Page 1 - Rotary Matters - November

November 2022 DG Newsletter

Dear fellow Rotarians, partners and friends of Rotary,

I write this message while attending the Rotary
Zone 8 Conference in Canberra, themed Better Together.
A joint conference of the Rotary and Rotaract
Districts of Zone 8. Rotary International President Elect Gordon
McInally was in attendance. Better together can conjure up a
variety of thoughts. My immediate reaction to the Conference
theme was, the bringing together of the District Governors for
2022-2023. This was the first time over our two-year journey that we have been able to gather
and speak together, face to face.
Similarly, it brought back together Past District Governors, Rotarians and Rotaractors who
haven’t travelled and communicated as groups since the beginning of the Pandemic.
Our Rotary Partners came and joined the conference, providing an insight in to the work that
is being done.

American author and historian of the late 1890’s, early 1900’s when Rotary was founded,
wrote “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress; working together is
success.” Rotary time and time again testify this.

The Conference Showcase portrayed many of our partners and wonderful work that is being
done. RAWCS were provided the opportunity of illustrating various projects that have or are
being undertaken by clubs in conjunction with RAWCS.
The RAWCS Annual report that was on display, included
the D9510 Drought Relief work, here closer to home.
There was the work of RARE (Rotary Australia Repurposing Equipment – formerly DIK).
We will celebrate at the Open Day with the volunteers
at the Edinburgh facility on Saturday November 12th.
Support DIK - email contact David Cockshell

Despite shipping difficulties, seven containers were
sent through that facility to Zambia, PNG, Vanuatu,
Burundi, Tanzania, Kurdistan and Nepal.

I can’t but help think of the poem
by Dorothea MacKellar,
My Country when I think of RAWCS
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of rugged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.

Rotary Clubs and RAWCS respond to the needs at home and abroad. However, over the past
year we have seen drought relief and also flood relief. The most recently released National
Drought Relief Appeal, will also consider the river townships and communities of our District
as they face the possibility of flood waters in the weeks and months to come. continued over....