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KINGSPARK NEWS Club Number: 30119 2006-07 Rotary Year : Issue 11 : 4 December | ||
| This
is the biweekly bulletin of the Rotary Club of Kingspark Hong Kong Club Website: http://www.rotary3450.org/kingspark-hongkong | ||
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| Chief
Editor : Francis Wann Club Webmaster : John Wan | ||
| Editorial
(Home
Affairs) - By Francis Wann | ||
| District Website | RI Website | RI President | TRF | News Room | Global History Fellowship | ||
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Home Affairs At the November Intercity meeting in honour of RI President William Boyd, Calvin reminded me of his contribution to Kingsparknews, and in so doing, also reminded our own President Patrick that he had honored the president's appeal of One Member, One contribution. It was indeed, and his contribution will appear in this edition anyway. It was, alas, his first in many years since this editor has held this position in Kingspark, and I certainly hope it will not be his last. But who cares? Calvin for one made it bluntly that he didn't want to read it, and every time he noticed it in his subject inbox, he'd delete it at source. I still remember he once half jokingly reminded me not to forward any links to him, lest he might accidentally open it. I have also been pondering over the recent Board's decision to terminate our "executive secretary's" service. The interesting thing is whether the decision was made under pressure from the more vocal members. If it was not, then the Board would have a lot to answer. I read with much interest the string of email exchanges on the subject of our secretarial services which prompted President Patrick to include the item on the agenda of the Board meeting. First it was Raymond who spilt the beans and sounded the alarm for members. Yes, something rather undesirable has been going on. To be honest I never like the idea of paying for clerical service packaged as executive service, and I am of the view that it is redundant, whatever you call it. It drains our resources, infringes our members' privacy, and as Calvin suggested, makes us feel uncomfortable. Whether the $36,000 a year is value for money is a matter of opinion, but it's simply the normal responsibility of the club secretary, ie Board secretary. CP John in the past made scathing attacks on maintaining two secretaries at Rotary's Information Centre in Causeway Bay whereas the work should be shared by district board officers. Perhaps it's not a question of whether we can afford it, but a question of commitment. Two and a half cheers to Calvin for offering his service to the club, and it's about time the Board of Directors thought twice about the need for paid secretarial services. As Calvin reminded us in his members-only email, and if I understood PDG Raymond correctly, it was only natural for presidents to mobilize their resources at their disposal to get things done. Indeed nobody force anyone to be Rotarians. The position of president, at whatever level, commands considerable respect, and there's a price to pay. Let's hope Calvin will read this edition, and sound out his grievances, and continue to monitor the club's operations - all for the good sake of Kingspark. | ||
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President's
Column November has been a busy month for Kingspark in evening gatherings. This is the month when I have to re-schedule 3 out of the 5 regular lunch meetings to evenings to accommodate events and special gatherings. Since November is also the Rotary Foundation month in the Rotary year, I suppose stuffing a few more evening meetings in a month is not asking too much of our members. As far as I can remember, our Club has never held so many evening meetings in a single month for a long time. In the past two years, regular evening meeting has almost become a "dead zone". Because of the disappointing attendance, the Board has since 2005 decided not to hold regular evening meetings. I was one of those who voted down evening meetings. Cynically, the result did not significantly help to raise the overall attendance rate. Area 8 held a joint "unusual" evening meeting at Miramar on Nov. 9. More than 80 Rotarians, Rotaryannes and spouses from the 7 Rotary Clubs from Kowloon, Kowloon East, Kowloon West, Kowloon Northeast, Kwun Tong, Kingspark, and the e-Club, joined by DG Tony, IPDG Peter Wan, DGE Peter Wong, and DGN Albert leisurely enjoyed the big fellowship. DGE Peter was the speaker. He shared with the audience his enviable experience about fellowship. He underlined the importance of fellowship in club service, and emphasized that fellowship is a process in itself and is not an end. The following week Thursday, Nov. 16, we invited 12 board members from the Interact Clubs of Wan Yan College HK, Wan Yan College Kowloon, and St. Benedict School, and 6 girl students from Hotung Secondary to come to introduce themselves, and present their club's plan 2006-07 in our evening meeting. We also invited Pres. Rachel and PP Virginia from our Rotaract Club to meet with the interactors in the fellowship. Kingsparicans were, not surprisingly, out numbered, but the atmosphere was still great. The presentations in English by the interactors were properly done. The students were outstanding. We were surprised to see DG Tony, AG and DS paying us an impromptu visit, and giving the interactors a short and sweet welcoming speech. The highlight of the meeting was the introduction by the representatives from World Wide Fund ("WWF"), Toby Lau and Eva Cheuk, on "Adopt a Fish Pond" at the Mai Po Conservatory Wetlands. Assisted by PP Edward and International Service Dir. Michael, we have committed to launch a new environmental-ecological project in partnership with WWF and our Rotaract Club. I hope this is will turn out to be an "unsual and Kingspark exclusive" project. I plan to incorporate various aspects in the right proportions, to cover "Fishing Ambassador" training, community awareness, promotion of ecological traditional fish arming and management, and hopefully, livelihood maintenance for the small and diminishing fisherman population in the New Territories. I will also try to fit, as much as possible, fellowship for the Rotarian family as an integral and essential part of the project. Trying not to be too ambitious, I expect that the project will be organized in separate stages at different times, and will spread over a longer span of time before we could see the impact, if any. I will describe the project in more details separately in the next Column. I have invited Pres. Rachel, and her Rotaractor Club has accepted to be a joint partner in this project. I hope that this 100% Hong Kong water, fish, ecology, and environment project would serve to benefit all who are involved and affected. I am excited about this project, and yet there is much planning ahead. I encourage our members to join the Organizing Committee so that we could help our new generations and make Hong Kong a better place to live. Rotary is also about humanity. December is a month of wedding celebration for our Rotarian family. Just a few days from today, Vivian, Past President of our Rotaract Club, will get married. I remember that she has been saying and planning for this happy moment when I was their Rotaract Advisor last year. A week down the road, our youngest member, Alexander, will also tie knot with his love one. The news was broken to us in our lunch meeting yesterday. On behalf of the members of RC of Kingspark HK, may I wish the respective marriages of Vivian and Alexander many happiness and all the best. | ||
District
Bowling Tournament I am pleased to report that the Kingspark Bowling Team was the 2nd Runners-up in the 2006 District Bowling Tournament held on November 12 in which 15 teams competed. Team players included Peter, Raymond, Ted and myself Calvin. Each of us was presented a trophy individually and one trophy was presented to our Club as a whole. This year, I was volunteered by President Patrick to be the team captain. Improving upon the way we organized ourselves in previous years, we staged 2 practice sessions in advance with the purposes of generating interest among all members of the club instead of limiting ourselves to the same bowlers we knew and, hopefully recruiting additional members to form the best team. We were targeting to win a trophy for the club but we knew we will never be the Champion, as none of us in Kingspark played bowling habitually, most of us play once a year! However, based on our track record in the past years that we came third in 1998 and then fifth or sixth in the years after, targeting to be fourth or better was considered a realizable challenge. The outcome - Firstly, we did match our performance as in 1998. Secondly, many Kinsparicans are now keen to learn, practice, and to become better bowlers for the Kingspark Team in future years. Names include but not limited to Marvin, Thomas, Alexander, Kennedy and K K. Suggestions have been sounded out for regular fellowship bowling events from now on and perhaps an internal Kingspark competition. If we do organize a competition among Kingsparicans, let me venture to suggest a handicap system. Based on my observation to date, handicap points for the total score for a series of 3 games could be as follows (subject to dispute and disagreement) - Peter,
Raymond, Sunny, Tom Hui (+15) If we do practice more in the coming months, I am sure I can really retire next year and let those who are improving to form a team for greater success. I will rejoin the team five years later (at 65) when I am given a handicap of 10 points each game. That's it folks for my contribution to Kingspark News. | ||
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From
the Webmaster
Presdient Bill Boyd's Family of Rotary Resource Group provides information and support for Rotary clubs and districts in efforts to pursue the first Object of Rotary, which is "to encourage and foster the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service." Here are something from the RI Website: Friendship was the foundation, the rock on which Rotary service was built. The Family of Rotary resource Group will encourage clubs to care for Rotarians, their families, and members of the larger Rotary family, thereby strengthening clubs and instilling a sense of integrity, tolerance, and unselfishness in the next generation. Over the next year, the Family of Rotary resource group will provide guidance to Rotary clubs and districts, and encourage them to promote projects and activities to enhance every Family of Rotary member’s experience. In addition, the resource group will encourage every Rotarian to celebrate December as Family Month. By boosting membership and participation in Rotary clubs, the success of the “Family of Rotary” concept will help to ensure Rotary’s continued presence as a vital instrument of service in the century ahead. Specifically, the Family of Rotary is - Rotarians’
family members The larger Rotary family includes - Our
neighbors in other clubs and districts around the world Supporting Family of Rotary is of critical importance because it -
Builds lifelong friendships | ||
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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. | ||
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Chief
Editor : Francis Wann The Board of Directors President
: Patrick Wong | ||
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