District Projects

District Projects
Community Projects Director – Sue Clark   ballyclark@bigpond.com   0402-818-075
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                     
District Projects:
 
Adopt-a-Town
Aim: Provide support to communities impacted by fire, flood, or drought.
Clubs can –
 
  • visit towns.
  • stay in Hotels, Caravan Parks, etc
  • eat in Restaurants, Cafes, etc
  • shop in local shops.
  • find out what help is needed.
  • develop projects to help locals.
  • provide support and hope when times are difficult.
 
Contact:  Cathy Mason   rotaryadoptatown@gmail.com    0413 447 184
 
City2Surf & Sydney Running Festival.
Aim: Provide volunteers to assist at the City2Surf Fun Run and also for the Sydney Running Festival.
 
  • For the City2Surf, volunteers work as course marshals or remain in Hyde Park, providing information to the participants and public.
  • For the Sydney Running festival, volunteers work as course marshals.    
  • For both events, volunteers receive a donation for their Rotary club from the organisers.
  • Due to the Covid situation in NSW, both events will be virtual in 2021. Dates are October 17 – 24 for the City2Surf, and September 19 to October 17 for the Blackmores Running Festival.
  • Organisers hope that a live Blackmores 20th Runiversary event will be possible in 2022 but no date has been proposed. Existing volunteer applications are being held and updates will be posted on the website when available.
 
Contacts: City2Surf - Phillip Snider   psnider@optusnet.com.au  0418-865-471
or Russell Paine  russell.paine@gmail.com   0410-943-007
Sydney Running Festival - Phillip Snider   psnider@optusnet.com.au  0418-865-471      
 
Dolly Parton Imagination Library  
Aim: Help vulnerable children start school ready to read and learn by providing them with a free, home delivered, age-appropriate book each month until their 5th birthday.
The program -
  • encourages parents to read regularly to their children.
  • develops a love of books and reading.
  • addresses and nurtures early childhood literacy and language skills.
  • develops confidence within children and prepares them for school, ready to learn.
  • has a positive impact on the child’s overall development.
  • builds stronger family relationships and in many cases supports parents’ literacy.
 
Cost to clubs:
  • cost per child is $8.40 / month or $100.80/ year.
  • $1008 will enable 10 children to receive books for 12 months and your club to receive feedback on its benefits.
 
A local support organisation or preschool should be very willing to work with you and offer the program to families they know for children who will benefit.
 
 Contact: Cathie Richardson    richoc@bigpond.com      0407 783 277
or Sue Clark   ballyclark@bigpond.com   0402-818-075
 
Dream Cricket
Aim:  Provide children with special needs the opportunity to play cricket, helping them to develop their physical skills and increase their confidence and self-esteem.
  • Held during school hours for children from one or more schools.
  • Children participate in a tabloid of activities, adjusted as needed to suit each child.
  • If possible, invite senior high school students (Year 10 or 11) to run the activities and help the children, assisted by Rotarians and teachers.
  • A District kit of equipment is available to borrow.
  • Assistance from clubs that have run a Dream Cricket day will be happily given.
  • Fun for all, and an excellent experience for the senior students.
 
Contact: Sue Clark   ballyclark@bigpond.com   0402-818-075
 
Environment and Sustainability
Aim: Promote Rotary’s new area of focus, Supporting the Environment, and encourage engagement of Rotarians.
(With acknowledgement of Paulo Costa, RI President, 1990-91, who developed the program, Preserve Planet Earth.)
  • Consider regular plastic clean-up days from waterways – make it Practical & Social,
  • Plant trees after liaising with your local council.
  • Reduce your own and your club’s carbon footprint – for example, remove plastics (plates, cutlery, straws) from your catering, coordinate transport, recycle all waste etc.,
  • Consider personal initiatives to reduce emissions - use of energy efficient lighting, recycling, composting, solar panels & batteries, use of an electric bicycle for local transport.
  • Consider an electric vehicle as the next car you buy, and advocate for electric recharging station in your area.
 
Contact: Oscar Jones   oscar@alpineconsulting.com.au   0418-894-894
 
Graffiti Removal Day
Aim:  Remove graffiti from public or private buildings using products which are donated.
 
  • Volunteers work together to remove graffiti from previously chosen sites.
  • To volunteer, go to the Graffiti Removal Day website and register. You will receive an email acknowledging your registration and near the day, a site supervisor will contact you.
  • All paint and equipment will be provided.
 
Usually held in March. Date for 2022 TBA.
 
Contact:  Barry Antees   barryantees@gmail.com   0413-880-267
 
Indigenous Projects
Presently there are 5 major projects that are active.
  1. Aboriginal Child and Family Health Initiative.
 
This is the 2021-22 DG Partner project.
 
Aim: Develop significant health opportunities for Aboriginal Families across greater Sydney. It will replicate key elements of a program operating successfully at the La Perouse Aboriginal Community Centre since 2009 in partnership with the Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick.
The program:
  • Involves an arts-in-health activity to support maternal and mental wellbeing and promote access to child and family health and educational services.
  • Provides transport for mothers and children to a culturally safe space where mothers can connect with and support one another.
  • Utilises an arts and crafts program to facilitate creative expression, celebrate Aboriginal culture and learning, and promote health literacy and parenting skills.
 
Next Steps: With Rotary funding support, this project will research and explore the transferability of key elements of the La Perouse Community program to Western Sydney Aboriginal Communities, with active support from the Children’s Hospital, Westmead.
Contact: Anne Christie  annemariechristie@gmail.com   0412-657-679
 
  1. Tribal Warrior Mentoring Program
Aim: Help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth of all ages develop into confident, independent young adults.
  • The program is based in Redfern and is designed to support aboriginal youth through to Year 12.
  • See website www.tribalwarrior.org/tribal-warrior-mentoring-program.
  • Volunteers are welcome to attend the boxing sessions held Mon, Wed & Fri from 6am at Redfern Indigenous Centre of Excellence. Contact Jeremy if you are interested.
Contact: Jeremy Wright   jeremyw@optusnet.com.au   0412-239-531
 
  1. Indigenous Knowledge Hub at UTS
Aim: Promote a sense of pride and hope within the indigenous community, particularly indigenous youth with challenging low levels of school attendance and university participation.
  • UTS is building the first indigenous residential University College in Australia.  Rotary will partner with UTS to develop a “knowledge hub” within the College.
  • The Hub will comprise five key areas: the library, the Keeping Place, the Family Research Space, an Elders Office and, an Academic workplace.
 
Next steps: Rotary is supporting a pledge of $3M over 3 years to fund two phases of programming to help make the vision for the Indigenous Knowledge Hub a reality.
 
Contact: PDG Garry Browne AM   gbrowne@ebso.com.au    0418-401-978
 
  1. Trachoma Prevention
Aim: support the health education of Aboriginal communities in Central Australia, aimed at preventing Trachoma.
Trachoma is an eye infection that can lead to blindness, but trachoma blindness is preventable.
Australia is the only developed country in the world with trachoma.
Contact: Dr Darshan Sachdev   dansachdev@iinet.net.au   0403-327-466
 
  1. Little Wings and Medical Wings.
Aim: provide support and care to sick children and their families.
  • Little Wings provides ongoing free flight and ground transport to Children’s Westmead Hospital minimising the physical, emotional, and financial strain of travel. See www.littlewings.org.au.
  • Volunteer drivers are needed to take patients to and from Bankstown airport and the hospital.  Contact Vinod if you are interested.
  • Medical Wings provides free transport for Paediatricians, from John Hunter Hospital to mainly to regional NSW Aboriginal communities. Donations appreciated.
Contact: Vinod Reddy   vre97845@hotmail.com   0416414266
 
Probus
Aim:  Form new Probus Clubs and assist active clubs within the District.
  • Probus is an organisation that promotes friendship, fellowship, and fun for retired and semi-retired people.
  • Especially for retired Rotarians but anyone can join.
  • Each club holds monthly meetings with interesting guest speakers.
  • No fundraising involved.
Contact: Lyn Bates   lynbates@live.com.au   0408-284-082
 
Solar Lights  
Aim: Provide a clean and rechargeable light source for communities that do not have access to electricity.
 
  • Lights are approximately 9cm square in size and are sturdy but lightweight.
  • They can be clipped together for a larger light source.
  • Approximately 8 hours of light is provided per charge.
  • They are life changers for communities without electricity.
  • For orders over 10 units, the cost is $12.00 per light.
  • This is a RAWCS Project supported by the Rotary Club of Sutherland
Contact: Jay Thorogood   jaythorogood@gmail.com   0488-228-882