THE ROTARY BULLETIN Issue 2012.05

Rotary Club of Colac Inc Newsletter 1

The Rotary Bulletin

ROTARY CLUB OF COLAC INC EDITOR TERESA POORE 26/07/2012

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Joint Meeting with Colac West

Apologies:

John & Paula Hayden Lynton Evans Barry Riches

Thursday August 2 - Committee Night

Thursday August 9 – Cliff McLeice

Thursday August 16 - Fellowship Dinner

Chairperson – Glenn Paranthoiene Our first joint meeting with Colac West went very well, with a good turn up of people. We could have had more, and there could have been a little more mingling of club members on tables….next time!! To get the dialogue happening, we need to talk, and what better way than over dinner?? It was a lovely relaxed night with a good atmosphere. Both of our clubs had their Board’s half hour with DG Helen and AG Mark, going through our executive roles, financials, and club programs and projects. DG Helen is a very approachable and down to earth lady who was very appreciative of the District’s clubs taking on her idea of joint DG meetings. I think she will lead us well in the coming year and assist us in any way she can to achieve. Serge did a magnificent job as our Fines Master, (DG Helen was heard to say that it was the BEST fines session she has ever heard) but don’t tell Serge that!!

President Glenn Paranthoiene-Small Contact 5234 6394 Email glennps@bigpond.com

He got confused because Pres Glenn said it’s a special night so we want a Big bright fun fines session, then she told him on the night ( having reconsidered Serge’s penchant for talking) make it BIG but short. So Serge was very unsure of what the rules were for the night, now that’s the way to keep your fines master on their toes eh?? Not that it slowed him down much actually, he did a great job. Funny impersonations and stories, and fines all over the place. Well done Serge!! After Dinner, we were blessed with a wonderful cameo performance from Gail and Steve from the Make a Wish foundation who happened to be dining at the Austral on their walk from Melbourne to Portland. It had us all laughing and some surreptitious wiping of tears as

THE ROTARY BULLETIN Issue 2012.05

Rotary Club of Colac Inc Newsletter 2

their passion and huge hearts touched us. In the true new spirit of working collaboratively with Colac West, we handed over a cheque from our two clubs for $500.00 which they gratefully received. Their mantra is “We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy”. Truly amazing people – amazing organisation. One of our members, Merv Brunt have been a supporter of Make a Wish Foundation for many years, he has made several Make a Wish charity drives to raise money for the Foundation. The Raffle (kindly donated by Kate Shaw) was won by Tony Baldwin who promptly donated the fabulous hamper to Make a Wish Foundation. A hat was passed around the members and an extra $172 dollars was raised for the foundation, this was added to our joint check of $500. Jack gave us his thoughtful Reflection to close the meeting.

Address by District Governor Helen Trigg

District Governor Helen Trigg District Governor Helen Trigg 1

Imagine, I wonder if that song was in RI President Sakuji Tanaka’s mind when he thought of this year’s Theme, Peace Through Service. Peace can mean many things to many people not only the opposite of War but Peace of mind by supporting the many aid agencies including our own foundation to help war torn countries feed, rebuild, heal and even relocate its displaced people. It can mean peace to villages by supplying wells for clean water, so women and children don’t have to walk miles every day.

Peace for the homeless by providing shelters and Peace for parents knowing that we are this close to wiping the Polio Virus from the world. Peace in our own communities can be as simple as clearing an open space for our children and grandchildren to play safely off the streets. Peace in a neighbourhood by offering to cut a branch from an overhanging tree. Peace can mean many things to many people and we can all find ways big and small to bring Peace to our world one Person at a Time. We are being asked to change, but may I say that if all Districts were as strong as our District 9780 we may not be having this conversation. That is not to say we should close our minds to change, but we need not change just for the sake of change and one size does not fit all. We must address the needs of our own individual clubs and communities. We might not like it but

society has changed and if Rotary is to stay relevant and attractive to new members we may need to look at some of our traditions and the way we do things in our clubs. We have changed the way we do things

tonight and I thank you for being part of

that change, having combined club visits is

a change for our District.

We have done well our District has had a

net increase in members over the last few

years and we have the largest % of women

in Australia. Whilst I don’t believe in old or

young, men or women, we are all

Rotarians, if there is a demographic out

there that needs to be addressed then

when we need to address it. Hence my

comment about women, maybe there are

women out there just waiting to be asked.

I am aware that there are clubs that are

struggling for numbers, but having said

that some of those clubs are the most

active and hard working. I would like to

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Rotary Club of Colac Inc Newsletter 3

Address by DG Helen Trigg (cont’d)

strengthen those clubs and along with the

club $ for $ membership grant I would like

to see those clubs pair up with the larger

clubs in the district or even other districts

in Australia then Internationally.

Membership increase and retention must

always be our focus and also the

eradication of Polio, but I want to thank

you and congratulate you for what you are

already doing.

We are in good shape.

Rotary International’s Priorities for the

next 3 years are:

To operationalize the new strategic plan so

that it becomes a living document and not

just words on paper. Part of that effort is

to ensure that the Future Vision Plan, our

new grant making process, is ready for

launch on July 1, 2013. This plan is still a

work in progress and will address the six

areas of focus,

It is hoped that this will increase our

profile, reputation and public image and

will make Rotary more attractive to outside

funding sources.

Another priority is to find a credible

method for determining the total value of

all the service projects that our 34.000

clubs undertake each year.

We know how much funding passes

through the Rotary Foundation, approx.

$100 million per year excluding Polio, but

we have no idea of the total value of all of

the money raised, in kind, contributions

made and volunteer hours spent by clubs

worldwide on service projects. If there was

a credible way of calculating that number, I

am sure it would be huge, in the billions

and if so would place us among the top

humanitarian organizations in the world.

So part of this attempt to capture this data

RI has developed a tool called Rotary

Central.

This is an online resource for clubs that will

help them maintain and preserve an

institutional memory of past activities, set

and track strategic goals and initiatives and

allow the reporting of the global collective

impact of club, district and zone activities.

Of course membership is a priority and

Rotary International has engaged the

services of an International agency to

develop and implement a revitalization

strategy. Looking at better use of social

media, identifying ourselves with youth

organizations looking at expanding e-clubs

and greater flexibility with respect to

attendance requirements, and branding.

It is hoped that this process will revitalise

Rotary- ensuring that Rotary is recognised

the world over for what it does. And what

it does is truly amazing.

And last but by no means least we need to

bring Rotary into the ranks of the major

players in the world of global humanitarian

assistance and development.

There is currently a spirited debate

occurring on how best to solve the world’s

great humanitarian and development

issues.

And here we have Rotary with its

incredible platform or 1.2million engaged,

active and motivated members drawn

from the business and professional

networks of tens of thousands of

committees.

We should be sitting at those tables of this

discussion – but often we are not.

One of the main reasons is that we have

not reached the necessary level of

awareness of what Rotary is, how it

operates and what it does.

This represents a major obstacle in

bringing our organization forward and it is

something we need to address in a

significant way.

We can all help by being more visible,

actively promoting what we do in our

communities, and our wider communities,

share Rotary don’t keep it to ourselves,

brag a little, show off be proud of what we

achieve.

I mentioned the $ for $ grant available to

clubs for membership and strengthening

projects. This is a grant to be used by you,

the clubs, for your benefit not your

charities.

The District PR team has just been notified

that we have been successful in obtaining a

sizeable multi District grant, in conjunction

with the 4 other Victorian Districts, to be

used for an extensive Ad campagain in the

Royal Auto magazine.

We also have funds for a standalone

project to be used for a District wide

Community Radio program that will be co-

ordinated from all parts of the District to

advertise local activities all over our very

busy District.

So you can see the District is working hard

to promote Rotary and we would like you

to do the same. I would like to encourage

you to use the District Website through our

very enthusiastic and capable webmaster

Pauline Stewart. Let other clubs know what

you are doing. I would also like to

encourage you to join with other clubs to

do joint projects.

Rotary is amazing, what we do is truly

amazing but we need to share it.

Thank you for what you are doing in the

name of Rotary. Keep up the good work as

we try to accomplish

Peace Through Service.

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Rotary Club of Colac Inc Newsletter 4

Working Bee at Gravsend Garden

Sunday 29 July

Exchange Student By Glenn Paranthoiene

Our delightful exchange student Victoria Babeau from Cognac in France arrived last Thursday just in time to attend the Civic Reception and club meeting that night. She must have wondered what she struck when Steve (Aka Jimmy Barnes) came screeching in her ear, to her Non, non, non!! She has a bit to learn about the Aussie sense of humour. We have Vic staying with us as I write this Sunday night, and we are finding her most enjoyable. She helped at our working bee this morning at Gravesend garden, and helped us do the supermarket shopping. We had a walk around Beeac, where she was entranced with some of the locals, (horses and dogs), and we visited Serge and Gayle’s farm for afternoon tea. That was a delightful experience sharing Serge’s enthusiasm for his home, his animals and his farm, …I

now have 6 months’ worth of fines material (Haha) from the pet bird called Larry that he talks to and who talks back, to the cows that he calls by name, and who come running. Fabulous – he’s a happy man!! Let me encourage every club member to get involved with our student exchange program, and invite Vic to join your family activities or outings, or just a dinner or lunch. We all have something to offer and learn from her and you will find her delightful.

Graham Sutherland's comfy chair

Rotarians hard at work

Exchange Student Victoria Babeau

THE ROTARY BULLETIN Issue 2012.05

Rotary Club of Colac Inc Newsletter 5

THIS WEEK 2 August Committee Night

Greet: Geoff De La Rue Chair: Glen Parantoiene-Small Cashiers: Jacqui Campbell, Wal Slow Scribe: Maree Lamanna Fines: Wayne Knight Reflection: Michael Harrison

NEXT WEEK 9 AUGUST Cliff McLeice Community Service, Colac Road Safety

Greet: Phil Hunt Chair: Serge Beani Cashiers: Lindsay Hulm, William Peel Scribe: Wayne Knight Fines: Graham Sutherland Reflection: Kaye Shaw

Follow by Board Meeting

FOLLOWING WEEK 16 AUGUST Fellowship Dinner

Please forward your feedback and suggestions to

Teresa Poore 0488 312 888 Email tpoore@crfco.com.au

Setting Directions The President’s column

Although we, as an organisation don’t only work with children, we do make many people’s dreams come true, and enrich the human experience in many diverse ways.

Look at Polio Plus, the dreams of mother’s to have their children grow up healthy.

Look at the many Rotary Youth programs where we open the eyes of children and our youth to the possibilities of themselves fulfilling their dreams in the future.

Look at our student exchange student program, now that is making a “wish come true” for many young people from around the world, to experience another country and culture for a year in a safe supportive family environment.

And I could go on…but you as Rotarians know what I mean, we are about making wishes come true aren’t we?

Committees this week

You will again be sitting in your committees during dinner, putting together your recommendations to take to the Board the following week. Hopefully with some idea of a budget for the programs you would like to pursue. I am hoping everyone turns up to committee nights and make these dynamic productive evenings.

GPS

Who AM I - Answers from last week

1 Sam Newman 2 Kerry Packer 3 Lee Kernaghan 4 Mary MacKillop 5 Hugh Victor McKay 6 Paul Keating 7 Norm 8 Burke & Wills 9 William McMahon 10 Bob Hawke