Phoenix - President’s message 18 July 2021
The new Rotary year has started well, or as well as can be with COVID-19 cases still surging. We were honoured to have our incoming Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta, from India, as our guest speaker at our Change-over on 20 June. It was his first Change-over in Australia, and one of his 11 meetings on-line around the world that day.
We’ve had discussions regarding fundraising and using the four-fifth Sundays a year to have casual informal meetings. The advantage of an E-Club is the is that meetings are well organised and succinct. However, members felt that some more casual informal meetings may assist in getting to know each other more, especially those members who are scattered in various locations. Meeting on-line is ideal as members can be anywhere in the world where they have a connection, to join in.
Our guest speaker on 18 July was the President of the Rotary Club of Lautoka in Fiji. She spoke about the aid distribution to cope with an outbreak of COVID-19. The cartons of goods were all clearly marked with the Rotary logo, and she almost doubled her membership as a result of her Club’s distribution of goods and assistance to their community.
We have also had the pleasure of inducting a new member, Doug Vincent. He has already lived up to our Rotary International President’s motto by “Serving to change lives”. Doug took his family through Africa, where his children attended a school in Kenya. The experience changed their lives. We look forward to hearing more about his work with the school in Kenya and to enjoying his fellowship in Rotary. We now have 15 Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) projects, including one recently registered for our hard-working Secretary and Assistant Governor, Oscar Akparanta.
I thank Dudley Mercer, our past President, and past Secretary David Dean, and the other Board Directors and members for leading the Club in 2020-21. Many Board members are continuing their service this year carrying forward the Club’s knowledge and expertise. David Dean is the Board Foundation Director as well as the District Foundation Chair and has given many presentations regarding District and Global Grants. Our Club is very diverse and inclusive, with members residing in various parts of Australia and in Africa.
There so many amazing programs, projects and services that Rotary members are involved in, and having several relatively new members, my theme this year is: “Know your Rotary” in order that they learn about the vast range of activities Rotary does, so we can “serve to change lives”.
Val Bland PHF
President 2021-22
Rotary E-Club of Greater Sydney, District 9685
Project Manager RAWCS Project 78-2018-19
(Formerly 118-2010-11)
United Mission Hospital, Tansen, Nepal
Rotary motto: Service above self
