As this incredible year continues, I see more flexibility and innovations happening every week as we return to more opportunities for in person gatherings, some returning to traditional meetings but currently most often limited to smaller groups. Clubs are embracing flexible options of online and in person meetings. Rotary offers a way to connect for everyone who wants to, at any time, and will continue to do so.
Some have even told me that they enjoy Rotary's mix of online and in-person meetings more now than ever before! How can we build on this momentum and seize the opportunity to embrace change so that Rotary keeps thriving?
Supporting new types of clubs is key. They are no longer just experiments but a real part of Rotary today. In addition to traditional clubs, we have e-clubs, Rotaract clubs, cause-based clubs, and passport clubs. These help make Rotary inclusive, flexible, and attractive to new members. Visit these clubs, exchange ideas and partner with them, and promote them to one another and to our communities. If your club isn’t the right fit, suggest other Rotary clubs.
We agree that we need to grow Rotary, so we can continue our work but sometimes we get caught up in the numbers game and lose sight of the bigger picture. After all, an increase in membership is meaningless if next year, those new members leave or long standing members find the club no longer engages them. Let's grow Rotary sustainably. Rotary's flexible options for participation will engage members and show the community how we're different from any other club. Let's celebrate that Rotary is now less about rules and more about joining together in a variety of ways besides traditional meetings.
I think each club should discuss and honestly answer how they are engaging members. Do we ask them for input, do we take care of our Rotary family and does the club reflects the community we serve? We need more diversity in our clubs.
As I am moving to the end of my time as your District Governor, I am inspired about what is so important in Rotary The friendships, the networking, the ethics, and the service. Indeed, these are the values that drew me to serving in Rotary.
Gumbuya – A day at the park
Book now for a great family day at Gumbuya World, 28th March. Last time, we had a great turn out of family and friends, let’s make it happen again this year. There is so much to do and see at Gumbuya World, Victoria’s newest and only water, wildlife and theme park. They have four worlds of fun and adventure: a water park Oasis Springs, a new theme park Oz Adventure, a new kids’ area Outback Explorers, and a new animal area the Wildlife Trail, lots of fun rides and free once you purchase your entry tickets. Bring along your grandkids and enjoy fresh air and freedom to experience good old fashioned family fun. Use the opportunity to introduce someone new to Rotary. Have you thought about sponsoring a friend or family who have done things tough over the last 12 months? Why not surprise them with a fun day out?
Due to COVID19 rules, you MUST register and pay online. If you roll up at the gate expecting to get in, you will be turned away. So please follow the link and register. If you are having trouble or need a friendly hand to help you register, please contact linda.humphries@rotary9820.org.au and she will help you.
We all know and understand the importance of good clean water. We all take it for granted, we just turn the tap and we have flowing water, perhaps some of the best in the world. Have you given a thought to those that do not have good clean water? Water is more than just a drink, when we have a clean water source, we help communities prosper, we help to eradicate disease.
Rotary for years have provided many water tanks, running water, clean toilets, water harvesting systems and importantly education about the importance of good hygiene. We truly have made a difference to communities that we serve.
Have you looked at Disaster Aid Australia lately, have you seen the many great water projects they are involved with? Skyhydrants are an amazing piece of equipment that provide good clean water, quickly and importantly cheaply. You can be a part of providing safe drinking water by supporting this great Rotary initiative based in our District.
Contact Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills for more information. Ask them to visit your club and find out how easy it is to change someone’s life.
Polio update
Eradicating Polio is still a key focus. The COVID19 outbreak has made this task a little more difficult. But, we will beat this disease. Have a read of these two interesting articles about how Rotary is still working at eradicating Polio even while pandemic is happening and how we are working with WHO to help with contact tracing. Rotarians are truly amazing people.
Rotary remains committed to fighting polio and responding to COVID-19
As Rotary members continue the fight against polio, they’re also responding to the COVID-19 health crisis by addressing the urgent needs of the communities it affects worldwide. With the development of COVID-19 vaccines, Rotary is ready to use its expertise in distributing polio vaccine and communicating about vaccine efficacy to assist local health authorities in promoting and delivering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Polio infrastructure supports contact tracing to control disease
An extensive health network and strong partnerships built through Rotary supported polio eradication efforts help control the spread of several global diseases. In 2014, an Ebola outbreak in Nigeria was stopped when the government health ministry modelled its response after the country’s polio program. Officials recruited health experts in polio to train 150 contact tracers, who then visited thousands of people to check them for symptoms. This prevented an epidemic. For COVID-19, global health responders again depended on lessons they had learned from contact tracing to control polio. This time, more than 50,000 community members in Nigeria who were already trained in looking for symptoms of polio and other diseases are also monitoring for signs of coronavirus and assisting in contact tracing to prevent further spread.
Rotarians aiding research - help with a study of hip fractures.
Not something we like to dwell upon, but hip fractures are a painful reminder of our bodies being not as resilient because of our bones getting older, so I believe. This one could be of interest to some of our members.
As a guest speaker at the recent District Fire Side chat, Sharon Allsop, nurse and PhD student at Monash University Peninsula Campus, spoke about her study and work with hip fracture recovery.
The hip fracture recovery study focuses on the experiences of discharge and recovery post hip fracture from the perspective of people having had a hip fracture and those who are close to them.
Sharon is primarily interested in people who have experienced fragility fracture, a break in the proximal end of the femur, from a fall from standing height.
Sharon is keen to hear from people from across our District as many studies have a large amount of data from city-based people, Sharon is keen to hear from those who are in our country areas, as their experience is often very different to city dwellers.
The study is authorised by the Monash ethics department and all information will be de-identified.
The study involves a 1:1 interview lasting approximately 30-45 minutes, it can be done face-2-face or via Zoom.
If you would like to be part of the study, please email Sharon.allsop1@monash.edu yes you have read that correctly allsop1 and correct there is no .au after edu
I am sure that now our clubs are getting back out there and doing things, there will be many great stories. Please share you stories with our great District community and beyond. All we need is a great action photo and a paragraph. Send it into newsletter@rotary9820.org.au
Keep on Rotarying. Keep on Making a Difference. Keep Opening those Opportunities.
Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life.
When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.
Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, RAWCS projects and volunteers mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change.
Choose how you want to make a difference by donating or volunteering to a RAWCS project and start changing lives today.
Interact Clubs of District 9820 will be having their first ever conference!
Interactors will share their club's projects and be inspired by each other and other Rotary projects.
The conference is open to all Interactors, Rotaractors, and Rotarians, or anyone wanting to learn more about Interact and Rotary Youth Programs, however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, everyone must register by 12 March.
The Rotary Club of Drouin is participating in the “Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds” project by dismantling the soon-to-be-replaced children’s playground in John Grubb Park (part of the Civic Park complex) in Drouin.
Rotarian Bill Petschack, the Club’s community service and projects director, organised the work, and was supported by several members. Bill said that the Baw Baw Shire Council had contracted Mad Cat Constructions to remove the existing equipment and to construct the new playground and other facilities in accordance with the overall development plan for Civic Park. Mad Cat Construction’s Trevor Reynolds worked with club members in the demolition process. Rotarians dismantled the old equipment and “jackhammered” the concrete bases from around the poles as they were removed.
(l-r) Rotarians Don Kelly, Roger Playdon, Gary Scanlon, Bill Petschack, Jeff Copping and Leigh Bates (elsewhere at the time, AG Tim Wills) during the recent playground demolition project
This District project is organised by Rotarian Wayne Jenkins of the Mt. Martha club, which has been running the program in the peninsula area for some years. The aim of the activity is to harvest playgrounds no longer needed or being replaced, ship them to Rotary clubs in Sri Lanka, Timor Leste and soon to Nepal and The Philippines, where they will be re-installed for the use of local children.
(l-r) Rotarians Roger Playdon and (AG) Tim Wills, Trevor Reynolds (Mad Cat Constructions), Wayne Jenkins Mt. Martha Rotary, and Rotarian Bill Petschack with the playground equipment loaded ready to go
Bill explained that the work commenced by taking many photographs of the equipment in place, which was entered into a database, and each component was labelled so that the recipient overseas club could reassemble it as originally installed. After demolition, the equipment was loaded onto Wayne Jenkins’ trailer to be taken to Rotary’s central “Donations-in-Kind” collection point.
President of the Drouin Club, Russell Ford, thanked Bill Petschack and his supporting work crew for their efforts in the Club’s involvement, and Mad Cat Constructions for its co-operation with Rotary in order to achieve its aim.
Source: Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills
The Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills assisted Rotarian Graeme Peters, the Vicar at St James Anglican Church in Dandenong, along with church parishioners and Dandenong Police to serve over 100 hot meals to the disadvantaged each Monday during lockdown in 2020.
Throughout COVID 19’s second wave, there was a steady increase in meals served to the homeless and disadvantaged at St. James Anglican Church. The Club provided swags and blankets to the church for people sleeping rough.
Leanne Byron, the Club Community Director, believes Rotary needs to be actively helping the community, not just in good times, but also during tough times. The Club organised a monthly dinner service for the disadvantaged at Cornerstone who also do amazing work for those in need in Dandenong.
Approximately 30% of Cornerstone’s clients are homeless, as well as asylum seekers, migrants and international students with little or no income.
In addition, the Club provided groceries for food parcels at the Greater Dandenong based charity, Springvale Benevolent Society. Throughout COVID 19, fresh produce and grocery boxes were provided to needy families.
Before Christmas, the Club provided food vouchers and Christmas packages to more than 100 families in need, serviced by the Springvale Benevolent Society.
President Kam Pow believes that the impact of Rotary helping in the local community during these difficult times has created membership interest with more than 4 people wanting to help support the Club’s community activities.
It goes without saying... If you have a story or something interesting that your club is doing then we want to publish it for your colleagues to enjoy. Please forward your copy to me at;
An extensive health network and strong partnerships built through Rotary supported polio eradication efforts help control the spread of several global diseases. In 2014, an Ebola outbreak in Nigeria was stopped when the government health ministry modelled its response after the country’s polio program. Officials recruited health experts in polio to train 150 contact tracers, who then visited thousands of people to check them for symptoms. This prevented an epidemic. For COVID-19, global health responders again depended on lessons they had learned from contact tracing to control polio. This time, more than 50,000 community members in Nigeria who were already trained in looking for symptoms of polio and other diseases are also monitoring for signs of coronavirus and assisting in contact tracing to prevent further spread.
The Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills assisted Rotarian Graeme Peters, the Vicar at St James Anglican Church in Dandenong, along with church parishioners and Dandenong Police to serve over 100 hot meals to the disadvantaged each Monday during lockdown in 2020.
Approximately 30% of Cornerstone’s clients are homeless, as well as asylum seekers, migrants and international students with little or no income.
