Julie’s Jots
Last Thursday, before our Club Dinner, I met with Ann Hegerty and David McInnes. David has handed over the position of convenor of our Tertiary Scholarships programme to Ann after several years of great service. Many thanks to David and now to Ann for taking on this really important task. It is much appreciated and you’ll find it’s a very rewarding experience. Our Club Dinner afterwards was a very relaxed and informal night and I thank everyone for their interesting Magic Moments!
This Sunday Lynn Hastings and I go to the initial meeting of our Community Group 7 – Coast and Highlands Region (under new regionalisation plans) at Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. Our Group Leader DGE Robert Shore sees the day as an opportunity to get to know other clubs in our community group and see if there are opportunities to support each other. There’ll also be opportunities to ask questions about Regionalisation and the Pilot. He says this is not about giving Clubs extra tasks but more about what Rotary, District and Clubs in our area can do to support each Club.
Thank you Ange for sourcing replacements for our missing ducks, plus a few spares, through our ducks’ former custodian at Cancer Research Advocate Bikers of Bermagui. We hope to receive the new ducks by Christmas.
This week’s Business Breakfast will again be fascinating on Gulaga Gold, NOT the metallic kind but maybe just as valuable! Next Thursday 24th is our Hat Night when we Lift the Lid on mental health with three different and interesting speakers. Please see below. I encourage everyone to don a hat, the zanier the better, and encourage your guests to do the same. Please invite friends and family.
Then of course we have the markets on Sunday 27th, so please all hands on deck again. Thanks.
THIS THURSDAY 17 October
7am: Narooma Rotary Business Networking Breakfast – Narooma Surf Club
Our guest speaker Fiona Kotvojs will talk about their Gulaga Gold business and its growing success, including on the export market. Fiona and Alan Kotvojs established their truffière some years ago in the Dignams Creek Valley in the foothills of Gulaga.
Bookings are essential with Laurelle; if you haven’t already done so, please contact by COB Monday 14th at the latest. Breakfast costs $10 (please let me know if you do not require breakfast).
The Week that Was
From Batemans Bay Rotary
The Bay Club had their biggest market this year on the October long weekend. They inducted another new member on Thursday evening – Judy Shore, wife of DGE Robert Shore. Judy will have a busy year ahead as Robert takes her to Clubs all over District 9705. The Bay’s newsletter says they have a few more prospective members in the wings to help their Club “grow and prosper with new energy”.
Out and About
From Bega Rotary
Bega Rotarians are putting on their dancing shoes this Wednesday for a barbecue and bush dance at Kameruka Estate for ANU Medical Students.
District Conference at Mittagong
The District 9705 Conference is on at Mittagong 25-27 October: Sally Hearder and our Exchange student Hilma are going. Unfortunately none of our members are able to go. See https://www.discon24.com/about-8 for further information.
Polio Vaccinations in Gaza.
World Polio Day is on Thursday October 24 and RI urges all clubs to take action to assist eradicating Polio. Narooma Rotary is looking at a possible fundraising film night some weeks later.
Meanwhile the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports the first round of the emergency polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was conducted in three phases 1-12 September 2024. It provided novel oral polio vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) to 558 963 children under 10 years old, following meticulous planning and coordination to reach families living in shelter homes, tents, and camps for the displaced. For each phase, an area-specific humanitarian pause of nine hours daily was agreed to ensure the safety of communities and health workers, and enable vaccination efforts.
A second round of the campaign is now needed to provide a second dose of Type 2 (nOPV2) to children in Gaza to stop the outbreak and prevent its international spread. WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA call on all parties to commit to another round of humanitarian pauses, with unimpeded access to children in areas that need special coordination.
NEXT WEEK
Thursday 24th October: Lift the Lid on Mental Health
This should be a fun night but with a serious message. Please invite friends and family and President Julie encourages everyone to wear a hat of whatever type you want. Everyone is encouraged to give $5 towards ARH. Rotary clubs across Australia organise a Hat Day dinner each year to highlight the magnitude of mental health problems and raise funds for Australia Rotary Health (ARH), one of the largest independent funders of mental health research in Australia. More information on ARH’s website.) Our speakers are:
- Georgia Weir on Why Deadly Runners Exists. Deadly Runners is Aboriginal owned and operated that aims to foster physical health, mental wellbeing and community cohesion among indigenous Australians through running and cultural engagement programmes.
- Laurence Babington on Men’s Long Table. The Men’s Table is a safe place to share and be heard in a confidential and non-judgemental environment, creating a greater sense of belonging, camaraderie and connection. Our local Men’s Table is held once a month in Narooma.
- Sophie Scobie introduces Headspace Narooma, recently opened in Narooma. They provide early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. Headspace Narooma can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.
