Two years ago during then District 9980 Governor Trish Boyle’s conference in Invercargill, NZ a surprise was given to 100 unsuspecting 8-9 year olds at the culmination of a special project by the combined Rotary clubs of Invercargill.
The five clubs’ conference project was to fund and provide the manpower for a three-phase project in Invercargill. It is a city made for cycling with its wide roads and flat terrain.
Apart from safely riding bikes, the project focused on encouraging children to get onto bikes as a healthy alternative to relying on their parents taking them places in cars.
Working with the local schools and through their health and physical education curriculums, the importance of safety and exercise were promoted.
With $2000 funding from each club, a District Simplified Grant and access to some conference funds plus corporate sponsorship, the work on the park was completed, and 100 kitset bikes were purchased.
Rotarians put the bikes together, and a special event was arranged at the cycle velodrome where conference attendees we were joined by 100 unsuspecting children and their families.
The children were nominated by their schools because they didn’t have a bike and their families were unlikely to be able to supply a new bike to all of their children. They were average students with a caring attitude.
For unsuspecting visiting Rotarians, it was a very special moment to see the surprise on the young children’s faces as they were presented with their own bike, backpack and safety gear.
The reaction from the children was priceless, almost matched by their parents who were astonished that a group of strangers could care for so many children in such a practical way.
From the outside, it was easy to see the impact that Rotary clubs working together can have close to home.
After the event, in the general confusion of parents, children, bikes and Rotarians, we were proud to be thanked for what local Rotarians achieved that day.
What if?
Rotary takes a big idea and makes it happen
- by NZ RDU Promotions Committee 9980 Representative PDG Trish Boyle
District 9980’s 2010-2011 “Show your True Colours” conference was being planned in May 2009. We wanted our conference to highlight Rotary in action. The idea of making a big difference for 100 children was born.
The plan to give 100 8-9 year olds a new bike and support them discovering a healthier lifestyle was developed.
A committee consisting of members from the five Invercargill Rotary clubs was set up, and each club was given the responsibility for one aspect of the project:
• Sourcing the bikes, transporting them to Invercargill, organising storage, planning working bees to assemble the bikes and sourcing expert help.
• Developing packs to go with the bikes, bike helmets, padlocks, safety vests and safety instructions.
• Developing criteria for choosing children, liaising with schools, choosing children and contacting parents.
• Organising transport of bikes to the Velodrome on conference day in May 2011, organising parents and children’s transport to the Velodrome and managing transport for the conference attendees.
• Planning the refurbishment of a local Cycle Park on the District Community Day. The goal was to provide a safe place where children could ride their bikes at minimal cost.
Chair of this committee Louise Pagan, PHF, was also on the conference committee. Her major responsibility was to keep the project on track, to plan the presentation at conference and to plan publicity around it. She managed this project superbly and followed through making the dream a possibility. The project blossomed and grew like a well cultivated flower.
Picture this: conference attendees left the conference venue, and travelled to the Cycle Velodrome by bus where they were scheduled to listen to a “mystery speaker”. The Velodrome was also packed with 100 children and their families. Races by local riders and a welcome speech by the Velodrome CEO started the session. District 9980 then Governor Trish Boyle called 100 children’s names. The children poured onto the centre of the Velodrome. As they did, 100 Rotarians wheeled out green bikes with back packs and wheeled them up to the children. Children took the bikes and then they were told the bikes were theirs. It was an emotional moment for all.
A letter from one parent whose child was chosen says it all: “We were excited and humbled to receive the letter telling us that our daughter Mae had been selected to receive a new bike. We try hard to raise our children with a social conscience. We are a family of limited means, but it’s in our DNA to do what we can for other people before ourselves. It makes us very proud that Mae is growing with this same sense of generosity of spirit. We would also love for you to pass on to Rotary that we are overwhelmed by their kindness. I know that this is the way Rotary operates, but this gift for Mae means so much in what has been a very difficult year for our family. I just can’t express it in words. I’m quite sure that for many of the other families of these 100 children, this is going to be a monumental blessing too.”
