Rotary Club of Morisset is actively seeking new members

Why become a member of Rotary?

Prominent overseas billionaires such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Larry Ellison and others  have donated large sums to good causes. Bill and Melinda Gates have donated over $200 million to the Rotary Polio Plus program which has almost eliminated polio around the globe.

The average Australian is not a billionaire or a millionaire, most of us do well to provide for ourselves and our families. This has not precluded many from helping those less fortunate, they do it by joining a Rotary Club.

Our longest serving member, Lyal Lee tells his story

“For 45 years I’ve been creating history. I’ve been educating the poor, feeding the hungry, curing cataract blindness, battling malaria, educating conflict resolvers and doing all this by cooking an odd sausage.

I joined Morisset Rotary in 1967 when the Club was formed.

I was a lot younger and a little embarrassed about joining what I always thought was an organization for men in suits. I did not boast about my membership.

In all that time the Rotary International roll call continued to diminish. We were to improve our public relations and tell about our involvement. We all thought that this meant getting stories about our fund raisers in local newspapers. Of course it is much more than that.

I began telling friends about Rotary helping to cure polio, only the second time in history a disease has been virtually eradicated.

I told people about the $30 million made available by Australian Rotary Health for research in Australia, it’s successful outcome with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. I tell people about our programs such as Shelterbox, international student exchange, youth leadership awards and about our involvement with the local community organizations and schools.

I proudly talk about how our Christmas trailer raffles, white elephant, poultry auctions, barbeque trailer sausage sizzles and concerts raise enough money to make our community and the world a better place.

Rotary is a place where we have fun and share fellowship at our weekly meetings. There is now a flexibility in membership and attendance that makes Rotary an organization where all ages can be involved. There are women in Rotary now and we need lots of younger men and women.

Why not contact Morisset Rotary and play your part in making a difference?”

Rotary is Changing

Like many organizations Rotary recognizes the need to change to suit the times. Rotary in the 21st century is very different to the organization that Lyal Lee joined in 1967. The Rotary Club of Morisset actively embraces change to ensure it’s relevance in our fast paced and busy world.

OBJECT OF ROTARY

The object of Rotary is to exchange and foster the ideal of service on a basis of worthy enterprise and in particular to encourage and foster:-

First - The development of acquaintances as an opportunity for service.

Second - High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of useful occupations, and the recognition of each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society.

Third - The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life.

Fourth - The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

PRINCIPLES OF ROTARY (The Four Way Test)

What We Think, Say or Do

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Five Avenues of Service

Rotary’s Five Avenues of Service are the philosophical and practical framework for the work of this Rotary club.

1.    Club Service, the first Avenue of Service, involves action a member should take within this club to help it function successfully.

2.    Vocational Service, the second Avenue of Service, has the purpose of promoting high ethical standards in businesses and professions, recognizing the worthiness of all dignified occupations, and fostering the ideal of service in the pursuit of all vocations. The role of members includes conducting themselves and their businesses in accordance with Rotary’s principles.

3.    Community Service, the third Avenue of Service, comprises varied efforts that members make, sometimes in conjunction with others, to improve the quality of life of those who live within this club’s locality or municipality.
 
4.    International Service, the fourth Avenue of Service, comprises those activities that members do to advance international understanding, goodwill, and peace by fostering acquaintance with people of other countries, their cultures, customs, accomplishments, aspirations, and problems, through reading and correspondence and through cooperation in all club activities and projects designed to help people in other lands.

5.    New Generations Service, the fifth Avenue of Service, recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, involvement in community and international service projects, and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding.

For Copies of Bulletins and Annual Report Use Drop Down Menu Above.

For additional information on current news and events please use the link above to our Facebook page.

Local Community - Schools

Rotary Club of Morisset encourages and fosters the development of young people in our  community. The Club works closely with schools in the local area donating prizes each year to primary and secondary schools. Morisset Rotary continues to raise funds specifically to provide programs in schools promoting adolescent mental health.

Morisset High School Programs

Scholarships – Each year a number of students at Morisset High School are provided with scholarships which make it possible for them to stay at school for years 11 and 12.

Senior Hospitality Students -  Twice a year Morisset Rotary arranges in excess of 50 guests paying $30 each to eat a two course meal planned, prepared and served by the senior hospitality class students.

Programs under development – The Rotary Club of Morisset is working with staff at Morisset High School to develop a program of “Hands on Development of Work Skills” for senior students. Students will be involved in projects in the local community such as water tank installation and maintenance of community recreational facilities.

PCYC – Funds have been provided to assist with the establishment of the Morisset PCYC and the Club has a continuing involvement in providing personnel for PCYC functions and activities.

Wider Community Programs

Programs in which the Rotary Club of Morisset actively seeks candidates each year.

RYLA – Rotary Youth Leadership Award

A program for young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 years who have shown leadership qualities. This a week long live-in program held in October each year.

For more information, please use the contact form on this web site. 

RYPEN – Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment

A program for young people aged between 14 and 17 years, usually in year 10. It is a weekend of study, discussion and activities designed to help them become aware of their personal potential. This program held twice yearly, usually in April and October.

For more information, please use the contact form on this web site 

Other Programs in which the Club is involved from time to time

MUNA – Model United Nations

The program aims to build bridges of goodwill for world peace and understanding in the minds of our youth. MUNA simulates the working of the UN General Assembly by having teams of two or three senior students from each of a number of schools representing a particular UN country in debates on matters of world political concern. The progam is held in Muswellbrook and require a teacher or parent to chaperone the group.

For more information, please use the contact form on this web site.

YEP – Youth Exchange Program

Exchanges are usually of 12 month duration. Candidates need to find a Rotary Club that is eligible to nominate YEP candidates. A requirement is that the nominating Club must be prepared to host an overseas student.

For more information, please visit the Rotary Youth Exchange. To contact Morisset Rotary, please use the contact form on this web site.

RANZE – Rotary Australia New Zealand Exchange

An exchange programme covering 6 months between Australia & NZ where 2 Year 10 students are “matched”. Our Australian student stays with the NZ student for 3 months. On the return visit the NZ student stays with the Australia student for 3 months.

RYDA – Rotary Youth Driver Awareness Program

The RYDA Program is for senior high school students (16-18 years old) and assembles in a coordinated presentation, community road safety experts to deliver sophisticated, integrated and powerful road safety education to young people at the beginning of their driving lives. The program targets “driver awareness” and “attitudinal change” and is not a driving instruction course.

For more information, please visit the RYDA website. To contact Morisset Rotary,please use the contact form on this web site.

SMART – Science, Mathematics and Real Technology

A programme sponsored by Rotary & provided by the faculty of Uni of Newcastle. Primary schools one off (half day) introduction to the wonders of science and technology. Goal is to engage students’ interest in learning in these fields.

To contact Morisset Rotary, please use the contact form on this web site.

Science and Engineering Challenge

The Challenge is an outreach program conducted nationally by the University of Newcastle.  It is designed to inspire students to study science and engineering at a senior level.

Each challenge day, up to 250 students participate in a series of exciting competitive activities.  These activities are designed to demonstrate the varied and practical elements of a career in the science and engineering industries.

The Challenge takes the students out of the classroom and gives them a day of fun, teamwork and discovery. Winning teams in each area gather for District championships and later national Championships.

For more information, please visit the Science and Engineering Challenge website. To contact Morisset Rotary, please use the contact form on this web site.

Serving Officers 2018-2019