Rotary is an international membership organization made up of people who share a passion for and commitment to enhancing communities and improving lives across the world. Rotary clubs exist in almost every country. Our members change lives locally and connect with other clubs to work on international projects that address today’s most pressing challenges. Being a member is an opportunity to take action and make a difference, and it brings personal rewards and lifelong friendships in the process.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
Club Meetings
Rotary clubs hold regular meetings where their members gather to socialize and to discuss their current projects, other Rotary matters, and professional topics. While most clubs meet in person, some clubs meet primarily online or have a combination of in-person and online meetings. Rotary is both apolitical and nonreligious, and Rotary clubs are encouraged to create an inclusive environment for all club members at their meetings. Meetings can be formal or informal and can include food and drinks, speakers, an open forum for discussion, or group activities. The more you participate in your club’s meetings and activities, the better overall experience you will have as a member.
The 4 Way Test
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
The Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
“Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.”
Today's fellowship meeting was chaired by President Leevie Herelle who welcomed everyone in the usual manner.
He later invited Rotarian Crisy Laurent, Vocational Service Director to introduce our guest speaker in the person of Rotarian Justice Francis Bellle. See insert below.
Cathy Mascol was Rotarian Peter Kent's guest.
Visiting Rotarian Mary Beth Sutton of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee who is a regular visitor to our club, joined us for lunch today.
Rotarian Crisy Laurent, Director of Vocational Service introduces our guest speaker in the person of Rotarian Justice Francis Belle.
Rotarian Justice Francis H.V. Belle has served as a High Court Judge for over 15-years. His judicial experience spans adjudication of criminal and civil matters, including Administrative and Employment Law actions. He has served as resident judge in Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Dominica; visiting judge in Anguilla and Montserrat with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) 2003-present. He periodically serves as acting Court of Appeal Judge with the ECSC and acting judge of the Cayman Islands Grand Court (2015-present). Justice Belle holds a Bachelor of Arts, History and Social Science and Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies (UWI), and a Certificate of Legal Education from Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica (1986). He also holds a Master of Science in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova South Eastern University in the United States (2002) and served as Chairman of Court Connected Mediation Committees in three (3) ECSC jurisdictions. In the 1990s, Justice Belle taught Criminal Law at UWI (British Virgin Islands). He is a Fellow of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute and Senior Fellow of the Weinstein International Foundation (Fellowship of Mediators). He was recently elected to serve a 7-year term of office on the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) as half-time judge, which is a very prestigious appointment http://prez.ly/Cfdb.
His presentation today took us on a brief journey through his career, during which he touched on a few examples of situations which have impacted him, including what triggered his interest and passion in the area of Conflict Resolution. His enlightening talk was well received based on the number of questions which were posed by Rotarians at the end of his delivery. It was a truly inspiring Vocational talk.
Past President Frank Myers acted as Sergeant at Arms on behalf of Past President Timothy Moffat who is off island.
He raised $85 in fines.
2019-2020 Committees
1. Membership
Mary (Director)
Anthony
Doddy
Tim M.
Marcus
2. Foundation
Malcolm (Director)
Konrad
Digby
Francis
Joe
3. Youth Services
Kurt (Director)
Julian
Tim J.
Sean
Soraya
4. Public Relations / Image
Lisa (Director)
Azmina
Sheba
Ian
5. International Service
Riquette (Director)
Chester
Charlie
6. Vocational
Crissy (Director)
Leathon
Albert
Frank
7. Club Admin / Community Service
Selma (Director)
Paul
Steve
Keturah
Keith
Brad
Jerry
Peter
Rotarians & Friends Deliver Wheelchairs
Our previous publication featured the unpacking and sorting of wheelchairs, which were procured from the Wheelchair Foundation https://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/, through the generous cooperation of the St. Lucia Hotel & Tourism Authority-Tourism Development Fund, which teamed up with Rotary Clubs of St. Lucia by providing funding to the tune of $120,000 for a full container load of over 270 new wheelchairs. The initiative was also accommodated with the cooperation and assistance of the Ministry of Health.
On Wednesday July 17, 2019 the official launch of the distribution of these wheelchairs was facilitated at St. James Club. Present at the ceremony were the Honourable Lenard Spider Montoute - Minister for Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment, Mrs. Karolyn Troubetzkoy - President of the St. Lucia Hotel & Tourism Authority, Mr. John Mathurin - Board Member of the Tourism Development Fund, District Governor Elect Rotarian Lisle Chase, Past President Konrad Wagner and several members of the Rotary Clubs of St. Lucia.
Members of the Rotary clubs will in the weeks ahead, undertake the wider distribution of the remaining wheelchairs across our communities.
Bees pollinate about 400 agricultural plants — nearly three-quarters of the world’s crop species. But bees are dying at an alarming rate, and many of the threats they face are man-made. Intensive agricultural systems have created monoculture landscapes filled with crops that bloom all at once for a short period. These environments lack wildflowers that provide additional sources of pollen. Other natural areas have been developed for commercial, industrial, or residential uses. The changes in habitat make it difficult for bees to move freely from place to place or find a spot to rest while they’re searching for pollen.
In 2018-19, Rotaract clubs in Germany led a nationwide project focused on protecting bees’ habitat on the local level. Through the project, called Bee Alive, members of at least 30 Rotaract clubs built more than 500 "bee hotels," planned where to place them, and educated the community about how bees and humans depend on each other. A Rotarian offered a field that he owned for Rotaractors to turn into a biodiverse meadow to provide bees with sources of pollen. German Rotary clubs as well as several national nonprofits, local beekeeper associations, and other organizations supported the project.
Rotaract is changing communities around the world. Find out more at rotary.org/rotaract.
ROTARY CALENDAR - July 2019
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
THE ROTARY CLUB OF ST. LUCIA
2 July - First Meeting of the 2019-20 Board - Residence of Rotarian Mary Dix 6:00 p.m.
4 July - First Business Meeting - Sandals Halcyon 12:30 p.m.
13 July - Unpacking and Storage of Wheelchairs - IGY Boat Yard, Rodney Bay
17 July - First Wheelchair Distribution Ceremony - St. James Club 10:00 a.m.
A special report prepared for Rotary International by the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies estimated the value of Rotary member volunteer hours at $850 million a year.
To the right >>>Cosmos Segbefia, a member of the Rotary Club of Sekondi-Takoradi, and Derrick Ababio Kwarteng, of Global Communities, assist with the construction of a borehole in the Western Region of Ghana in 2018. A report by Johns Hopkins University prepared for Rotary International estimated that Rotary members provide about 47 million hours of volunteer effort a year at an estimated value of $850 million.
That Rotary members log a lot of volunteer hours should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the organization. But a new report just released by Johns Hopkins University provides a powerful look at the impact of all those volunteer hours.
The special report prepared for Rotary International by the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies found that Rotary members had volunteered a total of 5.8 million hours within a four-week survey period. Extrapolating those results over an entire year, the report gave a conservative estimate of nearly 47 million hours of volunteer effort generated by Rotary members in a typical year.
The report then analyzed the economic impact of all those hours and estimated the value conservatively at $850 million a year, if communities had to pay for the services that Rotary volunteers provide.
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To the right >>>Cosmos Segbefia, a member of the Rotary Club of Sekondi-Takoradi, and Derrick Ababio Kwarteng, of Global Communities, assist with the construction of a borehole in the Western Region of Ghana in 2018. A report by Johns Hopkins University prepared for Rotary International estimated that Rotary members provide about 47 million hours of volunteer effort a year at an estimated value of $850 million.