Happy New Year From District Rotary Foundation Committee, by PDG Jones Wong

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

We can all agree that 2020 has been an exceptional year that saw the Rotary Movement shows its strength, resilience and ingenuity in turning challenges into opportunities.

Throughout all the unexpected shifts and changes that had an impact on Rotary this year, we lived by our motto “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” and demonstrated incredible innovation in Rotary and supporting communities around the world.

We saw hundreds of Rotarians and Rotarian Volunteers worldwide swiftly mobilising – going above and beyond to serve our communities at a time when they needed us the most. Rotarians led so many inspiring COVID-19 initiatives – coordinating health and safety campaigns, donating face masks, delivering necessities to those in need, and installing hand washing stations across districts. Rotarians were active in helping our communities get back on track as part of local pandemic response and recovery efforts. These outstanding efforts inspired us to develop a Day by Day and long-term Emergency Response Plan to COVID-19, which through The Rotary Foundation supported Rotarians in continuing these remarkable actions on the ground. 

This year also saw The Rotary Foundation quickly adapt and innovate their programmes to continue to offer helping hands to people in need at home and online during the pandemic. While many in-person Rotary activities were halted this year, Rotary didn’t stop. We organised our District Rotary Foundation Seminar and Grant Management Seminar on 7 November at Regal Kowloon Hotel with limited numbers of Rotarians attending in person and zoom online with Shenzhen, Macao, and Mongolia, we had a total of 175 participants altogether. We also launched an important and meaningful event – END POLIO NOW, a Free-Style Walk on 24 October with a good number of supporters including Rotarians and their families, friends, and Rotaractors.

Another big milestone in 2020, was the achievement of 100% Paul Harris Club. We made a record of 11 clubs achieving such an honour including RC Kowloon Central, RC Mandarin H.K., RC Queensway, E-Club Tamar, RC Golden Bauhinia H.K., RC Penha, Macao, RC Causeway Bay, RC Happy Valley, E-Club Lantau, RC Amizade, Macau, and RC Island Green.

There are 2 mores small new records this year. So far we have 353 new PHFs, including 37 current Presidents and 10 new Benefactors, including PP Elsie Gung RC of Central; P Thomas Chan E-Club of Tamar; P James Fan RC of Golden Bauhinia HK; PP Patrick Kang RC of Guia; P Andy Lam RC of HK Financial Centre; CP Kenneth Li RC of Island Green; P Helen Chan RC of Kowloon Central; P Kelvin Huang RC of Mandarin HK; P Ares Leung RC of Peninsula South; P Kobe Wong RC of Queensway, at the end of December.

I want to say thank you to all the Rotarians for their generous supports. To all the new Rotarians:  welcome! To all the old Rotarians: thank you for your continuous and faithful supports.

“No one can tell us what Rotary will be tomorrow, but one thing is certain: What Rotary will be tomorrow depends upon what Rotarians do today” – Arch C. Klumph.

At the end of December, our Annual Fund is US$430,881.65, Other Fund is US$187,030.50, Endowment Fund is US$14,000.00 and totally US$631,912.15.