Thank you District 37 for a wonderful year!  And special thankyous to the Presidents of 2010-11 for their leadership and commitment to their clubs over the past year; and where would I be without the support of my District Team, thank you Shona & Sammy for your support.

The District Team has enjoyed our club visits; supporting your fundraising events when we can and celebrating at changeover!  There are so many positives to share with you.

QI Convention in Vancouver 2010 was a wonderful opportunity to ‘show-off’ my adopted hometown to the D37 convention attendees.  Although I was raised on the Prairies, I lived in Vancouver for 11 years before moving to New Zealand and feel it is ‘home’ too!  

There was one very proud Canadian/Kiwi sharing the Canada Day Parade on July 1st with all my fellow Kiwi Quotarians.  The parade passed right in front of the Hotel Vancouver with lots of colour, fanfare and musical bands.  We all went out and enjoyed a wonderful meal before ‘parading’ down to Vancouver Harbour (your DG proudly leading the way waving the Canadian flag) to see the official Vancouver Winter Olympic Flame and the spectacular evening fireworks. It was a very special day!

Although my convention was very short, it was sweet, I was able to attend the Governor’s session and meet my fellow South Pacific Gov’s; take in the Gala Opening Ceremonies with Jan France proudly carrying the flag and wearing ‘Joanie’; and the opportunity to meet many wonderful Quotarians that I will attend another Quota convention soon - and Hawaii 2012 is beckoning!

September was Quota Awareness Week and on behalf of the District Team, I would like to thank all those who took part in LOUD Shirt Day!  The photos of the various activities are wonderful filled with heaps of smiles and lots and lots of colour!  The Hearing House is very pleased with the support received from Quota.  If your club has not participated in LOUD Shirt Day please take a look at the photos and ask the clubs about their activities!  It is lots of fun and you get to wear your LOUDEST shirt/blouse and not worry about fashion faux pas!   This year’s LOUD Shirt Day is – Friday September 16, 2011 – and help deaf kids learn to listen and talk like their hearing friends.  Check it out at www.loudshirtday.co.nz/

The District Team had lots of fun visiting all the clubs during September and October.  All clubs have so many different and varied hands-on service projects and fundraising activities and all with the same goals showing our Helping Hands and Caring Hearts.
Thank you all for being so welcoming and sharing your club activities with us!  A special thank you to Pam Ross who so willingly hosts us while we are ‘visiting the big smoke’!

Shona Browne, Lt Gov and Pam Ross PDG attended the National Council of Women’s Conference in Rotorua in October.  They were very impressed with the conference and feel that Quota has a place in their membership.  The conference this year will be in Wellington.

We have seen a steady increase in membership this year which has sadly been offset by several resignations and the loss of Quotarian Joan Robinson.  Although our membership has dropped slightly this year, all clubs are in good heart and working faithfully for their communities while enjoying the fellowship and friendship that comes with working together.  

The District Team was overwhelmed with the support that clubs have given towards the many disasters that have happened in Australia and here at home in New Zealand.  

Please read Beris Pritchard’s Flood Relief Fund Report on the support Quotarians gave to those suffering from the Queensland floods. Over $80,000.00 from various parts of our Quota world, including New Zealand has gone back to the communities affected.  Support has gone to schools, to teaching resources, books, to support teacher aides who work individually with traumatized children and many many more projects.  Thank you all!

Another BIG thank you for your generous support and the much needed GPS for the van Asch School for the Deaf following the devastating earthquakes in September and February.  Please note the letter of thanks and photos from Michele Hendren, Residential Social Worker, van Asch Deaf Education Centre and we look forward to hearing more about the school from Michele Yonetani our keynote speaker this afternoon.

In reading the President’s reports, clubs have donated over $58,000 to various community and national charities this past year!  Supporting Hearing and Speech; Disadvantaged Women and Children; Club-to-Club projects and many local and national charities.  Well done everyone!

Quota Cares Month in March brought a variety of hands-on service projects for our local communities:

• QI Rotorua baking for 260 pensioners
• QI Whakatane  holding an afternoon tea  and sharing time with new immigrants
• QI Opotiki’s Women’s Wellness Day
• QI Auckland held a family picnic for staff and the families attending  the Hearing House
• QI Papakura supporting the ‘Grandparents raising Grandchildren’ Support Group
• QI Takapuna sharing in a music therapy group for children with various disabilities
• We are a very diverse group of women who enjoy sharing our talents and helping others.

Lt Gov Shona and S/T Sammy and I had the pleasure of attending a ‘Look Good – Feel Better’ workshop in Whakatane and presenting the District Project 2011 cheque.  It was a humbling afternoon to see so many brave women enjoying an afternoon of pampering.  Thank you Robyn, for suggesting this project and for inviting us to attend.

Installation of 2011-2012 Club Officers is always a very special time.  Each club has their own special evening and traditions.  It’s heartwarming to see that even though we all belong to the same organisation and enjoy working for our communities that each club is unique and special!  Thank you for sharing your precious time giving back,  the rewards are those ‘warm fuzzys’ and Quota Friendship we receive in return!

Shona, Sammy and I are looking forward to the year ahead! We welcome your emails, phone calls and txts, please do not hesitate to contact us if you need support or a listening ear.  We are here for you.

Karla Hammond QSM
District Governor
D37- New Zealand