Building for literacy

Chairman of the Rotary Club of Ashburton Development Trust, Roger West (left) and Trustee Don Williamson work on landscaping the house section.

Rotary Club of Ashburton, NZ members are delighted their six month house build and landscaping project raised $70,000 for the club’s literacy projects.

The completed house at 41 Braebrook Drive was sold to local couple James and Jo McCloy.

The successful house build project was a first for the club, and the proceeds will fund children’s literacy projects in Samoa and locally in Ashburton.

The club has led an aid project in Samoan schools with support from other clubs in Rotary District 9970, including the neighbouring Rotary Club of Ashburton Plains, since the devastating tsunami of 2009. 

To date hundreds of library bookcases have been built and thousands of new and used books delivered to Samoan schools by Ashburton Rotarians with help from the Rotary Club of Apia.  Medical equipment and wheelchairs have also been delivered.  

The next step of the project is to provide thousands of early readers to schools.

Locally the proceeds from the project will fund the club’s Books for New Entrants programme for the next two years. The programme which has been running for two years delivers a NZ authored book to every five year old starting school in the Ashburton District.

Rotary Club of Ashburton Development Trust chair Roger West said the success of the project was very satisfying.  “We are so grateful to the many businesses and tradespeople who pitched in and helped us. Their support was quite overwhelming.”

The businesses who supported the build were recognised at the club’s Rotary meeting on June 23 with certificates of appreciation.

What inspires young members?

Toya Woodgate was associated with the Rotary Club of Papanui, Christchurch, NZ for some time before she became a member in February 2014.

She is from two Māori tribes. Her father is Ngāi Tahu and her mother is Te Āti Awa. Until her graduation, Toya worked in the  Ngāi Tahu office with administrative roles such as a receptionist and minute-taker.

Since graduating from Canterbury University in December 2014, she has taught at local and country schools. Her latest placement has been at Kaikoura Suburban School. She is finishing her Honours degree and hopes to graduate with Honours in December. Toya believes, “Our greatest resource is in the minds of our children.”

Toya likes the outdoors. She has her firearms license and goes duck shooting.

When she was in the Emerging Leaders’ Development programme at university, Toya was introduced to Rotary through Papanui’s Rotary Associates programme (featured in RDU November 2014 page 39).  

She attended Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) which she found to be a “life-changing” experience, and was then further inspired by Rotary’s Future Leaders’ Seminar. 

She was a key creator and organiser for the “Big Day Out” for families suffering from the stresses of the Christchurch earthquakes.  She joined the Christchurch Youth Council which now works with the Christchurch City Council. 

Rotaract has also been important to Toya. She spends a lot of time assisting Ronald McDonald House. She is also an English Tutor for children who have been learning Te Reo (Māori language). This may be a focus for her Masters or PhD in the future.

Toya’s favourite TED Talk idea worth spreading video is at www.ted.com then search using “rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion”.  It’s about the value and importance of human connection and relationships. 

Toya recently asked Papanui Rotarians what lessons they would teach young children if they had to teach them just one thing.  Their answers ranged from “follow your dreams” to “you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you talk to learn”.  She also asked them what lessons they have never forgotten.  One Rotarian replied  that surpassing yourself worth is better than surpassing others. 

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There is no age limits for Rotary membership.  Rather it is the quality of the person that determines acceptance to Rotary.  Rotarians are men and women from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, cultures, personal strengths, interests, skills, professions and experiences united together in a willingness to work together to build a better community for all in both local and international communities.  To find out more at no-obligation by speaking to a club local to you call 0800 4 ROTARY (0800 4 768279)

Greymouth Rotary Summer Street ‘Fare’

Just Jazz performing

(from left): Two Rotarians and a Rotarian’s partner at work:
Onion man Dave McMillan, Gary Hopkinson,
and Tania Stoop’s husband Chris

The Greymouth District Council, in the South Island of NZ, is going through an urban redevelopment programme and it has been engaging with the community through an extensive consultative process.

Several members of the Rotary Club of Greymouth have experienced summer fetes, in Southern France, that bring together visitors and locals with food stalls, music and local fare. Typically a town square is closed off with tables and chairs for the community who can purchase food and drinks from food stalls and enjoy eating whilst listening to local musicians.

Greymouth Rotary partnered with the community and closed off a street in the centre of town on February 15, recruited 12 food stalls and seven art and craft stalls and organised professional musicians to entertain.

This was a community building project rather than a fundraiser and club members used their Rotary networking skills to generate a most successful 'Fare'.

Rotary and Lions combined to run a food stall to promote one of the local food products and thus generated a modest donation to their local Air Rescue Trust. 200 venison burgers and many plates of gourmet sausage tasting samples were sold in just two hours.

Thanks to the support of the community and the registered stall holders, the Rotary Club of Greymouth was able to run the event on a modest budget.

The event was an outstanding success, so it may become a regular feature on the Greymouth calendar.

According to Council's Economic Development Coordinator Erin McGoldrick, “The event was a fantastic, vibrant and community building event. I have had lots of positive feedback and thoroughly enjoyed it myself.”

Cookarama’s ingredients for success

Cookarama team effort (from left): Christchurch New Horizons Rotarians Cathy Gillespie, Margie Lyons, Kate Russell, Nicky Skinner and Deborah Allan with some of the goodies on sale at Cookarama.

From cookbooks and cake pops to chutneys and crockery, Cookarama had something to tempt even the fussiest appetite.

The first major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Christchurch New Horizons, NZ Cookarama was held on Saturday April 11 at the Blind Foundation in Merivale, Christchurch. What started as an idea to sell pre-loved cookbooks by New Horizons Fundraising Leader, Margie Lyons, grew to encompass everything from home baking and preserves, to fresh produce, garden plants, kitchen appliances and gift baskets.

Cookarama raffle (from left): Selling a variety of raffle tickets
at Cookarama Robyn Johansen and Collean Lee.

Club President Shirley Keith said it was a fantastic event that brought club members together and it was also a great team builder for the young club who raised $1800 in just under five hours.

With just 23 members, Cookarama had all Christchurch New Horizons Rotarians out in force in the weeks leading up to the event visiting local clubs to promote the event, delivering leaflets to 10,000 households in the Christchurch area, making dozens of cheese rolls and sticky date puddings and categorising more than 500 cookbooks.

Marketing & PR Leader, Deborah Allan, said the event was a good learning curve with many hours of behind-the-scenes preparation put in by the five-strong fundraising team and there was a full debrief with all club members in the following weeks to fine tune the event for 2016.

Proceeds from the day were presented to the Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind within a fortnight, to assist them in providing practical and emotional support for their Christchurch clients who are either blind or have low vision.

The Rotary Club of Christchurch New Horizons has previously supported the Blind Foundation, with Rotarians helping referees and timekeepers at the Christchurch Goalball competition in 2012 and providing supper and refreshments at the Christchurch Barn Dance in 2013.

Find out more about Christchurch New Horizons Rotary on www.rotarynewhorizons.org.nz or follow them on social media at www.facebook.com/RotaryNewHorizons.

Nature walk raises funds for local charities

A family relaxing at the lighthouse after walking 8 kms on Nelson’s Boulder Bank. Only one more km to go!

“Awesome!” and “Thanks for a great day out. It was fascinating to see the Boulder Bank up close for the first time.”

Those were some of the comments posted on the Facebook page of the Rotary Club of Nelson West, NZ after its sixth annual Boulder Bank Challenge. The event involves a 9 km walk along the iconic Boulder Bank, an unusual natural landform that defines Nelson’s harbour.

Nelson West Rotary organises buses to take ticket holders to the starting point. Three hours later, boats bring the walkers back to land from the southern end of the Boulder Bank, at “the Cut” that forms the entrance to Nelson’s port. A boat both ways option is available for those who choose not to walk the distance.
 

To see Nelson from a different perspective, participants can climb up the historic lighthouse on the Boulder Bank – the second one built in New Zealand. They were met there by Craig Terris, of Port Nelson, who told them about the reconditioned light that was recently returned to service. In previous years, speakers have included local Maori historians, a geologist, and a descendant of the longest serving lighthouse keeper.

There are also six historic “baches” (that’s Kiwi for holiday cottages) on the Boulder Bank, accessible only by sea, and some of the owners were on hand to welcome walkers and give them a look inside. One is owned by the son of a charter member of the Rotary Club of Nelson West, and has a club photo from 1966 on the wall of the bach.

Doing good is fun! The currents that formed the
Boulder Bank now bring a steady supply
of flotsam and jetsam. A trailer load
of rubbish was collected this year.

Walkers help protect nesting birds by picking up rubbish during the event, as the currents that brought the boulders from a nearby bluff over the millennia now bring a steady supply of flotsam and jetsam.

Knapps Lawyers, a local law firm with a Rotarian partner, is the gold sponsor for the event. With financial sponsorships and many local businesses that donate goods and services, all costs are covered, so ticket sales go entirely to charity. The primary beneficiary is Coastguard Nelson, a volunteer organisation that is well regarded in a community where boating and fishing is a way of life for many.

“Coastguard was fundraising for a new boat when we started the event in 2010, so we decided to help”, explains Dick Carter, a Nelson West Rotarian who has helped organise the event every year.

 

“We are really grateful for the financial contribution,” says Mark Rumsey, a Coastguard past president who joined Rotary two years ago, “but equally important to us is knowing that a group like Rotary appreciates and supports what we are doing for the community.”

The event has attracted over 200 participants in previous years, but numbers were down this year due to rain in the forecast. Originally scheduled for the previous weekend because of predicted heavy rain that never arrived, the event was rescheduled for Sunday, March 29.

Nelson West Rotarian Jim Sinner, who led the organising team, said they were a bit anxious when it started to rain at 7am, only an hour before the first participants were due to show up. But a quick check of the weather radar confirmed that it was only a passing shower. The sun was out by 8am and it turned into a beautiful morning.

However showers were still lingering around the Nelson ranges, and at 12:45 the team got a call from Coastguard to say that rain was likely within an hour. “We had planned to have everyone off by 2:15 anyway,” said Jim, “because a brisk afternoon sea breeze is pretty common in Nelson. So we just mobilised to get everything packed up and back to land a little more quickly.”

There was no shortage of volunteers from the
Rotary Club of Nelson West, who all chipped in
to keep things running smoothly.

Members of the public were all ashore by 2pm, and by 2:30 the Nelson West team was relaxing and conducting a de-brief, discussing how to make the event even better in 2016.

Greymouth Summer Street "Fare": February 2015

Just Jazz performing at the Greymouth Rotary Summer Street Fare

Rotarians and a Rotarian partner at work, Centre Gary Hopkinson, onion man Dave McMillan plus Chris Stoop—husband of a Rotarian

The Greymouth District Council, in the South Island of New Zealand, is going through an urban redevelopment programme and has been engaging with the community through an extensive consultative process.

Several members of Greymouth Rotary have experienced summer fetes, in Southern France, that  bring together visitors and locals with food stalls, music and local fare. Typically a town square is closed off and tables and chairs are provided for the community who can purchase food and drinks from food stalls and enjoy eating whilst listening to local musicians.

Greymouth Rotary partnered with the community and  closed off a street in the centre of town, recruited 12 food stalls,7 art and craft stalls and organised professional musicians to entertain.

The event was an outstanding success. It may become a regular feature on the Greymouth calendar.

According to Council's economic development coordinator 'The event was a fantastic, vibrant and community building event. I have had lots of positive feedback and thoroughly enjoyed it myself.'

This was a community building project rather than a fund raiser and club members used their Rotary networking skills to generate a most successful 'Fare'.

Rotary and Lions combined to run a food stall to promote one of our local food products and thus generated a modest donation to our local Air Rescue Trust. 200 venison burgers and many plates of gourmet sausage tasting samples were sold in just two hours.

Thanks  to the support of the community and the registered stall holders the Rotary Club of Greymouth was  able to run the event on a modest budget.

Four Christchurch Rotary Clubs acknowledge Christchurch's resilience

Re:START mall is Christchurch’s most innovative and diverse shopping experience in the heart of the city.  It includes boutique retailers, banks, food carts and coffee inside bright shipping containers.   

Playing chess on the giant board in Cathedral Square (in front of the Cathedral remains)

The Christchurch trams are running again

Lego land free play area for children in central Christchurch

Tree Houses for Swamp Dwellers sculpture by Julia Morison is part of the free-to-view contemporary public art in Christchurch city (SCAPE Public Art www.scapepublicart.org.nz)  

 

A stunning evening event acknowledged the resilience of the local business community and thanked those who stayed in Christchurch, NZ, to help rebuild the south eastern part of the city. 

Over 200 local businesses were invited to the gathering on October 22, 2014 at the Tannery, a shopping centre with a large atrium in the east of Christchurch. The Tannery is a symbol of the new Christchurch rebuild after the 2011 earthquake.

Each club was allocated a number of places at the event and went door-to-door handing out invitations and telling businesses about Rotary.

130 people attended the function from local business in the Port Hills, Garlands Rd and Ferrymead area.

The event was hosted by four Christchurch Rotary clubs; Linwood–Woolston, Christchurch South, Lyttelton and Ferrymead.  The clubs committed funds to this activity to proactively recruit new members as these four clubs had lost members following the earthquake.

About 30 Rotarians hosted the guests with platters of nibbles and one complimentary drink.  Visitors were also given a card with the meeting details of the four clubs. Their business cards and email addresses were collected for a prize draw and follow-up.  

The Chief Executive of Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce Peter Townsend spoke about the rebuilding of Christchurch and how only 25 per cent has been accomplished. District 9970 Governor Liz Courtney talked about the work of Rotary in the area and overseas. Shelly Harrison gave an insight into being a young Rotarian.

Some new members have joined the clubs following this event.  A follow-up event is planned for early in the new year. 

This format of a cluster group joining together to promote Rotary could be repeated in other areas. It was a good opportunity for business people to network as well as hear what is happening in the rebuild and Rotary’s achievements in the area.

ASSOCIATE TOPIC (not part of article):




Club web addresses at www.9970.rotarysouthpacific.org / Clubs

Submitted to magazine

 

Rotary Neighbourhood Project gets the community together for an even better Canterbury

Sydenham School tree huts

The Rotary Neighbourhood Project Fund has been established to support locally initiated projects that contribute towards improving wellbeing and building resilient communities and neighbourhoods.  

It is important to assist communities in the post-earthquake recovery period so this project promotes relationships between community groups and their local Rotary clubs in Canterbury, NZ that can endure well beyond the life span of the project.

The project fund has been supported and promoted by Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA).

The core focus is supporting ‘grass-root’ initiatives to encourage individuals to do something constructive in, and beneficial to, their community. The fundamental values of the project are:

•   Recognising that communities have strengths and assets

•   Engaging communities and/or connecting people to people

•   Strengthening community leadership

•   Doing things differently

•   Supporting parents, young children and families

•   Utilising community assets

•   Community-led recovery

The Neighbourhood Project is “not just about signing cheques”.  A Rotary club is linked with each project, whose members then work with the applicants to find out what they need and how they can help. This unique method assists Rotary clubs to become more engaged in their local communities, but also assists community groups to establish an on-going relationship with their local Rotary club.

The initial funding came from international and national Rotary districts. 

Applicants can apply for up to $500 for small neighbourhood events and up to $4,000 for larger community events.

The Rotary Neighbourhood Project Charitable Trust is a registered charity (CC49664) that was set up in April 2013 and has since donated $82,000 towards 90 diverse projects.  These range from Sydenham Preschool tree huts and Wainoni School breakfast club to the Birthright winter camp and Lyttleton street art.     

For more information visit www.rotaryneighbourhood.org.nz.  Any Rotary clubs that are able to support this worthwhile project can contact Jenny George via jenny.george@assurehealth.co.nz / +64 21 270 9651.

View a clip about Rotary Youth Leadership Awards 2014 in Christchurch for young adults

SOLDIER, HISTORIAN, AUTHOR, COUNCILLOR, AND ROTARIAN

With Jim and Aileen is L to R PDG Rex Morris PDG Peter Roselli,
President Elect Kamaya Crawford DG Gordon Hooper and PDG Pat Clay 

PDG JAMES KEENAN. 60 years of Rotary Service

On 3^rd January 1954 James (Jim) Keenan joined the Rotary Club of Hokitika in D298 now D9970.

At the time Jim was Deputy Mayor of Hokitika. He served his community in this role from 1948 to 1955

He had recently returned from the war where he saw service in North Africa and Italy. He was at the battle of Monte Cassino where he served as a member of the 23^rd battalion Second NZEF. His battalion was mainly made up of West Coasters most of whom grew up with Jim and they shared many happy memories of growing up on what was then one of the most colourful communities in New Zealand.

He later was wounded by shrapnel in the battle to cross the Rubicon River and after the war finished he was shipped back to New Zealand and spent time recuperating at the Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs. Most of the West Coast contingent returned to the Coast although a number of them like Jim were injured.

He was honoured by the Queen with a DSO for services to the community and later the 1990 Commemoration Medal for his service to conservation. Jim is a JP and an Honorary  Life Member of the RSA .

Jim was born in 1922 at Woodstock in the famous Royal Mail Hotel which was built by his Grandfather in 1870. It remained in their family for the next 82 years and it is still operating today.

Jim is a published author and is considered an authority on early West Coast history. His book “The Coasts Colourful Characters” is a record in humour of the early characters and life, collected over a lifetime living and working on the “Coast” .

Jim,s service to his community is unquestionable as is his service and dedication to Rotary.

He served as District Governor in 1973-1974 and although his health “ ain’t what it used to be” he still regularly attends Hokitika’s weekly meetings.

Both Jim and his wife Aileen where recently honoured by then D9970 Governor Gordon Hooper acknowledging his 90th birthday and his Rotary service of 60 years to Hokitika and District. 

He has been a mentor to many DGs and his hospitality of taking each visiting Governor for a mornings tour of his beloved Hokitika is legendary. He is a great raconteur and loves to talk about his early Rotary service and share his stories of the people and the many colourful events that have embellished his life. In West Coast vernacular he is what they call a “Good Bugger”.

 

Submitted by: PDG Gordon Hooper 2012-2013       

Rotary takes care of children

Amongst the rubble, the boarded up windows, weeds growing wild in abandoned gardens, the dust of dried liquefaction in cracked and broken streets, there is an oasis - a haven where parents can sit in the sun and watch their children play in the recently redeveloped children’s playground at Woodham Park in the eastern side of Christchurch, New Zealand.

This major upgrade project was made possible following the February earthquake through the generosity of the 9910 Rotary Club of North Harbour with a donation of $14,000, 9920 Rotary Club of Mt. Eden’s donation of $10,000 and a donation of $6000 from District 9920.

The project was undertaken by the Rotary Club of Christchurch Sunrise, with members Murray Ellis and Brian Phillips overseeing the work and obtaining further support with discounted pricing from Adam Stride at the equipment suppliers and installers, Park Supplies Ltd, Matta Products Ltd, and project assistance and site preparation from the Christchurch City Council.  Radio Station More FM provided free advertising in a search for sponsors, with District 9970 Project Earthquake Support Rotarian Lindsay Crossen also very helpful in sourcing funds.

This park in Woodham Road was originally opened in November 1942 and the major upgrade needed in the children’s playground was hastened by the earthquake event. Children can now enjoy a host of outdoor play equipment including swings, seesaws, paddling pool and climbing frames in the safety of their local park.

Members from the Rotary Club of Christchurch Sunrise, the local Community Boards and the City Council were there on February 4 to officially reopen this fantastic facility for the children of Christchurch.

On their behalf, we thank you all for your generosity and kindness in making this project possible.

Rotary Moment: Rotary Rebuilding Communities in Christchurch

- By District 9970 Governor John Rickard

Rotarians along with all the other residents of Christchurch suffered much disruption to their lives and businesses since the first earthquake on September 4, 2010.

These disruptions will continue for many years yet as Christchurch rebuilds its infrastructure including roads, water, sewers and electricity, while it repairs and rebuilds houses. The rebuild cost has now climbed to $40 billion and this estimate is still rising.

I am continually amazed at the good work that Rotary continues to do around the city. Some Christchurch Rotarians have had to either vacate their houses while rebuilds are carried out, or else wait for a complete demolition and rebuild of their homes.

While there has been a loss of some Rotarians in the 16 clubs in Christchurch since the earthquake, these losses have been almost entirely from members moving out of the city for work opportunities or health reasons.

Since the February 2011 earthquake our Rotary District 9970 has received and distributed nearly $2 million through its charitable trust so this trust is now winding down.

However many needs still remain so Rotary is active throughout the city in many ways.

All of the city clubs managed to continue their normal fundraising activities and support of many organisations and groups, either financially or with hands-on input.

The combined clubs of the city last year also joined an initiative started by Ashburton Rotarian Walter Van Der Kley, called “Colour Me Christchurch”. It involved planting bedding plants and wildflowers on empty building sites around the central city with signage at each site identifying it as a Rotary project. This project will continue next spring.

In November last year Rotary District 9970 was approached by the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to become a partner in an exciting new project, aimed at supporting communities in the city, named the “Rotary Neighbourhood Project.” It will involve developing locally initiated projects that contribute towards improving wellbeing and building resilient communities and neighbourhoods.

CERA recognises that local communities in Christchurch need access to help and finance to rebuild the communities that have been badly affected by the earthquakes. They see Rotary as an organisation with the knowledge and ability to assist.

We have set up a project committee, accessed funding, set up a charitable trust, and developed advertising material, and application criteria. With applications being accepted for grants ranging from $100 up to $4000, it is anticipated that the cost of the project over the four to five year expected life of the project could be in the vicinity of $300,000 to $400,000.

We hope that as other funders involved in the Christchurch rebuild see the results of the work we are doing, they will assist with funding.

The opportunity for me to work alongside these Rotarians in Christchurch as they develop these projects, while at the same time, working and living in a city under massive structural development, has certainly shown to me that the core values of Rotary are alive and well in our city.

These projects are also giving our Rotary clubs in Christchurch a great opportunity to promote Rotary as an organisation that is actively rebuilding our communities, hopefully leading to an increasing awareness of the role of Rotary clubs in our communities and an increase in membership numbers.

We are already seeing the first signs of this happening.

Lincoln Rotary Club keeps community fit!

The Rotary Club of Lincoln, donated a set of 7 exercise equipment to Lincoln township. On 26 February 2013, the set was officially opened by the club president, Farhad Dastgheib and Selwyn District Mayor, Kelvin Coe, followed by a demonstration of the equipment by Council fitness instructors.  Many Lincoln residents together with Rotarians enjoyed the event which was followed by sausage sizzle.

The Rotary Club of Lincoln initiated the project in September 2009 and received moral support and encouragement from all local organisations.  After a lot of pushing and completing several application forms, finally funding was obtained from the Southern Trust and Selwyn District Council which enabled the purchase of the equipment.

The equipment is regularly used by people of all ages and is going to make a positive contribution to the quality of life for Lincoln community.

www.lincoln.rotarysouthpacific.org

Super Christmas for a family

The Marshall-Cook family of Wakefield (near Nelson, New Zealand) awoke on Christmas day to find a playhouse in their yard. Rosa and Enzo could not believe their good fortune in winning the Wendy house raffle.

The winning family Rosa and Enzo Marshall-Cook
with mother Emma admiring the inside.

“It’s got opening windows” said Rosa and “we have had friends in for lunch” said Enzo. Both children have also slept in bunks temporarily installed for the purpose and the children thought that was cool.

The raffle was actually won by a north American visitor who purchased and gave the ticket to the children’s mother Emma, on the understanding that if it won, the family could have the playhouse because it is a bit large to take to the US!

The principal fundraising project for the District 9970 Motueka Rotary Club, the children’s playhouse is a move away from erstwhile pigs in barrow raffles, into something having some durability in the hands of children.

Builder Neil Sturgeon rolls out the completed playhouse.

Constructed on a platform of about four square metres, the playhouse can also be accessed by adults wanting to join the tea party inside. Built by Rotarian Neil Sturgeon, the cladding is durable hardy wall while the roof is of aluminium roof tiles. Aluminium joinery is used for the windows, and the floor is covered with vinyl for comfort. The building was tastefully decorated in a sky blue colour with white trim by Rotarian Peter Holyoake. This indeed is a quality product. The simple indoor-outdoor flow appeals to any discerning occupant, and is bound to have other envious neighbourhood youngsters beating a path to the door.

Club organiser Reg Dysart explained that ticket sales were open for three weeks, and closed on December 17, 2012 with the draw being conducted on December 18, which left just the right time to arrange for Christmas delivery of the playhouse to its delighted new owners.

President Colin Eggers declared that this successful fundraiser ended with the proceeds of the raffle donated to two charities - the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust, and the Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail.

- By Euan Grant, Rotary Club of Motueka

Canterbury Rotary clubs combined to bring a bit of colour to Christchurch

From this

The brainchild of District 9970 Ashburton Rotarian Walter Van Der Kley, ColourMe Christchurch was born on November 4, 2012 because, since the devastating earthquakes, parts of Christchurch had become an unattractive city of vacant land and dust.

Step in 15 local Rotary clubs and 15 vacant lots plus hundreds of volunteers, and by the end of December this landscape had changed to one of beauty.

To this

ColourMe Christchurch set out to plant wild flowers with attractive borders around each plot.  The borders were designed using large truck tyres painted terra cotta, each emblazoned with the Rotary logo.  They were placed around the edge of each plot and filled with Petunias. 

In all more than 100 truck tyres were donated and used.  Behind these, liberal quantities of wild flower seeds were sown (totalling more than 30 kgs).




Done by these Rotarians

Each participating club was involved in the watering and maintenance of their plot.  In most cases, this meant members arriving with various containers of water, and in some instances members of the public emptying their water bottles as they went to work.



The largest plot was nearly 2000 square metres, and it was planted out with more than 1000 Sunflower and 3200 Petunia plants, plus more than 4kgs of wild flowers. On this site we were able to tap into the local water supply and some makeshift irrigation was installed. 

and letting the commuity know who their supporters are

ColourMe Christchurch signage was erected at each site that listed our major sponsors and the contact phone number for enquiries about membership.  We have received a lot of good publicity from the written media, and also a couple of spots on both local and national television. 

Our goal to make a difference has been achieved. Christchurch can be proud once again to call itself “the Garden City”.

 

-          By Gordon Hooper, District 9970 Governor 2012-13

Related links:
http://www.christchurchdailyphoto.com/2012/11/09/colour-me-christchurch/ 

Rhythm Interactive "Thank you Rotary"

Rotary initiated a project with Rhythm Interactive  that had an immensely positive impact upon the lives of those children and teachers that participated in the Therapeutic Education Project in Christcurch following the earthquakes.  These sessions were not just hugely popular but identified students with a musical talent and as many students could not afford music lessons these session were a special opportunity for them.

Rotary Club Punches Above Its Weight With Funding Support!

Over the past eighteen months, the Rotary Club of Bishopdale/Burnside in Christchurch, New Zealand with a membership of 34, has financially supported local charities in their city with a total in excess of $84,000 from their fundraising initiatives.

One of Bishopdale/Burnside Rotary’s preferred charities is the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust (CCHT) which was set up five years ago to provide much needed medical services to people in the community who can’t wait for medical services in the public hospital, but can’t afford medical insurance to have the procedures performed in private hospitals.

The hospital is not government funded, so it is financed totally by donations, grants and support from the wider community. Numerous doctors, nurses, other health professionals and public spirited people volunteer their time and expertise weekly to help make the Canterbury Charity Hospital a success.

Many people in the community also help with the day-to-day running of the hospital. Together they all make a huge difference to the health and wellbeing of the Canterbury community as a whole.
 

Governor-General of NZ Sir Gerry Mateparae congratulating Canterbury Charity Hospital Manager Carl Shaw at the official opening.

Dr Phil Bagshaw receiving the van from Bishopdale/Burnside Rotary Charity Trust Chair Alistair Coleman

General Surgeon Philip Bagshaw recognised the need for a charity hospital when he realised that no government would be able to meet all the healthcare needs in Canterbury.

The East Wing of the Charity Hospital was opened in 2007 to provide day surgery facilities and medical clinics, but due to the changing needs of the Canterbury community following the 2010-2011 earthquakes, a new two storey and larger West Wing was added to provide additional theatre (endoscopy) space, a dental unit, more consulting rooms and educational/research facilities.

Many Rotary clubs support medical treatment for people in the islands around the Pacific, but since the devastating earthquakes in September 2010 and February 2011, the old saying “charity begins at home” has become extremely poignant in Christchurch.

This is one of the reasons that the Bishopdale/Burnside Rotary Club purchased a van, medical equipment, storage shed and donated car park ground preparation funding to the level of $50,000 to date.

In recognition of the superb service that Phil Bagshaw and his team are providing in the region, the new West Wing was officially opened recently by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Lt Gen Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, at a special function to mark the occasion.