RIBI President vsits the Club
RIBI President Ian Thompson visited the Rotary Club of Belfast on 28th April 2009 at the start of his visit to District 1160.
'The heavy chain gang' President Courtenay, RIBI President Ian Thomson and District Governor Paul Hutchinson. World President DK Lee would be seriously jealous of this amount of bling - as he was casting envious looks at Ian's chain at the RIBI conference in Edinburgh!
The Belfast Club was delighted that President Ian followed in the footsteps of our founder Paul Harris 
when he visited Ireland in 1925, visiting first a joint council meeting of the Belfast and Londonderry Clubs held in the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast before proceeding down to the Dublin Club. On that occasion Paul Harris was presented with an embroidered Irish Linen Handkerchief for his wife and thus it was fitting that President Courtenay presented Ian's wife, Joan Thomson, with a similar gift.
After welcoming all the members of our neighbouring Clubs President Courtenay paid tribute to his members who had put in so much effort in raising funds for END Polio Now: PP Bryan Johnston who in his year had raised £4,200 from a lecture by Brian Hanrahan (of Fauklands fame) and funds raised in his Presidents night, PP Gordon Millington who had raised £2,800 through the East Belfast Car Ballot, and to ADG Marnette Lyons who with her team had raised an amazing £8,000 form organizing the Harvard University Glee Club Concert. In the first 18 months of the Gates Foundation Challenge the Belfast Club has raised £14,000 stg.
To show just how much difference this will make to the drive to eradicate polio in those last four countries, President Courtenay presented RIBI president Ian Thomson with a cheque for US$ 60,000, which will be the total amount actually going to End Polio Now with the added support from Bill and Melinda Gates.
On 10th May 2009 President Courtenay received the following email from Howard Caskie:
Hi Courtenay,
I'm sure John will be mightily impressed by Belfast's response to the Challenge. It really is a credit to you all and to D.1160 You will be pleased to know that you are the ONLY Club in District 1160 to have achieved the Challenge at this point (i.e. US$6000 by 30/06/12) I hope, of course, that you will not see this as the finishing line but maintain your interest and support of the programme in the years to come.
Unfortunately, almost half of our Clubs have failed to contribute ANYTHING at this time. I've written to every President and every Foundation Chair (except Belfast) urging greater support. Let's hope it does the trick!
As Young Mr. Grace always said: Keep up the good work!
Cheers
Howard
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Club gets congratulations from Howard Caskie
Despite a very busy schedule Howard Caskie took time out recently to congratulate President Courtenay and the Club on the recent Flash edition and the website.
“Congratulations!
Wonderful presentation of your Club's varied programme.…Under your stewardship, The Rotary Club of Belfast has had - and is still having! - an exceptional year. Your Club members' enthusiasm and dedication are evident in every project they have undertaken and Belfast serves as a role model for every Club in our District. Nothing beats sound leadership and team-work if you are to achieve success - and you obviously have both in abundance!
Please pass on my congratulations to your Club officers, Club Council and
the general membership - well done, everyone!
And never forget the old Rotary adage: Winners bop 'til they drop! (did Paul Harris really say that??)”
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Music for Spring
This successful Charity Social event was held in Hillsborough Castle, on Thursday 23rd April and was greatly enjoyed by all who were there. The only dampener was the rain which began just as the evening began.
However, following a delicious reception of wine and canapés by 'June and Keith' in the Kitchen, we were wonderfully entertained by fascinating tales of the house from David Anderson, Curator and then enchanted by songs from Marie O'Sullivan and her proteges Molly Gilmartin and Karen Thompson accompanied by Mark McGrath.
President Courtenay briefed those assembled on the work of Rotary Foundation, which is the recipient of the proceeds.
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TABU comes to town!
The eighteenth annual TABU exchange with The Rotary Club of Highland Park, near Chicago, Illinois has taken place with this year’s group arriving on 1st April 2009 for a 10 day visit.
Details of the visit can be seen here.
On Monday 6th April the group attended the weekly Rotary Club of Belfast Lunch at the Europa Hotel. Each student spoke effortlessly and confidently about their experience on the programme so far and their stay with host families.
Chris Sheahen, the leader of the Group finished by presenting, on behalf of the Highland Park Rotary Club and President Martha Gray, Past Presidents Brian Byers and David Boyd with Paul Harris Fellowships with Sapphire Pins in recognition of their commitment and work put into the programme over many years.
Details about TABU can be seen here
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Harvard Glee Club Charity Concert thanks
Following the recent successful concert held on Friday 27th March in the Spires Conference Centre, Belfast, a full report on the concert can be found here. President Courtenay wrote to the President of Harvard University, Drew Faust.
On behalf of The Rotary Club of Belfast, I wish formally to place on record our extreme gratitude to the members of the Harvard Glee Club, its conductor Dr Kevin Leong and assistant conductor Michael McGaghie for cooperating with the Rotary Club of Belfast in putting on a superb concert, on 27th March 2009, in aid of the Rotary International’s project “End Polio Now”. In musical terms the performance was without fault and the citizens of Belfast undoubtedly experienced the choral event of the year. The members of the HGC are some of your university’s most talented ambassadors and the party from the US consulate in Belfast who attended the concert have every reason to be proud of their countrymen and the very favourable impression they created.
The previous concert in the choir’s spring tour of Ireland was Lisdoonvarna, an Irish town with a famous tradition for its “Matching Fairs” where the single young men would go to win over the hearts of the local girls from the county. Lisdoonvarna eat your heart out! All the Rotarian families who happily gave the members of the club home hospitality during their stay in Belfast have lost their hearts to the charming, mannerly and courteous young men of the Harvard Glee Club. In these days of student protest, parties that get out of hand and general poor behaviour it is very rewarding to highlight a group of young male mainly undergraduates who set a remarkable example.
The proceeds of the concert in Belfast, in aid of “End Polio Now”, will attract matching funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and thus we anticipate a very worthwhile outcome in US$ terms, which we hope will help eradicate polio in those last four countries in the world; Pakistan. Afghanistan, India and Nigeria. It may not bury polio but we hope we have helped put one of the last nails in its coffin.
Once again President, my warmest thanks to you and the Harvard Glee Club for giving us such a superb evening’s entertainment and assisting us in our charitable aims.
The following reply was received:
Many thanks for your thoughtful letter about the Harvard Glee Club’s recent visit to Belfast. I am pleased to learn that their recent visit and concert were so well received and I am especially delighted that they were able to help the Rotary Club raise money for such a worthy cause.
I have shared your letter with members of the Glee Club and I am certain they will appreciate your kind words.
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Congratulations to Rotary Club of Belfast, New Zealand
The congratulations and best wishes of The Rotary Club of Belfast, N.Ireland were read out formally to the Rotary Club of Belfast, South Island, New Zealand when the Club met to celebrate its 40th birthday last Saturday (21st March 2009).
A copy of the Club's Bulletin covering the event can be seen here.
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Head Girl of St Louises wins Rotary Competition to visit the European Parliament.
Niamh O’Hara, head girl of St Louises on the Falls Road, has been chosen by District to represent the North of Ireland, in the group of students currently visiting the European Parliament in Strasburg under The Youth Leadership Development Competition (a joint venture between Rotary and the European Parliament Office in Dublin).
She is an outstanding young person and a superb candidate and it is the first time that St Louise's have ever won a Rotary Competition.
See here for further information.
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Belfast Rotary Club