Rotary part of the combined effort to rebuild a community!

Ross Skinner (Assistant Rotary Coordinator) reports:

On Friday 25^th I attended a meeting here in Christchurch of the NDRF (National Disaster Relief Forum)

This forum is a grouping of a number of Non Government Organisations (NGOs) which through this forum have access to and representation on a number of central ‘Government’ organisations. Rotary has for some time had representation on this forum through PDG Stuart Batty and RNZWCS (Rotary NZ World Community Service). This forum has historically meet quarterly, primarily it seems to focus energies in lobbying Government and various other governmental agencies.

This forum will in my opinion be valuable to bring the various NGO agencies together to extract the best individual skill sets that the group has over this next long period of time of the recovery and ultimately the re building of affected peoples ‘lives and minds’.

Members of the forum represented at this Friday meeting were World Vision, Tear Fund, CWS (Christian World Service) Disabled Persons Assembly, Save the Children, ADRA (the welfare arm of Seventh Day Adventists) Rotary (through PDG Stuart Batty and myself) and also ShelterBox through a SRT member. There were some other agencies like Caritas, Salvation Army and Oxfam and probably some others that were not present.

As can be seen a pretty diverse grouping and a number of these NGO’s will undoubtedly have an extended presence here in Christchurch for many months. 

It is good to see the focus and the joining of minds and hands to  provide a positive, coordinated difference in the recovery effort that will be needed over a long period in Christchurch. [DG Howard]

Wanganui North - report #4

Once again the Golf Tournament at Castlecliff has been completed. A big thanks again to Grant Clark of Eides Sport for his work in making this tournament a success. Thanks to Bruce Kennedy, Allan Mailman, Ian McCleod, Mike Green, Zahid Mohammed, Graeme Carey for their help leading up to and during the tournament. Oops….forgot to thank all the sponsors and Castlecliff Golf Club.

Well done everyone
Enjoy the photos
More...

 

Report #3 - from RC of Paraparaumu's Big Dig

The Big Dig and Sand Sculpture at Raumati Beach that was organised by Paraparaumu Rotary for District Project Day.

Thanks to Project Chair Kevin and Bob Taylor for the photos. 

And I love this.....
Jumping the Gun!

Citations - your Club deserves this!!

As you know, the 2010-11 Presidential Citation program supports President Ray Klinginsmith’s theme, Building Communities - Bridging Continents. The 2010-11 Presidential Citation Questionnaire, is detailed in the District Directory (pp 173-178) and can also be seen online at www.rotary.org/awards. To qualify for a citation certificate, clubs must score at least 25 points in each of the four categories listed in the questionnaire. Rotary clubs that score at least 35 points in each category will qualify for the 2010-11 Presidential Citation with Distinction and will receive a commemorative club banner patch in addition to the standard certificate.  Club presidents must fill out and sign their club’s Presidential Citation Questionnaire and send it to the District Governor by 31 March 2011.

So far I have receive 5 Citation applications from the Rotary Clubs of:

South Wairarapa; Masterton South; Hutt City;Wainuiomata; New Plymouth West.

Rotary New Zealand (WCS) Appeal

District 9970 (on behalf of all Rotary clubs in Christchurch) are combining all fund raising through a committee set up by the DG for the distribution of funds to various projects that are to be established once needs can be identified that are not able to be supported by government and other agencies.

Death toll now stands at 146 with many still missing -
click the above picture for more

All donations received by RNZWCS will go into that fund.

This strategy will allow Rotarians to do something significant and allow other agencies to concentrate on welfare.

Your funds, should you choose to support the combined clubs, will be used in conjunction with the projects established by the DG’s committee.

For more details go to their web site... 

PDG Stuart J Batty JP

Director

RNZWCS Limited (Rotary New Zealand)

PO Box 20309

Christchurch 8543

New Zealand

Ph/Fax 64 3 3599218

cellphone 027 2695615

stuart.batty@rnzwcs.org

www.rnzwcs.org

skype:  superbatts

Member  :  Council for International Development

Charities Commission Reg. No. CC26860         

Rotary in ACTION - Porirua promoting ERKs

AG Glynis Denz reports: 

Howard, our objective for project day was to combine our normal Market clean-up month with an opportunity to display the ERK box to the people of Porirua and also work with Harvey Norman to provide a satellite link to Samoa via skype to emphasize the local contacts and benefits of this emergency resource.  We also had the opportunity to continue it on in the late morning and afternoon with a display at the opening of the Bothamley Walkway in Porirua East.  With the events of the last week in Christchurch, the collection also became one for Christchurch as well of course and public response was magnificent.

Attached are three photos summing up the response on the day.

The first shows some of our team members with the support Harvey Norman staff and Mana MP Kris Faafoi in front of the live skype connection to Samoa, set up beside the ERK display in the Porirua town centre.  Cash collections on the day for ERKs and Christchurch topped $650.00.

The second shows the display moved in the late morning to the Bothamley Park walkway opening and set up for public viewing.  Another collection of some $50.00 was made here.  That is club member David Low in action.

The third photo shows another benefit which flowed from the project as club member Glynis Denz was able to collect toys in support of the Tawa Rotary Clubs “Toys for Tonga” project.

Open our homes to offer friendship and love

The home page on www.rotary.org.nz  has a posting on the Earthquake and the ‘Click Here’ in the orange box takes you to the ’News’ and there is detail of an accommodation proposal  established by DG Margaret Reeve and PDG Stuart Batty with assistance from PDG Beryl and Colin Robinson.

Stuart Batty (RNZWCS) will coordinate.  Contact him if you can assist by emailing  stuart.batty@rnzwcs.org

Remember - as Rotarians we celebrate the greater Family of Rotary and what better way than to offer our home as a place for people to stay to escape the stress of the recent events in Christchurch. 

Eastern Hutt - first report in from Project Day

Here are photos of members of the Rotary Club of Eastern Hutt painting the fence around the younger persons play area at Avalon Park as their Project for the District Project Day. The Club has had a close association with the Park and the Pavilion for many years and this project was decided on after consultation with the Hutt City Council. The 7 colours of the rainbow were used thus making the entire area brighter and more appealing to young people. 
[Club Reporter Jaye Howey]

New Zealand Rotarians responding to Christchurch earthquake

Visit RDU web site

In the Weekly Update from RI is the following:

Rotarians in New Zealand are doing what they can to assist victims of the devastating earthquake 22 February in Christchurch, where more than 100 people have been killed and at least 200 are still missing.

As efforts move from search-and-rescue to recovery, responses from Rotarians offering assistance have been pouring in. Authorities are requesting that donations in kind or noncash items not be sent to Christchurch, as the government, local agencies, and NGOs have sufficient emergency and second phase supplies for the ongoing needs of the community. 

More....

Let's unite and contribute through our Service to others

The terror of the quake:

Seconds after the earthquake hit 

 

Let's remember our friends and loved ones in Christchurch - money contributed through the RNZWCS web site will be 100% used for the restoration of their community.  We can all play a part.  Set up collections in your community - remember, the public trust Rotary and what we stand for....

Just reported on the Stuff News site: "Around 10,000 people a day have flown out of Christchurch since Tuesday's quake."

A great kick-off for Project Day

An email report:

For those who participated in this morning’s Rotary collection at the Railway Station and surrounding areas you will be pleased to know that the amount raised appears to have exceeded our expectations.  We dropped the buckets off at the BNZ North End branch as the Rotary Club of Wellington has its account there.  At lunch time, they were still counting and had to stop at $8,000 because of customer demand.  More buckets were brought in shortly after 2pm because of the money raised at Midland Park with the ‘shelter boxes’.

Spot the Shelter Box

The BNZ will advise when they have completed their counting which hopefully will be by close of business tonight or first thing Monday morning.  I suspect it will be in excess of $10,000 maybe more.

My response:

DG Howard - are your ACTIONS helping?

This is an absolutely brilliant result and you are all to be commended for your commitment and your smiles.
The people off the trains looked in most part impressed with the number of collectors and there were some showing genuine interest in the ERK and the Shelter Box.  The rest were focused on getting to work and had that typical expression you see on many commuter's faces.

Congratulations once again - you have done Rotary proud!!

Thanks to Warren for his inspirational idea of erecting the tents and for the support of those helping him at Midland Park.
Thanks to Dave for the ERK display.
Thanks to James for your facilitation.
Thanks to Harbour City for your coordination.
Thanks to everybody for your stunning service for those in Christchurch.....

What a way to kick off the Project Day!

Rotary in the Community

This morning at Wgtn Railway Station

Greetings to all Clubs and may you have a great weekend out in the community.

We have over half of our Clubs in the District who have reported in saying they have a project happening today, tomorrow or Sunday.

Make sure you are BOLD in the community – hats, shirts, banners.

After the recent tragic events in Christchurch, the people of New Zealand are looking for ways to serve others.

Our recent survey, the results of which will be released at Conference, show that there are many in our society who do not know what we do.

This is what we do!

Let’s become extrovert, out there and in the Community this weekend so members of the community see us, understand more about what we do and are able to ask and be asked about our wonderful organisation.

Photos please – cameras and snap shots through to me so they can be profiled at Conference.

More registrations are required to make our Conference a sell out!  Please encourage members and keep reminding them of this key event in our calendar for this year.

Have fun!  I’m off to the Wellington Railway Station to collect for the Christchurch Appeal.

Keep checking the Blog!  The list of Project Day events is impressive.  Write me reports, send me stories.

DG Howard