On January 14, our Club conducted our regular meeting on Zoom due to the ongoing pandemic and government gathering restrictions. Crystal Lee, Tutor and Rotaract Advisor at Rotaract Club of HKU Lap Chee College International joined us as guest. President Mark began the meeting by wishing everyone a safe and healthy new year. Thereafter, he reported the status of this year’s District Conference (May 22-23 at Regal Airport Hotel; current under planning), and Rotary Ultramarathon (March 21; in virtual form). Registration is open for both events. Please contact Past President Lily for details regarding Conference, and Past President Webster regarding joining the virtual ultramarathon, at which our Club plans to sponsor one team. Rotarian Jason gave reports of deliveries of 100 care packages to ethnic minority families and the upcoming project with Lap Chee Rotaractors. Past President Dora also gave updates of Nicole Au Yung, our Rotary Scholar, who is studying for her PhD at the University of Oxford and was recently mentioned in a widely-cited article in the Washington Post. Our feature speaker required very little introduction. May Chang, a former Harbour Rotarian, joined our meeting to talk about self media (自媒體) and a project that she is involved…
On August 22, District successfully held a Membership Forum online. Several members attended, including Charter President Patrick, President Elect Sam and Rotarian Eliza. President Mark and Past President Lily dialed in from Holy Cafe. One of the most exciting breakout sessions was about Virtual Rotary Exchange Program. Past District Governor YK Cheng and Past President Silva Yeung of Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile detailed how Virtual Rotary Exchange came about during our Rotary Connects the World Forum, hosted by our District, back in June. In that Forum, an idea to innovate existing Rotary programs was germinated, including the prospect of a virtual exchange program. With a virtual exchange, young participants no longer have to take time off, often at the beginning of their careers, to participate. They can log on after work, at their leisure time, in their own home, and connect with other exchange participants thousands of miles away. The opportunities to make new connections, to facilitate cultural exchange and to encourage international understanding, are endless.
On July 12, 14 members attended District Installation, held at HKCEC. To comply with gathering restrictions, members were separated into four tables, with Charter President Patrick sitting at the head table with guest of honor, Jasper Tsang, invited by Rotarian Fei and Charter President Patrick; Past District Governor Belinda sitting at the Past District Governors’ table; and the rest of the members split into two separate tables. Past Presidents Angela and Grace had OC duties throughout the day. During the Club Presidents Installation ceremony, Past President Lily stood in to pass the presidential sash one more time to President Mark. In one significant moment of the evening, Charter President Patrick received on behalf of Rotarianne Wendy the rare and prestigious Rotary International award: “Rotary International 2019-20 Excellence in Service to Humanity Award”.
On June 28, President Mark, Charter President Patrick, Past District Governor Belinda, Past Presidents Grace and Angela attended District Conference, our District’s 60th.
On June 13, our District conducted Training Assembly for incoming Club officers and directors. Various members attended, including Past District Governor Belinda, who chaired a breakout session; and Past President Angela, who was at the main stage most of the time coordinating the proceedings. Past Presidents Angela and Grace were awarded District Training Leader certificates during a plenary session.
Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. While polio cases have dropped in recent years, there has been a recent resurgence of the disease in areas thought to have been polio free. Although there is no cure, vaccination is safe and effective in immunizing children and reducing the risks of further outbreaks. For over thirty years, Rotary has contributed more than $1.8 billion to fight the disease. On October 19, over 500 Rotarians in Hong Kong and Macau gathered together to raise awareness of the disease and to raise more funds to help to vaccinate children in impoverished communities around the world.
On September 21, President Mark Tong, Past President WT Wong and Rotaractors Anuj Bhatia and Cindy Effendy attended the District Peace Night Dinner at Regal Kowloon Hotel. Rtrs Anuj and Cindy are respectively from India and Indonesia. Our Club arguably sent the most internationally diverse group of attendees to Peace Night (if one also counted el niñito, the Mexican cowboy…)
On September 21, Club members attended District Public Image Seminar at Regal Hongkong Hotel. Perhaps “attending PI Seminar” was not the most appropriate description: our Club members, including Past District Governor Belinda Yeung, Past Presidents Grace Yen, Angela Hui and Dora Liu, and Immediate Past President Lily Chan all have important roles and duties in the District Public Image Committee, led by Chair Past District Governor Belinda, and were instrumental in the planning and execution of this Seminar. On this same day, the Committee unveiled the Rotary People of Action Photo Competition, which is surely one of the most high-anticipated events in this Rotary year.
On July 13, 10 Harbour Rotarians attended District Installation at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It was a long evening with a ton of speeches, but also a ton of fun.
President Mark Tong, together with Past Presidents Dora Liu, Webster Ng and Patric Lee of Rotary E Club of Lantau, and Joey, visited our Sister Club in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend of July 12-14. President Mark could not stay for one more than one night as he had to return to Hong Kong on July 13 to attend District Installation, but the rest stayed behind to attend our Sister Club’s 53rd Installation. Naturally, they were feasted with fabulous food and warm hospitality from our dearest Rotarians from Pudu. President Mark did manage to join Pudu’s fellowship evening, during which the Sister Club Agreement between the two Clubs was renewed. Harbour Rotarians also managed to watch a presentation by Past District Governor Paul Lee, who is readying a Global Grant application to build water access for indigenous people in the rural forests of Malaysia.