Happy 115th birthday, fellow Rotarians and members of the family of Rotary!
Much has changed in the world since 1905. Then, the global population was roughly 1.7 billion. Today, it is 7.7 billion. There were 5 telephones per 100 people in the United States 115 years ago. In 2020, it is estimated that 96 percent of the U.S. population has a cellphone — and both China and India have more than a billion cellphones in use.
In the 115 years since Rotary was founded, seemingly everything has changed except Rotary values. We began, and remain, committed to fellowship, integrity, diversity, service, and leadership. While our Service Above Self motto dates to 1911, the ethos behind those words had already been ingrained by Rotary's founders.
As the pace of change worldwide continues to accelerate, the need for Rotary service is greater than ever. It's one thing to read about service projects, quite another to see them in action and to see the grateful faces of people who have benefited from them. Rotary projects change lives and connect the world. And over the past year, I have seen some amazing Rotary projects in action.
Congratulations to those District 9700 Rotarians who were recognised in the Australia Day Honours and in local celebrations. Combined with the response from many clubs to the on-going drought and bushfires in our partner District 9710 and other areas there is no doubt that Rotary is made up of caring and compassionate people. RI President Mark's theme for the year of Rotary connects the World has also been amply demonstrated by the offers from clubs and District overseas to help with the bushfires.
We are getting closed to the District Conference and by the time you read this the registration forms will be available on the District website at the dedicated Conference page here. Information about speakers is also available. The Conference organising committee is looking forward to delivering a great Conference for our last one in D9700 so get your registration in.
In December, I had the pleasure of presenting a certificate celebrating 75 years of membership in Rotary International to the Rotary Club of Griffith. Combined with the club's Christmas party it was a most enjoyable evening which also included a special presentation to long standing member Keith McWilliam for 63 years of service.
As I indicated in an earlier email, RAWCS in association with the Australian District Governors has established an overarching project to receive donations for the Bushfires. At the time of writing over $600,000 had been donated. Within the two Districts 9700 and 9710 a Bushfire Recovery Committee has been established to coordinate the efforts of the Districts in assisting those affected by the fires. The Committee is chaired by PDG Phil Armstrong form Moruya and has members PP John Mercer (District 9710 RAWCS Chair), PP Chris Finkle (District 9700 RAWCS Chair, PP Fred Fawke (District 9710) and PP Ken Engsmyr (District 9700). As you will notice several of the members are also involved with our joint District Drought committee. Committee Chair Phil Armstrong is also the representative on the DG Bushfire Relief group which has members from all the affected Districts and will be working with RAWCS on the distribution of funds from the donations.
The role of the District Committee is to provide support, resource access and information to Clubs involved in Bush Fire Recovery. Note this may change if we become involved in distribution of funds.
A dedicated webpage on the District website will be set up that will highlight contacts of all Local Rotary Bushfire Committees, provide information or links to available support for bush fire recovery (Rotary and non-Rotary), and information on the activities of local Rotary recovery activity.
February is Peace and Conflict Resolution month in the Rotary world. In Australia can we contribute towards building a more peaceful world over the next 100 years?
For more information download an article which discusses this question here
I’m delighted to let you know that Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation just announced the extension of our fundraising partnership. The Gates Foundation will continue matching donations to Rotary’s PolioPlus program 2-1, up to $50 million every year.
Share your commitment by showing this video from Bill Gates at your next club meeting or event and help Rotary and the Gates Foundation spread the word about our extended fundraising partnership. You can also share this news by forwarding this email to your Rotary network.
Whether you’re a new Rotary member, or you’ve been fighting polio for decades—there’s a role for you to play in ending this disease. Visit endpolio.org to learn more and donate.
Sincerely,
John Germ Chair, End Polio Now Countdown to History Committee Rotary Foundation Trustee
Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) is a national Australian activity managed by a group of Rotarians passionate about eliminating malaria in our Asia-Pacific region. Governed by Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) Ltd., we are an Australian Rotary initiative that dates back to the 1990s. RAM’s mandate is to eliminate malaria in our partner countries (PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Timor Leste and West Timor [Indonesia]). Nationally and internationally, RAM is recognised for its successful humanitarian work.
Rotary International President Mark Moloney has announced a new relationship between Rotary and Toastmasters.
He writes:
I am excited to share some good news: Rotary International and Toastmasters International are working together to provide our members with even more opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Toastmasters International is a global nonprofit organization with more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Its members attend club meetings where they give speeches, evaluate the speeches of others, and perform other club duties, with the goal of ultimately becoming more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. Our organizations are complementary in many ways, but we are each unique in what we offer our members.
I hope you will join us in supporting this alliance in your community. You can start by learning more about Toastmasters, exploring its resources and public speaking tips, or visiting a local Toastmasters club. Although the structure of club meetings is consistent, Toastmaster clubs are similar to Rotary clubs in that they each have their own personality. If you do not have a club in your area, you can watch a video to learn what happens at a Toastmasters meeting.
