Suicide Prevention Services (SPS) applied for funds under the HK Jockey Club Charities Trust’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Initiated by SPS, this project (抗疫見喜樂) was hosted in conjunction with Holy Cafe’s hot meal box service and supported by volunteers, family/friends of Rotary Club of Hong Kong Harbour. Putting together 360 care packages (福袋) was the first step on Day 1 (June 1). The volunteers accomplished the task in just about one-hour at LINKS Cafe, SPS’s outlet in Kwai Hing. On Day 2 (June 2) 11am, volunteers moved all the bags by 5-ton truck to Holy Cafe. By 3pm, we started to distribute meal boxes and the gift bags, finishing at about 6pm. Some volunteers were inside the shop putting together the meal boxes and distributing them and the gift bags. Some were outside doing a mental wellness survey of the elderly and maintaining order. Volunteers from our club included: President Sam (+ sister Yvette, sister-in-law Emily, nephew Derek, niece Nicole), Past President Lily (+ sister Alice, nephew Sherlock, friends Bary & Antony), Past President Webster (+ son Shum Yeh), Past President Eddie & Rita (+ Rita’s sister Connie & Shun), Immediate Past President Mark, Past President Grace, President Elect Eliza and…
Past Presidents Webster and Lily, and President Elect Eliza joined the opening ceremony of Holy Cafe’s new shop on behalf of our Club. Past President Webster’s son, Shum Yeh, also joined. Special guest of the ceremony was Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR Paul Chan.
This was the first of two such service days in Phase 1 of the street cleaner project with Caritas. We gave out 120 care packages to street cleaners in Ngau Tau Kok. Inside the bags were disinfectant liquid, KF94 masks, pain relief ointment, rapid antigen tests, facial tissue, water resistant plasters and a bag of rice. The next service day is on May 27 in Tsuen Wan. Phase 2 of the project will be health days for street cleaners in Ngau Tau Kok and Tsuen Wan, providing them with a basic health assessment and follow up by Caritas social workers. It is anticipated that Phase 2 takes place in July 2022.
On March 26, our Club met on Zoom to celebrate our Club’s 35th Anniversary. District Governor Keith Chow, Immediate Past District Governor Eric Chak, District Governor Elect Norman Lee, District Governor Nominee Andy Li, District Governor Nominee Designate Nigel Lo, Chief District Secretary Ron Chan from the District joined our Zoom celebration. Past Club members including Douglas Hsia, Yoshie Takenaka, Kennedy Tang, Veronica DeKrey, Eddie Wong, CK Chan, Charles Lam, Patric Lee and Theresa Chan also joined. Organizing Committee Chair and President Elect Eliza, President Sam, District Governor Keith, Charter President Patrick and Past District Governor Belinda gave us opening remarks to kick off this special celebration. We also played snippets of video congratulations messages from Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta, Past Rotary International President Gary Huang, future District leaders, as well as Presidents of our sister Clubs. President Elect Eliza announced winners of the 35th anniversary photo competition. Past Presidents Ricky and Webster led us through a wonderful edition of Hong Kong Harbour ABC quiz. We particularly thank Organizing Committee Chair President Elect Eliza and the rest of the Organizing Committee for planning the original physical celebration and then this Zoom celebration.
On March 25, President Sam, Charter President Patrick, Past President Webster and President Elect Eliza met with College Master Thomas, Associate Master Victor and Student Affairs Officer Denny. Our Club gave background information on chartering Rotaract Clubs and alerted Hang Seng about the new rules of “Elevate Rotaract” due to take effect on July 1, 2022. We also introduced the concept of Rotary Community Corps.
On March 16, President Sam, Past Presidents Grace and Webster, Immediate Past President Mark, and President Elect Eliza met with the incoming cabinet of Rotaract Club of HKU Lap Chee College International. Our Honorary Member MF also joined. President Sam gave an overview of Rotary and Rotaract. President Elect Eliza gave updates of upcoming Rotary and Rotaract activities. Past Presidents Grace and Webster shared valuable past experiences with Rotaractors.
On January 19, representatives from our Club and Scouts Association Hong Kong Island Region met on Zoom to kickoff planning for Island Scout Trail Walk 2022. The race is tentatively scheduled for April/May 2022, subject to pandemic conditions and government regulations.
On December 12, President Sam, Past President Grace (and mom and sister), Past President Webster (and his two sons), Immediate Past President Mark and President Elect Eliza went to support Interact Club of King’s College in their participation in CDMF’s Carol Singing Festival at the newly renovated Central Market.
President Sam, Charter President Patrick, Past President Webster (Youth), Past President Kay, Past Pressident WT and President Elect Eliza attended the Installation Ceremony this year. President Rain Lau, School Principal Mr. Tang, Ms. Kwok, Ms. Leung, and the Club Committees welcomed our Rotarians. Principal Mr. Tang expressed his optimism that Interactors will be able to serve the community in the “new normal” and emphasized that Rotary/Interact is a valuable institution for young students. President Sam spoke about the Rotary International Theme, “Serve to Change Lives.” Charter President Patrick encouraged Interactors to adopt Rotarian values and principles in all things they do, in school and outside school. Past President Webster talked about the concept, “一齊服務 ,一齊健康”, loosely translated to be “serve together, and be healthy together”. Next, President Rain reported on activities completed in 2020-21 and his plan for the “new normal” in 2021-22. Finally, our Rotarians presented Interact pins to all the officers and committees of the Interact Club of King’s College.
On November 13, President Sam attended the opening ceremony of CPR/AED project. Our Club joined the project as Bronze Sponsoring Club. Altogether, twelve Rotary Clubs joined this projected hosted by Rotary Club of Hong Kong Northeast, in partnership with St. John Ambulance. TVB artist 曹永廉 and Miss Hong Kong 2014 邵珮詩 were special guests. Do you know every year around 8,000 cases of cardiac arrest require emergency ambulance service in Hong Kong? That is over 20 cases per day. CPR/AED is critical to survival in the minutes before the ambulance arrives. Past President Webster is working with our Interact Clubs to set up a training day for our Interactors in 2022. Before that, on November 28, there is a training day for District Officers, Rotarians and Rotaractors. Our Past President Lily and Rotarian Jason are registered to attend the certification course.