This is the time of ‘summer month’ projects and I congratulate clubs on the many well-run projects taking place locally and internationally. This is also the time of preparations for the next Rotary year which is only four months away.
SOUTH PACIFIC PRESIDENTS ELECT TRAINING (SPPETS) was held over the weekend of 3rd and 4th March in Auckland. This is the opportunity for our incoming Club leaders from throughout New Zealand to come together, to share ideas and learn more about Rotary and how they and their Club can continue to Make a Difference.
At the conclusion of South Pacific PETS on 4th March, a very constructive meeting was held of the Governor Leadership group, comprising DGs, DGsE, and DGsN from across all six Districts.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss what is needed to sustain Rotary in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands into the future.
The leadership group acknowledged that the current structure of six Districts may not be sustainable long-term, and therefore not able to deliver the necessary support that our 265 Clubs require. The group has agreed to work together over the coming months to identify the strategies needed for achieving a vibrant and sustainable Rotary in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and once those strategies are identified will determine what it sees as the structure needed to be able to deliver on those strategies.This work is expected to take a number of months, and the leadership group has agreed to a timeline which will see them consider the proposed strategy, and the proposed structure of Rotary in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, when they meet at the Australia New Zealand Rotary Conference in Hobart in September 2018.
THE ROTARY FOUNDATION
Prior to SPPETS, I attended The Rotary Foundation dinner with Rotary International President Ian Riseley and his wife Juliet. This was also an opportunity to recognise New Zealand’s first Arch Klumph Society donors who have donated US$250,000, or more, to The Rotary Foundation.District Foundation Chair Colin Olesen and the team are currently delivering presentations in six Areas to help Rotarians understand the role and functions of The Rotary Foundation.
This is Rotary's Charity and as Rotarians we should support it through individual donations and/or through our Club. The Foundation’s objective is To Do Good in the World through the six areas of focus - Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water and Sanitation; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education and Literacy and Economic and Community Development.
While about 40% of all Rotarians globally, only about 11% contribute to the Foundation in our District - 185 individuals (out of 1628 members) and only 32 clubs out of 53. Clubs are also encouraged to give 10% of funds raised each year to the Foundation and 10% to Polio Plus.
I encourage you to financially support our Charity.
One of Ian’s Challenges to Clubs this Rotary year is to plant a tree for each of their Rotarians. How fitting it was that while at SPPETS, I, along with 4 other New Zealand District Governors, assisted Ian to plant a tree in the second Rotary Grove in the Auckland Domain. The Rotary Club of Auckland initiated this tradition for Rotary International Presidents while visiting New Zealand several decades ago and now sees many huge mature ‘Rotary’ trees in the Domain. Next time you are in Auckland check out the two Groves.March is WATER AND SANITATION MONTH
Here in New Zealand we are blessed with clean drinking water and high standards of sanitation and hygiene. However, this is not the case throughout the world. Rotary supports local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, through installing wells, storage tanks and the like, then continue to share our expertise with community leaders and educators to ensure our projects succeed long-term. Check Rotary International’s website for more information on how you and your Club can Make a Difference
https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/providing-clean-water
https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/providing-clean-water
World Water Day is fast approaching! In 1993, the UN General Assembly designated March 22nd as World Water Day and is now a globally recognized event. It focuses on the approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide who must rely on water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid, polio and other waterborne diseases. Your club can help celebrate World Water Day A good place find a wealth of ideas to kick-start your project is the World Water Day website.DISTRICT CONFERENCE - This annual ‘event’ is only 10 weeks away. The Conference committee has put together a great weekend to share ideas, get ideas and above all have fun. If you have not registered yet, I encourage you to go online to https://www.9930conference.org/
MEMBERSHIP - the essence of Rotary. Declining membership is a trend in the ‘Western World’ including New Zealand. Reversing this trend is a high priority for our organisation with this year being the second year in a goal to achieve a net membership increase of 10% over 3 years in our District.
Our District Membership Incentive scheme has a very encouraging uptake by 28 Clubs to have a net increase of 3 new members (not transfers) by 31 May 2017 and a maximum of 10 $1,000 grants are available for the new members to invest as seed funding for a new Club project.
ROTARY NEW ZEALAND WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICES (RNZWCS)With Cyclone Gita recently hitting our neighboring Pacific Islands, we again have been asked by Rotary New Zealand World Community Services (RNZWCS) for financial support to provide much-needed aid to Tonga and Samoa. Over 700 Emergency Response Kits, food parcels and tarpaulins have been distributed. Our District has an Emergency Fund of $10,000 available to quickly meet this need. Rather than our Clubs sending their donations to RNZWCS we have asked that these funds be sent to our District to reimburse this Fund ready for any other such emergencies. If we receive more than the $10,000 from Clubs, the extra funds will also be passed onto RNZWCS.
This is just a small ‘snapshot’ of the activities happening in Rotary. Thank you for your continued support and ensuring Rotary is Making a Difference.
Leonie Tisch
Rotary International District 9930
Governor 2017/18
Leonie Tisch
Proud to be a Rotarian
Proud to be a Rotarian