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Environment and Sustainability - Rotary's NEW 7th Area of focus

As many of you are now aware, the Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors have both unanimously approved adding a seventh area of focus—supporting the environment. Areas of focus are categories of service activities supported by global grants, and this seventh area will join peace building and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and, community economic development.

Whilst grant applications for the seventh area of focus won’t be accepted until 1^st July 2021, now is an ideal time to build our knowledge and plan projects for this focus area…even small projects that can be done in our backyards, local parks or community walkways. Already, great work has commenced through our newly formed Environmental Sustainability Committee, headed up by Fabienne Nichola and John McCaskill, and is the subject of our feature article this week.

Being Membership Month, we have some unique opportunities to introduce others to Rotary. Supporting the environment is one, as highlighted in the feature article, and so too is reaching out to all those you know who may need support through these difficult times and would welcome connecting with others. We also have an opportunity for anyone you know in business to join our Zoom Business Leaders Breakfast scheduled for Tuesday 25^th August. https://rotarydistrict9800.org.au/event/series-business-leaders-breakfast-1/

Another exciting event this month is the Rotary Club of Camberwell’s major community and fund raising event, the highly regarded Camberwell Art Show, which is going digital for the first time in its 55-year history. Make sure you check out the monthly exhibitions via the website: http://www.camberwellartshow.org.au

Whilst Victoria is officially in a state of disaster, let’s all remain calm, and be grateful for our ability as Rotarians to support one another and continue doing good in the world.

Rotary District 9800 Governor Philip Archer

PS. Please note that newly released MyRotary is currently under maintenance and is expected to be back online on Wednesday 12 August with an all new look and accessibility on mobile devices.

Rotary Environmental Sustainability Committee

This Committee was formed in early 2019 with the key purpose of developing greater awareness of environmental sustainability solutions to restore ecosystems and contribute to a healthy environment. The committee supports clubs to identify new environmental sustainability projects and/or enhance existing ones.

[The orange-bellied parrot is on the brink of extinction with only 60 birds in existence.]

Diabetic Workshop in Ghana—partnering for success

Ghana is a small country on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa with a population of 30 million. As a developing country with an improving economy and adoption of westernised lifestyles, its people are experiencing significant levels of endocrine disorders such as diabetes and thyroid. Unfortunately, as distinct from Australia, they also have an unusually high death rate from what are treatable conditions.

Bringing Interest to Club Meetings Through the Rotary District 9800 Speaker Bank

Having interesting and diverse speakers is important for Rotary clubs. A vibrant and diverse program not only retains members, it can also attract potential members and introduce new opportunities and learning experiences.

Sourcing speakers for weekly meetings, however, can be a challenging task.

The Rotary District 9800 Speakers Bank is a very useful resource that assists clubs in sourcing interesting and diverse speakers to enhance their weekly meetings.

Club Service Tool Kit - Health Check for Rotary Clubs

Good – Better – Best!

From time to time clubs decide to review their activities, and ‘temperature check’ what they have in place so they can determine objectively what needs to stay, what needs to change and what needs to be implemented to ensure the club’s future success. A great way to do this is by conducting a Club Health Check.

To assist this review process, District has developed a very useful template that includes a system to enable a club to rate its overall performance, as well as each of its constituent parts.;

John Hudson, OAM: volunteering his skills to the community

Having grown up in Boroondara, Glenferrie Rotarian, John Hudson, has been devoting his retirement years to volunteering in the community that provided he and his family so many benefits.

A Fellow of the Certified Public Accountants and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries, John’s career included the role of Company Secretary at McIlwraith Davey Ltd, which employed over 7,000 people, and finally as Finance Manager at Trinity Grammar until 1990.

George Koudos - New member Profile

A graduate from Melbourne University’s School of Dental Science, George set up his own large regional dental practice in Ballarat some twenty years ago. But, with a passion for giving back to the community, George decided to sell his practice and volunteer through the Pacific Islands dental charity, Australian Christian Dental Aid. He has completed approximately 16 trips to Vanuatu providing dental care in remote villages.

George was introduced to Rotary through current Southbank Club President, Jasmin Dhillon, and after attending a few meetings, joined the club in June this year. In George’s words: “I enjoyed the company of like-minded people with a focus on giving back to the local and global community.”

Doing good in the world…it’s what Rotary does!

A business colleague, who was a member of Rotary Club of Balwyn, encouraged Doug Hawley to join Rotary in 1987. They had done voluntary work together, and when Rotary Balwyn formed the Canterbury club, Doug became a Charter Member.

“I have been fortunate to be involved in three major projects. In 1993-94, clubs were invited to raise funds for the Donor Bone Marrow Institute. Our project was a re-enactment of the inaugural Grand Prix, and we organised vintage cars and 350 volunteers to keep people off the track,” advised Doug and further adding “I was surprised how easy it was to get Rotary volunteers from other Clubs. We raised $70,000 in two years, a great effort for a small club. When the real Grand Prix came to Melbourne, no other motor sports were allowed, so we lost our fund-raiser.”

Getting to know the clubs – Rotary Club of Footscray

The Rotary Club of Footscray was chartered in August 1937 and was the first club in Melbourne to be formed in a highly industrialised area where the majority of potential members would be non-residential. It was an experiment where Footscray’s progress would determine whether establishing similar clubs would proceed.

Peopled by ‘captains of industry’ in a community soon to experience the privations of World War 2, the Club endured. The captains have long gone—light industry and a certain gentrification has replaced them while the Rotary Club of Footscray has cemented its place as a contributing force in the area for over 80 years.

Clubbing in Rotary - International Rotary Educators Fellowship

The International Rotary Educators Fellowship is one of Rotary International’s newest. It is a Fellowship that tends to appeal not only to professional educators, but also to Rotarians who are not teachers, but who possess a passion for education or a keen interest in education’s considerable benefits.