SEPTEMBER – YOUTH SERVICE MONTH . This is the month when Rotarians all around the world will focus efforts on supporting Youth and Youth Programs. What can you do? Invite young people from your Community to a special club meeting. Listen to their ideas about how Rotary can assist them to make a better world. Take the time to discuss the great Rotary programs for youth such as RYPEN and RYLA or introduce them to Interact and Rotaract. There are opportunities for you and your Club to make a real difference to the lives of many young people.
Bill Stirling turns 90
ROMAC Update
Whilst visiting some Melbourne Clubs last week telling them about the work ROMAC does on their behalf and thanking them for their donations I also gave an update on a 12 year old Vietnamese girl called Linh Da, who is currently undergoing very major surgery to cure a major facial disfigurement caused by a Vascular Tumour. I was requested to keep them updated, and though not in our actual District, I have pleasure in giving you the latest news which I received today. Linh Da has been much better this week as she slowly recovers from all the procedures she underwent in the first ten days of her operation/s. The fabulous staff at Monash Children’s ICU have been gradually waking her up from her induced coma. Whilst she is dozy from her medications she is communicating with her mother and statf despite still being on a ventilator and unable to speak. The ICU medical staff think she maybe off the ventilator sometime this week and moved from ICU to a Medical ward at Monash Clayton. Where she is expected to stay for some weeks possibly months, whilst she recovers her strength before undergoing reconstruction surgery. District 9790 Clubs As previously advised, should you wish to hear more about the work of ROMAC then I would be more than willing to attend your Club meeting and talk to you.
Peter Lee Chair, District 9790 ROMAC
Club Meeting 20 August 2014
Guest Speaker … Frank Zaknich … Albury City Budget Following on from his last address to our club, Frank updated us with details of the current Coucil budget, its progress and programmes, “Future-Proofing the City”. We were presented with an interesting and thorough breakdown of budgeted expenditure in our vibrant city. A total cash spend of $126.5 M … a $46.6M capital works programme … with a general rate rise of 2.3 %.The gas-fired waste management faciclty is proving successful and has been operating for a number of months … and on the subject of the “Cumberoona” … following considerable refurbishment this will now be sold.
River of Stories
Date: 20 August, 2014
The Mighty River of Stories Keeps on Flowing!
In its 12th year, the Rotary Club of Albury Hume’s River of Stories writing competition has grown into a border institution. As the sunrise in winter warms our frosty, cold winter mornings, so the River of Stories writing competition brings a warm inner glow to all those children and volunteers who have been part of its story!
Barry Young, OAM, and member of the Rotary Club of Albury Hume, initiated the first River of Stories competition back in 2003. “There was nothing back then for our young people to showcase their writing – so we approached the Principals of some of our secondary schools with the idea for a writing competition” says Barry. And how it has grown! In that first year, 5 schools came on board and there were 78 entries. Last year, there were 15 schools from the border involved with over 500 entries!
“We have touched the lives of thousands of young teenagers through the River of Stories” says Barry, “They are the border youth of the future, and we as a community service club felt the need to make a difference to young people’s lives and enrich our community by encouraging them to express themselves in stories and poetry.”
Entries last year ranged across a myriad of themes and styles. The overall winner was Sonali Kagithala from James Fallon High School, who wrote about her wonderful reunification with her family after 12 years believing she was an orphan. Kayla Nicholas from Corryong High School drew on first hand experiences in writing about a sheep dog’s friendship with a goat kid, while Samantha McLean of Catholic College Wodonga wrote a truly gripping fantasy tale inspired by Norse mythology’s ravens Huginn and Muninn.
Barry says “Of great support are our sponsors – The Albury City Council, the Commercial Club (Albury) and Dymocks (Albury). The Albury Library Museum have, from day one, given their support which has been paramount to the success of the competition.”
President of the Rotary Club of Albury Hume, Justin Clancy, says “Rotary International has six main areas that they focus on, and one of these is improving literacy. The River of Stories is all about literacy, and giving young people the opportunity to write for a wider audience, and gain recognition for their school and themselves.”
The competition this year is again open to students in Years 7 to 10. There are two sections; a Short Story section, and a Poetry section. The winner of each section will receive $200 and also $500 for their school’s library.
The winning entry from each school receives a $50 book voucher from Dymocks Bookshop in Albury. Entries for the River of Stories close on 19 September, 2014, and there will be a presentation ceremony at the Albury Library Museum on 11 October at 12 noon. Please contact the following for further information: Gordon Shaw, Public Relations Director-Rotary Club of Albury Hume, 0417 282 584, gordonsac@bigpond.com