New Generation Month Reports
ROTARACTORS PRESIDE OVER TUESDAY LUNCHEON MEETING
(By Charles Crane)
Continuing our focus on the month’s theme of New Generations, we were delighted to hand over our luncheon meeting on 11th September to members of the Rotaract Club of Tortola. With VP Melissa Farara deputizing for President Jehree, and Shaquille Byron standing in as SAA. In addition, there were 3 other Rotaract directors and ordinary members present.
VP Melissa Farara, PP Al-Quamin Nibbs, PP Louis Potter (Rotary), Rotaractor Shaqille Byron
Photo Credit: Charles Crane
In her presentation to the Club, VP Melissa set out the goals of the Rotaractors for the coming year, and pledged that the Club would work more closely with Rotary Clubs in the BVI and also with Interact. The Club would re-engage with the senior citizens resurrecting a previous programme of monthly visits to the Adina Donovan Home, would be donating 60 Spanish dictionaries to two primary schools on Virgin Gorda; and she acknowledged the support the Club had received from the Rotary Club of Road Town in the past and hoped that this would continue. Noting that the Rotaract Club had only one member out of 25, over the age of 25, she said that the opportunities for Rotaractors moving across to Rotary were somewhat limited, but said that a membership drive was being drawn up to bring in more members, particularly in the 25 – 30 age group.
In thanking VP Melissa, our own President Trefor thanked the Rotaract Club for their support for our clubs projects, citing in particular both the annual Health Fair and the Kiddies Fiesta. In recognition of this, he was delighted to announce that our Board had agreed a donation of $500 to Rotaract and further said that in recognition of the support received from the Rotaract Club of the UVI at the Kiddies Fiesta, the Board had agreed to donate $250 to that Club.
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INTERACT/ROTARACT LEADERSHIP TRAINING
(By Charles Crane)
On Saturday 22 September some 6 Interactors and 8 Rotaractors, as well as 3 potential Rotaractors and 2 Interactors, gathered at the Sports Division conference room for a day of leadership training.
Rotaractors and Interactors Training
Photo Credit: Charles Crane
Organised by BVI Training Coordinator, IPP Donna Arter, the training provided our young, future Rotarians with the information they need to carry out their designated roles as directors and officers of Interact and Rotaract. The training was conducted by a group of 4 Rotarians and a past president of Rotaract Al Quamin Nibbs, who presented papers on Club Service and International Service. PP Stephanie Benn presented her paper on “Leadership, protocol and Decorum” generating a lively discussion; in fact all of the presentations generated were highly interactive with a lot of discussion and questions. AG Ron Potter presented his paper on “working with District and Club Leaders”. IPP Yvonne Crabbe presented two papers on Professional Development and Public Relations, whilst PE Charles Crane opened the training and presented a paper on Community Service.
In his opening remarks, PE Charles asked that all participants enter fully into the spirit of the training in order to gain maximum benefit, and above all to have fun; they certainly did all of that, and the relaxed atmosphere allowed everyone to contribute freely.
Kadir Richardson, shortly to be our newest Interactor gave the vote of thanks, thanking the presenters for their time in preparing and presenting and the participants for attending. Thanks also went to IPP Donna for organising the training and to Rtn Lilas Masters for arranging breakfast and lunch. The food was a hit!
After desert, there was a presentation by Sharifa Maloney on the Junior Achievers Scheme. This is a worldwide programme, which targets two separate youth audiences . The programme is now being rolled out into the Primary school and Secondary school sectors in the BVI. A question was raised as to whether the scheme would fit well with out Interact Club, but due to the wide age range the JAS would have to draw up a special programme that could be of interest to both 12 year old and those 17 and 18.
SAA Shaq then did his very best to relieve Rotarians of any spare cash that they might be holding, and in some cases, not so spare, and came up with a long lost rule that the President was responsible for fines levied on Rotarians who had scooted. President Trefor is still trying to find that change to the bye-laws.
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WILL EBENEZER THOMAS PRIMARY SCHOOL BE OUR SECOND SPONSORED EARLYACT CLUB?
(By Charles Crane)
On Tuesday 18th September, our PE and former New Generations chair Charles Crane, made a presentation to the parents and staff at Ebenezer Thomas Primary School in Sea Cows Bay during their first PTA meeting of the new school year.
PE Charles addressing the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School PTA
Photo Credit: Charles Crane
PE Charles gave a brief outline of what Rotary is and does, noting that in May next year, the BVI will play host to some 500 Rotarians across the District as the culmination of DG Vance’s year as District Governor.
He then went on to explain what EarlyAct is, what members could expect to gain from the programme, and the roles that the other 3 of the four stakeholders would play; Rotary would be the Club’s sponsors and ensure that the Club followed Rotary’s objectives; faculty members would run the programme whilst parents would provide the logistical (and financial) support for their children. The PTA members were advised as to how meetings would be conducted, the type of activities the Club would become engaged in, the obligations to carry out three community projects, one school based, one community based and one with an international flavour.
If the PTA agreed to adopt the EarlyAct programme, the school would invite applications and then select an initial 30 members, who would become the Charter members. There would follow a period of explaining to the members what Rotary was, what was expected of a member of EarlyAct, the various board positions and their responsibilities and then hold elections. We would then apply for the formal Charter and a formal presentation would be arranged.
We now await the decision of the PTA before we move forward with this project.