| This
is the biweekly bulletin of the Rotary Club of Kingspark Hong Kong Club Website: http://www.rotary3450.org/kingspark-hongkong | ||||
 | Kingspark News Rotary
Club of Kingspark | | ||
| Chief
Editor : Francis Wann Club Webmaster : John Wan | ||||
Editorial
(Rotary Specific) - By Francis Wann | ||||
District Website | RI Website | RI President | TRF | News Room | Global History Fellowship | ||||
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Rotary Specific Members of Kingspark would probably take it for granted they receive on regular basis the Kowloon East Bulletin, the official publication of Rotary Club of Kowloon East. And discerning readers might have also noticed something strange in the last edition. Literally, it was the last edition, as Chief Editor PDG Raymond Wong has declared his intention to resign, not only as its editor, but from the club. Finally, after more than a quarter of a century with Rotary, he's decided to call it a day. And nobody had cared more about Kingspark than Raymond, as he was the DG's special representative to the formation of Rotary Club of Kingspark when our club was chartered some ten years ago, and is also the special advisor from his own club, Kowloon East, officially our mother club. It's still not certain whether his roles in the PDG Council will be challenged as technically he has to belong to a club. I remember he wrote for Kingspark News in our tenth anniversary edition on May 1 2004 where he unveilled some of his personal thoughts about Rotary. He was first introduced to KE in late 1979, became president in 1984-85, and was District Governor in 1987-88, and then 1988-89. Raymond has always been high profile and he pulled no punches when he was in charge of the Polio Plus and is probably one of the most visual and enthusiastic senior Rotarians. He has been single-handedly producing his club's Kowloon East Bulletin for more than ten years, travelled entensively on behalf on Rotary, and represented Rotary at the United Nations' world forums. He has been on scores of district committees, and when the new Rotary year begins in July, he'll head a taskforce to oversee "Water, Health and Hunger Concerns". In the Rotary family, he certainly commands considerable respect, and is almost a role model for the younger members. Only recently he's written to Kingspark in support of Kennedy Tsang. But why should someone with such a proven record decide that enough is enough? Understandably PDG Raymond has his own reasons, and if he wishes to respond to this editorial or make use of Kingspark News to elaborate his points, the mechanism is there and the door is always open. Our objective of using Kingspark News as an interactive discussion forum has still not been achieved to date, perhaps this one might stir up a bit of sentiments and after thoughts. CP John mentioned once in his interview that many people joined Rotary for the wrong reasons. PDG Raymond lamented at what he observed as "Selfishness above service". He certainly would like to see less rituals, more motivations, initiatives, and action. Rotary has come a long way, and next month, thousands of dedicated Rotarians worldwide will be in Chicago for the centennial conference. The decision to leave Rotary must have been a bitter one, and in our vow to serve, we would probably have encountered frustrations, disillusion and disappointment. It's inevitably a long and winding road. Once a Rotarian, always a Rotarian. | ||||
President's
Column
I would also like to thank Rotarian Stephen Lin for giving me a book "Half Time - Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance". Although I have not finished the book, I am inspired by its writer Bob Buford who has mentioned that "we want to find the sphere in which we can serve our values by putting to work what we are good at, using our strengths, knowledge and experience. Besides, we do not fear the end of the game but we do want to make sure that we finish well, that we leave something behind no one can take away from us." He further asks us to think about the following questions after we have moved beyond the first half of the game of life: What
am I really good at? I am sure I was not able to answer the above questions prior to joining Rotary. But now I am happy to tell you that I have found the answers and I know what I am going to do after my half time. Dear Kingsparicans, let's share with your friends and work out how to change your game plan from success to significance! Last but not least, I must thank you for your support because we had an improvement on our March attendance record with an average attendance rate of 60%. I hope I can see you more and we can further improve our attendance rate in the future. | ||||
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This is a Rotarian I was in Phuket over the weekend on non-Rotarian but very much service-related businesses. I came back late evening on Monday and was thinking on the plane what to share with you. I decided to write on a Rotarian I have known for as long as I have been one. No sooner did I set my fingers on the keyboard than I found that our Chief Editor had been thinking along the same line - brothers think alike. It is now exactly a week since our Club's friend, mentor and Honorary Member Past District Governor Dr. Raymond Wong handed in his resignation as a member of the Rotary Club of Kowloon East. He told me he did so at their regular club meeting. Thereupon, I invited him to join our club as a full member. In reply, he said he would think about it, but would not take any decision before the current Rotary year runs out. I said to myself that Raymond would technically still be a member because he dues would last him till end of June 2005 anyway. My brother has raised a number of fundamental questions which are indeed food for thoughts - deep thoughts - deep enough to move every block, every stone and perhaps a heartless soul. He wished that his editorial would provoke interactive discussion. Same here, even though I am less sanguine about it. Coincidentially, a day before his reported resignation, I was speaking in the Rotary Club of Wanchai, following the induction ceremony of a new member. I told the audience that in some clubs - certainly in Kingspark - the new member would be told, "Today, we make you a member of the club, but Rotary membership is something that only you can gain for yourself, by following the motto of Rotary ..." Again, my brother was correct about what I had said before about many people joining Rotary for the wrong reasons. What my brother has not developed is the corollary that these people could have left for good reasons. Let me elaborate. Actually, there is not a lot on which to elaborate: logic tells us that a false proposition could lead to a true one. A person who does something for the wrong reason could therefore undo it for a right one. What is more important and fundamental is that rather than pondering on why Raymond Wong has decided to give up his membership of RC of Kowloon East, we should be thinking about the lessons we can learn from the event. A person with the statue, background and experience such as Raymond can never leave Rotary, for Rotary is in him forever. I have said before in the context of Rotary in China that it does not require a Rotary club in China, formally chartered by RI, to take Rotary service to the people in China. Similiarly, it does not require a person to be a member of a Rotary club to perform Service Above Self deeds. Raymond is a Rotarian by any standard. RI and TRF has honored him with the highest award ever, including the much coveted Service Above Self Award and Distinguished Service Award. He told me ten years ago that he had personally proposed more than 100 persons into Rotary clubs. He must have done many more since and must have influenced the lives of many around the world through his examples, deeds and words. Among other things, Raymond brought me back to Rotary when I was floundering, thereby giving me the unique opportunity and experience to be charter president of this club and so on. In this sense, Raymond is the real person behind our club. On this count alone, and for many others, this man is a Rotarian. We wish him well, and I am confident that he would continue to spread the gospel of Rotary and do good deeds wherever he is and whatever he does. | ||||
Views in any article in Kingspark News reflect those of the authors. They are not necessarily the views of the Rotary Club of Kingspark or of District 3450. You are welcome to write to Chief Editor Francis Wann or Club Webmaster John Wan on any topic, particularly in response to articles published in Kingspark News. We would publish all contributions as long as the authors identify themselves, the contents are not offensive or abusive, and would not offend common decency or common sense. You need not be a Rotarian to write to us and you have a choice to withhold your name in the published version. Where the contents make reference to statements or policies of individuals or organizations, we would try to obtain a response from the latter for publication in the same issue if possible. | ||||
Chief
Editor : Francis Wann The Board of Directors President
: Thomas Chan | ||||
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