Rotary Club of Gloucester

Rotary Club Of Gloucester is successful in receiving a $5000 grant from the Stratford Coal Community Support Program.

This grant will go towards the 3rd stage of the Gloucester Outdoor Trail Exercise equipment. 

Community service is the heart of the Rotary movement.

 

The ‘Unsung Hero’  Community Service Award is run as an acknowledgement of the vital role that volunteers and dedicated employees play in our community, and the need to recognize their efforts.

The successful nominee is expected to have provided a community service that would be in the main a voluntary service over a number of years.

The nominees need to be a resident of, or provide a service within the bounds of the Gloucester Shire..

Last year’s inaugural Gloucester Unsung Hero Community Service Award run by our Club was a resounding success and was even given time in “Business of The House in the Legislative Assembly”.

A number of nominations were received and consequently our Club unanimously voted to run the award as an ongoing yearly event.

So here we are again in 2016 to recognise another 5 very worthy Gloucester citizens.

All of to-night’s nominees will receive a Certificate of Appreciation plus this years successful Awardee will be presented with a plaque and a cheque for $500 to be donated to a community service / charity organisation of their choice.

Winner of this year’s Unsung Hero Award goes to Shirley Patmore

Shirley received an award and also a cheque of $500. She is donating that cheque to the Neighbourhood Centre to go towards their Mobile Funding. Shirley also thanked her husband, Newman for supporting her in her commitments.

 

 

Congratulations, Shirley and well done to all the nominees.

 

Lorraine & Trevor Bolton, Toni Laurie, Deb Faull, John & Wendy Hughes

Bob & Sandy Tebbet, Brian Beesley

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LETTERS OF NOMINATIONS:-

John Hughes – “Mr Hughes has been part of Gloucester Soccer Club for 41 years. His children and grandchildren all attended Barrington School and he has given so much service in many capacities to the school. Approx 20 years ago, the school entered the small school soccer competition and John became the coach. Every year he has committed many hours, days and weeks to train the team and has travelled many distances to watch the games. He has taken Barrington to the state finals twice where they were placed 3^rd. This year he has again willingly offered his expertise to coach the team.”(Nominated by Deb Faull)

Toni Laurie – “Toni Laurie has been training the Barrington tennis team over the past 3 years in preparation for the PSSA state knockout competition which is an annual event. Toni has a vast knowledge of tennis from her days in the U.S. on a College Scholarship. She has at times, had to teach the fundamental skills to novices as well as the rules and how to score. Toni has given up countless lunch hours to travel to Barrington to coach the kids and has even attended on the day of the game to support the team.”(Nominated by Deb Faull)

Ollie Rinkin (was unable to attend the presentation. He is represented by Trevor Bolton) – “Ollie Rinkin has been synonymous with hockey in Gloucester for his whole life. Primary hockey has made a resurgence in Gloucester in the last 4 years. This has led to Ollie coaching Barrington pupils in hockey during sport time as well as running an afternoon community session. This year, Barrington is entering the PSSA State Knockout Competition for the first time, thanks to Ollie’s expertise and dedication.” (Nominated by Deb Faull)

Shirley Patmore – “Shirley has over many years helped and guided young people in our district to discover dancing in both a formal and informal way. She has organised Debutante Balls for years and assisted in local youth organisations. Shirley has been a regular organist in most churches in the community, playing at weddings and funeral services when called upon.” (Nominated by Denver Webb)

 (Supporting letter from Stuart Benson)

“For many years Shirley has made herself available, often at short notice, to play the organ or piano in the local churches. As well as Sunday worship, Shirley plays for weddings, funerals, seniors’ services and for the interdominational service at Gloucester Nursing Home on Sundays. Her willingness is greatly appreciated by the clergy, families and others. Participating in the fornightly Mainly Music program for mothers and pre-schoolers is another area of service. With her husband Newman, Shirley has keenly assisted in the preparation of local youth to participate in Debutante Balls, teaching both ballroom dancing and ball procedure. Shirley has been an active participate in the Karios programs presented at Kempsey Correctional Centre since its inception several years ago. Shirley is a fine example of a woman willing to assist others before she addresses her own needs.”

 

Bob Tebbet – “Bob Tebbet is a retired Australian Federal Policeman of 35 years in Sydney. He is an elected Elder of the Uniting Church and passionate about encouraging City folks to look and visit Gloucester with the ‘Tree Change’ promotion. In August, he will take an exhibition to the NSW Regional Expo in Sydney. Bob Tebbet has to raise $4000 to promote Gloucester at the Expo. Last year he arranged a Rubber Boot Throwing at the Gloucester Show. He made an enormous boot and the patrons loved it. He arranged a dinner and concert with the Bowden Boys singing on his property and proceeds of that concert went to the Rescue Helicopter. On Melbourne Cup Day for the past few years, he has invited neighbours for a Bakers Creek Cup. A truly fun day. Behind every good man there;s a good woman and Sandy is a worthy citizen of Gloucester” (Nominated by Elaine Maslen)

WORKING TOGETHER – HOLIDAY COAST CREDIT UNION AND THE ROTARY CLUB OF GLOUCESTER

 

Over the past three years the Holiday Coast Credit Union and Gloucester Rotary have been working together to provide Exercise Equipment in Gloucester Park.

Gloucester Rotary was again successful with their application for grant funding for the exercise equipment in the last round of the Holiday Coast Credit Union’s Community Partnership Grant Program.

The third and final fitness station will be installed this month thanks to the generosity of the Holiday Coast Credit Union and other sponsors.

All of us in the Rotary Club of Gloucester would like to say a big thank you to Holiday Coast Credit Union and all the other sponsors who have made this project possible.

 

“ TRANSITION TO RETIREMENT SEMINAR “

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Sharee welcomed the special guest speakers, Rotarians and partners and friends to this special event. PDG Brian Beesley was the chairperson for the night. There was a time frame for each speaker and time for guests to ask questions. In between each speaker, Brian came up with clever and funny jokes to liven up the crowd. By the time the seminar concluded, I know I went home with a different prospective of looking at my retirement plan. Below are some of the information summarised in a nutshell. If you would like to find out more details of each speaker, please speak to the mastermind, planner and organizer of this fantastic event, PDB Brian Beesley. Details of each speaker are also posted next to their topic.

Retirement is a long term investment that requires careful planning, current savings implementation, mentally, physically and emotionally preparation. The special guest speakers each outline the important aspects for transitioning to retirement.

Neville Parsons “Overview of Retirement Planning” & “Debt Reduction”

CEO at Holiday Coast Credit Union Ltd

www.hccu.com.au   Phone: 1300 365 724

 

Neville address the 4 key pillars that are essential tools for a Retirement Plan

1. Manage – Managing your Money
2. Save – Saving for the Present and the Future. This will prepare you for any unexpected expenses.
3. Growth – Growing your Savings. By seeking professional advice from your Financial Planner and Accountant, you can maximise your savings.
4. Protect – Ensuring your assets are protected. For example, ensuring that your Superannuation is protected from the multiple changes in Legislation.

 

Neville also talked about ‘Debt Reduction”. Be in a position where you own your own home when you retire. Plan to retire the first debt that the interest is non-tax deductible. Pay off any high cost credit card debt quickly to avoid penalty interest and charges. Choose a personal loan that offers no penalty for early repayment. Do not over commit or over capitalise. Debt isn’t always bad! Credit for ‘worthwhile purposes’ planned and budgeted for that improves your well-being is good debt. If you experience difficulty with debt, talk honestly and early to the credit provider.

 

Shane Crellin “Deciding how Much Money Do I Need”

Financial Planner Taree

www.moneycoach.net.au   Phone: 02 6527 7300

Shane Crellin talked about the most commonly asked question “How Much Money Do I Need”. This is tailored to each individual’s needs and wants. He went on to say there are 2 common rules to this question.

1. You should have 70% of your pre-retirement income yearly. E.g. if your current Family income is $100,000 per year, ideally you would want to have in retirement $70,000 a year in savings
2. There’s a survey carried out by a group called the Australian Superannuation Financial Association (ASFA). For a couple, a comfortable retirement living is about $59,000 a year and for a modest living, $43,000 a year. You can visit the ASFA website ( http://www.superannuation.asn.au/ ) to access their calculator. This will give you a rough idea of what you will need to generate per year to enjoy your retirement comfortably. You also need to be mindful of including unexpected expenses like breakages, medicals and holidays.

 

Michael Roohan “Business Structuring”

Accountant Managing Director

michael@mjraccountants.com.au   Phone: 02 6551 2444

 

Michael Roohan talked about having the right structure in your business in order to achieve the right outcome. For example, setting up a Trust in your company can protect your asset and also reduce your Tax Implications and Complications. By seeking professional advice, you can minimise or optimise your Taxation Outcome and protect your hard earned Assets.

 

 

Dr Colin Martin “How Not To Drive Your Partner Mad”

‘Happily and Recently Retired’ .

Dr Colin Martin spoke about ‘How not to drive your Partner mad’. For most people, Retirement is the last frontier. Like all frontiers, there are great unknown on the horizon, a brave new world and a new start. Just like legal and financial planning, you need to consider what you are going to do when you retire. Questions you need to ask while planning your retirement “How, When and Why should you retire, Where should you retire to, What will you do with your Retirement?” Before you venture into the Retirement Phase, Dr Martin asked the question, “Do you really need to retire?” If you are happy in your work phase, then you may not wish or need to retire. For some people, the decision to retire can be difficult if your work allows you to exercise leadership, having significant impact in Society or be held in high regard in the community. Dr Martin pointed out that Retirement is not a permanent vacation, we all need some challenges in our lives. We need to be able to recast ourselves and re-adjust to our new roles.

 

Josh Crowther “Wealth Protection”             &                         Ray Martin “Your Will Be Done”

Stacks Law Firm                                                                        Gloucester Solicitor

taree.stacklaw.com.au                                                            Phone: 02 6558 2200

Phone: 02 6592 6540

Josh Crowther and Ray Martin touched on the legal requirements of ‘Wealth Protection’ and ‘Your Will be Done’. Seek a professional legal advice to ensure that your Wealth and Will are protected. Have a better understanding of certain legal terminology like ‘Tenants in Common’ versus ‘Joint Tenants when purchasing a home or an investment property. This will prevent future heartaches for your family members and possibly prevent any family courts challenges! Make sure when you do have a Will, you are reviewing your Will every few years to reflect the changes and different stages of your personal Life. Having a “Binding Nominee” in your Superannuation will ensure that your wishes will be carried out accordingly. Appoint a “Power of Attorney”, “An Enduring Power of Attorney” or “A Guardianship” person to assist you in your decisions should your Mental Capacity fails you. Seeking professional Legal advice is a crucial and essential tool to protecting yourself and your loved ones from unnecessary Legal battles.

 

Alan Tickle “Getting It All Planned”

Certified Financial Planner

ticklea@yourheritage.com.au   Phone: 02 6551 2333

Alan Tickle talked about “Getting It All Planned” and more importantly, keeping it realistic in our goals. He talked about what the 2016 Federal Budget will mean for you and your Retirement Plan, especially your Superannuation. He discussed the changes in the Pension and Concession Contributions that will take effect as of the 1^st of January 2017. He presented a graph the shows the best performing asset class versus the worst-performing asset class, quoting that ‘Picking Winners Isn’t Easy’. Alan touched on the Life Insurance & Income Protection policy, especially for those that are still young. He also strongly advice that you seek professional advice before filling a form to transit into the Aged Care Homes.

 

Steve Yarnold “Keeping Accurate Records”

Gloucester Accountant

Steve Yarnold talked about having proper documentations of super funds in place. This area is often neglected but it is an important tool to implement. Accurate record keeping, especially in self managed super fund, is a requirement in the ‘Super’ law. By failing to keep good records, you could potentially face penalties from the ATO. So make sure you speak to your Accountant to put a good record system in place.

 

 

 

Warren Fischer “Wrap-up of the Seminar”

Wealth Adviser at Personal Tax and Planning

wf@gpb.com.au   Phone: 02 6551 3157

Warren Fischer summarised the seminar, stating that Transition to Retirement is a long road and it should be a carefully planned long road. If you were lost in the forest, would you prefer to have a map, compass and a torch, or would you prefer to have a navigator, a guide and a car to take you back home? Seeking a Financial Planner, an Accountant and a Solicitor is like having a navigator and a guide to make sure you are on the right track to having a Retirement Plan that will tailor to your needs. We must also be mindful that this Plan is not a one way trip. The Retirement Plan needs to be reviewed numerous times throughout your life depending on the changes that happens, either personally or due to the changes in Government legislation.

Throughout the Seminar, the Theme is reinforced consistently. Make sure you have the RIGHT Team, your Financial Planner, Accountant, Solicitor, and Credit Provider to reach your IDEAL Retirement Plan.

 

 

WESTPAC RESCUE HELICOPTER SERVICE and DISTRICT 9650

On 6 December last year the Rescue Helicopter, with its long term partner Westpac, invited the community to Merewether Beach to help celebrate 40 years of aeromedical services. On that day Service Chairman, Cliff Marsh said “It’s just a very, very proud day. The Service can give our community and our region some security knowing that if the worst things happen there will be somebody there to help them out”.

In the year 2000, after a lot of negotiations by a wide range of people, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service established a base in Tamworth to service the New England & Northwest of New South Wales. The funding deal at that time allowed the Rotary District 9650 logo to be displayed on the Tamworth based helicopters and that continues today.

The first Chairman of the district’s Rescue Helicopter Fundraising (Westpac) Committee was Brian Birchall from the Rotary Club of Tamworth West and Brian was active in that role until 2011 when, sadly, he passed away.

The current Chair of the District Committee is Bill Warburton (0408465355), a member of the Rotary Club of Tamworth and he would like to hear from a Rotarian on the coast who would be happy to serve on this District Committee or anyone needing further information.

Rotary clubs in District 9650 west of the range generally in the area serviced by the Tamworth based helicopter have been the main Rotary supporters of the Rescue Helicopter Service to date, however with the arrangements to come into effect next year all of Districts 9650 and 9670 together with parts of Districts 9640, in the north, and 9685, in the south, will be serviced by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service bases in Lismore, Tamworth and Newcastle. Each of those Bases currently provide a Service to part of Rotary District 9650. Recently new contracts were signed with the NSW Ambulance Service for the Hunter New England Westpac Chopper, joined with the Lismore based Chopper, to provide Aeromedical Retrieval services to NSW, in general terms, north of the Hawkesbury River.

There are literally thousands of stories out there of those who have been assisted by the more than 30,000 missions carried out so far.

The support of groups, like Rotary, corporations and individuals ensures this vital community service is a free one, with no one ever paying to be rescued in the past four decades.

In an effort to further enlighten Rotarians from clubs in the expanded service area all clubs are invited to have pre-arranged visits to any of the three bases or to have a member of the Service come to the club as a guest speaker. If you are interested please make contact with either Barry Walton(0428846720)  or Michael Wilson(0415452263) so that the appropriate arrangements can be made.

While monetary donations are needed to ensure the operations of the Service continue, with no one ever having to pay, opportunities also exist with the many Support Groups spread throughout the Chopper’s service area.

In the Hunter New England Northwest region the Service is fortunate to have people in the community who dedicate their time, energy and resources to support the Service. There are currently 34 volunteer support groups that include more than 800 members spread across the region.

These Support Groups participate in many and varied activities throughout each year and are always looking for new members remembering “many hands make light work”.

Some of you may already belong to one of those groups. I encourage you all, or those you may know with time on their hands, to make contact with a group in your area to see where you can be of assistance. Any of the three Helicopter Service bases would be happy to point you in the right direction.

We are now about nine months out from the first missions to be flown from new bases and in new helicopters. Earthworks and construction of the new bases at Belmont, on Lake Macquarie, and Lismore and the further upgrading of the Tamworth base are among the many significant jobs that have to be completed this year.

So, as you consider the allocation of your community raised funds in the coming weeks please keep in mind Rotary’s commitment to, and the great free service to all users provided by, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

Or if you would like to donate directly, you can send your donation to the following :-

Donations can be forwarded to:-            

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, at  

” PO Box 230 NEW LAMBTON NSW 2305 ” or  ” PO Box 6187 WESTDALE NSW 2340 “

Or                      

Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter PO Box 822 LISMORE NSW 2480

If any Rotarian and friend/guest is in Newcastle between 1^st and 30^th June be sure to drop in on the Newcastle Museum on Honeysuckle Drive to see the Chopper exhibit celebrating the Service.