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(31 May) New Member Acceptance and Presentation by Mr. Rumen Markov (+GAL)
The first meeting after the Fundraising event was held on May 31, 2023, at the Hilton Hotel. There were 16 attendees, comprising 10 club members and 6 guests: Mr. Rumen Markov (guest speaker), Mrs. Zhivka Nikolova, Dr. Nikolay Tzaribachev (Candidate Member), Mr. Atanas Andreev, Mr. Greg Sharpe, and Mr. Nasko Balaktchiev.
During the month of May, some of our club members participated in another significant Rotary event. Our President commenced the presentation with a summary of the Annual Conference of District 2482, held from May 12 to 14 at the “Thracian Residence Starosel.” Three of our members attended this conference: Mrs. Hristina Malchevska, Ms. Ani Hristova, and Mr. Rumen Rusinov. The President of our Rotaract club, Ms. Nevena Ivanova, was also present. Our members had the opportunity to showcase their projects within the District. Mrs. Malchevska, who heads the International Service Committee, presented the extensive “Danube Alliance” project. Ms. Hristova highlighted the achievements of the Rotary Friendship Exchange program, while Ms. Ivanova discussed the RotaRun project of the Rotaractors. We take great pride in their accomplishments. During the conference, our club was recognized as a model for the proper use of the Rotary logo. More information can be found here.
At the event, our President and Ms. Hristova met with the special guest of the conference, Mr. Bjarne Eilsoe-Jørgensen, the 2023 RI Training Leader. They were specifically requested to translate from Bulgarian to English for Mr. Jørgensen and his spouse. They are wonderful people, and we hope to welcome them to our club, whether virtually or in person. The conference took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, and it was decided to increase the Yearly District Tax per Rotary member from 60 to 95 BGN. Pictures from the event were displayed.
The presentation was followed by a comprehensive update on the Fundraising event, including numerous pictures and impressions from the charity evening, as well as recognition of the many sponsors. Donations continued to pour into our account even after the event, with the collected amount now totaling 11,670 BGN. Our President seized the opportunity to express gratitude to our sponsors and displayed a list of all of them on the screen. Certificates of appreciation were issued and presented to the sponsors.
One day before the meeting, our President, Mr. Rumen Rusinov, our President-elect Mr. Grant Dale, and Past President Ms. Ani Hristova met with the Director of Special Olympics, Mr. Hristo Hristozov, and the CEO of the Bulgarian Field Hockey Federation, Mr. Antonio Antonov, to discuss the urgent funding needs of the ID Team and how to allocate the collected funds. The Bulgarians need to cover 6,175 BGN for hall rent, coaches, travel expenses, and food, while Special Olympics needs to secure 6,000 BGN for equipment for the Special Olympics games. These funding requirements will be presented to the board for approval.
The presentation continued with an update on the Charity event at Meridian School 22, which celebrated its 30th anniversary. Our Interactors are based in this school, and our President shared impressions and photos from the event. The funds collected were dedicated to Music Schools in Shiroka Luka and Kotel. An address from District Governor Mrs. Violina Kostova about the achievements of the International Service Committee was presented to the meeting participants.
Our club donated 500 BGN to an initiative of Rotary Club Gorna Banya, which aims to assist Ukrainian families by collecting aid in the form of clothes, shoes, and toys for children aged 2 to 12 years, particularly those living in Sunny Beach. Several announcements followed, leading up to the long-awaited moment when our dear friend, Mr. Serkan Halil, officially became a new member of our club. Mr. Halil met the requirements outlined in our internal rules for club membership, with sponsorship from Mr. Grant Dale and Mr. Claude Badan. Congratulations to Serkan, and welcome to our family.
The meeting concluded with a captivating presentation by Mr. Rumen Markov on “Large Infrastructure Projects.” During this presentation, we gained insights into future plans for the TEN-T Corridor in Eastern Europe, extending from the Aegean Sea to the Baltic Sea, and project plans for the Danube River, spanning from Germany down to its delta. These projects represent a true Pan-European initiative, grounded in economic profitability models, and they aim to foster the growth of European economies.
