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The Candle Festival Lights
The Club's Successful Stall
The Que to enjoy the Pancakes
The Candles at Night
Monday 5th December 2022
 
WELCOME ROTARIANS and FRIENDS
to the WEEKLY NEWS NOTES
 
 
FROM the DESK of the PRESIDENT
Andrea Conti
 
To all who helped at the candle festival (and I’m sure I’ve missed some people, AND Warrick please pass onto your son)

THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU.

Magnificent effort you all put in. Ross will update the Club at our meeting on Thursday.

Andrea  Conti
 
 
 
 
OTHER ROTARY at WORK and COMMUNITY NOTES
 
Duty Roster (November/ December 2022)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date:
8th December
15th December
Door:
Ross
Ross
‘Welcome & Opening the Meeting:
Keith G
John Little
Toast to
Rotary at Work:
Greg G
Sally G
Thank Speaker and Write Notes
Eric Carmody
Monica Garrett
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If Unable To Attend On A Day You Are Rostered, Please Organise A Replacement.
 
This Weeks Meeting Presentation by the Lithuanian Ambassador
 
We have the pleasure to hear from the Lithuanian Ambassador about the Geostrategic situation in Eastern Europe.
 
Darius has had a broad number of Foreign Affairs postings in his career including postings as Ambassador to South Africa, Poland, and Israel.
 
He was involved in developing and implementing strategic and operational Plans for Lithuania’s accession to NATO and the European Union. He was also involved in the developing and implementing a strategic partnership with Israel and World Jewish organisations.
 
Last Weeks Meeting
 
The World Energy Outlook and the Move to net Zero Emissions by Ian Cronshaw
 
Ian is a former a Division Head at the International Energy Agency, with responsibility for analysing and reporting on developments in global gas, coal and power markets including nuclear and renewables. He spent 36 years working with the Australian Government on energy policy, ranging from reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, renewables targets, oil and gas security, and energy technology, and, at The Australian National University, co-authoring a book on the regulation of unconventional gas production.
 
Ian discussed the global energy outlook and the need to transition rapidly to renewable energy away from fossil fuels. Current trends are insufficient and the world is headed for more than two degrees warming. The consequences For extreme weather events of current 1.4c change have been distressing not only in Europe where he was recently but elsewhere in the globe.
Australia needs clear policies to encourage the move to electrification and transition from fossil fuels. Our progress towards the take-up of electrical vehicles is the worst in the world.
We have much to do to improve the National Grid and encourage offshore wind development winds blow more consistently there.
 
Regards
George
 
Last Weeks Meeting
 
 
 
 
ROTARY AT WORK AND COMMUNITY NOTES
 
Visit from Rotary Peace Fellow from Costa Rica
 
 
Michael Rabey, Ross Brown and myself welcomed Rotary Peace Fellow Carlos Moreira-Alvarez to Canberra last week.  Carlos was in Canberra to make a presentation at the ANU in conjunction with the Embassy of Costa Rica, and sought our assistance with arrangements during his visit. 
 
Ross home-hosted Carlos, and Michael provided a comprehensive tour of the Peace Bell on Friday morning.  We also managed to fit in visits to the National Museum, Parliament House and the Arboretum during the brief time he was in Canberra.
 
The Rotary Peace Fellows are funded by The Rotary Foundation, with selection being through a highly competitive process.  Carlos impressed us with his enthusiasm and his commitment to the environment, Indigenous issues - both here and in his own country - and of course, peace.  
 
Monica Garrett   
 
News on the Resuscitation of the Membership Committee
 
"At the AGM a decision was made to initiate a new Membership Committee beginning immediately. The committee will meet and outline the objectives of the group and report back to the Club members. Naturally the key focus will be the goal of attracting new members to increase our numbers and ensure a strong future for the club.
 
The committee members are Russell Dew, Ross Brown, Greg Gibbs, Monica Garrett, George Wilson, Sally Goodspeed, Warrick Howieson and chair Michael Rabey.
 
Michael Rabey
0411367700"
 
 
More News on the Central West Flood Relief. Your Help is Requested
 
The purpose of this message is to update all D9705 Rotarians on the district's response to floods in the Central West of NSW.  
 
SITUATION
Communities in District 9705 continue to be affected by slow-moving floodwater in Central West NSW, both in the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee River valleys. A rough chart showing the extent of the flooding is attached.  The most affected town is Eugowa, however commercial and private buildings as well as public facilities have been affected in Molong, Cudal, Forbes, and Condobolin and several small towns.  The communities at Euabalong and Lake Cargelligo are presently dealing with flood water that has spread out over a large area. A significant SES presence is deployed in the district.  The situation in the Riverina is less serious though it seems apparent that many small settlements and areas where people have been living on major waterways will be affected for some time.  Indigenous communities are also likely to be disrupted and we are seeking information on their situations.  Mosquitos are already a problem and likely to become a greater one as pools of water provide ideal breeding grounds across the Central West.
 
UPDATE ON DISTRICT PLAN
At the District-level, we are cooperating with RAWCS and supporting the Rotary Coord Team Onsite. Or main RAWCS point of contact, Brad Quilliam, is has a seat on a Commonwealth Government team undertaking disaster management. That helps make our volunteer's efforts and Rotary as a whole visible to government officials and policy makers.
 
Inter-district liaison by DGE Andrea Grosvenor passed on Diedre Tomes's reports which has led to food deliveries from a Victorian Rotary club (RC of Canterbury) to distressed indigenous communities at Moama near Echuca.  RAWCS is also delivering of 1,700+ mosquito suppressing candles to Parkes where Rotarians there will arrange distribution to affected Rotary clubs in the most affected areas. We continue to organise and prepare for the distribution of donated goods, and to consider project-based activities that will follow the immediate relief efforts.  Focussed financial support to needy families and individuals is also under consideration.
 
ROTARY FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITY ONSITE
The main Rotary flood-relief activity is still in or around Eugowra and Forbes. The Action Team from the RC of Orange Daybreak supplemented by RC of Bathurst and several volunteers from other D9705 clubs are running a temporary store and a kitchen which is a key source of meals for many distressed Residents of Eugowra.   This energetic team is led by Michelle Duncan (President RC of Orange Daybreak).
 
The temporary store is provisioned with clothing, cleaning products, toiletries, sheets and bedding, fridges and other white goods.
The kitchen is now providing residents with food packs including cooked chilled foods, fruit salads and 'triangle packed' sandwiches.
As the supermarket in Eugowra is not likely to reopen until late January, these services may have to continue for some time.
A community laundry is now available.
 
Rotarian volunteers are also bringing order to the steady flow of donated goods and operating a BBQ that helps feed non-Rotary organisations working in the area.    
 
The Rotary Action Team is likely continue for another week or possibly more.   Michelle Duncan is rostering the volunteers.  Further volunteers may yet be needed for some time yet so if you can help, please stand ready.
 
Robert Shore (RC of Parkes) and Scott Griffiths (RC of Orange) continue the local coordination of Rotary volunteers that have come from across the district as well as from more distant parts.  They are working in Parkes, Orange to arrange for food, gas and supplies to be delivered to Eugowra for the BBQ service.  They are also liaising with numerous local ex-service organisations, charities, NSW Government health authorities and Resilience NSW (ResNSW) on a range of matters including day-to-day needs onsite and the appropriate distribution of relief funds that have been collected.
 
Though not wanted, donated goods continue to be received and managed in Eugowra and at Orange.   The items range from household cleaning products to thousands of tins of cat and dog food.  Quantities of used clothing have to be received, stored and recorded.  Scott Griffiths has arranged for two large trucks of donated goods to be moved to a commercial warehouse in Orange so Rotarians can organise the materials.  This will be a focus of Scott's team on Friday 2 Dec.
 
We are still working with the GIVIT team in the hope that it will be of some practical and complementary value in distributing goods to needy people.  Some training occurred for Rotary volunteers last Tuesday, however GIVIT is taking longer to bring into action than expected.  Further advice will be provided as soon as possible.   
 
In Forbes, Chris Finkel (RC of Forbes) and Sue-anne Nixon (RC of Parkes Ipomoea) are supporting their local communities by drawing on the financial donations provided by Rotary clubs from across the district.  The Orange Sky laundry service is being deployed to Forbes.
 
Deidre Tome continues to monitor the situation in the Riverina and points down river and will call for help if needed.   We are considering deploying further mosquito repellent candles to places in this region.
 
DONATIONS
The best way to help people and clubs across Central West NSW and the Riverina is by monetary contributions to RAWCS Project No: 32-2022-23 Central West New South Wales communities flood relief funds distribution Rotary Australia Benevolent Society (RABS).   The specific purpose is to distribute donated funds to people affected by the floods in Central West New South Wales and the Riverina..  Donations to this project are tax deductible.  Several clubs in other Districts have done so already.  
 
A recent RAWCS media release is attached.  Clubs may use it to inform their communities and to seek further donations.
 
Some clubs have donated directly to a joint fund set up by the RC of Forbes and RC of Parkes Ipomoea.   These funds will enable immediate support to needy families, and will be spent in local businesses.
The account is titled: FORBES ROTARY/FORBES IPOMOEA ROTARY FLOOD RELIEF FUND  
Account number: 42045
BSB is: 802 394
Donations into this account are NOT tax deductible.
 
We continue to stress donations of unrequested goods are NOT WANTED.  
 
VOLUNTEERING
 
Are more Rotary volunteers needed at Eugowra or Orange?    We will issue a new call for volunteers if more are needed for the coming weekend and following week.  
 
Are more Rotary DIGITALvolunteers needed?      This is something we are working on.   We will send out a call if there is a further need.  Those Rotarians who participated in the online training on GIVIT are requested to contact Tony Maple by email at     tonymaplerotary@gmail.com
 
Please contact  Tony Maple if you have any questions.
Yours in Rotary

Tony Maple
_______________________
D9705 Flood Response Coordinator
e. tonymaplerotary@gmail.com
m.  0413132259
 

Jokes and POnderisms
 

#1….GETTING OLDER 
A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor's office. "Is it true," she wanted to know, 
"that the medication you prescribed has to be taken 
for the rest of my life?" 
"'Yes, I'm afraid so,"' the doctor told her. 
There was a moment of silence 
before the senior lady replied, 
"I'm wondering, then, 
just how serious is my condition 
because this prescription is 
marked 'NO REFILLS" 
#2…. 
An old man crashed his car into a very expensive Mercedes. The owner of the Merc jumps out and confronts the old man and says, “Give me $10,000 cash or I will beat you to a pulp!” The old man replies, “Wait-on a bit buddy, I don’t have that much money but let me call my son, he trains dolphins.” 
The old man dials his son, and as he’s about to speak the Mercedes owner yanks the phone out of his hand and says, “So you train dolphins, well your old man just hit and damaged my car, so bring me $10,000 or I’m gonna beat the living daylights outta him!”  The son answers “Okay, give me 15 minutes and I’ll be there.” In exactly 15 minutes the son pulls up in a Military Jeep, ten men jump out and beat the hell out of the expensive car owner. Meanwhile the son walks over to his father and says “Dad I train Navy Seals not dolphins" 
 
Eric Carmody.
 
 
 
 
 
NewsNotes is produced each week. Please send items for inclusion by Monday noon to russelldew1@gmail.com.
just click on the above email to send Russell  a message.
 
 
Monica, Monica and Carlos at the Peace Bell
Carlos at the Peace Bell
Carlos, Monica and Michael at the Peace Pole
Bill Found a Peace Pole in Japan
Bill at the Gujo Hachiman Castle
Amanda Using a Japanese Samurai Sword after a meal in Japan
From John Kerin
From John Kerin
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