Welcome to this September circulation outlining activities of the Earthquake Recovery Support Project (EQRSP).
Notes:
The Christchurch Rotary Earthquake Appeal Fund has a separate newsletter to communicate its activities.
This is a copy of the PDF version of the newsletter
Spreading the Word
We have encouraged all Rotary Clubs in the District to become actively involved in earthquake recovery support. This Newsletter is an important communication.
Can you please ensure it is forwarded on to your Rotarians and EQ project teams in your club.
“Offers Register”
There are many “offers” waiting to have projects allocated or taken up in partnership with Christchurch based clubs. Clubs who have a project, or have lost their fundraising base and want to continue supporting their Charities and Programs, should contact Lindsay Crossen (contacts above) with their requirements. Also see offers for Respite Vacations later.
Matching Grants
D9820 – Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, is sponsoring a Matching Grant to The Rotary Foundation for defibulator units for all of the suburban and volunteer Fires Stations units around Christchurch. RC Chch Sunrise in the local sponsor.
D3870 – Southern Philippines is the international sponsor for a Matching Grant to replace emergency equipment for St John Ambulance. RCs Ashburton, Ashburton Plains, Nelson West and Bishopdale-Burnside have committed DDF as local sponsors.
A “Community Needs Analysis” has just been completed to support a larger Contestable Matching Grant for a number of projects which have emerged over the past month. We will be calling in some of the International offers and offers from other Districts to support this MG. Commitment of Club DDF funds will also be requested.
Portable Swimming Pools
Rotary has partnered with an initiative by Sport Canterbury to enable “learn to swim and survive” programmes in schools to continue (32 schools currently have no access to swimming pools with the loss of QEII, Centennial Pool and pools in Kaiapoi and Linwood).
The 15m x 8m portable pools, with filtration, fencing and shade, cost $50,000 each. Rotary has assembled funding commitment for one pool (to be located in Kaiapoi) and is on the journey to fund the second. Funds have been committed by D9750 Sydney - $33.000; RC Belfast-Kaiapoi - $5.000; RC Whakatane- $6,000; RC Coffs Harbour South - $10,000 and CREQA Fund - $20,000. Thank you for your generosity.
Emerging Projects
The following are potential earthquake recovery projects that the Project team is currently evaluating:
1. New People Movers for about three NFP organisations. Existing vehicles have become mechanically unsound and the need for transport is greater.
2. Mobile Library Vans to extend the CCC mobile library service where community libraries have been damaged and closed and the people demographics has changed around the City. A project is being developed in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries to assist them to rejuvenate and extend their current services.
3. Assistance to Cholmondeley Home School which has been critically damaged but they continue to operate in adjacent facilities to meet the increased need since the earthquakes.
4. Repair of “soft surfacing” under a number of playgrounds around the city – this has potential for a Club working project.
5. A number of Sports Clubs are now working on recovery of their facilities and projects requiring assistance are starting to emerge.
Tarpaulins Available
Dave Burford has advised the Project that the NZ Fire Service has 1,000 tarpaulins available to distribute for weather proofing houses and buildings.
Contact for supply of these is David Burford at burfords@xtra.co.nz. You will need to supply name, Rotary Club and details of intended use.
Sustaining Community Wellbeing and Culture
Supporting individuals, households and communities to rebuild their lives after earthquakes is an enormous task. Thousands of people will be relocated from their homes, leaving behind neighbours, friends, social and sporting clubs, schools, churches and many other networks that bind a community together, particularly in hard times. Community wellbeing activities need to offer responsive and flexible support for people. This includes help to cope with stress and uncertainty and minimize potential hardship and unnecessary disruption to housing, education and health. Our communities need to be supported, so they can rebuild their strength and resilience for present and future generations.
Many historic buildings have been lost, or will require long term restoration. Damaged and destroyed buildings include many public and community facilities, such a churches, halls and theatres, and sports and recreation venues and clubrooms, like the QEII Park sports complex. Many arts organizations and artists have lost offices, performing and exhibition spaces and the means to earn a living. The loss of venues and volunteers threatens the continued existence of many clubs, groups and societies that bind communities together.
Fundraising, for which so many charities, disabled persons, schools, early childhood centers, sports groups, youth groups, aged peoples groups, etc, relied, has diminished. This is due to so many people, having experienced personal property or business damage, being reluctant to support fundraising activities to the level they traditionally have.
Key community wellbeing and culture needs identified are;
· Large communities of people being displaced from their damaged homes
· Significant damage and disruption to community facilities and services
· High risk to loss of culture due to loss of clubs, groups and societies that bind communities
· Negligible fundraising opportunity due to earthquake influenced austerity influences.
Respite Vacations
We have generous offers from North East Victoria (Aust) Northern NSW (Aust), Rotorua and Hokitika for provision of travel, accommodation and friendly hosting to Rotarians who deserve a respite break from their business and home difficulties as a consequence to the earthquakes. Can Clubs give consideration to likely recipients within their midst and contact Lindsay Crossen to align the offers (all enquiries will be confidential)
There is a supply of 500 Camping lanterns available for Rotary Clubs to distribute. These are electrical, with long life batteries, and will be suitable for elderly and persons living on their own to provide a consistent source of emergency lighting. Contact for supply of these is Margaret Reeve at b.reeve@actrix.co.nz
Rotary Stamps
The Rotary Club of Christchurch has produced a postal stamp depicting the damaged Christ Church Cathedral caused by the earthquake at 12.51 on February 22, 2011. The cathedral, built in the late 1800s, is in the centre of Christchurch City. The stamps are sold in a book-let of ten 60c self-adhesive stamps. Each booklet has a $2.00 donation factor that goes towards the Rotary Club of Christchurch Inc Earthquake Appeal.
The booklets are $8.00 each. A limited edition of a First Day cover will also be available on a first come first served basis. Enquiries: Barrie Cooper on barrie@coopers.co.nz
