INCOMING PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2011-12 Bashir Mohammed
Rotary International’s Theme for 2011 – 2012 is “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity”. By focusing on yourself and your family to achieve fulfillment and contentment in your lives, you then have a strong base on which you can build a future in your community. Rotarians are part of families and what we work to bring to others, we must find within ourselves because what we wish for others is what others wish for themselves as well.
Communities are not made up of individuals but of families that are intertwined through sharing common resources and sharing their lives. Margaret Bourke-White said “to understand another human being, you must gain some insight into the conditions which made him what he is”. To improve the quality of lives in the community, we as a Club need to identify the root or source of the challenges facing the residents in the community and help them to alleviate their difficulties.
Continuity in our Club is to continue what we do best and taking it to the next level thereby ensuring our signature projects are resounding successes. Our Medical Outreach Programs, Choka Fest, Diabetes Awareness Tea and Fashion Show, Golf Tournament and our Career Guidance Programs are some of the community and fundraising programs that demonstrate our Club’s commitment to helping the underprivileged persons in society. We also pledge our continued support towards the eradication of polio on an International level.
By reviewing our past projects and fellowships, we must have the courage to identify our shortcomings and work together to make the changes that need to be made to make them better. Gandhi said: Be the change you want to see in this world”. By starting with ourselves, by recognizing that each person can make a difference, we as a Club can achieve success in our endeavours. Small acts when multiplied by millions, can transform the world. Each one of us, in our own way can change the world by our actions. We learn and grow and are transformed not so much by what we do but by why and how we do it. Together all our actions will create a better society and better world to live in and a better legacy to leave for the next generations.
Compliant with President Elect Banerjee’s theme “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity”, we have designated “Change Comes From Within” as our theme for the year 2011 – 2012. In order for us to reduce poverty or to protect the environment by reducing our carbon footprint or molding the youth of our community into the leaders of tomorrow, we must be the instruments of change. We must lead by example. By obeying litter laws, we can reduce flooding by not clogging waterways with garbage and plastic bottles. By adopting a healthier lifestyle and eating habits, we can take control of our blood sugar levels to prevent the onset of diabetes. By spending quality time with our family, our children begin to appreciate our morals and values and consequently adopt those values by observing the way we interact with others and with them.
Gandhi said, ”a man is but the product of his thoughts – what he thinks, he becomes.” If we believe that we can make a difference, by volunteering our time and resources towards uplifting others less fortunate, then our thoughts will be manifested into executed plans and programs.
Our plans for the incoming year are:
1. To engage in more fellowship activities that are family oriented starting with a hike to Blanchisseuse and a Family Fun Day, both in July.
2. To establish a Rotaract Club to promote growth and development in the youths.
3. To develop a Rotary Corp with the Community of Carmelita.
4. To conduct a Two Day Career Guidance Program for secondary schools in Princes Town and environs.
5. To plant fifty (50) trees to help save the environment
6. To continue the Diabetes Awareness and Education Outreach Programs in rural communities.
7. To conduct four (4) Medical Outreach Programs over the year.
8. Introduce Recycling and Waste Reduction Awareness in Primary schools in our area.
9. To become more interactive on social networking sites such as Facebook and our Club’s website to promote Rotary to young adults and request their input to make our Club more relevant to the next generation of professionals and community leaders and,
10. To continue the signature projects of our Club.
My Board of Directors and I look forward to working together with each of you to fulfill these goals over the course of the next Rotary year and having a great time whilst achieving them.
I would like to thank my predecessor, President Kex, for the stellar performance executed by his Board of Directors over the last year and to say that the benchmark has been set at a high standard for my team and myself to follow.
In closing, I want to invite all Rotarians to be the change you want to see, by getting involved in all Club activities and promoting the values of Rotary in your workplace and most importantly, having fun while doing it. Thank You.