July 2009 - Our new 2009- 2010 DG, David Watt, commended our Club's projects and achievements and our participation at District level. He thanked President Kathy for the afternoon tour and said it was obvious that the Club was involved in very worthwhile projects. David made special mention of several Pencarrow members who are currently working at District level or who have done great work in the past.

DG David told us how he was inspired by his induction in San Diego, where he met the 'whole Rotary family’. This ‘Rotary family’ became more obvious to him as the induction period went on as he watched 500 to 1,000 sit down to breakfast and fellowship. Bill Boyd said the family operates at all levels from international, to district, but the real proof of ‘Rotary family’ is seen in its purest form in the Rotary Club.

The emphasis this year is on all individual clubs to participate in worthwhile projects and to share resources between clubs in the District for joint projects.

The years ahead will be challenging; as District 9940 has been selected for trialling future visions for impact and sustainability for our projects. We are the only district in NZ chosen. We need to nurture wider connections for our work and to promote corporate support for our projects.

Projects in hand include polio eradication, shelter boxes, mosquito nettings, water and sanitation. Clubs in our district are urged to support Wellington Free Ambulance. The aim is to raise around $200,000 which is the price for a new, fully kitted out ambulance. The big project for District 9940 is the motorbike ride from ealy 2010 with two groups of riders.

DG David reminded us that District Conference will be in Wellington this year and invited local members to offer hosting of out-of-town attendees, in true ‘Rotary family’ spirit. He also reminded us of a principal objective - to sustain and grow membership.

Thank you DG David for visiting and supporting us. We commend you and Michele for your commitment and wish you all the very best for the year ahead. As family...pop in whenever you’re near and we’ll make you feel at home!

Guest speaker in Oct 08: District Governor Tony Fryer
      - “30,000 Children Die Every Day”

Figures now dominate every news item. Figures that bring fear and mistrust in their wake, because of the damage done to financial institutions. How many of us can define a trillion? Last week was Free Fall Week. Who believes it will all be over by Christmas? We are living through a global crisis and it will take at least four years of work to stem the fall.

But, long before Black Monday and Carnage on Wall Street, 30,000 children died, and continue to die every day, from preventable causes.

How can that be possible? Because many children live and die where they are  malnourished, water is contaminated, there is poor sanitation and disease flourishes. They have low literacy levels because they lack education.

District Governor Tony Fryer spoke of the need to reduce the world’s rate of child mortality by understanding the causes and developing realistic projects to assist in eliminating at least one of them.

The February letter from RI President Dong-Kurn Lee asks that together we work on projects dedicated to reduce this appalling statistic. When faced with a task so hard to contemplate we need to agree on how and where we can assist. New Zealand has its own unenviable rate of child neglect and family violence and a worrying level of literacy. Often there is a generational link. We need to harness our strengths to those  of other local organisations. This is not a time to relax and take a rain check.

Governor Tony spoke of the work Rotary has already done with ROMAC in changing lives of children living in the South Pacific, who are born with deformities, or those like Ishrak Ali who recently received treatment at the Burns Clinic at the Hutt Hospital.

He told us about the provision of shelter boxes in Pakistan after the recent earthquake. He concluded with the words of former RI President Bill ‘Kiwi’ Boyd:

     “Even though we will never bring about a perfect world we have no excuse not to try.
       And if we leave a better world than was left to us, then we have not failed.”

With such a monumentous challenge ahead it’s tough figuring out where our little Club can start - but as RI President DK Lee suggests:

     “Start where you stand!”