MEMBERSHIP/PARTNERSHIPS

MONTH

August 1, 2017

President

Inga Bostwick Immediate Past President Elburt Ferguson President Elect Valentino Hamilton Secretary Mai-Tai Rahming Treasurer Kevin Fernander Sergeant at Arms James Anderson Club Administration Lisa Deveaux Membership Mechelle Martinborough Public Relations Anastacia Hepburn Rotary Foundation Elburt Ferguson Fellowship PP William Wilson Fundraising PP Jipcho Johnson Service Project Coordinator Daswell Cox Service Project Administration Jadetra Ingraham Youth Service LaPaige Gardiner

Rotary Club of New Providence News Express Vol. 1, Issue 2/2017

2017 – 2018 BOARD

The key to success in any endeavour is the people behind it. The body of persons that make up the Membership of the Rotary Club of New Providence (RCNP) are the Best of the Best. The membership team and I devised a month of activities that we believe will serve to highlight the entire gambit of the Membership from the young to the aged, and the new to the old. I must at the outset recognise and give kudos to those of the BEST that make up this year’s membership team. My sincere gratitude for Rotarian -

Membership Chair -

Mechelle Martinborough

Kennard Whymms (Deputy Chair); Rotarian Dr. Andre Clarke

(Wellness Chair); PP William Wilson; Rotarian Darcel

Williamson; Rotarian Antona Curry; and Rotarian Yisell

Lopez. Against that backdrop, the objective of this year’s

Membership month at RCNP is to continue in the traditional

vein of encouraging recruitment through the various events

pursued during the month but to also highlight the very

important function of Retention. The membership team has

planned a month of meetings themed toward focusing and

engaging our current Members on their own experience as a

Member of this great organisation. We will also be seeking to

infuse the month with other activities to attract prospective

Members while strengthening and developing our relationship

with the Chamber of Commerce.

RCNP installs First Female President at its 29th Changeover

The Rotary Club of New

Providence held its 29th annual

changeover on July 1 at the

Melia Nassau Beach. The

Changeover ceremony

represents the changing of the

guards, which brings new

leadership and ideas that will

foster renewed vitality.

Outgoing President Elburt

Ferguson conveyed his thanks

to the club for the leadership

opportunity and reminded

fellow Rotarians to stay

committed, putting “Service

above Self”. Breaking the glass

ceiling as the first female

President of RCNP since being

chartered on June 1, 1988 is

Inga Bostwick. Inga pledged to

continue the great legacy of

her predecessors. This year,

she has chosen the theme,

“Tomorrow’s Change

Makers”. Assisting with the

induction was past District

Governor Felix Stubbs echo

encouraged President Inga to

set defined goals and conduct

periodic reviews while making

a difference. Also speaking

was former Attorney-General

Janet Bostwick. She urged

Rotarians to be the very best,

giving unselfishly of

themselves. Walking away

with Rotarian of the Year was

Valentino Hamilton, while

Past President Jipcho Johnson

was awarded Distinguished

Rotarian. President Inga the

new board for 2017-2018,

which featured experience

board members and several

new faces. RCNP closed the

weekend with its Annual

Church Service at the

Ebenezer Methodist Church.

Rotary: Making A Difference

“Nobody’s Lost Boys”

Henry Ford once said, “To do more for the world than the world does for you that is success.”

On Saturday, July 15th, 2017 the Change Makers of the Rotary Club of New Providence (RCNP) came out in full force to bring positive intervention to the lives of over twenty young boys between the ages of thirteen to seventeen boarded at the Simpson Penn School. These young men often fall through the cracks of the system simply because too much emphasis is placed on judging the reasons which might have led them to the institution as oppose to ensuring that they are provided with the rehabilitative tools needed for

when they leave. It is this need

which has given birth to the

mentoring program of the

Simpson Penn/Pratt Centre

service project and motivated

the membership of RCNP to do

their part to ensure the

projects’ success. Giving back

is embedded in the DNA of all

Rotarians worldwide and their

bleeding hearts respond to the

beat of their humanitarian call

to,” Service above Self.” RCNP

members dedicated a full day

to assisting with repairs to

doors, floors, doorknobs,

faucets and other areas of the

school. RCNP then engaged

and inspired the young men of

the Simpson Penn Boys School

with practical career guidance

and words of wisdom and

encouragement. RCNP in the

past has forged an ongoing and

lifetime partnership with the

stakeholders and staff at the

Simpson Penn School and will

continue to do so. Prospective

new members of RCNP were

not shy at all about talking to

the boys about their stories, in

advising them of the next steps

that they need to take in order

to achieve their goals. The day

culminated with the boys

enjoying a fun-filled game of

basketball, recreational

discussion and other physical

activities and closing out with

fellowship. The boys were

treated to pizzas, burgers, chips and drinks.

We can all agree that the Simpson Penn service project revealed something more significant than an effort by Rotarians to reach out and give back to at risk youth, it became very clear by the end of the day that this group of boys had exceptional potential as they aspired to be internationally accredited underwater welders, pilots, masons, professional athletes, police and defence force officers, event planners, engineers, IT specialist, mathematicians, technologically savvy DJ’s and recording artist. These boys are far from lost notwithstanding the obstacles that they might face in their current state of affairs, without a doubt they all know exactly where they want to go in life and that their status at the Simpson Penn School would be nothing more than a hurdle to overcome to get there.

With the help, commitment and support of the Change Makers these young men will be the future leaders of tomorrow and they are indeed …Nobody’s Lost Boys!

Special Guest Speakers & Events

Minister of Education, The Honourable

Jeffrey Lloyd

The Minister of Education, The Honourable Jeffery

Lloyd was the invited guest speaker on July 15,

2017 at RCNP’s third meeting for the Rotary year.

His topic was, “The State of Education: The Way

Forward”. The primary highlight of the speech

was the Minister’s overview of the core and

practical changes which needed to be made

immediately to reform, revive and restore the

highest standard for the educational system. He

emphasized the need to build new schools,

increase parent-teacher conferences and the

overarching need to ensure that students yield the

best results.

The Minister of Health, The Honourable Dr. Duane

Sands addressed RCNP on July 25, 2017. Dr. Sands

spoke on the subject, “National Health Insurance”.

National Health Insurance (NHI) has become one

of the most talked-about national issues, sparking

discussion throughout The Bahamas. Dr. Sands

highlighted some of the challenges now faced, such

as overcrowding of the wards, funding, high costs

of health care and health care issues. Dr. Sands

remarked that NHI is a key initiative that would

seek to provide modern reform to the Health Care

system whilst providing affordable and accessible

health care. Minister of Health, The Honourable Dr.

Duane Sands

PHOTO GALLERY OF RCNP EVENTS

Bryan Knowles Assistant District Go

Birthdays Mai-Tai Rahming – August 5th Vernal Sands – August 8th Duke Kerney – August 21st (Spouse of Charleen Kerney) Lorriane Phillpot – August 26th (Spouse of John Phillpot)

Wedding Anniversaries Kennard & Yusnay Whyms-Rolle – August 3, 2006 (10 yrs.) Timothy & Ethel-Mae Dames – August 14, 1971 (45 yrs.)

Rotary Anniversaries Kevin Fernander – August 13, (9 yrs.) Yorick Brown – August 31, (7 yrs.)

rotaryclubofnewprovidence rcnpbahamas rotaryclubofnewprovidence

Bryan Knowles Assistant District Governor – Western

District

Meetings: Tuesdays 7pm @ Poop Deck, West, Nassau, The Bahamas

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Club Training Nook

Rotary International founding date is February 23, 1905. Motto: Service Above Self Founder: Paul P. Harris Meeting Place: Unity Building