10th December 2013 - Rotary Club of Raffles City Website

Chartered 13 August 1980
Meeting: The Singapore Cricket Club, Every Tuesday 12.45pm
RI Calendar / DECEMBER: Rotary Family Month
Bulletin Issue 22 / Dec 2013
Lunch Meeting on 10th Dec 2013
RCRC is renewing itself with a bumper crop of new members. Following the recent inductions of
Rtns Jacky Wong & Florian Weidinger is the induction of Rtn Andrew Schleider. After the
induction of Rtn Andrew, Pres Jeffrey Chan personally introduced every member as well as visiting
PDG Chris Chen to our newest member.
The other event was the talk by our guest speaker, Supt Patrick Ng, Chief Executive of the
Industrial and Services Cooperative Society Ltd (ISCOS) on Welfare of prisoners & their families.
The compelling statistic which caught the audience’s attention was that local & international studies
reveal a strong inter-generational offending by youths whose parents or close relatives are
incarcerated in prison. The local study conducted in Singapore in 2007 reveals that children of
incarcerated parents are 8 times more likely to offend than rate of the general population. It also
reveals that child offending is 5 times higher AFTER the father’s release from prison.
ISCOS was established in 1989 by the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprise (SCORE)
under the purview of Ministry of Home Affairs. The primary aim of ISCOS is to provide seamless
aftercare support to ex-offenders as they return & reintegrate into society. To date ISCOS has
provided assistance to over 13,000 members through various programmes & services. Mr Ng than
focused on their Fairy Godparent Programme which seeks to break the cycle of inter-generational
offending among children of ex-offenders from low income families. Essentially the assistance /
mentoring are categorised under Family Support, Student Development & Home Environment. Their
organisation carries out a client needs assessment to ascertain whether the child falls under high,
medium or low level of needs. Mr Ng concluded his presentation with several true case studies
where the Fairy Godparent Programme had made impactful assistance to help these vulnerable
children to break the vicious cycle they are caught in.
PP Mohan Pillay in thanking our speaker pointed out that most of us will never be exposed to the
needs of this group of children. It is heartening to note the valuable work that organisations like ISCOS
perform & it deserve our support as Rotarians.
Our Sgt-at-arm PP Mohan ably assisted by his assistant PP Aaron Tan was also highly successful in
garnering a Sunshine Box contribution of S$335 from a smallish group of 19 members & guests in
attendance.
Photos of meeting on 10 Dec 2013
Induction of Rtn Andrew Schleider
Sunshine Box contributions
Guest Speaker Supt Patrick Ng of ISCOS
President’s Column
PRESIDENT’S BLOG – Week of 9 DECEMBER 2013 (submitted from Vietnam)
Dear Members,
As 2013 draws to a close, the Rotary Club of Raffles City is entering into what is probably our most
active period for this Rotary Year. Our meeting of 10 December saw the welcoming into our ranks
of another new member, Andrew Schleider. Andrew is a leading corporate lawyer with the US law
firm of Sherman & Sterling. Most importantly to us he is a keen golfer and will surely boost the
golfing prowess of our club. Andrew is now the only American member of our club. Given the very
American roots of the Rotary Movement, an American member is something that is sorely missed.
Happily this has been addressed. Hopefully, through Andrew, we can have a few more American
members to join in our very international fellowship of members.
Our guest speaker, Mr Patrick Ng, Chief Executive of the Industrial and Services Cooperative
Society Ltd (ISCOS) informed us of an area of need where many of us have little knowledge of. This
is the needs of ex-prisoners and their families, who are often among the most dispossessed
among the needy in our society. The difficulties faced on a day to day basis by this group of the
needy are sad indeed. Patrick mentioned the relationship between dyslexia and criminality,
something that we, who established the Dyslexia Association of Singapore, are not aware of. This
is an area that we as a club can assist in addressing and I have asked Dirk Lenz, Vocational Service
Director, to see what our club can do in this area.
Very quickly after this meeting we will be having our Annual Visit to the Red Cross Home for the
Disabled on Sunday 15 December and, on the very next day 16 December, all of us will be
gathering for our Annual Major Project, the Charity Film Show of "The Hobbits: The Desolation of
Smaug" . The major beneficiary of this fund raiser will be the Simei Care Centre with the Dyslexia
Association of Singapore and the Crohn and Colitis Society of Singapore as the other beneficiaries.
At last count all tickets are sold out. We are privileged to have our District Governor Chew Ghim
Bock and his spouse Phyllis joining us for this event.
Then, the very next day, before we can take our breadth, we have our Annual General Meeting
where the new Board for 2014/2015 will be elected. We look forward to welcoming Sigrid as our
President-Elect for 2016/2017, and our second lady President in a row. To mark the occasion, the
Cricket Club will be dishing out its Christmas menu, complete with turkey, ham and log cake. That
will be our final meeting for 2013.
But that is not the end of this very busy and exciting 2013 for our club. The day after that,
Wednesday18 Dec is our club's annual golf tournament at the Seletar Country Club, followed by a
sumptuous dinner arranged for by Johnson Tan.
Our final club event for the year will be our Annual Christmas Party to be held on 20 December at
the residence of PP Chin Koy Nam. Koy Nam is hosting this meeting to commemorate the recent
wedding of his daughter Wei Shan. All of us should make an effort to attend this final club event of
the year.
The very last Rotary event of 2013 for all of us would be the Rotary Family Day on 28 December at
the MDIS campus at Stirling Rd. This is when all the Rotarians of Singapore get together with our
families and each other for a time of good food and fellowship as a highlight of the Rotary Family
Month. This is an event not to be missed and is a quintessential part of the Rotary experience.
The final month of 2013 is thus a very busy month for all of us. We should all make it a point to
participate in all these Rotary and Club events. These have been organized with great effort by
Rotarians who do this not because of any expectation of reward but purely out of love and
commitment to the Rotary ideals. The best way we can acknowledge their efforts and salute them
for their commitment and effort is to turn up at all these events and join in with other Rotarians
and their families to conclude this year by thoroughly engaging, and enjoying, Rotary.
See you all at these events!
Jeffrey Chan
President, R C of Raffles City
Events Report
RCRC donations to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan
Following is the final breakdown on members’ contribution:
1. To Rotary District 3310, for distribution to the relevant Rotary Districts in Phillipines
S$2,475
2. To Rotary District 3310, for the Purchase of 8 Shelterboxes to be delivered and erected at the
affected areas in Philippines
S$10,000
3. To Singapore Red Cross
S$1,000
Total
S$13,475
Prepared by Hon Treasurer PP Ron Pereira
RI / District Announcement
Rotary Family Day (in commemoration of December Rotary Family month)
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Sat, 28 Dec 2013
Whole day
MDIS Campus at Stirling Rd, Queenstown
Rotarians and families, plus Interactors, Rotaractors and all friends of Rotary are encouraged to attend.
There will be food and games stalls and stage shows throughout the day. This is not a fund- raiser. It is
a bonding / fellowship event in conjunction with the Rotary theme for December which is Family of
Rotary Month.
Kindly let PP Vincent Chen posted if you are able to participate.
Club Announcements (in Dec 2013)
Christmas turkey preparation demonstration
Date:
Time:
Venue:
(Date changed)
Sat 14 Dec 2013
2.00pm
PP Chin Koy Nam’s residence
Planned as a ladies event conducted by Dr Gan See Khem, spouse of Dr Chin Koy Nam. She will be
demonstrating preparation of turkey for the festive season.
Inform First Lady Susan at < [email protected] > if you / your spouse are able to join in.
Alternative liaison person is PP Wee Koon San at <[email protected]>
The dates have been changed to coincide with the weekend for the convenience of ladies who are
working …
Christmas turkey roasting session
Date:
Time:
Venue:
(Date changed)
Sun 15 Dec 2013
3.00pm
26, Rochalie Drive (Residence of PP Chin Koy Nam & Dr Gan See Khem)
The conclusion to special cooking tips sessions by Dr Gan See Khem. Please indicate your attendance if
you or your spouse would like to enjoy unique cooking fellowship.
Visit to Red Cross Home for the Disabled
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Sun 15 Dec 2013
2.00pm
8 Lengkok Bahru #04-01
Family Link @Lengkok Bahru
Planned as our annual X’mas visit where RCRC Members and Families are invited to join on this visit to
bring some Cheer to the Residents of the Red Cross Home for the Disabled. It is a Joint Project of
RCRC’s Community Service and Youth Committees and the Rotaractors from our Sponsored Rotaract
Clubs of Raffles City & Ngee Ann Polytechnic will be there to spend 2 hours with the Disabled Residents,
who are all bed-ridden or wheel-chair bound. We shall all go to the wards and sing Christmas Carols and
Songs and distribute small presents to all the Residents. The Rotaractors will also be bringing along to
RCHD food and sundries, which have been requested by the Home. RCRC will be providing $1500 to the
Rotoractors to purchase the presents for the Residents and gifts for RCHD.
Kindly indicate your participation to PP Ron Pereira by sms or email. PP Ron would like to bring the
RCRC group together to visit the ward; a tradition since 1995.
Charity Film Show; The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Mon 16 Dec 2013
9.00pm
Lido 1 cinema, Orchard Road
The cost of the show is fully sponsored and tickets are being given out for donations of $50 per ticket.
Please follow link for publicity on film
http://www.thehobbit.com/index.html
Mon, December 16, 2013 Lido 1
Annual General Meeting
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Tues 17 Dec 2013
12.45pm
Gilmour Room, SCC
Christmas menu will be served. Highlight will be nomination & election of Board of Directors headed by
PE Corina Lai in RY 2014-2015
RCRC Annual Golf Tournament
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Wed 18 Dec 2013
Afternoon tee time (check with convener, PP Eugene Lim)
Seletar CC
At stake are the Charter President Trophy & Roshen Daruwalla Trophy for the man & lady golf champion
respectively. Please contact PP Eugene Lim for participation details.
Cancelled lunch meetings
Dates:
Tues 24 Dec (Christmas Eve) & Tues 31 Dec (New Year’s Eve)
Tues 17 Dec 2013 which is our RCRC AGM will also be the last weekly lunch meeting for 2013.
Tues 7 Jan 2014 will be our first meeting of the New Year.
Club Announcements (beyond Dec 2013)
RCRC Events to note
DECEMBER:
· Sat 14 Dec & Sun 15 Dec Turkey cooking demonstration by Dr Gan See Khem
· Sun 15 Dec Annual X’mas visit to Red Cross Home for the Disabled
· Mon 16 Dec Charity Film Show, Lido 1 cinema “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”
· Tues 17 Dec Annual General Meeting
· Wed 18 Dec Annual Golf Tournament at Seletar Country Club
· Fri 20 Dec RCRC Christmas Fellowship at the residence of PP Dr Chin Koy Nam
JANUARY 2014
· Tues 7 Jan Speaker, Colonel Gurcharan Singh; Hon. President of the Singapore Cricket
Club. Topic will be on the Singapore Cricket Club.
· Tues 14 Jan; regular lunch meeting changed to a dinner meeting commencing at 7.00pm
· Tues 28 Jan Speaker, Rtn Galena Gusarevich from RC Queenstown. A former Rotary Exchange
student from Russia who attended our earlier lunch meeting in late Oct will speak to us.
FEBRUARY 2014
· Sun 9 Feb 2014 RCRC Lunar New Year Fellowship. Venue planned is at Singapore Island Country
Club, Bukit clubhouse (the one located on Sime Road off Adam Road). Time 7.00pm
· Tues 11 Feb 2014 Speaker, Ms Julie Lau of the Parkinson’s Disease Society of Singapore.
· Sun 23 Feb 2014 Rotary World Understanding & Peace Day. Further details to be announced.
MARCH 2014:
· 27 - 28 March 2014 PETS & District Training Assembly (KSL Resorts Hotel, JB)
MAY 2014
· 16-18 May 2014 District Conference (Bayview Beach Resorts, Penang)
Month
Next Week: 10 Dec 2013
Desk Duty
Ron Pereira
17 Dec 2013
Mohan Pillay
7 Jan 2014
Low Siew Joon
14 Jan 2014
Kaka Singh
21 Jan 2015
Sorinder Singh
28 Jan 2015
Nidhi Swarup
Members’ Celebrations in December
Birthdays
Wedding Anniversaries
1st Gerald Lim
4th Frankie Tan
19th Chin Koy Nam
11th Ron Pereira
26th Johnson Tan
11th Wee Koon San
28th Dirk Lenz
11th Daniel Low
17th Joseph Foo
18th Russi Ghadiali
18th Dirk Lenz
25th Johnson Tan
26th Philbert Chin
Before We End …
Malaysia Best Ten Durians
The selection of the best 10 Malaysian durians is based on durian epicurean.
Malaysian durians now command better prices and profits too. Enjoy the countdown...
Number 10 Kulit Hijau
Almost similar to Lipas Kuning. Kulit Hijau taste is rich, sweet and creamy but the flesh is slightly hard
and yellowish white in colour.
Number 9 Amy Yip
Amy Yip disguises its rich and sweet taste under spherical shape skin of long thorns. You will find
delicious 1-4 cloves per pod in there too!
Number 8 Penang D24
With the shape of a heart, this type of durian is soft and creamy in texture and it comes with
deliciously sweet and creamy taste too!
Number 7 XO Durian
Really creamy and taste so much better.
Number 6 ThRaka
It's also called 竹脚. High quality fragrant durian with small seeds. Sweet & acrid taste.
Apologise for repeat posting. In the next issue the top 5 durians will be revealed.
End of Bulletin