The people establishing Rotary in Wellington were facing similar issues to those we face today! The Spanish flu epidemic had just ended and over 700 people had died in Wellington alone. 8 years later people were dealing with the Great Depression, and saw a massive drop in NZ's standard of living. This sounds all too familiar!
Rotary has thrived over the course of many years through wars, disease, recessions and pestilence. But the question is how did club members respond to these difficulties and challenges and advance positive social change? We have some advantages from previous times – communication pathways are sophisticated and consumer friendly. Those of you who have joined one of the Zoom meetings must agree with that. Our telephone tree is there to be used by everyone anytime, any day. Please remember to be in touch with others in your group or in others.
We can of course still be some use in the community. The Board will be considering a couple of initiatives in our meeting this Tuesday evening. Make sure to read the article elsewhere in this Bulletin regarding Cyclone Harold and the necessity of Rotary’s ERKS to the people affected. Those of us who are not in the vulnerable age group or health compromised have already helped with prescription collecting and other activities. And many of you have offered other assistance, where you can, to members of the community. Thank you to those who have bought raffle tickets to support the new Wellington Children’s Hospital and thank you to Malcolm Andrews for collating that collection.
Thank you to Pat who is continuing with his mission to distribute our 50th Anniversary Book. If you know of anyone or any group you think would enjoy having a copy or if it would be of interest to them please let Pat know.
Our next Club Meeting is on Tuesday April 28th at 6.00pm. I look forward to seeing many of your smiling faces on screen. That meeting will be Partners Night so invite the others in your bubble to come along and enjoy a camaraderie and matters of interest that we will cover.
Tawa Rotary Club Meeting will be via Zoom at 6.00pm on Tuesday 28th April.
You just need to go onto your computer, ipad, tablet or smartphone, click on the link and you should be taken to the meeting automatically. It helps to have your microphone and camera activated. Our guest speaker is just being confirmed.
Be in front of your computer/laptop/tablet/smartphone, open this message and click the link below.
A partners night tonight, I hope to see you all there. Please feel free to bring a beverage of your choice to the meeting.
An update on our publishing venture, Nana’s Shed Books, since Marie spoke to the Club in April 2018.
Despite Marie’s illness we managed to published two more books at the end of last year – Nana’s New Porch – Te Mahau Hou o Kui and a second edition of our first book, retitled Nana’s Shed – Te Wharau o Kui. Our first edition of the latter has now sold out, while 2018’s Bella’s Fringe continues to sell well.
As you might guess, both new books are bilingual. Early childhood centres and junior class teachers in primary schools, which are our biggest customers, are desperate for well-translated bilingual books and we have been fortunate to be able to contract one of New Zealand’s leading translators, Piripi Walker, to do the work. Piripi has translated a number of children’s books, including Margaret Mahy’s A Lion in the Meadow.
This week we have also contracted a second illustrator, allowing us to begin producing two books at a time and she will be working on a new series of books for the 18-month to two-year age group.
As well, we now have enough standing to be taken on by a national book distributor with reps marketing to retailers and libraries, which has lightened our load a little.
And then there was Covid-19! As with most other small businesses, sales have ground to a halt and the boxes of books just sit there looking at us. However, we’re still able to keep working on this year’s bilingual titles, Nana’s Veggie Garden and This Dog that is My Dog, for publication in October.
Note: We have a 20% discount on all our books for Tawa residents.
Cyclone Harold has devastated parts of Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands & Vanuatu.
Fewer families have been affected than usual because communities are better prepared than they once were.
But the need is still considerable and it is complicated by COVID-19.
These countries had already closed their national borders, to protect their highly vulnerable populations. Rotary Emergency Response Kits (ERKs) are often the first tangible support people receive and they are being distributed from stock that, fortunately, is already positioned in-country.
Rotary now needs to raise funds to replenish the ERKs in NZ to purchase the items and assemble the packs once lock-down permits.
The ERKs have been specifically developed for Pacific-needs, by Rotary in partnership with MFAT and the recipients countries.
Our Board will be discussing this situation at the Board meeting on Tuesday evening.
Polio immunisation programmes have been paused because the programme would break the physical distancing and hygiene rules needed.
Polio surveillance is being maintained and used to find cases of COVID-19 cases.
Polio-eradication-logistics experts are facilitating supply of personal protective equipment to health workers.
Polio resource centres are running publicity programmes to sensitize religious leaders and community influencers to the hygiene and physical distancing required to fight COVID-19.
There isn't currently a vaccine against COVID-19; neither was there a polio vaccine during the polio epidemic.
The disaster of this pandemic is a reminder of the importance of Rotary maintaining it's work against polio. You can donate to End Polio Now
Our thanks to Michael Fagg, for this update.
Take care everyone, keep safe and well, and remember if you need any assistance you only need to contact President Judith or any of the Board Members.
I spend a lot of time thinking of family, not just my own or the extended family of Rotary, but also the families we are helping in the communities we serve. In many parts of the world, mothers and children face challenges to survive that most of us will never comprehend. According to the World Health Organization, the risk of a woman in a low-income country dying during pregnancy or childbirth, or from related causes, is about 120 times higher than that of a woman living in a high-income country. It is encouraging that infant mortality rates are declining globally, yet 4 million babies annually still die within the first year of life.
In April, Rotary turns its attention to maternal and child health. And when we think of what we can do to help, we can look to clubs like the Rotaract Club of Calabar South-CB, Nigeria, for inspiration. It teamed up with the Rotaract Club of Canaan City (CB) in a program focused on educating mothers on best practices to prevent infant mortality and promote postnatal health for themselves and their babies. In Bangladesh, the Rotary Club of Dhaka North provides free surgeries and medicine to pregnant women who cannot afford the hospital costs associated with giving birth. I encourage you and your club to go to ideas.rotary.org to find projects like these that are helping to save mothers and children.
Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for both community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back.
Did you know?
Rotarians are both women and men with a passion for service
Our professional members have significant opportunity for personal development
Rotary has wide-ranging social and networking opportunities
You are welcome to ask about how Rotary can enhance your lifestyle and its service opportunities
Rotary at a Glance
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
