Our special guest speaker
Noel Howard - RAWCS/RAM District Chair - Rotary assisting in Recent Floods
Both Noel and his wife Rose are members of the Rotary club of Hamilton and have been since 2011 and is a comuter to the family farm in Glenthompson, which was a sooldier settlement block. A past president in 2015/2016 for two years Noel has built Rotahomes in FIJI in 2013 and visited Timor Leste in 2017, taking ion RAWCS Chair in 2019.
RAWCS = Rotary Australia World Community Service
RAM = Rotarians against Malaria
- Recent floods in the township of Eugowra after 175mm rain in surrounding ctchments
- Flood waters reached 11.2 metre impacting nearly every town building & a sudden peak at midday on Nov 14th, which took every one by surprise with the sudden rise
- Two people lost their lives
- Rotary clubs from Orange set up a depot to store and distribute supplies and many surrounding Rotary groups assisted in the depot - sorting and distributing goods. Check out the link to see what it looked like at the depot.
What is Rotary doing in Eugowra? - with Colin Nayda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQFStCZbLL8
- Northern Victorian floods were slower and more drawn out with the town of Rochester almost completely flooded, and Kerang and San Hill only slightly afected - more dairy farms and orchards around Shepparton.
- Support required is not only supplies but also now financial to support towns in regrowth and rebuilding from within so vouchers for funds that locals can use in their own towns helps this way.
- Mosquitos have been an issue with the stagnant water therefore funds for mosquito candles have been required.
- Many flood projects available to support - the one for Victoria is 31-2022-23: Victoria and Border communities flood relief fund distribution (RABS)
- Other flood projects are in New Zealand and Turkey/Syria
- Over 9500 Rotary hours of volunteer work
- 13,043 vouchers for $500 delivered
- Ongoing significant need for mental health support and support for socialisation
And to note - Malaria Awareness week is April 30th 2023 with the RAM coordinating a schools video competition with the winning school receiving a voucher for $500
Luckily our thank you included a certificate to acknowledge the donation of a mosquto repellant impregnated net for a town in PNG which Noel Gratefully accepted.
Thanks to Peter Taylor for joining onlive via zoom and apologies for the break down in the link!
PLEASE COMPLETE THE MEETING REVIEW SURVEY
*Provide your valuable feedback to the club about your preferences. This will conclude at the end of the month so results can be shared next month.
We are heading to Peter Taylors farm on 27th February for a vocational visit - at this stage meet at the IGA carpark at 5:30pm for car pooling to Flowers Hill, a meal will be provided - there will be no-one at the MACS - and if you are - you didnt read the bulletin!! We WILL find out!
Please RSVP by Sundy 26th lunchtime to assist with catering.
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