First Meeting After the Summer Break
After our summer break we met in the Anemi Hotel and it was great to see all our members again. We also welcomed Jane Vice-Long with her husband from the Bury Abbey Rotary Club in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.
Stories
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Our talented Violinist GiannisAt our final meeting before the summer break, we were delighted to welcome Giannis Christodoulides and his father Savvas. Giannis is 17 years old and a very talented violinist who attends the Paphos Music School and also was awarded a Scholarship to study advanced technique at the Nicosia University. Giannis auditioned, and was accepted to participate in a European Youth Orchestra Academy organised by the Rotary Club of Mannheim-Rhein-Neckar as a RYLA Project. He is the only Cypriot to be accepted with students from all over Europe. We are so impressed by this talented young man and unanimously agreed to sponsor him. He will come back later in the year to tell us about his experiences in Germany and also to play for us. Well done Giannis, I am sure you will make Paphos (and Cyprus) proud of you! https://www.facebook.com/reel/295714459607610  |
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Handover Dinner in the LodgeAfter 2 years being president out our club Juergen Krekeler handed over to our new president Reda Youssef. A big thanks to Juergen for all his work he has done with his team.
Congratulations to Reda and we wish him a successful year. It was great to see so many Rotarian friends from several other clubs as well as many supporters of our club. Big thanks also to the team at THE LODGE who looked after us. We all had a fantastic evening and looking forward to the new Rotary year.  |
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Charity Raffle April 2023Two of our members attended a recent event where we were allowed to have a charity raffle. A lovely lady called Gail won the huge food hamper, which she said she would share with her friends, and €235 was raised for the Friend's Hospice. Thank you to our Club members for their donations.   |
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Happy Easter |
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Polio and RotaryPolio – what does that word mean to you? To some of us, those of a somewhat more advanced age, it will likely conjour up mental pictures of children walking with calipers and patients confined to an iron lung. To younger people polio may mean little or nothing. Polio was a fearsome and much feared disease which particularly affected children, a disease eliminated from Britain (and Cyprus) and most of the world. This remarkable feat was achieved thanks to almost universal vaccination (the first vaccine came out in 1953 and earned its inventor, Jonas Salk, a Nobel prize and the gratitude of millions). Despite cynicism about covid vaccines it has to be acknowledged that vaccines have transformed disease control and in the case of polio made its complete eradication possible. In1988 the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was founded and since then polio cases have been reduced by 99.9%.Rotary International has been a part of the Initiative since its inception and Rotary Clubs have contributed the staggering sum of $2.1 billion. Many Rotary volunteers have participated in mass vaccination programmes across the world. Now polio is only endemic in 2 countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan ( and Pakistan is well on the way to being polio free). It is tempting to think of polio as ‘their problem’ and that we need do no more. But until polio is eradicated- until it ceases to exist anywhere – we cannot rest. Traces of polio virus were found in London water last year and, because polio is no long the feared spectre it was, vaccination rates have dropped, leaving people vulnerable. Every Rotary Club in the world – all 14,000 – in Cyprus, UK Germany, Russia ,Pakistan among many in virtually every country – is pledged to continuing the fight against polio until it is completely eradicated. Rotary Clubs see defeating polio as ‘our fight’. We in Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club regularly send funds to buy vaccine ans support its use. Indeed, every time we have a guest speaker we donate 100 euros in their name. So, when you see one of our members collecting for the End Polio Now campaign, please give generously. Help us to make this only the second disease to be wiped off the earth. We are so close to winning but inevitably the last round takes the greatest effort. Quiz question: What is the only disease that has been completely eradicated?  |
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Rotary Club of Paphos Aphrodite ABCRotary Club of Paphos Aphrodite ABC A is for American University of Beirut  As most readers will be aware the prestigious American University of Beirut is opening an off shoot in Paphos, building next to AlphaMega in Kato Paphos. We entertained the Rector of the University, who gave a good sized audience a talk on the plans they have. In brief they start taking in students in September and are planning to expand at around 200 students per year until they reach their target of 2000. Students will come from all over the Eastern Mediterranean area as well as from countries such as the US, UK and Germany. This is a great coup for Paphos, which was selected ahead of the UAE. Thu University, a long established charitable institution, will provide jobs and income for the city. B is for bees A second guest at our club was Dr Manfred Lange who is a leader of Rotary Cyprus’s Pollinator project. He explained the pressing need to encourage pollinating insects including, though not exclusively, bees. Rotary Clubs across the island are working with communities to establish areas that attract pollinators and to educate the public on the need. This was a very informative presentation (worrying in places , when talking about global warming) and inspired our club members to take forward our own plans to develop pollinator gardens. C is for Concert Our Rotary Club is not all about serious things. We like to have fun, too. And to raise money for charity. So we are planning our fourth Rock Concert, which will take place in Tala Arena in June. A great night is guaranteed and we hope to raise more than the €3000 from last year. Keep an eye on Facebook and this publication for date, tickets etc. If any of this interests you and you would like to help us and attend events, either as a full member or as a supporter we would love to hear from you. Give me a ring on 96418623 or mail me at ian.graves@mac.com. You will receive a warm welcome to our club and the fascinating and worthwhile world of Rotary. |
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Pollinator Garden at the Learning Refuge in PaphosRotarians at work! A start to prepare the ground for our Pollinator Garden at the Learning Refuge in Paphos. This centre provides support and assistance to refugee and asylum seeker families and also the underage young people who are currently housed in the New York Plaza apartments. As you can see we had two mini Rotarians to help us as well as two young Afghan boys. It was hard work, so well done! Updates on the progress of the garden will follow.    |
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Pollinator ProjectOur guest speaker in March was Dr. Manfred Lange who spoke about the idea of Pollinator Gardens and explained how they benefit our environment. We had many ideas, good questions and interesting discussions.   |
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Online AuctionOnline auction on 27 March! Join us!  |
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Speaker Event March 2023 |
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Rotary in MarchToday is pretty grim – hail, rain, wind! Winter is here. But thankfully by the time you read this we will be looking forward to spring. Spring is the time for action and Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club is already springing (forgive the pun) into action. We have been planning our programme of events and fundraising so I am writing at more length than usual (editors willing) because without you and your support we can not achieve our aims. So firstly, what are our aims? One is to bring people together in common cause because as we all know people working together can achieve far more than on their own. Those causes and aims are to improve the lives of others, whether by education or our efforts or by raising funds for others. We are planning to work in all those ways. Education: A major push by Rotary across Cyprus is to encourage people to understand the necessity for assisting pollinators, such as bees (though many other insects pollinate also). We are helping to create pollinator gardens at the Learning Refuge, Hope Farm and our own little patch in Mesa Chorio. Pollinator Gardens are really simple- essentially they are just areas within a garden or open space filled with plants that attract bees and insects. If you are interested in the pollinator project look at http://rotary-cyprus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ROTARY-Cyprus-pollinatorProject Flyer eng.pdf By our own efforts: You may have noticed that there is quite a lot of rubbish by the roads and streets of Paphos. On March 18th Rotarians will take part in a clean up operation on Europis Avenue (ERA to the triangle) which we hope will be the first of many such events. Of course the help of others would be much appreciated so if you think a tidy town is important come and join us – keep an eye on Facebook. Raising Funds For three years now we have put on a rock concert in the summer and we will be doing the same this year. It will be in Tala Amphitheatre and will feature two acts. If it is as good as previous years there will be much fun and dancing. Proceeds go to our charities. Keep your eyes out for publicity and please join us. We are also planning to put on other events and to run raffles at other music events. And lastly – did you know that there was a Rotary Square in Paphos and have you been there? It is a little hidden, just off Kennedy Square with entrances from Kiniras Hotel and Palia Elektriki. Although it bears our name it has not been used for much – so far. We have plans to put on a number of events there, starting with a craft market in late spring/early summer. So find out where it is and come along. Just typing about the programme we have has worn me out but we are excited as well. If you feel that you would like to get involved in any way , either by joining our club or just coming along to help you can contact me at ian.graves@mac.com. The motto of Rotary is Service Above Self and we do our best to live up to it. Ian Graves Vice President Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club |
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Speaker Event February 2023Our speaker in February was Dr. Wassim El-Hajj, the Rector of the new American University of Beirut Mediterraneo. We had many guests at our meeting who were interested in hearing about the history of the AUB and the development of the new campus in Paphos.   |
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February 2023 FellowshipSeveral of our members enjoyed a great fellowship evening at Agora Restaurant. It was a pleasure to have DDG Emilios Tannousis and his wife as our guests.  |
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The new American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo will share the vision of the new university due to open in PaphosGreetings from Paphos-Aphrodite Rotary Club We would like to extend an invitation to attend a presentation where the Rector of the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo will share the vision of the new university due to open in Paphos with its first student intake in September 2023. Details are as follows: Location: Anemi Hotel – Paphos - https://anemihotel.com/ Date: Thursday 23rd February Time: 20h00 Guest Speaker: Dr. Wassim El-Hajj-Rector of the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo. RSVP: As space is limited, please RSVP by Monday 19 February to Rob Ullrich on either Mobile No:. 95767714 or email: robtradeup@gmail.com Brief Bio of Dr. Wassim El-HAjj Wassim El-Hajj is tenured Professor of Computer Science at the American University of Beirut (AUB). He received his BS degree from AUB in 2000, and the MS and Ph.D. degrees in 2002 and 2006, respectively, from Western Michigan University (WMU), all in Computer Science. Right after his graduation, he joined the Information Security department at UAE University as an assistant professor. He then joined the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at AUB as a visiting professor and then joined the Computer Science department as a full-time faculty member in 2011. In 2013, he was elected to Chair the department of Computer Science and served for two terms until 2019. He was promoted to Associate Professor in June 2014, and to Professor in June 2021. In 2019, he was appointed as the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences at AUB leading the eLearning and entrepreneurship strategies, and attending to student concerns. In September 2021, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo project, AUB’s first ever twin campus abroad, leading on and participating in all the project aspects including strategic planning, local and US accreditation, legal agreements, HR matters, communications, finance, procurement, and housing. In January 2023, he was apppinted as the Rector of the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting
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Vasilopita 2023Frist Meeting in January 2023, Vice President Ian cut the Vasilopita cake at Hazelli Taverna in Tala. He won the coin, but passed the gift of wine to PP George. Lovely food and a cosy evening by the fire.   |
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Gluehwein Event December 2022A fantastic day at our annual Gluehwein Event on Kennedy Square today. We have been very busy selling Gluehwein and sausages to our friends and visitors. Thanks to everyone who supported us to raise money for all the causes we are supporting. We are very tiered but happy and in the Christmas mood. We had fun and enjoyed Paphos during this festive season even more. Merry Christmas and a good 2023.    |
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Gluehwein at Kennedy SquareOur Rotarians will be back in Kennedy Square this coming weekend to serve you our delicious gluhwein and hot sausages. Please come and join us, have a chat and spread some Christmas Cheer!  |
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Jennifer Jones, president of Rotary International talks to in-cyprus about the organisation’s humanitarian workJennifer Jones, the first woman to become president of Rotary International, visited Cyprus to take part in the International Rotary Institute conference, held in Limassol between November 9-13. During the conference, which took place for the first time in Cyprus, Rotary officials from 40 countries gathered to discuss pressing issues such as disease prevention, education, the climate crisis, and social inclusion, as well as Rotary’s role in tackling them. During her time in Cyprus, Ms Jones and other Rotary delegates, both local and foreign, visited the village of Ora which was devasted by a wildfire in July 2021 to see how Rotary contributed to its rebuilding. Moreover, the Rotary president saw the ground-breaking work of the Karaiskakio Foundation, which recently received 40,000 dollars worth of equipment for its Children’s Cancer Diagnostic Laboratory, by the Rotary Clubs of Cyprus who collaborated with other Rotary clubs abroad to raise the amount. In an interview with in-cyprus, Ms Jones talks about Rotary’s contribution to global humanitarian efforts and the role that storytelling can play in charity. She stresses that she is focused on building new relationships with organisations around the globe that share Rotary’s vision of humanitarian service, while being committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. |
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November FellowshipLast Thursday we had a Fellowship evening at Melitzia Taverna in Tala with partners and friends. A wonderful Meze was served while we planned our Gluhwein event.  |
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Rotarians from 40 countries gather in Cyprus to welcome president of Rotary International
For the first time in Cyprus Rotary History, the Zone 21 Institute will be held in Limassol Cyprus between the 9th and 13th of November 2022, thanks to the efforts of Past Rotary International Director Katerina Kotsali Papademetriou and Past District Governor Christina Covotsou-Patroclou. The opening ceremony is on the 10th of November at the Carob Mill whilst the main sessions of the conference are at the Elias Beach Hotel. It is considered a great honour for a country to be selected as the host of the Institute and particularly to host the Rotary International President at this event. It puts Cyprus Rotary and Cyprus as a destination, in the limelight of Rotary throughout the world. Rotary dignitaries from 40 countries which include many European countries and some from the Middle East and Africa have already booked their participation. The full programme of the institute can be found on the www.limassolinstitute2022.org website. The delegates will be addressing crucial and current issues such as Disease prevention, basic education, the environment, girl empowerment, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, development of partnerships. The Institute also serves as a forum for networking opportunities, exchanging ideas and updates on the developments, initiatives, and priorities of Rotary International from global and regional perspectives. President of Rotary International Jennifer Jones, the first woman to be elected in this post, will be participating in the Institute. President Jones is a charismatic and inspiring leader and a seasoned Rotarian, who has served in multiple key roles in Rotary International and the highly acclaimed Rotary Foundation During her one-year term as President, Jones is focussing on building new relationships and establishing collaborations with organizations that share Rotary’s commitment to driving impact through humanitarian service and to developing leaders around the globe. She has also made Rotary’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion a key part of her presidential platform. Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.org Since World War II Rotary’s Charity Foundation has sponsored more than $4 billion in projects worldwide, it puts to use approximately 47 million volunteer hours of service each year, serving humanity. Nearer home, Cyprus Rotary is among the very few organisations that operate across the dividing line of our country. Rotarians from all the communities of Cyprus proudly work together in harmony to serve humanity. Cypriot Rotary Clubs (RCs) have over the years been instrumental in delivering many projects to meet community needs. The flagship project is the recent purchase of equipment for the Childhood Cancer Diagnostic Centre at the Karaiskakio Foundation This state-of-the-art laboratory, the cost of which was to the tune of $400.000, determines the type of cancer in children and young adults and recommends a treatment that minimises collateral damage due to cancer treatment. The Karaiskakio Foundation offers its services free of charge to all Cypriot communities, without any discrimination on grounds of religion or ethnicity. In response to the Covid 19 pandemic, Cyprus Rotary clubs donated in 2020, 4 ICU beds to the Nicosia hospital valued at $108.000 and medical equipment to the Kyrenia hospital valued at $45.000. Among International personas who served as Rotarians are Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, John F Kennedy, Neil Armstrong, Guglielmo Marconi, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, and Pope Francis is an active Rotary supporter. |
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Rotarians meeting DG in LimassolA small group of our members travelled to Limassol to meet George Azar, our District Governor. At the dinner it was good to catch up with some of our fellow Rotarians from the Limassol Clubs   |
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September Speaker EventOur speaker in September was Mary Beth Trotter, Assistant Director at the Episkopi(Paphos) Environmental Centre. She explained what the centre had to offer and also about the beautiful nature in the Ezousa Valley. We were then treated to some fresh carob flavoured soutzouko, a cup of herb infused zivania and then our hands were soft and perfumed with cream made with geranium and patchouli, all from the village. We hope to arrange a visit soon.   |
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September FellowshipAt our September fellowship we met with friends, family, members and other Rotarians for our September fellowship at Gabriel’s Tavern in Kouklia. Nice food and great entertainment.   |
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Rotary International Zone 21 Institute2022 Zone 21 Rotary Institute will take place in Limassol from 7 to 13 November. The purpose of a Rotary International Institutes are to : * Inform accurately current and past Rotary International (RI) officers about the policies and programs of RI , including those of its Foundation . * Promote support for these policies and program while also soliciting suggestions for imporvements and innovations . Inform the RI Board of successful program developments at the Zone level which the RI Board may want to consider for further development . * Inspire , Motivate and inform Governors about leadership . * Provide a forum for learning , discussion and inspiration , which will engineer fellowship and a team spirit among the participants . * Governor Elect Training Seminar (GETS) is mandatory for all incoming Governors. * Governor Elect Spouses Seminar is for all spouses of incoming Governors |
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Annual Charity Concert in TalaWe think everyone who attended our Charity Concert had a great time. Thanks to some superb music from Ronn van Etten, New Rules Duo and Marios Danos and the Dizzy Bees. The Friend's Hospice and the Margarita Liasidou Foundation will benefit from the funds raised. Thanks must also go to our generous sponsors for their support. Hope to see you all next year! Thanks for your support :-)   |
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Visitors from Bonn - GermanyLast night at our meeting we welcomed Rtn. Timo Trog and his wife from Germany. His club's banner was presented to President Juergen  |
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Happy New Rotary Year 2022 2023 |
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Change over fellowshipCongratulations to our new and old president Juergen Krekeler who will serve the club with his team for another year. We therefore had only a nice fellowship and not a big handover event. Great evening and a big thanks to the team at the Acropolis Tavern.   |
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Honey & Beekeeping Festival of OdouOn Sunday, 26th June 2022, during the 4th Honey & Beekeeping Festival of Odou, the Official Opening of the "Bee Life" "Μέλισσα Ζωή" Queen Bee Artificial Insemination Center and Honey Quality Control Laboratory took place. DDG Peter Ashdjian gave an opening speech giving insight on the conception of the idea one year ago by Cyprus Rotary Clubs and the Bank of Cyprus. He noted the valuable contribution that the Center will bring in cooperation with government and local Officials and thanked all parties for their help to make the "Bee Life" Center a reality, with special mentions for Ora's Community Leader, Mr. Menelaos Philippou, the president of Troodos Network, the president of the Cyprus Beekeepers Association Παγκύπριος Σύνδεσμος Μελισσοκόμων - Κέντρο Μελισσοκομίας Κύπρου and all Rotarians involved. The Center is a collaboration of the Rotary clubs of Cyprus with the Bank of Cyprus that will offer a new dynamic in bee reproduction, restoration of the lost bee hives, protection of the native Cypriot bee and improvement in the quality of Cypriot honey.    |
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Charity Concert 30th July 2022 at 7 pmWe are back in the TALA Amphitheatre with: - NEW RULES DUO - MARIOS DANOS - RONN VAN ETTEN in support of: - Margarita Liasidou Foundation - Friends Hospice Paphos Ticket only EURO 15 per Person You can buy the ticket online:  |
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25th Anniversary PartyWe enjoyed our 25th anniversary party at the Anemi Hotel on the roof top bar. Thanks to all our guests, members, sponsors and supporters who joined us to celebrate.   |
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Juergens May GreetingDear fellow Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club members 25 years ago -on April 25th, 1997 to be precise - our Rotary Club was founded in Paphos, Cyprus. Since then the members of the club are serving our community, people in need and many institutions and organisations. I want to thank all of you for your voluntary service for so many years. Such an anniversary well deserves a celebration. On May 28th, 2022 we will celebrate then 25 years of Paphos Aphrodite Rotary club in Anemi Hotel (see invitation below). I hope I can welcome many of our members with their families and friends. Looking forward to seeing you Yours in Rotary Juergen Krekeler President  |
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April FellowshipGreat fellowship at Vardas Beach Bar with members and friends.     |
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25th Anniversary PartyCome and join us as we celebrate our Club's 25th Anniversary!  |
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25th anniversary Charter dayToday, 25 years ago …. Thanks to all our members, supporters, friends and sponsors.  |
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What does Rotary means to you ? - ThorstenSo what is Rotary? I’m sure if you’re a Rotarian you have been asked, “What is Rotary”? If you’re one of our guests and told someone you were going to a Rotary meeting today, you may have been asked , “what is Rotary”? My 18 year old godson asked me that question a few months ago. He said, Thorsten, “What is Rotary” ? Now I can say, “Rotary is an international service club of 1.4 million business and professional men and women who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build good will and peace in the world”. But that really doesn’t say what Rotary is! Rotary may be and is:
The largest humanitarian project ever conceived by a service club; eradicating polio from the world. I could go on and on and on!!!! Rotary may be and is all of those things and much, much more. Rotary is the projects that clubs like ours decide to do; there are 46,000 clubs in the Rotary world all doing worthy projects. Look around the room. What you see, is the face of Rotary. Rotary is the same around the world men and women meeting together in clubs. The club is the heart of Rotary; all that is done in Rotary starts in a club. Here in our club you could be sitting at the table with a teacher from Germany, a lawyer from Cyprus, a psychiatrist from Ireland or an accountant from England. Such diversity of membership brings unique perspectives to a club and is one of the major strengths of what Rotary is. The Four Way Test From the earliest days of Rotary, Rotarians were concerned about promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world’s most widely printed and quoted statements on business is the “ Four Way Test”. It was created by Rotarian Herbert Taylor in 1932 for his staff at an Aluminum Company that was facing bankruptcy. He found that by putting these 24 words into practice the employees were able to turn the company around. The Four Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into hundreds of languages published in thousands of ways. Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? What I like best about Rotary is the Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club. I’ve been involved in lots of Rotary projects, visited lots of other Rotary clubs, attended conventions and conferences, but for me; Rotary is attending my Rotary Club. See you all next Thursday. Thanks Thorsten  |
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The stigma of mental health issuesAt our last meeting, some of our members and guests found our speaker's topic very interesting and thought provoking. Thank you to Derek Holt who spoke to us about the stigma of mental health issues and lack of support and understanding in our society, also the struggle to get apporopriate treatment. There were many questions raised afterwards, and Derek was warmly thanked by President Juergen.   |
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March 2022 FellowshipOur members and visitors enjoyed a meze and fellowship evening in Emba Village. President Juergen welcomed our visitors and exchanged banners with our special guest DDG Hassan Airais from RC of Dubai.   |
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Applications for Rotary’s Peace Fellowship are now open!Applications for Rotary’s Peace Fellowship are now open! Each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully-funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of our peace centers. Learn more and share this opportunity for the 2023-24 academic year with peace and development leaders in your community. https://on.rotary.org/3ARHP6U  |
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Tree planting in LetymbouLast Sunday we planted more than 200 trees in the beautiful village of Letymbou. Thanks to all the volunteers for their attendance and made this happen, Paphos Aphrodite Rotary for the donation of the trees and the Community of Letymbou and 100,000 trees for Paphos, for the co-organization. It was good fund and the weather was perfect.   |
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Tree planting on Sunday in LetymbouThis Sunday we will plant trees in Letymbou village and we will start at 10.00 am. Hope you will join us and help make Cyprus greener.  |
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Paphos Aphrodite RC supports ShelterboxIn December last year the Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club decided again to support Shelterbox (https://www.shelterbox.org/) and our club donated Euro 500 to this worthwhile charity. In 2012, ShelterBox became Rotary International’s first Project Partner and remains the only disaster relief charity. As you can see our club has supported Shelterbox for many years: 2006 our Box went to Islamabad, Pakistan 2010 our Box went to Haiti - For those made homeless by the devastating earthquake 2014 our box helped in the below destinations: - Pakistan - To assist those affected by flooding. - Niger - To assist those affected by conflict. 2020 the donated money will help Shelterbox in several countries Right now, more than 113 million people around the world have been made homeless by disaster and conflict. We’re working to change this. By providing emergency shelter and tools for families robbed of their homes by disaster, we’re transforming despair into hope. We want to see a world where no family is left without shelter after disaster. If you like to support Shelterbox please donate.  |
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Tree Planting in Letymbou VillageThis event has moved to Saturday, 19th February 2022  |
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Vasilopita 2022Our Vasilopita dinner at Hazeli in Tala also turned into a Liverpool fan club outing. We had a great night with President Juergen cutting the cake with a sword, and our lovely waiter Marios getting the coin.   |
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Happy End to the Year 2021A happy end to the year at Paphos-Aphrodite with the award of a Sapphire PHF to PDG David Whindle in recognition of his continued support for the Club. Secondly our new member Anke Ulisch was pinned by President Juergen.
Congratulations to both.   |
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The Annual Gluehwein Event 2021Thanks to all supporters who joint us today. Unfortunately we have to cancel our event tomorrow due to bad weather forecast. Merry Christmas from all of us and a very happy new year.   |
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Donation for Friends HospiceChris Jones ~ the Trustee President of the Friends Hospice is pictured here receiving another wonderful donation of €624.09 from our club. Juergen Krekeler recently held a fund raising house warming party for fellow Rotarians. What a clever idea! We're completely with Juergen who felt that the 9 cents was important ~ all those 9 cents add up for sure! Thank you so much for all your support.  |
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Help at the Logicom MarathonThese wonderful helper volunteers from TLC made our morning a real fun event handing out water to the marathon runners. Thank you and well-done kids, you absolutely rock.  |
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December CollectionLast week our members worked with Avgerinos charity at Papantoniou Chloraka to collect food for families in need at Christmas. Several trolley loads of food were donated as well as over €250 which will also be used to buy food. Thank you to all who helped us.  |
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DG visit in PaphosOur members and three members of Paphos Rotary Club met for lunch last week with DG Ashot Karapetyan and DDG Peter Ashdjian in Honey Restaurant, Paphos.   |
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DG visits Rotary SquareDG Ashot Karapetyan, with DDG Peter Ashdjian, visited our Rotary Square, admired the mosaic of the Rotary Wheel, and then was introduced to Sharen Taylor who designed and made it.  |
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Money raisedWe had a busy time during our fellowship evening at The Lodge Restaurant. First of all we pinned two new members.
Congratulations to Robin Ullrich and Panayiotis Kyriakou. Then cheques for €1500 each were presented to Fytoula from the Margarita Liasidou Foundation, and also to Chris Jones from the Friends Hospice. This was money raised at our recent Rock Concert. Finally we were honoured to welcome PDG Kevork Mahdessian and DDG Hassan Al Rais from the RC of Dubai who joined us for dinner.  |
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Rotary Square - T-Shirt ProjectIt’s nice to see when the Rotary Square in the old town of Paphos is used for a school project. Thanks to Orestis Matsas for the fantastic photos.  |
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Concerts HelpersA big thank you to George and his team to a successful Charity Concert. Some action pictures below:    |
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Guest speaker from Hellenic BankWe were honoured to welcome the CEO of the Hellenic Bank, Oliver Gatzke, as our speaker this evening. He spoke about banking and the Cyprus economy to an appreciative audience, who later had several questions. Oliver was presented with a certificate stating that the Club would make a donation to RI Polio Fund on his behalf. There were several visitors, including two PDGs, one AG and one President from the UK.   |
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Mr Oliver Gatzke, CEO of the Hellenic Bank as our September guest speakerWe were honoured to welcome the CEO of the Hellenic Bank, Oliver Gatzke, as our speaker this September. He spoke about banking and the Cyprus economy to an appreciative audience, who later had several questions. Oliver was presented with a certificate stating that the Club would make a donation to RI Polio Fund on his behalf. There were several visitors, including two PDGs, one AG and one President from the UK.   |
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Rotary International Award: Rotary Citation 2020-2021Congratulations! Our club has earned the Rotary Citation, the most significant award a Rotary club can achieve, for 2020-21. During a year that was challenging for many Rotarians around the world, our club demonstrated a commitment to achieve its goals, which ultimately helps strengthen Rotary and shape our future. Well done and thanks for all your help and support.  |
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Charity Concert 2021The bands from this years Charity concert at the Pissouri Amphitheatre. On The Wave, Murphy's Brother in Law and The Cover Up. Thank you to all who came to support us and also a big thank you to our sponsors. All profits will go to The Friends Hospice and The Margarita Liasidou Foundation in Paphos.    |
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Charity Concert |
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Our July 2021 FellowshipOur last get together before the summer break. Fellowship Evening with a wonderful meze meal at George's Taverna in Anavargos  |
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July 2021 Speaker EventWe had our first speaker event in the new Rotary year. The General Manager from the Anemi Hotel, Mrs Evelyn Cleanthous Komodromou, spoke to us about 'The impact of the Covid-19 crisis in the Tourism and Hospitality industry in Cyprus and future plans". A fantastic presentation and a lively discussion. Thanks to everybody involved.  |
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Cyprus FiresThe Rotary Clubs of Cyprus helping the victims of the fire and firefighters with food and water, they need a generator and more will be needed today, tomorrow and the next few weeks and months. We are helping but need funds urgently. Please donate now that we can continue to help. Please do it now: Please donate directly to the Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club donation link. Thanks for your support  |
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Hand-over Ceremony Gala DinnerWe had a very nice Gala Handover Ceremony Dinner with the support of our new DDG Peter Ashdjian. We also pinned two new members and awarded 2 Paul Harris fellowship awards to George Kafizas and Erland Carl. A big thanks to the Anemi Hotel and their excellent team who looked after us and their chefs for an amazing meal. Thanks for supporting our club and we wish our new president Juergen Krekeler a successful year.  |
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Paphos Aphrodite receives 4 District AwardsThe 8th Conference of the Rotary District 2452 has just finished and I am very proud to tell you 3 clubs from Cyprus won Awards this year, namely - RC Nicosia Salamis - RC Kyrenia Cosmopolitan - Paphos Aphrodite RC 98 clubs of our district applied for awards. As you all can imagine we are very happy that our club has received the following awards: - Club Administration (certificate) - Community Service (trophy) - Public Relations and Rotary Image (trophy) - Membership Development and Rotary Awareness (trophy) Our club can be very proud of this achievement – 3 trophies and 1 certificate - in difficult circumstances. I would like to thank you all for your hard work and it is nice to get our achievements recognized not only by Rotary Cyprus but also by our district. Well done – and I am very, very proud of you all. Have a wonderful weekend. Take care, Thorsten  |
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District Conference Opening CeremonySeveral of our members watched the opening ceremony of the District Conference in Bahrain while enjoying a drink and a buffet meal. Thanks to Julia for the cake!  |
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ART SALE for ShelterBox and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of Makarios HospitalWelcome to Paphos-Aphrodite Rotary Club Art Sale, a joint effort with renowned Iranian artist Elham Razani, to raise funds for ShelterBox and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of Makarios Hospital in Cyprus. Buy stunning Original Art to support Life Saving Charities This is an opportunity to beautify your home or workplace and also help people in extreme situations or children with serious medical needs. Elham Razani is a renowned Iranian artist, who has exhibited her paintings in four continents and who is equally happy painting abstracts or works that pay homage to her Persian heritage. A dedicated artist, each work is a work of love. Her husband, Robin, is a Rotarian of Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club and he recognised the opportunity to make a significant contribution to worthwhile Rotary projects through the sale of Elham’s work. Therefore of the proceeds of this sale, both original and in print form, 20% will be given to either ShelterBox or the Paediatric Ward at Makarios hospital in Nicosia – see the descriptions on the website. When you buy you will be given the choice of charity you wish to support. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase exquisite art and to make a significant contribution to two worthy causes.  |
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Interview with Cyprus in StyleWe recently met with Thorsten Quakernack, President of the Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club, to find out more about him and his life as a Rotarian. The Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club is for local and international residents, as meetings take place in English, so that language is not a barrier.  |
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Easter Collection with Avgerinos CharityOur club members (including our Easter Bunnies) did a great job last Saturday with Avgerinos Charity to collect money, food and baby product donations for Paphos families in need. Several trolley loads of food and a total of €365 will help so many families. Thank you to all those who donated and especially a local farmer who promised a donation of 300 eggs. Happy Easter, Kalo Pascha to all.  |
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Happy Easter |
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Fellowship at MuseWe had our first fellowship and we all enjoyed it very much at Muse, Paphos. As one of our members commented: 'The venue was perfect, food amazing & how wonderful to socialize with our fellow club members, especially new members we have not had an opportunity to meet in person till now. So nice to have a little bit of normality back in our lives.' We all had a good time and felt safe.  |
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Zoom Dinner from Robin's kitchenFor this meeting we decided to support Robin's kitchen. Our members ordered lasagna and tiramisu from Robin's kitchen and collected it but we ate all together our meals via Zoom. It was a very nice meal and good fun. Imagine every commercial kitchen in your City donating a meal for every sale they make... no one in your City will ever go hungry! You might think is impossible and yet, a well run kitchen can produce an extra meal for every sale and still manage to cover all the associated costs, as long as the owners don't keep the profit to themselves. Robin's kitchen is a non-profit kitchen with a unique selling proposition: “For every meal you buy, we donate one to people in need.”  |
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Happy Women's Day |
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Power of Goodness Video CompetitionPlease find below our clubs entry to the Rotary Zone 21B 'Power of Goodness' Video Competition. It's just a joy to watch and makes you feel good: |
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Rotary Square: The new plaque is installedThe new plaque below the Rotary mosaic is now installed on our new Rotary Square. Now we give credit to the artist but also to our contributor RC of Westport, CT, USA and to our own club. A big thanks to George who organized it all for us, from the design to the installation. Well done !  |
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Happy Birthday RotaryGrassroots at the core, Rotary links 1.2 million members to form an organization of international scope. It started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas, form meaningful, lifelong friendships, and give back to their communities.  |
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Tree planting in CholetriaOn Thursday the first trees got planted in the village of Choletria in the Paphos region. A big thanks to the team from '100,000 trees in Paphos' , Choletria council as well as to Happy Garden CY. More trees will be planted shortly. Due to the restrictions we are slowed down. A big thanks to all our supporters, their donations and the hard work of our planters. If you like to support us please donate via our website. Thank you very much.   |
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Trees for CholetriaWe know have purchased and selected the trees for Choletria village. We bought 40 Olive trees and 40 Carob trees and they are now delivered and will be planted shortly Thanks for everybody supporting our Trees project this year. Please continue to donate via our website or via GoGetFunding. Thanks for your help and support.      |
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The Pollinator Project of Rotary Cyprus |
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Support Paphos families in need with AvgerinosSince the beginning of the Covid pandemic, Paphos-Aphrodite Rotary Club members have worked hard to support local families in need with food and other essentials. Due to a public collection and further donations, we have been able to donate €800 euros worth of food and baby supplies to Avgerinos. This charity will distribute these to families who still need ongoing support at this time. . We would also like to thank Papantoniou Supermarkets for their kind offer of a discount on the items purchased which means the families will benefit even more. As we would like to help more, therefore please help your fellow citizens in Paphos and donate now:     |
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A good start for 2021 - The Rotary Mosaic is installed -Today Sharen Taylor installed with the help of our members the new Rotary Wheel mosaic in the new Rotary Square. It is looking great. Thanks for all your support and we wish you all a good start for 2021.   |
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Happy Holidays
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Collection for 'Hug with Love' - 'Agkaliazw me Agapi'On Saturday, 19th December 2020 our club and members of the charity 'Agkaliazw me Agapi' collected money and food donations in front of the Papantoniou Supermarket in Chlorakas. It was a fun event and public donated generously to this cause, which was very much appreciated. A big thanks to everybody who donated and to the management and staff of Papantoniou Supermarkets in Chlorakas who have been fantastic hosts as they not only looked after us but also gave us a discount and free delivery.   |
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The Rotary Square Aerial View at ChristmasA lovely aerial view of our Rotary Square!  |
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Please help with your change |
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Hug With Love - Agkaliazw me AgapiThe Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club is helping families in Paphos who need support by providing the Charity 'Hugs with Love' - 'Agkaliazw me Agapi' with food and baby items. A big thanks to Papantoniou Supermarkets who gave us a discount for our shopping and free delivery. BRAVO  |
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Rotary in the news: Shelterbox |
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Rotary Square updateDear All, The other day we did visit the new Rotary Square in the Old Town of Paphos and we liked very much what we have seen. We are also working with a local artist on a mosaic for the Rotary Square and it is all very exciting. Please find below some pictures we have taken:  |
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Buy a face mask for Euro 5 and support a win against PolioA win against Polio is a win for global health. Buy one or better even more face masks for Euro 5 per mask and support ending Polio. You can buy them from our club just get in touch.  |
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Our club in the Paphos PostVery good article about our club in the Paphos Post November 2020 issue:  |
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October Fellowship at Casa Mespilea A great night out with fantastic food, a great atmosphere and amazing people at our October fellowship. A big thanks to the team at Casa Mespilea who provided us with a delicious 5 course meal which was FANTASTIC !! |
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World Polio Day - 24th October 2020One Day. One Focus: Ending Polio 24 OctoberJoin us for World Polio Day as global health experts and partners share our progress on the road to polio eradication. Visit the Rotary International Facebook page to watch with other end polio supporters. |
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The Swedish Ambassador visits our clubOn Thursday, 15th October 2020,we welcomed our guest speakers His Excellency the Swedish Ambassador Anders Hagelberg and the director of The Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, Salpy Eskidjian Weiderind who gave us an understanding on the ongoing process. Members of the Swedish Association and friends of Rotary supported this event. Thanks for a very interesting meeting.  |
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End of Summer picnicGood fun at our end of summer picnic with many guests and sooooo muuuuch foooood. Thanks for joining us.  |
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Fundraising dinner in LimassolLovely evening with fellow Rotarians, attended by Juergen and Carol. This was a fundraising dinner in support of Beirut organized by our clubs in Limassol. Well done for a successful evening.  |
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Cyprus HelpersGreat speaker at our Club last Thursday. Derek Holt from Cyprus Helpers group who set up a system to help families and others in need when the Covid crisis had such a devastating effect. We worked with their volunteers to distribute our food parcels.  |
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Help for BeirutThe Rotary Clubs in Cyprus launched a campaign for Beirut to help rebuild the damaged city after the traumatic event last month. Please find below some pictures when the supplies arrived in Beirut. This is Rotary at work:  |
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Fighting Climate Change - One Tree At The TimeThe Paphos Post kindly printed the blow article about our TREE Project in the September issue. Thank you for your support Paphos Post and we hope that many more will join our project.  |
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Fellowship at Suite 48Great fellowship event at Suite 48. It was good to meet new people who are interested in joining our Club and a great start after the summer break.  |
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Summer Meeting in the AnemiThis was our first Summer Meeting in the Anemi Hotel. As you can see it was very successful as we had many guests and members came and joint the meeting at 8 pm. We normally don't meet in the holiday month of August but Carl and Juergen had the idea about the summer meeting and it seems they have been right. Great to see so many new faces. See you all next Thursday again.   |
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Fellowship at Tsangarides WineryOn Sunday 2nd August we had our fellowship at Tsangarides Winery, which is our members favourite place. Angelos offered again fantastic food and his best wines. We not only had a great afternoon but we also raised funds for our Paphos Tree Project as well as for Shelterbox. A big thanks to Angelos Tsangarides and his very helpful team who was not only a fantastic host but also contributed to the Tree Project. Thanks to everyone who supported us on Sunday. We hope you enjoyed it and that we all see you soon again.   |
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Speaker Event : Rtn. Claire Polycarpou |
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Food Parcels prepared and deliveredDavid and De,Ly's helped with delivering the food parcels to Tracy and Trevor last Friday. Only one more week of funding left with 96 parcels delivered so far.   |
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The new ROTARY SQUARE in PaphosThe Rotary Square The Paphos-Aphrodite RC is the main contributor to a new square in the revitalized Old Town of Paphos. This new public square for Paphos, where people can enjoy an open, urban space and relax but it will also raise awareness of the work Rotary does. With the money the club will help the municipality to create this wonderful new space but we also indirectly support the local economy and secure jobs. The Rotary Square will be enjoyed by locals and tourists as a destination. Last week we enjoyed a walk through the new Rotary Square and it looks very good already. We will keep you posted about the development of the Rotary Square. Please enjoy the first pictures we have taken.      |
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Handover Dinner at Palia IlektrikiOur handover dinner took place at Palia Ilektriki Restaurant this evening. Past President Ian Graves presented incoming President Thorsten Quakernack with his chain of office. We enjoyed a delicious buffet and great fellowship after only meeting on Zoom for many weeks. |
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Sponsor a tree for Paphos“100,000 Trees in Paphos” is a citizen’s initiative aiming at mobilizing, local authorities, the Forestry Department and institutions to facilitate a massive tree- planting project in 2020 - 2021 with the Paphos Aphrodite Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Toronto Bay Bloor, Canada. Paphos, is already facing the effects of global warming in the form of extended heatwave periods. Scientific projections are sketching a very unpleasant picture for the future with rising temperatures and a process of desertification reshaping the Cypriot landscape in the next few decades. There is a scientific consensus that reforestation can help combat climate change, soil corrosion and desertification and significantly reduce temperatures in urban environments. We do not wish to sit back and watch the effects of climate change destroy our habitats and make life on the island unbearable. One tree costs between Euro 3 to Euro 10. Buy a tree as a present for family and/or friends.
Fundraising with GoGetFunding Fundraising with GoGetFunding |
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Margarita Liasidou Foundation took part in testing for CoronavirusThe sample collection takes less than a minute and is only mildly uncomfortable. Today the staff at the Margarita Liasidou Foundation took part in testing for Coronavirus which was sponsored by our club. We hope that no positive tests will be returned. Thanks to everyone involved.  |
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Food parcels for families in needLast week and I handed over 13 food parcels for families in need, and today
Thorsten Quakernack helped with another 12. He also met Tracy and Trevor from Cyprus Helpers Group. 47 parcels now delivered.  |
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VISIT FROM THE NEW DISTRICT GOVERNOROn September 10th the Club welcomed Didstrict Governor Schawkat Tadros, from Jordan, to its weekly meeting. Schakat set out his vision for District 2452 and exchaged Club banners with President Ian Graves.
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GREAT FELLOWSHIP EVENING AT TO TAVERNAKIThe Club signed off in style on the evening of 26 July before its August recess, with a great evening at To Tavernaki, a restaurant rapidly gaining a top reputation. We were particularlypleased to welcome distinguished visitors from RC Nicosia-Salamis - Deputy District Governor George Psimolophites and President Anna Hadjimarcou, plus Litsa Aresti. |
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EXCELLENT EVENING AT THE HANDOVER DINNERThe Anemi did us proud on Friday 28th June with a first class dinner to end the 2018-19 Rotsry Year and begin the 2019-20 one. Outgoing President George Kafizas handed the Chain of Office to his successor Ian Graves; two new Members were inducted; a cheque for 6,000 euros was presented to the Margarita Liasidou Foundation https://margaritafoudation.net, and our excellent Club Secretary Carol received a Paul Harris Fellowship Award to recognise her outstanding service to the Rotary Movement over many years. George (right) passes the baton to Ian. A well deserved charity contribution. The Foundation does some great work. Induction of new Club Member Reda Youssef A surprised and delighted Carol Heads receives her PHF Award |
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GOOD VIBRATIONS AT THE DANCE PARTYAround 200 Rotarians, guests and visitors enjoyed a great evening of music and dancing at Tala Amphitheatre on June 15th, with the brilliant blues of Zilla Project and the contemporary sound of Cover Up. Te event raised over 3700 euros for local charities
Zilla Project down with the blues
Cover Up performing with panache. EXCELLENT EVENING AT TAVERNA KONIA Club members and guests enjoyed some top class food and drink at Taverna Konia on 23 May, and also raised 150 Euros for charity. |
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EXCELLENT EVENING AT TAVERNA KONIAClub members and guests enjoyed some top class food and drink at Taverna Konia on 23 May, and also raised 150 Euros for charity. |
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RACE NIGHT WINS BY A DISTANCEClub members and guests passed a very enjoyable evening at the Carpe Diem Lounge on Saturday May 11th, placing bets on video races and thereby earning lots of money for the Margarita Liasidou Foundation for adults and children with learning difficulties https://margaritafoundation.net. Many thanks to Rtn Ian Graves for his excellent event organisation.
Maybe these happy peoplehavejustbacked a winner ? |
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THROWING ON THE POTTER'S WHEELOur Master Potter, Rotarian Panicos Georgiades, opened his premises, Savvas Pottery at Geroskipou, to Rotarians, guests and visitors on Saturday April 13th to allow adults and keen chidren to try their hand at making or painting their own pot. An excellent community event as in past years, and 400 euros were raised for the Margarita Lisasidou Foundation, https://www.margaritafoundation.net our main chairty for this Rotary year. Many thanks to all our volunteers, and particular thanks to the Master Potter himself.
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SUNDAY LUNCH AT TSANGARIDES WINERYOn March 31st Club members and guests consumed some excellent food and wine courtesy of vintner and Club member Angelos Tsangarides. Angelos's description of the winemaking process and the properties and styles of the various wines on offer was particularly instructive. In the Webmaster's opinion, this is one of the best local boutique wineries. Happy diners; great food and drink ! |
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TRACK MARSHALLING AT THE MARATHONAn enthusiastic team of Club members acted as marshals for the Paphos Marathon and other races on Sunday 17 March. This great community event is an excellent fund-raiser for local charities.
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EUROMEETINGSTHE EUROMEETINGThere are currently 8 clubs from the European Union in this group: Oudenaarde Club Belgium (who initiated the group) Website: http://www.euromeetings-rotary.eu Mostly it is a sociable fellowship event which takes place once a year and it rotates each year to be hosted in a different country. The program consists of the following activities:
Many guests spend a few days before or after the event in the area around The event is good fun and very tiring as there are late nights and early starts. It is a weekend fellowship at its best! The 2014 meeting was held in Jonkoping in Swedens lovely lake district. Five members and spouses attended the very successful meeting which included a conducted tour of the SAAB aircraft factory. The nine members of the Euromeeting Group contribute to a fund which the host club used to provide a trailer for a local charity dealing with drug rehabilitation. Paphos-Aphrodite RC hosted the Euromeeting in October 2010 in our home town Paphos and again in 2017 when Paphos was the European Cultural Capital. The 2018 Euromeeting hosts will be Bochum, Germany. A link to their Euromeeting Web Page is here http://euromeeting-bochum.de OTHER TWINNED CLUBS Paphos-Aphrodite is also twinned with two Rotary Clubs in Greece - Corfu and Xanthi |
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