Hamilton Rotary New President 2009-10

Posted by Keith Clifton 
 

Change of Guard:  President Neville thanked members for their support during his year as President and offered his support to new President Major St Vincent Barrett Dill as he duly handed over the chain of office. PP Neville, now joining the ranks of the illustrious Past Presidents, PP Danny extended to him the thanks of the club. .

 

           President Major Barrett St. Vincent Dill thanked PP Neville and continued;   RI President John Kerry has chosen as the Rotarian Theme for the upcoming year - The Future of Rotary is in your hands, he has stated that Rotary is only as great as its individual clubs, and the clubs are only as great as the members within them.

 

 At the Royal Military College of Music where I studied to become the Master of the Band between 1984- 1988 , there is inscribed above the fireplace of the hallowed walls of Kneller Hall the following - Flautist quisnam lascivio procul Pythian venatus primoris philologus suus dictata quod reverentia vaco.  The flautist who plays at the Pythian Games has first learned his lessons and been in awe of a master.  In this room - in our members, I am in awe of many masters:

            Imagine a 12 year old student entering high school assembly at the Berkeley Institute being impressed with a huge Roll of Honour listing Bermuda's Rhodes Scholars - I stand in awe of PP Owen Darrell.

            Imagine a 16 year old musician being invited to the President of the Bermuda colleges home, where in the kitchen, his wonderful wife, Joe, taught him how to dance a Scottish Line Dance - I stand in awe of Dr. George Cook.

            Imagine a mature student pursuing a Bachelors degree in Business Admin. Having to do a research paper on Telecommunications in Bermuda and discovering a person who helped break the monopolistic practices of the Bermuda Telephone Company - I stand in awe of new ADG Keith Clifton

            Imagine a young Rotarian doing research on Rotary International and discovering that Rotary has made a significant impact worldwide on Polio eradication, largely as a result of an International Campaign Director of PolioPlus - I stand in awe of PP & PDG Walter Maddocks.

            Finally, imagine a man who has been handed the mantle of leadership of the members in this room - to lead the wealth of talent that is here - I stand in awe of the Hamilton Rotary Club and its past accomplishments and reinforce President John Kerry's message,

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands and I firmly believe that, in these challenging and exciting times, they are, they must be, SAFE hands.