Lead Stories

The courtyard of the Braemar Avenue-based RibKage restaurant provided the perfect backdrop for the Rotary Club of St Andrew North's 'changing of the guards' on Monday evening.

The installation and investiture ceremony, held in a cocktail setting, saw gas station proprietor Donovan G. Brown handing over the club's reins to restaurateur David T. Brown.

In his acceptance speech, David Brown said he would continue in his predecessor's footsteps with the implementation of service projects.

"We'll continue our small projects around education," said incoming President Brown. "And, as we all know, education is very important for development," he continued.

The president said, however, he would be working on a project very close to his heart.

"I have heart disease," the president said. "Therefore, my major project will be putting 10 defibrillators in public spaces. Each is valued at US$17,000 and we'll be working with the Heart Foundation."

Administer electrical energy

A defibrillator is a device used to administer a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the affected heart and allows it to return to its natural rhythm.

"This will give a person experiencing a heart attack some extra time until he or she gets proper medical attention," he said.

Regional Assistant Governor Ruth Palmer did the installation duties in the absence of District Governor Errol Alberga.

Awards were given to outstanding Rotarians of club for their dedicated service.

Among the recipients were past President Mike Martin, Jamaica National's Hugh Morris and Carlton Barclay, Jamaica Broiler's Donald Patterson, Cecil Beharry, Kameika Fullerton-Delisser, Lori Chuck, Danielle Campbell, Robert Barnes, Kay-Ann White and Danny Gordon.

The master of ceremonies for the evening was past President Donald Patterson.

According to the organisation's website, Rotary International is the world's first service club organisation, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide. The clubs' members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.

brian.bonitto@gleanerjm.com