Enhanced Access Fund Invites Applications

The Rotary Clubs of District 9940 undertaking projects to improve access to the outdoors have been invited to apply for funding through the 2013 round of the Enhanced Access Fund.  Clubs have until 16 March to apply for the funding.

The New Zealand Walking Access Commission has made up to $138,000 (including GST) available in this year’s funding round, with a maximum allocation of $25,000 possible to any one organisation.

New Zealand Walking Access Commission Chief Executive Mark Neeson said the contestable fund helped to create new opportunities for people to access the New Zealand outdoors.

“Free access to beaches, lakes, rivers and mountains is a wonderful part of New Zealand’s culture and the fund helps groups around the country to continue making meaningful access contributions for future generations,” Mr Neeson said.

This year, funding will be prioritised towards projects designed to obtain certain and enduring access to the outdoors, such as negotiations to secure access agreements, or support for the legal or survey costs of obtaining access.

Other eligible projects include those that provide information about access, such as installation of signs, and projects that develop and improve walking opportunities by installing gates, stiles and fences.  The fund is also available to groups seeking a contribution to the cost of obtaining professional reports, such as engineering reports, and groups undertaking community walking access projects, including construction of new infrastructure.

The deadline for applications is 16 March 2013 and application forms are available on the Commission’s website, at www.walkingaccess.govt.nz.

Fifty-three projects have received funding through the Enhanced Access Fund since its first funding round in 2010.

Rotary Club of Porirua Sundown Golf Challenge

RYLA 2013

Christine and I were privileged to spend time at RYLA which concluded on Sunday.  This was another great event where 52 tallented young leaders came together to learn and enhance their leadership skills.  It was an amazing week and we were left feeling that New Zealand is in great hands with this group of great  people.

On behalf of District I would like to thank Wendy Betteridge and her team from the Rotary Club of Plimmerton for hosting this years and the previous two years events.  Also to the group of young Rylarians who help run the event, their energy and commitment to the project is tremendous.  Next year the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson will be taking over the running of the event for the next 3 years and I would like to wish Steve and his team all the best for the next three years.

Below is a small selection of photos from the event.

Graeme

Trolley Derby - Rotary Club of Pahiatua

Here is your chance to get your club together and enter a team!

Graeme

District Conference - Profile on Speaker Hekia Parata

Pahiatua Golf Tournament

Martinborough Fair

PARAPARAUMU ROTARY CLUB ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF

A Busy Week With RYLA

This week Chris and I got to attend several clubs opening meetings of the year.  It is always good to get along to these events and meet members in a more relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Presentation to President Bob Rowell and DGNN Simon

We also had the opportunity to visit Hutt City where members were asked to share what they had done over Christmas and their aspirations for the year ahead - this was a great way to get to know club members.   We were able to share the completing of one of our bucket list wishes - driving the Forgotten Highway and a night at the Whangamonga Hotel with friends.   It was also a special event as were were able to present a banner to the club in recognition of their contributions to the Rotary Foundation in 2011/12.

RLYA 2013

DG Graeme and Christine, Plimmerton President Bob Austin,
RYLA Coordinator Wendy Betteridge (Plimmerton) and
John Mohi (Wellington North)

Another special highlight of the week has be attending the opening of RYLA and several of the RYLA events.  This year is the last year that Plimmerton will run the event, the organising for the next 3 years being taken on by Port Nicholson.  



This year 52 attendees were present and I continue to be amazed at the caliber of our young people attending.  On the Thursday the participants took part in the Amazing Apprentice race.  Here the candidates are told about the ERKs. They are then have to prepare a business plan to increase the awareness of the ERKs.  It is amazing to see the energy and drive in our young people.  More on RYLA to follow.

RYLA at Parliament

Graeme

RI President-elect Ron Burton Theme for 2013/14

RI President-elect Ron Burton will ask Rotarians to Engage Rotary, Change Lives in 2013-14.

He unveiled the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2013 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, the annual training event for incoming district governors.

“If we really want to take Rotary service forward, then we must make sure that every single Rotarian has the same feeling about Rotary that each one of us here has today,” Burton said. “We need to make sure that every Rotarian has a meaningful role to play, that they’re all making a contribution, and that their contribution is valued.”

The Impossible - Palmerston North Clubs Get in Behind ShelterBox Fundraiser

Headed by the Palmerston North Club, the clubs in the area are taking advantage of a funding raising opportunity for the screening of the premier of the movie, 'The Impossible', to raise funds for ShelterBox.  The movie is based on the true story of events that happened following the Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami that occurred on 26 Dec 2004.


The undersea earthquake that struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggering a series of deadly tsunamis. The earthquake had a magnitude between 9.1 and 9.3 on the Richter Scale - the second largest seismic activity ever recorded. Almost 230,000 people in 11 countries were killed in the tsunami and millions were left homeless. ShelterBox played an important role in helping many people who were left homeless as a result of the earthquake and tsunami.

This project aims to raise funds for the purchase of one or more ShelterBoxes.  It is a great initiative and we wish it every success.

Other clubs might also like to take up this idea as a project to raise awareness of the work that rotary does and raise funds.

Graeme

Magic Day With Rotary - Wings Over Wairarapa

At the invitation of the Rotary Club of Carterton Chris and I were invited to help out at 'Wings over Wairarapa' today.  This gave us a great opportunity to see a number of clubs in the Wairarapa assisting with a great event to help raise funds for their many projects.  It was also the opportunity to have some fun and friendship with Club members.     A near perfect day meant for a large crowd of young and old.

After some time on the gates we were hosted by AG Nicky and PDG Alastair Orsborn to watch  an amazing display of vintage and modern aircraft.  Without doubt the highlight would have to be the Mosquito and the final flypast was a very moving event.

It was a great day and good to see the clubs in the Wairarapa all working together on this great event.  Our thanks to all the clubs in the Wairarapa for their hospitality and Nicky and Alastair for treating us to this very special event.

Mosquito with some of the original pilots who flew these planes
during the 2nd WW and some of todays pilots

Graeme

Petone Rotary Fair

Profile on Trevor Grice - District 9920-9940 Conference Speaker

BBQ Weather

This week I have started back at work at LINZ and Rotary is ramping up fast with a marked increase in Rotary emails arriving at home.  We have been seeing newsletters begin to come through again and many clubs starting the year with informal meetings.  We have had the pleasure of attending several of these meetings and also have had the the opportunity to get along to our own club, Plimmerton.


Two of our conference committee members have travelled to Auckland to meet up with the D9920 conference committee.  They reported that everything is in place for a great conference, we are now just getting down to the details, so now is the time to start thinking about registering and booking your clubs accommodation.

Lets hope the weather keeps fine for some more BBQs.
All the best for a great week.

Graeme

Emergency Response Kits - Samoa & Fiji “CYCLONE EVAN” update

2012 (approx. 1500 ERK’s) - A RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR ERK DISTRIBUTION IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

A total of just on 1000 prepositioned ERK’s were distributed by local Rotarians & their helpers in Fiji after disasterous  flooding  late January & again late March 2012.

Then again mid to late December 2012 when first Samoa then Fiji were struck by “Cyclone Evan” causing havoc & distruction - some 250 ERK’s were distributed in Samoa  & more than 250 ERK’s were distributed in Fiji by local Rotarians & their helpers.

THANKYOU for your continued generous financial donations to ERK’s which help RNZWCS replenish  & rebuild much needed prepositioned stock of ERK’s ready to be distributed to our Pacific Island Neighbours immediately after their next cyclone, flooding or other major disaster.

DAVE WILSON

Rotary Dist. 9940 Emergency Response Kits Chair

Planning for the Next Six Months

Chris and I have had a quite week this week catching up on a number of chores around the house that have been neglected over the past 6 months.  It has also be an opportunity to catch up on some Rotary emails, filing, and planning for the next six months.  Here are just a few of the events taking place over the next few months:

Projects Day 2011 - Petone Dune Weeding

Rotary District Projects Day on 23 and 24 February.  Since the success of District 9940 Project days since 2009, our District has put this date in our calendar.  

District Conference, Rotorua, ANZAC weekend. – Plans are now all in place with all guest speakers arranged and the programme set.

GSE Team from Canada

GSE team from District 5370.   The GSE team arrives in early April for a month, finishing up at our District conference.   

Tom Thorfinnson to Visit Wellington.  Following South Pacific President Elect Training, key note speaker Tom Thorfinnson, will visit Wellington on Monday 11 March prior to returning to the US where he will give a talk at the Rotary Club of Wellington. 

Russian Friendship Exchange.  In March a Friendship Exchange team from Russia will be visiting our District. 

Next week it will be back down to business at work and with several Rotary Club visits planned.

Regards

Graeme 

ShelterBox Update on the recent SW Pacific Cyclones

Fiji - Cyclone Evan

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) -  arrived in Fiji following Cyclone Evan to assess the need for emergency shelter after the biggest cyclone to strike the Pacific nation in two decades left western parts of the main island of Viti Levu the hardest hit. Kiwi SRT members Owen Smith and Ross McKenzie flew out as soon as the storm passed over Fiji.  Read more here.

Philippines Typhoon Bopha

Deadliest Storm - The country’s emergency management agency says Bopha is the strongest and deadliest storm to hit the Asian country this year with over 800 people still missing and 1.2 million families displaced.

ShelterBox is distributing emergency shelter to the most vulnerable families and have been training local workers and Rotaractors to help set up tents.  Read more here.

Provided from the ShelterBox January Newsletter 

Christmas Break

It was good to have several weeks Christmas break during which it was a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends.  

We had Christmas in New Plymouth this year and  there was a good opportunity for some bike riding to work of Christmas lunch.



Following Christmas we had New Year in Turangi with friends.  Time for some trout fishing which were somewhat scarce this year although we did have enough to smoke and have for dinner on New Years Eve.  

Returning to Wellington we took the time to travel back via the Forgotten Highway and a night in the Whangamomona Pub - one of those things we have had on the bucket list for some time.
















Now that we are back at home there is time to catch up on some work around the house, some Rotary Business, and a few walks including a trip to Matiu/Somes island.

We look forward to catching up with you all in over the coming weeks.

Enjoy your break and safe travels.

Chris and Graeme