enews 20 March 2015

20 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: annette.mackay@bridges.com.au
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Important Dates
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RYLA - Yarrahapinni 21st-28th March 2015
Rotary Club of Uralla Art Show – 21st – 29th March 2015 Flyer attached to Illuminator email
RYAG Sheep - Walcha 25th- 29th March 2015
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – Cluster 7 – 25th March 6.30pm Civic Theatre Gunnedah
Coffs Coast Science and Engineering Challenge – 31 March 2015
MUNA – Inverell 16-17th May 2015
Rotary Club of West Tamworth – Shannons Motor Show – 16-17th May 2015 Flyer attached
PETS – Tamworth 18th-19th April 2015
Trivia Night Rotary Club of Port Macquarie – 2 May 2015 6pm for 7pm Pt Macq Panthers
District Assembly – Port Macquarie 3rd May 2015
Book Fair - Rotary Club of Armidale Central – 16th to 23rd May 2015
Casino Royale Ball - Rotary Club of Tamworth Sunrise – 23rd May 2015
Beyond the Stars – Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise – 23rd May 2015 7pm in support of the
new Port Macquarie Science Centre and Observatory.
District Assembly – Gunnedah 24th May 2015
Rotary International Convention Sao Paulo Brazil - 6th-9th June 2015
District Changeover – Inverell Saturday 27 June 2015
RyMarine – Coffs Harbour Daybreak – 8th to 11th October 2015 Flyer attached
Hat Day – all clubs – on or about Friday 9 October 2015
DG Jottings
DISTRICT CONFERENCE
I would like to thank all those that attended the District Conference and made it the great success that it was. We
received much positive feedback about the conference and many superlatives about the venue ,the array of
speakers and the great dinners and food provided by the various caters .Approximately 400 people attended the
conference and dinners etc and made the town very busy over the few days .
I would especially and publically thank the conference team headed by Phil Goddard as Conference Chair and his
dynamic and hard working team, they did a terrific job and should be proud of their achievement.
The great speakers headed by Max Walker and Mike McQueen did a fantastic job and those attending their first
conference were blown away indicating they would definitely be attending more conferences.
RYLA
This Saturday RYLA commences for 2015 at Yarrahappini near to South West Rocks and the program promises to be
20 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: annette.mackay@bridges.com.au
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
a beauty for the participants. David Mayne and his team have about 32 registrants for this years RYLA and it is
hoped that all goes well and the weather fine for this amazing event. Thank you to all the clubs that have worked
hard to find a candidate .
RYAG Sheep
This program also kicks off this week at Walcha with a full program arranged for the event.I understand the
registrations are full for this year and we wish the organisers Peter McNeil and his team the best for the week.
Science and Engineering Challenge
The Science challenge has just concluded at Armidale where there was a very successful 2 day event run in
conjunction with the organisers and the university of New England. The Sapphire City Challenge nom in its 6 th year
is being held today at the Inverell with 9 schools attending making up 8 teams. It also promises to be a great day for
the students, the teachers as well as the 20 Rotarians from 4 clubs that will assist.
DG Greg
ShelterBox Vanuatu Cyclone Pam update
Below is the latest news from Operations regarding our response to Cyclone Pam.
I would like to inform you that the indefatigable Peter Pearce (who only returned form Malawi last week) has
deployed to Vanuatu with Ross McKenzie from NZ. Good luck to them both.
Disaster relief agency ShelterBox is arranging aid and sending a team into Vanuatu, responding to ‘one of the
worst disasters in Pacific history.’
Cyclone Pam, with winds of up to 270 kph, has devastated the south Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. ShelterBox is
mobilising a response team, and already has aid in the region.
The Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, a little over 1,000 miles north east of Australia, has been battered by Cyclone
Pam, a tropical storm with maximum wind speeds of 170mph. There are already reports of eight known deaths, but
aid agencies on the scene expect numbers of fatalities to run into dozens.
Unicef Executive Director Vivien Maidaborn in New Zealand has warned that ‘Early reports are indicating that this
weather disaster could potentially be one of the worst in Pacific history.’ Unicef spokeswoman Alice Clements
described the cyclone as ‘15-30 minutes of absolute terror’ as it passed over Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila. The
archipelago is made up of 82 islands, 65 of which are inhabited, and there are concerns for people in remote
locations. Vanuatu's president Iolu Johnson Abil said he had a ‘heavy heart’ and has appealed for aid.
Disaster relief agency ShelterBox, which provides highly portable emergency shelter and equipment for families
displaced by natural catastrophes, has its people and aid standing by to help.
ShelterBox Operations Coordinator Phil Duloy is at the charity’s HQ in Helston. He says, ‘We have contacted the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Vanuatu government, colleague charity
CARE International, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency
International.’
‘All are aware of ShelterBox's capability and willingness to respond to any unmet shelter needs generated by the
cyclone. ShelterBox stands ready to act quickly to deliver pre-positioned emergency materials we have available
in the region’.
20 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: annette.mackay@bridges.com.au
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Vanuatu’s airport is closed due to flooding, but public works are clearing the runways urgently. Roads remain
blocked with debris, and power and communications lines are down.
Operations Manager Alf Evans adds, ‘ShelterBox response team members Ross Mackenzie from News Zealand and
Peter Pearce from Australia are on standby to fly to Vanuatu as soon as the airport re-opens. ShelterBox aid
already stockpiled in the region will be sent in as soon as import details can be sorted, and we have identified a
need we can respond to as part of the wider effort.’
With rainfall continuing, local operators have indicated that one of ShelterBox’s aid products, the Shelter Kit, will be
particularly welcome in volume. Shelter Kits contain waterproof covers and fixings, allowing damaged roofs and
buildings to be repaired protected from severe weather.
Yesterday mainland Australia also suffered flooding and building damage as another weather system, 120 kph
Cyclone Olwyn, tracked a destructive course from Queensland’s coastal communities towards Perth in Western
Australia. People in the region have been warned to move to higher ground to escape floods.
I will forward more information as soon as I receive it. Cheers
Mike General Manager ShelterBox Australia 0459 959 501
Tanna Tafea Vanuatu update from Ray White
To all our Tanna Tafea Vanuatu new Rotary supporters the latest update.
This is a report from Dr Basil on the hospital and Staff housing, Just back from Tanna today. No
flights yesterday Devastating damages to hospital. More than 50% of villages and houses damaged.
Fears of a public health disaster being addressed by provincial government with national
government support. 11 confirmed dead. I evacuated one head injury in a 9 year old today.
9 more patents need medical evacuation from Lenakel hospital.
Hospital maternity, central pharmacy and theatre damaged, All staff housing in hospital compound
damaged and unliveable Staff requesting tents for them and their families so they can live near
hospital and come to work. Water rationed.
Power being rationed. Unelco ( POWER AUTHORITY ) not up yet.
Telcommunication towers down not up yet.
Old Friends the old Rotary Accomodation Building has been badly damaged.
The new Rotary Women's Skill Centre building suffered no damaged and currently being used as a
shelter.
In another report I received from Port Resolution there are 2 confirmed dead both of these people I
new one was an elderly lady Mary Nauru mother of the Chief and his brother Weary, who was my
contact when building the Port Resolution School building and the other death was Tari who was the
builder of the School and very skilled in his profession both will be sadly missed.
This report only mentions that there is severe damage to buildings and there is no communication.
So what is Rotary D9650 Tanna Tafea committee doing to help the people Tanna.
20 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: annette.mackay@bridges.com.au
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Yesterday I attended my old Rotary Club of Castle Hills 50th Anniversary a number of clubs have
promised to pledge their donations to the Tanna project.
We have 1 container of goods for Tanna which will be loaded this Saturday week the shipping
company have waved there delivery charges for this container.
Sydney DIK has offered a second container with Blankets, Sheets, Pillows, Clothing,Bottle Water, and
other goods which I have accepted one of our Sydney Rotary clubs from my old District will fund the
transportation costs a special thanks to Miriam Jacka for her help Miriam has also pledge her clubs
donations to Tanna and will seek the help of the other clubs in my old District.
I have also arranged with Miriam to arrange 6 Shelter box's for the hospital staff and there families
so they can stay around the hospital.
Robin Bly from Mt Maunganui Rotary Club in NZ has sent me an email there club are now Fund
raising for our Tanna project we helped there club with a project on Tanna sometime ago I shall be
having further talks with Robin more tomorrow.
John Marsh the owner of White Sands Resort on Tanna flew in from his home in Australia to see how
his resort has fared John has brought over with him medical equipment and supplies for the hospital
he is a great supporter of Tanna. I have asked him to keep me informed of any occurring problems.
I now have a contact on Tanna with a satellite phone so hopefully I can get some updates quickly,
the Minister Bob Loughman could not get on his original flight as they were only taking over
emergency personnel he was hoping to get over today.
At the moment on Tanna are the Emergency Response teams Engineers and other specialist trades
detailing all the damage, restoring essential infrastructure, Power and clean
water.Telecommunications etc.
Once we receive further information a Rotary team of two will travel to Tanna to carry out a Rotary
Survey with representatives of the Education and Health Dept's and possibly Aus-Aid.
In all honestly the damage to the infrastructure and Buildings in Vila and elsware in the short term
will require all the building materials and products they can import and produce.
I cannot see Tanna and the outer Islands receiving Building materials out of Villa for some time.
Timber I can get out of Tanna Roofing Iron and other items we could purchase or get it donated in
Sydney fill a container and ship it across to Tanna we will see I will speak to Wilco when I am over
there.
Regards Ray
Missing from District Conference Inverell!!!
Would anyone know the whereabouts of the Interplast information (brochures, laminated signs,
bookmarks etc) that was on display in the Friendship marquee at Conference? If you do have picked
them up by accident could you please contact District Secretary Annette Mackay who will arrange
collection and return to the Interplast Committee. Thanks.
20 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: annette.mackay@bridges.com.au
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Rotary NSW Emergency Services Community Awards 2015
Rotary has agreed to partner with the following emergency services to present community awards in
August of this year:
 Fire and Rescue NSW
 Marine Rescue NSW
 NSW Ambulance
 NSW Rural Fire Service
 NSW State Emergency Services
 NSW Volunteer Rescue Association
The only emergency service not included is the Police because they have their own NSW community
service awards – already supported by some of our clubs.
The role of Rotary has been to organise the event – which was launched recently at a gala function
at Government House Sydney with the Governor as a patron.
Our remaining role is to publicise the event. Enclosed with this eNews is a brochure. Clubs are urged
to:
 Colour print and spread around posters prepared from this brochure
 Send a copy to your local newspaper editor and to your local radio station and ask them to
publicise this as a committee service – in the case of the newspaper by printing the brochure.
 In your e-mail to the newspaper/radio station you might want to include a quote or two
from your own President supporting the initiative.
The procedure is simple. Anyone can go online on the website set out on the brochure and either
download print and mail a nomination form or complete one online. They simply set out
 their own details,
 the details of the person they are nominating,
 the emergency service to which that person belongs and
 their own words (up to 500) as to why that person deserves the award for that particular
emergency service.
Entries close on 6 May 2015.
Please support this initiative. Our emergency services personnel deserve recognition. It enhances
the name of Rotary for us to be associated. Flyer is attached to this edition of the Illuminator.
DGE Maurie Stack