I would like to congratulate immediate past president Johnae and her board for having the Best Rotary year ever. We as a club have all worked hard under her leadership and have overcome some really challenging circumstances. 

I am truly humbled that the members of this amazing vibrant club have placed their confidence in me to carry on the legacy of all the great past presidents. My board and I will do our best not to disappoint. 

My rotary experience has brought me friends and family where there was none and a reason to be on this earth. To quote Ghandi, “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Those words ring true for me and that is the Rotary experience I want to share. This also ties in perfectly with this year’s theme from Rotary International (RI) President Shekar Meta – Serve to Change Lives. One of the lives you change just might be your own. 

For the next Rotary year, the board have planned projects and events designed to be engaging, diverse, inclusive and fun. As well as our club signature fund raisers and projects we have a few new things in the works. A few examples – 

1.  The Director for Community Service is enthusiastically working on receiving a grant to assist with the rehabilitation of inmates at Northward and Fairbanks,  
2. We will work with other service clubs and NGOs in Cayman for more collaboration between ourselves  
3. We are working on a Gumball Rally to be held on August 21, 2021 which promises to be a fun and exciting fund raiser.  

The hope is that the membership experience will be enhanced and members will be encouraged to share the Rotary experience by bringing new members. This is the call from the RI president – Each One Bring One – in an attempt to increase Rotary worldwide membership to 1.3 million after wavering at the 1.2 million mark for a number of years. 

Could you image a world where everyone was a Rotarian or member of another like-minded organization? The words of the 4-way test at the forefront of everyone’s mind? Truth, fairness, friendship and thinking of and serving others often before ourselves. I would love to live in that world. 

Let’s go out and Share the Experience of Rotary. 

Corleen Goodman-Hoptroff

President 2021-2022
Rotary Central, Cayman Islands