The 2014 Beijing Rotary Ball: RED is coming

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in Rotary

As we are all expats and “Old China Hands”, we also have to make our contribution to be part of the community and “give back”.
This can be done in a fun and sparkling way: THE BEIJING ROTARY BALL!
The full story: 2014 Beijing Rotary Ball

See here the main data:
Saturday 7 June starting at 18:00 – Kempinski Hotel
Black Tie (or RED RED!!!)
Individual tickets: RMB 1200
Orders & payment:
ticket[at]rotaryclub-beijing.org and/or admin[at]rotaryclub-beijing.org

We already have a series of embassies & ambassadors confirmed, such as Senegal, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Portugal, Sweden, Benin and others. We also have major corporations lined up such as HSBC, Audi, Daimler, Allianz, BASF, Deutsche Telekom, and more.
Join us all for an evening of red fun and entertainment!

The Old China Hands in action!

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

One other lunch in Morel’s Restaurant on 9 May. Normally it is on the first Friday of the month but because of the May 1st holidays, one week later.


While our mailing list is now a bit over 100 registered “members”, our Old China Hands are rather a bunch of busy people, stuck in meetings, travelling abroad or within China. Our attendance rate is thus always unpredictable but somewhere between 20 and 30%: a pretty good number allowing much interaction.
Our next lunch is 6 June.
I have also created a new group on LinkedIn: the “Beijing Monthly Old China Hands Lunch”: http://lnkd.in/bnzH-Z4
Welcome to join if you are an expat with at least 10 years of China!

Rotary China D0052 – District Training Assembly

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in Rotary

On Saturday 17 May 2014 Rotary China (the “District 0052”) held its Training Assembly. With big thanks to BASF (China) who kindly let us use their office in Gateway Plaza.
The purpose was to train the incoming (2014/2015) club leaders for their year of office and let everybody understand better Rotary.

Attendees were Club President-Elects, incoming Directors, & Committee Chairs, Club Committee Members, New Club Members, Rotary China Team, Club Members, Visiting Rotarians, GSE team members, Rotary Alumni, Rotaract (11 attended) & Interact (2 attended) Club members as well as Rotary Family & Friends

The seminar was managed by Special Representative Randal Eastman and District Trainer, PP Simon Maguire.
We had a nice turnout and the meeting room was full.


At the close of the seminar we went to Kempinski Paulaner for a German lunch, outdoors.
A successful day for Rotary China!

Rotaract Club of Beijing: elections

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in Rotary

On 12 May 2014, in the usual meeting place – The Local – we had a large turnout for the elctions.
See here the results:
Result of the elections for Board positions, Rotaract 2014-2015
President: Johanna Chen
Manage the Rotary Relationship, Meeting Preparation/ Leading, Meeting Location Coordination, Meeting Reminders, General Club Oversight and Management

Vice President: Blair Fox
Organize Speaker Events, Manage Rotary Relationship, Party Planning

Secretary: Cleopatra Wise
Take Meeting Notes, Prepare the Weekly Newsletter, Membership Management, Collection of Project Review Forms

Treasurer: Justin Maldegar
Financial Tracking, Project Budget Disbursement, Project Earnings Reconciliation, Charity Fund Disbursement, Membership Dues Collection

Marketing and Operations (MAO): Frederik Kerckhof
Website Management, Marketing Materials and Team Management, Social Media Management

Projects Coordinator: Position Open
Long-Term Project Coordination, General Project Monitoring


See the lively and large turnout, and the group pictures of the new board.

Watching Liverpool in The Den

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On Sunday evening 13 April I went to my usual “pit stop” at The Den, thinking it would be quiet on a Sunday night. It was full house and I was wondering what was going on with all the Chinese having a red T-shirt.

Then the soccer match started between Liverpool and Manchester City, at the Anfield stadium. I did not know the Chinese were big supporters of Liverpool, cheering and jumping up as Liverpool scored two goals in the first half. They finally won by 3-2.
There was also a minute of silence at the start of the game, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 of their fans died during an FA Cup semi-final, one of the darkest days in the history of English soccer. The supporters lost their lives in a crush at the Leppings Lane End of Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground at the start of the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989.
The Den is probably the oldest and best known sports bar and restaurant in Beijing, frequented by a mixed crowd of Chinese, expats (most being pretty close to retirement), the occasional girls of the night looking for business, and tourists. Families with kids are also regulars. It is