This week is a combined meeting with Erina and Kincumber clubs (TEK night) and will be an in-person meeting at Breakers Country Club commencing at 6pm. Bookings are essential. Please use the following link to secure your place:
Corrine Hodson, a Wiradjuri Ngunnawal woman, is a passionate advocate for social justice and development of Aboriginal leadership. Corrine is a board member of Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services and Central Coast Community Council and is currently working as Community Engagement Manager with Barang Regional Alliance. Corrine has many qualifications in management, training, counselling, and has held a number of previous board positions.
Accompanying Corrine will be team members Vickie Parry (executive Director) and Gary Field (Operations Manager)
Not only will we hear what these amazingly dedicated people are doing for our community through the Barang Regional Alliance, but also Corrine will perform a song or two for us.
It’s lovely to have our beautiful sunny Australian days back with us. Nothing like sunshine to lifts the spirits. Eight or 9 of us attended coffee last Thursday and Norma brought along a lovely lady called Rosemary. Rosemary is also special because she has a Poodle named Ziggy and you all know my weakness for Poodles. Rosemary moved to the Coast 8 months ago and lives in the same home block as Bill and Norma. Rosemary will attend our Thursday meeting.
This Thursday we have our first face to face TEK meeting in a year. Corrine Hodson and a couple of her team, from The Barang Regional Alliance, will tell us about the amazing work they do. Corrine is an engaging and inspirational speaker. It’s such a great feeling to be back having face to face meetings after 10 months of Zoom -although I did enjoy Zoom.
Our next meeting is Thursday 28th January 2021 and we’ll have two meet-ups available that day. We’ll have coffee at Aromas, 11.00 as well as dinner at a restaurant chosen by David Boyd – to be advised at this Thursday’s meeting.
Our speaker for 4 February at Breakers is Liesel Tesch – our Labour Member for Gosford. On 18 February we have Dick Whittaker speaking to us. Dick is part of our bush care group but is also “Mr Weather Man”. Not to be missed.
January is finally here. As we look forward to 2021, our thinking doesn’t have to stop at the end of these 365 days. Are you thinking ahead about what you will be doing in 2022, 2023, and beyond?
We cannot foresee the future, but we can steer ourselves where we want to go. I think it is important that every Rotary club hold a strategic meeting at least once a year. Past RI Director Greg Yank, who has a lot of experience working with clubs on their plans, shares his viewpoint.
A famous aphorism states, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Planning is essential to achieving success in all areas of life, including Rotary, and we’re getting better at it every year.
Strategic planning for Rotary clubs works. I have helped many clubs find that pathway by working with them to build what I call a blueprint, a multiyear plan that answers the fundamental question: “What is our vision for our club?” The best plans I have seen are those that are focused, when a club concentrates its resources on the best opportunities it has. Your Rotary club cannot be all things to its members and to the community it serves; it has limited human, financial, and time resources. A successful plan factors in assets and limitations to chart the desired pathway for your members.
Begin building a multiyear strategic plan by brainstorming with your club, asking, “What are our initiatives and priorities for the next two to three years?” Document your answers using action-oriented language that is specific, concrete, and measurable about the goals you want to achieve.
Next, narrow down your initiatives to a core set of three to five priorities. Your club will then develop specific objectives for each initiative, outlining who will be involved, key milestones of achievement, how progress will be tracked, and a timeline for completion. Keep your plan short and simple.
Then go out and do it. Review the progress you make toward accomplishing the initiatives, and revise as needed at least once a year. Rotary has a solid template to assist clubs in their planning, which you can find at my.rotary.org/en/document/strategic-planning-guide.
We want to enrich and enliven our clubs with new discussions and ideas. But how do we attract the diverse professionals, from different backgrounds, ages, and experiences, who are all driven by as strong a sense of integrity as we are?
Through strategic planning, we explore this question to define the very nature of our club and the value it offers to its members and to the community. Each club is different, and each club’s value will be unique. During the planning process, clubs may also find that some of the activities they used to do are no longer relevant or attractive.
Once your club makes a strategic plan, it’s time to take action and carry out the necessary changes. When we do that — as we engage members in vibrant and active clubs that not only have fun but also serve their communities with projects that have real and lasting impact — our clubs grow stronger. And when we discover what makes our own clubs unique and build upon those core values in all our efforts, Rotary Opens Opportunities to enrich the lives of everyone.
Hi Mary, Anton de Freitas and I received this token of appreciation from Jo Swart, the CEO of Somerset West Night Shelter. They couldn't thank your club so decided to thank us instead. It's always nice to play Santa Claus from someone's donation😄
(The night shelter is who/what we fund with our Covid grant).
ROTARY'S BIRTHDAY in February. DO YOU REMEMBER OUR CENTRAL COAST 100yr PROJECT in 2005 ?
Rotary International celebrated its 100 years in February 2005 and as Assistant Governor for all 14 Central Coast Clubs at the time, I was elected/seconded to coordinate all clubs to combine to provide a remembrance of Rotary’s achievements for our local community.
All 14 clubs contributed and enthusiastically supported the idea. My committee initially proposed contributing to a 100 bed student accommodation at Ourimbah UNI, but red tape etc led us to productive negotiations with Mt Penang Gardens.
Our combined Rotary club funds of $70,000 provided construction of the appealing “Puddle Gardens” and “Rock Gardens” within the Complex at Kariong. Rotary plaques and a time capsule were installed. The time capsule included newsletters and details of great Rotary project by our local clubs over many past years. See www.mtpenangparklands.nsw.gov.au
Fifteen years have past and the gardens are looking very good with a fabulous variety of unusual plants, shrubs and trees, pleasant waterways, a kids play area and good café/restaurant .
I suggest local Rotary Clubs or Rotarians should make a return visit. Its free, outside and safe from the “CV “ bug.
If you wish to arrange a transfer meeting there contact Café owner Jas on 0425 835 605 to discuss dinner arrangements and extending hours of park opening.
Regards & Thanks to all Coast Clubs.
Graham Black
Project Coordinator
[Gosford North Rotary] Mob 0410 509 071
QUIZ: What was Rotary local project to commemorate Rotary’s 75th Birthday ?
ANSWER: Coast Rotary Clubs combined to build six units at Gosford Hospital for family short term stays to support patients.
After 40 yrs good use they have just been demolished to make way for our great new hospital facilities.
Rotary Foundation receives highest rating from Charity Navigator for 13th consecutive year
By Rotary International
For the 13th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.
The Foundation earned the recognition for adhering to sector best practices and executing its mission in a financially efficient way, demonstrating both strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. Only one percent of the organizations Charity Navigator evaluates have received 13 consecutive 4-star evaluations.
"Your achievement and 4-star rating will enhance your organization’s fundraising and public relations efforts,” says Michael Thatcher, president and chief executive officer of Charity Navigator. "This exceptional designation sets the Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness."
The rating reflects Charity Navigator's assessment of how the Foundation uses donations, sustains its programs and services, and practices good governance and openness.
Update on District Conference from D9685 Communications Director
Here are a couple of reminders for you and your members.
1. Your Club's 3 to 5 minute video is due to me by the 31st of January. The best 10 will be featured at the District 9685 Virtual Conference in March. The video voted to be the best will win for the Club a PHF to be awarded by the Club to anyone they wish.
2. In the last eNews of 2020, it was announced that the $5.00 per member charge for the Conference has been cancelled. Clubs will not be invoiced for this amount. So lets encourage all members to participate and join us in the Conference, Plan how your Club will do this - either individually at home, small groups in members homes, or as a group at a venue. If in groups, plan your catering.
3. Encourage all of you members to register, so that the links can be sent to them. Click HERE.
4. The next District Governor's eNews is coming out next Thursday. Encourage all members to read it.
For clubs based in NSW we have written to all Councils and Shires advising them of Graffiti Removal Day on Sunday 28 March 2021.
Each year we strive to create preventative measures against repeat graffiti, last year we had great success with murals, they have a 10–12-year life span.
This year we thought of combing Rotary's 100 years in Australia with the green preventative measure. We have informed the Councils and Shires of Rotary's celebration and have asked them to provide for free trees where Councils do their own propagation, for sites where we can remove the graffiti, plant trees in front of the walls or fences thus preventing it being reoffended. if Rotary Clubs can work with local school children and plant 100 trees at these sites as a way of celebrating 100 years, greening the planet and preventing graffiti reoccurring. Having the school children involved will have them take ownership of the project and learn about greening the planet and the fight against graffiti. The added bonus of the promotional value clubs will gain is enormous.
Of course, in addition to this activity we will be working with our community volunteers and Rotary Clubs to perform our normal Graffiti Removal Day operations where we regularly remove over 30,000 sq metres of graffiti each year from residential and community assets with over 2,500 volunteers.
If you can pass this through to your club members, I would be appreciative.
Want to learn more about the wonderful organisation we belong to?
The Rotary Leadership Institute is a great way to add to your Rotary knowledge:
President Mary: "I encourage any member who hasn’t attended RLI to now attend. Being online there is no need to travel. A quick easy way to learn about this amazing organisation to which we all belong. Lynn, mark and Mary found the experience well worthwhile.
What better way to spend time under Covid restrictions."
The following is an article by the District 9685 RLI Coordinator for 2020-21, Christine Owen
'I want to encourage you to have Club members sign up for the Rotary Leadership Institute(RLI) in this new Rotary year as it is a relevant, valuable learning and development opportunity for Rotarians of all experience levels.
Following a successful trial, the RLI course has moved online (via Zoom) and will be conducted as a compact weekend course. Each course will commence with an introductory session on Friday night and continue over Saturday and Sunday, power-packed to enhance participant’s Rotary knowledge and leadership skills which can be used in their Rotary life straight away. It is great value at only $30 including all materials and undertaken from the convenience of their own home!
Should circumstances permit, face to face courses may be re-introduced in 2021 at a cost of $75 including all materials, coffee breaks and lunch. The venue will be advised nearer to the dates.
Led by experienced facilitators, graduates have described RLI as ‘thebest Rotary training’ they have had.
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