Many Thanks from P.D.G Mike Smith

Helen and I started our journey with the first club visited being Hamilton (call themselves Hamilton Central) on the 20^th of July.

 

This was after we attended a good number of club changeovers. When we started we had 56 clubs in our district. We now finish with 54 – almost. Taupo Moana clearly saw the need for survival to merge into one club. Almost to the day 40 years after they were charted, I presented the new charter to charter president Ian Dykes for the Rotary Club of Lake Taupo. That was in November last year.

My final commitment as DG is to present the charter to the new Rotary Club of Gisborne following the merging of Gisborne and Gisborne West.

 

Many, but in fact, most of our clubs appear to be in good health. But Reality shows that we clearly have a group of clubs in our district which are struggling. A serious issue of continuity for presidents and office holders, a lack of fellowship opportunities or indeed some poorly planned committees and club meetings. I believe it is time to re-introduce the Visioning Programme or something similar into the clubs.

 

I do however agree that the RLI (Rotary Learning and Information) programme is an excellent opportunity for club members to engage.  There have been Rotarians with less than 12 months membership who have been challenged and re-energised to achieve new inspiration to increase their “Service Above Self” by completing the 3 modules. This programme needs a much larger group of Rotarians from struggling clubs to participate. We have some very active, committed clubs with less than 20 members, BUT we have a few with 20 or less members who, in my opinion, lack direction and foresight to uphold our motto.

 

Although we have not been able to maintain district membership numbers, with a flurry of new inductions in the past 3 to 4 weeks I am confident we will end up the year very close to the numbers as at the start of the year.

 

We now have 11 interact clubs, the newest just recently charted in Cambridge High School.

 

We have 2 Rotaract Clubs but from enquiries, I do not think they are very active.

 

Many will know my personal thoughts, that Rotaract Clubs should either be a Rotary Club or if not a satellite Club of their Sponsor Club. Our future will see increased Rotarians from these two groups.

Discussions are currently being held to hopefully charter a new club in Whitianga and a satellite club in Hastings.

 

Helen and I have attended lots of club activities throughout the year, Greenmedows 40^th  Birthdays. Rotorua West's 50^th, Mt. Maunganui’s 50^th, Stortford Lodge’s 50^th, and Gisborne’s 90^th.

 

We have thoroughly enjoyed all our activities with the International Exchange Students. These young folk adds colour and excitement, a different generation in clubs that challenges older Rotarians. What wonderful examples of special young people.

 

Assistant Governors and District Chair Training, Pets 1 training, The Rotary Foundation quarterly meetings have all been very enjoyable. So too was the RYPEN weekend in Hawke’s bay. We attended GETS and Institute in Nelson in November – great week. Then still doing club visits with all this happening we shifted house!!!!

 

In February we hosted a whirlwind visit to our district of our Zone 7b R.I. Board representative Guilleur Tumangan and his wife Letty. My thanks to all Rotarians and Rotary Clubs that stepped up to ensure a well planned fast visit.

 

We hosted to our district a Rotary Friendship Exchange from Nova Scotia early in the calendar year. Our team returns in September.

 

One of the highlights was hosting our District Conference in Napier in early May. DG Jennie Herring from D9920 attended representing the other Rotary DG’s. We attended her conference on the Gold Coast in April. We were also blessed with Aziz and Samina Menon as Ravi’s personal representative. Attendance was in excess of 360. So thank you for all of you who attended. We had a very well planned and organised weekend.

 

My very special thanks tp Ross Pinkham, organiser Sue Page and their very hard working committee. I was very fortunate to have almost the same committee as I had some 3 years earlier when I chaired P.D.G Roger Miller’s conference in Napier.

 

Our conference theme was “At the Heart of Rotary”. A great range of keynote speakers was well received, the feedback has been amazing. After an inspiring address by Sam Gibson, who received a standing ovation, a man with brittle bone disease and stands just 3 feet tall, just one week later died whilst participating in a marathon, from his wheelchair. He was raising funds for a young man, Rycki, from Christchurch who suffers from the same disease. I am pleased to announce that shortly, with final permission from his widow, we will be launching a Trust in his memory. On the day of his death, Sam’s Dad phoned me to extend his family’s thanks to Rotary. He said that Rotary has done more for his family since his birth than any other organisation in New Zealand. Very humbling.

 

Both Helen and I will never forget the amazing sea of red at the Saturday night function. From the huge number of comments, the evening was great, even the band received bouquets. It is the first time I all the students first on the dance floor!

 

We hoped this year, as a district to put together our first Foundation Global Grant for a V.T.T. programme intoLautoka, Fiji – Interplast activity. Sadly due to changes this has not happened. D9910 have picked up the programme and our $10,000 U.S. has gone towards this through 9910.

 

Ther are many other activities, even the challenges one faces when in this role but I will stop here, and yes I did have some challenges. I do wish to personally extend my thanks for the advice offered by P.D.G’s. To my closest mentor P.D.G Paul and Tups, thank you. You are now safe Paul, I did not fall off my perch which would have meant as Vice-Governor you would have to step back up! Keith – please note!

My thanks for the wisdom advice and assistance given by the Board, thank you. What an amazing dedicated group.

 

To each of the Assistant Governors, thank you for your support.

 

To District Chairs and Champions, again as volunteers like all the others, thanks.

 

To the partners, thank you. Also for all your support to Rotarians and Rotary Clubs, you are so valuable.

 

Before I present the final awards etc, I wish to say another special thanks to Helen. Helen attended every function and all the clubs except one! Helen gave up a good number of her interests to support me and Rotary, you are very special Helen.

 

Awards:

Presidential Citations, 2 to present, this year 3 levels, Bronze to Tauranga Sunrise ( 5 of 7 levels) and Gold to Cambridge (All 7 levels).

 

Public Image award: Highly commended – Matamata. Winning Club – Ahuriri Sunrise for promoting themselves and RI in the community, use of print media, signs, Facebook, radio, and TV.

 

P.H.F’s. the Board has decided today P.D.G. Russell Turner - 2^nd Sapphire P.H.F pin. Janice Miller – Sapphire P.H.F pin. Tups Wright – Sapphire P.H.F pin. Pins awarded at the conference to P.D.G’s Roger Miller and Paul Wright.

 

The Roarty Foundation Highest Contribution per Capita went to Gisborne.

 

Finally, it has been a truly rewarding year. My thanks to each and every one of D9930 Rotarians for your wonderful welcomes, fellowship and commitment to Rotary both locally and Internationally. A very special thanks you to my Rotary club of Ahuriri for your support, it is  a demanding role, it has been a privilege and honor to serve as your 2015 -16 District Governeor.

 

Thank You.