This week from Tuross Head, NSW Southeast Coast, where the weather has been wonderful despite being quite windy at times.
Congratulations to our Vocational Service Chair Trevor Hall and his team for the organisation of and the successful running of this years’ Business Excellence Awards.
I read with pride the Facebook post to the Surf Coast Community page by one of the recipients of award this year. Jason Chichocki from Surf Coast Wildlife Rescue wrote:
“This award is not about individual achievement – this award is a much-deserved acknowledgement of the efforts of every volunteer on our rescue team who work tirelessly 24/7 to help the wildlife of the region.”
Please take the time to read the article prepared by the Surf Coast Times further on in this bulletin.
More importantly, please “Like”, “Share” and comment as you see fit, the relevant posts by our Club Facebook page, the Surf Coast Times page, and the pages of our other awardees. This simple act supports and promotes the success of our awardees but also promotes our own community activity.
In closing this brief report, a reminder about our Club Assembly this coming Monday night. If you have not already done so, please refer to last week's Bulletin, and / or to the email from Lesley, to prepare yourself for the evening.
Thank you to our sponsors and everyone who entered pets or made donations. Your generosity has helped us raise much need funds to assist with Hearing Screening for Primary School Year 1 and 2 Children in Tonga.
As there is currently no routine screening or monitoring of hearing or ear health of young children in Tonga, the objective of this project is to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health through focused training and provision of specialist equipment, to enable them to undertake screening the hearing of the young population in Tonga on a regular basis.
Our next chapter meeting will be held on Thursday 12th December at 6.30pm.
Hello and greetings from the Rotary Club of Sydney’s Climate Action Group:
Shared vision, shared ideas: A Rotary Recap In 2021, Rotary International declared Protecting the Environment as the 7th and newest Area of Focus for Rotary. Rotary Clubs have been involved in a range of environment related projects and initiatives to engage Rotarians and the broader community to contribute to protecting the environment.
The Rotary Club of Sydney’s Climate Action Group will host an online discussion with members from some Rotary clubs who will share what their clubs have been doing. The projects include beach clean-ups, tree planting and an eyewear project, involving members, local councils and schools, and indigenous communities.
Come and join us to learn about these fantastic projects and also discuss other projects that Rotarians can get involved with. Date: Monday 12th December 2022 Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm AEDT
I am excited to let you know that our 2023 District 9780 Conference website and Try-booking is now open so please share with your members and encourage them to come along.
you can reserve your booking for our weekend of fun.
We even have a special prize draw for early bird booking prior to the 31 January 2023 so get in early to be in the draw.
We have some fantastic speakers lined up for our conference -
Jelena Dokic - Tennis legend, TV commentator, refugee, author,
John Marsden - multi award winning author, educator and founder of two schools,
Professor Anthony Holmes AO - reconstructive surgeon who separated co-joined twins Krishna and Trishna,
Lyndon Galea - CEO and founder of the 'Eat-up' program,
Rosie Lotawa - ROMAC's 5th patient and Ambassador,
Jessica Trijsburg - Peace scholar and leader in strategic diversity
and
Mark O'Toole - legend in Lismore for not only his own helicopter rescue, but also his on-going support and assistance for flood displaced locals.
We are also giving you the opportunity of choosing a song for your club to be played at our dinner dance on Saturday evening. The list to choose from is attached so let me know which song represents your club's fun side.
Don't forget there are prizes for individuals and groups who embrace the conference theme of 'We are the World' so dress to impress and come along as a group to ensure we all have a fun night to remember.
I look forward to catching up with you all again as we join together for a fun weekend of celebrating Rotary and our District - working together to make a difference in the World.
The festive season is almost upon us and there is so much to look forward to as a time of celebration and cheer. However, we know that for many in our community, it is a stressful period, especially when it comes to being able to afford gifts for little ones and a special meal to share.
The wonderful thing about the Geelong community is that we are known to band together and show compassion and generosity to those who need it most.
This is why I am writing to ask you to consider supporting the Geelong Giving Tree Appeal 2022, which is running from 12 November – 6 December.
BCYF is once again a collaborative partner with Bethany Community Support and the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre to raise money for children, young people and families to be able to have some extra funds this festive season, so they can enjoy some much-needed cheer.
Last year the Geelong Giving Tree Appeal raised almost $90,000 allowing us to provide 2239 gift cards to 852 families and individuals being supported by local agencies.
We know it has been a challenging few years, and with the cost of living on the rise, we know our most vulnerable will again feel the strain this festive season. By making even a small donation you can contribute to parents buying a present for a child they have on their Santa list or being able to create an extra special meal over the festive season to share with loved ones.
These seemingly small acts of kindness make for a brighter Christmas for all.
Being able to work collaboratively to make Christmas a happier time for children, young people and families across our region supports BCYF’s Christmas wish, which is a community where people are safe, connected and empowered to live well. If you are able, I ask you to consider donating to this fundraising appeal.
Further to the question posed at dinner on Monday night, I have booked the Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park for Thursday, 16th to Sunday 19th of February 2023 for a muster of the Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians. This is the week after the Motor show.
Usual bookings are for 30 powered caravan sites and 10 cabins. Cut-off date for bookings is mid-November, so we will have a good idea of the numbers that will come by then.
Kelly, Sue (Currie) and one other have very kindly offered to help with the planning of the social side of the muster. I hope we can meet up later in this week.
For any further information regarding the Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians and their planned trips please contact John Oswald.
In May 2023, Rotary in Geelong is mounting the Geelong Drone Expo (the week before the International Conference in Melbourne). The Expo brings together business, the arts and community into an inspirational family day.
The attached brochure outlines the promotional opportunitites, with the Supporter category being developed particularly with Rotarians in mind. Contact details are in the brochure.
If you could add this to your facebook or website we would be mighty grateful!! The Expo will have a Rotary display area where visitors can see the great work we do. We hope also to attract some of the international Rotarians coming early to visit our great state.
Following the wonderful reception from Orange Sky for the Coats and winter clothing donated by Rotarians last year, and the chilly winter that we are experiencing we have been asked to continue collecting for them again this winter.
Please note that all the people receiving the coats are currently homeless and many have asked if there are any thermal pants or skivvies.
So please check your wardrobes and donate any warm skivvies or pants as well as coats which are always in demand.
I will do regular pickups from our central collection point in Torquay which the Birchalls have kindly agreed to do.
Please click on the above image to read the article from the latest edition of Rotary Down Under for details of how you can assist the citizens of Ukraine through the Rotary network.
Delegate registration cost for RICON23 in Melbourne changes depending on when you register. The earlier you register the more economical the price.
Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends can obtain the maximum discount to attend RICON23. Registration and Accommodation Bookings are now available through the RI website on this link
As an aside, Lucy received the following message re our project from the Governor of the Gulf Province Chris Haiveta
Thank you, Sis, for your tireless efforts to Assist our village over the years through the foundation.
I am committed to supporting you and the foundation as you prepare to widen your coverage on critical issues.
We are working with a couple NGOs in the Province already and can provide you the letter of support.
I suggest that we formalize the support and collaboration through an MOU.
In the meantime it would be much better to send a profile and EOI from the foundation to me aa head of the Provincial Government so that we can commence to formalize the relationship.
WHAT WE ARE COLLECTING AND WHERE TO DROP OFF ITEMS
Bottle Top Lids
Cause:- Lids4Kids is a nationwide 100% volunteer project to rescue plastic bottle lids
from landfill to benefit the environment and kids. Lids4Kids hopes to rescue eligible lids from landfill for projects that benefit all Australian kids in need.
So if you could collect milk bottle tops for recycling to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill., you will contribute to Torquay Rotary’s Environment Project
Just remove the yellow, blue or red plastic top from milk bottles, wash clean & pop into a container .
Maggie Isom will let us know when we can drop off to a bin at Coles Supermarket 41 Bristol Rd Torquay
Cause :- Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, who collect them, sell them to recyclers and turn the cash into wheelchairs for people who can’t afford them.
Cause :- Recycle for Sight Australia a joint effort with Torquay Lions Club to send old prescription glasses to overseas communities where people cannot afford them.
Cause :- A Rotary "Donations in Kind" joint exercise with the Rotary Club of Boroko to disperse to needing schools in PNG. They need books that are used in Australian schools from Grades Prep to 8. Plus story books for younger children for grades Prep to 3.
