DG May Message
RI Convention May 6-9
Over 450 of us Rotarians and family are ready to head to Bangkok for the RI Convention. Do not forget to join me as my guests for dinner at the Holiday Inn Silom on the 6th and for Happy Hours on the 7th and 8th from 7pm.
Please also let us show the world our uniqueness, unity and camaraderie by attending the Convention in our gray theme jackets and our special lavender theme ties.
District Conference May 19-20
After Bangkok the District Conference takes place on the 19th & 20th May and I can confirm that both RIP Kalyan Banerjee and PRID Sushil Gupta and their wives will be with us - a District first, so do not miss out on the conference of the decade.
Strategic Planning Committee
We had the first meeting of our Strategic Planning Committee on the 11th of April and as I always believe in total transparency and sharing of what was discussed, I have enclosed the full minutes of this meeting and the issues covered.
My dear Rotarians, please feel free to comment on issues raised.
Warmest regards,
DG David
DG April Message
My Dear Rotarian Brothers and Sisters,
This years District Conference is going to be very special. We are honored to have the pleasure and company of our Past Rotary International Director Sushil Gupta and word has it that RIP Kalyan Banerjee will also be with us from May 19th - 20th, 2012 in his own capacity. This is a first for our District and this will be the first time our Rotarians from Hong Kong, Macau & Mongolia will have the opportunity to mix, mingle and talk with our RI President.
The event is being held at the Regal Airport Hotel and we will be ably hosted by President of the Year for 2010-11 and DGN 2014-15, Belinda Yeung.
District Conference Chair, PP Vincent Lam has been hard at work on this and promises us a lot of fun coupled with many surprises in store.
We will also be broadcasted live via TVB from the Governor’s Banquet as I have agreed to also sing and raise money for The Community Chest of Hong Kong to an expected audience of several millions.
So my fellow Rotarians please block these dates on your calendar and I look forward to seeing you all at our 2012 District Conference.
With warmest regards,
DG David Harilela
DG March Message
Dear fellow Rotarian brothers and sisters,
This month marks the fifth time a Hong Kong team has joined the annual Rotary NID (National Immunization Days) trip which took place on February 17-20, 2012. 32 Rotarians and guests attended this Rotary ritual and were in for a life changing experience. This issue takes a closer look at the NID experience.
With love,
DG David Harilela
My NID Experience
Sheeva Harilela
I was so excited to finally go to NID as I’ve heard so much about Rotary’s mission to End Polio. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was hoping for a life-changing experience, and that I definitely got!
I won’t go through the day-to-day experience that we had (I’m surethe report in this newsletter explains it brilliantly) but I do want to give an overview of my experience and how I felt about it.
Going to the poorer areas of New Delhi and working with Rotarians from Hong Kong and India was really an eye opening experience. We got the opportunity to be hands on and see how the End Polio campaign is making a difference. The experience was truly heart warming. We came across children from all walks of life who were pure hearted and happy no matter what hand they had been dealt in life. It really touched my heart to know that we were changing a life by providing two simple drops of a vaccine.
It’s really very hard to explain to those who haven’t had the chance to go on this trip, but I strongly urge Rotarians to take part in NID, it brings you up close and personal to the good Rotarians are doing with their Polio Eradication campaign. Not only that, you get to meet the people whose lives you are changing, that itself is an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience.
DG Feb Message
My Dear Fellow Rotarian brothers & sisters,
恭喜發財
KUNG HEI FAT CHOY!!
Wishing you all a prosperous, healthy and happy year of the Dragon.
Further to the celebration of Chinese New Year, we are also celebrating Love, otherwise known as Valentine's Day, which is celebrated internationally on 14th February as well as Chinese Valentine's Day, which falls on 6th February.
Throughout this edition of the newsletter, in addition to the usual rotary happenings, you will find stories of love and caring, stories related to love, and fun information you may not already know about Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day is a time for remembering our loved ones, a time to show them that we truly appreciate and love them and to dedicate this special day to them.
I've always said "Anything money can buy, I have no interest in, it has no value to me. That which money cannot buy, such as love – I must have!" Love binds different people together, from all walks of life, and it should definitely be celebrated.
I, myself, am a huge romantic and I believe in showing love to those around you, not only on Valentine's Day, but every single day. I spend my Valentine's Day every year with the ones that are nearest and dearest to me: my loving wife, my three daughters, my mother and my sisters.
I too hope that you spend this Valentine's with people that you love! Your partners, families, friends and fellow Rotarians.
God Bless you all,
DG David Harilela
DG Jan Message
My Dear Fellow Rotarian brothers & sisters,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Welcome to 2012
I wish you all good health, wealth and eternal Happiness for the New Year.
As traditions go, it's that time of the year when each and every one of us gets a chance at a new and fresh start. Please wipe away the happenings of the year gone by, and start the year by setting new goals for yourselves.
The New Year gives us the opportunity to create fresh beginnings, a time to leave the past behind and focus on the present. It's time to seize the day; not even the day but also each and every moment; to cherish what we have and to let those whom we love know that we truly appreciate them and most importantly, to give back.
Love and sharing our time are two important ways to do this.
Remember life is short. Break the rules: Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that makes you smile.
We must always remember that: No goal or dream is ever too big.
"Reach for the moon, even if you miss you will land amongst the stars."
This month we also celebrate Rotary Awareness Month. It is our turn to do our part to educate Rotarians and those around us about "The Good we do" at Rotary. We can all do this in our own way by teaching Rotarians about our history and other programs as well as teaching them how to raise awareness about each clubs individual projects. Throughout the year I have constantly reminded Rotarians to tell others these meaningful stories. By using emotions and personal experience we can capture the hearts of those around us and perhaps even inspire more people to join Rotary.
The beginning of a new year is a good opportunity to renew inspiration for the rest of the Rotary year.
God Bless you all,
DG David Harilela
DG December Message
Dear fellow Rotarian brothers & sisters,
As this year's Rotary International theme 'Reach Within to Embrace Humanity' tells us, all good things start with the family! The Rotary Family month comes at such a relevant time, as there are so many meanings to Family during this time of year.
The Rotary family is one that is very near and dear to my heart and it gives me great pleasure to announce that in the past month we have celebrated the spirit of fellowship with two very successful events. What is special about these events is that for the first time, the fellowship involved both Rotarians and Rotaractors. The first was held on October 29th – The Voice, which DDR Edwina has so enthusiastically reported on page 21. The second is the District Wine Fellowship that took place on November 23rd and will be detailed in the next newsletter.
With Christmas around the corner, it is a time for infinite love, caring and giving. The spirit of giving lives within us all and it is always a humbling experience to see people express this and help those around them, whether its during Christmas or throughout the year.
This December, may your inner light shine and reach out to those in need. Remember to give love to the whole world and to spread the message of peace and joy to those around you.
DG David & Family Wishes you all
a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
God Bless you all,
DG David Harilela
DG November Message
Rotary Foundation Month
Dear fellow Rotarian brothers & sisters,
Another exciting month is upon us as we enter into the Rotary Foundation Month. I love Rotary dearly , and it warms my heart to see the good that each individual Rotary club does with the small amounts of money they raise and the miracles that they have created with same.
However, in order to be able to help and foster larger projects we remain indebted to the Rotary Foundation for their generous support of the projects both in our District and abroad as we receive their generous support through Matching Grants. The family of Rotary is strengthened by our ability to do bigger projects thanks to the Rotary Foundation which helps us to fund many critical projects such as the Hep B project for which we received US$450,000.
Totally, we as a District have contributed US$1,646,942 to the Annual Programs Fund for the years 2006 to 2010-11. In return the Matching Awards from The Rotary Foundation for the same period have totaled US$ 1,787,617, which is equivalent to a 108% return to us on our investment.
The Every Rotarian Every Year scheme is a great way for Rotarians to give back to the world. We can only be powerful if all of us together show our love by joining in the EREY scheme. It makes me proud to know that the number of contributing Rotarians in the EREY scheme for our district has gone up from 26.37% (418/1585 members) in 2006-2007 to 46.87% (795/1696 members) in 2010-2011.
Imagine what we could do if we had 100% contributing Rotarians?
Please continue to support the Rotary Foundation. District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair Kenneth Chow has done a great job of enlightening us with more information on the Rotary Foundation on pages 2-7 so please read what he has to say. Please also join me in welcoming our new major contributors to the Rotary Foundation listed on page 4.
God Bless you all,
DG David Harilela
DG October Message
From Membership to Vocational...
Dear fellow Rotarian Brothers & Sisters,
In keeping with the Rotary's guiding principles , September was a very successful 'Membership month'. Our Membership Workshop organized by CP Eva Chiu and PP William Chan proved very fruitful as over 100 people attended and were present for the launch of the much-anticipated District 3450 "I Like Rotary" Facebook campaign. CP Eva's report further details the success of the workshop.
A very important part of the workshop, I believe, was the session on Retention. I pushed to make this session happen as I feel that this is a major goal and concern for Rotary. 10 years ago Rotary International's membership was 1.2 million members, and today, 10 years later we still have 1.2 million members– this shows that the membership of Rotary remains stagnant. And yet our clubs over the last ten years have increased from 33000 to 34000. Once people leave, the membership drops and we are truly at a loss with members if not for the new clubs.
Even as a member of a very healthy Rotary club, the Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile, I feel that it is important for each and every single one of us Rotarians to pay attention and care about the health of our own clubs. It is each members' responsibility to help our clubs and ultimately help Rotary expand. I am very proud to say that my own club has expanded from 40 members to over 75 members and yet I was at the workshop ready to learn and share ideas on how best to retain members as well as to learn how to catch the new. We must always be vigilant and not let complacency show its ugly head .
Retention plays a pivotal role in the future of Rotary and it makes me happy to know that my fellow Rotarians agree. In a poll carried out after the workshop, this session proved to be very successful and drew the highest good/like percentage at 94% when combined.
As we now enter into the Rotary 'Vocation" month, I'd like to remind my fellow Rotarians to take note of the important Vocational events that PDG Arthur has described in this report. I do hope that all of you will attend as it is not every day that we get to acknowledge and thank the citizens of Hong Kong that work to keep us healthy and safe.
Lastly, I hope that every Rotarian has received their new District Directory which I am positive will come in handy and of great use to each and every one of us.
A great thing about Rotarians is our fellowship and I am blessed to have made great friends in my club who will always go out of their way to look after me, whether they are a doctor, a lawyer or any other profession. We are all Rotarian brothers and sisters and should therefore help and support each other in times of need. For this reason, please note that the index at the back of the District Directory is categorized by Vocation in addition to last name.
I truly believe that over 100 years ago when Paul P. Harris and his three friends created Rotary, this was the kind of fellowship they had in mind. So please remember this my fellow Rotarians, we are all brothers and sisters alike, and always remember to treat each other as you would like to be treated.
God Bless you all,
DG David Harilela
DG September Message
I hope that you've all settled into the new Rotary year well. My first
few months as District Governor have been busy ones but for very good reasons.
As most of you know, I've spent the last few months trying to get to know each and every one of my fellow Rotarians. It is a huge honor and great pleasure to have the opportunity to get to know you all. I truly love being with my fellow Rotary members. I've been able to attend most of the club installations including 13 in July as well as 19 Club visits in July and August (with more to come in September) and visits to Areas 1, 6, 8 and 7.
These visits to Clubs, Installations and Areas have really given me insight into my fellow Rotarians and their clubs. Each club is unique and it is truly a blessing to see that Rotary has a different effect on each and every individual. These visits have also given me a chance to communicate with not only my 'Dream Team' of Presidents, but also with all you Rotarians, and therefore has allowed me to share my dreams for Rotary and for you, my fellow Rotarians.
I've also had the immense pleasure of attending several of our Rotaract installations, including their very own District Installation where I was able to show my support for new DRR Edwina and her fellow Rotaractors.
I believe that Rotaractors are the future of Rotary. The good work they do today paves the way for them to become great Rotarians tomorrow. I am proud to say that the Rotaract community in our district is very strong and they embody the values of a true Rotarian and I am so very proud of them. I want to make sure they know that they have the support of us Rotarians every step of the way for guidance and advice. They indeed are our Partners in Rotary.
I look forward to getting to know more of my fellow Rotarians and Rotaractors in the coming months, until then remember to live by the Rotary motto "Service Above Self".
God Bless you all,
DG David Harilela
DG August Message
My dear Rotarian brothers & sisters,
Welcome to the Rotary year of "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity". What a great start to the year!! The Rotary Presidential Inaugural Ball held on July 8th at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, was one that will never be forgotten. For the first time we had 836 Rotarians and guests attend a night full of history, celebration, fun and fellowship.
I'd firstly like to thank those of you who attended the ball…we had a great time together – thank you for your support. Secondly, I'd like to congratulate all the IPPs on a great year of service to the district under IPDG Jason Chan.
Most of all, I'd like to welcome in all my Presidents – I look forward to working with you, my 'Dream Team', to take Rotary to its very pinnacle.
The Presidential Inaugural Ball captured the exact mood I had envisioned for the evening – one that was fun for my fellow Rotarians and their guests, but yet retained the seriousness, beauty and elegance of the handover ceremony.
It is our duty and responsibility to always perform and act like Rotarians. I am proud that all our guests were able to witness the strength of our Rotarian fellowship and get a glimpse of the good work we do through this ball. The evening showed us in our best light, as we know how to work hard and play hard.
I'd like to thank the organizing committee Chairman Eddy Wong & his team for putting together such a magical evening that I am sure will not be forgotten for years to come.
Thank you all for your support. My dreams for Rotary International District 3450 can only be realized with your support, my fellow Rotarians, so thank you and I look forward to a great year with you and my amazing 'Dream Team'.
God Bless you all,
DG David
DG July Message
Dear Fellow Rotarian Brothers & Sisters,
It is with great honor and immense pleasure that I welcome you to the Rotary year of "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity". It has truly been a great experience working
with IPDG Jason Chan and his team of Rotary Leaders from "Building Communities,
Bridging Continents" and we thank them with much gratitude for all the hard work
they have done to make Rotary what it is today.
The Rotary Theme
I believe that all goodness and love begins with the family. Unconditional love, care,
passion and giving are a natural instinct when the people you love surround you
every day. It is because of these people that we learn how to grow, love and share.
Much like this, "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity" follows the same principles.
The theme logo represents three hearts. When we reach within ourselves to the
purest part of our bodies – our heart, we come across the different types of love that
exist within us. The first heart represents our love for our family as we work tirelessly
towards making the world a better place for them. We do this by providing them with
all their basic everyday needs such as food, shelter, water, and love.
Spreading this love further our RIP Kalyan asks us that we should now share this
kindness with those close to us, namely with our friends, neighbors and communities
by helping them to make their lives, and the lives of the people surrounding them,
happy and full of love. This is represented by the second heart in the logo.
Lastly, the third heart represents the epitome of the love that we have within us, the
ability to take our love and share it with the whole world – to do what we can to make
it a better place. This is what we as Rotarians do every day.
Prior to my year as Governor, I really thought about what I needed to do to make our
District unique and how to re-invigorate our Rotarians without causing them to invest
further. I came up with the theme of Giving Back – to Society and to my fellow tireless
heroes of District 3450. As it turned out the Rotary theme "Reach Within to Embrace
Humanity" merely reinforces my own goals and projects which I had envisioned and
planned for our District even before I heard about this year's theme.
The first of these projects, which I have already had the pleasure of talking to most
Rotarians in the district about, is the first Rotary Humanitarian Award called "Rotary – The One". This award is our way of recognizing the unsung hero of today. "Rotary – The One" is a person that spends every day of his life giving back to those in need,
without any expectation of greatness or glory. This award would give the winner
US$50,000 to help them in their efforts to serve others. Here again the funds for
this project have been resourced from the business world through the endowment
and kindness of Richard Elman, the CEO of the Noble Group, who has personally
contributed these monies.
The second project is one that gives back to Rotarians. For the first time, we are able
to give back to the Rotarian heroes via the Rotarian Benefits Card. Your Rotarian
membership card will open up a world of benefits exclusively for Rotarians including
offers and discounts for restaurants, retail outlets, hotels and other service & leisure
areas. This will be effective from September 2011. More details are to follow in
future newsletters.
Let us now move towards Embracing Humanity.
God Bless you all,
DG David
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