The Rotary Club of Northbridge gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsorship of Northbridge Plaza
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
David Robertson
August 7
John Garrett
August 8
Peter Russell
August 14
Peter Hodgson
August 24
Anniversaries
Jon Gidney
Gail Giles-Gidney
August 17
Join Date
John Bolton
August 9, 2011
9 years
David Hyde
August 25, 1998
22 years
Fay Petrou
August 26, 2008
12 years
Club Meeting News - 4 August 2020
Welcome
A joint meeting of the Rotary clubs of Northbridge and Lane Cove was held at Northbridge Golf Club on Tuesday, 4 August.
President Kevin welcomed members and guests, DG David Clark, DGE Lindsay May, OAM, ADG John Zhang, Michael Macquillan from RC of Chatswood/Roseville, RC of Lane Cove President Silvio Gmur and Rotarians from RC of Lane Cove.
Toast
President Kevin invited DGE Lindsay May, OAM to give a toast to Rotary International. DGE Lindsay spoke about Rotary's humanitarian projects and the $US400 which has come into the coffers of the Foundation but that just as quickly has been spent on a large variety of projects.
The COVID pandemic is proving to be a challenge to Rotary. Paul Harris once said “this is a changing world and we must change again and again and again” and so this is proving to be.
DG Lindsay also said, that to the six areas of successful and sustainable Rotary service, has been added a seventh - the Environment. The current six areas of service are: peace and conflict prevention/resolution; disease prevention & treatment; water & sanitation; maternal & child health; basic education & literacy; and economic & community development. Much needs to be done by Rotary and others in improving the environment.
DG David Clarke responded to the toast and reminded us that Rotary International is really its members – you and me.
Club Reports
President Silvio of Lane Cove RC thanked the DG David for his presence and his reply, and ADG John Zhang thanked both the RC of Northbridge and RC of Lane Cove for holding the joint meeting. He said both clubs were well established with great membership involvement and great projects, and even now are thinking of ways of keeping in touch with members and perhaps collaborating on joint projects, such as a Dementia Café.
President Silvio reported on the various projects undertaken by their club in Timor L’Este, Nusa Tengarra, their drought project in Gunnedah, the LC Rotary Fair which raises about $60k, though like us with the Fireworks, it is not likely to be held this year. They have however, organized a monster raffle which is due to be drawn on 18 October and are considering other ways of raising funds.
President Kevin gave our guests an overview of the projects undertaken by RCN such as the bucket appeals, the south coast and north coast projects and of course our Dubbo Zoo project to name just a few. He also mentioned the Food Drive which is scheduled for 26 September and commented on our Dining for a Cause fundraiser.
DG David Clark addressed us on the plans for the year of RI President Holger Knaak, the six main areas being:
Developing a strategic plan;
He would like all clubs to look at undertaking Rotary training programs which can be found on the RI website;
Membership – it’s every member’s job to talk in the community about the Rotary Story – RYLA, RYPEN, the various projects;
End Polio Now – there will be no other such project until Polio is eliminated. Vaccination programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan have now re-commenced;
Have fun and fellowship!
There will be a Virtual District Conference to be held 13-14 March 2021, with guest speaker being Juliet Riseley, wife of Past RI President Ian Riseley. The theme will be the “Seventh Avenue of Service – the Environment”.
Finally, President Silvio took the opportunity to present a Paul Harris Recognition award to RC Lane Cove member Craig Brodie for his work with Clean Up Australia and the club’s Gunnedah drought project.
President Kevin closed the meeting, thanking DG David Clark and all our guests for their fellowship and a very enjoyable joint meeting with the hope that we might do this again in the future.
DID YOU KNOW
One of the earliest recipients of funds from our Charities Account was Camp Breakaway. In 1982 the members of the Rotary Club of Wyong realised that there was quite a number of young people in their district who suffered physical disabilities and that there was no facility available which allowed the young people to have a holiday, and more to the point that their carers could not have any respite from their taxing occupation of full time caring for these young people. Accordingly, they organised a weeklong camp at a facility near Wyong and undertook giving a number of young people who were suffering physical disabilities that holiday and their carers that respite. The camp was such a success that with the help of other Central Coast Clubs an annual camp was arranged at several other facilities. It soon became apparent that a permanent venue was required and in 1989 an 11.55-hectare property at San Remo was purchased and a permanent camp site established and holiday camps conducted several times a year which is still ongoing.
If anyone has any jokes or funny stories, feel free to send them to me for the humour section of the Bulletin! We certainly need a little humour in our lives at the moment!!! Email them to helen.gulson@ozemail.com.au
Local and international humanitarian disasters have become the new norm and the Rotary Club of Northbridge has been involved in assisting wherever possible. Recently COVID-19 has received the bulk of media attention. Before that it was the eastern seaboard drought and bushfires. Then, in April, Cyclone Harold devastated parts of Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga.
COVID-19 has considerably reduced Northbridge Rotary’s 2020 fundraising capability, including cancellation of its major fundraiser, the annual fireworks. Prior to this, the Club had raised $29,580 to aid those areas in NSW affected by the bushfires and drought.
With some of its remaining funds, the Club has committed $22,500 towards building a Community Pavilion at Kiah on the NSW south coast and repairing gardens around the Boomerang Centre in severely fire-damaged Mogo near Batemans Bay.
Internationally, the Club has been asked to assist in the fight against COVID-19 by the Rotary Club of Kathmandu in Nepal.
Covid-19 cases have increased significantly in Nepal since late May with tens of thousands of migrant workers returning home from India and Nepal commencing a phased reopening in mid-June.
With the assistance of other local Rotary Clubs, Northbridge Rotary has been able to donate $10,000 to help with the purchase of PPE equipment for medical staff, installing hand washing stations in strategic locations and supplying food for orphanages and others in need, as the photo(s)on this page illustrate.
3 weeks ago Sally, Valda and I along with 2 friends took a 5 day road trip down the south coast to support local communities and at the same time checked out the two projects that our Rotary Club has supported, namely at Mogo and Kiah.
The Mogo project near Batemans Bay Sally, Valda and I met with representatives from the Batemans Bay Rotary Club and visited the Boomerang Indigenous Centre where our Club had agreed to partially fund to the tune of $5,100 a landscaping project, which involved the tidying up of a landscaped area and replanting.
Mogo had been devastated by the fires with several buildings lost and it was interesting that the Batemans Bay RC were very involved with restoration by operating a Hub in Mogo, where counselling services are available as well as computers available for use by the local community.
The Kiah Pavillion project Whilst our group was in Bega I drove south to Merimbula to meet up with representatives of the Merimbula RC who drove me south past Eden to the little village of Kiah to see the pavilion project where our Club has contributed $22,500 in partnership with the Rotary Clubs of Bega, Merimbula and Pambula.
The concrete slab has now been poured and the structural steel is now being manufactured.
After the inspection I returned to Merimbula and participated in their face to face Changeover Dinner where our contribution to the Kiah project was gratefully acknowledged, knowing that Rotary Clubs working together can make a difference.
Thank you to everyone in our community who contributed generously towards our Northbridge Shopping Centre bucket appeals, BBQs' fund raising and other activities.
Our traditional Rotary Club fund raising activities have been halted in recent months by the social isolation restrictions to prevent the spread of the COVID19 virus.
Members of the club have come up with a few innovative ideas to raise funds to help the needy in our community.
On the 4th July the club ran “Dine-in for a Cause” fund raising event.
The Dine-in for a Cause event was attended by 32, mainly Rotarians, over 4 Host homes. It included a Quiz and a Silent Auction, raising $1,425 all up, with the funds going to Phoenix House, a charity located at Crows Nest over the last 30 years, providing early intervention and support services to the most vulnerable and challenged young people living in Northern Sydney.
COVID 19 has severely impacted the ability of Northbridge Rotary Club to raise monies to support our various Charities, so one of our talented Rotarians has found a way to
combat cabin fever & put self-isolation to a good cause.
She has been busy knitting various children’s items from headbands, baby comforters, owl mobiles, snail cushions, toy animals & scarves. These would make ideal gifts for children, grandchildren or those of friends & relatives and you would be helping our Rotary Club with much needed funds.
Another option if you don’t have anyone to gift to, then choose an item and we’ll donate it to a child in our country areas which has been devastated by the droughts, bushfires and now the virus! Many of these families would not have the spare cash nor the ability to purchase their children a gift for that special occasion. Every item will come with a gift tag stating that the knit has been hand-made by a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Northbridge.
As these gifts are knitted to order you have the option of choosing your own colours. Looking forward to your support.
The cost of these knitted items have been generously donated and prices range from $10 to $40.
Photos and costs of these knits are below (or on the next page)
You can make your payment directly to Northbridge Rotary’s Charity Account - BSB 032 199, Account 901063 and then email your order to Eleanor - erchevor@yahoo.com
