Today we are on the last day of our sixth month of the Rotary year, leaving us with five more months to finish the business that we had started. Hopefully, as Rotarians we have seriously reflected on this year’s theme “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity”. For a Rotarian to be able to serve the community, one must first be committed and dedicated to the ideals and object of Rotary. To be so, one must be able to muster his passion to serve others. Serving others before oneself does not happen spontaneously, as it must come from the heart. This year’s theme best describes how we as Rotarians can enable ourselves to serve the community.

Incidentally, today is also the last day for our club to pay RI our semi annual dues. We have in our roster, members who have fully paid their dues but either failed the attendance requirement or actively participate in club activities or both. I am therefore appealing to those members who fit the description to utilize RI’s theme to test himself and make a decision so as not to jeopardize our club and himself.

The panel that we created to interview the finalists in our Search for Outstanding Day Care Worker had completed their assigned task. The staff of Dir. Felix Gurrea is correlating the results of the interview with the other aspects of the criteria. Awarding will either be in the second or fourth week of February.

For years our club has been tasked to provide judges for the Paraw Regatta contest. In this regard we will be needing volunteers to act as judges. Yesterday PE Philip and myself attended the Technical Committee meeting to be appraised of its rules and regulations. Copies of the rules and regulations are with me for those who are willing to act as judges. PP Joe III is extending his invitation to watch beach volleyball (women and men) at his Joe III Garden on Saturday and Sunday during the Paraw Regatta. However, there was no mention about the availability of food and drinks at his place.

We are honored to have the Executive Director of the Iloilo Business Club in the person of Ms. Lea Lara as guest speaker in today’s meeting. Ms. Lara is going to update us with the plans to improve the city and perhaps the business climate as well.  Next week we will have Dr. Morano (VP Margs’ brother), to talk on ED and on our third meeting in February we will have the city mayor as guest speaker.