| 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
(The Hon Leung Kwok-hung) - By Francis Wann | ||||
District Website | RI Website | RI President | TRF | News Room | Global History Fellowship | ||||
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The Honourable Leung Kwok-hung
What could be the excuse when there were not enough ballot boxes in the polling stations? And what would be the reason when the number of valid ballots counted exceeded those issued? Hong Kong would probably be the ultimate laughing stock as the whole world watched our record turnout with amazement. Now that the counting is over, and unless there are further challenges, we should at least congratulate ourselves that once again we've set new records both in the number of voters as well as in voting percentage. We shoudl also welcome the new faces who are also certain to make history when the new Legco resumes later. While Mr Leung's streetcred image is likely to add spice to the largely uninspiring Legco sessions, former radio talkshow host Cheng King-hon is also expected to maintain his sharp wits and aggressive manner within the establishment. The new Legco is certain to generate a great deal of media interests. With its limited power under the existing structive, political observers would simply wonder how the pro-democracy camp could achieve anything within the four-year term, having lost some of their seats to Pro-China DAB as a result of miscalculation. But perhaps for the first time in Legco history, people are beginning to scrutinise the finer points in its handbook to make sure that inside the Chamber, it is business as usual. Would the streetfighter turned legislator make his grade and still pledge what he preaches once inside? If Mr Leung is in anyway unsure about how politics corrupts people, he'd better use Rotary's four-way test to see if he genuinely makes a good politician. And very soon he'd be referred to as the Honourable Leung Kwok-hung. | ||||
President's
Column Be Prepared
Last Thursday we had our DG visit. Thanks for your support, we had 16 members and 1 guest attending the meeting. During a joint evening meeting with 6 Rotary Clubs of our Area, DG Alex Mak shared with his audience the strengths and weaknesses of the 7 Clubs. In his speech, he also appealed to us, especially the members who have not played the role of Club President, to take up the challenge as soon as possible because of the uncertainties in our lives. I totally agreed with him that we should stop finding excuses which prevent us from creating a better society for our next generation. It is you who make our world a better place to live. Please follow your dream and make it happen! I always remember the message delivered to the new member during the induction ceremony, "We can make you a member of the Rotary Club of Kingspark Hong Kong, but we cannot make you a Rotarian. Rotary membership is a distinct honour which you must gain for yourself, ….." As I believe that Rotary membership is a distinct honour only if we perform the duties of a Rotarian, I would encourage you to share the honour by following the motto of Rotary, Service Above Self, which can be done through active participation in our Club activities, District events and meaningful projects of 4 avenues of services. If you are not a Board member now, please join the working committees and contribute because it is the quickest way for you to become a real Rotarian. To share with you another piece of information concerning our next generation in the New Generations Month, our District is inviting application for the "Word Peace Scholarships". As all applications must be made through a Rotary Club and received by 1st October 2004, please read the general eligibility criteria from our Web site and submit application as soon as possible if you have any. | ||||
William "Bill" Boyd William "Bill" Boyd of Auckland, New Zealand, has been nominated RI President 2006-2007. Bill was Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator together with PDG Raymond Wong of District 3450; and in 1994 they started the Foundation Alumni Resource Group (FARG) together. Bill has been in Hong Kong and has a good impression of the District. | ||||
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Enjoy Rotary
She had always supported me wholeheartedly in my Rotary activities. My Rotary career began in 1987 when our children were small. It was a new club and many members had young families too. I was the Club Service Director and we organized many club activities, big or small, to facilitate participation of the family. She was very active then and she was very close to the more active spouse. Later on when I started Kingspark, she had asked me why our club appeared not to have organized as many activities for the family. My response was that maybe the membership profiles were different or that perhaps members had other priorities, such as pressure of work. After her first operation in 1997, I had decided to give up being a district governor and had told her so. I remember she smiled at the time. Later on, when some senior Rotary colleagues asked me to re-consider that decision, I sought her opinion again. She did not think long and told me there and then to go ahead, smiling, adding that I might not get the job, but that I would not be happy if I did not even put my name forward. The rest was history. Very sadly and unfortunately, she had her first relapse in June 2000, less than two weeks before we were to take up office. I had wanted to give up and I told her, arguing that Rotary was not my job, nor life, nor family etc. Her response was typical. She looked at me and asked me calmly whether I could do it without her active support and her reduced public appearance. Before I could reply, she asked me to break the news to the Rotary circle so that they could prepare for a less than perfect governorship. I broke the news publicly through my letters in the first week of July after the District Installation, and again, the rest was history. Since then, there had been obvious and inevitable upset over people and circumstances in the course of my Rotary work. Sometimes I lost sleep, sometimes I lost my temper, and sometimes I thought I was misunderstood. She had supported me wholeheartedly and unequivocally all the time, through thick and thin. It was against this background she offered me her death bed advice, which set me crying like a baby and speechless. She asked me not to lose any more sleep over Rotary, not to be upset when others could not see things my way or could not read my mind, and most importantly, not to lose my temper, which would not do my blood pressure any good. Even now, and particularly now, I have difficulties holding back my tears every time I think of what she had asked me to do, but with her support from afar and yours, I am confident that I can. | ||||
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 fro 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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