Rotary District 1020 newsletter

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ISSUE 3 JANUARY 2019

Membership Increasing in District 1020

Within Rotary District 1020, one important membership catego- Yes—Gary’s wife Corrinna joined
ry, has risen year upon year over the past five years. Rotary

Female membership is now at 227 and has risen constantly
(albeit by a small margin) over the past few years making it one
area of growth within our district.

As a percentage, our female membership remains around the
same as the RIBI average at around 16% and when we compare
to other countries it is very low in comparison.

Take Taiwan, for instance, where female membership accounts
for around 38% of total members. Taiwan? With an inbuilt Chi-
nese culture of male dominance, this may seem strange.

Why has Taiwan such a high number of women as Rotarians?
Well, mainly it is down to Past RI President (2014/15) Gary
Huang from Taiwan who argued that the most simple way for
Rotary to increase its membership is to ask Rotary spouses
to join the organisation. Taiwan followed Gary’s suggestion
and the massive increase in Rotarians within that territory
was testimony to Gary’s simple and obvious suggestion.

There are large numbers of Rotary spouses out
there who know something about our organisation.
We have met them at conferences and dinners.

They know what Rotary is all about and what we do
and they are not strangers.

Can we emulate the Rotarians of Taiwan?

NEXT ISSUE—April
Deadline April 1st.

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Central Rotary Clubs
collaborate with Ocean Youth Trust

Freshly made pizza, a game of
king of the jungle, and the “Great
Boat Bake Off” were just some of
the highlights for 10 young carers
from Falkirk & Clackmannanshire
after spending a week on board
with Ocean Youth Trust Scotland.
The trip was supported by local
Rotary Clubs who joined together
to enable deserving young
people from their communities to
have the adventure of a lifetime.

In July, the group spent 5 days on sailing the 72ft yacht Alba Explorer and the Clubs
that helped make this trip possible recently visited the boat to find out for
themselves what the young people got up to.

Coming together to support the voyage were 5 Rotary Clubs from the region where
the young carers live; Rotary Clubs of Alloa, Cumbernauld, Falkirk, Grangemouth,
and Larbert. By joining forces, they allowed the young crew to take a break from
their caring responsibilities and learn new skills, make new friends, and have lots of
fun and laughter along the way.

A huge thank you to everyone who
supported this voyage and made it
possible.

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Currie Balerno: In The Community

On Wednesday 7 November Club President Rodger

the members of the Currie Thom welcomed everyone to

Balerno Rotary Club hosted an the evening and referred to

evening to showcase what the the Community Chest as one

Club does in and for the local of the Club’s local priorities

community. and also to the support the

Club gives to young people
Among those attending were locally.
Gordon McDonald MSP, Edin-

burgh Councillors Graeme He was delighted to wel-

Bruce and Neil Gardiner, come Louise Flockhart, one

Alistair Donald representing of the international climbers

Heriot Watt University, and from Balerno High School and

senior staff from local Balerno Ava Spittle also from Balerno

and Currie schools. High School who participated

this year in RYLA and final-
The Club presented a continu- ly there were three young
ous rolling sequence of images musicians, Alex Braggins,
demonstrating the Club’s activ- Emily Wishart and Jamie
ities both locally and interna- Lewis who were to provide
tionally but the main focus was the entertainment.
on the Club’s role within the

local community and infor- Pianist Alex Braggins, a pu-

mation sheets on its local activ- pil at Balerno High School,

ities were on display. who was the winning instru-

A substantial contribution lo- mentalist at the Rotary Club’s
cally is the Community Chest 2018 Young Musicians compe-
tition performed for the compa-
which was a Rotary Club initia- ny followed by Jamie Lewis, the
tive in 2016. In those first 2 winning vocalist at this year’s
years grants were made to lo- Club competition, and
cal organisations totalling Emily Wishart a for-
£9000 and 2018 has seen the mer Rotary Young Mu-
start of a third year with a sicians participant.
budget of £6000 shared equally

by the Rotary Club, Balerno

Village Trust and CALA Homes.

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Jedburgh:Tree Planting

On 19 November, President
Eddie Muir, Vice-President
Martin Breach and last year’s
President, Ian Sanford, all helped
to plant a copper beech tree in
Allerley Well Park. This was to
replace an old tree which had to
be felled for safety reasons and
Rotarian Chris Scott had the
inspiration to replace it with a
new tree provided by the club.
Ian obtained the tree from Stichill Nurseries and Rotarian
David Chapman, Manager of Emtelle, offered to provide a
metal tree guard free of charge… a good community effort
from the club.

Young Chef

The Rotary Club of Jedburgh supported the
Rotary ‘Young Chef’ competition recently and
the result were a winner and a runner-up from
Jedburgh Grammar School. They were, Karys
Williams (winner) and Sophie Oliver (runner-
up). They are pictured with Club Vice-President
Martin Breach at the presentation on 30 October.
Our thanks to Susan Oliver, Rector, Jedburgh
Grammar School, Diane MCKay, Head of Home
Economics, Jedburgh Grammar School and ‘All
Awards’, Jedburgh (who made the
trophies)
Well done to Karys and Sophie!

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North Berwick:VSO volunteer Jack Algeo

Former RYLA graduate Jack
Algeo took part in Voluntary
Service Overseas (VSO)’s
youth programme—ICS re-
cently and has been promi-
nently featured on their web
site.

Click here for the link

Here is some of his story:

“The year I went on ICS was the first time I travelled to Africa. The fur-
thest I'd been from home was northern France, so it was amazing to be
volunteering in Jirapa in northern Ghana, a place that was so differ-
ent from my village of Longniddry, east of Edinburgh.

While grades matter, it also matters that children enjoy education. If
they enjoy it, they’ll stay in it for longer. When we were teaching, we
made it enjoyable and engaging – we tried to break away from tradi-
tional teaching methods of textbooks and chalkboards.

Women make up 50% of this planet we share, but in a lot of cultures –
and in some of the situations we saw in Ghana – they aren’t pushed to
their full potential.

While volunteering with the female students, we helped show them that
equal opportunities are available, careers they can take and pathways
they can follow.”

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Dumfries Devorgilla—Katha School project

.Following a suc- photos at the school
cessful District showing just how
Grant Funding, the well these young
Rotary Club of women and girls
Dumfries Devorgilla are doing at the
has supported 15 school and testa-
girls over the ment to the impact
course of 2018 at that District Grant
Katha Lab School, funding can make. It
New Delhi. The is particularly re-
school was founded
by Geeta Dharma- warding to receive
rajan in 1990 in Go- testimonials from
vindpuri, one of the parents and teach-
oldest slums in New ers on the progress
Delhi and offers ed- of the girls and
ucation to children demonstrates the
of all ages, includ- real, life-changing
ing children with opportunities that
special needs. the school provides.

http://katha.org/
katha-lab-school/

Like many schools
in India, they strug-
gle to attract and
retain girls in edu-
cation, as a result,
the whole communi-
ty is held back. The
funding is therefore
assisting special
project called Super
Girl in assisting
girls through their
education.

The Club recently

received a report
and update includ-

ing a number of

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Dumfries Devorgilla: Santa‘s Grotto

The Rotary Club of Dumfries Devorgilla is pleased to have again been able to work
in a partnering event with Garden Wise Plant and Garden Centre, Dumfries in
providing a Santa’s Grotto during December at the garden centre. All the money
raised from visiting families with their children to the Grotto goes entirely to local
charities. The club specifically considers good causes that can benefit young peo-
ple and children. Partnering extends into the causes too and this year the club have
been assisted by Dumfries Y Gymnastics Club who are a local charitable organisa-
tion providing dedicated gym facilities for young people. Youngsters from the club
helped Santa in his Grotto as elves and their excellent efforts have allowed the Rota-
ry Club of Dumfries Devorgilla to provide £2000 to the club which will be used by
them for the purchase of new equipment. Our picture shows Rotarians Dawn Gra-
ham and Alistair Bremner along with Santa, presenting a cheque to Dumfries Y
Gymnastics Club.

More than £23,000 has been raised by Santa's Grotto over previous years and used
to help good causes such as Dumfries Global Education Group, Dumfries Befriend-
ing Project, Kids Out 2014, Three Wheel Scotland, Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club
and Cash for Kids.

Putting on Santa’s Grotto is a real team effort from everybody concerned. It is amaz-
ing how generously people give up their time at this busy time of year and includes
not only Club members but also members of their family and friends, staff of Gar-
den Wise and also Club members from Dumfries Rotary Club. This is an extremely
rewarding event for the Club to be involved with and gives a real sense of Christ-
mas spirit to all in-
volved whilst giving a
real benefit to local
charities

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Falkirk : Chianti Fellowship

Forty six members,
family and friends
joined together for
a festive treat at
Chianti again this
year. John Struthers
never fails in his
role as “Mr Fellow-
ship”.

Thursday 27th De-
cember was I think,
the third year that
this event has been
staged since the
Park Hotel made a
practice of closing
down between
Christmas and New
Year.

The food was as
usual excellent and
great value for mon-
ey.

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Falkirk Rotary: Community Achievement Award

On 15th November we recognised the ment can speak with first hand
24th winner of the Community Achieve- knowledge and offer support to other
ment Award. people with sensory difficulties. He is
described as an absolute asset to the
We are again grateful to the Falkirk Her- centre.
ald for promoting the Award and also be-
ing joint sponsors for all those years and John was presented with the Falkirk
for the help from Editor Jill Buchanan. Herald Trophy and a cheque for £400
Our other sponsor is our own Linda to John which he has asked to benefit
Pacitti of Morton & Pacitti Solicitors. the Forth Valley Sensory Centre.

The winner this year is described by his John Ormsby was born in Edinburgh
proposer as “a very busy man who lives but has lived in Polmont for 37 years.
life to the full and gives back to his local Sadly he lost his wife 5 years ago.
community in many ways”. John has a married son and daughter
and 4 grandchildren who all live local-
A large part of his life has been spent do- ly. He spent his entire working life in
ing voluntary work in the district for a the southeast Scotland area with Scot-
number of good causes such as the Sea- tish Power retiring as a senior engi-
gull Trust, The Childrens Panel, Adult neer.
Education and Age Concern and he tells
me he is always on call as Santa at Christ- Some time ago, I took some donations
mas. He has, however, had to restrict his to the Foodbank and the gentleman
involvement in some of these organisa- there intimated that they were serious-
tions in recent years due to ongoing sight ly short of spaghetti, the tinned type in
loss. a tomato sauce.

John was born with sight difficulties in A round robin challenge was issued to
one eye. However the onset of diabetes the Club and the result was magnifi-
about 20 years ago caused further deteri- cent. I was able to deliver in excess of
oration in his sight. He became involved 150 cans to the Foodbank one Thurs-
with the Forth Valley Sensory Centre as a day. When I first dropped two bagfuls
volunteer in 2007 and due to his impair- they were quite appreciative but after
my fourth or fifth trip to the car they
were incredulous.

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Rotary District 1020 In Brief
serving Southern Scotland and the
International Women’s Day Brunch
world

Editorial Team The event is being held on Sunday 17th March
Calum Thomson, PDG Olive 2019 in the Dunmuir Hotel, Dunbar, East Lothian
- 11 for 11.30 and finishing around 2.30.
Geddes, Peter Croan

We are delighted to say our Keynote Speaker is
Professor Jeanne Bell who is a retired Neuropa-
thologist and a founder member of Edinburgh
Direct Aid - working in Bosnia and Syria. Dr Bell
has vast experience of working with and sup-
porting women throughout her career.

WEB ADDRESS As in the past a fabulous full English breakfast

W W W . RO TA RY 1 0 2 0 . O RG will be served with vegetarian/vegan meals

available on request (please indicate on the

booking form) . The cost of the event is £15 per

person with any profit going to charity.

More details from Elaine O’Brien

New Theme: Rotary 2019-20

A quick look at the new Rotary theme for next year, ie, not to be used until July 1st
(except for specific 19/20 training events).