“Service
Through Fellowship, Fellowship Through Service”
It is
almost six months since the beginning of the Rotary year and
the tenure of the current Board of Directors.
At the
beginning of the Rotary year, upon assuming office as your
President, I proposed the following goals:
1.
A minimum net
increase of 6 members, with every member introducing a
potential member to the club.
2.
Increase and
enhance fellowship among members through social events and
hand-on service in the community, and to engage in
international fellowship.
3.
Increase local
community service, sustaining international service and to
initiate the mentoring service for vocational service.
4.
Involvement & Participation by all members by
- Encouraging participation in District
events
- Leadership & Succession planning – Every
member is a future President
- Participation in Club activities and
involvement in Committees – The future of your club is in your
hands
- Support continual involvement from PPs
5.
Education
Increase our knowledge about Rotary through
workshops and training sessions
And harnessing the resources of RIC
6.
The Rotary
Foundation
- Paul Harris Fellows – Permanent Fund,
Annual Program Fund, Polio Eradication
- Bequest Society Members
- Tax Deductibility – Use it or loose it!
Without
stealing the thunder form our directors who have worked hard
and supported the club over the last few months, I have the
pleasure to summarise as follows:
Our club,
with the ground work laid by previous boards and Presidents,
is doing well and growing from strength to strength.
Membership has grown further from the increase last year to
reach 46 active and 8 honorary members thus far. Our club’s
goal of reaching 50 active members by the end of June 2010 is
well on track. Attendance at weekly meeting averages around 23
for lunch meetings and around 30 for dinner meetings.
Your
committees have been enthusiastic too. Over the last few
months we had several fellowship events that involved the
general membership, both new and existing. We have engaged in
several new community based hands-on events including beach
cleaning, essay writing competitions, school support projects,
and more recently collecting clothes and food and delivering
to those in need, while maintaining our scholarship programs
and support for existing Hong Kong based institutions.
On the
international front we continue to support the various
projects in Indonesia, Thailand, and China. We look forward to
our fellowship programs with our sister clubs overseas and
also a contingent from our club to the RI convention in
Montreal next year.
We
continue to support the RCHKS – Leprosy project n Sichuan,
China through the efforts of members of our club, both on the
Board and on the general membership of RCHKS –Handa. We are
engaging new projects such as the Shelterbox program.
At the
district level, our members have attended various training
sessions throughout the year and we look forward to more
participation from other members, especially our new ones, as
the district ole out the training schedule for the rest of the
year. This will be particularly useful for the elected new
board members for the next Rotary Year. It is gratifying to
note that various senior members of our club have been elected
to serve at District level in recognition of their
longstanding contribution to Rotary.
We have
not neglected the Rotary Foundation, and our members continue
to walk the talk by generously contributing to the Paul Harris
Foundation. So far this year we have committed at least
four Paul Harris Fellow, and completed two Bequest
Society Members. Members also supported the EREY program by
voting to commit at least US$10.00 per year to the fund, while
others have generously donating US$100.00 per month to the PHF
program. In these unstable economic times, it is heartening to
see that our club membership is looking beyond our individual
needs.
On the
financial side, we have been frugal in spending our
administrative funds. The club is mindful of exerting extra
financial obligations on our members, and to this end the club
has not increased membership charges or lunch ad diner levies.
The service project funds are also faithfully applied with
frugality by applying only what funds we have on hand, leaving
any funds raised this year for uncommitted projects thus
making provision for future service efforts.
Our fund
raising activities have maintained its focus on the Club 888
project. The committee is working hard to increase the level
of prizes and ticket sales with a target to raise $500,000.00.
Club
management has been smooth and our club’s focus is in
fostering leadership and implementing and maintaining
succession plans for the wellbeing and further growth of our
club.
Fellow
Rotarians, through your support of the Directors and members
of the Board, much has been accomplished, and much have yet to
be accomplished, particularly in reviewing our by-laws and
improving on the governance of our club.
On behalf
of the Board of Directors, I thank you and ask for your
continual support and to support the Board in waiting so that
we close this year with pride and achievement and continue to
lay the foundation for the prosperity of our Club in years to
come.
President Peter Chu
Rotary
Club Hong Kong South
Rotary
Year 2009-2010
Our Service Committees
