Meeting face to face at last and strictly following Covid rules, a group from Almancil International Rotary Club (AIRC) met for the hand-over to a new Club President last week. Rotary Presidents generally serve for one year and the Presidency changes in June or July each year depending on the club.
For the last year President Uschi Kuhn has valiantly presided over meetings on Zoom. These meetings were often joined by Rotarians from many different parts of the world which was a new and enjoyable experience. She and members of her team organised 32 speakers participating on Zoom and again some of these were from other countries.
During Uschi’s year as President more than 30,000 Euros was raised from members and public donations and events which included a golf tournament, and a virtual dog show and quiz nights; on Zoom of course. It was decided that the main beneficiaries would be organisations providing food to families who so desperately needed help and other organisations which help people in difficulties during the current Covid situation.
In addition, Rotary International requested that each club adopt an environmental project and for their part AIRC decided to support a project in collaboration with the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) located at the University of the Algarve and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), both supported by the Government of the Portuguese Republic, These organisations are currently working on projects to protect the dwindling seahorse population in the Ria Formosa by the creation of two protected marine conservation areas. In 2001 the Ria Formosa had the largest population of seahorses in the world but since then the numbers have fallen by 96%.
Uschi reported that during the past year eight new members joined the club, bringing the total membership to 43 which makes AIRC the Rotary Club with the second largest membership in mainland Portugal. Uschi concluded her year by thanking her team and all the members who worked hard to make her year a success despite the trials and tribulations of the current situation. Finally she handed over to new President for the coming Rotary year Volker Biebesheimer and wished him and his new team every success.
