President Elect Jason hit the bell with the gavel first time on behalf of President Eliza as she was on sick leave. This was also the first Club Assembly hosted by President Elect Jason too. During the meeting, Past President Samuel updated the on-going and planned community service projects. Immediate Past President Sam suggested to form a committee to discuss and handle the Club Constitution and By-laws. He also invited members who liked to join by registering with him. Past President Kay kindly volunteered to join the committee too. Past President Mark, as Preserve Planet Earth Chair, promoted the Rotary Carbon Reduction and Ecology Summit and the Rotary Carbon Reduction and Ecological Conservation Video Competition. He also encouraged members to suggest whatever initiatives our club could consider adopting for our on-going club operation. The Club Jacket proposal brought up by some board members was discussed with members showing diverse opinions from club images, sense of belongings, environmental consideration, and abundance of similar clothing. President Elect Jason was tasked to conduct a simple survey on this matter with all members. On the 2023-24 board composition, President Elect Jason would be happy to receive nomination (and self- nominations) for any board position.…
For the second year in a row, Rotary International Convention has turned virtual. Unlike last year, this year’s arrangements are more formal, with the usual flag ceremony, house of friendship, breakout sessions etc., in addition to the usual plenary sessions. Various members attended. President Mark attended a number of interesting sessions, including flag ceremony (where he greeted fellow Rotarians from all around the world), and a cooking class with Rotary International President Holger Knaack. Rotary International President Holger and Susanne cooked white asparagus with potatoes, served with homemade mayonnaise. While doing so, Rotary International President Holger said that he was the first Rotary International President to never have used his Rotary International office in Evanston, but most certainly the first Rotary International President to cook for Rotarians from his own kitchen.
On June 10, 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. Mr. Kenneth She joined as a guest of Past President WT. President Mark began by recounting memorable episodes from Interota 2020, which closed the day before. President Mark also asked those members who have signed up for Rotary Virtual Convention to check their emails to gain access links. President Elect Sam gave more details about Club Assembly, Club Installation and District Installation. Charter President Patrick reported that he attended Rotary Club of Pudu’s Interact Leadership Training Seminar, held via Zoom. He had fond memories of his appointment as Youth Service Director of Rotary Club of Pudu, in the late 70s. He also reminded us that fellowship and international understanding are two important pillars of the Interact experience, and that our Club should open more opportunities for our youth to experience both. Finally, Past President Samuel counted members’ efforts during our service day at Holy Cafe in the previous weekend, the 14th official outing of this Rotary Year, and commented that Coco was mad that she couldn’t join us for the…
Our Club continued to meet on Zoom due to pandemic conditions and gathering restrictions in Hong Kong. Past President Douglas Hsia, our Club’s Y2K President (RY1999-2000), joined from California. Everyone was pleasantly surprised by his presence and most happy to welcome Douglas back! The meeting began with the usual report by Club President, but not before Past President WT led a virtual chorus to celebrate Past President Angela’s birthday, in a few days. Thereafter, Douglas was invited to update us about his life in sunny northern California. Now belonging to the Rotary Club of Walnut Grove, Douglas told us that, like us in Hong Kong, the current global pandemic also made physical meeting difficult in California. He also mentioned that he was his Club’s lone representative at the RI Convention in Atlanta – our Club also had one representative that year – but did not remember meeting any Rotarians from Hong Kong. Personally, he found living in Walnut Grove, a designated U.S. Historical District, fascinating. A Chinese-American history buff himself, Douglas explained that Walnut Grove was steeped in Chinese-American history and traditions. Douglas ended his sharing by hoping to visit us in the future, whether physically or via Zoom. Next…