Rotary Club of Invercargill members at 2024 Te Waipounamu Conference 
 
 
Five members of our Club, along with representatives of other Invercargill Clubs joined the 250 plus  Rotarians, Rotaractors, RYLArians who travelled to Ōtautahi – Christchurch last weekend for the first ever District 9999 Conference.
District Governor Phil Gully and Anna Gully, Conference Convener, along with the conference team did a great job of organising the new one-day format at the stunning new Te Pae – Christchurch Convention Centre.
 
22/23 RI Past President Jennifer Jones attended in-person with husband Nick and spoke to the impact Rotary has made and the opportunities to continue to make impact.
 
            
22/23 RI Past President Jennifer Jones with our 23/25 President Chami Abeysinghe
 
 
                                         
                More than 250 attended the 'Creating Hope' Conference at Te Pae - Christchurch Convention Centre
 
 
Adele O'Keefe, Founder Mana Whānau Charitable Trust, shared her journey “From Hope-less to Hope-full”.   Journalist and Television Host, Matt Chisholm, spoke to “Overcoming Self-Doubt” whilst Rachel Gully shared insights from GenX Perspective on Attraction and Retention.
 
 
         Guest Speakers:   Adele O'Keefe &Matt Chisholm         
 
 
   
                             Fellowship on the 'Strip'
 
As with all Rotary events there were plenty of opportunities for fellowship. We connected with Rotarians from across Te Waipounamu and from afar as Mexico and enjoyed reconnecting with member Marcel Dore and wife Celina over a drink on the ‘Strip’. 
 
If you have not been to a Rotary Conference, put it on the ‘Must Do’ list.  Discussions are underway on the next conference, we will share details here as soon as we have them.