The last month has been a high mileage time for us. 
 
In addition to travels to nearby cities and towns, it has included 3 trips to Hamilton, 2 to the Hawke’s Bay, once to Auckland and also once to Whangarei. 
 
While the trip to Auckland was for a daughter’s wedding, much of this travel has been Rotary related and indicates the level of activity in our District.
 
It’s just a month since we had our annual District Conference at Whakatane.  The very positive feedback received about the programme and the organising of it has been extremely gratifying to the many people who did a fantastic job in making the conference happen.
 
 
 
May is Rotary’s Youth Service Month!
We are celebrating the accomplishments of Rotary’s programs for young leaders by showcasing real-life stories of Youth Leadership All-Stars!
 
Every Tuesday during the month of May, discover a new Youth Leadership All-Star story about Interact, RYLA, Rotaract, or Youth Exchange on the Rotary Voices blog.
 
Our first Youth Leadership All-Star is Rebecca Weragoda from the Rotaract Club of Sydney, Australia. 
 
 
 
The May edition of Rotary Down Under magazine is now out, and includes an advertisement for an Editorial and Administration Assistant for RDU (see link).
 
Applications open on Monday, 1 May and close on Wednesday, 31 May 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Polio eradication efforts closer than ever to likely triumph – making it more important than ever to finish
the job, says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director General.
 

Vaccines have been one of the biggest success stories of modern medicine.

Thanks to the power of polio vaccines, over 16 million people are walking today who would otherwise have been paralysed by the virus.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The daughter of a Macedonian foreign service officer, Anja Nikolova grew up in London, New York, and Venice.
 
Her globe-trotting childhood gave her not only a gift for languages (she’s fluent in five), but also a passion for international environmental issues.
 
With the aid of global grants funded by Rotary districts from Texas, Oklahoma, and Connecticut, Nikolova is working toward her master’s degree in environmental management at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Yale Center for Business and the Environment.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Become part of the crowd that will enjoy the Rotary Cambridge Charity Dinner for our current and future Paralympian team. This will be a great night for Cambridge, and I encourage you to join us for the occasion.
 
 

May is Youth Service Month

The following summary is from a regular Rotary newsletter called Young Leaders in Action written by Sallyann Price. New Zealand does not have many Rotaract clubs.

Cambridge had one in the 1980s but it folded, partly due to the young members moving out of the area, and partly due to lack of support from the club.

In many countries Rotaract is huge and Rotaract clubs around the world are creating lasting, positive change. Their service projects are changing lives and communities for good. 

 
 
 
 
 
Student Exchange to NZ  from Denmark in 2003 . 
 
Therese is an independent, confident woman , a different person with wider horizons. 
 
At the recent 9930 District Conference she spoke of the difficulties of settling back in Denmark 
 
Graduated as a  Physiotherapist specialising in Spinal Chord injuries and associated pelvic floor  disorders.  1.1 million people in NZ suffer from incontinence – costs $8 billion per year.
 
Therese is waiting for re-registration to be able to practise in NZ.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Through a Google search, I learned Rotary was an international service organization.
 
Intrigued, I applied for the scholarship and made it to the district interview, where I was asked what I wanted to do, really do.
 
The question took me by surprise. Unsure how to answer, I stuttered that I hoped to change the world someday. I remember looking at the floor thinking, how far-fetched.
 
Bethany Lerch, right, takes notes while speaking to a female
attendee during a national mine awareness conference in Kabul.
 
 
 
Starjam
 
Eighteen young men and women with intellectual disabilities grasped every ounce of courage they had to enter the Rotary Best Speaker Awards.
 
The second place-getter was Jeremy McKenzie from Whakatane. He talked about his passion for geography.
 
 
 
 
The annual 29th Çanakkale Strait Swimming Race was held with 530 participants. 
 
Turkish swimmer Asilay Selçuk won the race clocking 45 minutes 31 seconds. 
 
Situated in Turkey's northwest, the Dardanelles is one of the most significant open water swims in the world.
 
The participants raced 3.5 miles between two continents as they swam between Eceabat beach and Çimenlik Castle situated in Asia
 
 
 
Gisborne Rotary Guest Speaker- Ric Foxley and Amlaku Teshome from Bangladesh Ethiopian Agricultural Education Trust spoke.
 
Ric originally came from Gisborne and now lives in Ashurst. He has been involved with World Vision and Leprosy Mission work since he joined the Christian Faith at age 18.
 
He is the originator and a sponsor of a private 8 year aid project happening in the village of Baregota in Ethiopia, a village that is at an altitude of 4,200 metres.
 
 
 
District 9930 Training Assembly is for all Rotarians.
 
District Training is about increasing the understanding of the wide range of Rotary programmes and activities for all Rotarians, and providing an awareness of what’s happening across Rotary.  
 
But I’m new to Rotary… We’ve got some great introductory level sessions for those who are still learning about Rotary and what it does in the world.  
 
This year we’ll be running “Introduction to Rotary”, and “Introduction to Foundation” taken from our popular Rotary Learning and Information (RLI) programme.  
 
There’s always so much more to learn about Rotary than what you see and hear in your club! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
How do you communicate with your community about your club?
 
Are prospective members hearing about who you are and what you do?
 
If your club is looking to promote its unique culture, events, and service projects, you can customize a club brochure.
 
Edit the content or upload your own photos to make a distinctive promotional pamphlet. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
If you’re joining us at the 2017 Rotary International Convention, 10-14 June, expect to hear inspirational keynote speakers, participate in a variety of service-related breakout sessions, and make new friends in the House of Friendship. 
 
Visit the House of Friendship to network with fellow Rotarians and Rotaractors and learn about Rotary Fellowships, Rotarian Action Groups, Rotary’s partners, service projects, and much more. Download the Convention Events and Booth Exhibit Guide for Rotary Fellowships and Rotarian Action Groups, then prepare to connect with groups that share your interests and expertise