Australia Day began for a few of us with an early morning meet at the home of our Vocational Service Director, Peter Reynolds.  Peter and his wife, Mariana very graciously accepted delivery of club banners, promotional material, masks and "Ask Me about Rotary" buttons on Friday 22nd January, which were stored in their garage for the weekend. On Monday, 25th January, the Reynolds gave up their loungeroom for the afternoon and evening after taking delivery of 29 boxes of lamingtons, each containing 30 lamingtons which they guarded from the sweltering heat with a portable air-conditioner generously donated by Michael & Lillian Hayes, ensuring the chocolate on 870 lamingtons did not melt.  Bright and early on Australia Day, Peter and Mariana set up a collection point in their driveway from which the clubs in our local area could complete COVID check-ins, sanitise their hands, collect the fantastic Australia Day club banners Rotary District 9675 provided, as well as buttons and masks.  Oscar Jones and Rosario Carbarjal from the newly formed Rotary Club of Iron Cove were the first to arrive at 8:30am, collecting 100 lamingtons & coffee vouchers which they delivered to Burwood Police Area Command. 

 

The Rotary Club of Concord wishes to extend congratulations to one of our long standing and honorary members Lois Michel who has today been announced as a recipient of an Order of Australia Medal for her services to the community through heritage societies.

 

Congratulations Lois we are all very proud of the wonderful work you have done and continue to do!

 

Throughout October this year our members will be walking to raise funds for Mental Health.  For every kilometre our club members walk the Rotary Club of Concord will be donating $1 to Australian Rotary Health to support research into Mental Health.

 

Read more to see how we are progressing.

 

Rotary District 9820 is supporting Lift the Lid on Mental Illness on 10th October 2020  – World Mental Health Day.

You're invited to join their webinar with Professor Felice Jacka, who will talk about diet and mental health.

 

 

 

The NSW Inspirational Women’s Awards are an initiative of the combined efforts of a group of passionate Women Rotarians in the Greater Sydney and Illawarrra Clubs. In keeping with Rotary’s motto of ’Service Above Self’, the purpose of the Awards is to acknowledge and celebrate community service performed by women through their vocations, selfless gifts of their skills, their time in various activities and endeavours. The Awards recognise the work done by women, the “quiet achievers”, whose actions inspire others and make a real difference in their communities.

 

The Awards are open to all women above the age of 18 years of age across NSW and members of the public are encouraged to submit online nominations at www.riwa.com.au 

The District Governors of 2018-19 petitioned the RI Board to develop a proposed pilot structure for Rotary in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific that will help us be relevant for our members, contemporary and flexible.  They now invite all Rotarians to provide feedback on three simple questions:

Your responses will be collated and shared with the working groups to help them develop their proposed strategies and structure, which will feed into the design of a pilot structure for our region.

 

They request that you be honest and bold and provide your feedback by 21 June 2020.

 

After much discussion and a lot more planning our markets will once more grace the bitumen of Cintra Park from next Sunday, 17th May 2020.

 

All we need now are shoppers.  So … tell all your friends and acquaintances and ask them to spread the word also.

The resumption of our OUTREDS program is certainly a very positive outcome during the period of "hibernation" and proves once again the resilience of Rotary.

 

I have said it before but it needs reiterating, congratulations to both clubs involved and in particular to those individual members who have put so much effort into the success of this first scholarship which has the additional benefit of adding a further dimension to the relationship we have formed over the past few years.

 

Press release received from the Rotary Club of Quirindi follows:

 

Dear Members, Families, Honorary Members and Friends of Rotary,

 

I want to thank all of you for joining our weekly online meetings.  It is so important that we check in with each other and know we're doing okay despite the challenges this pandemic has caused many of you.  I understand many of you have had impacts on investments, superannuation, jobs and family members being impacted as well.  Please reach out to us and we can talk through with you how we can help you if you are experiencing challenges.  Thank you to those of you who have reached out and we have tried to find solutions that work best in your situation.

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.

Rotary Youth Driving Awareness (RYDA) is starting up again for 2020 and Judy Love is after volunteers.  The duties are far from onerous and indeed a reasonably easy day of Rotary fellowship is usually enjoyed along the way.  So, if you have the time and you would like to join in, see Mrs Love for available dates.

 

On the other hand, if you are new to Rotary and are unsure what RYDA is all about...

Welcome to the beginning of another new year where we will continue to have an ongoing commitment to the Liverpool Plains community through the Rotary Club of Quirindi.  At our next two markets we will be collecting tools in conjunction with Harry's Shed for the residents of the Balmoral/Picton area who lost over 200 sheds in the past few weeks.  Ray Kane has already generously delivered a trailer full of tools to the area and hopefully we can add considerably to that.

We are proud to announce that not one, but two of our long standing members have been recognised in the Australia Day Honours List on 26th January 2020 and will duely be presented with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM).

 

 

  

Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) - an activity of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) is a volunteer-run organisation working to eliminated malaria.  In 1900s, malaria was pandemic in the world.  One can only imaging the burden of malaria disease to all countries.

 

Progress has been made.  Fifteen years ago, malaria killed a child every thirty seconds.  Under the Millennium Development Goals, however, considerable progress was made in preventing, diagnosing and treating malaria.  As a result, deaths have fallen by 60 percent.  Now under the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, we are aiming to reduce malaria cases and deaths by a further 90 percent by 2030.

Recently at a club assembly, President Charmaine posed the question.... did we as a club need a system of mentoring not only new members, but older and longer serving members as well?

 

The word "mentor" originated in the mid 18th century from the name of the adviser of young Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey and is defined in the Oxford Dictionary of English as... "an experience and trusted adviser".

What is it like taking a large team to Africa?  It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.

Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."