Volume 02 Issue 32
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
President Ramesh was attending the Rotary Young Leaders Award meeting and hence the meeting was chaired by Nic Robinson. Attendance at the weekly luncheon on Friday February 22 consisted of 15 Rotarians and 1 guest.
PP Gilbert’s guest was Ian Petersen, making a record number of 4 visits to the Club.
Sergeant at Arms Frank collected $280 and raised an appeal for a special collection for Chinese New Year.
Yours in Rotary,
Nicole Burt
SPEAKERS THIS MONTH
Last Week’s Speaker (Friday 22nd February) Rtn Nicole presented her Adopt-A-Minefield Project.
The global landmine crisis is one of the most pervasive problems facing the world today. It is estimated that there are between 60 and 70 million landmines in the ground in at least 70 countries. Landmines maim or kill approximately 26,000 civilians every year, including 8,000 to 10,000 children – that is 3 new victims every hour.
Landmine victims suffer debilitating physical and emotional injuries, victims’ families and communities are plagued by psychological and economic burdens, and the environmental impact of landmines on their surroundings is significant. Landmines also impede long-term reconstruction of war-torn societies, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes, and political reconciliation and peace.
The true measure of the global landmine crisis is the impact that landmines have on mine-affected communities. Estimates of the number of landmines deployed vary widely because the precise location of mines is not known. A minefield is an area suspected of containing mines – an area that is rendered uninhabitable or that cannot be cultivated or put to productive use because local populations feel threatened by the actual or perceived presence of mines. The tragedy that befalls mine victims and their families and communities is a powerful deterrent to anyone who might otherwise use land for productive purposes or basic everyday activities. Unfortunately, fundamental human instincts and the need for food all too often compel adults and children alike to enter mined areas.
Adopt-A-Minefield® is a program of the United Nations Association of the USA, which engages individuals, community groups, and businesses in the United Nations effort to resolve the global landmine crisis. The Campaign helps save lives by raising funds for mine clearance and survivor assistance and by raising awareness about the landmine problem.
Sponsors raise funds in their communities to clear their adopted minefields and return land to productive use and may adopt entire minefields (typically between $25,000 and $40,000) or contribute smaller amounts (as little as $5), which are pooled with other contributions. Every dollar raised is forwarded to the United Nations for mine clearance.
Rtn Nicole is trying to raise support from Clubs in the District to sponsor this as a worthy project and was delighted to announce that the Club has very generously agreed to match donations (to a maximum of HK$100,000).
This Week’s Speaker (Friday 1st March) will be Mr Philip Alberts of TCL Investigations
Friday 8th March: A student from Li Po Chun United World College
Friday 15th March: Mrs Lois Dougan Tretiak, Economist
Friday 22nd March: Mr David Williams, Hong Kong Police – Money Laundering
Friday 29th March: MEETING CANCELLED – EASTER
Friday 5th April: MEETING CANCELLED – CHING MING FESTIVAL
WELCOMING COMMITTEES
Please arrive early if you are on the Welcoming Committee as most guests and visitors arrive at 12.30 prompt.
1st March: Susan Young & Peter Lo
8th March: Nicole Burt & M S Kalra
15th March: Raju Wadhwani & Daniel Hackston
22nd March: Nigel Montague & Albert Lam
29th March: Howard Davies & Steve Lan
NEWS – NEWS – NEWS
RI ANNUAL CONVENTION NEWS
ROTARY NEWS
Rotary’s Centennial Logo Chosen
Of the 13,052 votes submitted online and through the mail, 6,344 were cast for this version:
Make-Ups Arrive at Rotary eClub One, District 5450
The number one question to eClub One has been, “can I get a make-up?” The answer is now YES. As a fully chartered Rotary Club, eClub One is just like any other Rotary club when it comes to make-ups. The procedure is a bit different then a “terra” club and requires that the visitor interact with the website to obtain an eClub One make-up card.
First of all, reviewing the Current Program is necessary as you will be required to respond to a few questions. You will get an on-line make-up card that you print out and take to your club. Here are the steps:
1. Read the Current Program which also archives previous programs
2. Look around the eClub One website.
3. Return here and click on MAKEUP CARD
4. Follow instructions during process.
MEMBER’S NEWS
Uncle George
Honorary Member PP Uncle George passed away on 12th February 2002. The Funeral services were held on Wednesday, 20th February at 2:00 pm at Hong Kong Funeral Service, Quarry Bay and attended by Rtn Brian. A wreath was sent on behalf of the Club.
PP Uncle George’s funeral was attend by:
PDG Joseph Lee
PP Robert Ho
PP Gilbert Collins
PP Gary Harilela
PP Michael Harilela
Rotarian Brian Wong
Rotarian Raj Mirpuri
President Ramesh
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY ….
Sunday 24th February:
0303 – 1st official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued
1582 – Pope Gregory XIII announces New Style (Gregorian) calendar
1944 – In Argentina, a coup is led by Juan Peron – Minister of War. He is elected President of Argentina exactly two years later.
Monday 25th February:
1836 – Samuel Colt received a patent for the Colt 45.
1948 – Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia.
1986 – Phillippino President Ferdinand E. Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule after a tainted election.
Tuesday 26th February:
1815 – Napoleon escaped from the Island of Elba. He then began his second conquest of France.
1919 – The Grand Canyon was established as a National Park.
1952 – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had its own atomic bomb.
Wednesday 27th February:
1827 – The first Mardi Gras celebration was held in New Orleans.
1988 – The longest tandem bicycle was designed in New Zealand spanning 72.96 feet weighing 340 pounds.
1998 – Britain’s House of Lords aggreed to give a monarch’s first-born daughter the same claim to the thrown as any first-born son. This was the end to 1,000 years of male preference.
Thursday 28th February:
1979 – Mr. Ed, the talking horse, died.
1986 – Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated in Stockholm.
1993 – US Federal agents raided the compound of an armed religious cult in Waco, Texas. The ATF had planned to arrest the leader of the Branch Davidians, David Koresh, on federal firearms charges. Four agents and six Davidians were killed and a 51-day standoff followed.
Friday 1st March:
1692 – In Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Salem witch trials began. Four women were the first to be charged.
1912 – Captain Albert Berry made the first parachute jump from a moving airplane.
1961 – The Peace Corps was established by US President Kennedy.
Saturday 2nd March:
1917 – The Russian Revolution began with Czar Nicholas II abdicating.
1986 – Corazon Aquino was sworn into office as president of the Phillipines. Her first public declaration was to restore the civil rights of the citizens of her country.
1995 – Nick Leeson was arrested for his role in the collapse of Britain’s Barings Bank.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Sunday 3rd March: The District Badminton Tournament 2001-2002 is being organised by the RC of Peninsula South, at Western Park Indoor Games Hall. The tournament will start at 9.00 am and is expected to finish by 4.00 pm. The fees are HK$250 per person per event, with water and a sandwich lunch included. The events will be Men’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Ladies’ Doubles, Ladies’ Singles and Mixed Doubles. For enquiries contact P.F. Tsui at Tel : 93054112, Email : pftsui@hotmail.com.
Sunday 10th March: A Champagne Brunch Fellowship will be held at the HK Football Club in Happy Valley from 11.30 am to 3.00 pm.
Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th March: The District Conference will be held at the Kowloon Shangri-la Hotel with the official Conference opening beginning at 2.00 pm on Saturday 16th. Registration forms and other information can be obtained from the District website. The conference will be preceded, as usual, by a golf tournament on 8 March and there will also be a pre-conference cruise on 10 March. Click here for information about the cruise.
Thursday 28th March: RI Presidential visit to (Provisional) Rotary Club of Shanghai
Saturday 30th March: Fundraiser for the “Gift of Life” China program by the RC of Shanghai.
10th March -10th April: Group Study Exchange (“GSE”) 2001-2002. The Incoming GSE Team from District 7750 (South Carolina, USA), will visit District 3450 from March 10 to April 10, 2002. Our Outgoing GSE Team, led by PP Simon Wong of RC of Peninsula Sunrise, will depart Hong Kong on April 10 and return on May 10.
Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th March: Rotary International Asian Presidential Conference will be held at The Grand Hotel in Taipei.
Sunday 21st April: District Tree Planting Day
Saturday 18th May: Annual Fund Raising Ball to be held at The Football Club in Happy Valley.
Sunday 23rd – Wednesday 26th June: The 93rd RI Annual Convention will be held in Barcelona, Spain.
1st – 4th June 2003: The 94th RI Annual Convention will be held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
FROM THE BREADBASKET
Everything I Needed to Know
(submitted by Patrick Coleman, RC of Luanshya, Zambia)
Everything I really needed to know about people and life I learned on a play ground.
One of the great pleasures of childhood is playing on a play ground. Most play grounds come with a couple of swings, a seesaw, and a slide.
Take the swings, for example. It is entirely plausible to swing by oneself — push your self back as far as you can and then go forward, throwing your legs forward for momentum as you go forward and then folding them backwards to gain momentum in the reverse direction. However, it works so much better if you have someone to give you a push. You can get up to speed- not to mention altitude- much more quickly. They also are there when you need a ‘brake’ if the ride gets out of control and you holler “STOP!”. This also saves on shoe rubber.
This taught me the value of having someone who stays behind you and pushes you to reach the highest altitude you can. This can be a parent, a friend or a spouse. They get pleasure from seeing your success in reaching the heights, but they also can help keep you from getting out of control. Thank God for those who stay on the ground and give you a push and also stick around to help when life swings by too quickly.
Then there is the seesaw. The lesson of the seesaw is that it takes at least two to make it work, they need to stay on all the time, and they have to cooperate to accomplish anything.
Riding the seesaw can teach some painful lessons. There are those people that take great pleasure in sliding off their end while you are up on your end, with the inevitable result that you come crashing down on your butt. There are a lot of folks like this in real life. Just when it seems you are accomplishing something and have a rhythm going, they slide off and disappear, leaving you with a sore behind and wondering if you can ever trust anyone again.
There are also folks that take great pleasure in getting on the seesaw and trying to balance themselves in the centre of it. These are the ‘self-made’ men that the world so loudly acclaims. Truth is, most of these folks are just tying up the seesaw and keeping it for themselves. No one else can enjoy the ride. These folks also don’t keep their balance for too long.
That brings us to the slide. The thing about the slide is – you climb up, you slide down – then you do it all over again.
Life is like that- up and down, up and down. The ride down is always faster than the climb up. When I was a child we would take waxed paper and put it under our bottoms to make the ride down faster. When you are a child, sliding down and climbing the ladder again is fun; as an adult in the real world, it is a painful reality.
I learned an awful lot about people and life in general on the play ground.
AND FINALLY ….
Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal?
He wanted to transcend dental medication.