The old saying “Time flies when you’re having fun” is so true when I look back on 2014-2015. What a year it was!!! I want to thank everyone for their dedication and effort this year – no matter how big or how small that effort was…we couldn’t have gotten here without your help. A special thanks to my Board members for their tireless efforts and continued support especially after being asked to help out when their plates were already over-flowing. To the Chairs that help run the committees, a special thank you for your help in making our jobs at the board level so much easier.
I would like to take you for a quick walk down memory lane and share some of the highlights of my year as President. So here we go……
Sunrise Rotarians were all geared up after the 7020 District Conference held in May of 2014. There were opportunities abound to meet Rotarians from various countries in the Caribbean and share experiences, shortfalls and successes. It was in mid-June that we learned the District Conference had a major shortfall. We were approached to cough up and an additional CI $11,500 in addition to CI $10,000 we had already contributed in seed capital. Wow…..what a welcome to the world of Rotary!!! This fiasco as it was called by many, threw the club into a tail spin and members felt jaded. The new board quickly worked together to calm the sails, made the payment and move on.
Fellowship was the key to rebuilding so we started with a casual Happy Hour at Michael’s Genuine followed shortly thereafter with a Spaghetti Western at Rotarian Dawn’s where people enjoyed a chili cook off, some Karaoke singing and interacting with our fellow Rotaractors.
August was Membership month and we engaged Sunrise Rotarians by playing people bingo, designing brown paper bags, doing some arts and crafts and extending a special thank card to each and every member by recognizing their contributions.
We then ramped up for an early fall Car Raffle featuring a brand new Tesla. IPP J.D. took the reins with much enthusiasm however after considerable work on this project, the membership voted to go back to the traditional Car Raffle. In February of 2015 enter PP Tony Catalanotto extraordinaire who then carried the torch along with Rotarians Claude and Steve Sokohl in giving everyone an opportunity to help raise funds for next year.
September was themed New Generations and Youth Month and to honor this we participated with the Rotaractors in a cleanup of old Prospect Road. Once we had finished collecting all the garbage we braved the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The highlight of the month however was the trip to Honduras where a party of ten Rotarians and other volunteers ventured to the impoverished area of El Pital and Las Mangus in the Pico Benito Forest outside of La Ceiba. Throw in some donated computers to the Frances Bodden Girls Home, 619 dictionaries delivered to Grade 7 students, a change in venue to Legends, a Rotaract take over meeting and scrabble scrum and that rounded out the month of September.
Things did not cool down. In October, Ivana, Ms. Chow and the Early Act Club held elections and so did Rotary Sunrise. Christine Mathews was confirmed as my successor. Things were just heating up. Members from all the Cayman Clubs were invited for the “Nah today Polio Happy Hour” hosted by the Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman. Sunrise Rotarians also canvased for the NCVO and all together donations come in at a whopping CI $138,000. Junior Achievement was now well on its way and several Sunrise members were advisors along with sponsoring company; Caribbean Publishing. Add in the 3-5 year strategic plan and we were beginning to fire on all eight cylinders.
November was Movember and several members like Chris Bowering really got into it. It was also Foundation month and Hendrik was hard at work promoting the Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus. Sixteen Chickens on a Trampoline was a big hit for one fellow Rotarian and all proceeds were donated to LIFE. Literacy adds to LIFE with a major donation of CI $10,000. The Day Care Centre in Piura, Peru was taking shape, several members participated in the Health Care Conference, the early actors joined in with the Pines Seniors birthday parties, James, Frank and I get thrown in jail by the Rotaractors (Captured) and the queen of recycling (you know who I’m talking about) is busy promoting a green, clean environment. She even gets heavily involved in setting up a new Interact Club on the island.
December is a busy time of year and Rotarians and although they are taking in their own Christmas parties find time to provide and serve food for the children and elderly at Scranton Park, Windsor Park and North Side. Dr. Eke goes to back to Honduras with his family during the Christmas holidays and takes two days to provide ENT services to the lovely people of Guaruma. We round out the month with a special Christmas celebration at Berna Cummin’s home where everyone was asked to bring a traditional dish. Heavy rains stall the evening but it doesn’t stop Sunrise Rotarians; they enjoy fellowship, eating and drinking, singing Christmas carols and sitting on Santa Jerrell’s knee…..in the car park. The highlight of the evening is Anthony and Joanne’s little Mateo singing “I wish you a Merry Christmas” – precious!!!
We then welcome in the New Year and Literacy gets a $5,000 District Grant approved for CALS. Smok’n Bros Anthony Lawson wins the Cayman Cook Out, Gina’s Interact meetings are moving forward and the Butterfly story book winners are announced.
In February, much to everyone’s surprise Rotary Sunrise wins Club of the Month. Many thanks to Gina for finding the material and pulling this together so quickly. Toss in Rotary International’s 110th Rotary Birthday celebration, Hearts & Home Runs Baseball game, mix in some coconut oil by Tamer Suliman, an overview of the new YMCA, some laptops donated to Belize and a Happy Hour at The West Indian Wine Company and you’re got a recipe for Rotary success.
March is Literacy Month; Health & Hunger & Clean Water. Literacy organizes its successful Buy a Kid a Book Program. E-Club Butterfly Story Book Competition Presentations are performed at schools, we then all enjoy an International Fellowship event at Kent Green’s home and we are amazed at the size of Rocky. Sunrise Rotarians then take part in the 3rd annual Polio Bed Race with the Water Authority sponsoring the bed. Add in the Heart Health Fair and Get Active program and Sunrise Rotarians once again are busy, busy, and busy.
It doesn’t stop there… April sees the Rotarians and Rotaractors join forces on the Chamber of Commerce Roadside clean-up of the by-pass near Hurley’s. Rotarian Faye goes to NYC to promote her book; Guaruma Photo Exhibition fund raising event raises US $4,000. Sunrise celebrates Charter Night, the club’s 13th year in existence and we change the venue to Misu which people really enjoy. LIFE holds a successful and first ever High School Scrabble Scrum at St. Ignatius hall.
The month of May saw many Sunrise Rotarians venture to Montego Bay for the District 7020 Conference and we come home with the following awards: Club of the Month – Silver Award, Certificate of Merit 1st Place large club for maintaining an amazing website, Public Image Citation Award, US $100 per Capita 100% Member Participation and the District Governor’s Award for Excellence Bronze.
As the year draws closer to an end, the club hosted a fun filled night of gaming and gambling at the ARC on June 6th. Casino Royale is well attended, the ARC is nicely decorated and all hands are on deck in order to make the night a major success. Rotarian Krishna and Bina along with Rotary Sunrise help pull together another fund raiser for the Nepal Earthquake Relief.
Two big events remain and that is Change Over scheduled for June 26th and the Audi Q5 Grand Prize Raffle on June 27th at the Island Living Show. Hopefully, everyone has sold at least two books of tickets and we can call this year’s Car Raffle a major success. We look forward to every member being at Change Over as we usher in President Elect Christine and leave the membership in her capable hands.
In closing, this has been an exciting, exhausting and enjoyable year for me to be President of your club. I have learned a lot, feel more confident in my own skin and will cherish the memories of this year forever. I thank those that gave me the support and encouragement to take on this task and I thank all of you for being there for me.
Yours in Rotary,
President Kim
July 1 Duty Roster
Greeter: Frank Balderamos Raffle:Barbara Anley
Four Way Test: Alison Shirlaw
Grace: Sergeant: Ian Comins
Birthdays and Anniversaries for the Month of June
Submitted by Club Service Committee
Member Birthdays
Gina McBryan - June 14
Jeff Jefferson - June 19
Rotary Anniversary
Wendy Knoll - 4 years - June 1
Anthony Lawson - 5 years - June 2
Joanne Lawson - 5 years - June 2
Steven Sokohl - 6 years - June 3
Kip Lumsden - 4 years - June 15
Stacey Parke - 4 years - June 15
Pauline McGettigan - 7 years - June 18
Rex Crighton - 8 years - June 21
Enoka Richens - 4 years - June 22
Dorothy Scott-Crumbley - 2 years - June 28
Notices & Reminders
Make-ups: In addition to make-up opportunities at Sunrise you can make up at another Club in Grand Cayman. The meeting time and place of the other Clubs are: Rotaract Blue: Wednesdays at 6:00pm at Royal Palms Beach Club, 537 West Bay Road Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman: Thursdays at 7:00am at Treats Restaurant in West Shore Plaza, West Bay Road
Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Central: Tuesdays at 7:30pm at
Grand Old House.
Rotary Club of Grand Cayman: Thursdays at 12:30pm at The Westin
Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean 7020: Online meetings any time. Visit the new e-club platform at http://e7020clubhouse.ning.com If members are unable to make a regular weekly meeting or Rotary event, make-ups can be done online. The e-Club website is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You just need to spend a minimum of 30 minutes on the site and answer some questions to get the make up certificate.
Travelling: If you are going to be travelling for an extended period of time - more than two weeks be sure to let the Secretary know and remember to submit any make-ups you do in a timely manner.
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August was Membership month and we engaged Sunrise Rotarians by playing people bingo, designing brown paper bags, doing some arts and crafts and extending a special thank card to each and every member by recognizing their contributions.
Things did not cool down. In October, Ivana, Ms. Chow and the Early Act Club held elections and so did Rotary Sunrise. Christine Mathews was confirmed as my successor. Things were just heating up. Members from all the Cayman Clubs were invited for the “Nah today Polio Happy Hour” hosted by the Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman. Sunrise Rotarians also canvased for the NCVO and all together donations come in at a whopping CI $138,000. Junior Achievement was now well on its way and several Sunrise members were advisors along with sponsoring company; Caribbean Publishing. Add in the 3-5 year strategic plan and we were beginning to fire on all eight cylinders.
December is a busy time of year and Rotarians and although they are taking in their own Christmas parties find time to provide and serve food for the children and elderly at Scranton Park, Windsor Park and North Side. Dr. Eke goes to back to Honduras with his family during the Christmas holidays and takes two days to provide ENT services to the lovely people of Guaruma. We round out the month with a special Christmas celebration at Berna Cummin’s home where everyone was asked to bring a traditional dish. Heavy rains stall the evening but it doesn’t stop Sunrise Rotarians; they enjoy fellowship, eating and drinking, singing Christmas carols and sitting on Santa Jerrell’s knee…..in the car park. The highlight of the evening is Anthony and Joanne’s little Mateo singing “I wish you a Merry Christmas” – precious!!!.jpg)
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attended, the ARC is nicely decorated and all hands are on deck in order to make the night a major success. Rotarian Krishna and Bina along with Rotary Sunrise help pull together another fund raiser for the Nepal Earthquake Relief.
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Make-ups: