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By Secretary and President-Nominee Kitty Chan of Rotary Club of New Territories

The historical background of the establishment of Rotary Club of New Territories

Hong Kong had walked through many critical changes since the old days.  The New Territories has transformed into a modern satellite city from a simple village.  For the sake of satisfying the needs of the community, the District Governor of Rotary International District 3450 invited the Rotary Club of Kowloon (RCK) to set up an organizing committee for the “Establishment of Rotary Club of New Territories (RCNT)” 50 years ago.  The Past President (PP) of RCK Hui Lok Kwun(許樂郡) served as the Chair of the organizing committee.  PP Harilela (夏利厘拉) and PP Cole (柯樂) were appointed as members.  With great support from the then Commissioner of the Home Affairs Department, Sir Donald Collin Cumyn Luddington (陸鼎堂), as well as the Heung Yee Kuk of the New Territories, many professional elites, local leaders and outstanding persons in the industrial and commercial sectors from the New Territories joined as Charter members and formed RCNT.

“Service Above Self” followed by Rotary Club of New Territories since its establishment on November 15, 1969

RCNT was established by Charter President Chan Yat Sun (陳日新).  The inauguration ceremony was held on 15 November 1969.  Under the leadership of Charter members PP Benton Cheung Yan Lung (張人龍), PP Pang Hang Yin (彭鏗然), PP Lo Chi Chung (盧志忠), PP Ku Dou Sing (古道誠), PP Ho Sun Kuen (何新權), PP Vito Li Hok Chau (李學疇), PP Ho Sun Wing (何新榮), etc, all the upcoming PPs adhered to the mission of “Service Above All” to provide disaster relief, to help those in distress, and to build educational institutes for the society. The service boundary was said to be far-reaching.  With the outstanding leadership of PPs, unconditional contribution of all Rotarians and big support from different sectors of the society, RCNT grew up sturdily and actualized the Rotarian spirit of “Service Above Self”.  Apart from encouraging all members to observe the four-way test in a professional manner which is also the highest ethical standard, RCNT also provides five major charity services, namely club affairs, occupation, community, international and youth services.

Uninterrupted services during the epidemic for Rotary Club of New Territories to fight the epidemic together with the public

RCNT always took up the responsibility of serving the community throughout the past 50 years.  Although there were so many restrictions due to the pandemic in the past year, our service projects progressed and extended in terms of quality and quantity.  The service content also kept abreast of the development of the society.  RCNT organised and supported a variety of community services, including a series of events related to fighting against the epidemic and facilitating youth projects.  In the early stage during the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic, many frontline workers and disadvantaged groups lacked of the protective measures.  In this connection, RCNT actively arranged and involved in the distribution of the face masks to the public, and also supplied food and anti-virus resources to the community centers as a means to help those people at grassroots level.  Through the love and care in these donation activities, we hope to confront the epidemic hand in hand.  Meanwhile, RCNT also organised some mental health and environmental ecology related programmes in order to relieve the anti-pandemic fatigue in a relaxed manner yet with strong healing power.  As regard to the youth service projects, Rotarians in our club also actively participated in voluntary teaching and counseling of rehabilitated persons.  Through supporting life education, we hope to promote peace and friendship in the community.

A 50th anniversary Rotary Club of New Territories service fund established to support more service projects

The society advances rapidly.  The current appearance of Hong Kong is totally different from that of 50 years ago.  Nonetheless, the under-privileged groups who need our assistance are still present and they look for our prompt helping hands to solve their real-life difficulties.  The pressure and problems they are facing are exceptionally worse under the ongoing epidemic.

Our fundamental philosophy of servicing others has never been changed.  As RCNT celebrating its 50^th anniversary, we shall continue to uphold our primary mission of “Service Above All”.  To commemorate this special occasion, the President, PPs and Rotarians all agreed to set up a “RCNT Services Fund” to raise additional monetary resources as investment “seed money”.  The whole sum of annual investment return will then be used to support all kinds of planned social services projects, which offers more flexibility to the President of that year in executing these projects.  In this way, each project can be done better and will be delivered in a deeper and wider perspective, enabling higher efficiency in long run.

RCNT will establish a Funding Committee, its ex-officio members include the President, President-elect and Vice President, as well as five PPs who serve as the Funding Committee members.  The Funding Committee is responsible for Fund investing and ensuring that the Fund is properly used in the operation of the service projects.  There is an Investment Committee, composing of three members, under the Funding Committee, to ensure that the “seed money” is capitally protected, the Fund is operated in a smooth manner, the return can align with the market situation and the best return can be acquired from the investment strategy.

Matching donation up to HK$1 million by PP Haywood Cheung to raise fund for the RCNT Service Fund in the name of Charter member PP Benton Cheung Yan Lung

The first phase of establishing the Fund is to consolidate the donation of “seed money”.  The target of fundraising amount is about 1.5 to 2 million Hong Kong dollars.  Donors should possess our common ideology of “Service Above All”, and also those who are willing to support the social services of RCNT.  As a gesture and initiative to show great support to the “seed money” fundraising exercise, PP Haywood Cheung has already promised to contribute a corresponding amount of matching donation in the first phase, in the name of Charter member PP Benton Cheung Yan Lung, capped at the ceiling of 1 million Hong Kong dollars.

Your support required for Rotary Club of New Territories Service Fund to raise fund for charity

As a Rotary Club accompanying Hong Kong for half a century, RCNT witnessed the change of an era and experienced all kinds of hardships.  Having gone through the histories of different epochs, many things have been changed.  The only thing that remains the same is the passion and enthusiasm of RCNT to serve its community.  When reminiscing the past, RCNT actually bears a more important yet challenging role and mission.  While hoping that we can pass our inheritance to the future, we also wish that members in different business sectors can recognise our effort by making a donation to the RCNT Services Fund, with a view to bring long term benefits to the region and different disadvantaged groups of people in the community.

All the best wishes to RCNT for a bright, shining and burgeoning future.  Look forward to more glorious and prosperous 50 years ahead to come! 

新界扶輪社籌備成立五十週年服務基金

由新界扶輪社秘書兼社長提名人陳雪麗供稿

新界扶輪社成立的歷史背景

香港的社會經歷了不少變遷，新界地區由樸實的農村蛻變成現代化的衛星城市。國際扶輪3450地區為配合社會服務的需要，於50年前由區總監邀請九龍扶輪社組織 「創立新界扶輪社」籌備委員會，由該社前社長許樂郡出任委員會主席，前社長夏利厘拉及柯樂則獲任委員，並徵得當年新界民政署長陸鼎堂的襄助及新界鄉議局的大力支持，由陸鼎堂邀請新界社會賢達、地方領袖及工商界傑出人士加入共同籌組新界扶輪社及參與成為創社社員。

新界扶輪社自1969年11月15日成立以來一直實踐「超我服務」扶輪精神

新界扶輪社由創社社長陳日新創立，於1969年11月15日舉行授證典禮，創社社友兼前社長張人龍、彭鏗然、盧志忠、古道誠、何新權、李學疇、何新榮等一直帶領著歷任社長，堅持以「服務至上」為宗旨，於過去五十多年救災賑貧、濟弱扶危、興學辦校，服務地域可謂無遠弗屆。在本社前社長的出色領導、所有社員的無私付出，以及社會各界的鼎力支持下，本社一直茁壯成長，實踐「超我服務」扶輪精神。新界扶輪社更一向鼓勵社員在專業上遵守四大考驗的崇高道德標準，也致力於為社會提供五大公益服務，包括社務、職業、社區、國際及青少年服務。

新界扶輪社於疫情期間的服務亦無間斷與大眾齊心一起抵抗疫情

新界扶輪社於50年以來一直為服務社會克盡己任，即使過去一年在疫情的陰霾和限制下，我們的服務計劃不但一直沒有止步，而且做得比過往更多更廣，計劃內容更加能與時並進。本社曾舉辦及支持了多項惠澤社群的活動，包括一系列的抗疫服務和青少年服務。在新型冠狀病毒疫情爆發的初期，很多前線的勞動階層及弱勢社群均缺乏抗疫物資。有見及此，新界扶輪社積極組織和參與派發口罩行動，也到不同社區中心派發食物及抗疫物資予基層市民。本社希望以愛和關懷之心的捐助行動，共同面對和抵抗疫症。與此同時，新界扶輪社舉辦了一些推動精神健康的節目和環境生態遊，以輕鬆治癒的方法幫助大家舒緩抗疫疲勞。至於在青少年服務方面，新界扶輪社的社友積極投入義教工作，以及參與輔導更新人士，以支持生命教育的方式，在社區內推動和平友愛。

新界扶輪社適逢踏入五十週年成立服務基金以支持更多社會服務計劃

現今社會發展一日千里，香港今天的面貌比五十多年前截然不同，唯需要社會援助的弱勢社群仍然存在，他們亦急切希望我們伸出援手，在不同層面幫助他們解困，尤其在疫情發展至今，他們面對的壓力和問題更加是雪上加霜。

我們以服務為初心的理念始終不變，適逢新界扶輪社昂然踏入五十週年，會繼續秉承「服務至上」的初心。本屆社長、前社長們及社友為紀念這個特別日子，一致支持成立「新界扶輪社服務基金」，以籌募額外資金作為投資「種子」，然後將每年之投資回報全數用於社會服務上，讓未來每屆接任的社長得到更多的資源，運用在策劃社會服務計劃方面，能夠做得更盡善盡美，也使每項服務內容做得更深更廣，增加服務成效。

新界扶輪社將設立基金委員會，當然成員包括現屆社長、候任社長及副社長，以及五位前社長成為基金委員會委員。基金委員會負責基金的投資及確保資金能投放在社會服務運作上。基金委員會轄下亦會增設投資委員會，將會有三位成員擔任投資委員會委員，負責「種子」的保本，以及確保基金的運作暢順和回報能跟貼市況，從而獲得最理想的回報。

張德熙前社長以創社社友兼前社長張人龍名義為服務基金籌款作出配對捐款至港幣100萬元

成立基金的首個階段，是籌募「種子」捐款，捐款目標約為港幣150萬至200萬元，而籌款對象為擁有「服務至上」的共同理念，以及願意支持新界扶輪社社會服務工作的各界人士。為了大力支持「種子」募捐，張德熙前社長已承諾以創社社友兼前社長張人龍名義為首個階段所籌得的款項作出相對應金額的配對捐款，上限金額為港幣100萬。

誠邀各界支持新界扶輪社服務基金籌款共襄善舉

作為在香港迄立半個世紀的扶輪團體，陪伴著不同年代的變遷，歷盡各種風雨，時代巨輪下的人和事，也許有很多改變。而唯一不變的，是新界扶輪社為社會服務熾熱的心。在緬懷過去的同時，新界扶輪社的願景更可謂任重道遠，充滿挑戰。我們期望在未來的日子裡繼往開來，承先啟後。我們更希望各界認同新界扶輪社社會服務工作的人士能共襄善舉，支持本社為社會籌集服務基金，用以造福地域，惠澤各層面的社群。

祝願新界扶輪社繼續發光發亮，日進千里，創造更多更輝煌的50年！