President’s Message

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It   was nice to hear Sandra Moon from 2AY speak so enthusiastically about her life and work last week. Also good to see the attendance figures going upwards again, albeit it included ‘make ups’ etc, but these make ups are for various community based work so are all-important for end of year returns. A small ‘ steering committee’ of your Directors met late last week to start discussions on a longer term ‘Strategic ‘plan for the club. At the moment things are in a very embryonic stage, but you will be fully advised of when the proposal has been more fully discussed by the Board in readiness for you as members to participate in open discussion at a Club Assembly meeting. I am also proposing to hold another club members  ‘scatter’ evening sometime in August. To our newer members, this is where we cancel our usual Wednesday lunchtime meeting here at SS&A, and members are free to choose whatever Rotary club they wish to attend as part of the evening and again see what other clubs are up to during their meetings, and report back to members of our club advising on how you felt we compared to them. To gain a wider perspective of both Rotary and its workings please try and go to a different club than your previous visit. I haven’t yet set a date but expect it to certainly be before this year is exhausted.

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Club Meeting 17 July 2013

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Philip&HelenClancy2District Governor, Philip Clancy and Helen club visit.

Fellowship.  We should meet and greet our guests well. Fine sessions should be with dignity and respect. The food should be satisfying and cost within member’s budgets, taking care not to preclude members of modest means. Do we support our club executive with timely reports and read & support the bulletin editor.

Service New measure of service is number of hours per member per month plus funds raised. This is important if we are to get support from the corporate world. (e.g. Bill Gates support is based on funds raised by Rotary) The service should be appropriate, efficient, sustainable and ongoing. Attendance is important, not to district but to the health of the club. If members are not attending it could be they are not enjoying attending?

Diversity Are we doing enough about diversity across age groups. Rotary has already tackled the gender issue and it is working well. He mentioned a possible untapped diverse group that live in  in Thurgoona. “Diversity is a broad as we can make it.

Leadership Rotary leadership Institute commenced last year with 78 graduates. Stand for district leadership. AG Steve and Past AG Terry mentioned. Nominate a DG. Share information; keep up to date with rotary information. Elders in Rotary have a responsibility to share their knowledge. How well do we market Rotary? We wear cloths with makers and other logo’s why not have a Rotary badge on them?

Integrity Integrity is the foundation to Rotary work and needs to be maintained. Plan for good jobs for the right reason. Rotary is about us. Should involve and engage the community.

Philip then introduced his wife Helen to explain her partners plan for 2013-14.

Helen Clancy Helen explained she was previously a nurse and midwife working predominately in the rural community. Helen said she was well aware of the needs associated with maternal and child care in our local communities. She is also pleased to note that maternal and child care has been designated a key focus area for rotary service. For her project she would like to invite each club to choose and then support a project that addresses a local need. Clubs may even wish to join with other rotary clubs or community organizations to address a more regional need.She gave a number of examples, but the project we have started in Wodonga addresses that need.

Exchange Students

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JamesRichardsonOur new outgoing exchange student James Richardson attended last week’s meeting with his mother Vanessa and are seen here pictured with President Peter and last years New Generations Director Dan Sawyer.  James 15 years old, attends year 10 at Xavier High school. His interests are Australian Air Force Cadets, Chess, Swimming, Piano, Drama, Public speaking and Debating. His ambition is to attend the Australian Defence Academy to study Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a career in the RAAF and eventually work in International relations. His first country of choice was France but he has been accepted for Germany. James will attend his first orientation camp on 3rd & 4th August and a second camp in November before leaving for Germany in January 2014. Graeme Maddox who has served many years on the executive of 9790 District Youth committee will be his councillor.

President’s Message

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An interesting presentation at last weeks meeting when the new DG made his annual visit to the club accompanied by his wife Helen. It was also very nice   to be able to confirm to Helen  that we   are going to be embarking upon an excellent fund raising project for the maternity unit at Wodonga Hospital, and the project falls within the remit of her project for the Rotary year of Baby and Child Health.

It is with regret that I have to inform members that following a meeting I had last week with Nikki Grae that she has subsequently submitted her Letter of Resignation from Rotary. Our meeting was most amicable, but her current work commitments with Country Hope make it virtual impossible to make Wednesday meetings or the weekend duties. Nikki advises she would like to reapply if her circumstances permit.

Following a lengthy conversation late last week with the Rotary Chair re allocation of District Grants, I am hopeful we have secured two grants for the Club within the current Rotary Year. If they come off, they will be for our International Tanzanian project at Kitende School and Medical Centre, and the second might be toward the great work undertaken by Barry re River of Stories, so fingers crossed