Guyana to host Rotaract district conference
-community development project planned for Hauraruni
The Rotaract Clubs of Guyana will be hosting the 26th annual Rotaract District 7030 Conference in June and the community of Hauraruni, on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, is expected to benefit from a community project that will be undertaken by both local and visiting rotaractors as well as rotarians and friends of Rotary International.
The conference will be held from June 14th to June 18th, 2018, at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel under the theme “El Dorado Undiscovered, Experience the Adventure.”
Speaking at the launch last Friday at the University of Guyana, Public Relations Officer Julene Barrett said the conference will coincide with the Rotaract Worldwide 50th anniversary.
“So, we are celebrating the golden anniversary of service from Rotaract Worldwide. For over 50 years, the Rotaract, part of the Rotary family, has made significant positive interactions as it relates to the promotion of peace, conflict resolution, prevention of diseases and treatment, water and sanitation, basic education and literacy and economic and community development,” Barrett said.
The conference will see participation of over 200 members from several countries, including Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Curacao, St. Kitts and Nevis, which comprise District 7030.
Barret also noted that they have also received expressions of interest from members in countries in “distant parts of the world” about their willingness to participate in the event, which they will consider. Barret also noted that one of the major highlights of the conference is the community service project, which will take place in Hauraruni this year.
Elaborating on the project, dubbed H.A.N.D.S for Hauraruni, Cecil Maxwell, Chairman of the Conference, explained that it will see them build a house for a single-parent family and also organise a massive health drive and distribute care packages to children of the community.
“The N stands for nurturing dreams, where we basically thought that it would be nice for the young girls in Hauraruni, in the orphanage, for them to write their dreams and aspirations and goals on a piece of paper and bury it as well as plant a tree to symbolise the growth in their lives with the growth of the tree,” he said.
The rehabilitation of a playpark will also be undertaken as part of the project.
In addition to support and participation from the citizens of the country, Maxwell said that they are urging the business community to get involved.
Conference Sponsorship Liaison Officer Mariesa Jagnanan, meanwhile, pointed out that there are various sponsorship packages that the business community can explore.
There will be bronze (which is achieved by a contribution of $100,000), silver ($250,000), gold ($500,000) and platinum ($1 million) packages, with each coming with perks, such as ads in the District Conference Magazine and Newsletter, the sponsor’s logo on their social media pages and website, and a booth at the conference. Jagnanan also encouraged the business community to seize the opportunity to recognise and support the efforts of young volunteers.
The District Governor Waddy Sowma also made brief remarks at the launch of the event and he said he will be back for the opening of the conference.
The Rotaract is the Rotary International Youth Programme, which was started in 1968 at the University of North Carolina in the United States of America and has since grown to a massive 9,500 clubs worldwide.
“The aim of the organisation is to develop young adults as leaders in their communities and workplaces and clubs all around,” Delon Earle, District Rotaract Representative said.