On the road - Free Ambulance is BOLDER!

All the Clubs who contributed to the funding the Rotary Wellington Free Ambulance were invited to meet RIP Ray Klinginsmith at the official launch of the Ambulance in Wellington this afternoon.

Suitably labelled

Ray mentioned he had been involved in the presentation of 33 ambulances, one being in Zululand - with a four wheel drive flat desk truck with a stretcher on the back, to a Greek Club to Tanzania, and finally in little old Wellington - all showing how Rotary Builds Communities. 

Bill Day, John O'Connell, Gillian Jones, Vaughan McEwan (obscured),
RIP Ray, DG Howard, Carol Bateman, Colleen Singleton, Joy Durrant,
Tony Hayward, Phillip Reidy, Pam Hannah, Mark Pickering.

DG Peter (9930) and Rebecca
chat with RIP Ray

Gillian, Ray and John

DG Howard and RIP Ray

Ray took the time to sit in the driver's seat and was able to meet up with the Presidents of the contributing Clubs.  A see this as a wonderful example of how many Clubs can combine their efforts to achieve BIGGER results.  The Cluster Clubs of the Greater Wellington regions combined their fundraising efforts to raise close to $70,000.  A great project.

Rotary International President Ray arrives in Wgtn

This morning PDG Judy Bain, Christopher Roberston, Jenny and I welcomed Ray Klinginsmith into Wellington, accompanied by Dwayne Sterling, RI Director Stuart Heal and Adrienne, RRFC John Cole and Lynne and RRC Rob Crabtree.

No time for formal photos and so, as you can see, Rob's hand is being shaken as John Cole, RIP Ray and Judy Bain look on.  They then left for Zealandia (the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary) to have lunch with the Rotary Club of Karori.  And the weather in Wellington is fine!

Survived the walk up to Colonial Knob!!

Great walk

Great company

Great views

Great coffee

... and the ginger cruch was to die for :-)

 

There have been further enquiries regarding our response to the Pakistan disaster - attached was received from Shelter Box Australia.

The situation in Pakistan is indeed urgent – and the attached flyer may be helpful to clubs. ShelterBox tents have been distributed in Rajanpur District and other districts are currently receiving more tents. Within days 1,000 ShelterBoxes and Response Teams were on the ground and 6,000 tents (the new Mark 10 design) have been directly dispatched from our manufacturer in China.
Please I remind clubs to advise if tax receipts for personal donations are required – please ask them to include the name and address with those particular donations.

Warren Irving (our Shelter Box Coordinator) writes:

"Courtenay Place Club is having a quiz night at the Cambridge on the 25 of this month to raise funds for shelter box. It is the normal Quiz night & very popular so it is a great opportunity to introduce Rotary & shelter box to a large no. of people. I have been invited  there with demonstration box and will possibly speak as well. It is being preceded by a BBQ at just after 6.00pm."

Membership Month - excellent activity

Guest Speakers Jean Phipps – as Chair of District 9940’s Membership Committee (plus other Rotary roles) – and Linda Robson (both Port Nicholson Rotarians) outlined the District’s current membership statistics and the challenges to build the membership.  (They are pictured here speaking to the Karori Club)

Why not invite them to speak at your Club?

Foundation giving - our world ranking

I am sure you will be interested in how New Zealand giving to The Rotary Foundation ranks with the other countries in the world.
We were 26th in the world
We are now 13th

Have a look here

Peace Scholar - Torie Cochrane

I have just received the second report from Torie - she writes:

"As I sit in my office in Kigali, Rwanda, I can hardly believe that I have completed a year as a RWPF and of even greater amazement to me, that I have been in Rwanda for almost three months. I honestly do not know where the time has gone to! In fact, the thought of having to document all of the experiences and (mis)adventures I have had over the past year, is a somewhat daunting task."

"Who will buy this wonderful feeling!!"

And so the song goes....

A quick trip up the coast to sunny Otaki where we found the community coming in masses to the Rotary Club of Otaki's Book Fair - it has been running for 10 years.  Hundreds were there when we arrived - all beavering away at the multitude of books on display.  $8 for a shopping bag of books!  What great value.  The sausage sizzle by a local school was in operation out front, and the Club helpers were obviously elated with the response.

President Allan - a proud day

A great sign - being BOLD

An offer too good to ignore - is there any Club who would want to pick up the books that remain and run their own Book Fair?  This is an opportunity to raise funds and is a great Club activity with a high profile.  If interested, contact Wilf Geerling from the Otaki Club.

Another happy purchaser heads
home for a 'good read'

A busy weekend ahead

Jenny are about to head off to Otaki to their Book Fair.  We return and dine out tonight with a group of friends from our apartment at Monsoon Poon - part of "Wellington on a Plate".  Then tomorrow morning we put on our tramping boots and join a group of keen Rotarians to climb to Colonial Knob - behind Tawa.  This is with a full pack as our leader Peter Whittington has said we need to get into training for the Routbourne walk early next year.  Then back home to meet DG Peter Signal and Rebecca from 9930 who are staying with us in preparation for RIP Ray Klinginsmith's visit on Monday.

View of Mana Island from the top of Colonial Knob

Do you know, on Monday evening at the meeting of RI President Ray, 31 out of the 60 Clubs in 9940 will be represented - well done!

Hawera - in the right mood!

The challenge has been presented to all Clubs to get their 'gang' formed and named as part of the build up to next year's conference in Wairakei.  Hawera is well advanced if their latest Bulletin is anything to go by.

Go Hawera!!

Hawera - growing!

This was received today from RDU in response to President Doug's article for the next edition of the magazine:
Thanks Doug for your delightful attached article & photo of the whole school of 13 children from Mokoia School planting an endangered species on your Rotary Club of Hawera Walkway project, & it is the host plant for the rare Taranaki moth which has the same wing colours of Taranaki Rugby. 

On top of that I received their Bulletin this evening and they are really on to it - more to come.....

What better endorsement for the Dictionaries

This note was  received recently from a grateful school principal:

Dear President Noel

We are delighted to be invited to be recipients of the Waitara Rotary Dictionary Project.
This project fully supports our Literacy learning goals. It also fits in well with our school mission statement that states :
"That our school community will work together to achieve their potential in harmony with each other".
I know our students will respect, value and appreciate receiving a dictionary. Thank you so much.
What a wonderful initiative for the children of Waitara.
In 2011 we anticipate having 16 Year 6 students and 26 Year 5 students.
If there is anything we can do to help with your project please ask.

Yours sincerely

Sharren Read
Principal
Waitara Central School 

Current orders stand at 1,686!!

Let's get 9940 on the map!!!

This is a great initiative by ROSNF (Rotarians on Social Network Fellowship)

Let's, as Bill Boyd has been known to say, "lead the way!"

Put your Club meeting on the international stage.

If you can't do it, let me know and I will get it done for your Club.

At the moment I have added my own Club.

Your Actions Count!

Let's get Bridging Continents - literally!!!

AG's - work with your Cluster Clubs.  Which one can be the first?

Go here to learn more

It is very straight forward.

Here is the map

Go here to learn more about ROSNF

Let's become informed about The Rotary Foundation

I invite you all to open the latest issue of Our Foundation Newsletter and simply clicking on the 'new' 2010 issue.
There is the latest information on the future vision. Now that we are into the pilot phase we all need to be aware of how this new system progresses in order to share best practice and enable all our districts and clubs to be ready to go on July 1st 2013.

International Projects - take your pick!

ProjectLINK is a searchable database that lists Rotary club and district community service projects in need of funding, volunteers, donated goods, and/or partners for a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant, and completed projects that can be used as examples of best practices. For additional project details, contact programs@rotary.org or the local Rotarian or club listed. 

Click on the Internatinal Update link on the side menu bar >>>>>>

Happy children - great project

10 Clubs have put in their order - a total of 828 Dictionaries!!

And this order closes 31 August - still time to contact Joy for your supply.

See the District Directory - page 122 for more details.  Update now = 1686 ordered!!

Joy writes:

"Historically it has been challenging and expensive to get the Dictionaries seamlessly from Auckland (the central warehouse) to Wellington, partly as a result of their sheer weight at 1kg per dictionary. After consultation with them, NZ Couriers have generously offered to transport our bulk order from Auckland to Wellington FREE OF CHARGE, and then to provide sharp pricing for on-delivery out of Wellington. This is a fabulous offer and I will also be letting District Presidents know of this."

Joy Durrant - District Literacy Coordinator



LAST ORDERS FOR 2010 NOW PLEASE!!  Beat the GST price rise and get in with your orders before month end!!!  Only $8 each including GST

Actions Count!

Harbour City - 2 new members

David Howden is presented a fitting momento

Gail Plamus receives her pin

President Vaughan had everything in order for a very well functioning evening.  As well as running a very efficient meeting, there was recognition given to the Club and to David Howden (along with John O'Connell and Gillian Jones) who worked tirelessly to raise funds for a Rotary Ambulance for the Greater Wellington Region.  Two new members were inducted - Gail Plamus and Bindu Jacobs.  President Vaughan emphasised to members the need to make their Actions Count! in his year.  

President Vaughan

Bindu Jacobs receives her pin

Put this date in your Club Calendar

COMMUNITY PROJECT DAY

26-27 FEBRUARY 2011.

Now that you have your feet comfortably under the table - so to speak - can I remind you to put a big circle in your club calendar on the 26th or 27th February next year as the day you activate a Community Project.

•   The idea is to be noticed, involved in your Community and to encourage member participation.
•   Keep it Simple and have fun!

So please now begin to give thought to choosing a project. It could be one you're doing already, it could be as small as a walkway clean up or as large as a local hall restoration.
It could take a couple of hours, or a whole day. Please feel free to bounce any ideas you might have off me, but really anything goes so long as it is on the 26th or 27th February.
Sixty Clubs working on community projects on the same weekend will surely raise our profile in our District as well as help to build our communities.
I will be in touch on a regular basis over the next few months to help with your planning for the event, but in the meantime if you need assistance just email me at: warwick.johnston@clear.net.nz

Thanks for your support 
Warwick

Happy 50th Inglewood

Inglewood Rotary President Brian Jackson holding the RI certificate honoring Inglewood Rotary's 50 years of service, pictured with IPDG David Watt left and DGE Bob Smith at a celebration function on 3 August 2010.