Parkes Rotary Club recently held their annual Changeover meeting.
The Club during the year donated approximately $37,600, which was allocated to local and some International Rotary projects.
Major donations included: Angel Flight $1,000, Careflight $1,000, Can Assist $500, Eugowra Flood appeal $7,900, Life Education Van $850, Mental Health Programs $4,000, Polio Plus $1,000, RAWCS Nepal $500, Red Cross $500, Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children $1,000, Ronald McDonald House $2,000, Rotary Foundation $3,000, Rotary Health $1,000, Shelterbox $1,000, McGrath Foundation Breast Cancer $1,000, Trundle School $4,000, West Care Lodge $2,000.
The Club raises its majority of funds from catering functions including the Parkes Elvis Festival, Bunnings BBQ, Parkes Fly-in and Westlime and Rotary Charity Golf Day and many other local functions.
This year the Club is celebrating 85 years of service to the Parkes Shire communities.
Many of out activities don't generate income such as NAIDOC Week, Happy Harold, Health Education Van and Rotary's own MHERV Van (The Men's Health Education Rural Van).
The Club Manages the Driving Simulator Program for School classes in year 10 and 11 in the Parkes, Lachlan and Bland Shires.
The program alerts young drivers to the potential impact of impairment and distraction when they are behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Every year Parkes Rotary Club supports the Rotary Foundation because it is our own charity with projects all around the world. The Foundation has eight main objectives, Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water, Saving Mothers and Children, Supporting Education, Growing Local Communities, Protecting the Environment and Ending Polio.
The Club supported Youth Services by sponsoring two youths in year 9 to go to Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment in Wagga Wagga for a three day camp.
The aim is to communicate to these young people a series of ideas, problems and social experiences which will assist them in forming their own values and moral standards, and also to broaden their horizons culturally, socially and academically.
The Club sponsored Marnie Noakes on a 12 month Rotary Youth Exchange to Germany and previously had Flora Gahmig from Germany to stay in Parkes for 12 months.
The Club also sponsored Frode Greenbach from Denmark for 12 months Exchange to Parkes. This year the Club is sponsoring Lucy Noakes on an Rotary Exchange to France for 12 months.
The Club currently has a membership of 28 members with many other people in the Community being friends of Rotary.
We are always looking for more people to join or be a friend of Rotary so you can contact any Rotary members for further information or go to our Rotary Club Web page.