On the other hand the transition to Alert Level 3 will enable some businesses to reopen under the new guidelines of operating a “safe business” with additional responsibilities around working while ensuring hygiene and cleanliness standards, physical distancing, and contact registers for staff. This may at least go a little way to reigniting our community market place and getting businesses trading again and enabling staff to be back on the job and earning.
That said there remains some businesses in our community who will not be able to recommence trading and will remain under financial pressure and, regretfully, this may well lead to mental pressures. These are the business owners who have spent the last few weeks dealing with lack of revenue, employees who need to be paid, wage subsidies, and rental and lease payments while still dealing with the present worry about the future which, for them, may well look bleak. The thing that I worry about is that, for many, they also have to worry about family, partners, children, future provision and aspirations and they are now doing that worrying from the confines of their isolation bubble.
I have a favour to ask of each of you: What I would like you to do for me is to think about somebody that you know who may well be in that position and simply give them a call, and say how are you going, and are you OK. This is not about text or email, this is about a telephone, Facetime or Zoom call. Make that personal connection and just say hi, how are you and your family doing. Make him, her or them aware that, outside of their bubble, somebody cares.
There is a quote that says “to the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world” so the call that you make to somebody that you haven’t caught up with for a while may well make a significant difference to their lives, may brighten up the day and help them, and may take away a bit of stress. Either way it will let them know that you care. Will you take up the challenge to make just one call ?? Thanks.
Fire Wood: This advertisement has not been requested, however this Facebook post was brought to my attention and so I thought I will replicate it on the bulletin in case somebody is looking for some fuel for winter heating.
The advert reads: “Hi Arrowtown community, I just wanted to let you know that my dad Tony is an approved contractor for firewood deliveries. We have wood ready to burn now and can deliver this week. $100 a cubic metre, mix or Pine or Oregon. Minimum 3 meters. Delivered Arrowtown / Frankton area. Call Tony Fleming 021 928695”. So that is the President’s shameless plug for Rotarian Tony Fleming.
Now a shameless plug for Colin Macnicol. Here is a deal for you Colin. You and Jean could be making music together to while away the time.
Directors Zoom Call: Your Directors met through the medium of Zoom video conferencing on Wednesday for a brief and informal chat with respect to the issues of the day and the challenges of Rotary in a Covid world. The Directors approved the final payment of invoices relating to the NZ Open Golf BBQ’s, the payment of the RYLA surplus back to District and the payment “under protest” of the District Fees. Reports also advised that we had raised $3,950.00 on the Golf BBQ’s and expected circa $10,000 for the carparking duties. A great result.
In addition we confirmed that, as a consequence of the cancellation of the Queenstown Winter Festival, the annual Rotary Duck Race is also cancelled for this year. The Directors discussed the notion that the beneficiaries for this year’s Duck Race had already been announced and so, with this fundraising effort lost for this year, that we expand the Carparking Funds beneficiaries from four organisations to six.
The Directors also noted that the District 9980 AGM is set for Sunday 19 April by Zoom. And so the Board approved that the Secretary Chris Taylor be the spokesperson/delegate for the Queenstown Rotary Club at this AGM. Chris will raise at the AGM the outstanding requests that have been tabled with the DG, via two emails and one Board meeting, and the question of validity and level of District Fees, along with the role and purpose of the District in light of a post Covid world.
Back on 13 August last year at our Club Assembly, as part of my presentation, I submitted to you the members the following comments. It is these questions that have remained unanswered and unresolved that will be tabled at the AGM for response.
Our Member Subscriptions must be appropriate and provide value to each of us. Annual increases where there is a benefit to our Club may make perfect sense. However increases that only provide benefits to RI and the District Committee are, in my view, counterintuitive moves, particularly when our member demographic here in Queenstown is so niche. While I accept that there is a role for a small District Committee, where the Clubs in the District require a level of coordination or support, I do not accept or support any suggestion that a behemoth of a District Committee is acceptable or appropriate. The 9980 District Committee should exist as the servant of the Clubs - the Clubs are not the servant of the District Committee. To that end we have advised the District Governor that we are reviewing our financial support to District this year while also requesting, from the DG, a review of District costs, reserves, levies and purpose for being.
In light of the financial stresses of the post Covid-19 world, these comments are now even more relevant and the Rotary Clubs in District 9980 would be failing in their duty of care if they did not implement a review of District purpose and finances. The Rotary Clubs need to be good stewards of its member subscription income so that it can be applied to Member retention and Member acquisition.
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Three Rotarians were stuck in Lockdown in Queenstown during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
While cleaning out the attic for something to do to relieve the boredom they came across a magic lamp.
They clean it furiously with Brasso and out jumps a Genie.
The Genie says “since I can only grant three wishes, you may have a wish each”.
The first says “I have been stuck here for 4 weeks I miss my workmates and I just want to get out of here”, Poof she’s gone.
The second Rotarian says, “I have also been stuck here with these guys and I miss Rotary and my family, I just want to visit them again” Poof he’s gone.
The third Rotarian starts to cry uncontrollably, so the Genie asks, “Mate what’s the matter?”
The Rotarian whimpers, “ I wish my friends were still here”
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Continue to do your best to enjoy these moments of quiet reflection and contemplation between completing another one of the chores your partner has had stored up for you for years. For my part I have found that the month has actually passed quite quickly and there have been few moments of boredom. However I have kept up something of a walking / biking exercise regime with Rosanna and yesterday we passed through the bustling metropolis of downtown Arrowtown The usual hustle and bustle of foreign tourism has reverted to this. I truly wonder how long it will be before we see the main street of Arrowtown looking Times Square again. Good news though, when I finally get released and can take my car out I should be able to get a park !!
From where we sit at this point we await the announcement from the Right Honourable Prime Minister Jacinda on Monday that will determine the Alert Level that NZ, or maybe our region, will be placed in. This will inform our decisions on Rotary into the future. The Board will review this outcome and will inform you as soon as we are able.
As we have phoned around the Rotary Club list we have continued to offer support to the members should they require. It is pleasing that after 4 weeks in lockdown that everybody reports that they are OK and many have been supported by family members and that is good. However my offer still stands, and so if you need any level of support let me know and we will endeavour to respond.
Look after each other, take care, stay healthy, and keep your chins up.
By the way
Kia Kaha Whanau
Nga mihi mahana
Ross
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