By the time you read this message on 1 November, the Polio All Trains (PAT), TAG YOU ON/TAG POLIO OFF train ride will be underway.
World Polio day occurred on 24 October and Polio All Trains is the opportunity for all Rotary clubs to raise awareness and funds for the End Polio Now (EPN) campaign.
Districts 9910 and 9920 are collaborating to hold the event with the support of Auckland Transport who have authorised donations from passengers.
I hope that all the Auckland based clubs have registered and will meet the train riders at your designated station with your presentation for EPN. We are looking forward to the event and seeing so many Rotarians wearing their red End Polio Now shirts.
The Rotary Sky Jump for Cure Kids was held at the Sky Tower on Saturday, 5 October. There were two District Governors (Ian Kiernan, District 9910 and Gary Langford, District 9920) and four Rotary club presidents (Robyn Ingram (St Johns), Peter Martin (Drury), Marcus Mackenzie (Waiheke Island) and David Gock (Mangere)) who jumped and collectively raised over $20,000 for Cure Kids. What a great opportunity to create lasting change with the donation we made to Cure Kids. Well done to all the jumpers and their supporters.
The District 9920 Nomination Committee has selected Stephen John Chaney (Steve) to be the District Governor for the year 2021-22. Steve joined Rotary in 1985 and is an Assistant Governor, a Past President of the Rotary Club of Manukau Sunrise and has organised three district conferences. We welcome Steve and wife Edith to the DG train and wish them a successful year as District Governor 2021-22.
The District 9920 conference will be held in in the Sir Owen Glenn Building at Auckland University Business School from 15 to 17 May 2020. There are great speakers already arranged and the programme will provide plenty of opportunity for Rotarians and clubs to showcase their projects.
Please note that the early bird registration date has been extended to 31 December 2019. You can register by visiting the District 9920 Conference web site at www.districtconference9920.nz.
We are trying something new for this conference and with the generous support of John Boscawen we are opening the Saturday session of the conference (9 am to 4 pm), to prospective members at a subsidised cost of $75. Clubs can invite member prospects along for the day so they can see and hear more about Rotary, the keynote speakers, major Rotary projects and enjoy networking with their prospective club members as well as the wider Rotarian group.
It will be up to clubs to identify and assist prospects to register, to host them on the day and follow-up with them post conference. These prospective Rotarians can be registered on the conference website.
October has been busy for Jan and myself. We visited Rotary clubs in French Polynesia, Samoa and American Samoa as well as many community projects and have seen first-hand the enthusiasm for Rotary in our Pacific Island clubs. We presented the Charter to the Rotaract Club of Tahiti, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Papeete-Tahiti and presented the Rotary International certificate marking 50 years of membership to the Rotary Club of Pago Pago. Congratulations to both clubs.