RCMN GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
From that day of May 3, 1973 at the Aberdeen Court where 29 businessmen chartered the RC Makati North, the Club has evolved to a truly large Rotary family with its various partners in service, Inner Wheel, RCMN Satellite Club, Rotaractors and Interactors.
Individually and jointly, TCMN and its partners in service engage in very numerous social projects but specially focusing on three legacy ones:
1. Feeding Program – “Feed a child – bua Nation”- (Chris Bellinger)
2. Aetas of Botolan and
3. Alpabasa – speed reading program
Every Rotarian spontaneously contributed with his time, treasure or talent to the success of the “once in a lifetime celebration of service” together with Solaire Entertainment and the Grand Hyatt Hotel. A special recognition and thanks to our Executive Director Betty Narcinopa and Moly Almenario for those lengthy evenings putting all the details together
Before the celebration proper, our Ladies committee headed by Ann Yolanda Sevilla organized social and cultural programs for our foreign visitors. But let us please highlight the helicopter tour to our guests over Manila offered and piloted by our very own PP Ed Mijares.
The early direction given by MIP Natoy Almeda to the Anniversary Chairman PP Federico Sevilla was to make this Anniversary a celebration with fellowship and more fellowship, also to celebrate the long standing friendship we enjoy with our sister clubs.
With this direction in mind, the Official Program for our 150+ guests was to duly recognize our distinguished visitors from four International and local Sister Clubs, DG Mildred Vitangcol and District Officers, numerous PDGs and a large group of Most Innovative Presidents (MIP) classmates and friends of P Natoy.
One of the highlights of the evening was certainly the key note address delivered by our charter member (who was very emotional at times), PP Edilberto Bravo who came all the way from Dumaguete.
Service oriented individuals are the very heart and soul of RCMN. It is therefore only fitting that the Club honored its two PDGs, Ernesto ‘Ernie’ Salas and late Renato ‘Ato’ Magadia (received by Ann Vicky Magadia) and all attending Past Presidents with a commemorative plaque.
As it is our decades-long standing RCMN tradition, the centerpiece of the evening was again the very well-rehearsed dance number of ten very resolute and enthusiastic dancing pairs complemented for the first time by members of Satellite Club members and Rotaractors.
Age is only a Number...
The outstanding musical performance of our very own performer Ann Lorraine Motoomull, together with the eight musicians from the Bloomberg Band and Solaire’ singer Jenny Garcia delighted the guests during the evening.
Those outstanding performances motivated our P Natoy to contribute with several songs from Frank Sinatra’s timeless songs.
A VERY FIRST but certainly not the last.
Again, this anniversary celebration brought the very best out of every Rotarian and former member. Let me highlight the generous donations received for our social – legacy- projects:
1. One million PhP or more:
a. MIP Natoy Almeda
b. Anonymous friend of P Natoy
c. PP Augusto Gus Lagman
2. More than PhP 100,000
a. PP Edilberto Bravo
3. Below 100,000
a. PP Toti Herbosa
b. RC Raffles City
c. PP Elizabete Fong (RC Macau)
We paid tribute to our departed members who contributed for so many years to RCMN’s success. Thank you and continue resting in peace.
Let me conclude with a note of admiration. This Anniversary celebration has strengthened the Rotary spirit among our members and partners in service exponentially. We wish to highlight and recognize the participation of our younger Rotarians who are already firmly taking up the responsibilities to bring the Club’ achievements to new heights.
Message
With great pleasure and pride I congratulate the members and staff of the Rotary Club of Makati North on our 50th year - a landmark achieved
with significance thanks to the vision, tenacity and zeal of our members - specially the elders who trail-blazed our course these 5 decades.
Through their foresight and drive we are here today - an active and productive civic organization, making a difference in our country within the Rotary family.As we celebrate this milestone, we call to mind our purpose and the programs
that we continue to pursue with fervor today as when we started them decades ago.
Our legacy programs give us a sense of fulfillment and we are further enthused to do more. Through the Aetas of Botolan, we continue to
uplift the lives of 686 Aeta homes or over 2,058 Aetas with light through the “Micro Grid Solar Electrification”, clean water project and the “Plant a Giant Bamboo” which not only supplements livelihood and food but also prevents soil erosion, generates oxygen and absorbs carbon from the atmosphere.
We continue to support the LAKAS National High School in Computer Education and College Scholarships.
“Feed a Child - Build a Nation” is a supplemental feeding program for 100 malnourished students of the FE Benitez Elementary School situated in
our community.
Last but not the least is “Alpabasa” - an early reading and comprehension program that prepares Kinder to Grade 2 pupils advance in
reading skills as they enter Grade 3.
As we continue to chart our course through the next decade and beyond, I personally pledge to continue RCMN’s legacy projects as well as the Club’s
honor-bound traditions and commitments and the Rotarian standards. We are not resting on our laurels. Rather, we will continue to help where we can, be an instrument for nation building and remain a noteworthy member of the
Rotary. I also take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to all our partners and supporters who believe in what we do. Not least, I thank our fellow Rotarians who everyday inspire us to imagine bigger and better.
Mabuhay!
Donato C. Almeda
Marvelous Imaginative President
RY 2022 - 2023.