Welcome to 2017 and the second half of this Rotary year. 
 
For obvious reasons the monthly District Newsletter had a rest at the end of December, but after an enjoyable recess over much of the last month the wheels are turning again as Rotary clubs return to ‘Doing good in the world.’ 
 
Many clubs have had at least that first ‘social’ meeting around a BBQ to catch up with one another. 
 
Social activities and fun aside now is a good time for club leadership teams to review what has been achieved thus far this Rotary year and to ensure strategies are in place to meet goals for the period to 30 June.
 
 
 
 
 
Tauranga Sunrise Rotary Club struck by the Great NZ Clobbering Machine.
 
A charity project to help save the lives of heart attack victims has instead left the organisers heart broken.
 
Rotary Clubs were selling fundraising key rings containing a single aspirin, which can be given as emergency lifeline to anyone who's suspected of suffering a heart attack, but it's hit a legal hurdle.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Happy New Year from the District Conference Team.

In celebration of the new year, the Early Bird Conference registration price has
been extended to 31 January.

Register and pay by 31 January for the full registration early bird special price of $180.  Registrations and payments after 31 January will cost $230 for a full registration
 
 
 
 

Our very own Dorothy-Anne Wilson – QSM

Mrs Wilson was until 2016 chairwoman of the Opotiki Arts Council, having joined it in 1986 to raise funds for the Opotiki Community Theatre Trust and Opotiki De Luxe Theatre.

She established the biannual Fibre & Fleece Festival in 1986 and served as coordinator until 1989 overseeing the extension of the festival to include a craft fair, workshops and an art exhibition to be hosted at Opotiki College.

 
 
 
Disasters don't stop for Christmas or the holidays, neither will we.
 
From the recent distributions of emergency winterized kits in Syria to the deployments of thousands of Shelter Kits in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew, we are relentless in our pursuit of providing lifesaving shelter.

The work of ShelterBox is only made possible because of private charitable support from our donors. 

 
 
 
 
Read it online and beat the postman to your copy of the latest Rotary Down Under.
 
It is real really good this month (ed)cheeky
 
As a magazine, Rotary Down Under continues to receive strong support and a great many positive comments for the new format of the last few months.  
 
Most feedback mentions the practical nature of many of the articles in helping Rotarians and clubs in their Rotary activity.  Therefore the use and sharing of these need to be encouraged at all levels of Rotary activity.
 
There is a bit of a “however”.
 
 
 
 

The Rotary Club of Lake Taupo are running a charity golf Tournament at Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary,

17th of February 2017.

Win a Suzuki Baleno with a hole-in-one!! Sponsored by Taupo Motor Company

Fabulous prizes for first three stableford teams and individual stableford prizes plus much more.

After match function includes delicious platter selection, prize giving and Auction. BBQ on course.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In August, polio cases were reported in Nigeria – the first found in two years – amidst a wider humanitarian crisis.
 
A large-scale regional emergency response was immediately launched, reaching millions of children with polio vaccines to ensure that immunity was rapidly built up.
 
Continued focus on Nigeria is critical in the upcoming year, as we work to find every virus, protect the health of children and achieve widespread vaccine coverage.

 
 
 
 
 
How important are the first 1000 days of a child’s life? 

The most important, according to Dr Johan Morreau, a paediatrician of 30 years who has seen it all. 
 
 
It is actually $30 less expensive than last year!
 
 
Posted on Jan 14, 2017
 
Rotary.org, our public-facing website, has a fresh, contemporary look that clearly answers the often-asked question: “What is Rotary?”
 
It’s the first step in a two-part update to our entire website: first Rotary.org, and then My Rotary. See what's changed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rotary, Nuts, Bolts & More !
 
An exciting opportunity to develop effective membership strategies.
18 March 2017  10.00am-6.00pm St Johns In The City (cnr. Willis and Dixon streets)  Wellington
 
Speakers Sina Wendt-Moore  CEO of Leadership NZ
Amy Steiner-Simpson   Bubblebee Social Media 
Noel Trevaskis   Rotary International  
Leon Hartnett  Invercargill Next Generation Rotary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Traffic Control at the National Elite Cycling Races Club members on traffic control.
 
On the 7th and 8th Jan a group of Club members helped out with traffic control of the National Elite Cycling races.
 
Club volunteers answered Rob Pattullo’s call the help Ivan Aplin and local cycling clubs with this work.
 
 
 
 
Happy New Year! 
 
The New Year Honours List 2017 on the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/ny2017-list includes the following Rotarians, former Rotarians and Honorary Members.
 
Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM)
 
  • Georgina Kingi, Past Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Taradale, NZ.
 
 
 
 

It’s a new year, and here’s something you can resolve to do for your club and for Rotary in 2017.

Think about the last time someone gave you a “word-of-mouth referral” that influenced your decision to do something.

Maybe a friend shared a new favourite restaurant over Facebook, or your neighbour recommended a plumber.

Or maybe it was that friendly suggestion to come along to a Rotary club meeting that got you involved in Rotary in the first place.

Regardless, you probably acted on the referral, in part, because it came from someone you trust!