At last Friday’s club meeting we had the pleasure of having Janelle Craig, the Chair of District 9685 Respectful Relationships Program as our guest speaker. Janelle spoke about having the Rotary clubs in our district work in collaboration on projects focusing on domestic and family violence. She spoke about how it is not just physical violence, but financial, mental, sexual and coercive control that one partner can exert over the other.
There are several walks being organised to Say NO to Domestic and Family Violence and YES to Respectful Relationships. Ryde council has organised a Make a Stand Walk for Thursday 28 November (the details are further on in this bulletin). We ask that as many people who can attend this walk and wear the purple shirt.
Continuing on our work raising awareness about family and domestic violence, our next guest speaker will be Marie Copp Community Engagement Officer, Escabags. Marie will be speaking to us at our club meeting this Friday 11 October via zoom (see the link below my message). All are members and friends are welcome to join the meeting which starts at 7.30am.
The following Friday 18 October will be a club assembly at Dunmore Lang College .15 for 7.30a.m. start. We will be welcoming the Principals and their representatives from our local schools to this meeting to hear an update on what is happening in their schools. Once again, all members,friends of the club and interested visitors are welcome to attend. If you would like to attend please contact Club Director, Peter Mason by email: masopete1956@gmail.com or mobile 0450730645 by Friday for catering purposes.
The funds raised from our upcoming Bunnings BBQ on Saturday 19 October will be donated to the End Polio Now campaign. We would still appreciate a few more helpers in the afternoon from 1pm. If you are free and willing to help, please contact me as soon as possible. If you are not helping at the BBQ, please come along to Gladesville Bunnings and purchase a sausage sandwich from us to support this event. For more information about the End Polio Now campaign, go to endpolio.org or see here.
This year’s Carols on the Common, being held on Sunday 15 December, are fast approaching. Volunteers are required to help on the day, from the setup in the morning of the event to the pack up at the end of the night. If you or your family or friends can help in any way, please contact Pam Wood. We are still also looking for sponsors for the event. So again, if you can help in any way please contact our club.
It is with great pride to let you know that my partner, Pam Wood, has been appointed as the Australian Operations Manager for Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC). Pam will start in this position in January 2025.
Below is an extract from an email sent to club members from Rob Wilkinson regarding ROMAC.
"FYI, our North Ryde Rotary Club has been a great supporter of ROMAC – donations and personnel – since it was introduced into NSW in the early 2000’s.
To me, it is the hidden gem of Rotary and is really what we are all about – in this case, bringing children, from our surrounding island nations to Australian and New Zealand hospitals, for lifesaving and dignity-restoring surgery that is unavailable in their home countries.I was involved with ROMAC for about 15 years, the last three (2016-2019) as Chairman. Overall, extremely rewarding.
Pam’s new role, as the name indicates, covers all things operational in bringing patients to Australia, and its hospitals – arranging logistics and mustering volunteers to do everything from liaison with ROMAC’s overseas contacts, and hospitals in Australia to visas, travel arrangements, meet and greets at the airport, accommodation for the patient and carer, visits to the hospitals, Rotary Club support etc. etc. etc..." For more information regarding ROMAC and got to romac.org.au or see the latest eNews here.
If anyone has any interesting information or stories that they wish to share in the bulletin, can you please send the information to the club bulletin editor Pam Wood email: woodmal50@hotmail.com.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the country on which we meet, the Wallumattagal people of the Dharug Nation. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
Do you know someone who represents Vocational Excellence of the highest order, and who resides and /or carries out their vocation within the boundaries of District 9685?
The District 9685 Vocational Excellence Awards Committee are seeking nominations for this year’s presentation at the District Conference to be held at the Pullman Hotel Penrith in March 2025
The Rotary Awards for Vocational Excellence were inaugurated in 1982 by the Rotary District 9685 Vocational Service Committee. The first Awards were presented to three candidates at the 1983 District Conference in Bathurst by PDG Graham Turnidge, and have been an integral part of our District Conferences for over 40 years.
The aims of the Award are:
To recognise VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE of the highest order and to honour outstanding contribution by individuals or small teams of individuals for significant advancement in their vocational field in Australia.
To inspire further enthusiasm and to give added reward to the exceptional achievers.
To set an example to others, particularly youth, of the need to strive for VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE for the benefit of their discipline and Australia.
To recognise outstanding achievement in VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE where public award or recognition may not yet have been received.
Past Awardees have included such luminaries as Associate Professor Lukas Kairaitis - academic nephrologist, David Stratton AM - film critic, journalist, film historian, television personality, Professor Vanessa Hayes - Petre Chair of Prostate Cancer Research and Head of Ancestry & Health Genomics, Honorary Associate Professor Tony Irwin - Chartered professional engineer in nuclear power, Dr Douglas Cato - Marine Scientist, Commonwealth ADSTO, just to mention a few.
If you know of such an outstanding individual and would like more information, visit the District website, click on tab CLUB SERVICES, select VOCATIONAL, then select VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS.
Or contact the Chair of the Vocational Excellence Awards Committee, PP Warren Soos on wlloyds2104@gmail.com or mobile 0418 960 895.
The Rotary Carols on the Common will be held this year on Sunday 15th December 2024.
Planning for this year's Carols on the Common is now well underway. The Carols committee are seeking members and friends of our club to assist with the many volunteer tasks that need to be undertaken on the day and during the evening of the Carols.
We particularly need strong, able people to help with the setting up and packing up phases of the event. The more helpers we have the quicker this can be done. If you cannot help with this the heavier tasks, there are a number of other tasks that may suit you better.
Please look at the tasks below and consider volunteering your time for one or more of these tasks.
These tasks include:
Morning set up from10am-12pm
Afternoon preparation: 12noon-3.00pm
Entertainment backstage assistance: 3.00-10.00pm
Sponsors VIP tent hosting assistance: 4-10.00pm
Top car park assisting with directing cars and collecting payments: 3-10pm
Bottom Car Park assisting with directing cars and collecting payments: 3-10pm
Bucket Collection: 8.00pm
Kidzone helpers 4-10pm ( Working With Children Check Clearance essential)
Event Pack up: 9pm-12am ( the more people we have for this the earlier we can finish)
Raffle ticket sales during the event: 4-9pm
light duties can also be assigned
If you can assist in any way please let me know the times you are available and your preferred role/s by return email woodmal50@hotmail.com or call my mobile 0400803417 Also, if you have family or friends who are also willing to help out, let me know.
The Carols on the Common is a major fundraising event for both our club and Macquarie Park Rotary Club. It is also a wonderful community event for the Ryde area. It would be greatly appreciated to have as many volunteers to help as possible.
Sponsorship packages are still available. If any business would like to support this wonderful community event please send an email to Roseanna@rgmusic.com.au or mobile: 0418 692 410.
We do rely on sponsorship to put on this magnificent Carols event.
We will, once again, be running a Christmas raffle throughout the event with two baskets of Christmas goodies to be won. We are seeking donations of items to go in these baskets as part of the prizes. If you would like to donate some items such as bonbons, Christmas cake or pudding, shortbread biscuits, wine, serviettes or any other Christmas fare items please contact me by email or on my mobile 0400803417. We are also happy to take cash donations so we can top up the baskets with any items that may not be donated to make them more appealing.
We look forward to your support.
The next meeting of the Carols Committee will be on Thursday 17 October at 7pm at North Ryde RSL Sports Club.
Kind regards
Pam
Pamela Wood Community Director 2024-25 The Rotary Club of North Ryde Mobile 0400803417
For the last several years, the Rotary Clubs of North Ryde, Chatswood/Roseville, Wahroonga, Pennant Hills and Turramurra have worked together in raising funds for a literacy program at Moree East Public School called “Books in Homes”. Nearly 90% of the students at the school come from the local Aboriginal community. The program has had a profound positive effect on the literacy skills of the students. The program provides “…quality books-of-choice to children living in remote, disadvantaged and low socio-economic circumstances, ensuring crucial early literacy engagement and the development of reading skills needed for lifelong achievement.” The Rotary Clubs in Moree are our local representatives.
One of the fund-raising activities has been the sale of delicious puddings from Pudding Lane. The puddings have won international prizes in previous years and include your traditional Christmas pud, macadamia and brandy, gluten free, date and toffee, rum and plum, mango and brandy and a variety of evil dark chocolate.
Payment by direct deposit: Rotary Club of North Ryde BSB 633 000 A/c 126363779 include your last name & “# (total number of puddings)” or by mail: send order form and cheque (“Rotary Club of North Ryde”) to PO Box 6171, North Ryde 2113
It is my pleasure to invite you and your partner to our District Conference in March 2025 called “Our Better World through people and Rotary – a Sustainability and Humanitarian Summit”
Watch this video invitation (less than 3 minutes) for a glimpse into the theme and the line up of speakers. Thanks Ian Stuart of the Turramurra Club for lending us your amazing voice!