The Area 3 Joint DG Dinner Meeting will be held on the night of 7^th October at Hong Kong Football Club (Happy Valley Suite), and will replace our regular lunch meeting on that date. The Sandy Bay Charity Fair will be held on 6^th November form 12:00 to 4:00pm, we need donations of materials for charity sales and the help of members to look after our counter.  The Zhuhai Golfing and Track Day will be rescheduled to 26-27^th November (Friday and Saturday). On the 26^th November will be a Mini Golf Tournament at Zhuhai Lakewood Golf Club and on the 27^th the Safety Driving Course at Zhuhai International Circuit. Detailed information will be sent out later.

Thanks to our Sergeant-at-Arms, Rtn Ernie, who collected a total of $780 from fines and raffle tickets. Today is our new members, Rtn Danny’s birthday, we sang Happy Birthday  and presented a birthday gift to him. 

The District Vocational Service Month luncheon meeting on 21^st October will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, with Mr. Anthony Neoh as the speaker.  This lunch meeting will replace our regular dinner meeting in October.  The fee is HK$280 per person (early bird before 30/9) but with a subsidy of $220 from the dinner meeting lowers the price to just HK$60 and even late registration is only HK$80 for members.  The luncheon is on a first-come-first-served basis, so please contact Executive Secretary Lillian for reservations.

The Club 888 is ready now, and the application form will be delivered on 7^th October. The prize of this year are fantastic, we have a 42” Plasma TV, a 30” LCD TV, a Holiday package and golf games.  To reserve your lucky number, just email/call PP Bernie or Lillian.

Our speaker today is Mrs. Priscilla Lui of Against Child Abuse; her topic is “Let’s Join Hands to Combat Poverty and Violence”.  Nowadays, the number of divorces, single parent families and battered spouses is increasing. The Child Protection Registry has received an increasing number of cases of child abuse; including physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, psychological abuse and multiple abuses. The situation is very serious and needs more concern. Poverty in HK is increasing, 24% of children belong to low-income households, all lacking resources and care.  Mrs. Lui said she had a case of child abuse in which the boy is physically abused by his parents and the family is very volatile, he is a habitual offender after he grows up because of low self-esteem and wanting the recognition from his friends.  Child abuse affects the life of all these people and we need to prevent it, especially in the new immigrant and ethnic minorities.  Mrs. Lui said they provide counseling, education and investigation, and that to provide all those services; they need support from the community.