Page 3 - Rotary DIM December 2017
P. 3
MESSAGE FROM THE DG Denis talked about the
changes that are upon us
Firstly may I wish everyone a fantastic Christmas and and that we need to
a new year that brings everything you wish for embrace them if we are
yourself and your family. to take Rotary into the
future. The Council on
Here we are nearly half way through the Rotary year Legislation gave Clubs
and the time seems to have flown by. My Club visits the freedom to carry out
have concentrated on the far west so that in the event Rotary in the way that
of the threatened harsh winter I will still be able to get bests suits them and in
to the nearer Clubs. What my visits have brought ways that meet the
home to me is how diverse are the ways in which demands of today’s
Clubs work whilst all achieving the aims of Rotary. society. As a statement
What can be achieved when individual Rotarians and of fact the average age
Clubs work together was amply demonstrated by the of Rotarians in RIBI is 74
call for Shoeboxes to be sent to the British Virgin which give us all plenty to think about. District 1175 is
Islands devastated by two hurricanes. just about staying even number wise but this is not
necessarily something to celebrate. It points to an
At the instigation of Olly Taylor and his fellow police underlying issue in that it means for every new
officers and spearheaded by the Rotary Club of member gained we are losing one. Many new
Ivybridge the equivalent of a 1000 Shoeboxes were members only stay in Rotary for a period of two years
gathered and on their way in a matter of days. Santa so are we providing what people want from Rotary?
really did have his elves working hard. This fantastic However it is gratifying to hear of thriving Satellite
effort will ensure the children in the British Virgin Clubs and the possibility of a brand new Club being
Islands will have something to celebrate this chartered.
Christmas.
We are approaching the end game with global Polio
RIBI President Denis Spiller paid a visit to the District Eradication with only 16 cases so far this year but we
and was able to see the Regional District Council need to keep at it. Denis has issued a challenge for
meetings in action (see photograph right). The Rotarians to join in the Purple4Polio Banger Rally
premise is being tried out in other Districts where the 2018, click on this link or find the details on the RIBI
geographical area makes it difficult to get members web site but basically buy a banger for no more than
together in one location. Everything seemed to work £300 and drive it across country visiting as many
well apart from the Exmouth end where there were Districts as possible ending up in the centre of the
issues with the sound. It has all been a huge learning RIBI world which is apparently Halifax.
curve and I would ask those who may have found the
event frustrating to bear with it a bit longer because Day two of Denis’ visit was taken up with a visit to the
we are getting better. Shelterbox Headquarters in Truro where we were
treated to a tour of the Exhibition Centre and met
