By Barbara Servulo Herthel, a Rotary Peace Fellow from Brazil As I reached the end of my Professional Certificate Fellowship Program at the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University, I found …
Source: 5 Reasons to apply for a Rotary Peace Fellowship | Rotary Voices
Mill Point Rotary Membership Director Kerry Green
Membership Director Kerry Green of the Rotary Club of Mill Point had one of her Rotary moments when she transferred to the Port Macquarie Sunrise Rotary Club in 2005. Although Kerry was by then an experienced Rotarian, her new club invited her to take part in the Special Training for Action in Rotary (S.T.A.R) program.
By the time Kerry returned to Mill Point Rotary some years later, she was a devotee of the innovative member induction and development program. Her enthusiasm and passion for the program persuaded the Mill Point Board to give S.T.A.R a try. They haven’t looked back and the program is now at the core of Mill Point’s member retention and development processes.
What’s so good about the S.T.A.R program? Listen as Kerry tells you the story of S.T.A.R and the Mill Point starlet who speaks so highly of this innovative program.
Pushpa – Our Rotarian of the Year!
Awardee: Pushpa Pushpalingam – Cannington Rotary Club
PDG Pushpa Pushpalingam was appointed with the approval of
the Board to the role of District Foundation Chair (DFC) for a three year appointment from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
As incoming DFC, Pushpa was instrumental in the roll-out of the
new foundation grants model formerly called “Future Vision”.
It fell to the District to design organize and run a qualification and
training session in November 2012 in preparation for the launch
of Future Vision. In addition sessions were organized for PETS and Assemblies to further train incoming Presidents and directors on how the new system will work.
Pushpa also attended training in San Diego in January 2013 incidentally after he ran the District Training for Future Vision.
Pushpa has worked closely with our Grants Chair Hugh Langridge in implementing the District Grants process and in calling for and reviewing submissions for grants. He has also worked closely with Clubs on Global Grant applications making countless phone calls at all hours to RI in Evanston to seek clarifications and sort out issues on applications for Grants.
The Global Grants system being in its first year of a full Global roll-out has presented many challenges as we have become
more familiar with the rules and requirements of this new system.
Pushpa was also tasked by the DG with the implementation of a $210,000 USD Global Grant to establish a Friends Cafe in Ethiopia . This project is a first of its kind in Africa with the aim of training orphans and disadvantaged youth in hospitality and to place them in employment in the rapidly expanding tourist industry.
The project is modelled upon the Friends International Restaurant model which is run very successfully in Cambodia and Asia currently. Friends International will provide the training module design and overview of the program . Hope for Children which runs two schools for disadvantaged youth in Ethiopia will run the new Cafe in that country. To make this Global Grant a reality PDG Pushpa pulled out all stops to gain the cooperation of 28 clubs and districts worldwide to raise the funds required . The project is currently expected to receive final approval from RI prior to changeover.
This year the District has received more matched funds in dollar amounts that funds contributed due entirely to the efforts of PDG Pushpa and the clubs of this district.
PDG Pushpa is a tireless worker for Rotary and a deserving recipient of this award.
The Ride team with RI President Ron
DISTRICT SERVICE AWARD
The District Service Award was created to recognize Rotarians’
efforts to serve humanity and work towards world understanding
and peace through Foundation programs. Ten club projects were recognized by way of these awards for the 2013-14 Rotary year.
FUNDRAISER – RIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE
Awardee: Craig Alford – Armadale Rotary Club
Craig Alford is driving a Hustler Super Z ride-on lawn mower around Australia to benefit charity. In 2012, he drove from Perth to
Kalgoorlie. In February 2013 he drove from Kalgoorlie to Adelaide
arriving at the Clipsal 500 motor race! In May 2014 the Ride left
Adelaide for Sydney and the Rotary International Convention, via
Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra! Craig is assisted by a group of
supporters. In 2014, the Ride benefits Australian Rotary Health’s
Mental Illness Research Program , Rotary Foundation’s End Polio
Now Program and the EJ Whitten Foundation for prostate cancer
awareness and research.
Cross-Continent Lawnmower Ride for Polio Eradication from Rotary International on Vimeo.
FUNDRAISER – CLIMB FOR A SMILE
Awardee: Ron Mildenhall – Kenwick Rotary Club
The Rotary Club of Kenwick Climb For A Smile fundraiser at Brookfields tower at 108 St Georges Terrace, Perth was a huge success surpassing all expectations and raising over $70,000 for Rotary causes. The fundraiser supports End Polio Now, Interplast, Romac,and the The Smith Family West Australia.
FUNDRAISER – SWIMARATHON
Awardee: Genevieve Carr – Kwinana Rotary Club
Genevieve organized a district wide Swimathon to raise money for Polio Plus .The event is a sponsored swim
organised by Rotarians to raise money and awareness for End Polio Now, organised by the Kwinana Rotary
Club together with other clubs worldwide in February each year.
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FUNDRAISER – FILM NIGHT
Awardee: Brian Guest – Kenwick Rotary Club
Brian organized a district wide fund-raiser for Polio Plus which raised $2250.00. Rotarians and partners from many clubs attended the film MONUMENTS MEN at the Carousel Hoyts Cinema.
The film was fantastic and we had a sell-out crowd in attendance.
FUNDRAISER – HIGH TEA
Awardee: Jodie Sparks – Ascot Rotary Club
Jodie organized a high tea held at the Rotary Hall Sandgate Street South Perth to raise funds for foundation. This was a great sell-out event which raised $1297.00 for Polio Plus.
PROJECT – WATER SUPPLY SIBOLONG HAMLET INDONESIA
Awardee: Raymond Heather – Armadale Rotary Club
The objective of the grant is to provide a clean, reliable year, year round water supply to residents of the Sibolong hamlet. Currently during the dry season the water supply is unreliable resulting in residents having to walk to a small spring to bathe and wash clothes. The project will deliver potable water to the homes of the villagers and eliminate the need to walk and take turns at the water source for bathing and washing of clothes. All members of the hamlet, approximately 750 men, women and children will directly benefit from the project. This Global Grant project has a District DDF contribution of $11330 USD and a total budget of $36805USD.
PROJECT – WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM SCHOOLS IN LEBANON
Awardee: John Gray – South Bunbury Rotary Club
The project objective is to install water filtration systems in 17
schools in Lebanon that lack clean water, and whose current water
installations are old and rusted, which constitutes a health hazard
for the school children. The main beneficiaries are the school
children at the schools as well as faculty members and staff. Clean
water is essential to protect the children from many diseases
such as diarrhea, eye and skin problems, affecting children’s
growth and education. We believe that every children, rich or
poor, should have access to clean water. This will be beneficial to
the community at large, since this will reduce absenteeism and
sicknesses, as well as improve the learning ability of the students,
and reduce the medical bill on the community. This Global grant project has a District DDF contribution of $10000USD and a total budget of $44220 USD.
PROJECT – WATER PROJECT TIMOR LESTE 4 VILLAGES OF LAGA NUNIRO SALARI AND RUBILA
Awardee: Max Bird – Kwinana Rotary Club
The project will provide potable water supply to four Timor-Leste communities. The project will involve four villages of approximately 400 families per village (minimum of four persons per family) gives an estimated direct benefit to six thousand five hundred persons. The villages are Laga;Nuniro; Salari; Rubila. The inhabitants will be responsible for the maintenance of the project once it is completed
This Global Grant Project has a District DDF contribution of $10000 USD and a total budget of $39048 USD.
PROJECT – BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY
Awardee: Bob Phipps – Kenwick Rotary Club
To purchase reading books for years 1 , 2 and 3 primary students in Indonesia. Bob and his wife Kay have visited at their own expense the schools for which the books were purchased .Research by the Rotary Club of Bali Lovina indicated the need for appropriate books to assist students to learn to read Indonesian. After a trial three years ago the club is now committed to supplying these age appropriate resources to schools in the northern Bali area.
This District Grant project has a District DDF contribution of $4000 USD.
PROJECT – MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH
Awardee: Barry Mendaliwitz – Applecross Rotary Club
To create and fit out a new birthing room at the Clinic Cafe in Letefoho, Timore Leste. This District Grant project has a District DDF contribution of $4200 USD
RECOGNITION OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
Each year, Rotary International recognizes up to three clubs from
each district for implementing proactive and creative initiatives in
three areas:
• Attracting new members
• Retaining existing members
• Sponsoring a new Rotary club or clubs
DG 2013-14 Erwin Biemel congratulates the following clubs who have received these awards for their membership successes during 2013-14:
ATTRACTING NEW MEMBERS
Awardee: Rotary Club of Esperance
The Rotary Club of Esperance targeted prospective Rotarians from the business community within Esperance and the local district.
The Club sent invitations to prospective members inviting them to come to a Rotary information night, followed up by personal
approach from a nominated member.
All positive responses were allocated a member to pick up the possible new member and host them for that meeting and other following meetings.
These efforts resulted in an increase of 5 younger members in a 9 month period that joined the Club.
RETAINING EXISTING MEMBERS
Awardee: Rotary Club of Mill Point
The Membership Committee of the Mill Point Rotary Club have instituted a Special Training for Action in Rotary (STAR) Program.
New members and their ‘mentors meet on a bi monthly basis. Each meeting focuses on a Avenue of Service and allows participants to learn Rotary detail and how it relates at club level. The Membership Committee develop series of questions and these are distributed before the meeting. Committee take turns to host the evening and invite guests, as well as the current Director of the nominated Avenue of Service.
The President has also invited ‘observers’ from other clubs to encourage them to also adopt the STAR program.
Whilst the questions focus on the Avenue of Service, they include the activities that Club facilitates and coordinates.
Participants learn about the history of Rotary, of their Club and are able to question in an informal way. This encourages Mentors to take responsibility of the newest nominee, and gives the Committee the opportunity to gauge them.
Engaging new members from the start and ‘checking in’ on how connected they are to the club is vital. It spread a wider understanding of Rotary and the club, enables members to be aware of club activities and how and where they can contribute and take ownership.
SPONSORING A NEW ROTARY CLUB
Awardee: Rotary Club of Southern Districts
The Rotary Club of Southern Districts accepted the invitation from
DG Erwin Biemel to sponsor the new E-WA Rotary eClub.
In supporting the formation of a new satellite eClub, the Rotary
Club of Southern Districts has supported the formation of the first
satellite club in D9465.
The E-WA, Rotary Club of Southern Districts is helping to open a
whole new frontier of Rotary experiences in WA.
Once numbers increase it is anticipated that the E-WA will become
a provisional Rotary Club, the final step to chartering as a new club.
DG Erwin Biemel presents PDG Hugh Langridge with the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service at district changeover on 5 July 2014
Rotary District 9465 Governor Erwin Biemel presented the Rotary Foundation Citation of Meritorious Service Award to District 9465 Nominee PDG Hugh Langridge of the Rotary Club of Ascot at district changeover on 5 July 2014.
The award citation reads as follows:
The Citation for Meritorious Service recognizes individual
Rotarians who have demonstrated outstanding active service to
The Rotary Foundation for more than one year.
Examples of eligible service include, but are not limited to:
• Service on Foundation committees at the club, district, or
international level
• Participation in Foundation grants or programs
• Support of Ambassadorial Scholars, Rotary Peace Fellows, GSE
teams, or Vocational Training Teams
Financial contributions to the Foundation, however notable, are
not relevant considerations for this award.
An individual may receive this award only once.
Awardee: Hugh Langridge Ascot Rotary Club
Hugh has formed a vital part of the District Foundation committee for 2013-14 as Grants Chair.
This role has required a focus on completing the reporting on outstanding grants from the old system and assisting in the implementation of the future vision grants model introduced on the 1st July 2013.
For the district to remain eligible for grants during 2013-14 it fell to Hugh to work with clubs and ensure
reporting of matching grants was completed to the satisfaction of Rotary International.
Hugh spent countless hours working with Rotary International Staff and Clubs to ensure reports were
appropriate and on time. The District remained eligible for grants at all times due to his efforts.
He brought his considerable experience to the fore to achieve the required deadlines on both the new and
old grants models.
He is called Mr Grants for good reason.
Hugh is a most worthy recipient of The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service and the first
recipient of this citation in D9465.
He will join a distinguished list of previous recipients on the Rotary International register of awardees.
Hugh has served on the foundation committee over several years in the following roles:
• D9470 Foundation Committee Annual Fund Chair 2005-2006, 2007-2008 , 2008-2009 .
• D9470 permanent Fund Chair 2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2008-2009,
• D9470 Foundation Chair 2008-2009, 2009-2010.
• D9470 Peace Fellows Chair 2008-2009.
• D9465 Grants subcommittee Chair 2010-2011
• D9465 Foundation Grants subcommittee Chair 2010-2011,
2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014.
Hugh has also been very active at district level over several years
in roles other than foundation including:
• District Extension Chair 2002-2003 , 2003-2004
• DG D9470 2004-2005
• DGE 2003-2004
• DGN 2002-2003
• RI Membership Zone Co-ordinator 2005-2006 , 2006-2007
• Committee member Rotary Blood Core Bank largest Rotary
project in Western Australia 2002- current
• D9470 District amalgamation committee.
• D9465 District Trainer 2011-2012, 2012-2013.
Hugh served as in several roles at club level including:
• Club President in 1996-1997
• Club Foundation Chair for several years
• Club Secretary for 2013-2014
DG Erwin presenting Sue with her RI Award
THE ROTARIAN SPOUSE/PARTNER AWARD
Rotary District 9465 Governor Erwin Biemel presented the Rotary International Rotarian Spouse/Partner Service Award to District 9465 Nominee Sue Alexander of the Rotary Club of Ascot at district changeover on 5 July 2014.
The award citation reads as follows:
The Rotarian Spouse/Partner Service Award recognizes spouses
and partners of Rotarians who have demonstrated exemplary
humanitarian service through Rotary.
Only up to 100 awards are issued annually by Rotary International.
Recipients will be selected by an officer appointed by the RI
president.
Candidates will be considered based solely on the humanitarian service they have rendered through Rotary, with an emphasis on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping others.
An individual may receive the award only once.
Awardee: Sue Alexander – Ascot Rotary Club
Sue is married to Ron Alexander of the Ascot Rotary Club.
As a nurse midwife, Sue has always had a strong desire for caring and a passion for immunisation of children to keep them disease free and healthy. With this in mind, Sue joined a Rotary Team to visit India on a rapid 5- day trip during 2008 for a National Immunisation Day where she sat in a small open Indian Temple for many hours of pouring rain and in very wet socks, vaccinating many impoverished Indian children.
Sue had won a national nursing award for Immunisation Best Practices during 2009, choosing not to spend the $5000 award on herself but to travel to a remote mountain location in Timor Leste to work during her annual leave of three weeks.
What she found at the end of long flights and a rugged treacherous 3 hour road trip was a very basic medical clinic and accommodation complete with meals cooked outside over an open fire, electricity available for only 6 hours late evening, a scarce water supply and cold showers when water available.
The clinic proved an amazing experience that tested Sue’s nursing experience, resilience and ability to adapt to caring for very ill people with the minimum of medical equipment.
On occasions Sue managed life threatening illnesses without a doctor and relying on an interpreter.
Sue returned independently during 2010, 2011, twice during 2012 and again late 2013 to the remote village of Eraulo of subsistence people who make up the clinic catchment population of 8000.
The community has inherent health burdens of impoverishment, lack of education, lack of water, lack of sanitation, malnutrition, and high maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates and preventable diseases such as ,gastro-enteritis, tuberculosis, malaria and common childhood diseases.
With encouragement from her Rotarian husband and family to continue her mission and then through the Rotary Club of Ascot, Sue successfully achieved three Rotary Grants to help in her venture to improve facilities and equipment in the clinic.
With two District Simplified Grants and a Foundation Grant Sue
has obtained quotes, purchased and organised transport, even
purchasing the Infant Warmer from Vietnam, which is no small
feat.
Equipment that Sue has purchased includes a medical trolley,
paediatric oxygen, resuscitation equipment, examination light and
the Infant Radiant Warmer all for the birth room. A second exam
light, adult oxygen equipment, a pulse oximeter, an auroscope/
ophthalmoscope have found plenty of use in the treatment room
along with new storage units, now organised and labelled by
Sue on her visits which not only helps her but the nurse, health
workers and other volunteer nurses or doctors who visit and who
the clinic is reliant upon for much needed support.
Sue obtained a second hand ECG machine from a Perth medical
practice and despite it’s heaviness, carried it by hand to East Timor.
Sue spent months negotiating with a maternity hospital in Darwin
and then with its Health Department for release of a good quality
‘excess to requirement’ birth-bed to replace the ancient rusted
model. This birth bed arrived during her 2012 visit so Sue was able
to help assemble and offer education on its use and maintenance.
Offering general nursing education to the health workers on
topics like infection .control, instrument care and sterilising, basic
wound care and even English, all done with the help of one health
worker as an interpreter has been an integral role undertaken on
these annual visits to improve local skills and independence.
Sue has seen and managed many medical diseases and
emergencies, not encountered routinely in Australia and spent
long demanding days but has never faltered in her desire to help
the clinic.
During her 2011 visit Sue sat down with the Community leader
and village elders to discuss a possible Rotary -aided water project and then from a hot humid Dili hotel on her last night she sat down and penned a proposal to the RC of Ascot. That proposal was not just accepted but the project completed and a second water project is in its final stages to give the gift of water to very many villagers.
This has all happened because of Sue’s humanitarian contributions to her beloved Timorese community.
Sue is a most worthy recipient of The Rotarian Spouse/ Partner Service Award and the first recipient of this citation in D9465.
She will join a distinguished list of previous recipients on the Rotary International register of awardees.