The International Day of Peace takes place 21 September. The United Nations General Assembly declared this a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
It is not enough, as People of Action, to simply avoid making war. If we are to Create Hope in the World, we must aggressively wage peace.
On July 1st, Rotary Clubs world-wide ushered in a new era for the new Rotary Year 2023-2024. Leading up to this new year, Clubs throughout District 7030 held their handover ceremonies as they recognized the outgoing Board of Directors (BOD) and handed over the baton to the new team.
Rotary Club of Southwest Tobago BOD
The Rotary Club of Southwest Tobago is thrilled to announce the successful hosting of its highly anticipated Joint Handing Over Ceremony, marking a significant transition of leadership and a renewed dedication to serving the community. The event, held on Saturday, July 8th, 2023, at the Fairways Restaurant, showcased the remarkable achievements of both the Rotary and Interact clubs, while setting the stage for an exciting and impactful year ahead.
Renowned for its unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in society, the Rotary Club of Southwest Tobago solidified this commitment during the Joint Handing Over Ceremony. Outgoing President
Ms. Tracy Osmond-Ashton of the Rotary Club of Southwest Tobago and Kayla Doyle of the Interact Club gracefully passed the torch to the newly inducted Presidents, Ms. Ann Marie Davis and Klavier Simpson respectively, symbolizing the continuity of Rotary's core principles of service, fellowship, and the pursuit of humanitarian goals.
Past District Governor Lara Quentrall-Thomas delivered a thought-provoking and inspirational speech, drawing inspiration from this year's Rotary theme, "Create Hope in the World.”
The Rotary and Interact Clubs of Southwest Tobago extend heartfelt gratitude to all of their stakeholders for their continued support.
See snippets of various Handover Ceremonies /
Incoming BOD throughout District 7030
Rotary Club de Fort de France - Martinique
Rotary Club of San Fernando South
Rotary Club of St. Vincent
District Governor Hand-Over
Rotarians, friends and well-wishers gathered on July 29th, 2023 to view the auspicious moment of the pinning of the 2ND District Governor Brian Glasgow from St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
YOUNG LEADERS IN ACTION
International Youth Day: Shining a light on Rotary's young leaders!
12 August was International Youth Day! To celebrate, Rotary spotlighted three young leaders who champion the power of youth voice and positive youth-adult partnerships: Hannah Shin, Surabhi Pandey, and Alberto Domenighini.
Learn more about the Rotary International Youth Advisory Council and hear directly from Hannah, Surabhi, and Alberto about how to increase the impact of your service projects and develop youth into leaders!
In July 2022, Kennedy Brooks had a life-changing experience: attending RYLA. "In the span of less than four days, I made unbelievable friendships, met mentors who were willing to give me wise counsel, and learned skills that I can use to explore a future of endless opportunities," she reflected. Read more about Kennedy's experience and Missouri RYLA Academy in the August issue of Rotary magazine.
REGISTER FOR THE INTERACT SPONSOR AND ADVISER VIRTUAL TRAINING
Learn about how to make the most of your Interact club in this training! Gain inspiration from a 60-minute panel discussion with diverse Interact leaders from around the world. This webinar will be offered on Saturday,16 September, 08:00 (UTC-5) in English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Everyone who registers will receive access to the recording.
We know you're planning to be in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for District Conference 2024, so we're giving you ten reasons to book that flight for sure!
Follow the District 7030 Conference & Convention Promotion Group on Facebook for all your Conference updates and Countdown to Registration!
HERE'S THE FIRST TWO REASONS TO ATTEND DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2023
La Soufrière Volcano
Tobago Cays
CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD
“The goal is to restore hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves." - R. Gordon R. McInally –
President of Rotary International 2023-2024 Paul Harris (1868-1947), an American attorney-at-law, established the first Rotary Club in Chicago on 23rd February 1905.
It attracted professionals with diverse backgrounds and encouraged the exchange of ideas while simultaneously encouraging the creation and nurturing of valuable, lifelong friendships. From its inception, fellowship and camaraderie were perceived to be foundational even as efforts were being made to engage in valuable community efforts.
Join the global movement on 24 October as Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs around the world take action to promote awareness of polio and raise funding for Rotary’s polio eradication efforts. With poliovirus being reported in previously polio-free areas, the past few years have truly shown that polio anywhere is a threat to children everywhere.
In this critical year for polio eradication, we need your help to show the world the tenacity of Rotary members in accomplishing an audacious goal: a polio-free world. Visit the World Polio Day webpage for resources and tips on how you and your club can participate in promoting a polio-free world on 24 October.
On May 1, Mind Matters Foundation Suriname and Rotary Club of Paramaribo Quota jointly launched the 'Talk About It' suicide awareness campaign. Suriname's rank in the top 5 of global suicide rates necessitate open discussions on this issue, especially among young adults. Therefore, the campaign addressed them specifically. For three months impactful videos and informative posts were shared thrice weekly on both Mind Matters Foundation and Rotary Quota social media. The campaign's website, www.mindmatterssuriname.com, went live on May 1st, offering valuable information for those struggling with suicidal thoughts. The reach on Facebook and Instagram was 209,590 and 57,397.
FUN FUND RAISER & AEROBIC BURNOUT COMPETITION
In order to raise much needed funds for our service projects for the new Rotary Year, the Rotary Club of Southwest Tobago embarked on an aerobic burnout session and fundraiser. We were also trying to raise funds to finance our Back to School Project later in August.
Members of the fund raising & finance committee were instrumental in planning the entire activity from beginning to end. Flyers were posted on social media advertising the event which was open to members of the public & Fitness clubs on the island. Business places also sponsored drinks to sell at the event and there was also a lineup of eats which included boiled corn, meat pies, chicken souse, cheese sandwiches and Phlourie for sale. The eventual chosen location ... (Store Bay Beach Facility... for the event) proved to be an ideal one due to the constant flow of foot traffic as people got ready for a swim or organized a trip to the world famous Buccoo Reef.
As the evening progressed, our Aerobic Session got underway with members of the public and some Rotarians joining in the fun.... even though the clubs were a no show. Everyone had lots of fun on the greens as the aerobics trainers took us through our various paces. A music truck which we had organized .... was parked nearby and provided pulsating rhythms for the participants as they sweated it out on the greens.
Other Rotarians were otherwise engaged in selling eats or drinks to the hungry and thirsty public. We also had a donation box and members of the public gave generously to the cause. We had also hired a youthful individual who hyped up the public during the burnout session and who also told our Rotary story.... thereby branding our club and sensitizing the public to our various activities.
At the end of the burnout session, each participant received a medal and a certificate of participation, while the overall winner also received a trophy. Photos were taken of each participant near to our Club banners. At the end of it all, the Club made a profit, and all committee members were pleased with the end result. As the shades of night began to fall, we tidied up our space, and got ready to depart for our various homes.... after an enjoyable evening of Rotarian fun, food, and fellowship.
ROTARY SOUTH AND FRIENDS OF SVG ASSIST STUDENTS IN NORTH WINDWARD
Last Friday, August 18th, Rotary Club of St. Vincent South partnered with the Friends of St. Vincent & the Grenadines (in Toronto) to assist 40 children with ‘Back to School’ books, supplies, uniforms and shoes in preparation for the new school year. Each student was given a voucher of $200 for the relevant stores selling school items. The funding was donated by the Friends of SVG, whilst Rotary Club of St Vincent South arranged the selection and distribution of the supply’s vouchers with the head teachers and the Min. of Education.
Each student received a $200 voucher. These were distributed in a small handover ceremony by members of Rotary St Vincent South, including President Glynis Hay, to head teachers at the Kingstown Public Library.
The teachers expressed their sincere gratitude for the donations which will go a long way to assist those children most in need.
Rotary South continues to work with the Friends of SVG Association, in Toronto, and thanks them for their continued efforts in joining us in providing selfless service to our communities where possible.
