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President's Message
Ben Featherston
President's Report No 2
Hello everyone,
I hope you have all had a great week, as we reach mid-Winter on the beautiful Surf Coast. The weather has been brisk, but we have had some nice sunny breaks, with some decent surf at times and some whales starting to visit closer to our part of the coast.
It was good to see twenty or so members online last Monday for the first meeting and Planning Session 1 for this Rotary year. It was an opportunity to outline the various portfolios/committees/projects that are available for members to get involved with at the club.
I am looking forward to this Monday face-to-face at Kithbrooke Park, where Howard Randall will be facilitating Planning Session 2, with the objective to bring members up to speed on resources that are available, through Club and District level and online, to assist Rotarians with their great work.
Now is the time to put your hand up for committees/projects that you want to be involved with through the year, to get involved and make a positive difference whilst enjoying the companionship of like-minded club members.
Regarding our online meetings on MS Teams, if there are any members who are having trouble accessing/logging onto the meetings, please let me know and assistance can be arranged. It is important that all members are confident and able to get onto and enjoy these meetings through the year.
So, after this Monday night, our club should be well planned, organized, and informed! We then move into some relaxed social night opportunities and a chance to get to know your fellow members better, and hopefully an active and fulfilling Rotary year ahead.
Ben Featherston’s Key Take Home Points from the Board Meeting held 11th July 2022
My first Board Meeting was held following our General Meeting on 11th July
Our Club has received our Fundraiser registration from the Victorian government authorities. This is valid until February 2025
Updates were provided by the Director’s on their portfolios
I presented an overview of my goals for our Club for my Presidential year. I look forward to presenting these to you at an upcoming General Meeting
District Governor Kathy Rivett will be joining our General and Board Meetings on 8th August. We are excited about her visit at which she will share her focus areas for the year, and we will present an overview of our Club to her.
Part of us getting to know each other a little more , we have arranged a " Fireside Chat " evening on Monday 25th July
This is to celebrate Christmas in July , and I am delighted to say we have 4 Rotarians who have offered their homes for dinner on Monday 25th July where we can enjoy a meal together in the warmth of someone's home
An invitation will go out to you and your partner and we need to have numbers by Friday 22nd July
This is to give time for the hosts to prepare .
Each host will be different, but the usual practice is that we each pay $20 and bring your own drinks to what has always been a very social enjoyable night
Another way of us reconnecting Face to Face again - so good for our social reconnection :)
For those who chose not to go to the Trots on Friday 22nd we have also scheduled Christmas in July Fireside chats on Monday Night 25th July. You will need to register via the invitation you will receive by email.
“ We have had a good response to the Trots night, but we still have 4 more seats to make up 2 tables of 8“
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.
Whilst we haven’t formally started raising funds for the Lese Oalai project, but already the funds in our Rotary Australia World Community Service account are over $17,000. These funds have come from a variety of sources, but mostly interested Rotary Clubs. Attached is a screendump from our RAWCS funding website https://directory.rawcs.com.au/41-2021-22
Welcome to the very late May edition of our monthly newsletter. This month we share the report from last month's Chapter Meeting where our Zone Director Jessie Harman helped launch the Club Carbon Calculator. We also include links and resources for you to use. Have you discussed this in your club yet? Imagine the impact if every Rotary Club worldwide adopted the Club Carbon Calculator and hen offset their carbon emissions?
And as always, we are also keen to hear from Rotarians and clubs about their environmental projects. Please send words{400-600} and images or a website/Facebook link and I would be delighted to share and celebrate your work.
What is your club doing for World Environment Day?
Please join us for our next chapter meeting to be held on Tuesday 21st July at 7.30pm using this link. JOIN MEETING
This meeting will reflect on the past 12 months and ask for feedback and suggestions from all members on our speakers and focus for the coming year.
CLICK HEREfor the latest ESRAG May Newsletter (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group)
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.
During Houston Convention timing (June 4th -8th ) if you register and pay for attending RICON23 you shall receive the maximum discount. From June 9th , the cost increases by $50. There is also a further increase after December 15th and then greater increases after March and April 2023.
Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends can obtain the maximum discount to attend RICON23. From 4 June 2022 registration and Accommodation Bookings will be available through the RI website on this link
The Rotary Australia World Community Service website at https://directory.rawcs.com.au/41-2021-22 is our donor page, still being worked on, but with the completion of the business case, we will start our fundraising from March 1.
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.
2022-23 President Jennifer Jones is eager to advance Rotary’s narrative. To learn more of our RI President's vision and listen to her podcast follow this link RI President Jennifer Jones LINK
District 9780 Governor for 2021-22 is Kathy Rivett from RC of Alfredton
Kathy currently works in the travel industry and previously held positions in the Federal public service.
Kathy is married to David Rivett.
Kathy served as President of the Rotary Club of Wendouree in 2007-08 and worked with PDG Ken Broadbent in 2010 to set up the then Alfredton Satellite Club. With Kathy's support, Alfredton went on to charter in 2013, the first one to convert to a full Club. Kathy is a proud member of the Alfredton Rotary Club.
Kathy has been involved in a wide range of Rotary activities over the years including:
as a Youth Exchange Counsellor
serving on two District Conference Committees
as an RLI Trainer
working on FAIM Projects in Samoa, Cook Islands and Bali.
Kathy's particular love is Event Co-ordination, being a key player in organising Rotary activities including competitions, community events, concerts, expos etc.
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
To read the DG Kathy's latest District 9780 July 22 eNewsletter CLICK HERE
Rotary Down Under 2022 July Edition 651 CLICK HERE
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2023
Melbourne has been announced as the host city for the 2023 Rotary International Convention, the largest conference secured this century for Victoria.
Melbourne is a Big Events City! Set to deliver over $88 million to the Victorian economy, the Convention is the most valuable conference ever won for the state, with the four-day event anticipated to attract more than 20,000 Rotarians from around the world. The global spotlight will be on Melbourne and how we present ourselves to the world.
The Convention will take place 27-31 May 2023 using Rod Laver Arena and the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre for functions.
Watch this Space for further news as it comes to hand.
