Megan MacDonald Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar

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Megan MacDonald in Nairobi

I first met Megan MacDonald in Los Angeles at the Rotary International Convention in 2008.  Megan was on her way to Kenya to study at the University of Nairobi as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.  Megan has kept a blog on her activities and some of her posts are truly remarkable.

Megan’s Blog

Here is an example of her writing:

WRITINGS OF MEGAN

“Have you seen The Constant Gardener? Do you remember the rolling sprawl of rusted tin roofs in Kibera? Did the movie capture the fractured earth, the plastic bag-choked bits of green amidst the ever-present brown?

I went to Kibera for the first time shortly after I arrived in Kenya to visit Red Rose School. I wore the wrong shoes, and was cautioned that were I ever to go through the gate next to the school that beckoned into the depths of the slum I better make sure my feet were covered. I’ve been back many times since to the inner Toi market (fabulous used clothing market, I have a friend who got an authentic Louis Vuitton for under $1) and Makina market where my tailor is. All these visits allowed me to say, “yes, I’ve been to Kibera” though none of them in anyway conveyed the reality of the place I visited for the first time today. The border does not betray the inner sanctum’s reality. No, it does not

It is hard to reconcile my ability to see the beauty, joy and goings on of life in the slum, with the revolting site you have to process in order to know it must be changed. The land is sucked of the green. The water is scarce, the trash unbelievable. Children meander through filth, shining their glorious youth and innocence in order to make it human, to make it bearable.

There is music, constant music. There are babies being held, old men shooting the shit, hunched grandmas walking together. It is life, at the same time as it should, and never should, be.”

Megan MacDonald Nairobi, Kenya 8th June 2009.  From Megan’s blog “There She Goes”.


Australian Rotary Conference Canberra 2010

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Cowboy Logic by RI President Ray Klinginsmith

Rotary District 9710 organised a wonderful gathering of Rotarians from all around Australia, New Zealand and our neighbours including Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.

The conference was well attended with Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith as the main attraction.  “Cowboy Ray”,  from Missouri,  spoke well and had plenty to say about Rotary and our future in society.  President Ray also spoke about membership retention and being modern in our outlook and thinking.  Ray also encouraged us to throw away the old ways and look to innovative ways that we can serve our community at home and abroad.  Ray used many an example of cowboy logic to get his points across.

“Always take a good look at what you’re about to eat. It’s not so important to know what it is, but you should know what it was. and don’t worry about bitin’ off more than you can chew, your mouth is likely a whole lot bigger than you think.”

President Ray encouraged all of us to build BIGGER, BETTER and BOLDER Rotary Clubs.

All the speakers were well chosen and gave us plenty to think about and do when we return to our clubs.  The break out sessions were well run with good moderators and excellent discussion.  I was most impressed with some of the younger Rotarians, Rotoractors and Interactors who attended and who contributed.  Our future looks good with these younger Rotarians and future Rotarians.

Here are some photographs from the weekend held at the Hellenic Club in Woden in the ACT:

Many thanks to Rotarian Grace Teng and PDG John Egan for the photographs.

Tanaka is choice for 2012-13 RI president

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Sakuji Tanaka

Sakuji Tanaka, a member of the Rotary Club of Yashio, Saitama, Japan, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2012-13. Tanaka will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates.

Tanaka said he would like to see Rotary “continue its vital work as the force to improve our communities.”

For 32 years, Tanaka was president of Tanaka Company Ltd., a wholesale firm that went public in 1995 and later merged with other leading wholesalers in Japan. Currently, he serves as vice president of the Yashio City Chamber of Commerce and adviser to Arata Co. Ltd., an animal feed and pet food wholesaler. He also chaired the National Household Papers Distribution Association of Japan for eight years. Tanaka studied business at Nihon Management Daigakuin and Tokyo Management Daigakuin.

Guest Speaker Terry Jones August 9th

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Terry Jones in Full Flight

Our guest speker this week was Terry Jones from Bathurst:

Terry is currently Editor of the Bathurst Newspaper, the Western Advocate.  In the 1970s he was Editor of the Griffith Area News and has a wealth of knowledge of the events before and after Donald Mackay’s disappearance.  On the evening of July 15, 1977, Donald Mackay disappeared from a hotel car park after having drinks with friends.  He was never seen again.

Terry gave an inspiring and excellent talk on the events in Griffith from the early days, long before Don McKay was murdered, through to the latest drug busts etc.  Terry covered it so thoroughly that there were only two questions asked at the end.  98 people attended this special event in Coolamon.

Shelter Box in Pakistan August 2010

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ShelterBox tents in use in the region

ShelterBox tents are now up and providing immediate shelter to around 1,000 families displaced by the recent flooding in Pakistan.

The flooding is the worst in 80 years and has caused wide-spread devastation, particularly in District Mianwali, Bhakkar & Khushab and Punjab Province.

The tents were distributed by long-standing ShelterBox partners the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP).

SHELTERBOX WEB SITE

Guest Speaker Terry Jones at Coolamon 9th August

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PP Grahame Miles advised the meeting of the visit of Terry Jones on Monday 9th August.  We were all asked to make an effort to get as many people along to hear Terry a brilliant raconteur and has many wonderful tales of his time in Griffith as a reporter.

Terry will be speaking on “Rotarian Don Mackay’s Exposure of Underbelly”

Terry is currently Editor of the Bathurst Newspaper, the Western Advocate.  In the 1970s he was Editor of the Griffith Area News and has a wealth of knowledge of the events before and after Donald Mackay’s disappearance.  On the evening of July 15, 1977, Donald Mackay disappeared from a hotel car park after having drinks with friends. He was never seen again.

Please advise Marg and Grahame of your attendance.  6927 3377 Marg or 6927 3274 Grahame.

Donald Mckay in Griffith

The Statue of Donald Mackay in Griffith {Click on thr thumbnail to enlarge}

Nigeria making impressive progress against polio

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Bill Gates says he is impressed with the progress Nigeria has made against polio and urges partners in the fight to eradicate the disease not to let up.

Gates, cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, shared personal observations from his June trip to Nigeria on his blog, Gates Notes. The post, along with others about polio, are appearing this week on the Gates Foundation blog, Foundation Notes.

In addition, the Gates Foundation website is highlighting two videos produced in June for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

“I was very excited to visit northern Nigeria in June, because the progress there since my last visit in February 2009 has been especially impressive,” Gates writes. As of 20 July, only six cases of the wild poliovirus have been reported in Nigeria this year, compared with 346 during the same period in 2009.

Full Story Here

Rotary Australia World Community Service or RAWCS

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RAWCS

Rotary Australia World Community Service Ltd (RAWCS) assists Rotary Clubs develop and manage world community service projects.

Australian Rotarians participate in activities to improve the lives and living conditions of others and to promote international understanding and goodwill.

Rotary Clubs are active in supporting developing countries in our region in the fields of Health, Hunger, Education and other Humanitarian Aid programmes. RAWCS facilitates their work.

Their is a link to their new web site under Rotary Links on the R/H side bar.

You can also access RAWCS here:

RAWCS

Looking for  a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) ?

RAWCS Overseas Aid Fund is a Deductible Gift Recipient so is able to offer tax deductible donations to support organisations with worthy projects in Australia and overseas.

Our Overseas Aid Fund holds the following registrations which will enable it to accept tax deductible donations and grants from all sources in Australia including business coorporations and not-for-profit organisations.

  • Deductable Gift Recipient
  • Tax Concession Charity
  • Income Tax Exempt Fund

RAWCS: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN LIVES AROUND THE WORLD.

FOR A FULL LIST OF RAWCS APPROVED PROJECTS GO HERE:

RAWCS PROJECTS