Today’s Meeting saw lively and interactive discussions about our ongoing projects ,and increasing our Clubs membership.
Our International Sanitation project in India in collaboration with Beecroft Rotary Club is progressing well.
Locally, Our District Grant Project with Mary’s House is now almost complete.
Our Guest Speaker today was Brad Anderson from Orange Sky . Brad outlined the origins and then gave us a very informative overview of the workings of this very unique community service.
Orange Sky provides clothes washing and shower facilities for the homeless in many areas around Australia. They visit 9 locations in Sydney every week.
Some interesting statisticsSo far Orange Sky have provided 871 tons of clothes washing, 7019+ free showers,and provided 154,587+ genuine conversations with the homeless. ;
I am genuinely impressed with their success in providing a little dignity into the lives of our homeless community.
There is no Meeting next Monday as it is the Australia Day holiday weekend.
Our Guest Speaker next Meeting will be Domingos Gomes and he is the RYPEN Director in Timor Leste. He is here for the Sydney RYPEN camp. Gomes and Angelo will be talking about RYLA and RYPEN in Timor Leste and showing some videos.
In addition,there will be a special presentation to Mary's House
Last Monday's Meeting, the 21st of January.
The International Toast, proposed by Celia Coote,was to the Rotary Club of Bournemouth,in Dorset,UK.A thriving Club of some 50 members,meeting on a Monday lunchtime at the Mayfair Hotel.They also have an Evening Group for younger (aged 30+) business people which meets monthly on the first Wednesday at 6.30pm. The two groups meet jointly several times a year.
Angelo mentionned some of the challenges recently experienced with membership.Enquiries followed up from working people,and only an evening suited,which meant being referred to another Club.This in turn means our recruiting base has to come from working people in the Crows Nest area and retirees.
Phil Smith has sent an email to Andre Harriman,the initiator of the proposed new Rotoract Club for our Area,explaining our reservations,and our reasons for adopting a wait and see approach,as well as focusing on our own challenges with Club membership.
On the International front,firstly with our joint Sanitation Project with Beecroft Club in Mewat,India.Please find attached a report from our good friend Niranjan from Beecroft Club who attended the Inauguration Meeting in Mewat last month.
Next,the Global Grant for the Water Harvesting Project in East Pokot,Kenya has been initiated by the Rotary Club of Nakuru in Kenya.This Project was presented to the Club by Keri from SoThey Can late last year.Our Club will be the International host.
Finally ,we had the presentation by our Guest Speaker Brad Anderson from Orangesky. Please refer to Kate's write up for the full story.
Reminders
Sunday, February the 17th 2019, Seminar run by Gina Growden, Promoting Rotary's Public Image
The seminar will be very interactive and participants will have the opportunity to explore the Brand Centre on rotary.org as well as design personalised logos, create People of Action advertisements, and write press releases, as well as share experiences of successful Public Image campaigns.
The seminar is open to all Public Image Directors - and anyone else from your club who would benefit from learning more about promoting Rotary's Public Image. The seminar is free, but registration is essential. (Register at gina.growden@bigpond.com ).
Friday 29th - 31st March 2019 - District Conference in Newcastle.members urged to consider.
Tuesday 29th April 2019 - our Club’s 50th Birthday Celebrations!! Potential locations to be considered include Kirribilli Club and Dalton House