Wellington 3 Cluster Meeting

Now that Chris and I have completed our Official Club visits we are looking forward to meeting Clubs and Club President more informally.  On Sunday we had the opportunity to have dinner with AG Vince and the Wellinton 3 Cluster Presidents and Partners.  This was a great opportunity for us to hear what the four clubs are doing and how they are working together.

We are looking forward to attending more Cluster meeting to see how clubs are getting on across District.

Carterton Fair

On Saturday the Carterton Fair and Parade was held in Carterton.  The Rotary Carterton was very evident sponsoring several floats and President Jenny being taken through the town in a vintage car.

Well done Carterton Rotary!

Polio Update

As of November 7th a total of 181 cases have been reported year to date versus a figure of 505 at the same stage last year. Total cases for 2011 were 650. Good progress is being made in Pakistan and Afghanistan, while India remains polio free with the last case reported in January 2011. On the other hand, Nigeria is a concern and is attracting increased levels of attention from Governments and involved NGOs to bring this situation under control. The numbers aren’t large but they need to be managed.  

Nigeria had 101 reported cases at November 7th against 42 cases at the same stage last year. Rotary’s determination to rid the world of this dreadful disease is as strong as ever and the need for funding continues. The Gates Challenge may be over but we need to continue our support for the polio eradication initiative and complete the job once and for all. The current contribution comparison is below and it can be seen that maybe the eye has been taken of the ball now that the challenge is over. 

Now is a good time to remember just how close we are!

Ride to End Polio raises more than US$375,000 for polio eradication

Ninety Rotarian cyclists from clubs throughout the United States took part in the El Tour de Tucson on 17 November in Arizona, raising more than US$375,000 for polio eradication.

RI General Secretary John Hewko and his wife, Marga, were among the Rotarians, friends of Rotary, and family members who hit the pavement along with 9,000 riders from around the world in the charity bike ride, sponsored by the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, completing distances of 42, 60, 85 or 111 miles. The Hewkos also exceeded their goal of $111,000 in pledges, raising more than $200,000 for the ride.

Rotarians have been taking part in the ride since 2009, when the End Polio Now campaign was designated an official beneficiary of the race, allowing Rotary to enroll cyclists to gather pledges for the campaign. In that first year, 27 cyclists raised $35,000. The number has grown steadily since.

This year’s festivities included a pre-ride dinner the night before. Rotarians also staffed a water station along the route, and a booth at the finish line where finishing cyclists could gather and learn more about Rotary and polio eradication.

Since 1985, Rotary and its global polio eradication partners have spearheaded the effort to rid the world of the crippling disease. Cases have dropped to an all-time low -- there were fewer than 200 worldwide in 2012 as of 31 October – and only Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria remain polio-endemic.

But a $700 million funding shortfall for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative threatens to impede progress. Already the funding gap has curtailed scheduled immunization activities in polio-affected countries. If eradication fails and polio rebounds, up to 200,000 children per year could be paralyzed.

Rotary is ramping up its advocacy work in the 200 countries and regions where Rotary clubs exist to encourage every national government to commit to help meet the shortfall. Visitors towww.endpolionow.org can lend their voice to the advocacy efforts by signing a petition for world leaders. Supporters can also upload their photos to be part of the World’s Biggest Commercial, a new initiative to promote polio eradication launched on World Polio Day.

Learn how you can still contribute to the ride.

Wellington South Recognised for Contributions to the Rotary Foundation

On Wednesday Chris and I had the pleasure of attending Wellington South Rotary Christmas function, held at the Pines overlooking Cook Strait on a stunning Wellington night.  This was a fitting occasion for us to present a banner recognising their Club as having given the greatest per capita amount to the Rotary Foundation in 2011/12.

DG Graeme and Chris with Vocational Scholar Casey

It was an enjoyable night and our thanks to the club for their continued support to the Foundation.

Completion of Official Club Visits

This week Christine and I completed our official Club visits when we visited our own home Club of Plimmerton.  Here the Club had put on a Scottish night complete with Haggis, Whiskey and Bagpipes.  It was a fun filled night with many wearing Scottish Kilts and other regalia.  It was an opportunity to present a Community PHF, a certificate for completion of the RLI courses, and to recognise the contribution that the Club has made to the Rotary Foundation.  Our thanks to President Bob and all of the members and partners of the club for their continuing support and for making this such a fitting end to our official Club visits.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all Clubs for the support you have shown to Chris and I as we have travelled throughout our District and you have made us feel so welcome.  We are looking forward to returning to Clubs over the next few months as we continue our DG journey.

Christchurch visit of ShelterBox President and Royal Patron recognises disaster response work

Today’s Christchurch visit by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall provides recognition of the New Zealand ShelterBox team’s post-earthquake efforts and their disaster response contribution around the world.

ShelterBox provides emergency accommodation and other survival essentials to disaster victims and was one of several volunteer organisations invited to meet the Duchess of Cornwall and HRH the Prince of Wales during a walkabout in central Christchurch today.

The Duchess of Cornwall was first introduced to the work of ShelterBox during a visit with the Prince of Wales to Pakistan in 2006, where they saw the charity’s work in the aftermath of the Kashmiri earthquake. Her Royal Highness was so impressed by ShelterBox’s innovative relief concept that she agreed to become President of the charity to show her support for their work.

As President of ShelterBox, Her Royal Highness has a strong interest in the work of the charity, and visited the ShelterBox headquarters in Helston, Cornwall in 2010 to personally thank volunteers who had provided relief for people affected by the earthquake in Haiti, during which ShelterBox deployed some 28,000 boxes providing ‘shelter, warmth and dignity’ to more than 300,000 people.

“ShelterBox’s strength and ability to respond quickly are a testament to the fantastic support and goodwill of its volunteers all around the world,” says Her Royal Highness. “I am very proud to be the President of this wonderful charity, and I have every faith that ShelterBox will continue to move from strength to strength over the next decade.”

Since its creation in 2000 when it sent a consignment of 143 boxes to earthquake victims in the Indian state of Gujarat, ShelterBox has established affiliates in 20 countries around the world, including New Zealand. More than a million people have now received ‘shelter, warmth and dignity’ from ShelterBox.

“We’re delighted and honoured to host our President and Royal Patron in Christchurch today,” says Michael Cahill, ShelterBox New Zealand’s Communications Director. “This visit is a fantastic acknowledgement for ShelterBox and recognises the many millions of people who have been affected not only by the Christchurch earthquake, but also the people around the world who we have been able to help following natural or manmade disasters over the last decade.”

ShelterBox is currently deploying its kits to assist in disaster relief in Syria, Iraq and Nigeria. “Nigeria recently experienced the worst flooding in 50 years with thousands of people having been displaced from their homes,” says Cahill. “While some families have been able to return to their homes as water levels dropped others’ homes have been completely washed away. The boxes that are provided to families will mean that they can relocate their ShelterBox tents near to the rivers and resume fishing, which is their source of income, as soon as possible.”