Club members and spouses delivered 2200 masks and sanitizing supplies to Yuk Chi Resource Centre and Home Care for Girls, two of our service partners. The supplies were then distributed via our service partners to their service targets, benefiting over 200 families. The masks were generously donated by donors to our District’s “Giving Masks, Rotary’s Task” program and then subsequently allotted to our two service partners. 300 bottles of alcohol sanitizers were also bought by our Club and donated to our two service partners.
On February 13, our Club met for the first time after Chinese new year break. President Mark began the meeting by offering a very special welcome to all members and Maurice. President Mark then detailed the new arrangements of various Club and District events that are postponed or cancelled as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. Members then shared their stories of how they struggled but eventually managed to secure their own health supplies. Some members also shared their stories of how they managed to source thousands of masks from all over the world and personally donate to charities. Maurice made an impassioned and heartfelt plea to help refugees in Hong Kong who were just as neglected and in need of help as any group in Hong Kong. Past President Angela and Rotarian Jason shared stories about how Rotaractors came together as private citizens to help out those in need. Immediate Past President Lily also shared how she managed to buy boxes of masks while visiting Turkey during her annual vacation, and promptly donated a few boxes, in our Club’s name no less, to our District’s “Giving Masks, Rotary’s Tasks” campaign. It was also during the meeting that the idea…
Over the Chinese new year, Past President Gary Lim of Rotary Club of Pudu and his family visited Hong Kong from Malaysia. Our Club members showed them our usual hospitality. Thanks to liaison by Past President Dora, our Director of International Service, we went for a long hotpot dinner one evening, and a dim sum lunch in another afternoon.
On December 19, our Club hosted a trifecta of meetings: Board Meeting, Club Assembly, and Annual General Meeting. At Club Assembly, President Mark shared with attendees the progress of various projects, including our Global Grant projects with Rotary Clubs of Pudu and Taoyuan Southeast. President Mark also detailed our Club’s plans to go ahead with putting together a project with Hummingfish Foundation. At Annual General Meeting, members approved, among other things, the financial accounts of RY2018-2019, expertly prepared by last year’s Treasurer Barry. After President Mark declared the closure of Annual General Meeting, our Christmas-themed party began. The dinner menu was specially designed by Regal’s catering for the occasion, with a colorful and delicious dessert spread to complement the festivity of the evening. President Mark and Rotarian Sam brought wines and whiskeys, respectively. Before tasting, our resident sommelier Past President Kay shared a bit of information and history about the wines on offer: one Chateau Montelena and one Negru de Purcari, a prized Moldovan wine brought home by President Mark when he visited Château Purcari near the Ukrainian border in Moldova half a decade ago. Members lucky enough to be sitting at Rotarian Sam’s table also got his expert take…
On December 14, President Mark and Catherine, Past President Samuel and Amy, Immediate Past President Lily, Rotarian Jason and Sara attended Home Care for Girls’ annual Christmas Party x Homecoming (關愛日). Our Club is the sponsor of the event, which was well attended by donors, families and friends of the Centre. Many girls who stayed at Home Care in the past returned, some of them even bringing their families and children! The girls gifted attendees with two performances – a hip-hop dance, and a chorus accompanied by a guitar.
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 September 19, President Mark Tong, Past Presidents WT Wong, Grace Yen and Dora Liu, and Immediate Past President Lily Chan met with District Governor Wilson Cheng and his District team at RIC in Causeway Bay. Assistant Governor David Thomas, his deputy Sunny Chen and District Secretary Peggy Sin were also in attendance. At the meeting, our Club’s Directors outlined our goals and plans for this Rotary year, and shared with our District Governor our various projects under planning, including projects with Yuk Chi, with our sister clubs, in East Timor etc. District Governor Wilson and Assistant Governor Thomas also gave us some excellent feedback and advice, for which we are grateful.
On September 14, Club members went to watch “童sing童戲 MUSIC Stand by Me”, a musical staged and performed by Music Children Foundation, our Club’s new service partner. Music Children Foundation is a non-profit organization aimed at providing free music education to underprivileged children in Hong Kong. Club members attended two shows: President Mark Tong, Immediate Past President Lily Chan, Rotarian SS Kong and Rtnne. Liliana attended the matinee show, while Past Presidents Grace Yen and Angela Hui, with Jerry and Maurice, attended the Gala Concert in the evening.
The Club meeting on September 12 had a full agenda: we have invited Ms. Vicky Woo to tell us more about Social Enterprise Doctor, a Rotary sponsored activity that was started by some Clubs in our District in the previous Rotary year. Meanwhile, Area 3’s governing team sent their special envoy, Deputy Assistant Governor (and our Club’s IPP) Lily Chan to give an update of our District. Finally, Outgoing President Sally Oh from our Rotaract Club of HKU Lap Chee College International came to give her annual report. First to the rostrum was DAG Lily, who put down her IPP hat, put on her District hat, and gave us updates of our District, including the creation of Areas 11 and 12 to facilitate better and more attentive District governance. One side effect from the creation of new Areas that affects us greatly is that both our baby Club, Rotary E Club of Lantau, and our grandbaby Club, Rotary Club of Neoteric Hong Kong, are moved from our Area to one of the newly created Areas. We are sad to see them go, but we are sure that our connection and fellowship shall continue unabated. Next up was Rotaractor Sally, who…
Our Club’s RY2019-20 Installation was held on July 25 at Regal Hongkong Hotel. The presidential sash and gavel were passed on from Imediate Past President Lily Chan to President Mark Tong, while new pins were received by our incoming directors. The Club Installation was well-attended: 60+ Rotarians, family members and friends were present to witness this most important Club event. Many District leaders also attended, including: District Governor Wilson Cheng, Immediate Past District Governor YC Ho, District Governor Elect Eric Chak, and Assistant Governor David Thomas.