Rotary Club of Clare - Projects - Health - Hospital Helipad, Community Service, Vocational and Youth Exchange


	Challenging projects undertaken by the Rotary Club of Clare are: Health Community Service Vocational/Youth Exchange
	Source of Funds
	Funds have been raised by many activities including woodcutting, a yearly auction in Ennis Park, paper drives and since 1998, the Clare Rotary Art Exhibition. In 2002/2003 the Clare club gave over $52,000 for projects in the local community and overseas.
	Health
	The Clare Club has supported many countries in their work to improve health. Projects have included a generator for a hospital in Sumatra, blindness prevention programs in India and Bangladesh, polio eradication and assistance to leprosy patients in New Guinea and Indonesia. Closer to home the club has organized fundraising for a new Palliative Care Centre and Helipad at the Clare Hospital with donations totaling over $200,000.
	Helipad at the Clare Hospital Constructed at the Clare Hospital this new helipad will assist and speed up medical evacuations to Adelaide for specialist treatment. Funds of $156,000 were raised in a community fundraising program initiated by Rotary.
	Water, Health and Education International programs initiated by Rotary aim to provide water, health care and education to people in third world countries. Mavis Martin, a Clare Rotarian spent 12 months training staff at a Nepalese Hospital.

	Palliative Care Facilities A fundraiser commenced by Rotarians raised over $45,000 for the construction of a Palliative Care Facility at the Clare Hospital. Opened by the South Australian Minister for Health, the Honorable Lea Stevens (centre) on July 12, 2003 she said the work of Rotarians in the Clare community was “truly remarkable”.
	Polio Vaccination Funds raised in the Clare community have been used to support the eradication of polio in Ethiopia and other countries. A donation of $10 will provide 600 doses of vaccine. Polio affects young children the most.
	Solar Still Developed in South Australia, a container load of these stills has been shipped overseas by South Australian Rotary Clubs to provide drinking water for village communities. Salt water, brackish water and contaminated water can be used in the stills to provide safe drinking water with minimal operating cost.
	Community Service
	The club is most visible in its paper drives’ conducted regularly in the Clare township. Thousands of tons of newspaper have been recycled over the last 30 years with a huge saving of landfill. Christison Park, the gardens at “Nadjuri Homes”, a shelter at Kara House and a lifting platform on the community bus have all been provided through the efforts of club members. Rotary gave over $5000 to convert the old RSL building to a Leisure Activity and Meeting Centre and has also supported a new Internet Café and drop in center, opened in 2003.

	Senior Citizens An annual dinner hosted by Rotary provides fun and entertainment for older people in the Clare community. Many Rotarians also serve as drivers and helpers for those requiring transport to the shops and medical appointments.

	Kara House Shelter Senior residents in nearby Kara House enjoy a walk in the gardens and a rest in the shelter constructed adjacent to the nursing home by Clare Rotarians.

	Recycling newspaper Tons of newspaper have been recycled by Clare Rotarians over the last 30 years saving huge amounts of landfill and waste. Regular paper drives are held to collect newspaper in the Clare township.

	Christmas Pageant Clare’s annual pageant is a mixture of floats, clowns and street fun. The Rotary gyrocopter makes a quick lap of the main street with one of Santa’s Helpers at the controls.

	Orphanage Playground A playground valued at $13,000 for children living at Cambodia’s Sunrise Orphanage has been provided by the Rotary Club of Clare. Operated by “Big Mum” (Geraldine Cox from Adelaide, South Australia) the orphanage is home for 52 children who are victims of wars and the thousands of landmines which remain.
	Vocational/Exchange
	The Rotary club has given tremendous encouragement to students in the Clare Valley, Burra and Riverton areas. Students have been sponsored to leadership (RYLA), environmental and technology development programs conducted by Rotary. The club has also supplied leaders and mentors for the Australian Business Week program involving high schools in the mid-north region.

	Clare High School A new sound system and uniforms have been provided to the Clare High School Band by Rotary. Funds have also been given to assist in the development of new agricultural training courses.

	Rotary Youth Youth Exchange, Youth leadership development, the Siemens Science School are all programs supported by Rotary. Local High school students have visited overseas, undertaken leadership training and participated in special programs with the support of Clare Rotarians. More than 47 students have been sent or received by the Clare Club in the youth exchange program. The Club also sponsored the Young Farmers exchange project.

	Study Visits Many great friendships have been made from Rotary Group Study Exchange visits. The GSE program enables young business people to tour and study overseas as part of their training and development.