On October 22, our Club met for lunch at our usual meeting venue, Regal Hong Kong Hotel. To ensure proper social distancing, Regal has given us a large room, with 4-person tables separated by ample spaces. The meeting began with President Mark giving quick updates of Club and District activities. President Mark also gave details about District Governor’s visit, which occurred the week before. The floor was then yielded to Immediate Past District Governor (“IPDG”) Wilson Cheng, who visited our Club to personally present the Rotary International 2019-20 Excellence in Service to Humanity Award to Wendy Poon. IPDG Wilson also brought gifts for everyone, but especially presented gifts to Club members who served the District with distinction during his tenure as District Governor: Charter President Patrick and Past District Governor Belinda for their leadership and advice; Past Presidents Grace and Angela for their work in public image, district training, District Conference etc.; Past President Lily for being his Deputy Assistant Governor for Area 3; and Past Presidents Dora and Lily for their work in public image and event preparations. President Mark also received, on our Club’s behalf, Rotary International Citation for 2019-20 as well as highly-rated wines for our members…
On consecutive days of October 16-17, Rotarian Jason attended Rotary Leadership Institute (“RLI”), which seeks to provide quality education in Rotary knowledge and leadership skills to Rotarians interested in developing their Rotary participation and to those identified by Rotary Clubs as having a potential in club leadership. Needless to say, Rotarian Jason is not recently identified as having leadership potential, but has for many years been leading aspects of our Club in many ways, including the planning and execution of our many community service projects this year, as well as aspects of Club Service and other activities. Past Presidents Grace and Angela, both certified District Trainers, were trainers at RLI.
On October 8, our Club met for lunch at our usual meeting venue, Regal Hong Kong Hotel. To ensure proper social distancing, Regal has given us a large room, with 4-person tables separated by ample spaces. The meeting began with President Mark giving some updates about our Club and our District. Past President WT also summarized two consecutive weeks of delivering hot meals to the elderly and to sanitation workers. Before the speaker program, our members also celebrated the happy news that our Honorary Member Vivien Lau was awarded Silver Bauhinia Star by the Chief Executive on October 1. A cake was prepared by Regal for the occasion and shared by all at the end of the meeting. Our speaker of the day was Mr. Jackson Lam, an automotive consultant who has worked in marketing and corporate strategy for some of the largest auto manufacturers and their distributors in the world. Jackson shared with us the latest and greatest advances in autonomous transport, the prerequisite of which is a stable electric-based system and sensor technologies. Jackson noted that China is at or near the forefront of autonomous driving, mainly because provincial and local governments have been very accommodative towards the…
On October 3, our volunteer team returned to Cheung Sha Wan, for a second time in the past fortnight, to deliver hot meals to the elderly. On occasion, more than 200 Mid Autumn care packages, donated by various Club members, were also distributed. Care packages were being prepared the night before and hours before the start of distribution. Rotarian Jason led a team consisting of President Mark, Past Presidents Grace, WT and Samuel, and Coco.
On October 3, Past President Sally Oh and Rotaractor Bobby Zhang of Rotaract Club of HKU Lap Chee College International joined Rotarians and families and Rotaractors in Discovery Bay for the first beach cleanup event of this Rotary Year. The event, titled “#OneTonneLess – Beach Cleaning Programme”, aims to remove at least one tonne of ocean trash each year along the shorelines of Hong Kong. Sally and Bobby reported that they found the event meaningful and plan to join subsequent sessions if time allows.
Past President Webster has been elected President of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong (“TIHK”) for the term 2020/2021. As he did with our Club back in RY2017-18, Webster will surely lead TIHK to greater heights! Congratulations Webster!
Our Honorary Member Vivien Lau was awarded Silver Bauhinia Star (“SBS”) by the Chief Executive on October 1. Congratulations Hon. Member Vivien! Here’s the citation for her lifelong dedication to sports in Hong Kong: Ms LAU is awarded SBS in recognition of her meritorious public and community service over the years, in particular her significant contribution to the promotion and development of sports in Hong Kong. Under her leadership, the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress has successfully developed tenpin bowling into one of the elite sports, with athletes winning numerous medals at various international competitions. Since 1996, Ms LAU has been elected as the Vice President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China. She led delegations of Hong Kong athletes to participate in various international multi-sports events with remarkable achievements.
On September 26, President Mark led a team consisting of Past President Grace, President Elect Sam, Past President WT and past Interactor Michael Yan of King’s College to deliver hot meals to 200+ elderly living in Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok areas. Additional supplies, donated by other anonymous donors, were distributed. President Elect Sam, Past President WT and Michael also managed to visit some grassroots families in housing estates nearby, as well as sanitation workers at a refuse collection point.
Our Club returned to physical lunch meeting at Regal Hong Kong Hotel after two months of virtual meetings on Zoom. To ensure proper social distancing, Regal has given us a large room, with 4-person tables separated by ample spaces. In a first for our Club, we tried a physical+online meeting, whereby the physical meeting was broadcasted live via Zoom to those unable to travel to Causeway Bay or currently out of town. The meeting began with President Mark giving some updates about our Club and our District. Rotarian Eliza, checking in via Zoom from New Zealand, gave updates on District beach cleaning and details about green club qualifications. Thereafter, the floor was yielded to President Elect Sam, who began to conduct his first Club Assembly. Directors took turns to give updates about aspects of our Club. Past President Angela unveiled a casual Zoom gathering, whereby members discuss anything and everything. The only rule: no Rotary business is to be discussed. Past President Angela also said that as soon as gathering restrictions become more relaxed, fun yet safe fellowship will be planned accordingly. President Mark reported, on behalf of International Service Director Past President Dora, updates about Nicole Au, our Rotary…
District Public Image Seminar was held virtually, on Zoom, on September 19. Members not only attended but helped to organize the event. Past District Governor Belinda, as District’s Public Image Committee Chair, gave the opening remarks and introduction. Past President Grace, as the event’s organizing committee chair, led a session on the Rotary brand. Past President Dora was the event’s MC. Past President Angela worked both behind the scenes managing the logistics and in front of the camera unveiling this year’s edition of People of Action Photo Competition. Members joining the seminar included: President Mark, Past President Lily, Rotarian Jason and Rotarian Eliza. Past President Grace remarked that the event’s organizing committee was a 3-generation affair, as Past President Helen Or of Rotary Club of Neoteric HK, our grandbaby club, and Assistant Governor Anna Or of Rotary E Club of Lantau, our baby club, were also members of the event’s organizing committee. Rotarian Eliza bookended the 3.5-hour seminar by winning the top prize (a wine + HK$1000) in a lucky draw, and promptly announced to donate the cash prize to our Food Aid project. Thank you, District PI Committee. Thank you, Rotarian Eliza!