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 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…
On May 8, at Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, our District conducted Training Assembly for incoming Presidents Elect, officers and directors. Various members attended, including: Charter President Patrick, Past District Governor Belinda, Past President Angela, President Elect Sam, Rotarian Eliza (President Nominee) and Rotarian Jason. The Keynote Speech by Mr. Kenneth Fok, JP, informed us on Youth Development and Sports in Hong Kong. Later, Past District Governor Belinda chaired a breakout session on The Rotary Foundation, while Past President Angela and Rotarian Eliza presented in the Public Image and Service Projects (Health, Preserve Planet Earth and Peace) breakout sessions, respectively. Rotarian Eliza also acted as the reporter for her breakout session in the Plenary Session. One new item for this upcoming Rotary Year is to appoint a Youth Protection Officer at each Club, as required by new Rotary International policies.
On April 22, 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. Past President Dora, first to report, gave details regarding our virtual meeting with our sisters at Rotary Club of Taoyuan Southeast: it would be a Zoom affair, with the two Clubs’ respective Presidents Elect introducing their incoming Board members and their current Presidents giving a quick update of services in the current Rotary year. Past President Dora said that a Zoom link shall be provided to all in due course. Rotarian Eliza and Past President Angela detailed arrangements of our tree planting outing on May 1, with District Preserve Planet Earth (“PPE”) Committee. Rotarian Eliza also promoted beach cleaning, to be held on May 9. Finally, President Elect Sam highlighted the arrangements of the upcoming District Training Assembly, to be held on May 8. It would be a hybrid occasion with both physical and online options for those interested. Rotarian Eliza was our meeting’s speaker, who shared with us the current government consultation on the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Plastic Beverage Containers. The consultation, launched on February 22 and will…
On April 8, our Club returned to physical lunch meeting at Regal Hong Kong Hotel after one month 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. Various members gave detailed reports of Club and District events. Rotarian Eliza reported on our service outing at Holy Cafe the week before, and was happy to see a playful and most affable side of Rotarian Kelvin. Rotarian Eliza also urged members to sign up for tree planting on May 1 and beach cleanup on May 9, whereupon Past President Angela chimed in and suggested to make tree planting a fellowship affair with members and spouses. For those wishing to sign up, please contact Rotarian Eliza or Past President Angela. President Elect Sam also reported on the current arrangements of Scouts Trail Walk x Walkathon. President Mark urged members who haven’t signed up for Intercity Meeting or District Conference to do so as soon as possible to take advantage of these two rare occasions of district-wide fellowship. Past President Lily, our meeting’s speaker, shared with us her new career at Suicide Prevention Services, an NGO in Hong Kong…
On March 20, Presidents Elect Training Seminar Part 1 (“PETS 1”) was held. The seminar was held on Zoom. Live feed was broadcasted from Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, generously arranged with help from Charter President Patrick. President Elect Sam attended as participant, while Past Presidents Grace and Angela chaired two sessions as moderators. Past President Lily worked behind the scenes.
On March 11, our Club met via Zoom due to a spike in the number of Covid cases in Hong Kong. Before the meeting began, a few of us enjoyed a bit of virtual fellowship, sharing stories about passing time at night during this ongoing pandemic. After our customary Rotary song and imagined ringing of the Rotary bell, our meeting began. President Mark quickly went through Club and District activities. Thereafter, control was passed to President Elect Sam, who called the start of Club Assembly. Treasurer Barry gave a detailed overview of our Club finances, and answered questions from members regarding certain expense items. President Elect Sam gave us updates of his plan for Walkathon with Scouts and Club Anniversary gathering, which could be physical or via Zoom. President Elect Sam also announced the date of our next Club Assembly, June 24. After President Elect Sam closed our Club Assembly, Rotarian Kelvin briefed us, with the balance of our meeting time, on the current vaccination program. Rotarian Kelvin explained, in layman terms, the science behind the two vaccines now available in Hong Kong, and the other vaccines currently deployed in other parts of the world. He also shared with us…
On February 25, our Club met at Regal Hong Kong Hotel for the first time in nearly 3 months after the government relaxed gathering restrictions. To ensure proper social distancing, Regal gave us a large room, with 4-person tables separated by ample spaces. The meeting began with our customary Rotary song and usual Club and District reports. Rotarian Eliza gave a quick summary of the Amity Living Water Townhall on February 22, during which President Mark, Past President Lily, President Elect Sam, and Rotarians Jason and Eliza joined. Two Rotaractors also joined remotely. President Elect Sam summarized earlier meetings with Scouts and gave updates of our upcoming collaboration with the youth group. President Elect Sam also requested us to save the date: March 25, a regular meeting date which also happens to be our Club’s anniversary date. The plan, if pandemic regulations do not tighten further, is to have a relaxed anniversary lunch gathering. President Elect Sam shall give more details closer to the date. Past President Grace described the background behind Tithe Ethical Consumption, and how our Club was nominated for and ultimately received “2020 Social Enterprise Supporter+” Award (online presser, in Chinese only), in large part due to…
On February 22, our service partner Amity Foundation hosted a townhall featuring representatives from two NGOs in Nepal and Myanmar, school students in Hong Kong, and donors. Our Club also joined to learn about water resource scarcity in poor rural areas in Nepal and Myanmar. President Mark, President Elect Sam, Rotarians Jason and Eliza joined as a group. Past President Lily joined remotely. Rotaractors Gabin Kee and Anuj Bhatia also joined remotely as guests. The townhall featured sharing by villagers who benefited from water infrastructure and systems funded partially by our Club’s fundraising efforts last year during Walk for Living Water 2020. In many parts of the world, villagers still have to walk for hours to reach water resources and bring back water for their daily use. A lot of these resources, heavily polluted and infested with bacteria, are marginally suitable for bathing, let alone drinking and cooking. Our Club will continue to work with Amity to raise awareness of global potable water shortage, inform our youth about the importance of water preservation, and support projects that bring clean water to communities around the world.
On February 11, our Club continued our regular meeting on Zoom due to the ongoing pandemic and government gathering restrictions. President Bennett Chen from Rotary E-Club of Lantau and President Candy Cheung from Rotary Club of Neoteric Hong Kong joined as speakers. President Bennett was accompanied by his members: Assistant Governor Anna Or, Past Presidents Patric Lee and Andrew Wong, and Rotarian Kermit Lee. President Candy was accompanied by her members: Past Presidents Helen Or and Alice Tsang, Immediate Past President Edmond Wong, and President Elect Sean Kwan. As evidenced by their large entourages, our Club is grateful that the two Presidents are well supported by their respective Clubs. The meeting began with our customary Rotary song and usual Club and District reports. President Elect Sam also summarized an earlier meeting with Scouts. Thereafter, the (virtual) floor was yielded to Presidents Bennett and Candy, who gave summaries of their current and upcoming projects. Highlights by President Bennett included his Club’s build-up of an enviable, District-leading nine-Club Interact network, their multi-year scholarship program for youth, and their current fundraising activity, titled “500 for 500”. The idea is to challenge participants to do 500 iterations of something, be it pushups, sit-ups, kilometers(!)…