President Bill's Business
It was terrific to see so many Rotarians, Friends and Guests at meeting 3255 on such a wild and woolly night!
Thanks to Gavin for arranging our guest speakers, Damien Walker and Chris Mark, two vibrant and energetic Rotaractors, who gave us valuable insights into the workings of Salisbury Rotaract.
At the 5th August meeting we’ll have a quick survey of how you want the meetings to be scheduled for 2021-2022. Please think about whether you want to stick with the existing schedule of Club meetings on weeks 1 and 3, no meeting on 2nd week, Board meeting on week 4, and if there’s a fifth Thursday, have a Fellowship get together – not necessarily at the Clubhouse.
A few highlights of the District Governor’s changeover lunch on Sunday 4th July, which PDG Robert Brookes and Peggy, and Sandie and I attended.
- District Leadership Board has twelve members.
- District Leadership Team has fourteen members.
- Twelve Areas in 9510 (we are in Area 5 and our Area Governor is Craig Dowling of the Loxton Club; Craig has been appointed District Governor Nominee so will be our DG 2023-2024).
- 84 clubs spread from Alice Springs down to Victor Harbor and through the Riverland.
- District Governor Jeff Neale and Jenny intend to visit every one of the 84 clubs over the next nine months!
- Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors have unanimously approved adding a new area of focus. Supporting the environment becomes Rotary's seventh area of focus, the categories of service activities supported by global grants.
The seven areas of focus now are:
1. Peacebuilding and conflict prevention;
2. Disease prevention and treatment;
3.Water, sanitation, and hygiene;
4. Maternal and child health;
5. Basic education and literacy;
6. Community economic development,
7. The Environment
At a future meeting we’ll show a presentation which ran during the changeover, celebrating 100 years of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand, and the address by Rotary International President Shakir Mehtar.
Remember that our District Governor Jeff Neale and Jenny will be attending our meeting on 19th August, so please come along and give them a warm Rotary Club of Barossa Valley welcome.
My personal thanks to Bob Sloane for organising my President’s caricature. I’m off to the chemist now to get some better anti-wrinkle cream!
Stay warm, see you at Meeting 3256.
Bill Simons
Other items to mention:
- ROMAC lunch : Secretary Sandie reminded everyone about this fundraiser on Sunday 29th August, and encouraged members to make up a table of 12; currently we have six members and partners so if you’re interested, please book directly by copying and pasting this link into your browser: e.mybookingmanager.com/ROMAC Luncheon
- Birthing Kits Project : many thanks to PDG Peter Thomas for submitting a grant to District to assist with purchasing the components for this project. We’ll keep you posted as to when we can move this project forward.
- Patrick Ritchie-Haydn attended the Lions Club of Barossa Valley 53rd Annual Handover dinner on 17th June 2021; thank you Patrick for representing our Club.
- Every month we receive two copies of the Rotary magazine, a terrific read with great insights and suggestions for club development and activities. Secretary Sandie puts them on the bar each meeting and I encourage you to borrow them.
A look at ‘What is Rotaract?’ Damien Walker & Christopher Mark
Each gave a brief introduction of himself and what he would speak about, then followed
Acknowledgement of Country.
Rotaract clubs bring together people aged 18 and older to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. We are Foundation members of the Salisbury Rotaract Club and we have both been involved in RYPEN and RYLA programs. In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service. From big cities to rural villages, Rotaract is changing communities. Even though we rely on Rotary for support we are now allowed to sponsor other Rotaract clubs or they can establish themselves without a sponsor.
Why did we join and why did we stay?
Our Rotaract Club is a social group/friends who do acts of community service. A Social Atmosphere is important to the structure and progress of our club. We have a strong Social justice focus.
Our core values are Diversity, community , service, friendship and growth . We look to help with events, learn, enjoy and provide members with meaning and purpose.
Something to think about… Why do you want a Rotaract Club? This should not just be about future Rotarians or labour at an event. It should be about you valuing the voice of young people in your community and wanting to build leaders for your community. (Excellent comment - Ed)
How can you/your club sponsor and or support Rotaract? Invite local young people to join us in various projects. Work with young people, not for them. Provide meaningful service opportunities. Rotarians come to Rotaract Meetings, and Rotaractors come to Rotary meetings. Rotaractors will enjoy greater support, training and access to tools from Rotary.
The Trustees of Rotary International encourage Rotaract clubs to work with Rotary clubs on global grant projects. For several years, members of the RI Board, The Rotary Foundation Trustees, and Rotary Committees, along with Rotarians and Rotaractors around the world, have been discussing how to recognise Rotaract clubs as Rotary clubs' partners in service. Rotarators offered their ideas to the Board through RI's Rotaract Committee, at the annual Rotaract Preconvention, and through online surveys and focus groups. Overwhelmingly, Rotaractors said they wanted more flexibility, more products and services and more recognition from Rotary for the work they're doing.
Chair Gavin thanked Damien and Chris for their talk to our club on what Rotaract means to them. He then presented each with the usual small gift.
Chris, Gavin and Damien
The Rotaract Slide show can be found here
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Rotary Information - Prue Maitland
Prue briefed members on the benefits of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
To celebrate its 100th year. The Rotary Foundation recognised 20 Global Grants that exemplify what a project should be – a sustainable endeavour that aligns with one of Rotary's area of focus and that is designed in cooperation with the community to address a real need.
The projects covered a wide variety of services including, health , leadership, sanitation, supply of clean water, literacy and education, cancer screening, fighting malaria and the provision of neonatal clinics to mention just a few.
Applications came from Brazil, Uganda, Philippines, Guatemala, Israel, Colombia, Turkey, Lebanon and Peru to a specialised Medical Centre in New York for children who needed surgery for cleft craniofacial abnormalities.
This was the first time a Global Grant was sponsored whose beneficiaries were in the USA.
These note worthy projects totalling US$17 Million, demonstrate how a Rotary Club can leverage the resources of The Foundation to ‘Do Good in the World’.
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POLIO A DISEASE OF THE PAST - ALMOST!!
Sir Clem Renouf was Australia’s second great leader of Rotary International. He was born on the 19th April 1921, two days before the first Rotary club was founded in Australia. As soon as I read his birth date it reminded me of our founder Paul Percy Harris who had the same birth date of 19th April other than the year of course which in his case was 1868. Sir Clem was a special guest of former Rotarian and PDG Kerry Brandt-Wilson at his District conference held in the Barossa in 2008.
In 1979 using his theme of ‘Reach Out’ Sir Clem asked the question “If Rotary was to tackle ridding the world of a disease, what disease should we look at?” Without hesitation Rotary medical expert Dr. John Sever answered “Polio, because it exists only in humans, an oral vaccine is relatively cheap, and you don’t need trained medical people to administer the dose.” Rotary International approved of a trial being carried out in the Philippines with 600,000 doses of vaccine and following its success more than two billion children have now been immunised against the disease in a massive global effort. At age 99 years Sir Clem left this world on June 11th 2020. His death inspired a group of Australian and Oceania Rotary Leaders to launch the Sir Clem Renouf Polio Appeal in 2020-21. All clubs were asked to make a one-off donation of US$1500 and conduct a special event to highlight World Polio Day. Combined with the Polio Ute Relay, which our club actively supported, there were many other club fundraising activities in District 9510 to ‘END POLIO NOW!’ Bill and Sandie Simons put in a huge effort towards the Polio Raffle as reported in bulletin 3236, including a significant donation towards the 1st prize. Due to the effort of Rotarians worldwide, together with the financial supporting partnerships Polio is close to eradication. There have been less than a handful of reported cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan this year so far. It is good for all of us to reflect on the commitment, and wisdom of Sir Clem which enabled him to conceive a program, believe in it so strongly and see it to fruition, despite the power of those who back in 1979 could not see the long-term benefit. Now 42 years on it has been one of Rotary’s most successful projects.
Sir Clem Renouf
19-4-1921 - 11-6-2020
Looking Back
In 2005 Peggy and I along with the late Rotarian Val Kirk (Playford Club) travelled to India to take part in one of their Polio National Immunisation Days (Nids) which was held in Agra in several basic 'health' rooms. Administering those couple of polio vaccine drops to young children and babies will always hold a special place in our Rotary journey.
Peggy giving those precious two drops of polio vaccine to a little chap in Agra India.
The reactive expressions on the faces of this young child's parents say it all - Photo taken at a Health Clinic in Agra.
Peggy giving drops to a baby girl
These two drops will do the trick.
Serious diseases, it seems, will always be part of civilisation as the world now grapples with COVID 19 and its dangers, which it has dumped on many nations. We can hardly even begin to imagine what it must be like in India for instance right now.... such beautiful people living in this heavily populated part of the world and suffering from the terrible Covid 19 disease and the impact on so many of its citizens right across their country.
The best we can do is stick to the rules, never be complacent. Above all support the advice of our leaders and medical experts. Right now we have another outbreak of this horrible disease so best to hurry up and accept the importance of being vaccinated, and be thankful we live in this country Australia.. Editor.
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Attendance Meeting 3255
