Beyond Adversity - Opportunity awaits at our first club meeting for 2018-19.

17th July 2018 marked our first club meeting for the 2018-19 year and we had Molina Swarup Asthana as our guest speaker talking about "Opportunity in the face of adversity". The topic relates to how we as individuals, groups and/or organisations should approach in tackling hurdles and changes in this fast pacing world we live in. In fact, it is so relevant to what Rotary is undergoing at present - with flexibility of meeting frequency, ability to meet either face-to-face or online, having diverse membership, engaging with volunteers, promotion of Rotary through events/projects and many others.

We had a number of guests who came along;

• Past District Governor Neville John from Rotary Club of Central Melbourne
• Aria Brar, Elizabeth Mahoney & Sanjeet Bains from Justice Connect
• Edgar Camacho - Southbank Resident & Friend of Rotary (through Past President Darren Veerapa from Rotary Club of North Melbourne)
• Adam Breman - Friend of Rotary (through Past President Steven Aquilina)

It was a memorable meeting for two reasons:

• Past District Governor Dr. Rajindar Singh (my dad) from our sister club; Rotary Club of Teluk Intan, Malaysia - District 3300 has been re-appointed as International Assembly Training Leader for 2019 - that means he will be training District Governor-Elect Grant Hocking, potentially! To be a Training Leader for two (2) consecutive terms (2018, 2019) is indeed a rare achievement and we congratulate him on his re-appointment.
• Four (4) years since the MH17/MAS17 airplane crash happened in Eastern Ukraine and my uncle Karamjit Singh (my father's youngest brother) was in that plane flying from Amsterdam to Malaysia from his international work assignment with Exxon Mobil Malaysia. It wasn't easy for my family and I, as he was a gem of a person who did tremendous work for the Sikh community in Malaysia and through his vocation as Safety Adviser in the petroleum industry - he demonstrated the real meaning of "Service Above Self". He was a Rotarian with Rotary Club of Melawati, Malaysia - District 3300 and was also an Interactor at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) in Ipoh, Malaysia during his high school days. You will find articles online which I encourage you to read and learn more about Karamjit Singh.
  • https://barusahib.org/general/story-of-karamjit-singh-a-victim-of-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh17-tragedy/
  • https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2014/08/22/mh17-karamjit-singh-always-the-helpful-man/
  • https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/many-questions-for-family-of-mh17-victim-karamjit-singh-662846
  • https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/remembering-malaysias-mh17-victim-safety-adviser-fuels-his-sons-passion-for-medicine
  • https://www.malaymail.com/s/732129/mh17-victim-karamjit-singh-given-last-rites-in-port-klang
  • https://www.sikh24.com/2014/07/27/karamjit-singh-sikh-victim-of-malaysia-airlines-flight-17-crash/#.W09eWbh9g2w
  • http://english.astroawani.com/malaysia-news/mh17-family-decides-cremate-karamjit-singh-malaysia-41988

Remember to keep the following dates free and to RSVP on our website:

• 24th July 2018 - Board Meeting
• 29th July 2018 - Run Melbourne, Fundraiser for Steps Outreach Service & Tree Planting Day, co shared event with the Rotary Club of Croydon
• 31st July 2018 - Batman Cluster Meeting

Photos:

LEFT: 17th July 2018 - Jasmin, Molina (Guest Speaker) and President Amrit

RIGHT: Past District Governor (District 3300) Dr. Rajindar Singh & Past Assistant Governor Surendra Kaur - picture taken during Rotary Club of Melbourne's Changeover on 27th June 2018 at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins