Message From 2017-2018 RCPOS President
In the 2017-2018 Rotary Year, the Rotary Club of Port of Spain will commemorate both The Rotary Foundation’s 100th Anniversary, as well as, its own 60th Anniversary – a milestone that parallels with our being the first Rotary Club in Trinidad and Tobago.
For sixty years the Rotary Club of Port of Spain has been a club of tradition and honour and it is a privilege to be selected to lead it through this landmark year.
A ceremonial time in history, such as this, permits us the opportunity to reflect on all that our club has achieved over the past 60 years and to also remember those persons and communities which we have had the privilege to serve. It allows us a time to recognize those great Rotarians with whom we have had the privilege of working, some of whom we have sadly lost over the years, and also to celebrate with the great Rotarians who are here now and who will continue the outstanding work of our founding members.
To understand and appreciate the great work that Rotary does worldwide is to truly embrace who and what we are as Rotarians.
In 2006, then Rotary International President William Boyd, quoted and remarked on the words inscribed on the sundial of Los Angeles Union Station:
“Vision to see. Faith to Believe. Courage to do. That is a perfect representation of what is required for us to be successful in Rotary. We must see the needs around us, believe we can make a difference, and step forward to act.”
These watch words remain associated with Rotary and from which we as Rotarians can continue to take guidance towards greatness. My hope this year is that, as a club, we remain committed to delivering excellence in all the various service projects we set out to do.
I look forward to building on the foundation of my predecessors of keeping the club alive and strong by fostering the fellowship and fraternity and more importantly, to working with my board, committees and all our members to continue the great work and projects of this club.
I could not be more pleased with the work of my Board, Committee Chairs, and by extension, all of our club members thus far. The participation and involvement in kicking off meetings, the preparation for upcoming projects and the general support has been overwhelming and greatly appreciated. We all know that involvement and engagement are the essence of Rotary and it is what makes our club so special, but what is surprising is the level of commitment demonstrated by our members regardless of how busy we all are in today's world. As a Rotarian, your efforts and support will be required throughout the year to keep the club active and its projects impactful...so please do make an effort to participate and share your skills, knowledge and resources when called upon.
The Rotary Theme for 2017-2018 is "Rotary: Making A Difference" and this year, the Club's calendar is packed with service projects, fundraising events and planned fellowship activities. In addition, the Community Service and the Youth and Vocational Service Committees of the Club have some fantastic projects and initiatives earmarked which will hopefully bring some positive and significantly improvements to the lives of persons within our community and make a difference.
To be able to serve is gift and blessing that not all are privileged enough to do and Rotary is the platform to share this gift. Let us use this opportunity as Rotarians to elevate ourselves and continue to help those in need.
I would also like to thank the members of the Rotary Club of Port of Spain for having the faith and trust in me to lead the charge this year and remind us all that that together we can achieve so much more than if we were on our own.
I would also like to thank the members of the Rotary Club of Port of Spain for having the faith and trust in me to lead the charge this year and remind us all that that together we can achieve so much more than if we were on our own.
With the greatest appreciation for your continued support, I continue to look forward to serving in the year ahead and wish that it may it be filled with wonderful participation, fellowship and 'Service Above Self'.
Yours In Rotary,