Over the last few months, The Rotary Club of Gros Islet, like its sister clubs worldwide, has been involved in a rigorous programme of re-engineering, to ensure that it remains relevant to serve the needs of disenfranchised people. What this means is that the work of the club will continue under the following standing committees—Service Projects; Membership; Rotary Foundation; Public Relations and Club Administration.
Service projects, the primary avenue through which members give service, are kept alive from funds generated through the club’s annual charity Golf Tournament, currently into its 17th year and slated for Saturday November 21st. Title sponsorship has been provided by Diamonds International for the second year of what is a three-year collaboration.
To date, the club is very proud of its Dental project which has touched the lives of over 4000 children in the Gros Islet community since its inception in 2003. More recently, the club has invested in Diabetes and has sent four students to a training camp in Canada where they received life-skills which will redound to the benefit of other children in St Lucia who have diabetes in the future. We have also assisted in the presentation of a Diabetes Footcare Step-by Step workshop, where health care providers received training on early detection of problems with the diabetic foot and how this can reduce the number of amputations country-wide.
The club is very appreciative of its Title Sponsor—Diamonds International. A number of platinum sponsors have also stepped up to the plate to advance the work of the club including—FirstCaribbean International Bank, LIME, American Eagle/American Airlines, The St. Lucia Golf and Country Club, The Taiwanese Embassy and JQ Motors. Now because of their help, the club will embark on a number of projects including its computer project whereby students will have increased access to computers and by extension be better equipped to deal with the future, enhanced with technological skills.
This year is particularly important to the club as the country and the world is reacting to a challenging economic climate, perhaps the most severe in this century. Despite this, sponsors such as Cadasse Bakery, Scotia Bank, Bank of St Lucia; Consolidated Foods, Guardsman and St Lucia Insurances have contributed to the tournament. Without help from Metro Construction, Columbus Properties, Allamanda/Spinnakers, Flamingoes, St. Lucia Distillers, INSO, ADCO and The Landings, it would have been extremely difficult to organize the event. Certainly Glace Motors is instrumental in our success as they have assisted us for the last 17 years. The club has also received support from CIE, Windward and Leeward Brewery, Minvielle & Chastanet, Caribbean Metals, Johnsons/Monpaisir and Dominoes Pizza. The more interesting development is sponsorship from Rotarian Michael walker and a team under the pseudonym—United Nations. Throughout our years of hosting the tournament, we have learned that a bit of humour goes a long way.