FOUNTAIN OF PEACE CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER
Here is the link to the Fountain of Peace Christmas Newsletter.
Stories
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OUTBOUND RYE STUDENTSOn 18 December we farewelled Leah Kissock and Ella Mataguchi, our 2019 Rotary Youth Exchange students as they depart for their 12 months in Europe. Leah is off to Denmark and Ella to Belgium where they will live with Rotary families, attend local schools and have experiences with other RYE students. Also, Exchange students often experience European holidays with their host families. Leah and Ella were presented with their Rotary blazers and spoke to the Rotary membership.  Ella and Leah after being presented with their Rotary blazers |
ROTARY TUCKER BEACH TRAIL OPENINGQueenstown Rotary’s long awaited Tucker Beach Trail was opened on Sunday 28 October, by Queenstown-Lakes Mayor Jim Boult, after 3 years of planning and community consultation and fundraising of some $250,000. In addition Rotarian Tony Fleming contributed a substantial amount by way of trees removal by his company Tree Care Southern Lakes. The trail is a walk and cycle trail that extends 3.2 km along Tucker Beach Rd from the Rotary bridge across the Shotover River. The restoration of the old suspension bridge was earlier Queenstown Rotary’s project to celebrate Rotary International’s centenary year for which our club received a Rotary International Citation. The trail, in turn, is our club’s gift to the Wakatipu community to celebrate 75 years of Rotary in Queenstown. Plantings of native trees and shrubs along the trail will follow through our partnership with the Wakatipu Afforestation Society. Credit goes to project leader PDG Kerry Dunlop and his team of Rotarians John Thompson and David Broomfield who have seen this project to fruition.
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QUEENSTOWN COMMUNITY PATROL VEHICLEIn 2017 Queenstown Rotary contributed $5,000 to the Queenstown Community Patrol group that enabled the purchase of the original Community Patrol vehicle and enabled the group to establish here. That original Daihatsu Terios vehicle has now been ‘traded in’ on a new 2019 model Mitsubishi Outlander pictured here displaying the Rotary logo, together with other sponsors. Funds for the new vehicle were raised through local charitable trusts as well as the sale of the older Rotary funded vehicle. Rotarians Bruce Jefford (chair), Stuart Maclean and Ashley Adams are members of the rostered Community Patrol team which patrols Queenstown and surrounds mostly on Friday and Saturday nights when they are most needed informing the Police. The Queenstown Community Patrol is the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Police in contributing to keep the our community of residents, businesses and worldwide visitors safer.
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DIVERSITY & SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACEQueenstown Rotary - Tuesday 29 May addresses ‘Diversity in the Workplace and Sexual Harassment’ Hear Kate Wilkinson (solicitor) and Anna Kirkwood (social worker) from Invercargill, co-founders of ‘The Awareness Project’ - an organisation that provides workshops for business relating to diversity and inclusion within the workplace. Their vision: “A community where discrimination no longer exists” Notable clients of theirs include Radio Southland, SBS Bank and the Southland Chamber of Commerce. Kate and Anna will speak about diversity and inclusion in the workplace and their role in optimising employee engagement and building progressive management teams. Olivia Wensley will be our President’s guest. She will add her insights into sexual harassment in law firms and her current work to help address this issue. Note: Venue: Wild Thyme Restaurant, Beach Street (Sky City Casino) arrive 5:45pm for 6:00 pm start Numbers will be limited Cost is $20 - this includes a meal Advise of numbers attending to info@rilean.co.nz by Monday 28th evening please. |
NZ GOLF OPEN BBQ'sWe recently provided one of two BBQ's at the NZ Golf Open - an annual club fundraiser for our club.  |
THE INDIVIDUAL CLUB PROJECTSIndividual Club Project Leaders Completed Projects are shown in Blue and underlined. |
ORPHAN PROJECTSOur Orphan Projects We especially need someone to be the Meals on Wheels Champion. |
OTAGO YOUTH ADVENTURE TRUST The Milton Rotary Tramping Club is excited to tell you that bookings for 2018 will open 'online' on Wednesday at 10am, 24 May. Please go to their website http://www.otagorotarytrusttramps.org.nz to find out information about the trips for 2018 and to make your booking.  |
GUEST SPEAKER PAULINE BLOMFIELD - KEEPING SAFE WITH DOGS Pauline Blomfield loves dogs, but she also knows they can be dangerous - especially when children are involved. She believes educating children about how dogs behave - and what could cause them to bite - can cut the number of dog attacks. Her book, How to Keep Kids Safe With Dogs, hopes to do that.The book has a few simple things children can be taught to be safe around dogs, and teaches adults how to spot a stressed dog who could bite. |
ROTARY PRESIDENT ELECT INDUCTED INTO INNER WHEEL Inner Wheel President Allyssandra Skerrett inducts Rotary President-elect Monica Mulholland into Inner Wheel.
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NRG PRESENTS CHEQUE TO CANCER SOCIETY President of our NRG branch, Richard Muth, presents a cheque for $4719.15 to Chris Green, Marketing & Communications Manager of the Cancer Society. This was money raised from the Duck Race.
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CLUB SELECTIONS TO GO TO LONDON
Connor Kennedy and Olivia Ray fromWakatupu High School were selected by the Queenstown Rotary Club to attend the Rotary Youth National Science and Technology Forum in Auckland, for two weeks in January. At the end of the Forum, just two attendees were selected to attend the London International Youth Science Forum this year. Both Connor and Olivia are off to London. READ MORE HERE IN THE SOUTHLAND TIMES
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Guest Speaker, Adam Childs Adam Childs has led an extraordinary (and dangerous) life as a member of MSF: Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders since January 2002.Travelling to countries, many names of which tended to end with "stan", he has been in constant danger. His team has been murdered, a boss threatened to kill him and he had a staff member kidnapped.
Adam has kindly given us the notes from his talk so read on!
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Guest Speaker Colin Maber Colin Maber - Former Chairman of MCC's Ground Working Party and Estates committee, Manager of the MCC's Tour to Nepal and co-founder of the British-based charity "Children in Ladakh"Colin told us how the charity build a $700,000 hostel for 400 children in Ladakh in the Himalayas.
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MONICA’S 3 MINUTE TALK 8th November I want to tell you about a charity that I am involved withThe recipients of this charity have a peculiar trait, they attempt suicide at 10 times the national average.....
Around 41% of this section of society attempt suicide.
That rate increases markedly to 60 or 70% if they have been physically or sexually abused or bullied.
What you might ask would cause people to commit suicide at such a rate.
They are rejected and shunned by their families and friends and this leads to depression, poverty, despair and finally suicide.
What is the terrible crime of these people that makes them be rejected, ridiculed and abused by their families and former friends you might ask?
In truth, they have a medical condition that they can do nothing about and because of this they are shunned.
What, in this day and age would make society shun people with a medical condition?
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OAR or BED? Club Development Workshop By MONICA MULHOLLAND
 PDG Joan, PE Monica and DG Janice at the Club Development Workshop
Joan and I spent the weekend in Dunedin at a Club Development Workshop.
My 3 take aways from the weekend were: 1. The club naturally divides into two types of people: those on the oars rowing it forward and those in bed doing not much. This is the OAR BED Principle. OAR stands for: Ownership of the problems Accountability – willing to take accountability for the problems Responsible – prepared to be responsible for doing their bit to solve the problems. These are called above-the-line traits Below the line traits are the BED traits: Blame – blame others for the problems Excuse – make excuses why they cannot help solve the problems Denial – that there really is a problem. Which role do you play in the club? We need lots of people with their hands on the oars if we are to survive and grow..  |
Inner Wheel Fundraiser
The Inner Wheel Club of Queenstown is organising a special High Tea at the Hilton and Charity Auction to raise money for St John and the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust.
Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy has kindly agreed to be the guest speaker at the event to be held on February 9 next year.
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Helping people with disabilities make their own music
Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school.
After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school.
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Finding Safe Haven For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.
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Saving lives in Ghana What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga. |
India celebrates three years without polio Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio.
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