Three inductions in one meeting is an exciting first for our club, and hopefully highlights our club’s friendliness and wide range of activities – from our Annual Duck Race to the mock interviews we give to students.
The three newbies are Roger Hickman, Irina Marta and Andrew Clague – although Andrew is no stranger to the club, having been a former member. He has also attended many of our events and has given a lot of his time in the ongoing project to gift a drinking water filling station to Canterbury (The Point).
After PP Phil Abbott read out the Objects of Rotary*, the brief induction “ceremony” was conducted by our new President Rosemary Doyle. As well as greeting the inductees, Rosemary reminded everyone that “associated with the duties of being a part of Rotary, there are some responsibilities” – especially towards the community and fellow members.
Rosemary was pleased to hand the inductees their Rotary badges and pins. On receiving his, Roger pulled out what appeared to be a 14-page speech. To the relief of all present he said he’d “cut it short” – instead giving us an anecdote from some years ago, when he had his first contact with Rotary in Cambridge. That club also met on Tuesdays and Roger attended regularly and enjoyed hearing the talks and presentations. “They even paid me for turning up” he said, adding “I was a waiter serving there!” Roger went on to say that he was excited to be a part of the Rotary Community and honoured to be a member of our club.
Irina also expressed her happiness at joining Rotary: “Thank you for making me feel welcome into your family,” she said, adding that she was looking forward to being part of our new Community and Vocational Service Committee.
When it came to Andrew’s turn to collect his Rotary badge – the same one that he originally had – Andrew quipped: “I have to say it’s very kind of you to have me back – especially after last time!”
We will post a little about each new member in separate articles over the coming weeks.
Picture: Our President pictured with the inductees. (L-R) Irina, Roger, Rosemary and Andrew. Picture credit: Rotary Club of Canterbury.
*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.
