Saturday, 1 June 2019
June 2019 is Rotary Fellowship Month in our Rotary calendar. It is good to be reminded of the importance of fellowship. In fact, Rotary has it’s beginning in fellowship. Regular fellowship draws Rotarians closer together. It also helps to make members enthusiastic in attending Rotary meetings and activities. When we are bonded together with shared vision and common objectives, we will be able to take on service projects which can make a greater impact on our various communities. Not surprisingly, Rotary’s new vision calls for unity. When we are united and when we take action we can create lasting impact. So make fellowship an important part of your programme not only for the month of June but do it as often as possible.
There are various ways to promote fellowship and I will leave this to our Rotary clubs to come up with their own programs. I can only suggest ideas and these ideas will include organising regular dinner outing, excursions, sports and recreational activities like golf, short trips to attend Rotary Assembly, Conferences and visits to matched and sister clubs, etc. Try to get the spouses and children to be involved. This is crucial in attracting and retaining younger members as their children tend to be young.
When it comes to working as a group, it is important not to be bogged down with our differences. Instead make use of our diverse vocations, professional skills and connections. Rotary is an organisation with a unique classification system and we emphasise diversity. Our classification system and acceptance of diversities will help us to attract people with all kinds of talents necessary for engaging our societies. When we have a club with diverse talents, united in it’s purpose, filled with enthusiastic members then that club will be a vibrant one – a club that will inspire others to follow suit.
Do remember that June 30, 2019 is the last day of this Rotary Year 2018-19. The incumbent presidents will have only a month to complete their term of office. So please carry out the finishing touches to all your projects and programmes. If your emphasis is on Membership Growth, do the necessary to induct your members in time for this Rotary Year. Update My Rotary and Club Central promptly.
As my term of office as a District Governor will soon come to a close I like to emphasise that my work will not be possible without your active co-operation and generous support. I am grateful for the hard work carried out by the various committees in our District. In addition, many Rotarians and their spouses across the District have also given me strong support during the course of the year. I like to offer my sincere appreciation to all of you.
In closing, I wish that most, if not all, of the clubs will receive the Presidential Citation. Even if you don’t get it his year I encourage you to try again. For Club Presidents who are stepping down after their term, I urge them to remain active in Rotary. Pass on your experiences and inspire the younger ones to take on office. I also like to wish incoming District Governor Jeff Yong and his team a successful Rotary Year 2019-2020.
Yours sincerely
Henry Tan Kok Hiang
District Governor RY 2018-19
