by Florence Hui
CHARTER CEREMONY OF UMSU CUM JOINT MEETING OF ROTARY & ROTARACT CLUB OF MACAU – 6 NOV
The Charter Ceremony of Rotaract Club of University of Macau Students’ Union cum Joint Meeting of Rotary Club of Macau and Rotaract Club of Macau was held on 6 Nov 2008.
There are 43 charter members in Rotaract Club of University of Macau Students’ Union:
Charter President Natalie Lam (depicted above), Vice President Ao Ieong Man San and Amanda Li, Honorary Secretary Celeste Ng, Treasurer Nancy Ku, Club Service Director Joan Lam, Community Service Director Steve Lam, International Service Director Felicity Choi, Professional Development Service Director Kenny Chan, Sergeant-At-Arms Cathy Lo and other club members.
Guests including New Generations Committee Chair, Past District Governor Tony Wong, Assistant Governor Rocky Chung, District Rotaract Chair K L Cheng, District Rotaract Representative Jovex Chan and representatives of District 3450.
BRIEF HISTORY OF ROTARACT CLUB OF UMSU & SPEECH BY FLORENCE HUI
The idea of founding a university-based Rotaract Club was brought up by Immediate Past District Governor Peter Wong last year. Immediate Past President Filipe Senna Fernandes and the board believed that it was the right time for Rotary Club of Macau to take action. With the support of the 3 Rotaract Advisors of the new Club: Past Presidents Stella Kan, Kazuyoshi Noguchi, Keith Pharis (two of the latter teach at the University of Macau) and President Elvo Sou of Rotaract Club of Macau, who also works at the University of Macau, a group of university students were recruited to support a community service project of Rotaract Club of Macau “Bring Love to GuangXi Province”.
The said students have become the core members of the Rotaract Club to be chartered. 17 years ago, I was one of the chartered member of Rotaract Club of Macau. It was Past District Governor Dom Vessegault and Past President Gary Ngai who chartered the Club in 1991. From then on, I was under the umbrella of Rotary Club of Macau.
When I was a Rotaractor, I’ve never thought of that one day the umbrella would eventually be passed on to me.
I feel very honoured to hold this umbrella this year. It’s a dream come true of a Rotaractor-turn-Rotarian to charter a Rotaract Club. I do hope that we, the Rotarians will pass on the umbrella to more and more Rotaractors.
