PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

CELEBRATING 47 YEARS OF SERVICE ABOVE SELF

ROTARY YEAR 2007-08

As we celebrate 47 years of “SERVICE ABOVE SELF”, I wish to reflect on my first six months as President of this illustrious club.

I embarked on my Presidential journey with this prayer in mind:

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference”

MY TEAM

I was very fortunate to have a committed team who selflessly devoted their time and efforts to attain common goals and objectives in order to steer the Club to greater heights in the future. The focus this year is on consolidation and prioritization of projects; and accordingly, the Directors detailed out their respective budgets for their projects. Suffice to say, SYABAS to all for their untiring efforts.

ROTARY SHARES

This year’s theme, ROTARY SHARES, is a catalyst to re-align our philosophies of life and our actions as a consequence of being a member of this organization. Rather than re-emphasize our differences, we have been geared to accept our commonalities and learnt to live and thrive on that PEACE, LOVE, HARMONY, TRUST and INTEGRITY that should at all times characterize a GOOD RELATIONSHIP and PARTNERSHIP.

PARTNERS IN SERVICE

We are fortunate to enjoy the confidence of several other organizations and corporations who willingly and readily support us in kind and cash in order for us to successfully implement our charitable projects. Our heartfelt gratitude to the Inner Wheel Club of Petaling Jaya. These ‘young & vibrant” ladies have brought bountiful JOY to the children in RCPJ’s Festive Cheer Programmes to the ‘forgotten lot’ on the occasion of the FOUR MAJOR FESTIVALS CELEBRATED IN MALAYSIA.

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

It is most discernible that our members are always there to serve, in line with our motto of “Service Above Self”. These members are the ones who make it happen and will continue making it happen as they are the people who do not expect any other rewards except to know and hopefully witness that their actions and thoughts are catalytic in making things happen for the betterment of others.

FELLOWSHIPS

We are not lacking in this sector as far as Service Avenue Meetings’ fellowships are concerned. We hold bi-monthly evening meetings where our Anns are encouraged to join us. The fellowship chairman is looking into cruises and dinner theatres to further foster total membership participation.

MEMBERSHIP

I have written about this in my weekly Presidential messages in our Newsletter, the PeeJay Pos. For our Club’s continuing growth and development, there must be a fresh contribution of vigour and zeal; and this could be achieved by an infusion of NEW BLOOD and INCLUSION OF THE ‘OTHER GENDER’.

REFLECTIONS

Six months into my tenure as President of this esteemed Club, I am happy to say that there have been no major issues of consequence. We are doing very well at District level, we are continuing to contribute to our Community and I believe we may have to re-think and have a re-look to re-focus our concerted actions into our own Club affairs and development.

The lines of succession in RCPJ have been decided, and this augurs well for the future of our Club as we WORK TOGETHER on a SHARED CLUB AGENDA.

ROTARY SHARES.

The Meeting on 5 February 2008 is CANCELLED.

Attendance Make-up events/activities 

The Board at its recent meeting has declared effective immediately the following event/activities of the Club as attendance make-up events & activities namely:

1. Interactors Probationers’s Seminar on 2 Feb 08 at SMK Assunta
2. Interactors Leadership Seminar
3. ICC Charity Concert on 22 Mar 08 at HGH Sentul
4. Super Camp (Interactors) from 24-27 May 08 at Trolak
5. Chinese New Year Cheer on 20 Feb 08 at SRJK Sg Way
6. Golden Child Project on 8 Apr 08 at Sunway Lagoon
7. CLE (Concentrated Language Encounter)

Resulting from the above declaration attendance at any of the above events and activities qualifies as a make-up for absence from a weekly meeting, if it is within two weeks before or after the said weekly meeting. It is nevertheless the duty of an attendee who wishes to claim a make-up to notify the attendance chairman accordingly.

By Tiffany Woods 

Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio have gotten a US$2 million boost from a Rotarian diamond and jewelry magnate. 

Harshad Mehta, a native of India who is a senior partner in the Belgium-based Rosy Blue diamond and jewelry company, has pledged to donate the money to Rotary's polio eradication efforts over the next three years.

Mehta, the largest Indian donor to The Rotary Foundation, was inspired to make the commitment after learning about the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's $100 million challenge grant for polio eradication. Rotary must match the grant dollar for dollar over a three-year period. 

Foundation Trustee Chair Robert S. Scott recalls a conversation with him in December, when Mehta suddenly said, "I will give $2 million toward the match." It was "a very exciting development and an extremely generous" commitment, says Scott.

Mehta, 60, joined the Rotary Club of Bombay Metropolitan in 1986 as a charter member. His previous contributions to The Rotary Foundation have totaled more than $1 million. Some of the money has been used to endow an Ambassadorial Scholarship that finances recipients' studies at universities. 

Mehta serves as chair of the United Arab Emirates operations of Rosy Blue, a family business that employs more than 15,000 people around the world. He's also Armenia's honorary consul in Mumbai and the vice chair of the Dubai Diamond Exchange. He is a past chair of the Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council and a past vice president of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations. 

In his spare time, he enjoys reading, listening to music, walking, swimming, playing cricket, and spending time with his wife, three children, and five grandchildren. 

In the final push to stop polio, Mehta urges Rotarians not to give up. "We must further strengthen our resolve as we are so close to the ultimate goal," he says. "Any slackening at this point will result in a total loss of all the time, effort, and money put in over the past years."

Source: Rotary International News

ON TURNING 70
"You still chase women, but only downhill".

ON TURNING 80
"That's the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing."

ON TURNING 90
"You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake."

ON TURNING 100
"I don't feel old. In fact I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap."

ON GIVING UP HIS EARLY CAREER, BOXING
"I ruined my hands in the ring ... the referee kept stepping on them."

ON SAILORS
"They spend the first six days of each week sowing their wild oats, then they go to church on Sunday and pray for crop failure."

ON NEVER WINNING AN OSCAR
"Welcome to the Academy Awards or, as it's called at my home, 'Passover'."

ON GOLF
"Golf is my profession. Show business is just to pay the green fees."

ON PRESIDENTS
"I have performed for 12 presidents and entertained only six."

ON WHY HE CHOSE SHOW BIZ FOR HIS CAREER
"When I was born, the doctor said to my mother, 'Congratulations. You have an eight-pound ham'."

ON RECEIVING THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL
"I feel very humble, but I think I have the strength of character to fight it."

ON HIS FAMILY'S EARLY POVERTY
"Four of us slept in the one bed. When it got cold, mother threw on another brother."

ON HIS SIX BROTHERS
"That's how I learned to dance. Waiting for the bathroom."

ON HIS EARLY FAILURES
"I would not have had anything to eat if it wasn't for the stuff the audience threw at me."

ON GOING TO HEAVEN
"I've done benefits for ALL religions. I'd hate to blow the hereafter on a technicality."