Rotary District 9830 Tasmania District Governor s. Newsletter. October 2014

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1 Rotary District 9830 Tasmania District Governor s Newsletter October 2014 Rotary Clubs and Rotarians serving the community Support for reading, cancer treatment, training and JP services Leave a Book - Take a Book RC Kings Meadows has established a free Community Book Swap Library in conjunction with Meadows Mews Shopping Centre. Tasmanian Training Awards 2014 State Growth Minister, Matthew Groom (right) presenting the RC Deloraine Vocational Student of the Year Award to Alison Rogers with RC Deloraine representative Peter Griffin on the left. As Tasmania's Vocational Student of the Year, Alison received a $3,000 award from RC Deloraine plus a $250 travel voucher from Andrew Jones Travel. (Photo and story courtesy of the Examiner) RC Ulverstone West President Don Fraser (left) presents NW Regional Hospital General Manager, Denise Parry, with a cheque for $6,000 towards funding an oncology consultation room at the new Regional Cancer Clinic. The Rotary Club is working in conjunction with the Ulverstone Rodeo Club to sponsor the room. President of the Rodeo Club, Simon Skidmore, and Phil Holden of RC Ulverstone West look on. Bill Casimaty (left) recently received his 50 year Certificate for Service as a Justice of the Peace. PDG Peter Murfett has completed 40 years as a JP. Both are members of RC Hobart.

2 Council on Legislation What are some of the changes made by the Council on Legislation: Engagement in this club s service projects, other events and activities can be counted in attendance at club meetings [2013] What is the Council on Legislation? The Council on Legislation is the legislative body (parliament) of Rotary International, which has the authority to amend its constitutional documents, as well as adopt resolutions. The governing documents used by clubs the Club Constitution and the Club Bylaws are changed through action of the Council. When does the Council on Legislation next meet? The next Council on Legislation will convene in April Who can propose legislation? Proposed enactments and resolutions may be submitted by clubs and districts, though club items must be endorsed by the club s district. When is the deadline for proposing legislation: Legislation must be received at RI headquarters by 31 December There are no exceptions to this deadline. Satellite clubs introduced prior to expiry of the three year pilot [2013] New Generations be changed to Youth Service [2013] Honorary Rotarians be entitled to wear the emblem, badge, or other insignia of RI [2013] Retired people who had never been in Rotary but would have been qualified permitted to be admitted [1995] Women may be admitted into Rotary [1989] What to do if I wish to propose legislation? Look at the current (2013 version) of the Club Constitution and Bylaws to determine if the documents are deficient or whether there is already scope to achieve your purpose without the need to propose legislation. If you feel that change is needed then contact District Council on Legislation Representative James Wilcox on or jkwilcox@bigpond.net.au Moonah Women Rotarians with DG Ken and Lois Moore (left) PolioPlus goal of immunizing the world s children against polio and authorizes a fundraising campaign [1986]

3 3 Despite evidence of some fatigue From DG Ken Over 1 million new Rotarians inducted over the last years and yet our organisation hasn t grown as it should, the reason? Simply because we have lost a similar number of Rotarians over that same period. The total membership in Australia has seen a 12% decline in the past ten years, and while D9830 has been holding its own in recent years, we are still losing almost as many as we gain each year. That s a sobering thought and prompts me to write about the other side of the membership coin this month i.e. Retention. We lose club members for all sorts of reasons, death, relocation, health, business, financial, family commitments, disenchantment, lack of engagement, conflict etc etc. But when you look at this list, the first of these is probably the only one that we can do absolutely nothing about. With appropriate strategies in place, we can at least do something to minimise the loss to Rotary from all the other causes listed. Let s face it, whether we are going to be able to retain any particular Rotarian really begins the moment they are inducted. The obvious questions to ask are: Have they been fully informed regarding Rotary e.g. fireside chats or similar? Do you appoint a mentor for the new Rotarian? Are they engaged i.e. given an active role (but without throwing them in too deep too early)? In regard to engagement, when my fellow Aussie DG s and I were having a round table discussion during one of our training events, I took particular note of what a mainland club does for new members. They allocate a small budget of say $500 to the new Rotarian and ask them to come up with a project in an area that they have a passion for. They then present it to the club and as long as it fits with Rotary s purview, they are given the go ahead and fully supported in actioning the project. What a great way to engage people, create ownership and show faith in their ability! How well does your club look after its members? Do you notice when someone is missing from club meetings for a period of time? Would you know if they were ill, in hospital, bereaved? Does anyone visit them? One of the fantastic things that I noted when we visited RC Huon Valley was that they appoint a membership carer every year. The carer's specific role is to keep tabs on how club members are travelling so that the forgoing questions can readily be answered and appropriate attention given. There doesn t seem to be many clubs that do something like this, but all clubs could do well to look into it. It is also valuable to carry out a survey of member satisfaction every so often and such a questionnaire (and others) can be found here When a member leaves your club do you know why? An exit survey could be a very useful tool to improve retention rates. If a Rotarian is relocating do you give them a referral so they can readily approach another club near their new address? That way they may be lost to your club but they are not lost to Rotary. Regards DG Ken DG Ken Moore, PDG Barry Dadson and PDG Bruce Buxton at the Memorial Service for PDG Harold Ogilvie AM.

4 4 "We get a kick out of it- we're still in contact with them all from time to time." Gerard said. "She (Laura) has been willing to have a crack. Fiona is very proud of her, because she came home one day and Laura had done the ironing!" With her mother and father working as doctors, Laura hopes also to enter the profession. The grade 11 student is studying mostly at Smithton High School, while taking a biology class offered at Circular Head Christian School. (Story and photo reprinted here courtesy of the Circular Head Chronicle. Picture: Bobby Dittloff) Exchange. A new country, a new family, and a new way of life has not overwhelmed Brazilian Exchange student, Laura Zampoli. Instead, the recently turned 17 year-old is embracing her introduction to Australia through Rotary Youth Exchange, and she has her priorities set since settling in Smithton last month. And with modern technology, home is just a Skype call away to make sure she regularly keeps in touch with her family and cat, Luna. "Every time I talk with mum, Luna jumps on the computer and tries to touch the screen." Laura's itinerary includes six months in Smithton, before heading to Burnie for a further six months with a tour to other parts of Australia also on the cards. "The food is really nice. I love everything" she said. "(But) the most difficult thing is the accent. I don't understand everything." Laura originates from Limeria, a city an hour and a half from Sao Paulo, a city of over 280,000, enormous in comparison to Circular Head's 8,000- strong community. The contrasts continue: Limeria's temperature currently hovers above a toasty 30 degrees with a high humidity; the staple diet is rice and beans; and according to Laura, people in Smithton are more approachable. It's cold, but it's beautiful; it's a wonderful place." she said. "The people here are more friendly. Here, if you cross the street, you can say hello to someone." The inspiration to cross continents came after her sister's successful exchange experience in America in 2012/2013, and from her father who had been involved in Rotary for the past 24 years. Smithton Rotarians, Gerard and Fiona Blizzard, decided to host Laura - their sixth exchange student in 15 years - for the first half of her exchange, describing the strong relationship built up with past students. Laura getting into the Australian way of life, selling raffle tickets on the main street of Smithton. Beside Laura is her second host couple, Gary and Chris Hingston.

5 5 Free Free Free Health and Wellbeing Raising Awareness of Depression and Anxiety Ulverstone Civic Centre Friday 24th October am - 3pm Mayor Jan Bonde Ambassador Expo 2014 Free Entry - Free Brochures -Free Advice A Rotary/Australian Rotary Health Project Experience the Royal Flying Doctor Interactive Aero-medical Simulator Guest Speaker: Brad McEwan Inspirational - Informative - Influential Mental Health Speaker Ambassador for beyondblue Network Ten Sports Commentator Saturday 25th October, 6pm River Arms Hotel Tickets $65 per head Bookings: Ulverstone Shoe Centre No door sales Enquiries: Lindsay Morgan: RC Somerset raised $400 towards the purchase of a community defibrillator at the screening of the AFL Grand Final at Metro Cinemas in Burnie. Photo shows RC Somerset members Roy (left) and Mary Duniam and the cinema's general manager, John Spilsbury, promoting the event. Photo courtesy of the Advocate. AG Rocky Findlater purchased these large End Polio Now banners at a clearance sale at the Rotary International Convention. Rocky has offered to make the banners available to Rotary clubs for promoting the End Polio Now activities. See the District Directory for Rocky's contact details.

6 6 Welcome to New Rotary Club members Member Club Pam Neid Marcus Badcock Toni Binns Ricky Charles Susan Nolan Les Baxter D'Entrecasteaux Channel Hobart South Launceston Somerset Tamar Sunrise South Launceston (from Belconnen, ACT) Gnomebrook Every year on Australia Day, a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 gather in Glenbrook, NSW for the Australian Gnome Convention, organised by RC Lower Blue Mountains. The convention has now been captured on film by Murray Fahey, boutique film maker. The film will premier at Glenbrook on November 6 th. RC Lower Blue Mountains is offering the film as a fundraiser for Rotary Clubs at no charge except postage. For more information, go to under fundraising opportunities. Pam Neid (centre), newly-inducted member of RC D'Entrecasteaux Channel with President Ray Dac and PDG Muriel Heron who inducted Pam. PP Cliff Southorn of RC Spring Bay receives a Presidential Citation from PDG Bruce Buxton The RC Launceston West's BBQ crew supporting the Kidney Foundation's Red Kidney Walk. From left: Steve Stokes, Lorraine Lydon, Lex Van Dongen and Roy Mason RC Kings Meadows members repairing three bench seats on Hobart Road at Kings Meadows. From left: David Young, Wayne Stevens, Mark Snooks, Geoff O'Halloran and Graeme Snooks.

7 7 fter a year of immense change. TH, A good turnout for the RC Westbury Fun Run with 237 participants including a group of 15 from Westbury Primary School. Gross takings were over $3,000. RC Youngtown and Launceston Aquatic Swimming Club got together for a Merino Marbles drive. Together, members filled 400 bags of sheep pooh - a nice fundraiser for both clubs. For the swimmers, a big help to offset the cost of travelling to swim meets. The Pitfalls of DG's Visits RC Claremont President Craig Stringer (right) presents Geoff Goss with a badge from Rotary International for sponsoring a new member to the club, his daughter, Rebecca. Her Royal Highness looks ruefully at her main course during the DG's official visit to RC Launceston. The club was forewarned that Lois dreaded the thought of sausages being served at every visit to a Rotary Club. The Kit Kat was an emergency ration for the drive home. Operation Christmas Child RC City Central Hobart wrapping boxes of Christmas gifts which were sent off to Samaritan's Purse to be given to recipients in the South East Asia and Asia Pacific regions. RC Smithton got it right the following week with a main course of poached salmon and a Kit Kat for afters.

8 8 The RC Youngtown Rotary Youth Exchange "family" - (from left) George Manifold, inbound French Exchange student, Louis Rustenholz, District Youth Exchange coordinator, Gill Whitehouse, outbound Exchange student, Gabby Woollett, and George Lockwood. Gabby departs for Spain in January. Rotary Exchange sisters: Lisa Chretien (centre) who returned to France about 7 weeks ago, and her Tasmanian Exchange sister, Charlotte Stennard (left). Charlotte is sponsored by RC Sullivans Cove. Four founding members of Rotex Rebound - Ashley Cashburn, Rose Findlater, Gen Van Den Bosch and Ashleigh MacCullough. Four Tasmanian Rotary Exchange students meet up in Paris - (from left): Bronte Hume, Claire Wilson, Charlotte Stennard and Maddy Deane This organisation for Rotary Exchange students returning to Tasmania has been reformed. It died for a few years, but is now up and running. The group exists to support Tasmanian Exchange students and families once the student returns home after a year of immense change. Rotex members also provide valuable advice at camps to students preparing to go overseas. They also befriend inbound students and occasionally give them "fun times" like a "bush camp" at Oatlands, run in conjunction with RC Oatlands.