Presidents Handover

In temperatures more suited to his native Iran, Fari Serajian took over the Presidential responsibilities from David Yates at our meeting today - the first of the new Rotary Year.

Fari's address to the Club:

It is my honour and great privilege to stand here as the 93rd President of The Rotary Club of Durham. I am standing proud and tall today………standing on the shoulders of giants.

I could not visualize, 40 years ago, when I came to Durham, that I would marry a Durham lass, and have children who were born and raised in Durham. Durham has a special place in my heart, as I have so many wonderful memories with my wife, and of our children growing up here, and becoming capable and responsible members of society.

Most of you will know that I have run my own business for the last 30 years, specialising in financial services, but what you may not know is that I have been a Chairman of MDRT Study Group in the Midlands and later, for the past five years, I have been the founder and Chairman of the MDRT North East Study Group. I have, in the past, been Treasurer of the LIA (Life Insurance Association). I am a Life Member and volunteer of MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), which is the Premier Association of Life Insurance individuals across the world. Each year, I help manage 10,000 delegates at our Annual Convention in the USA or Canada.

For a City and a Country, which has given me so much, I see myself indebted to it, and I would like to help to give something back, if I can. What better way to do that, than via The Rotary Club. But not just any Rotary Club - The Rotary Club of Durham! As my dear friend and fellow Rotarian, John Clarke always says, ‘we are all individual people, but thanks to a club like Rotary, it brings us all together in order to achieve fellowship and community service, to our City, local towns and Worldwide.’

In 1935, Paul Harris wrote “This is a changing world. We must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again”.

My theme this year is ‘BE THE CHANGE’. I mean be proactive, rather than reactive. Ensure that we change, before we have to change. After all, if we do the same thing time and time again, we will get the same results time and time again. Of course our new Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran’s (Ravi) theme is ‘Be a Gift to the World’ and I totally understand this, as we are all a gift to our world. When we stand in the car park on a rainy day, or stand in the market Place on Stroke Awareness day, and for all the numerous other community services that we do in order to put service above self, we ARE a gift to our world.

In 1987, the first drops of the Polio Vaccine were given to a Filipino child, this was the start of Rotary International’s mission to wipe out this dreaded disease in the developing world. In Pakistan now, Rotarians are working hard to deliver the Polio vaccine to the mouths of young children, all the while being shot at by Taliban forces. This is undoubtedly service above self.

Rotarians have a good name, but we still need to ‘shout’ and let the entire world know what we do. Not to boast, but to help others to join us, to make a more peaceful and harmonious world.  This year, I’d like us to concentrate on helping children; in schools, colleges and universities, so that they will know about Rotary and understand what Rotary is all about, in order to become our advocates in the future.

It is my wish that our members enjoy fellowship events, so that our bond becomes greater and stronger, and we can support each other toward achieving the same goals and revisit these constantly, to ensure that we are on target. Through friendship and hard work, our club officers and members must work together to increase our effectiveness in society.

I would like us to be open-minded and forward thinking and commence discussions about associate membership (Friends of The Rotary Club of Durham) and the possibility of a Satellite Branch, both of which would help sustain the longevity of our club. I intend to start a dialogue at our council meetings, to see how we might take this forward.

I have met and chatted with our new District Governor, Terry Long, who has pledged his help and support of our club. Terry is a very active member of his club in Alnwick and with Rotary, and I would like to wish him every success in his year as District Governor and look forward to working closely with him.

On the subject of District Governors, I would like to take this opportunity of saying a special thank you to Jean Thompson, for the hard work and dedication she has given to the role this year. She has been a fantastic ambassador for our club and our region and I wish her every success and happiness moving forward.

I would like to thank all past Presidents for their achievements. I’d especially like to thank committee chairs and all of our members for their continued help and support. I look forward to having a successful and happy year, and thank you all for the nomination for President this year and the trust that you have placed in me.

Outgoing President David's address to the Club:

I would like to thank everyone who has made my year one of Fun and Fellowship.
During the year the Club has enjoyed 12 rambles, 2 Millennium banquets, several dinners, President's night and some great fund raising events including the santa sleigh, swimathon, clay pigeon shoot all contributing to a fantastic Charity fund raising of over £34000.
For me the best event was when I completed the 12 hour walk for the polio campaign supported by fellow Rotarians.
Throughout we have shared the fun and fellowship with Inner Wheel with their President who’s name I have been warned had better come back to me soon! (His wife! - Ed.)
Thanks to everyone within the Club, to club chairs and their committee members, to my Senior and Junior Vice Presidents and also to Ramside for their efforts throughout the year and especially for President's night and the fabulous ballroom setting. Finally a special thanks to Ed Kear Club Secretary who has tried to keep me right throughout.
It has been a great year, an honour to serve and an experience I shall never forget.