june 2011 issue 12 sharing the shining power of rotary · sharing the shining power of rotary as i...
TRANSCRIPT
www.rotary9465.org.au
SHARING THE SHINING POWER OF
ROTARY As I write this last editorial for the
2010-11 Rotary year, David and I have
just returned from the Rotary
International Convention in New
Orleans, along with several other
Rotarians from this district.
The RI Convention is an opportunity to
engage with top Rotary speakers and to
make and renew Rotary connections
from around the world. As you listen to
the messages given by the speakers,
you get to see whole picture of Rotary.
Once again, the power of Rotary shines
through.
At the convention, we were again
encouraged by RI President Ray
Klinginsmith to use “cowboy logic” –
that is, “keep it simple and do it straight
away”.
“If it’s a fence, mend it; if it’s a dollar
bill, spend it; if it’s a truck, load it; if it’s
a punch, duck it” (with
acknowledgement to songwriter
Michael Martin Murphy).
This is what District 9465 Rotarians
have been doing this year ... getting on
with what needs to be done in Rotary,
in order to make their clubs Bigger,
Better and Bolder and to “Build
Communities and Bridge Continents”.
Our trip home was via Louisiana and
Texas, to the hill country town of
Fredericksburg where David was the RI
President’s representative at the
District 5870 conference. As well as
David’s official role, we were able to
rekindle friendships including the
District Governor and the GSE team
who visited us in March.
Our own conference in March featured
wonderful speakers not only from
D9465 but across the state, nationally
and internationally – including Past RI
President Bill Boyd. Following many
requests from clubs for copies of the
speeches, we have organised for each
club to receive a DVD covering the
conference from the spectacular
opening flag ceremony to Bill Boyd’s
closing remarks.
Many clubs also requested copies of
the jingle “That’s Rotary Today”,
written and performed for Rotary by
Mike Brady, so a DVD copy has also
been sent to all clubs.
Please make use of both DVDs. It would
be wonderful to have “That’s Rotary
Today” played at each club meeting,
maybe at the start or finish.
As clubs hold their changeovers, I
encourage you to also look at your
club’s strategic plan so the process of
change (with its new and fresh ideas) is
embedded in your processes for at least
three years.
The strategic plan ensures continuity in
the club’s overall grades, while each
year’s program brings its own strengths
and diversity.
Over the last six months, the District
board members including the future
leaders (DGE, DGN and DGNN) have
also been working on strategic
planning. This will always be a work in
progress, of course, but we hope to
have the basis of the District strategic
plan by the end of the Rotary year.
I take this opportunity to thank all club
presidents and boards for their work
this year. I have really enjoyed working
with you all. Thank you for the warm
welcome David and I have received at
clubs, whether for the official visit or
other functions and events.
I have been thrilled by the dedication
and enthusiasm of the Rotarians I have
had the privilege to meet this year. A
special highlight has been the
opportunity to share in the fun and
fellowship at joint meetings and
activities by clubs that did not know
each other prior to the establishment
of D9465.
I look forward to seeing many of you at
club changeovers. For those clubs I am
unable to attend, I wish you all the
best.
I look forward also to seeing many
Rotarians at our District Changeover on
Saturday, 2 July at the South of Perth
Yacht Club, when I hand over the chain
of office to Jodie Sparks, the District
Governor for 2011-12.
Finally, I thank Jodie and the District
board members who, in this time of
change, have put in two years or more
of hard work to bring the district
restructure to fruition. The changeover
will allow us to recognise their work to
encourage us all to make our clubs
Bigger, Better and Bolder while building
communities and bridging continents.
District Governor Marilyn
INSIDE:
Rotary’s Fellowships 2
Good times roll at RI convention 4
Lisa’s off on the Peace road 7
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Hail fellow Rotarians... June is Rotary Fellowships Month, a
time to highlight how Rotarians, their
spouses and Rotaractors can tap into
international networks of people who
share similar interests in sports,
hobbies and so on.
These autonomous groups enable us to
make new friends around the world,
have fun and enhance our Rotary
experience.
More than that, through Rotary
Fellowships we can explore new
opportunities for service and further
our vocational development by getting
to know others with similar interests.
How many Rotary Fellowships are
there? Well, if you go to the RI website
(www.rotary.org/fellowships) you’ll find
more than 100 listed together with
contact email addresses.
Interested in antique cars? There’s the
antique automobiles group. Bird
watching? Curling? Fishing? License
plate collecting? Italian culture? Latin
culture? Marathon running? There are
Rotary Fellowships for all of them.
Vocationally, there are fellowships for
authors and writers, computer users,
editors and publishers, lawyers, literacy
providers, doctors, police and
magicians.
There are several catering for people
with specific Rotary interests: Rotary
Global History, Rotary on Stamps and
Rotary Heritage and History.
Among those active in Western
Australia are the International Yachting
Fellowship of Rotarians, Fellowship of
Canoeing Rotarians, International
Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians,
International Fellowship of Flying
Rotarians and International Fellowship
of Cricketing Rotarians, which held the
Australian Rotary Festival of Cricket in
Perth last October.
The International Fellowship of
Scouting Rotarians is also strong in
Perth, part of a global network of 1200
Rotarians who are also involved in
scouting.
It continues a working relationship
between Rotary and the scouting
movement that goes back to the early
days of both organisations.
Way back in 1910, Rotary founder Paul
Harris urged Rotarians to assist in the
expansion of the scouts. By 1930,
Rotarians had organised more than half
of the then 500 Boy Scout councils in
the United States.
The fellowship counts among its
members past RI presidents John
Kenny, Wilf Wilkinson, Bill Boyd and
Cliff Dochterman.
And in the unlikely event there isn’t an
existing fellowship that addresses your
interest, you can form your own. RI
notes that it takes a lot of work, but the
effort is worthwhile.
Before submitting a proposal, plan to
develop a strong network of
prospective members in at least three
countries.
There’s even a special page on the
fellowships website for listing
suggested fellowships.
Among those currently on the list are
the Fellowship of Mountain Gorilla
Tracking Rotarians, Hawaiian and
Polynesian Cultural Fellowship and
another for chartered accountants.
Rotary Fellowships operate
independently of RI, but they must
receive official recognition from RI’s
Board of Directors and operate in
accordance with Rotary policy.
2 July
District Changeover
South of Perth Yacht Club
Contact Joanna Kendall,
10 September
Narrogin Rotary Golf Day
Narrogin Golf Course
Contact Thomas Popp 9884 5240.
3 September
RC Mandurah 50th anniversary.
25 September
Swim for MS Relay Challenge (RC
Attadale)
Melville Aquatic Centre
Contact Jenny Saibu (MS Society of WA)
9365 4895 or
COMPASS
9 October
BHP Billiton Ramble (RC Mill Point)
Perth City
Register at www.rotaryramble.com or
call 9368 7575.
15 October
Storm the Stage WA State Final
Penrhos College, 7.30pm
Bookings www.stormthestage.com.au.
23 October
Chemmart Rotary Margaret River Fun
Run (10km run or 4km walk)
Margaret River
Register at www.mronline.com.au or
contact 9758 7467 or
23 October
GWN Balzano Barrow Race (RC
Hannans Kalgoorlie)
Kanowna to Kalgoorlie
Contact Geoff Horsley on 0408 935 622.
26 November
Jacaranda Festival (RC Applecross)
Applecross Shopping Village Precinct,
Ardross Street
Contact Malcolm Taylor on 0417 984
642.
2012 15-21 January
Handicamp
Contact Craig Alford on 0417 172 651
or Robyn on 0429 815 013, visit
www.handicamp.org.au
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Rotary builds new respite unit
The Rotary Club of Albany East has begun construction of a
$300,000 two-bedroom unit alongside the existing
Friendship House to provide respite for people with
disabilities and their carers.
The new project will double the size of the Emu Point
facility, which has been providing low-cost holiday
opportunities for disadvantaged families and people with
disabilities since 1976.
Friendship House has been rarely vacant since it opened,
having provided over 1500 weeks of holiday accommodation
in idyllic surroundings.
While the existing Friendship House facility caters for people
with mild disabilities, the new unit is specifically designed for
those with more significant disabilities.
The construction of the new unit was launched last month
by Western Australian Community Services Minister Robyn
McSweeney.
The Rotary club has sourced additional funding for the
project from the State Government’s Royalties for Regions
scheme as well as Lotterywest and the Jack Family
Charitable Trust.
Project spokesperson Daphne Cotton says Friendship House
quietly provides time out for families and individuals.
“Providing a normal holiday in a normal setting by the sea is
an act of honour and respect for carers who are doing such a
valuable job looking after people with disabilities, and for
people who have experienced significant disadvantage in
their lives,” she says.
Great Southern Development Commission chief executive
officer Bruce Manning says the project will increase Rotary’s
ability to offer respite.
“Providing a new unit designed for people
with moderate to severe disabilities will help
Rotary to double its assistance to families
and individuals who are often in desperate
need of respite from intense caring
responsibilities,” he says.
Features of the new unit include wheelchair
access to all areas and shower and toilet
facilities suitable for people with severe
restrictions.
LEFT: Rotarians John Dent (left) and Ian
Howard watch Community Services Minister
Robyn McSweeney turn the earth to start the
Friendship House project.
(Photo courtesy of the Great Southern
Development Commission)
WELCOME ABOARD Welcome to the newest members to join Rotary clubs in D9465:
+ Jeanine Son, RC Como
+ Ogi Naidansurin, RC Fremantle Port
+ Sarah Roberts, RC Gosnells
+ Tim Donkin, RC Mandurah
+ Nicole Prendergast, RC Melville
+ James Lloyd, RC Mill Point
+ Tony Carter-Johnson, RC Mill Point
+ Alistair Johnston, RC Rockingham
+ Jarryd Benjamin, RC Rockingham
+ Wendy Mettam, RC Rossmoyne
+ Bill Innes, RC Southern Districts
+ Don King, Southern Districts
+ Ivan Spalding, Mandurah Districts
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Rotary rolls on in New Orleans
Laissez les bon temps rouler ...
And the good times certainly did roll for the more than
18,500 members of the family of Rotary – representing 151
countries and geographical areas – who were inspired and
entertained at last month’s RI convention in New Orleans.
The Rotarians, including a small but enthusiastic D9465
cohort led by DG Marilyn and PDG David Barton, were
challenged to redouble their efforts to eradicate polio and
embrace humanity by thinking of new ways to take on
today’s challenges.
RI President Ray Klinginsmith said highlights of his term
included providing regional assistance for districts and clubs
through the new Rotary coordinators and Rotary public
image coordinators, developing a more productive
relationship with Rotarian Action Groups, moving toward a
more uniform size for Rotary districts, and improving the
process for selecting and training district governors.
"This year has been a good year for Rotary," he said. "There
has never been a more exciting time to be Rotarians, as we
approach the end of polio.
“Our community service projects around the world are
estimated to provide local investments of about US$1
billion every year, and our youth and young adult programs
are the best in the world. And our Rotary Foundation
continues to gain strength."
Microsoft founder and philanthropist-extraordinaire Bill
Gates told Rotarians that eradicating polio remains the top
priority of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotarians
must intensify their efforts to wipe the deadly disease off
the earth, he said.
RI President-elect Kalyan Banerjee explained the three
emphases – family, continuity and change – that should
guide Rotarians as they work to support the 2011-12 RI
theme, Reach Within to Embrace Humanity.
ABOVE: The Irvin Mayfield Septet was just one of the
outstanding combos providing diverse musical
entertainment at the convention.
(Courtesy RI News and Rotary Images)
At last, some help on mental health In a move that has mental health experts and supporters
around the country rejoicing, this years’ Federal Budget has
allocated a much needed $1.5 billion towards mental health.
Much of this funding is going towards direct service
initiatives and it is great to see our country’s decision-
makers highlighting the importance of mental health and
the impact mental illness has on our society.
However, despite the boost in funding, mental health
remains a big problem. The World Health Organisation
states that, by 2020, depression will be the leading cause of
disability world-wide.
Bringing mental health issues into the spotlight is helping,
but more needs to be done to prevent and effectively
manage a wide range of mental disorders and illnesses.
Australian Rotary Health has long been an ambassador for
mental health. We’ve directed more than $26 million
towards health research since 1981 and
now we’re focusing on the mental health
of young people to help reduce the
burden of debilitating and costly mental
disorders.
You can make a difference by donating
today to help improve the mental health
of Australia’s young people.
It’s devastating to know that more than one in four people
aged between 12 and 25 will be affected by a mental
problem in any given year. In fact, it is estimated that
approximately 750,000 young people’s mental health needs
are not currently being met.
These young people are our future and deserve the support
that research can provide. To find out more about the
research or to donate to ARH, visit
www.australianrotaryhealth.org.au or call (02) 8837 1900.
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Clubs pitch in for
the Senses Three Rotary clubs and a Rotaract club have combined to
make dreams come true for the residents of a special home
for deaf and blind residents in Perth’s southern suburbs.
Senses Foundation (formerly the Royal WA Institute for the
Blind) has warmly thanked the Rotary clubs of Victoria Park,
Bentley-Curtin and Attadale and the Gosnells Rotaract Club
for their assistance.
Karen Wickham, adult therapy coordinator at the Senses
Foundation, reports the first deafblind specific
accommodation facility opened in Success in May 2010.
The house was specifically designed to accommodate the
needs of the three young male residents, addressing their
unique environmental, visual, cognitive and mobility needs.
The outdoor area was undeveloped so the foundation
sought funding and assistance to build a sensory garden.
Through careful and imaginative design it is possible to
create landscapes that offer a wide range of sensory
experiences to people who are deafblind. In sensory
gardens, plants and other design elements are selected with
the intention to provide experiences for seeing, smelling,
hearing, touching, movement and tasting.
“Our vision was for an outdoor area that incorporated a
sensory garden, tactile and functional along with an
appropriate recreational area that would accommodate our
clients’ capabilities,” Karen said.
Because of the scale of the project, Senses Foundation
initially approached RC Victoria Park for support. Eventually
the three Rotary clubs and Rotaract club all contributed.
“With Peter Fry, an unstoppable force from the Curtin club,
at the helm, work started early April,” Karen said.
“We incorporated hardscape elements: paving, timber
decking, mulch, gravel and stones along with a trampoline to
provide exercise and stimulation, and a shaded area offering
shade and temperature contrast.
“Plant selection was based on a garden design encouraging
residents to interact with the plants. We used interesting
foliage, shape and form, texture, tastes, aromatic plants,
herbs, perennials, climbers and fauna-attracting plants.”
The use of colour also provides a visual stimulus and the
garden includes a water feature and wind chimes. Edible
fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices that can be tasted
provide sensory and teaching opportunities.
“The final finishing touches were completed early May and
the residents are already enjoying the fruits of all our –
wonderful helpers and donors’ labour,” Karen said.
She singled out Peter and Colleen Fry as well as Jenny Mott
of RC Bentley-Curtin, president Roger Meakes and members
of RC Victoria Park, Rob and Interact members from Victoria
Park, Laura Chettham and helpers from the Rotaract Club of
Gosnells, Betty Bright and Martin from RC Attadale.
“On behalf of the residents who currently live at Success and
those who will live there in the future, Senses Foundation
would like to sincerely thank the Rotary clubs and all the
helpers and donors for their generosity and support in
facilitating the building of this wonderful sensory garden.”
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Further gains for big Cambodia
program Sustainable Cambodia Australia, one of Rotary’s
outstanding programs, has achieved another
milestone with further increase in the number of
children supported by its joint nutrition project in a
remote area of Cambodia.
Specially developed food supplements are served
each day to 221 students at pre-schools in six villages
in the isolated Pursat Province, a hilly area still
struggling to recover from the depredations of the
Pol Pot era.
The supplements help children stay healthy and
overcome the effects of many years of poor
nutrition, and give them the energy that will keep
them active, strong and able to concentrate.
In addition, the program provides a daily breakfast
for 59 infants aged from six months to two years.
The nutrition project was developed by the local
Rotary Club of Pursat and Western Australian Rotary
clubs, with the assistance of a grant from The Rotary
Foundation.
Its success means that, when the current grant ends
in November this year, the meals service will be
continued as a sustainable program managed and
run by the local community.
The Rotary clubs, meanwhile, are developing plans to
supply outreach and remote preschool annexes at
seven of the primary schools that have been built in
2010 and 2011.
Sustainable Cambodia is a Rotary-supported non
profit organisation working to provide a sustainable
quality of life by helping the villagers build wells,
irrigation systems and schools, training them in
agriculture and vocations.
To find out more about the organisation and its work,
go to www.SustainableCambodia.org.
TOP: Villagers work on construction of the primary
school at Anlong Mean, which when completed will
be dedicated to RC Scarborough in D9455.
MIDDLE: A student group at the secondary school in
Pursat Town.
BOTTOM: Teachers, educational staff and
international volunteers commemorate the new year
festival day at Sylvia Lasky Memorial School in Pursat
Town.
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LISA OFF ON THE ROAD TO PEACE District 9465’s first Rotary World Peace Scholar, Lisa
Craig, has begun the studies in Thailand that will
equip her to take a role in international cooperation
and conflict resolution.
Lisa is one of just 70 scholars to be awarded
Rotary’s unique World Peace Fellowship for 2011.
She is studying for a masters degree in international
relations at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University,
home of one of the world’s six Rotary Centres for
International Studies.
Lisa, manager of the Peel Community Legal Services
in Mandurah, was nominated for the Peace
Fellowship by the Mandurah Districts Rotary Club.
She was selected for the unique program from
some 1500 applicants around the world after an
exhaustive selection process.
RI established the World Peace Fellowship program in
partnership with the universities in 1999 to make a long-
term contribution to world peace by developing scholars
with the knowledge and tools to combat the problems
arising from rampant war, famine, poverty and disease.
“Today, there are still far too few mediators who are
experienced practitioners in conflict resolution,” says Paul
Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies at the University of
Bradford in England.
“There is an urgent need to produce another generation of
people who can play a mediating role in the future. This
program is the most significant development in graduate
work in conflict resolution in decades.”
ABOVE: Lisa, in the centre wearing a blue top, joins her
fellow Peace Scholars for the start of their international
relations degree studies at Chulalongkorn University in
Bangkok.
Lisa, who has three adult children, aims to use the
opportunity of the Peace Fellowship to continue her
humanitarian works and develop a global understanding of
peace issues.
“I seek to broaden my understanding of conflict resolution
and create further opportunities to support community-
based mediation and education around human rights and
justice for all people,” she said.
Gosnells records a family first Rotary Club of Gosnells has made history with the recent induction of Daryll Vale as a member of the club. Not only has 42-
year-old Daryll became a Rotarian alongside his father, club stalwart Dr Brian Vale, but his induction came about the same
time as Daryll’s 18-year-old son Sam – also, of course,
Brian’s grandson – joined the City of Gosnells Rotaract
Club.
Daryll is the first son of a current or former member
to join in the 51-year history of the club. He was
inducted by Brian, the first induction performed by
the man who is the club’s senior member and its
longest-serving active member.
The historic events were another demonstration of
the Rotary club’s pride in its “Fun, family and
fellowship” theme.
LEFT: President Neil Hewer (right) congratulates Dr
Brian Vale following the induction of his son Daryll.
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Roll Call, May 2011 Club Meetings Members Mth % Mth Rank Prog % Prog Rank
M F Tot
Albany East 4 13 2 15 80.1% 16 80.5% 15
Albany Port 4 20 4 24 78.0% 21 81.8% 10 Applecross 5 34 6 40 79.3% 19 79.7% 17
Armadale 5 25 5 30 84.0% 13 80.6% 14 Armadale-Neerigen Brook - - - - - 52 27.2% 53
Ascot 5 20 13 33 61.9% 43 71.0% 33
Attadale 3 28 3 31 91.0% 5 82.7% 9 Bentley-Curtin - - - 12 - 52 42.4% 52
Booragoon 5 12 13 25 83.2% 14 82.8% 8
Boulder 4 21 0 21 67.0% 35 67.5% 45 Bridgetown 5 6 4 10 80.0% 17 73.7% 24
Bunbury 3 33 2 35 76.0% 23 70.4% 37
Bunbury Central 4 16 2 18 52.8% 49 64.6% 47 Bunbury Leschenault 4 22 5 27 64.8% 40 67.6% 43
Busselton Geographe Bay 4 31 3 34 55.0% 48 62.9% 48
Byford & Districts 4 6 4 10 65.0% 38 67.5% 44 Canning Bridge 2 10 8 18 67.0% 35 69.7% 41
Cannington 4 11 4 15 70.0% 33 53.0% 51
Cockburn 4 19 8 27 77.0% 22 85.1% 6 Collie 4 30 3 33 79.1% 20 73.5% 26
Como 5 38 11 49 60.7% 45 72.8% 28
Esperance 5 40 0 40 74.5% 26 73.4% 27 Esperance Bay 3 31 6 37 73.1% 28 70.9% 34
Fremantle 4 24 6 30 75.7% 25 72.3% 29
Fremantle Port 5 63 3 9 86.8% 7 90.7% 4 Gnowangerup 5 10 0 10 80.0% 17 76.9% 19
Gosnells 5 16 2 18 84.9% 11 78.5% 18
Hannans-Kalgoorlie 4 4 13 17 65.0% 38 71.9% 30 Harvey 5 18 2 20 82.9% 15 80.0% 16
Kalgoorlie 5 9 4 13 76.0% 23 69.9% 39 Katanning 5 21 6 27 71.2% 31 74.3% 23
Kenwick 4 18 4 22 73.8% 27 75.9% 20
Kojonup 4 32 0 32 96.0% 2 92.5% 1 Kwinana 4 22 2 24 94.1% 3 91.4% 2
Mandurah 5 32 3 35 57.6% 46 70.6% 35
Mandurah City 4 19 7 26 63.0% 42 71.2% 32 Mandurah Districts 4 18 5 23 52.0% 50 62.0% 49
Manjimup 5 29 10 39 67.0% 35 70.2% 38
Margaret River 5 30 5 35 61.7% 44 68.3% 42 Melville 5 28 9 37 70.5% 32 75.2% 21
Mill Point 4 59 19 78 56.4% 47 66.3% 46
Mt Barker 3 9 8 17 86.8% 7 91.2% 3 Narrogin 3 14 6 20 90.0% 6 74.6% 22
Palm Beach 3 35 1 36 84.8% 12 87.6% 5
Pinjarra 4 34 3 37 71.8% 30 71.8% 31 Rockingham 5 25 15 40 86.3% 9 85.1% 7
Rossmoyne 4 38 6 44 68.3% 34 69.8% 40
South Bunbury 4 60 5 65 73.0% 29 73.6% 25 South Perth-Burswood 4 4 6 10 85.0% 10 80.7% 13
Southern Districts 4 37 5 42 100.0% 1 81.6% 11
Victoria Park 5 18 3 21 45.0% 51 57.8% 50 Wagin 5 12 4 16 92.8% 4 81.5% 12
Willetton 5 34 4 38 64.5% 41 70.5% 36
8