Our club president for 2023-2024 says, "My two biggest goals for this club are to promote and increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of our club’s agenda and to increase membership engagement." Read Nanita's full message below.
I am very grateful and humbled to be the 104th president of the Rotary Club of Guelph for the 2023-2024 term.
Growing up in Malaysia, Rotary has aways been a part of my early life in some form. I was first introduced to Rotary by my uncle who went on to become the president of his club and eventually the District Governor of his region. Charitable organizations and volunteerism have always been ingrained in my blood from an early age, as my entire family dedicated a large part of their lives to charitable causes. I still remember following my grandparents around to various charitable functions and meetings as they served in numerous boards and organizations.
It was only natural that I immediately signed up to be a member of the Rotary Club of Guelph after attending my first meeting with my colleague and sponsor, Tim Mau. Service Above Self is truly a mantra that I strive to live by, and I have my family, friends, and community to thank for that.
After a few challenging years following the pandemic, my goal is to follow the wonderful work left behind by my predecessors as we collectively continue to build this club back up to its full potential.
My two biggest goals for this club are to promote and increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of our club’s agenda and to increase membership engagement.
As a relatively “newbie” to this club (I have only been a member for 6 years), I was faced with a lot of unknown challenges and uncharted territories as I approached my presidency. However, through the great guidance of my fellow members, I was able to quickly grasp the inner workings and all that this club has to offer. I hope to continue my leadership under this very same guidance as my year progresses.
Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the Rotary International Convention in Houston and I learned the true value of friendships, fellowships, and service just by meeting and socializing with other fellow Rotarians from around the world. It was truly an eye-opening event that taught me an abundance of information about Rotary. As an educator myself, this learning experience was something that I will always remember, especially as I plan to apply the many new projects and strategies that I learned from the convention.
I would like to end my welcome message with a quote from our outgoing RI president, Jennifer Jones who said, “Imagine a world that deserves our best, where we get up each day knowing that we can make a difference”.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to wake up every day to give my best to this wonderful club and community.
