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"Jacksons Creek
Footbridge"
Designed and built by the Rotary Club and Community of Gisborne
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CLUB INQUIRIES: PP Pat Bialobrzeski
Phone 03 5428 3474
E-mail :
gisborne@rotaryd9800.org
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness : This community health project was initiated by the Rotary Club of Gisborne. In 1998, District 9800 approved it as a Health Programs project and an MS Awareness Committee was formed under the Chairmanship of PP Martin Taurins of our Club.
The aim of the project is to
achieve a breakthrough in research for a cure. With the support of D9800 clubs,
the project established a 3-year Victorian Specific Exchange program between
Victorian and Buenos Aires practitioners, and led to a world-wide awareness
campaign, including documented support from D9920 New Zealand and D4260
Argentina.
The Rotary Club of Gisborne and the Rotary Club of Numurkah raised seed funding for the Rotary District 9800 MS Awareness Committee to help launch the Australian MS Longitudinal Study to generate specific hypotheses on environmental and other factors that affect the course of people's MS. Working with the National Federation of MS Societies and MS Australia, Dr Rex Simmons (Canberra Hospital), MS researcher and Project Manager for the study, aims to facilitate a collaborative venture worldwide, marshalling the worlds best investigators, MS Societies and pharmaceutical companies to help find a cure for MS, see www.msaustralia.org.au/newsletter/
In November 2004 the D9800 MS Awareness Committee sponsored and facilitated a nursing exchange between the MS Societies of India and Australia to note nursing therapeutic and preventive techniques, as well as patient management and care toward improving the quality of life for people with MS. Another exchange in March 2006 between the MS Society of Japan and MS Australia was also very successful. Further exchanges are in the pipeline. In 2004, the Committee commenced a financial commitment of $10,000 p.a., along with funding from the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund and the Howard Florey Institute (Melbourne University), to fund a young science student through her PhD research topic 'Brain Repair in M.S.', over a three year period.
As part of the Rotary International celebration of 100 years of service, the D9800 MS Awareness Committee arranged for an MS Awareness float to participate in the Centennial Street Parade in Chicago in June 2005, sponsored by Rotary clubs in District 9800 and in District 9790, with Rotarians from Australian and other countries wearing highly coloured vests showing the MS and Rotary emblems, walking along with the float. Committee Chairman, Rotarian Martin Taurins and his family were an integral part of the MS Walk, as well as the Governor of D9800 and his family.
For 2006 the Committee has focussed on a Wedding Gown Parade and Luncheon, on 17 September at The Roselyn Court Homestead, Essendon, as a fund-raising event to continue the commitment 'To Help Find a Care for MS'. The 200 200 guests enjoyed a delicious luncheon, musical entertainment, parade of wedding gowns across six decades, and a wonderful selection of items for the Silent Auction, kindly donated by a variety of sponsors. Supported by a number of D9800 Rotary Clubs, the result was $5,570 raised toward the committee's projects as above.
Donations may be sent to the 'D9800 MS Awareness Committee', c/o Martin Taurins, P.O. Box 36, Macedon 3440.
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS
The Club is sponsoring local schools to be Waste Wise Schools, i.e. reducing waste, litter, water and energy use, also to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and so become 'sustainable' schools via education through The Gould League and Ecorecycle Victoria. The Gisborne Rotary Club was the first club in District 9800 to take up this challenge and several schools have already been able to considerably reduce some of their waste products and have been accredited, as well as earning awards for their program.
Using Club funds and a Community Grant for the WHY TRY Schools Program, the Club provided for two teachers to be trained and the resources needed for 50 students in the first program. This Rotary and Schools program is promoted by the non-profit OZTRY Foundation Inc. to help reduce school truancy and to motivate students to achieve improved academic results as well as building self-respect. Local Secondary students have appreciated 'WHY TRY ? multi-sensory approach while they learn to convert anger, frustrations and disappointments into constructive behaviour. They find positive answers to the question Why Try? and decide on a self-improvement journey, preferring purposeful life choices.
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