It was a sunny morning as cars from the south and the north converged on the Tirta Gangga Water Gardens in East Bali - about 5 Km north of Amlapura.  There was a big ceremony at Pura Goa Lawah which cased traffic delays whih meant that some of the VIPS were delayed - so the formalities were not started until they arrived.

There were speeches by various presidents and VIPs including the Bupati of Karangasem (I Wayan Geredeg) and the District Goverrner for Rotary District 3400 (Muhammad Ridlo 'Eisy).  The incoming DG for the new District 3420 (Panudiana Kuhn) was also there.  Following the speeches there was a delicious buffet lunch and the raffle and door prizes.  Take a look at all the photos.

Dr. Gede  Handra was born in 1957 and graduated as a general Doctor in Denpasar in 1983.  Since 1997 he operates his own practice in Singaraja.  Besides that he is also the head of the 'Kerta Usada Hospital' in Singaraja.  Dr. Handra spoke about "Dengue Fever"  

April is the peak season for Dengue fever at the end of the set seson when it is still humid, and warm – good for mosquitoes.  The first recorded case in Indonesia was in1957 in Surabaya.  It is caused by a  virus that is transmitted by mosquito.  There are two species of the genus Aedes,and  in particular, one of them A Aegypti has zebra-like stripes on its legs (see photo).  Another species of Aedes has a white chest, and these two species spread different varieties of disease – the “white chest” is not usually fatal, but can be very painful and debilitating.

On April 14, members from the Rotary Club of Bali Lovina, together with many other members of Rotary Clubs of District 3400 joined the District Assembly (DISTAS) 2012, at the Inna Grand beach Hotel in Sanur, Bali.

PP Robbie, PE David, SE Keith and PP Conchita made the trip to Sanur to join this years DISTAS. The district assembly, which is a one-day seminar held in April or May, prepares incoming club leaders for their year in office. The meeting is also an opportunity for club leaders to meet with district leaders (the district governor-elect, incoming assistant governors, and district committees) who will support club projects and activities. It was a unique occasion since our one, very large 3400 District is preparing for a three year pilot wherein D3400 will be split up in 2 Districts, knowing 3410 (west) and 3420 (east). The area of Bali will be coming under District 3420. The convener of the DISTAS (the incoming District Governor) was DGE Kuhn, who is the incoming District Governor for District 3420.

Heike Huidekoper is from The Netherlands, was born in The Hague, studied at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Auditing (Economics). She has worked in different jobs over the years but in 2010 decided to take a break from it all and came to Bali, initially to do some voluntary work, and then for an extended holiday. Here she met WWF (or World Wildlife Fund) which is the organization that first launched the idea for the Coral Triangle Day. From one thing came another and she took on the challenge to help coordinating the first Coral Triangle Day.

The Coral Triangle is a great ecological complex. This ocean expanse spreads between six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and East Timor.  These can be referred to as the CT6 countries, and in 2007 they established the Coral Triangle initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). This is an inter-governmental partnership that seeks to safeguard the region’s marine resources. The CT6 countries are supported by a selection of partners, including international NGOs like the World Wide fund for Nature, who all share the same vision of ensuring that coastal and marine resources in this region are protected and safeguarded for the future. 

Literacy Month 2012

Every year in March the Rotary organization celebrates ‘Literacy Month’. During this month, clubs put an extra focus on their literacy projects by organizing special projects. For this year’s ‘Literacy Month’ celebrations the Rotary Club of Bali Lovina organized a contest for elementary schools in the wider Lovina area. Schools could win a collection of books to be used to set up ‘classroom reading corners’, in every classroom of the school.The Rotary Club of Kenwick WA donated the funds needed to purchase the books.

Ten under privileged schools from the more isolated areas around Lovina took part in this contest. Schools had to answer to questions like: how the school would implement strategic plans for promoting and motivating reading among their students, and what the importance of reading is in the life of a child.

Our Guest speaker today was Joseph De Walk from the Annika Linden Foundation.  He graduated in California and his work experience includes working in the California Administration Arnold Schwarzenegger, and working with the Obama election cqmpqign in 2008.  Then he worked with NGOs, first in India and then in Bali.  He has recently joined the Annika Linden Foundation’s Board.

This Foundation was set up to remember Annika Linden  who was a beautiful and spirited woman. She loved and lived, and the people that knew her were touched by her warm, positive and outgoing nature.  But then she died in the Bali bombing on 12 October 2002 along with 201 other innocents.