Regular Meeting / Guest Speaker

WaterSafe Project in Sichuan

生產力局聯同港京扶輪社及香港復康力量

延續「淨水送山區 四川關懷行動」

四川大地震三周年將至，部分偏遠鄉鎮的居民仍然要飲用未經處理的水，對健康構成威脅。針對此問題，香港生產力促進局(生產力局)在港京扶輪社的贊助及香港復康力量的合作下，延續「淨水送山區 四川關懷行動」，將其研發的電動式WaterSafe薄膜淨水系統，贈予區內的偏遠小學，為當地師生提供安全食水。

生產力局總裁麥鄧碧儀表示：「四川大地震後，為協助災區舒緩因供水設施損毀而引起之安全食水供應問題，生產力局專家運用其環境管理專業知識，將應用於工業污水處理的先進薄膜過濾技術，開發了WaterSafe淨水系統，隨後聯同本局義工隊送往災區及跟進運作。今年，我們得到港京扶輪社及香港復康力量的支持，延續這個『行動』，將四套電動式系統送給兩間山區小學。我們希望將此項活動的經驗與更多志願團體及機構分享，獲得更多支持，長期推行這個項目，為山區居民提供安全及優質的食水。」

港京扶輪社社長連漢森表示：「港京扶輪社自1994年成立以來， 一直關注內地衛生水源的問題。 由於知道四川德陽市中江縣聯合鎮群星分校及樂山市馬邊縣沙腔鄉沙腔中心小學的水源因地震及水災而備受污染， 因此聯同國際伙伴泰國的Sathorn 扶輪社(Rotary Club of Sathorn) 和台北的中原扶輪社， 以及香港生產力促進局和香港復康力量， 希望透過今次服務計劃"四川關懷行動"向上述的學校提供四台電動淨水機， 為大約一千五百位師生供應衛生的食水。

在今次的計劃中， 每一個恊辦單位各司其職 - 港京扶輪社除了負責一切的聯絡的工作外， 還負責為今次的計劃籌務有關的經費， 監察經費的運用和計劃的進度。 香港生產力促進局不僅是計劃的技術顧問， 還負責製造、運送和安裝電動淨水機。 作為電動淨水機的擁有者，香港復康力量負責監察淨水機在安裝後的運作、 維修和檢討。 至於我們的國際伙伴泰國的Sathorn 扶輪社 和台北的中原扶輪社， 其社員則會到四川參觀上述的學校及監察計劃的完成。 我們希望今次的服務計劃不僅能夠為上述的學校提供衛生的食水， 而且還可以作為未來同樣問題的解決方案， 令更多的災民受惠。」

負責開發這個系統的生產力局環境管理部首席顧問馬耀華博士表示，利用薄膜技術除了可隔除所有細菌、腸道寄生蟲和沙石雜質外，更可隔濾高達九成病毒。淨水系統只需接上普通家用電源即可使用，每套系統每小時可過濾八百公升淨水，以每人每日飲用兩公升水計算，每小時可過濾足夠四百人飲用的食水，若每天運作十二小時，逾四千人可受惠。

該批系統將運往四川德陽市中江縣聯合鎮群星分校及樂山市馬邊縣沙腔中心小學安裝，為合共一千七百多名師生提供安全食水。

2011年5月6日的發佈會上，身兼香港復康力量文化、藝術、教育發展大使的著名藝人陳玉蓮也分享了在當地探訪的經驗及居民對安全食水的需要。

MG Project - Elderly Centres

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION MATCHING GRANT PROJECT

IMPROVEMENT IN THE FACILITIES FOR THE ELDERS

WOMEN’S WELFARE CLUB WESTERN DISTRICT HONG KONG

KWAN KAI MING MEMORIAL CHUNG HOK ELDERLY CENTRE &

CHUNG HOK SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY

Kwan Kai Ming Memorial Chung Hok Elderly Centre & Chung Hok Social Centre for the Elderly are situated at Shaukeiwan & the Western District in the Hong Kong Island respectively, which are the old developed areas with a large population of old people living in the neighborhood.

The 2 elderly centres have about 2,000 members, a great majority between the age of 70 to 90, and 20% of them are living singly. They provide service to the elders to live a positive old age life in the community with which they are familiar. The 2 centres are 80% subsidized by the government for their running expenses and they have to raise their own funds to finance the balance.

The 2 centres need improvement in the facilities for the elders, including a massage chair for the elders who have long term pain problems and related diseases; a projector for educational talks and movies; Wii consoles for the elders’ exercise and fun; and computers to be used by the elders and the teaching staff.

The equipments will be installed in the 2 centres according to their needs and the availability of space. The centres are situated in the densely populated areas where the demand for service is great. The tight centre space and limited facilities require the staff to manage the use of the equipments carefully. The staff will organize scheduled use of the massage chair and the Wii consoles, organize educational and health talks and movie programs for the elders regularly, and organize computer classes and schedule the use of the computers. The staff will arrange continuous maintenance program for the equipments.

Rotarians, their spouses and children of the club will visit the centres, organize gatherings with the elders, show their care and love for them. The members of the club will supervise the acquisition, exercise control of the funding and the installation. The Rotarians from the International Partner will monitor the funding, come to Hong Kong to visit the centres and show their care about the elders.

Bring Me a Book Project

Bring Me a Book Project

Provide 3 libraries with quality books with bookshelves to 3 Kindergartens

The project is to provide 3 libraries with quality books with bookshelves to 3 Kindergartens.

The 3 Kindergartens are operated by the Women’s Welfare Club Western District, a NGO with limited subsidy from the government.

The libraries are acquired from the reading specialist organization “Bring Me a Book” which  provide the books and the training to the teachers of the Kindergartens. The books are selected by experts from the US and HK and they are the best books for children.

“Bring Me a Book” will provide annual training and books update to the Kindergartens to make sure the libraries are used properly.

Notebook computers and digital cameras are acquired for the Kindergartens to improve the teaching facilities.

Career Expo 2011

We are proud to have organized this career expo for the tenth straight year.  Over the years, we have worked with over 300 professionals and benefited over 2,500 students from various secondary schools.  

Careers Expo 2011 was held in January 2011 at Hotung Secondary School. The Careers Expo 2011 was organised and sponsored by Rotary Club of Kingspark Hong Kong together with Hotung Secondary School; and supported by Queen's College, Wah Yan College - Hong Kong, Shau Kei Wan Government Secondary School and TSK Victoria Government Secondary School.

The Careers Expo 2011 brought a number of professionals from various industries to share their valuable career journeys with students, and the videos of the recommended talks are being uploaded below. We hope students can learn more about their future careers and what qualifications are required of them so they can build communities and bridge continents!

*Special thanks to Hotung Secondary School for their prompt support to the building of Career Guidance Resources Sharing Platform and generous sharing of videos with other teachers.

more video on hkedcity

Member's Article

Member's Article

Coming Soon....

President Letter 02 - Stephen Lin

Stephen Lin

RC Kingspark President's Message

You are about to step onto the Kingspark bus which will be going through the township called Joyous Service. If you are prepared to have fun and joy in Fellowship and Service, you have come on the right bus! In preparation for this bus trip, we just flew back from Taiwan after completing our International Service project with our sister clubs from Taipei and Bangkok. Has everyone buckled up? We are ready to go!

The first stop is Kingspark Camp: Vocation Service called “Glass shoes” in a Dongguan shoe factory; followed by a Community Service project called “Little Bag” in a Guangdong Children’s Home; and Club Service called “Jump or Die” in a Qing Yuan Water Park.. And after all this, you can relax in a 5-star hotel with a gigantic swimming pool. The most important are not the exciting places, but rather the care and interaction of the people within these Service projects. The next stop is the Vocational Speaker Hall of Fame where Hong Kong artist Ms. Jade Kwan gives a heartfelt sharing about her life story. You see lots of young men and women asking questions about her positive energy. Coming to our final stop today is the Elderly Homes in the Western District where we will enjoy a morning playing games with and performing for a group of elderly men and women. More to come in our next ride…

For those of you are looking for joyous service, Welcome to Kingspark.

August 1, 2010

From the Editor, The Very Existence of Kingspark News – By Francis Wann

2010-2011
Issue 02 - 2010.7.30

From the Editor

The Very Existence of Kingspark News – By Francis Wann

I was hesitating if I should contribute yet another editorial to kingspark News , knowing that its days are numbered, and that the snapshots will take over.

But I felt compelled to make a few points after reading remarks from Webmaster John and other members. I wonder if any members have read the last editorial on Council on Legislation, but it probably was the first time I got feedback from outside, and most of it not at all complimentary.

But any feedback is better than no feedback, if you would imagine Kingspark News has been in existence for years and if it's any good, it's only two or at most three articles including the President's Column. No frills, no visuals, no graphics. that's it. You can say people like us or hate us for the same reason.

I would not delve into details of the feedback which was relayed to me by YK who was our District Representative at the Council, but to be fair I owe him an apology for writing about his family which he was not amused. But apart from that, I stand by my words. There were those who thought I was not qualified to write about the Council, those who thought it was irrelevant , and those who claimed YK's official article was enough.

This indeed raises the fundamental issue of editorial, and it's all the more relevant as we see our bulletin at the crossroads. Webmaster John said he had high hopes on this article. The subject can be examined from various angles, and with different premises and arguments. The article did contain a few typos and factual errors. Yes, they were factual, not fatal, errors. I learnt afterwards that there was indeed some confusion regarding the $1 levy for the RI convention, and regarding the appointment of the district representative to the next COL.

Undesirable as these errors were, they won't affect the nature of the editorial. My focus was different, and readers can always make their own judgements.

It's unfortunate if my writings got on their nerve, but I am a writer-editor, not a reporter; and it was an editorial, not an interview. if some readers are able to read between the lines and get something out of it, then it has more than served its purpose. And if for that matter, they continue to read other materials or want to get involved with Rotary, it will be a bonus.

Pie in the sky? not necessarily.

Kingspark News has always existed as a platform for discussion, but sadly it's terribly underused. Some say we must move with the times which, in my understanding, means no articles but only messages. Perhaps the Facebook mentality has it all - now it won't publish anything with more than 140 words. Or shall we ask them to follow us on Twitter?

As Charter President, John has always been critical about club affairs. Michael Eyles once even used the term fearful. When Stephen showed me the new homepage of our new bulletin, it was clear he had the younger generation in mind. But would they take the trouble to click into our site and read? And if they do, what can we offer, spiritually and intellectually?

On the eve of our new publication, I would still wish to reiterate that it's important that our bulletin let members see a sense of direction. And for any publication worth a name under Rotary, it must be more than a calendar and event reminder. It's not a question of PR work, and it takes time to establish our credibility. When less than 10% of our Rotary clubs run a regular newsletter, the very existence of our club bulletin is called into question.  

From the Editor, Council on Legislation – By Francis Wann

2010-2011

Issue 01 – 2010.7.2

From the Editor

Council on Legislation – By Francis Wann
A well known character within Rotary and District Governor for 1996-7, Y K Cheng of Island East must be considered an old hand in the family with his dad H K Cheng also a Rotarian.

I'm not sure if any of our Legco or Exco members today are also Rotarians themselves, and if our policy secretaries made their decisions based on the 4-way test, we would probably see a very different political landscape here.

Y K came with a huge Rotary file. it was all the official papers which arrived at his office last December for a bit of background reading before he went to Chicago in late April for the Council on Legislation, the legislative arm of Rotary.

I doubt very much if anybody in an average mindset would read it that way. Indeed as Y K mentioned in his brief report, everything - or almost everything - was available on RI's website. Yes, literally it's only a click away.

I remember six years ago I talked to Moses Cheng who was the district representative for this council. It was certainly an enlightening experience and you got to see how other Rotarians worldwide put their heads together to make it a better world. Perhaps one minute wasn't what you'd expect at the Council to put forward your case.

But time has changed. Though Y K conceded he didn't go to the Council with a district mission, he did manage to get involved in various plenary sessions, and in his own capacity, contribute his opinions. The onslaught of internet has come a long way since then, and today increased opportunities for travel or overseas studies has made our Rotary scholarships simply less attractive. And as Y K pointed out, there were financial considerations. The Council this year started straight away on a Sunday without any orientation and ran continuously until the next Friday to avoid hotel expenses over the weekend.

It's interesting to note that a Council proposal which recommended a US$1 levy on every Rotarian across the board to subsidize the Council was rejected after lengthy deliberations. As we know, delegates go to the Council at their own expenses, and while it is also considered an honour to represent the district, the expenses incurred might have been overwhelming for members in relatively poorer countries. Well Y K must be wondering how Rotarians today have gone into such a sorry state...

While Rotary has been helping to tackle poverty over the century, it might not be easy for some Rotarians to fully understand its implications. Poverty exists everywhere, but when you found that other delegates had to argue over one dollar extra levy, or why water could be so precious to them, you know we still have a lot to learn. Cultural differences apart, it must have been an eye opener for the old boy from St Paul's Co-ed.

Y K told me he didn't take the A-levels in Hong Kong, and when he returned from the States, he joined his dad's consultancy company and is still its director today. Cheng Hon Kwan, a former chairperson of Housing Authority, has virtually retired from his many facets of public life some seven or eight years ago. I looked at Y K's card and his various appointments outside Rotary, the latest of which is from the Hospital Authority. It's not difficult to understand why he's always on the move. Charter President John said he might have to wait for at least 12 years to be appointed a district representative for the Council on Legislation. Not necessarily, argued Y K. While representation is traditionally based on seniority, if some more senior past governors decided not to go for whatever reasons, the more junior ones could be selected ahead of time. The next appointment will be made shortly after DG Jason takes office this month.

RI is concerned about strategic planning at district level, which means strong leadership, humanitarian projects, and membership. Y K admitted while he admired the leadership displayed in the organization of this Council, he was often frustrated when delegates argued at length over something he considered pretty trivial. He was also not amused when e-clubs which were run on trial basis have become official, and in some districts, two e-clubs are allowed for language reasons. Again, cultural differences, if you might say.

But what amazed him was the introduction of the fifth avenue, ie, New Generations. Isn't it what we've already been doing? Why come under an offficial title? Y K's worry is not without reasons. With this recognition, projects which previously dealt with community service with young people or students involved will now come under the fifth avenue, and in practical terms it will affect how funds are allocated in the future.

We touched on a whole range of subjects, and inevitably we talked about our outgoing District Governor Ada. Well, I ran an editorial on her shortly before she took office, and suddenly she's finished her term. I still remember it was Y K who introduced her officially at the installation. That's a year already, laughed Y K. I said I was sometimes annoyed that Ada didn't upload her DG's newsletter on time, and Y K said he noticed some other people shared similiar views on the matter. Yes I remember how she talked about her ambitions, and her aspirations. I'm sure she remembers too.

I talked about all the glorious titles the District has created - Assistant Governors, Area Secretaries, this and that committee, etc. Incidentally, Y K's also Chair of China Extension Committee. It's difficult to understand the real nature of all these titles, but as Y K said, it gives you an air of importance, and instant recognition anyway. Well, Ada must have said something similar.

I've often thought that as the mastermind of the Rotary family, the role of a DG is more ceremonial than practical. Whatever he or she did, it should be more than pinning the Rotary pins, Y Klaughed. As a PDG of more than ten years standing, he knew what he was talking about.

President Letter 01 - Stephen Lin

Stephen Lin

RC Kingspark President's Message

Dear Kingsparicans and Friends,

I hope you like the bus ride to Joyous Service.  Reading the book “better together – What on earth are we here for,” I have borrowed the words and ideas of the author Rick Warren in this letter.  We fellowship better together.  Real fellowship takes us beyond just socializing and dining together and into deeper levels of serving together and even sometimes going through tough times together.  A Rotarian friend once told me: When his father, also a fellow Rotarian, was retired and getting old, it was his Rotarian friends who stuck with him all through the years.

We serve better together.  Kingsparicans are the heroes of Kingspark.  We can compensate for each other’s weaknesses, we are more efficient, we multiply our effectiveness, we can move mountains and we can support each other when we are tired or discouraged.  I shared with my board members exactly that experience.  I am so grateful to my board members and committee chairs for being just the way you are. Together our positive energy flows. Someone once pointed out that snowflakes are frail, but when enough of them stick together, they can stop traffic.  Similarly, you and I may feel like we can’t make much of a difference as individuals.  Together in Kingspark that is committed to Joyous Service – we can make a difference in our community and our world.

Best in Rotary,
Stephen