Important Dates for your Calendar in 2015

• District Leaders Training – Taree – 14th-15th February 2015
• District Management and District Finance meetings – 15th February 2015
• Port Macquarie Sunrise – Amazing Mystery Tour – 22nd February 2015
• Cluster 5 Celebration Dinner – Armidale February 25th 2015
• Polio Plus Movie Night February 26 2015 – Tamworth 26th February 2015 Forum 6 Cinema – Sawtell 26th February 2015 Birch Carroll and Coyle Coffs Harbour Tickets $20 – Laurieton 26th February 2015 Laurieton Plaza Theatre
• New England Tech Fest Armidale – 4th- 6th March 2015
• District Conference Inverell 13-15th March 2015
• RYLA – Yarrahapinni 21st-28th March 2015 (Rotary Youth Leadership Award)
• RYAG Sheep – Walcha 25th- 29th March 2015 (Rotary Youth in Agriculture)
• MUNA – Inverell 16-17th April 2015 (Model United Nations Assembly)
• PETS – Tamworth 18th-19th April 2015 (President Elect Training)
• District Assembly – Port Macquarie 3rd May 2015
• District Assembly – Gunnedah 24th May 2015
• Rotary International Convention Sao Paulo Brazil – 6th-9th June 2015

DG Jottings

DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Preparations are going very well for the District conference to be held in Inverell from 13th to 15th March 2015 with the Conference committee under Phil Goddard’s able captaincy putting the final touches to the program, they have worked hard and done a great job . All of the speakers and arrangements have been made as well as a great selection of meals and lunches/morning teas so I am sure we will be catering to everyone’s requirements.
Registrations have started to roll in and I would like to thank those who have done so already. Be sure to register early so as to avail yourself of the early bird discount. Many clubs and members have told me they have booked accommodation already so well done. If you are thinking of coming to this conference, slip onto the website and take a tour through the extensive program , I am sure you will be impressed. Max Walker and others will keep us very entertained. Hope to see you there.
YOUTH ACTIVITIES
Over the next few months, our District has an impressive array of youth activities which will be a benefit to the candidates and clubs involved. Long Term Youth Exchange Program  is happening now with Outbounders heading off on their exciting journey and inbounders arriving as well as students returning home. Make sure if you have a student that you have them along to the club and other clubs to hear their story.
Other programs that are happening now include National Youth Science Forum and we have a number of students attending Canberra . These students will return home so invigorated and positive and knowing what they will pursue in life. Great program.
Model United Nations Assembly , Rotary Youth Leadership Award , Rotary Youth in Agriculture SHEEP and other program are being presented over the next couple of months so look for the dates in the Illuminator or on the website calendar and please support these great program that are so beneficial for our kids. Support for these programs is essential so that they can continue to be viable
CLUBS
Presidential citation forms are something that should be dusted off as we come into the final 5 months of our rotary year .See how you are going with your club goals, and I am sure that your members would be delighted to receive this award.
Many club members will be undertaking District and Presidential training over the next few months. Presidents Elect and new club board members attending District Assemblies should be given support from their clubs for the work they will be doing. Good luck to all those becoming involved at club level, especially for the first time, you will really enjoy the ride.
The final six month period will be a full and rewarding time for all clubs, and a time that your club goals will all come together. Check them off and work on your club citation, you will be pleased when you receive your reward.
Greg Moran

Club Invoicing changes

We are aware that there have been, and will continue to be, many changes for clubs to adapt to. One of the largest is the change in the Club Invoicing that comes into effect with the January 2015 invoice.
To assist your clubs through the requirements, our office has prepared a presentation on the New Club Invoice and the changes that will be occurring, together with the inclusion of Rotary Down Under magazine subscription costs on the RI invoice.
The presentation is in the form of PowerPoint with an audio commentary, and can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsfCAitGXfQ&feature=youtu.be
If clubs have any questions regarding this process they should contact our office on +61 2 8894 9800 or email to risppo@rotary.org Regards Joy Walker Acting International Office Manager Manager, Club & District Support South Pacific & Philippines Office Direct: +61-2-8894 9820 P.O. Box 1415 Parramatta 2124
Level 2, 60 Phillip Street Parramatta NSW 2150 Australia

ShelterBox Australia update

Current deployments: Gaza, Niger, Iraq, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone and Syria. See
details below.
Monitoring:
· There has been flooding in many displacement sites in South Sudan, causing many families to
have to relocate. The team is discussing a potential response with the relevant clusters.
The team has had a request to provide aid in Cameroon to around 45,000 families. Some of these families are refugees from Nigeria, others have been displaced due to conflict within the country. The operations team is currently working through the paperwork and then intends to send an initial 200 tents to Cameroon.
· The operations team has been talking to Plan about the ongoing Ebola crisis. ShelterBox is now looking at the possibility of sending tents to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The intended use for these tents is not currently within ShelterBox’s remit and the legal team is waiting to hear back from the Charity Commission to see if this can be changed to accommodate the request.
· The team has received a request for 400 tents in the northern areas of North Korea to help people affected by flooding and are currently planning to send Flex 3 tents and winterization kits.
· The operations team is monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka, as the country was hit by the same bad weather as Malaysia, but there is no immediate need for aid.
· The team is currently considering a request to provide aid to internally displaced people in Somalia.
Malaysia – flooding
Overview: Extreme monsoon rains have caused severe flooding in the north east of Malaysia and around 200,000 people are reported to have been displaced as a result.
This is ShelterBox’s first deployment in Malaysia, yet within days of the first team’s (Todd and Martin) arrival, they had been welcomed by Najib Razak, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, who has given his full support to ShelterBox.
Current team: Todd Finklestone (US), Martin Strutton (UK), Andrew Clouting (AUS), Jack Bailey (UK), Mike Peachey (NZ), Dave Nichols (USA), Per Dahlstrom (CAN) and Jimmy Griffith (NZ), Sam Hewitt (UK), Andrew Clark (UK), Torstein Nielson (NOR) and Ben Julian (UK)
Team 2 (Andrew Clouting and Jack Bailey) helped to establish a camp of 100 tents in Gua Musang in the north-east of the country.
The majority of the volunteers are now assessing the need for aid in the neighbouring district of Kuala Krai. Todd and Martin will be leaving Malaysia at the weekend.
Gaza – conflict
Overview:
ShelterBox has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development to provide aid to people in Gaza following on-going conflict in the region.
250 boxes have been packed this week and will leave Cornwall on Monday. This batch will serve to test the pipeline before a further 250 boxes are sent.
Niger – flooding Last updated: Today
Overview: Heavy rains and subsequent flooding have affected Niamey, Tillaberri and Dosso regions amongst others.
ShelterBox are working with Plan who originally requested 2,000 ShelterBoxes. So far, 200 have been distributed, with more due to be drip-fed from prepositioned stock in Accra, Ghana.
ShelterBox signed an MOU with Plan and a shipment of 200 ShelterBoxes has been distributed in country. 368 ShelterBoxes have now arrived in Niger and are due to be distributed soon.

Pakistan – flooding
Overview: Areas of southern Punjab have suffered severe flooding throughout the last few months and a request was made to ShelterBox to help people through the winter.
1,000 shelter repair kits and 224 ShelterBoxes are en route by sea to Pakistan to assist flooding survivors.
Philippines – Typhoon Haiyan and Hagupit
Overview: Typhoon Haiyan, the largest storm ever to make landfall, struck the Philippines on 8 November 2013.
After the need for emergency shelter diminished, ShelterBox turned its attention to providing other types of aid to help communities rebuild.
ShelterBox is working in partnership with the international agencies Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development Handicap International, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) on four separate projects to than 8,000 vulnerable people with a safe, durable home.
Toby Ash reported that all of the ongoing ‘build back stronger’ projects have stood up really well against Typhoon Hagupit. now back in the UK.
Plan has now distributed almost 2,000 tarpaulins to families affected by Typhoon Hagupit.
Iraq – conflict
Overview: Conflict in numerous governorates has displaced huge numbers of Iraqi people.
ShelterBox has prepositioned stock in Iraq and is working with ACTED to establish a camp to provide shelter for internally people (IDPs).
There are around 1,900 tents in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which have all now been distributed.
The ShelterBox operations team is making provisions to supplement the existing stock of shelter Iraq with winterisation Sierra Leone – Ebola
Overview: Sierra Leone is one of three West African countries that have an outbreak of Ebola. Around 100 cases of the being reported daily in the country.
60 yellow and black ShelterBoxes have been used to contain foodstuffs on the private ship MV Gypsum Centennial. In SchoolBoxes have also been transported on the vessel, which will be delivered to the Sierra Leonean educational charity The mixture of items will then be distributed to people within areas affected by Ebola.
Syria and bordering countries – crisis
Overview: It’s been more than three and a half years since conflict broke out in Syria. Over 9 million people have been The majority remains within the borders.
ShelterBox has ensured distribution of aid through implementing partners including Hand in Hand for Syria (HIHS). Shelter kits, more tents, mosquito nets, water filters, water carriers, blankets, groundsheets, SchoolBoxes and solar lamps have sent to assist families in the region.
HIHS are continuing to distribute aid throughout the country including to areas in the Aleppo governorate and the Syrian/border.