On July 10, District Installation was held. The guest of honor and speaker was the Honorable Bernard Chan, GBM, GBS, JP. During the Club Presidents’ Installation Ceremony, outgoing President Mark passed the president’s sash to incoming President Sam. In attendance from our Club were Charter President Patrick, Past District Governor Belinda, Past Presidents WT and Grace, and President Elect Eliza. Later in the day, during Past District Governor Belinda’s presentation of Rotary Foundation Major Gifts and Pledges, President Sam announced the largest pledge of the day, the US$250,000 Rotary Club of Hong Kong Harbour 35th Anniversary Endowment Fund. The investment earnings from the Endowment Fund is to be designated perpetually and solely for scholarships in Rotary District 3450. More details will be shared with all Club members in the 1st Club Assembly on the evening of September 23.
District Conference was held in June, 19-20. A total of 10 from the Harbour family attended: President Mark, Charter President Patrick, Past District Governor Belinda, Past Presidents Grace, Angela, WT and Dora, President Elect Sam and Rotarian Eliza registered for two days of programs, while Wendy attended as special guest of the Organizing Committee during Foundation recognition ceremony and lunch. The OC team and venue operator took meticulous care to ensure everyone’s safety and good health. Past President Dora worked behind the scenes to ensure smooth operation as part of the OC team. Past President Angela presided over the People of Action Photo Competition prize presentation ceremony, during which Past District Governor Belinda, in her role as District Public Image Committee Chair, presented top awards. Past President WT was a panelist in a breakout session on peace. Charter President Patrick and Wendy, as well as Past District Governor Belinda, were recognized for their contribution to The Rotary Foundation during Foundation recognition ceremony. President Mark attended the business session to vote on behalf of our Club. Possibly most significantly, however, was that our own Past District Governor Belinda was awarded Rotary International Service Above Self Award, an RI award recognizing individual…
On June 13, 3:00 p.m., the HK Harbour OC team and the Hong Kong Island Region Scouts OC team joined together to have a happy walk around The Peak. The weather was suitably warm, breezy and there was no rain — perfect for the 3.5km walk on Lugard Road. From HK Harbour, President Mark was joined by President Elect Sam, Rotarian Eliza, Past President Grace, Rotarian Jason and his wife, Sara, and lovely Mango. Hong Kong Island Region Scouts was represented by Terrence Ho, Edward Wong, Tony Yeung and Arthur Chau, and family and friends. Our Scouts counterpart updated us on the current registration of the 2021 Island Scout Trail Walk. Also, an awards ceremony is planned for later in the summer on August 1. Mainly it was a good time for fellowship between our two teams. After the walk, the HK Harbour team had a happy hour at a cafe at the Peak Galleria. Much was discussed, but mostly about lovely Mango.
On June 5, President Mark, Charter President Patrick and Past District Governor Belinda attended Interota 2020 kick-off event at Hotel ICON. The kick-off event included a live-streaming of the virtual opening ceremony, which featured speeches by Rotary International President Holger Knaack, Rotary International Director Surgeon Liu, District Governor Eric Chak and Immediate Past District Governor Wilson Cheng, performances by various groups, and the singing by District Governor Eric, Immediate Past District Governor Wilson, and Rotaractors. Several Rotarians also attended the virtual opening ceremony via Zoom or Youtube, including Past Presidents Dora and Grace, and others. Immediate Past District Governor Wilson, chair of Interota 2020 Hong Kong steering committee, hosted a few tables at the event. We thank Immediate Past District Governor Wilson for his generosity in this evening and for his stewardship of Interota 2020 Hong Kong in the past few years. We also thank Past District Governor Belinda for her support behind the scenes, especially when Interota 2020 Hong Kong was planned as a physical convention. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, the organizing committee took time during the live virtual opening ceremony to thank our Charter President Patrick, whose most significant and unwavering support of Interota 2020 Hong Kong,…
On June 5, President Mark led a team consisting of Past President Grace, Past President Samuel and Amy, and President Elect Sam to deliver hot meals to 200+ elderly living in Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok areas. Amy, first to arrive, was the star of the day. She singlehandedly handled 100+ meal boxes. Past President Grace managed the front line, while Past President Samuel and President Mark managed the day’s traffic, which was mostly orderly.
On May 23, our Club sent one team of Interactors to 11th Hong Kong Bowling Tournament for all x 10th Hong Kong Blind Bowling Tournament. President Mark, Past President Grace, President Elect Sam, and Grace’s sister Joyce went to cheer our team of Interactors from King’s College. Also in attendance was Dr. Kelvin Siu, our speaker from last week, and his colleague Mr. Ricky Chan (not to be confused with our most cheerful Past President Ricky). Both are innovators who are passionate about supporting the disabled through technological innovation. We also managed to catch Honorary Member Vivien, who was the event’s Guest of Honor.
On May 22, President Mark led a team consisting of Past Presidents Grace and Samuel, Rotarian Eliza, and Coco to deliver hot meals to 200+ elderly living in Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok areas. Everyone lost weight while standing under the 36-degree afternoon sun to hand hot meals and other goodies to the elderly. The next outing, likely our final one this Rotary Year, is scheduled on June 5.
On May 13, our Club met at Regal Hong Kong Hotel. To ensure proper social distancing, Regal has given us a large room, with 4-person tables separated by ample spaces. Special welcome was given to all five of our Charter Members. Before the speaker program, members took turns to give reports of Club and District activities. Past President MK, as Sergeant-at-Arms, thanked President Mark and President Elect Sam for their contribution to the red box in the Poster Hunting Challenge, and thanked many others for their generous contributions to red box on the day of the meeting. Past President WT gave highlights of a tree planting outing to Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve. Past President Grace chimed in and said the work this year was especially challenging as some of us had to carry pots of plants up a steep slope and had to clear wild bushes before saplings can be planted. Charter President Patrick gave details of District Training Assembly, and highlighted key points by the event’s guest of honor, Mr. Kenneth Fok, JP. President Mark ended the reporting section by encouraging members to sign up for the upcoming service outing at Holy Cafe, when over 250 elderly were expected…
Five members (Past Presidents Angela, Grace, WT and Dora, and Rotarian Eliza) plus one spouse (Maurice) attended the District Preserve Planet Earth Committee’s Tree Planting at Fung Yuen, Tai Po on May 1. Motivated by Past President Angela’s call: “有錢出錢，有力出力”, our Club members donated 2,200 HKD in total with some of the donation going to clubs in Mongolia for planting trees there. The team carried the plants uphill before digging holes for planting the trees to attract butterflies to come to this “Site of Special Scientific Interest” conservation area, where over 200 species of butterflies (90% of the total 245 species in HK) live here. Among them, over 140 species are uncommon/rare/very rare in HK. The happy service+fellowship event was followed by a “heavy meal” filled with laughter in Tai Po.
On April 24, President Mark led a team consisting of Past President Grace and Rotarian Eliza to deliver hot meals to 200+ elderly living in Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok areas. The next outing is scheduled on May 22. Extra helpers are needed as it would be the date for elderly to register for the first time, or renew, their eligibility cards.