DIRECTORS BRIEFING WEEKEND

Christine and I attended the DGE RI International Director’s Briefing Weekend in Parramatta, Sydney on 5-7 August.  This weekend brings together the 22 DGEs from Australia and 6 from New Zealand.  It is the opportunity for networking, meeting the staff at RDU and RI South Pacific and Philippines Office.  We also heard about many of initiatives and programmes being run in the area including Cure Kids, StarJam, Interplast, Shelter Box and ROMAC – just the tip of the iceberg.  What it brought home to Christine and I was the vast number of humanitarian projects being supported and run by Rotary.  Our challenge will be in deciding which of these very worthwhile projects we should support.  It was also an opportunity to hear of Rotary initiatives and future directions from RI Director Stuart Heal and his successor John Boag.  Positive change is in the wind and we need to start embracing that change.  This will give us the opportunity to see how we can revitalise clubs and embrace this change.

Of particular benefit was the opportunity to meet with other DGE’s and exchange ideas.  The NZ and Pacific Island DGEs were able to get together and start planning our time at International Assembly and the entertainment presentation we will need to give at International Assembly in January next year.  Already we are forming a tight bond, no more evident than on Saturday when we supported the All Blacks to an excellent victory in front of an Australian audience.

Here are the New Zealand DGEs and partner

Being met by Scots guards at old Government House prior to dinner on Saturday night where we heard about the history of Governor Macquarie and Bly.