Meet the Directors Series

Community Service 2005 – 2006
Rotary Club of Taree
Report on Community Service Activities
30th October 2005

The following is an update of the project and fund raising activities of the Community Service portfolio for 2005-2006 for the Rotary Club of Taree. By Brad Hawkins

Captain’s Call Competition

Each year the club supports the ARHRF when they run the Australia Rugby League Captains Call Competition. Despite the fact that this fund raiser was scheduled in our yearly planner for 2005, it unfortunately appears that the competition did not run this year.

Water Conservation Project/Education.

This year our club is taking a more pro-active approach to Water Conservation. Water is essential to our survival and is fast becoming a scarce resource. The club recently had a guest speaker along from Mid Coast Water to talk about Water Conservation. This was a very interesting talk and it further highlighted the need for people to be conscious of water usage in business and around the home. Mid Coast Water are offering financial grants to clubs and organisations who can provide projects that can deliver Water Conservation benefits for the community. The club’s board decided that we should investigate possible projects that attract this funding and take action. Mid Coast Water are promoting National Water Week which runs from today until 21st October.

NSW State Dressage Championships

The club was recently approached to man the gates at the NSW State Dressage Championships. This event was held for the first time ever in a rural area. It is normally held in Melbourne. The event was a great success and attracted people from all over Australia and as far away as Tasmania. The event could not have proceeded without our assistance with the gates. As a token of their appreciation, the local Dressage Club who hosted the event, donated $400-00 to Rotary.

Taree Show Gates

Each year the club assists the Taree Show by assisting on the gates. The show ran last weekend. The Taree Show displays many of the Agricultural, Arts and Crafts of the people of the Manning Valley. It is truly a community event. Rotary’s involvement with the gates is a similar arrangement to the Dressage Championships, but on a much larger scale. As a result of the two and half day event, Rotary usually receives 10% of the gate takings. A donation to Rotary could range anywhere from $1000-00 to $2500-00. I am yet to get any feedback from the Taree Show Committee.

4WD Bush Bash

The brainchild of two of our Rotarians, the 4WD Bush Bash is an event with a difference. A scenic course through our NSW district is chosen and participants are encouraged to “ruff it” and sleep under the stars while all the time they are tempted by the readily available accommodation and a warm, comfortable bed. The catch is that any participants who “buckle” under the pressure and opt for the good life are fined. The event which lasts for approximately 3 days usually raises in excess of $1500-00.

Christmas Card Appeal ARHRF

Each year the club readily supports this fundraiser run by the ARHRF. Most years we sell our entire allocation of cards. Through various educational nights the club members recognise the need to raise much needed funds for the ARHRF and are always will to support such projects. The cards are currently available for purchase.

Camp Memories

This is not a Rotary organised event, but it is organised by our previous Community Service Director and his wife. Usually held in November each year, the event invites families of disabled children to the rural property of Kevin and May Sharp. They accommodate and entertain the families while giving the Mums and Dads some much needed respite from 24 hour care. This is a great idea and club members are encouraged to attend and participate in the weekend event. The club has also supported the work of the Sharps financially in the way of donations in the past.

Rotary Park Working Bee/s

Rotary Park is situated on the outskirts of Taree’s northern highway entrance (old Pacific Highway). The idea for the park was originally conceived back in the 1970’s and following the park’s construction the Rotary Club of Taree with assistance from the Greater Taree City Council have been responsible for landscaping and maintaining the park. Each year the club perform various maintenance and tree planting working bees. We also hold a BBQ once a year in the park. The park fosters good fellowship amongst those who attend working bees and is seen as a picturesque entry to Taree. The park also provides the weary traveller with peaceful respite from the fatigue of driving.

Rotary Centennial Grove

In recognition of Rotary’s Centenary, last year the three Rotary Clubs of Taree undertook a joint project to construct a garden area just down from Rotary Park. The area is just outside the entrance to our local Swim and Leisure Centre. With the assistance of the Greater Taree City Council the three clubs have constructed a garden bed and currently one of three rocks has been placed near the footpath and a plaque has been mounted on the rock face. The plaque recognises Rotary’s celebration of100 years and symbolises the three local Rotary Club’s involvement in the Community.

Australia Day Celebrations

Each year a member from our club involves themselves in the Australia Day Celebration Committee and when the time comes, encourages club members to assist with Australia Day activities and celebrations.

Bowel Scan

Bowel Scan is a fantastic Rotary Community Service Project. Each year our district is responsible for the distribution and sale of tens of thousands of life saving kits. The planner has set aside a week in early March 2006 for the sale of these kits. Our club typically sells in excess 1500 kits annually and typically $1 from each kit sold is retained by Rotary. We are fortunate that our club has members that are heavily involved with Bowel Scan at both a local and district level.

Clean Up Australia Day

Although this is not a direct Rotary project or activity, our club encourages the involvement of members in Clean Up Australia Day. Due to the fact that this event usually clashes with our Bowel Scan project, our club involvement is limited and members are encouraged to join clean up groups that are already formed by the organisers.

Golf Day

This is/was one our biggest fund raising activities for the club. In the past the club held a golf day at the exclusive Tallwoods Golf Day usually in March/April, depending on weather. It was a much sort after event for many years because you normally could not play the course without either living at Tallwoods or knowing someone who did. The Tallwoods estate recently changed hands and the golf course was then opened to the public. The course then lost its exclusive appeal. This year we are planning on trying the event at the Taree Golf Course. It is hoped that we can once again make this a very popular event.

Emergency Medical Info Book

Still under investigation, the Emergency Medical Info Book is the idea of our previous Community Service Director. It is hoped that we can launch this project in conjunction with the NSW Ambulance Service. The idea is that a booklet containing vital medical information would be filled out and stuck on the fridge so that in the event of a patient who is unable to communicate the local Ambulance Officers could access the information and make informed decisions on a patient’s care based on current medication and conditions. This would make a great joint club or even district project and could even be run in conjunction with the Bowel Scan project. This is still a work in process.

Red Shield Appeal

Each year club members are encouraged to participate in the annual Red Shield Appeal. Each year a small number of members usually participate and some member of Rotary are also in the Salvation Army.

Cultural Scholarship

The idea of a Cultural Scholarship was first suggested as a means to fund young artists who are naturally gifted. Run in conjunction with the Manning Entertain Centre, the fund would ensure that those who show real potential do not fall through the cracks due to the financial constraints usually associated with coaching and nurturing young talent. This project is still a work in progress.

Old Bar Beach Observation Tower

Originally suggested some years ago, this item is back on the agenda again. It follows a very similar project carried out in the Hastings district. Rotary would be primarily helping to raise funds for the Old Bar Beach Surf Life Saving Club to help construct an Observation Tower. This tower would allow Life Savers to provide an even greater level of safety to the public visiting the coast. This is a great community service project and is seen as ongoing at this stage. It could also be a great joint club project.

Lansdowne Players Club

Typically a fund raising event that also fosters great fellowship. This project was carried out once before and the plan is to do it again this Rotary year. Approximately 10 Rotarians are responsible for preparing and serving 180 meals during Lansdowne Players Club’s theatre night. Once the cost of food is paid for, Rotary (and other community service organisations who do the catering) keep the remainder of funds raised. The project usually raises in excess of $1000-00.

Other Project and Fund Raising Ideas

The emphasis this year has been on “Community Service” projects and not just fund raising. There is a great deal of organisations out in the community who are just “raising funds”. It would be fair to say that there too many “fund raising” activities and groups. The public are saturated on a daily basis by the various organisations wanting donations.

Having said that, although Rotary performs many Community Service projects without fundraising, we still need to raise some funds from time to time.

This is where Rotary is different. Rotary has the ability to run community based events and activities that benefit others in the community while sometimes raising funds. These funds can be directed towards other worthwhile projects and activities. I believe the key to fundraising is balance. It is difficult to find fund raising events with the right balance. Where possible the event needs to be beneficial to all those concerned. Rotary doesn’t just simply ask for donations. It is my view that the fund raising and projects that we are undertaking, and will no doubt undertake in the near future will continue to benefit all those concerned.

Regards,

Brad Hawkins
Community Service Director 2005-2006
Rotary Club of Taree