay, 2021 Young Victorian of the Year), Health, (Love Your Sister ambassador, Samuel Johnson), public speaking skills, (Warren Tate presentation and speaker coach), breakfast with Victorian of the year, Kevin Sheedy and so much more.
The options for socialising are abundant. A winery tour (including a ride on the Eagle chairlift) golf, a fun beach party themed dinner and time over lunch and session breaks provide so much opportunity to share friendship, have a laugh and meet new people with commonality and shared purpose. A chance to network, to reinvigorate your Rotary "spunk", to sample Rotary outside the club environment. All on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula at the RACV Cape Schanck Resort
Don't have time to come from 24 -26 February? Then take a day package and register just for Saturday!
For more info and to register, just click on this link:
Looking forward to you joining us at the Conference.
Dates for your diary –
Sat 18th – Sun 19th Feb 23 – President’s Elect Training (PETS 2) – Century Inn, Traralgon.
Fri 24th – Sun 26th Feb 23 – D9820 Annual Conference, RACV Cape Schanck, Mornington Peninsula,
Sat 22nd April 23 9.00am – District Assembly for all Rotarians in D9820. Nossal High School, Berwick.
Sat 29th April – District Foundation Dinner and Event (D9820 +9810)- to support The Rotary foundation. Venue TBA.
13th – 23rd May (approx.) – D9820 clubs, will be hosting a Rotary Friendship Exchange from District 7120 Washington State USA see Notice later in this Newsletter.
25th -26th May – Rotary Malaria Congress, Crown Casino, Melbourne.
27th – 31st May 23 – Rotary International Convention Melb23- Rod Laver Arena and Melbourne Convention Centre
Please join me to “Imagine Rotary” and have a fabulous month.
Hope you enjoy the photos below which cover some fabulous club activities, attended by Adele & I, in January 23.