It was a dark night as I drove away from the Manila Polo Club, having attended the PHYLA and Club Charter night celebration on Friday, March 15, 2024. I was on my way to President Elects Training Seminar in Abagatan Ti Manila in Alfonso, Cavite. Sometime after midnight, I started to hallucinate and imagine my wife’s words to me, “I told you to get a driver!” I arrived around 1:30 am, checked in, and immediately fell asleep.
The next morning, I was up early and ready to go. Getting to breakfast and starting to meet some of my “classmates,” I enjoyed the buzz of the enthusiastic PE’s. I got to the Event Hall early and found myself a good seat, not too near (don’t want to be picked on), not too far away (I am short-sighted) – just like school!!
The Rotary theme for 2024–2025 is the Magic of Rotary, and the theme of PETS was Harry Potter – All the PE’s had been assigned to one of the four houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - I had been assigned to Hufflepuff.
The day flew by with excellent speakers covering:
• How to log on and use myrotary.org, RC Central, and Rotary Showcase
• The themes of the upcoming Rotary year
• Global grants and the importance of community needs assessment and project IMPACT (not just completion)
• Club management and responsibilities
• Rotary International and District resources
• Servant leadership
Finally, we were released from “school” and given a bit of free time to practice for the main event, the Hogwarts Ball, later that evening. Crucially, the Hogwarts Ball had a major competition between the houses for a show to be judged, critically and independently, by important dignitaries!
During the practice session, under a tree in the car park, my Hufflepuff teammates decided that, as there was a certain amount of dancing required, I should stay right at the back of the group (so as not to be visible to the judges)! Naturally, I was delighted with this decision.
Having changed into our Hufflepuff witch and wizard robes along with yellow and black scarves and magic wands, we headed to the dinner. The performances of all houses were outstanding. The judges followed the fifth test of the four-way test “Are they any good and did they please the audience?” Sadly, they decided that we were not that good! However, after several of us paraded (similar to the Miss Rotary models of RY 2022-2023) on the stage, Hufflepuff was awarded both the best-dressed witch and the best-dressed wizard prizes. In the case of the best-dressed wizard, it was me … I can only hope my fellow RCM members are suitably proud of this feat and that this award will help us with our presidential citation points! My prize of PHP2,000 was immediately spent at the after-party on beer and snacks where we gathered with the other night (Hogwarts) owls for an impromptu singing and social gathering.
The next morning, it was a little bit more difficult to get to breakfast early!! However, the session was relatively easygoing, covering a summary of the matters of the training seminar, the graduation ceremony, and the taking of even more photos!! I managed to get home, and by 3:30 pm was enjoying a long Sunday afternoon nap. Summarizing the RI and District 3830 themes we need to focus on in RY 2024 - 2025:
Rotary International (incoming RI President Stephanie Urchick)
• Prioritizing Peace efforts
• Eradicating Polio
• Balancing continuity with change
The Rotary Foundation (incoming chairman Mark Maloney)
• Personal contributions to TRF (a plea for all members to continue your generosity)
• Rotary Direct (monthly giving), Polio Plus Society, and Paul Harris Society
• Legacy events
District Governor (D3830) (incoming DG Prescy Yulo)
• Membership growth +10%
• Establish new clubs
• Increase TRF donations
• High attendance at Discon
• Improve our Public Image
• Projects - Maternal Health and child: First 1,000 days and teenage pregnancy projects
• International – develop new sister clubs
• The above goals will be incorporated into our club plans for RY2024-25 and set out for the approval of members in early July 2024.
I am delighted to inform you that I “passed” PETS and am ready to serve.
Keith Harrison
President-Elect, RC Makati
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