KINGSPARK NEWS

Club Number: 30119

2007-08 Rotary Year : Issue 5 : 2 September

Contents

From the Webmaster - Wanted, Feature Editors
Editorial (Rotary Youth Service) - By Francis Wann
President's Column - By President Marvin Lai
From the Charter President (More on Membership Development) - By CP John Wan
Letters to Editor
The Board

District Website | RI Website | RI President | TRF | News Room | Global History Fellowship

Breaking News
From The Webmaster

Wanted, Feature Editors

In the early days of Kingspark News, which was issued weekly, first delivered by post - expensive business - and later by fax, the front page was reserved for the news of the week, normally what the speaker said at the meeting the week before.

It would be good if we can revive the practice, which I think will help motivate more members to come to the meeting.

I would like to have volunteers to cover the weekly column, in a fashion like what PP Edwards Lau did in the last issue of Kingspark News. You can either send it to me or the editor, and I would ensure its timely publication. Everyone can try out his or her journalistics skills. We can even run a contest for the best entry and ask President Marvin to invent some awards at the end of the year.

I would talk to PP Edward when he shows up next. I believe he is enjoying life in North America.

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EDITORIAL

Rotary Youth Service

Benjamin Allen is now in La Salle College and when he was in primary school, his dad Roy took him to Britain for a formal assessment. He then became a member of the Mensa though it hardly changed anything in his life.

I still remember some years ago his dad Roy asked me to help enquire about the School Music and Speech Festival as Ben wanted to enter the Open class category normally meant for more senior students and adults. Finally they managed to get round with the rules and Ben literally swept all the top prizes. After that he was not very interested in this speech festival and he probably has gone past that sort of mentality.

Two years ago in form one he began his research on a historical novel and did a great deal of research in the UK. The book is a serious endeavor of a young gentleman to put historical facts and fictions in perspective, and it's not anything light. When his book is launched, it might be another media sensation.

Whether Ben will be a star student if he takes the new diploma of education here in a few years' time could be anybody' s guess, but I am also aware that his future depends on a variety of factors, least of all his IQ. I'm not sure if in future he would apply to any of Rotary's scholarships or exchange students schemes, but clearly he would have more options in life than most of his counterparts.

I mention Ben here because of the avalanche of news reports of our gifted youngsters sometimes did bother me. I was amazed at the achievements of Ho Hui-lam who has been admitted to CUHK at 14; and March Boedihardjo to Baptist at 9. They certainly are miles ahead of their contempories, but will their lives be totally different were it not for the fact of intense and sometimes excessive media coverage?

There are of course those who decry the interference of privacy from the media, and those who question the wisdom of an early university education - all out of good intention I believe, but the world we now live in is clearly not what it used to be like in the past. Now it's probably fair to admit many a prodigy went unnoticed in those days.

Yes these gifted talents deserve our attention, as their presence also reminds the world of our future hopes. They also reminds us the importance of lateral thinking in a world full of bureaucrats. They are here to show us the true meaning of learning, and of course what education is all about.

I've noticed in the past Rotary has always focused on the more able students when we considered starting Interact Clubs in schools and universities. Perhaps we need to give it some serious thought now and publicize ourselves elsewhere.

The fortunate kids from the likes of DBS or Wah Yan already have others to take care of them; it is those youngsters without any resources who need our help most.

Having one Hui-lam from Tin Shui Wai alone will not change people's perception. Let's bring out more Huilams in deprived areas, and make it happen.

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President's Column
By President Marvin Lai

District Affairs

1. District Membership Seminar - September 8, 2007 (Saturday)

District Membership Seminar is to be held on September 8, 2007 (Saturday) at Sheraton Hotel from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Lunch shall also be served from 1:00pm to 2:00pm for those who wish to have lunch. Our PE Joyce, also Club's Membership Chairperson, shall represent Area 8 on the topic of "Long-Established Clubs" (Congratulations, PE Joyce!). Other topics are "Recruitment (regular issues)" by Area 3, "Recruitment (public relation emphasis)" by Area 2, "Retention" by Area 5, "Extension" by Area 1, "New Member's Orientation" by Area 6, "Small Clubs" by Area 4, and "Action Planning on Membership Development" by Area 7. The District urges Rotarians to participate in this seminar as the "membership" is one of the main focuses in this "Rotary Share" year.

2. District Rotary Foundation Seminar - September 15, 2007 (Saturday)

District Rotary Foundation Seminar is to be held on September 15, 2007 (Saturday) at Taifook Securities Training Center located at 14/F, On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, Hong Kong from 2:00pm to 5:30pm. Our PDG Alexander Mak is the DRFC (District Rotary Foundation Committee) Chair for this Rotary year, so please come to learn more about The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and support our PDG!

3. RC of Kowloon East - World's First 100% Major Donor Club

In the Insider Section of the September issue of the Rotarian Magazine, it featured the achievement made by RC of Kowloon East in becoming the world's first 100% Major Donor Club. Congratulations to all members of RC of Kowloon East!

Club Affairs

1. Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY)

Thank you for your continuous support. IPP Patrick Wong, Chair of Foundation, shall remind those who had pledged to support EREY the deduction of US$100. For those who have not yet pledged, please yield a resounding YES to IPP Patrick when he calls. Again, thank you for supporting RI and our mission!

2. PP Peter Lo - Our Representative to the DG (2010-2011) Nomination Committee

The board has unanimously passed the resolution to elect PP Peter Lo as our representative to serve as a member of the DG (2010-2011) nomination committee. Congratulations, PP Peter!

3. Mr. W.K. Lam Featured in Rotary on September 13, 2007

Mr. W.K. Lam (the well-known civil servant) is to speak to Rotary on September 13, 2007 at 7:30pm at either New World Renaissance Hotel (TST) or Miramar Hotel (to be confirmed). This is a joint meeting among RC of Kingspark Hong Kong, RC of Kwun Tong, RC of Shatin, RC of Channel Island, and RC of Kowloon East. We have already reserved one table for this special occasion; our regular lunch meeting of that day shall be changed to the dinner meeting.

4. Club Assembly - September 20, 2007

Club Assembly is to be held on September 20, 2007. There will be a few important issues to be addressed; hence, please come to share your views for the betterment of the club and to rekindle with your fellow Kingsparicans.

5. Kingspark Camp

The Kingspark Camp is tentatively set on December 1, 2007 for 1 night and 2 days in Hong Kong. Venue and activities are to be confirmed. However, if you have any great suggestions, please do email it to our Camp Chairman PP Ted Ho.

6. Identification (ID) Card for All Kingsparicans

Thanks to Irene Leung, our Executive Secretary, we now have our own Kingsparican ID cards. The ID cards were distributed in our lunch meeting on August 16, 2007; however, for those who did not get it, please come to the next lunch meeting to collect your card.

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From the Charter President

More on Membership Development

September is New Generations Month, and we should all focus on youths, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Rotaracts, Interacts, and so on. Our chief editor has written a timely piece on gifted children and you may wish to repond. But I would like to continue with the theme of last month - membership development not only because of the importance of the subject, which is why the district is having a Membership Development Seminar next weekend, but also because there is a strong youth element in membership development. Read on.

Membership Development is serious business. Anyone who thinks that the job is the purview of club presidents and district governors only need to think again. RI has been very serious about the matter and still is. There is a dedicated website for Membership and everyone is invited to read and subscribe to the Membership Minute, which is in its Volume 4, second issue in August. For those who have yet to read an issue, here is the August Issue.

The Membership Minute - Vol. 4, Ed. 2
(Downloaded from RI Website)

New member sponsor pins

RI President Wilf Wilkinson is encouraging all Rotarians to help strengthen Rotary¡¦s membership by bringing at least one new member into Rotary. Members of his leadership team who met this challenge have been recognized with a new member sponsor pin.

President Wilf encourages clubs to adopt the same recognition incentive for their members. For Rotarians who sponsor more than one new member, additional recognition can be displayed with a numbered tab that attaches to the pin.

Pins and tabs can be ordered from RI official licensees.

Recruitment strategies

August is Membership and Extension Month, a special time each year when the entire Rotary family gets a chance to focus on the heart of the organization and what makes it great ¡X our more than 1.2 million members in nearly 33,000 clubs worldwide. But why limit our focus to just 31 days of the calendar? Keep membership top of mind all year by implementing one of the following ideas each month:

1. Place a promotional ad or insert in your local chamber of commerce directory.
2. Create business cards printed with your name, the Rotary logo, and the phrase "Be My Guest" along with the day, time, and location of your club's meetings. The cards serve as an invitation to attend a club meeting at the club¡¦s expense.
3. Develop a spreadsheet or database of program alumni (e.g., Rotaract, Interact, Youth Exchange, Group Study Exchange) so that these individuals can be invited to become Rotarians once they are qualified.
4. Invite program alumni as guests to your meetings, and propose any qualified alumni for membership.
5. Ask members to consider recruiting their spouses to the club, and offer that spouse an incentive, such as no club dues for a full year.
6. Send a welcome letter to the owners of new businesses in your community.
7. Hold a luncheon for community leaders. Each club member is responsible for inviting a set number of prospective members who are community leaders, and club members donate a set amount for the cost of the meal and invitations. Show the six-minute video This Is Rotary (449-EN), and bring in a dynamic Rotary leader as a speaker.
8. Scan local business journals and newspapers for the names of influential business people and community leaders.
9. Invite a prospective member or members to participate in a club activity or project that demonstrates the meaningful work of your Rotary club.
10. Ask members to wear pins or T-shirts with the slogan "Ask Me About Rotary" to generate conversation about membership in Rotary.
11. Create a prospective member leaflet or brochure called "What's in It for Me?" that lists recent speakers at your club meetings, area companies that are represented in the club membership, and current local service projects.
12. Obtain space in a prominent shop window to display information about the club¡¦s activities in the community.
13. Collect business cards from individuals who attend a meeting as a guest or speaker, and send a follow-up note or postcard thanking each visitor and inviting them back. Buy a supply of Rotary Notecards (980-MU) or the RI Theme Postcard (910-07MU) to use for this purpose.
14. Wear the Rotary logo on your clothes during service projects.
15. Make it a point of honor to propose a new member. Recognize the proposer in the club bulletin or at the weekly meeting.

Share your motivation and enthusiasm!

Nothing could be more important to prospective members than the level of energy they feel during a club visit. Prospective members need to see and feel your enthusiasm as well as your pride for your membership in Rotary. When club members are friendly, inviting, and inclusive , a potential Rotarian receives the most important message: You are welcome here and will have the opportunity to participate in something important.

*****

Finally, and this is from me: Remember, there is no deadline for membership recruitment. You can do it year round.

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Letters to Editor

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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The Board

President : Marvin Lai
President-Elect and Membership: Joyce Mak
Vice-President and Public Relations: Michael Eyles
Secretary : Kennedy Tsang
Treasurer : Ted Ho
Rotary Foundation : Patrick Wong
Club Administration : Edward Lau
Service Projects : Peter Lo
Sergeant-at-Arms : Alexander Kar

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