Rotary Club of Singapore

Artisan of the Year Award 2025 The Rotary Club of Singapore is proud to announce the launch of its prestigious Artisan of the Year Award 2025. This esteemed award celebrates skilled individuals excelling in vocations that require exceptional craftsmanship and mastery of hand-based techniques. Nominees are evaluated based on their talent, dedication to their craft, and their contributions to society through their work. Now in its twelfth year, the award has honored artisans from a wide range of vocations, including pottery, painting, music, photography, batik art, classical dance, and jewellery making.

A Rotarian for 40 years ! Last week, the Rotary Club of Singapore paid tribute to one of its very own. The club celebrated and honoured the contributions of Stanley Low which transcended 4 decades. What kept him going ? It was the Rotarian principles which guided him throughout his life and business. The 4-way test of the Truth, being Fair, Beneficial to all and building Goodwill helped him ride through many business cycles. When business was successful, he didn’t stop there but gave back to society through Rotary - the principle of Service Above Self. The Rotary Club of Singapore is made up of almost 200 members who are business leaders and professionals in their own fields.

From Swimming to Business. What can we learn from Joseph Schooling ? Since retiring from competitive swimming, Joseph has taken a plunge into the business world, specifically venture capitalism. It is a huge leap of faith but Joseph is unperturbed. The business world is like a battlefield. He believes he can apply what he mastered in swimming to the business world - the ability to stay very focused on the goal and push boundaries. Failure is inevitable. It is how one picks up from a failure and frames the mind. One must find the purpose and bigger cause for doing certain things. He understands that “Business is the science of serving humanity”. In swimming, there were times when he wavered. In Joseph’s words, it was like “going to war” in the pool. However, he told himself that he was swimming not only for himself. He was swimming for his friends, and family who had sacrificed so much for him. Above all, he was swimming for the nation. It was this desire to serve a bigger cause that propelled him to excellence - “Service Above Self”. The Rotary Club of Singapore proudly hosted Olympics champion Joseph Schooling at its weekly meeting in Oct 2024. Please listen to our chat with Joseph to find out what this great young leader has to say.

An inspiration and a role model Dear friends, if you want to learn a lesson from a self-made billionaire from Asia about leadership, business and Rotary, please watch the short video. Rotary is a club of 1.4 million entrepreneurs and professionals, who are striving to be best in their fields and who have passed the Rotary 4-way test. We understand business as the science of serving humans. One profits most who serves best. Prasoon Mukherjee is a grandmaster in business. If you want to learn more about the Rotary Club of Singapore please reach out to us at rtyinfo@rotary.org.sg

Help The Children 2024 Project From 18 to 20 Oct 24, some members of the Rotary Club of Singapore, together with other Rotary clubs visited the rural area of Malang, Indonesia in support of the project. The objective of the project is to enhance the educational needs of 1,500 primary school children living below the poverty line in Malang, Indonesia. Many of the families in that area live below the poverty line, with monthly household income of less than US$60. Household sizes are typically large, often comprising three generations, with numerous children per household. As a result, parents in these households struggle to provide even the most basic educational needs of their children. To achieve the goal, the project provides essential school-going resources to the 1,500 children so as to remove the barrier of affordability for education. By giving them the opportunity to stay in school, the children will be equipped with the ability to read and write and acquire knowledge. The cost for sponsoring a child for this Project is USD$125 for 1 year. Total funds raised by the club together with its sister clubs and corporate sponsor was USD$187,500. The funds will go towards providing necessary school items such as books, bags, stationery, shoes and uniforms. All items will be procured locally thereby supporting local industries. The project was founded in 2014 by a member of the club who is also a philanthropist. The project has been running for 10 years and has uplifted the lives of many students and their families over the years. Supporting the educational needs of children is the best gift to the next generation as it empowers them with literacy and knowledge to prepare for a brighter future. The project is managed by the International Service Committee (ISC) of the club. The ISC runs primarily overseas projects and is one of the four main committees of the club. The 4 main committees are Community Service Committee, International Service Committee, Vocational Service Committee and Youth Service Committee.

We are deeply honoured to be featured by the newspaper Tamil Murasu who wrote about our volunteer work on 26 Oct at Sri Narayana Mission Nursing Home. We would like to thank all volunteers and sponsors who helped in this event wholeheartedly. Without your involvement, it would not have been possible. A translation of the article is provided below :- Young people served food to the elderly Some elderly people from Sri Narayana Mission Nursing Home visited Little India with the volunteers , had a fun time. Last Saturday (October 26) 15 elderly people who use wheelchairs were treated warmly by volunteers from the Rotary Club of Singapore to a banana meal at Little India Arcade. Later, they all went through the vibrant Little India bazaar area , soaked in the atmosphere and ended the day in the Indian heritage centre. Among the elders, Indians as well as non-Indians learned about Indian cultural aspects. At the end of the tour, gift bags containing various goodies were given to the housemates. Radhika Pandiraj, 60, who has been staying at Sri Narayana Mission Nursing Home for many years, said that she was happy to participate in the event which was memorable to her . Rotary Club of Singapore , which has more than 200 members, organizes such charitable activities during major festive seasons in Singapore, said Rajkumar Perumal, member of the Rotary Club's community service committee . “Rotary wants to serve more people in the coming years. We warmly welcome those who want to do community work to join us,” he said Image 1) Young volunteers serve banana leaf treats to the elderly at the 'Banana Leaf Apollo' restaurant branch in Little India Arcade. 2)Residents of Sri Narayana Mission Care Homes gather in front of the Indian Heritage Centre. 3)Rotary club of Singapore volunteers முதியோருக்கு உணவு பரிமாறி, சுற்றுலாவுக்கு அழைத்த இளையர்கள் https://lnkd.in/g8V-meMc

Community Service Rotarians and Interactors celebrated Deepavali with the residents of Sree Narayana Mission. The day started with a lunch at Apollo’s Food Village. At lunch, the team gave a surprise birthday celebration to a resident who turned 83 years old. After lunch, the team brought the residents for a walk through Little India Arcade. This was followed by a guided tour of the Indian Heritage Centre and the day ended with some souvenirs for them to remember. The residents were very pleased with the day’s activity. The smile on their faces was priceless and heartwarming. This illuminated not only the hearts of the residents, but also the Rotarians and Interactors in this Festival of Lights. Community Service is one of the four main committees of the Rotary Club of Singapore. The four committees are Community Service, International Service, Vocational Service and Youth Service committees.

Youth Service Committee Rotarians who are passionate about guiding and mentoring the youth had a meeting with Interactors from various schools. The meeting was a mutual learning experience for both Rotarians and Interactors. Rotarians provided leadership and guidance to the youth on the projects they proposed. At the same time, Interactors shared their ideas and plans which demonstrates the maturity and aspirations of their generation ! Youth Service is one of the four main committees of the Rotary Club of Singapore. The four committees are Community Service, International Service, Vocational Service and Youth Service committees. If you would like to join us, please write in to us at rtyinfo@rotary.org.sg

Community Service On 19 Oct24, Rotarians came together for a very good cause - to distribute food and essential items to households. Many students from a school’s Interact club also joined us for this meaningful activity. As part of the club’s Community Service objective, club members come together every 3rd Saturday of the month to distribute food and essential items (such as milk, eggs, cooking oil, etc) to households. Community Service is one of the 4 main committees of the club. The other 3 are Vocational Service, International Service and Youth Service committees. If you would like to join us, please write in to us at rtyinfo@rotary.org.sg

100 Days as President of the Rotary Club of Singapore Dear Friends and Fellow Rotarians, When I accepted the role of President, I knew it was something special—but I could never have imagined the deep pride, purpose, and energy it would bring. The Rotary Club of Singapore is not just any club—it’s a Singaporean institution, with 166 leaders and entrepreneurs united by “Service Above Self” and a belief in business as the science of human service. Our club’s unique legacy, including the honorary membership of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew for over 20 years, continues to reflect the ideals of Rotary founders Paul Harris and Arch Klump. I now understand more deeply why Mr. Lee was so proud to be part of us. What impressed me most during these first 100 days is the exceptional 2024/25 board. This is the magic of Rotary: year after year, over 100 Rotarians voluntarily deliver results that exceed expectations. I raise my hat to each board member, Past Presidents, and honorary members who are the backbone of this great institution. The support, trust, and friendship I’ve received from our members have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m especially proud of our new prospects—the future of our club, destined to lead this esteemed organization one day. Our club strives not just to be the most active and inclusive, but the best Rotary Club in the world. It’s an honor to serve as President, but the greatest privilege is knowing my fellow Rotarians believe in me. When visiting sister clubs in Manila, Taipei, and beyond, it’s clear that Rotary Club of Singapore commands deep respect. When the Singaporean flag is raised, and our national anthem played, the pride is palpable. When you go to the stage and exchange the banner of Rotary Club of Singapore, you feel strongly that you exchange more than a banner. You exchange the strong values that our members have upheld for 95 years: quality, integrity, and enduring friendship. Thank you to every Rotarian for your unwavering support during these first 100 days. Your commitment to "Service Above Self" makes this journey truly special. Tom Wolf President of the Rotary Club of Singapore