"Just as the Hobbits were on an Unexpected Journey, so too are a number of us, no more so than me!
On leaving my North Waikato home nest over 50 years ago on my journey out into the ‘real world’, I could have gone to Auckland to train as a teacher but instead chose to journey to Hamilton and work for the South Auckland Education Board, administering teacher salary payments. This journey led to meeting the love of my life in 1972 and in 1974 Lindsay and I moved to Matamata, where I have since been involved with a number of community and district organisations including three school’s Board of Trustees, the Waikato District Health Board, Trust Waikato, The Heart Trust, Matamata Piako District Council and the local Pohlen Hospital Trust Board– to name a few."
Every year on the last day of June, Rotary International changes their President and this is where that president’s ideas are morphed into that of the new Rotary International President.
At the same time, we leave behind the principles and ideals of our own District Governor Keith Owens from the 2016/17 year and replace these with those of our District Governor for 2017/18 Leonie Tisch.
At District Changeover, our guest speaker Lisette Hulme introduced one of District Governor Leonie’s major programmes for the year, Days for Girls.
Lisette has been championing this in Matamata ever since coming across the project on a visit to Washington State some years ago and it is Leonie’s and Lisette’s wish that this project is expanded out to the rest of the district.
Please find attached details of a Rotary Friendship Exchange to South East Louisiana and Southern Mississippi, in February 2018.
The exchange will take place during the time of the New Orleans Mardi Gras, so get your 'expression of interest' in early. This could be an experience of a lifetime.
Kindhearted Kiwis rally to the cause of a sick girl from cyclone-hit Vanuatu.
The determination of a loving mother and the generosity of Kiwis is giving a young Vanuatu girl the power to walk again, more than two years after a life-threatening infection robbed her of her mobility.
On July 11, 8-year-old Vinna Sapa will undergo surgery at Waikato Hospital on her right leg to repair two fractures in her femur and clear an infection in the bone.
It's a complex operation but the result will be life-changing for Vinna and her mother Korina Tavo, who have travelled 2100km from their home on the remote island of Tanna to Hamilton for the procedure.
The treatment is expected to restore Vinna's ability to walk - something she hasn't been able to do since one Sunday morning in November 2014 when she woke up seriously ill with osteomyelitis - an infection in her bone.
The Rotary Zone 7B Symposium September 8th – 10th in Auckland is for all Rotarians. This year the Symposium incorporates both the traditional Governor's Institute and as well as a forum offering a unique opportunity for future leaders to meet and interact with significant civil, commercial, community and Rotary leaders for an inspirational and informative forum.
The scope of Rotary Fellowships has changed over the years, but their purpose has remained the same: to unite Rotary members, Rotaractors, their spouses, program participants, and alumni in friendship, and to provide ways for them to enjoy their favorite recreational or professional activities.
Over 70 fellowships cover interests from tennis and marathon running to wine and cooking, from scuba diving and jazz to recreational vehicles and computers.
At the Rotary International Convention, global leaders and key donors affirmed their commitment to ending polio.
With polio on the brink of eradication, nations from around the world and key donors pledged more than US$1 billion on Monday to energize the global fight to end the paralyzing disease.
The historic pledges of new funds at the Rotary Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, will go toward drastically shrinking the US $1.5 billion gap in the funding that the partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative say is needed to reduce polio cases to zero worldwide.
Well, that’s about all there is for this issue for District Governor Leonie. Don’t forget that the new District website is now fully operational and you will find a plethora of information about Rotary, D9930 clubs, and all activities. Please take a good stroll through the site by clickingHERE.