Our next Rotary meeting is on Tuesday 16th April is a Rotary Visioning workshop led by Pat Waite. Please consider the questionnaire circulated last week and come along and participate in preparing our club for the future.
OTHER NOTICES:
International Friendship Exchange Programme
You may recall that last month our club hosted for a couple days members of an Australian Friendship exchange, mostly from Orange NSW, who were visiting district 9940. There is now a call for interest in a reciprocal exchange on is from 2 – 15 September 2019 for an Outward exchange programme to Central New South Wales, Australia (D9700). We would especially like any hosts of this group to join us in visiting them. This is on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVE basis, so please don't delay too long in contacting the District Friendship Exchange co-ordinator, by 18 April.
There is also a second Friendship exchange proposed for 2020. An Inward exchange by D7850 Northern New England (NH, VT & Quebec) will be visiting our District from 3 February - 17, 2020. We are currently organising their visit itinerary and looking for hosting families. And an outward programme September 26 - October 10, 2020 to D7850 (Northern New England: NH, VT & Quebec) District 7850 during the height of their Fall Foliage Season. A call for interest for either hosting inbound or participating in the outbound is also being sought.
Did you know that Rotary is now actively encouraging involvement in climate change debate and action. Afters years of sitting on the fence and not taking a position on climate change, the 2017-18 RI President Ian HS Riseley took a stance and challenged every Rotary club to make a difference for the planet by planting a tree for each of its members. Trees remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the air, which slows global warming.
Rotarians understand that the whole world is their backyard. They can see the effects of climate change in communities they care about, and they haven’t waited to take action. They’re tackling the problem the way they always do: coming up with projects, using their connections to change policy — and planning for the future.
Tuesday 16th April 6 p.m. - Rotary Tawa Visioning Workshop with Pat Waite
Rotary Tawa’s 50th anniversary is coming up – we are planning now for the continued success of Rotary Tawa. Your thoughts and ideas will enable Rotary Tawa to move progressively forward into our next 50 years, starting very soon.
We need to engage each of you in the question and decision-making processes and visioning for your club. Collaboratively moving forward as one group of committed Rotarians.
Rotary’s legacy for the future is to ensure;
1) Rotary Tawa continues to grow, adapt and serve the needs of existing and new members and
2) Rotary Tawa continues to serve the needs of the community in many diverse ways.
Together we’ll look at Rotary Tawa’s vision and meeting format, the frequency of meetings and more as you suggest ways we can do things better? With any change, we will provide good feedback loops to evaluate how we all are doing. The big Question is “How do you see your Tawa Rotary adapting and changing, being current and engaged over the next year or two? This discussion for members will take place at our visioning workshop on the 16th April 6pm to 8.30pm run by Pat Waite.
We look forward to seeing you there. We will be giving each member a feeder questionnaire as your thoughts gathered before the workshop will aid Pat in running this workshop. Bring any completed questionnaires to the next meeting on the 9th April, or drop the into Elizabeth Sutton letterbox by Sunday 14th April or scan and email it to Pat Waite directly.
There are often very interesting speakers at Rotary. That was the case last Tuesday when Kerryn Palmer gave an inspirational talk on “Bedtime Stories from Inside”. A group of Tawa mums took over this project for Arohata in 2016 from Marander Harcourt who had trialled the programme having seen it in use overseas. They provide good quality age appropriate books to the children of prison mums and a CD of their mother reading the story.
Bedtime Stories from Inside goes into prisons (like Arohata at the southern end of Tawa) and records people reading stories for their children (or grandchildren, nieces and nephews). The book they have read is then sent home, along with the recording and a message to their children. The goal is to keep whanau connected during times of forced separation. The programme gives children the opportunity to hear the voice of someone special to them whenever they need to and encourages children to know that they are loved and wanted, even when that family member can’t physically be around. For parents and relatives in prison (who have often had a traumatic time themselves), it gives them an opportunity to do something positive for their children whilst they also learn to heal and re-parent themselves.
The Bedtime Stories Programme also promotes literacy and gets good quality books into the homes of vulnerable children in New Zealand. The Bedtime Stories team relies on funding and sponsorship from a variety of companies, groups and individual authors, including Tawa Rotary and local author Marie Munro. Currently the programme is run at Arohata and Remutaka prisons and the long-term goal is to roll out the programme to other women's prisons in New Zealand.
Find them on Facebook or email bedtimestoriesfrominside@gmail.com.
Every two minutes, somewhere in the world, a woman dies from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. And babies whose mothers die within the first six weeks of their lives are far more likely to die themselves than babies whose mothers survive. As I've travelled around the world as president of Rotary, I've met families for whom these aren't simply tragic statistics. But I've also met people who are devoting themselves to helping mothers and children — and because of them, I'm hopeful. And because many of those people are Rotarians, I'm also proud. April is Maternal and Child Health Month in Rotary, so it's a perfect time to tell you about some things Rotarians are doing that will make you proud too. >>>>
Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for both community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back.
Did you know?
Rotarians are both women and men with a passion for service
Our professional members have significant opportunity for personal development
Rotary has wide-ranging social and networking opportunities
You are welcome to ask about how Rotary can enhance your lifestyle and its service opportunities
Rotary at a Glance
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
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