Rotary Club of Labasa

from w
The Labasa Rotary Club changeover:
from Fiji Sun
North Rotarians welcome leader

writer : SHRATIKA NAIDU

7/18/2011
The leadership of the Rotary Club’s Labasa branch changed hands over the weekend.

This is after the outgoing president handed over the leadership band to his successor.

2010 Labasa Rotary Club president Jagat Prasad wished his successor Avinesh Karan all the best when he handed over the band in Labasa on Saturday night.

Mr Prasad said Rotary was formed on February 23, 1905 by Paul Harris, an attorney who wished to capture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth.

“The Rotary name was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices,” Mr Prasad said.

He said as Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving club members’ professional and social interests.

“Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need,” Mr Prasad said.

He said the organisation’s dedication to this ideal was best expressed in its motto ‘Service Above Self’.

“During my one year of leadership I led five special projects in Labasa which was only made possible through the numerous support I received,” Mr Prasad said.

This was such as the donation of medical equipment worth $1 million to Labasa Hospital, renovation of the Rotary squash court, 20 computers and one generator for Solove Primary School in Seaqaqa, two water tanks to Waiqele Secondary School and organising free interplast surgeries for Northerners.

Incoming president Mr Karan said he had been a Rotarian for three years and to uphold such a position was an honour for him.

Mr Karan, the managing director of Local Woods and Hardware Limited had been providing service to the people of Labasa for 12 years.

“Rotary is all about service to mankind and keeping this in mind I had already planned some needed projects for Labasa,” Mr Karan said.

The father of two would be leading the ten-member club.

The world’s first service club, the Rotary International today has 1.2 million Rotarians belonging to over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.