Regional Bulletin November 2019

November is Rotary Foundation Month and we thank Rotary Down Under magazine for allowing us to contribute articles and features in this month’s issue. It’s very inspiring to see stories about the impact that Foundation grants have on local communities, but it’s also great to see the way that grants empower Rotarians in their support and commitment to this organisation. This makes a huge difference in attracting potential members from their community to join their clubs. And when more like-minded individuals pool their efforts and resources, more good can be done in this world. November is also when Rotary Day is celebrated at the United Nations. RI President Mark Maloney’s message this month talks about how Rotary’s influence helped form the United Nations. How much more proof can we get that, as an organisation, we are instrumental in driving world peace? Through the Rotary Foundation, Rotarians are able to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Peace is the end goal. And while Peace and Conflict Resolution is one of its areas of focus, it is also a by-product of all efforts put toward the other five areas of focus. Staff here at the Regional Office were privileged to have Charlie Allen (RC Sydney) from the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) as a guest speaker for a Lunch and Learn session. Activities such as this enable us to remain grounded in the causes that this organisation supports. Our World Polio Day event of raising the Rotary flag and End Polio Now campaign flag had a similar effect in that it allowed us to celebrate together with all the other Rotary organisations around the world, the wonderful achievements we have had toward Polio eradication. It was also a reminder that the work is far from over, with polio cases having gone up from previous years. The validation and pride that we felt seeing the flags flying for a week were just incredible! Thank you to members of the Rotary Club of Parramatta Daybreak and Granville, End Polio Now Coordinator Bob Aiken, PDGs Sue and John Wakefield, PDG Bruce Allen and Lorraine Cody for gracing us with your presence and support. Best Regards,

Grace Grace Ramirez Manager, International Office and Financial Services

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Andrew and Mary Jayne are looking forward to seeing many of you at

the Manila Institute on 29th November! Magkita tayo doon !

CLUB AND DISTRICT SUPPORT

SAN DIEGO PREPARATION

District Governor-elects will be looking

forward to heading over to San Diego

USA in January. Have your visas organised

and your flights booked? Mary Jayne and

Trudy still have some slots open for IA Tech

Lab appointments, so please get in touch

with us if you have not already advised a

preferred time.

INTERACT CLUB SUSPENSIONS

District Governors should keep an eye on

their Interact Club Suspensions. Currently

suspended Interact Clubs for Zone 8 and Zone

10B.

Action needs to be taken before 31 December 2019 to prevent the Interact Club from being terminated. Please refer to this earlier communication.

This activity is part of a worldwide audit of functioning Interact Clubs.

The countdown to Christmas is on! With only six weeks left in the pre-Christmas rush with Rotary Christmas Functions, Carols, Light Parades and so many other events around our Zone, just a few reminders this month to help keep your District Administration ticking along.

CLUB CLOSURE

District Governors may be receiving

notifications of clubs wishing to hand back their

charters prior to the next RI billing cycle in

January 2020. However if the club is definitely

looking like closing, please ensure the required

form is provided to CDS for processing,

preferably prior to December 13th which will

provide time for processing prior to Christmas.

THEME SCARVES AND TIES

District Governor-elects who would like to lodge

a bulk pre-order of 2020-21 Theme Scarves and

Ties (minimum 30 items) need to have the

orders placed and paid for by 1 December 2019

to ensure delivery of the items to you onsite at

International Assembly in San Diego. Each scarf

/ tie is US$150 to be contributed to the Rotary

Foundation Annual Fund. Forms are the bulk

orders and Multiple Donations to the Annual

Fund.

RECORDING DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS

District Governor-elects can commence

recording District Appointments in My Rotary

ready for 2020-21. Having your District

appointments recorded by 31 December and

before you travel to IA would be of great

assistance. Please refer to the procedure

guide provided.

ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Immediate Past District Governor’s please send

your Audited District Annual Financial

Statements for the year ended 30 June 2019 to

Andrew, Trudy or Mary Jayne along with

notification of when your meeting to adopt the

Financials is scheduled. A copy of the formal

minutes noting adoption of the Financials will

be required once available, and prior to 30

June 2020.

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UPCOMING KEY DATES

2019

27 – 28 November Zone 1B, 9 & 10 Governor-elect training in Manila, Philippines.

1 December Deadline for lodging bulk orders and payment for 2020-21 Theme scarves & ties to be delivered at IA San Diego.

1 December Deadline for lodging bulk orders and payment for 2020-21 Theme scarves & ties to be delivered at IA San Diego.

13 December Lodgement of new DG Funding Process forms to enrol District for 2020 (does not apply to existing Test Districts).

13 December Any Club resignation forms to be sent to CDS to be processed prior to next IA Invoicing round.

25 & 26 December

Christmas and Boxing Day 2019. RI Parramatta office closed.

31 December DGE – record District Appointments for 2020-21 in My Rotary.

2020

1 January New Years Day – RI Parramatta office closed.

19 - 24 January DGE - International Assembly in San Diego, USA.

February DG Funding Budgets for 2020-21 to be advised to District Governor-elects and District Finance Chair.

6 - 10 June International Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. Registrations are now open.

30 June DG - Deadline for submission of DGN Data Form to CDS.

30 June IPDG – Deadline for submission to CDS of (Audited) District Financial Statements for year ended 30 June 2019 along with copy of minutes from meeting where adopted.

FINANCE MATTERS

MEMBERSHIP DUES The Club Invoice collection period is winding down for this semester’s dues. With up to 99% of the clubs in Zone 8 (Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands) and 96% of clubs in the Philippines having paid their dues, we have a fair bit of chasing up to do with 45 clubs who have not yet settled their outstanding balances. Please note that the end of the collection period is 19 November 2019. Beyond this, clubs with outstanding balances greater than USD250 will be classified as candidates for termination and will be required to pay USD30 per member as reinstatement fees along with all outstanding dues.

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MEMBERSHIP

ROTARY DAY AT THE UNITED NATIONS ON 9 NOVEMBER (US TIME)

Rotary Day at the United Nations celebrates the two organisations’ shared vision for peace and highlights the critical humanitarian activities that Rotary and the UN lead around the world. With the theme Connecting for Good, this year’s event focused on community-based solutions to the global refugee crisis. If you didn’t do it this year, encourage your club to organise remote viewing parties next year as a way to engage members, friends, and family in the topic. Find out more about what happened here: https://www.rotaryundaynyc.org.

STATE OF MEMBERSHIP WEBINAR Did you miss out on the State of membership webinar? Was it a little too early in the day for you to catch live? Don’t despair you can watch a recording of it here and access the slides here. Rotary’s members are our greatest assets! When our membership is strong, our clubs are more vibrant, Rotary has greater visibility and our members have more resources to help communities flourish. Consider watching this webinar with your club to learn about: how we got here; who is joining? who is leaving?; opportunities for us to all make membership a top priority. Alternatively, you can customise the presentation and give it during a club or district meeting. It’s available in English and French for some of our Pacific Island clubs. Other webinars you can catch up include: We are Rotary: Advancing Women as Leaders Courageous Leadership Membership Models for the Future of Rotary Building New Clubs Together

MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS 31 OCTOBER 2019

Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands - Comparison to 1 July 2019 as at 31 October 2019 Philippines - Comparison to 1 July 2019 as at 31 October 2019 Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands - Detailed demographics Philippines - Detailed demographics

CLUB PLANNING ASSISTANT

We know that each club has its own successes and challenges. But how do you identify your club’s unique challenges and come up with strategies or solutions that are tailored to meet your needs? Club Planning Assistant is a tool that now lives permanently at rotary.org/membership. Take this quick survey to receive instant feedback on your particular challenges, whether that be attracting new members, making a positive difference in the community or accommodating the needs of potential and current members. When you finish, you’ll be able to download a summary of your answers, along with links to recommended resources that can support the strategic planning process

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This month we move to Foundation - introducing

Rob Byrne Senior Coordinator, Foundation Services

Rob Byrne is the Senior Coordinator, Foundation Services at Rotary International’s Regional office in Parramatta. He is responsible for Annual Giving Programs, such Paul Harris Society and EREY in the region, as well as programs such as corporate engagement and special events. Rob has many years’ experience in technology businesses, mainly

as the CEO of the Australian subsidiaries of US computer companies but also as a business builder in the areas of business consulting and online sales. Rob has been a Rotarian since 2003 and is currently President of

his club. He has held district roles as Assistant Governor and Polio Chair. One of his fundraisers for EndPolioNow was to ride his bicycle from Cairns to Melbourne, which involved extensive TV, radio and other media coverage. He is a recipient of the “Regional Service Awards for a Polio-free World”.

Rob can be reached at Robert.Byrne@rotary.org or +61 2 8894 9843.

MEMBERSHIP LEADS

Does your district or club have a plan for following up on leads? Remember that these are people who already know about Rotary and may be ready to join. District by district breakdown: Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands - Membership leads Philippines - Membership leads

Since 1 July 2019, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands have received 118 leads. 44% have been referred to a club but only 4% of clubs have contacted the candidate and only 3 have been admitted as members.

Since 1 July 2019 the Philippines have received 128 leads. 4% have been referred to a club and only 1 has been admitted as a member.

GETTING TO KNOW US

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POLIO CASE IN THE PHILIPPINES

In September, a case of circulating vaccine-derived polio was detected in Mindanao province in the south of the Philippines. Through ongoing disease surveillance, the presence of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus has now been confirmed as far away as Manila. However, no cases of wild polio have been discovered. How can polio derive from a vaccine? Oral polio vaccine (OPV) contains an attenuated (weakened) vaccine-virus, activating an immune response in the body. When a child is immunized with OPV, the weakened vaccine-virus replicates in the intestine for a limited period, thereby developing immunity by building up antibodies. During this time, the vaccine-virus is also excreted. In areas of inadequate sanitation, this excreted vaccine-virus can spread in the immediate community (and this can offer protection to other children through ‘passive’ immunization), before eventually dying out. On rare occasions, if a population is seriously under-immunized, an excreted vaccine-virus can continue to circulate for an extended period of time. The longer it is allowed to survive, the more genetic changes it undergoes. In very rare instances, the vaccine-virus can genetically change into a form that can paralyze – this is what is known as a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV). Vaccination coverage in the Philippines has been steadily declining over the past few years, underscoring the importance of increasing coverage to at least 95% of children to stop future spread of polio. Action in the Philippines The polio program is working with regional and country counterparts to support local Philippine public health authorities. Together they are strengthening surveillance and conducting a thorough field investigation and risk assessment around planning and implementation of immunization and outbreak response. Under the leadership of Director Raffy Garcia and with the assistance of End Polio Now Coordinator Me’Anne Solomon and others, the 10 districts in the Philippines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Health in the Philippines to collaborate on the outbreak response. Also, the need to establish a Rotary National PolioPlus committee in the Philippines, to support the response, is currently being examined. A new vaccine on the horizon The GPEI partners are working to develop a new vaccine to respond to such outbreaks that is more stable and does not have the ability to revert to the strength of the wild poliovirus. We are hopeful this new vaccine will be available by June 2020 and be available for outbreaks of circulating vaccine derived polio.

FOUNDATION

RISPPO SUPPORTING WORLD END POLIO NOW DAY

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Provided by Gretchen Laurel

ARCH KLUMPH SOCIETY – The most cheerful givers in Rotary

“When we leave, we cannot bring our earthly riches with us. So for as long as we are alive; as long as we are in the position to give; let us give to those who need it the most. It is not a misery to give. It is a privilege to be able to give.”

Whenever I am asked about the Arch Klumph Society, I refer back to these words of the late PDG Robert Fung Kuan. PDG Robert used to be the Endowment and Major Gifts Adviser, and as his staff partner, we worked on cultivating major gifts, as well as new members of the Arch Klumph Society. He used to tell me that there are many individuals in Rotary, and even outside of Rotary, who had the capacity to give. And to be able to be part of Arch Klumph Society, there are only two requirements that needed to be fulfilled: first, they have to be asked; and second, they had to have a willing heart.

The Arch Klumph Society is the Rotary Foundation’s highest tier of donors – those who have contributed $250,000 or more during their lifetime. But they are not just the highest givers, they are also the ones who understand that it is in giving that they are able to attain purpose. I am proud that we are making history in this year’s Manila Rotary Institute, as this is the largest regional AKS Induction to date. With the able leadership of PDG/AKS Jess Nicdao, who is the current Endowment and Major Gifts Adviser, we are inducting a total of 10 Arch Klumph Society Members (8 AKS- Trustee Circle and 2 AKS- Chairman’s Circle).

Inductees from Bangladesh include: Past Pres. Nasser Shahrear Zahedee & Rtn. Nahida Akter Zahedee, Past Pres. Ulfat Jahan Moon and Moazzem Hossain, Past Pres. Raushan Ara Akhta.

Meanwhile, the following are the inductees from the Philippines: District Governor-Elect Johnny Yu & Past Pres. Veronica Ho; Past Pres. Sarah Deloraya-Mateo & Pres. Arnel Mateo; Past Pres. Rafael Garcia IV and Djhoanna Garcia; 7. President Joaquin Capen Rodriguez; Past Pres. David Ackerman & Charter Pres. Mache Ackerman and Past District Gov. Edna Reotutar Suter & Martin Suter.

It gives me special joy to note that PDG Robert Fung Kuan, and his spouse Yvonne Kuan will be inducted to the Chairman’s Circle.

Arch Klumph Society members support The Rotary Foundation for a variety of reasons, but they share one common attribute: They are among the Foundation’s top leaders and innovators. Members believe in the work of The Rotary Foundation and have made the support of peace efforts, education, and humanitarian assistance part of their personal mission. Their involvement is vital to the Foundation’s programs, which work for the worldwide eradication of polio, to build infrastructure, and to support Rotary Peace Fellows, among other efforts. Each member of the Society has a personal commitment to Doing Good in the World, and we at the Foundation are grateful that they have chosen Rotary as their platform to help. After all, it is through the commitment and the leadership of the society’s members, that the Foundation is able to continue its work toward a more humane and peaceful world.

FROM THE PHILIPPINES

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Provided by Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator, Tony Heading

COORDINATOR’S CORNER

A new section featuring stories from regional coordinators

ZONE 8 ROTARIANS UNITE AND TAKE ACTION….….. FOR POLIO

Rotarians again engaged with their communities in many ways to raise funds and build awareness for Rotary’s EndPolioNow Campaign around World Polio Day on 24 October:

Clubs across Australia and New Zealand held pre-release screenings of the Polio Movie Event, Ride Like a Girl

Rotarians and friends engaged with commuters and at stations as they rode trains to end polio in The All Stations Challenge in Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle, Wollongong, Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington.

Inaugural Polio Charity/Awareness Bowls Days were held in the Hunter Valley region with the support of Bowls NSW.

Brisbane Rotarians and friends gathered for a night walk across the Story Bridge lit up for World Polio Day.

In addition, clubs held local polio PR/fundraising events, purple pinkie days, guest speakers, joined Rotary’s World Polio Day Online Global Update and screened the new polio videos: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1m24ehg9iydvmej/5_Ways_to_End_Polio.mp4?dl=0 https://vimeopro.com/rotary/polioplus-video-resources

VISIT BY RAVI RAVINDRAN

November is Foundation Month and we have been extremely fortunate to have received a visit by PRIP K.R. (Ravi) Ravindran and his wife Vanathy. Ravi is also Chair-elect of The Rotary Foundation Board of trustees. With a very busy schedule, Ravi and Vanathy have visited three cities and undertaken a wide variety of activities:

Brisbane (8-10 November) - D9600, D9630 and D9640

Visit to Rotary Peace Centre, University of Queensland, afternoon tea with 2019 Peace Fellows and commemorative tree planting at the RI Presidents’ Peace Grove

Morning tea with PRIP Sir Clem Renouf

Lunch Meeting with District Governors and District Rotary Foundation Chairs

Multidistrict Rotary Foundation Dinner at Qld Cricketers’ Club, Woolloongabba

Sydney (10-12 November) - D9675 and D9685

Lunch Meeting with District Governors and District Rotary Foundation Chairs

Visit to RISPPO, Parramatta and afternoon tea with staff

Multidistrict Rotary Foundation Dinner at Homebush Bay Melbourne (12-14 November) –D9780, D9790, D9800, D9810 and D9820

Lunch at the MCG with District Governors and District Foundation Chairs

Tree Planting Ceremony in the RI Presidents’ Garden

Multidistrict Rotary Foundation Dinner at Kooyong Tennis Club.

Ros Kelly, District Governor of D9630,

with PRIP Ravi, planting a tree in RI

Presidents’ Peace Grove, UQ