Dear Rotarians
Happy Year of the Rabbit! Wishing everyone an imaginative year!
December and January see many of our initiatives come to fruition! We have been planning Rotary Ultramarathon Virtual Run and Rotary DEI Service Day with Charity Walkathon for over a year, and this event has been successfully held on the last day of 2022. We wrapped up 2022 with this meaningful day having over 800 participants. We started off 2023 with PDG Kenneth Wong presenting live over zoom at International Assembly held on January 8, 2023 on Virtual Vocational Exchange VVE. As our District’s initiative, we are honoured to be invited to speak on VVE at this event. The District Mahjong Competition is completed on January 14 with PP Wendy Lee of Rotary Club of Shatin being our Mahjong Queen this year. A team of more than 20 District Officers gathered at the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Spring Reception 2023 in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on January 17.
There have also been many meaningful service projects carried out by Clubs which I have the privileges to attend and participate: Free eye check-up and free spectacles for the under-privileged kids by Rotary Club of Peninsula to encourage children to check their eyesight to avoid the development of lazy eyes; Area 4 Joint Club project organizing a boat trip for the families from Shamshuipo to allow the families enjoying a day of sunshine on the boat with buffet lunch and games; Career Expo organized by Rotary Club of Kingspark HK for secondary school students to provide early understanding of ten selected professions; The 19th 兩文三語Competition organized by Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island West and supported by 5 clubs in Area 5 has been completed with an award presentation ceremony; Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island East has completed the photo competition by smart phones with over 100 submissions from students and amateur photographers; A group of Past Presidents with PDG Eric Chak sponsored an inspirational movie “Slam Dunk” for underprivileges families in Shamshuipo with a professional basketball player joining to meet and encourage the young participants; and a service project carried out on the very last day of the year of Tiger by Rotary Club of Peninsula East to visit elderly people who lived in a remote housing estate.
A most exciting announcement is that our petition for rezoning has been approved by the RI board. Effective July 1, 2023, we will be part of Zone 10C to join Singapore and Malaysia as part of Zone 10. We value our time in Zone 9, having developed great friendships with our counterparts in Taiwan. “Make New Friends and Keep the Old; One is Silver, the Other is Gold.”
Lastly, with the relaxation on many of the social restrictions, we are happy to see that there are many CNY celebrations of family gatherings and Rotary fellowships carried out this month. I wish everyone a prosperous year and many happy moments!
Norman Lee
2022 -23 District Governor
Rotary International District 3450