Kia ora koutou katoaNā tō rourou, nā taku rourou,
Ka ora ai te iwi.
With your basket and my basket
the people will thrive.
October is Economic and Community Development month. My focus in this panui is on three examples of Community Development in our District. The six Rotary communities of the Kapiti/Horowhenua cluster began by seeking advice from their secondary schools and kura on local priorities. The feedback was clear. The young people of the area needed non-judgmental, immediate access to qualified professionals to help students in need and to prevent suicide. Several services were already in place but were not always accessible to all students seeking help.The cluster, lead by Kapiti Rotary, organised a luncheon fundraiser for the cluster last week and launched the process. Radio NZ covered the story well.
This is Rotary working with their communities.
This month Lane and I, along with many Rotary clubs in District 9940, supported STROKE Foundation NZ on the Big Blood Pressure Check day, Saturday 5 October. Indicative data from the day shows Rotary has helped identify several at risk people in our communities and is now connecting them to medical professionals. That is making a real difference to one person’s life.
We also look forward to the Ride the Train to End Polio day on 24 October. This is our communities in action, as part of a worldwide programme, helping developing countries reach Polio free certification. Rotary is a foundation partner of this initiative working with the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Its goal is to eradicate polio worldwide. Our global Rotary community supports this goal too as we make a difference to the lives of many children, and progressively safeguard our own communities.
These are but three examples of significant initiatives Rotary is working on within our many communities to make a better world.
“If we can make a difference in the life of one person in a community it is a small yet significant step to empowering a whole community.” Lashini Naidoo.
Kia kaha Be strong
Kia manawanui Be steadfast
John Mohi