1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. australia and new zealand

5 February 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Important Dates
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District Leaders Training – Taree – 14th-15th February 2015
District Management and District Finance meetings – 15th February 2015
District 9650 Public Speaking Semi Finals Walcha – 21 February 2015
Port Macquarie Sunrise – Azaming Mystery Tour – 22nd February 2015
Cluster 5 Celebration Dinner – Armidale February 25th 2015
Combined Macksville/ Nambucca Heads / Bellingen dinner 6.30 for 7pm Island Golf Club
Polio Plus Movie Night February 2015
 Tamworth 26th February 2015 Forum 6 Cinema
 Sawtell 26th February 2015 Birch Carroll and Coyle Coffs Harbour Tickets $20
 Laurieton 26th February 2015 Laurieton Plaza Theatre
 Great Lakes clubs 26th February 2015 Tuncurry Cinemas
 Taree/ Wingham clubs 26th February 2015 Fays Twin Cinemas
Hat Night Dinner Taree on Manning club Saturday 28th February 2015
New England Tech Fest Armidale - 4th- 6th March 2015
District Conference Inverell 13-15th March 2015
RYLA - Yarrahapinni 21st-28th March 2015
RYAG Sheep - Walcha 25th- 29th March 2015
Coffs Coast Science and Engineering Challenge – 31 March 2015
MUNA – Inverell 16-17th May 2015 (please note correct date, apologies from the Editor!!)
PETS – Tamworth 18th-19th April 2015
Trivia Night Rotary Club of Port Macquarie – 2 May 2015 6pm for 7pm Pt Macq Panthers
District Assembly – Port Macquarie 3rd May 2015
District Assembly – Gunnedah 24th May 2015
Rotary International Convention Sao Paulo Brazil - 6th-9th June 2015
District Changeover – Inverell Saturday 27 June 2015
5 February 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
D G Jottings
Sue and I have commenced visits around the District again as well as planning to visit club events that are
occur. We have visited Walcha club who advised they have 27 registered participants coming to
Conference and this week the Warialda and Inverell club. It was great to visit Warialda as they are always
welcoming. Next week we hope to visit a number of Coffs clubs and those further south as we make our
way to Taree for the District Leaders training .
DISTRICT CONFERENCE
The District Conference On 13th to 15th March in Inverell is coming up quickly. Quite a number of clubs
have booked accommodation and registered and we thank them for getting in early. For those that
register before the 15th Feb there is an early bird discount so do not miss out. Get a group together and
come to Inverell to meet and enjoy the networking and friendship.
The Conference committee has worked hard to get great speakers, meals and entertainment for this
memorable weekend , especially with Max Walker as our MC and Mike McQueen as our main keynote ,
they must be seen.
District Award nomination forms and judging criteria has been sent out to all club Presidents and
secretaries , so again please take the opportunity to showcase the great work your club has done , and
receive the accolades for this work. Entries close on the 27 th Feb .
RI Significant Awards
RI have advised that applications for Significant Achievement Awards are due on 15th March. If you think
you have a project that is a chance to win, put in an application.
The Significant Achievement award recognises clubs that have outstanding community service projects.
The criteria is as follows
 Address a significant problem or need in the community
 Involve most of the club members in personal rather than monetary ways
 Be commensurate with the club size and resources
 Be capable of emulation by other Rotary clubs
 Be currently active or reach conclusion in the rotary year
 Be carried out by just the one club
If you feel you can meet this criteria , have a go.
CLUB DUES
This is just a reminder to all clubs that Club dues to RI are due before the end of
April ,being only a 4 month window to pay rather than the previous 6 months . District Dues are also due
so please ensure that D9650 has a 100 % payment rate in the near future.
5 February 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
110th BIRTHDAY of ROTARY
Have your local clubs or cluster combined to organise a big day out on or around the 23 rd Feb 2015 for the
110th birthday of rotary. This is a terrific opportunity to showcase what Rotary does in your communities
by coming together and inviting the public to participate as well, perhaps with a sausage sizzle or similar.
Many in our communities wonder what rotary does , so promote the day and showcase our achievements
and enjoy the company of other clubs there as well. And don’t forget to invite the media and newspaper ,
as they love a good news story when they occur.
Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Trivia Night 2 May 2015
The Rotary Club of Port Macquarie will be holding a Trivia Evening on the 2nd May 2015 to raise funds for Rotary
Lodge in Port Macquarie.
Date: 2nd May Time: 6pm for 7pm
Venue: Port Macquarie Panthers Bay Street Port Macquarie
Cost: $10pp tables of 10
RSVP: 24th April 2015 to Sam Openshaw Mobile: 0408 235 870
Congratulations PDG Neville Parsons- Citizen of the Year!
From the Port Macquarie Independent newspaper Thursday 29 January 2015………….
Wauchope resident and community volunteer PDG Neville Parsons has taken out the Port Macquarie - Hastings
Citizen of the Year award for 2015.
Local Australia day award winners were announced at a special public ceremony at the Glasshouse on Sunday with
winners being presented with their certificates and medallions by Mayor Peter Besseling and Australia Day
ambassador Henry Szeps OAM.
Neville has tirelessly volunteered over 25 years of his time to local health and education boards, as well as being
heavily involved with Rotary.
Neville has volunteered significant time to the Wauchope and wider Hastings communities for over 25 years. He is a
member of the Rotary Club of Wauchope since 1981. His participation on a variety of health and education boards
and local initiatives is consistently backed up with a heavy involvement in all the 'labouring' aspects involved with
ensuring community groups succeed.
He has served as past president, secretary, district governor, a multiple Paul Harris fellow, chairman of Rotary Down
Under Inc., served on the Bundaleer Nursing Home and Timbertown management committees, served on the
Wauchope High School council and Public school council, board member of the Mid North Coast Local Health Board
and a director of Life Education NSW - he has consistently demonstrated his willingness to lend not only his profile
but his organisational expertise to community causes and events.
5 February 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
RYLA
What is RYLA??
Rotary Youth Leadership Award
The course extends over a period of seven days. It provides skills in many areas including understanding human
behaviour, social interaction skills, committee functions, human values, leadership, presentation skills & public
speaking, lifestyle issues, communication & organisation. The daily program is carefully structured & planned. The
presenters are professionals in their area of expertise.
The objective of RYLA is to empower each participant with leadership & management skills, which will assist them in
becoming effective leaders at the youth level & beyond. Many former RYLA Awardees have benefited in ways far
beyond the course objective. Past RYLArians are part of the Leadership team each year & go on to become more
involved in additional community activities.
Contact your local Rotary Club for details or refer to our website: www.rotary9650.org.au/RYLA
RSVP
28th February
RYLA
Yarrahapinni 21 -28 March 2015
www.rotary9650.org.au/RYLA
RYLA – the future of Rotary
5 February 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Charity Bike Ride – Rob may pass through your town!
I have been contacted by DRFC Tony Castley of 9685, with regard to possible support for this ride.
World records are there to be broken and the record to beat is 34 days. Rob Lewandowski from
Launceston in Tasmania intends to break this record in March. Relatives of Tony Castley will be
acting as support crew on this ride. The ride has been fully funded and will depart Melbourne in
March 1. From a Guinness Book of Records point of view, the towns that Rob must pass through are
listed below. The intention is to ride an average of more than 400km per day to break this record.
It was proposed by Tony that in the record attempt, that we should try and raise money for Polio.
The ride has already been planned out and there will be a follow up mail with approximate times at
each town along the way. It would great if each Rotary Club along the way could have a tin rattle to
raise funds as Rob passes through the town.. There is already a website set up to collect funds as
well. I would also think that as it is a world record attempt that the breakfast TV shows might be
interested as well. Tony thinks that he could get the support vehicle branded with END POLIO NOW
stickers?
The reason for writing is find interest. I know the notice is short, but this thing is going to happen
and it is an opportunity to get on board and raise the profile of Polio. Rod has not approached us, it
is the idea of Tony and I for one, think that it is worthwhile. Below is the Facebook page which was
recently set up.
I know that the ride will not pass through all Districts but I thought you all should be aware of this
potential involvement. Your thoughts would be appreciated?
5 February 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Here is the list of towns Rob needs to pass through for his ride.
Melbourne
Bairnsdale
Wollongong
Sydney
Newcastle
Gold Coast
Brisbane
Rockhampton
Townsville
Darwin
Geraldton
Perth
Bunbury
Albany
Eucla
Port Augusta
Adelaide
Geelong
Melbourne
Yours in Rotary service Mark Anderson Senior Coordinator | Fund Development Rotary Foundation
[email protected] Direct Line: +61 2 8894 9841 Office Line: +61 2 8894 9800
Mobile: +61 408 622 698 Facsimile: +61 2 8894 9899