It’s the start of the new Rotary year and the Rotary Club of Hibiscus Coast has a new president in Gavin Jepson, who takes over from Brian Blumrick.
The ‘virtual’ induction dinner took place last week with Rotarians from all over gathered around the computers.
Brian, now the immediate past president, reported on his year in office, sharing some of the success stories.
Under his leadership, the signature fund-raising project, Uvongo Flea Market flourished and enabled 150 traders to trade in a safe and nourishing environment.
Members and traders are in the process of getting it ready for reopening as soon as possible. Brian spoke about many other achievements such as the building and developing of a beading and sewing school in Gclima and a community farming school whose aim is to teach neighbours to grow vegetables.
The Rotary Family Health days held in October last year at the Margate Clinic were an enormous success and the support from the Department of Health and other stakeholders was amazing.
Support and equipment were given to special needs children and matriculants from various schools participated in the annual Rotary driven Team Talks.
The club’s two Interact Clubs, Margate Middle School 3D Interact and Creston College Eaglecrest Interact, showed remarkable leadership and participated in various community projects.
Other fundraisers are the annual golf day and fun grandparents walk, which as always were as pleasurable as they were successful.
Rotarians rallied in the Covid-19 crisis, with the assistance of Gift of the Givers, Uvongo Spar and many individuals, putting their resources together to provide food parcels for many families.
Newly inducted President Gavin Jepson, also District Governor nominee for 2022-2023, addressed the virtual audience with his usual confidence and positivity.
Gavin said that, looking forward, ‘we all have to do things differently and create our own new normal’. “Whether we will ever get back close to the old normal is highly debatable. However this is what Rotary is about, and Rotary has opened new opportunities to continue operating and still serve our communities, albeit in a different way,” he said.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
