2008 – 2009 David Wright
Membership: 33-31
Projects
RCKN joined a Project with RC of Karakoy, Istanbul, Turkey, District 2420 to conduct 8 heart operations on children from Iraq. This project was supported by Past RI President Wilf Wilkinson. The amount donated by RCKN was US$18,000 which attracted a RF Matching grant of US$9,000. The total cost was US$60,000, the balance met by District 2420. We also sent funds to the RC of Karakoy for a mobile eye clinic. RC of Karakoy members visited HK to thank us.
RCKN donated HK$50,000 to Christian Action to support their refugee child education programme in September.
RCKN donated funds to support the Li Po Chun United World College HK to send 16 students to visit the DPR of North Korea on a cultural and inter-school ambassadorial trip.
RCKN provided HK$30,000 to Habitat International for three surgical operations on children in Mashan, Guangxi province, two with eye problems and one boy with a club foot.
Five members of RCKN visited a number of schools in northern Guangxi province during which eye examinations were conducted on 780 students from two schools from 26th to 31st October. A number of the students were from a special school for children with learning disabilities. In all there were 23 people including 5 optometrists, 13 students and 5 Rotarians on this trip. There was a follow-up visit in January 2009 to distribute 88 pairs of spectacles. This project was assisted by a donation of HK$30,000) by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University who sent optometry students and staff to help with the examinations. RCKN lead this project and funded HK$26,000. Spectacles were donated by opticians in HK. This is part of an on-going project which RCKN has supported for over 10 years in and around Duan in Guangxi.
We sent HK$180,000 in December for a renovation project on a school in Xining in Qinghai on the Tibetan Plateau. This was a joint project with our Singaporean Sister Club – RC of Jurong Town.
The Club provided US$20,000 funding for Alliance for Smiles operations for cleft pallet operations in Bangladesh.
Individual members contributed HK$80,000 to the Christina Noble Children’s Fund for schooling in Mongolia. This supports the annual education of over 60 children and pays for one Doctor and medicines. The Club has now donated over HK$1M to this project.
The club became the leader of a 6-Club project (both within District 3450 and internationally) to fund a rehabiltation project for child earthquake victims in Sichuan provence. The funds for this project totalled US$29,250.
Donations to TRF
RCKN donated HK$39,000 to the Paul Harris Fellowship – from 13 members (8 new PHF, 4 double PHF and 1 multiple PHF)
Each member donated US$100 to the polio eradication challenge.
Weekly meetings
Speakers or Club Assemblies were held every week with average attendance of approx 45%
The District Governor’s visit on 7th November was enjoyed by all.
Six Board meetings were held.
Fellowship
We held a fellowship bowling evening in September at which 40 members and guests attended.
A wine tasting and curry evening was held at President David’s home in Sai Kung – over 40 members and guests attended.
43 Kowloon North Rotarians and family members took part in the HK Cancer Fund’s annual “Stride for a Cure” sponsored walk in Tai Tam Country Park on 16th November. RCKN were major sponsors of this walk providing HK$200,000 to the event.
Five Rotarians and one spouse visited the HK Society for the Blind at their headquarters and workshops in Kowloon.
Two Rotarians, President David Wright and PP Bruce Stinson attended the anniversary in March of our sister club in Taipei North in Taiwan and attended a launch ceremony for the Rotary e-SOS (Chinese Samaritans) in Taiwan hosted by the President of the ROC Ma Ying-Jo.
RC of Kowloon North held its annual fund raising ball on 17th May. This was attended by 145 people and garnered $280,000. Everyone had a great night. The theme of the night was Pirates of the Caribbean.
Four members attended a sponsored golf day as part of a fund raising event for the Coast of China Community.
Christmas lunch was held at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile with guests from the Coast of China Community.
District
Four Rotarians, one spouse and our Ambassadorial Scholar attended the Rotary Conference in Macau.
Two members attended the Adopt-A-School inaguration ceremony on 14th May together with our participating school from Tin Shui Wai.
Four members attended the District Assembly in Shatin.
Membership
There were 31 members at the end of the year. Two resignations reduced the numbers from 33.
Two prospective new members are attending weekly meetings.
David Wright
President 2008/09