Message from the Chair
My Friends in ROMAC
Well, much has happened in ROMAC since our last E-Newsletter three months ago. The most exciting news being we have commenced receiving patients again after a 3 year void brought about by the Covid travel restrictions. Recently, baby Melenaite from Tonga has had a very large tumour removed from her rear side and is now recovering well. The full story of Melenaite’s journey has been included in this newsletter. Our thanks are extended to all our ROMAC volunteers who have enabled this crucial surgery to occur and to the support we have received from the Canberra Hospital.
Unfortunately, during this time our Chair, PDG Harold Sharp OAM, has had to step down, four months earlier than planned, for personal reasons. I would like to acknowledge and thank Harold for his enormous contribution to ROMAC over the last 4 years and to wish him well. It was a difficult period to have to Chair ROMAC and keep the momentum going and we very much appreciate his efforts.
I am pleased to report that despite the lack of patients over the last twelve months and all the pressures on Clubs and Rotarians with the pandemic, bush fires and floods, we still managed to maintain the same level of donations so many thanks to all those who have continued to support us in the last Rotary year. While the total received was almost the same as 2020-21, only about 20% of the clubs in Zone 8 donated so we would like to try and increase that percentage in the coming year.
Given the recent hiatus with patients and the influx of new volunteers we have taken this opportunity to slightly modify our ROMAC committees to clarify roles and relationships, spread responsibilities and enable central coordination and regional collaboration on aspects like fundraising, communication and club liaison. In so doing we have created opportunities for Rotarians or Rotaractors with skills in areas like fundraising, marketing, communications, liaising with Government and Hospitals, pediatrics, finance, recruiting, hosting, producing newsletters and maintaining databases to join our committees at the national, regional and district levels. Anyone interested in joining a ROMAC committee is urged to email me at chair@romac.org.au
Ian D'Arcy Walsh
Chair |
