On March 27, President Mark led a group consisting of Past Presidents Grace and Dora, and Rotarians Kelvin and Eliza to distribute hot meals to the elderly in the Cheung Sha Wan/Lai Chi Kok area. Our next outing is tentatively scheduled on April 17.
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 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…
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!
Our Club continued to meet on Zoom due to pandemic conditions and gathering restrictions in Hong Kong. The meeting was graced by the official visits by Area 3’s Assistant Governor John Wong and Deputy Assistant Governor Gilbert Fung. During the meeting, Board members took turns to give updates of our Club affairs to Assistant Governor John and Deputy Assistant Governor Gilbert: President Mark gave updates about our Club’s giving to The Rotary Foundation, District Grant, our sponsored Rotary scholar, Youth Service etc. Past President Angela, as Membership Director, summarized our membership growth plans and fellowship plans with the pandemic in mind. Rotarian Jason, as Service Projects Director, gave details of our various projects, from our special pandemic grants to our local service partners to our biweekly volunteering activities. Rotarian Jason also gave updates about our Rotary Cares Food Aid 2020 Project. Past President Dora, as International Service Director, summarized our liaison with our sister clubs, our active global grants, and international service partners. Assistant Governor John not only gave timely advice about how to conduct meetings and fellowship during the pandemic but also offered help to be a bridge between District and our Club. The meeting, despite its virtual nature,…
On August 22, Rotarian Jason led a team consisting of President Mark, Past President Dora, Past President Lily, and Newton, Mark’s friend, to pack and deliver hot meals to the elderly. In addition, several of us walked the streets of Cheung Sha Wan and delivered additional meals to street cleaners, and to sanitation workers at a LCSD Refuse Collection Point nearby.
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 July 9, our Club met for lunch at Regal Hongkong Hotel, our first meeting of the new Rotary year. While the government has somewhat relaxed gathering rules, special precautions were still in place: all attendees were required to get their temperature checked and their hands alcohol-wiped before entering the venue; and attendees were divided into small tables. During the meeting, President Mark gave updates of various District-level and Club activities, as well as upcoming Installations of other Clubs. Past President Grace described in detail our hot meals distribution program at Holy Cafe on July 4. Past President Dora updated us regarding constant liaison with our sister clubs. Our Club’s Foundation AGM was also held. Past President Kay, as Chair, reported on the finances and activities of our Foundation. Several matters were discussed and motioned during the AGM, including the reappointment of Past President Kay, Past District Governor Belinda, Past President Grace and President Elect Sam as directors of the Foundation and election of Past President Kay as Chair. Finally, President Mark noted that, as we enter the new Rotary year, we should be careful while addressing Rotarians as many of them may have new Rotary titles. While President Mark…
On June 20, Past President Dora led a team of 10 consisting of Past Presidents WT, Grace, Samuel and Angela, Rotarian Jason and spouses to deliver hot meals to the elderly at Holy Cafe. On occasion, our Club also sponsored 220 Tuen Ng Festival care packages, each of which included the following: 2 Tuen Ng Festival glutinous rice dumplings, a foldable fan, a vacuum flask, a bag of dried jujube walnuts, vermicelli noodles, and tea. The special “festival” hot meal included fish, roast duck, vegetables and white rice, each of which was carefully assembled, packed and delivered by Rotarians and spouses, in a hot but fun-filled afternoon.