Bulletin 34 RCoBS (Mar 24, 2020)

We hope that this bulletin finds you all well. We are working hard to see how we can keep us connected so that we can continue to make a meaningful difference as far as possible. A few options available are Zoom meetings at our regular meeting times and guest speakers joining us via this video conference medium. Jim is currently exploring this option with the guest speakers he lined up for us. Adrian and Toni attended the following Zoom meeting organised by the DG:

Monday March 23^rd, DG DISTRICT 9800 conference meeting via ZOOM

The conference agenda was led by DG Grant Hocking; 16 other Rotarians participated. These included Adrian, Allie and myself (Toni). Using ZOOM was a first for me; Adrian and I were together at the time, and I found the programme/process to be quite easy and user-friendly. As a result, I encourage other members to have a go and connect online at 6pm on Monday and Wednesday evenings for more such meetings for the foreseeable future.

Details are as follows:

To join the D9800 Zoom Meeting: Your computer or phone can be used with a camera and microphone. Zoom video conferencing works best if you restart your Computer immediately before the meeting and there are no other programs running at the same time e.g. email. You can use a headset such as earbuds used with your smartphone. You mute your microphone unless speaking to other Zoom participants. Use this link https://zoom.us/j/103410322 to open the Zoom window. You will soon see everyone who has joined the meeting.

Grant led the video conference with an update about Covid 19 and how it has affected us as Rotarians. For a start, all district conferences have been cancelled as a result of government guidelines. Many clubs have suspended their weekly meetings. And, of course, many club fundraisers and events have had to be either postponed indefinitely or cancelled.

Grant stressed that it was important we maintain contact as Rotarians, send messages and online invites to others and use electronic means to keep in contact using resources such as ZOOM or Messenger.

Grant mentioned a number of ways we could stay in contact and continue supporting each other, as well as our communities. He mentioned we could: -

Assist local councils with delivery of Care Packs to our most vulnerable people in the community.
Join a Walking Group – small groups are getting together but maintaining the recommended isolation distance of 1.5 metres.
Maintain contact with Bushfire Relief programmes
Connect with the above-mentioned District 9800 meeting at 6pm on Mondays & Wednesdays. Grant is currently negotiating to get intended speakers from our now-cancelled March District Conference to speak, hopefully on a weekly basis.
Become more innovative and research other means of raising funds online, such as raffles.
Stay connected; ring other members, perhaps by the use of setting up a “telephone tree” to stay in contact with each other.
Use the Rotary International website – go to the Learning Centre. Update your Club and personal records.

District Convention

All Rotarians will be refunded their monies just as soon as possible. Please be a little bit patient – it’s a big job. Most speakers and suppliers have refunded their deposits which were paid by District. Any losses incurred by the cancellation of the conference will be covered by District.

Bylaws and Constitution

These have been updated by David Whiting and are now available for clubs. The Bylaws now include rules around Associate; Corporate; Family and Satellite Club members.

PE Graeme Clarke, the RC of Bendigo, discussed plans for him and Ted Gretgrix to have a meeting with our Mayor Margaret O’Rourke on Tuesday 24^th March, regarding a possible Rotary Centenary Project. This was to be about the possible installation of “Slow Down” signs near schools in the Bendigo region. Graeme estimated the cost would be in the vicinity of $100,000.

Grant mentioned that local grants would be available from District to support such projects, and if 2-3 clubs were involved; funding of up to $9000 could be available.

Jane Pennington commented that the District had minimal WWC Form 3’s from clubs in our district, and she would send ADGs a list of those she had received. ADG Ron Payne is to follow up with clubs as to the current state of registrations in our cluster (which he has done in the meantime).

Peter Frueh commented that he felt it was important for us to:

Maintain contact and engagement with other Rotarians and support our community generally by ringing vulnerable people that we were aware of; and
Put together a package to assist clubs to use electronic means to keep in contact and make sure Rotarians and their club maintain engagement.

Adrian Schoo suggested that in light of the news that the RC of Strathdale will unfortunately disband as from the new Rotary year, perhaps some of their current projects could be continued by their members and divided up amongst the other clubs in Bendigo.

Meeting Closed at around 7pm.

What we have planned In the meantime, we will keep you up to date an hope to send you more details on how we can meet in a virtual environment and or keep connected in other ways. You can expect from us an email with an invitation to join a Zoom meeting scheduled for Wednesday 1 April (no joke). Keep safe and out of mischief.

Adrian

THE ZOO0M MEETING IS EVOLVING AT AN ALARMING PACE. (More information will be provided before the 1st of April)