this week`s issue

12 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Important Dates
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District Conference Inverell 13-15th March 2015
RYLA - Yarrahapinni 21st-28th March 2015
Rotary Club of Uralla Art Show – 21st – 29th March 2015 Flyer attached to Illuminator email
RYAG Sheep - Walcha 25th- 29th March 2015
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – Cluster 7 – 25th March 6.30pm Civic Theatre Gunnedah
Coffs Coast Science and Engineering Challenge – 31 March 2015
MUNA – Inverell 16-17th May 2015 (please note correct date, apologies from the Editor!!)
PETS – Tamworth 18th-19th April 2015
Trivia Night Rotary Club of Port Macquarie – 2 May 2015 6pm for 7pm Pt Macq Panthers
District Assembly – Port Macquarie 3rd May 2015
Book Fair - Rotary Club of Armidale Central – 16th to 23rd May 2015
Casino Royale Ball - Rotary Club of Tamworth Sunrise – 23 May 2015 - more info to come
District Assembly – Gunnedah 24th May 2015
Rotary International Convention Sao Paulo Brazil - 6th-9th June 2015
District Changeover – Inverell Saturday 27 June 2015
Hat Day – all clubs – on or about Friday 9 October 2015
Inspirational Women’s Award 2015 – the winner is……..
Thea Batterham was recently nominated by the Rotary Club of Inverell for the NSW and ACT Inspirational
Women’s Award for 2015. At a gala lunch at Doltone House, Pyrmont, Sydney on Sunday 8th March attended by over
500 people, Thea was named the awardee for Rotary District 9650 and presented with a trophy by Past District
Governor, District 9675, Garry Browne.
Thea was born in Indonesia, moved to Singapore, Malaysia, Sydney and then in 1981 to Inverell. During this time
Thea and her husband Ross took over the care of two boys, who along with his 3 daughters, became part of the
Batterham family and remain so today.
Following her husband’s death in 2005, Thea has provided free grief counselling for over 60 people, some for long
periods of time. She also works at the Community Gardens and has consistently raised funds for various charitable
organizations or individual people in need. On a recent visit to Indonesia she distributed money she had raised,
amongst elderly beggars whose children are unable to support them. (There is no pension system in Indonesia).
In 1999 Thea arranged to send comfort parcels including her biscuits, to Australian troops in East Timor and then to
Afghanistan with the help of some of her friends from St. Augustine’s Anglican Church. She was Secretary of the local
Camp Quality branch for many years, and very involved with Neighbourhood Watch for 10 years. Neighbourhood
12 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Watch distributed 4,000 newsletters twice yearly to local
homes, with information and advice from the local Police
regarding safety issues in Inverell. There was always one
of Thea’s recipes on the back page.
Thea supported the New England Volunteer Air
Transport, which took people from small towns to medical
treatment and appointments in larger centres. She has
provided accommodation to various pilots, who
themselves were volunteers. During this time she
published 1,000 cookbooks to raise money for NEVAT,
calling it “My Thankyou Australia Cookbook”. This was a
very successful venture and she still has requests for
copies.
Thea is also an active member of the Red Cross, visits
people in the McLean Retirement Village every Friday,
supports a disabled lady who lives alone, transports
people who do not have a car, and takes meals to people
who are unwell or have had a death in the family.
This inspirational lady Thea Batterham, believes that her life is a gift from God, but what she does with her life is her
gift back to God.
Changeover funds disbursements
Outgoing presidents are now starting to think about funds disbursements that will be announced at their
changeover functions. I suggest two areas that should be kept in mind: If your funds allow, try to create a Paul Harris
Fellow and try to create a Silver Friend of Australian Rotary Health. Both cost $1000. In both cases, the money will
be put to good use – and you might already have a credit which means you don’t need to pay any more.
PDG Laurie Barber, board member of Australian Rotary Health.
12 March 2015
From District Secretary Annette Mackay email: [email protected]
Please Circulate this information as widely in your club as is possible.
The archive of this communication is available on the District website www.rotary9650.org.au
Celebration Dinner to mark 110th Anniversary – Cluster 5
Rotarians from Armidale, Uralla and Guyra gathered
last week to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Rotary
and Pin it for Polio Day, at a dinner held at the
Armidale Bowling Club.
Guest speaker, Brian Bourke, is a polio survivor from
Armidale’s sister city of Masterton, in New Zealand. He
told Rotarians of his story as a 14-year-old boy, and his
journey that took him from mountain climbing to
marathon swimming; despite the fact that he did both
with a walking stick and a calliper on his leg. He was
considered too old for the children’s ward, and his
story was peppered with some amusing anecdotes of
life lessons he learned in the hospital men’s ward.
He also acknowledged the great work that Rotary was
doing in trying to end the scourge of polio around the
world. Nigeria has been free of new cases for six
months, but the wild polio virus is still found in Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
‘End Polio Now’ pins were sold at the function and all
profits from the dinner went to the Polio Plus program.
Photo is guest speaker Brian Bourke being helped from
the water by his grandson at the completion of a
Marathon swim.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Taree
The Movie Night last Thursday was a resounding success. Just under 300 people enjoyed delicious
nibbles and drinks provided by members of the Taree North and Taree on Manning Clubs. A raffle (of
course) was conducted by members of the Taree Club. Then the well-fed and - watered guests sat
down to enjoy a funny and sweet movie. Nearly $3000 was raised on the night. Everyone enjoyed
the movie, everyone enjoyed the night, and people stood around chatting long after the movie
finished. It was a fantastic evening and a great way to celebrate Rotary’s 110th anniversary and raise
funds for Polio-Plus.