Jack Swanston: District Governor Calum Thomson and Kids Out Organiser Mike Harris visit (virtually!)

On 29^th April, District Governor Calum Thomson paid members a virtual visit as he comes to the end of his year in office. It's traditional for DGs to make physical visits to all of the clubs in their district, but Calum has had to use Zoom for more than half of these. He spoke in particular of four aspects: the growing need for clubs to show flexibility in their arrangements for meetings, to consider the strategic planning of where clubs would hope to be in five years' time, to look after or nurture our members, and to continue Rotary's commitment to the End Polio Now project.

On that same evening, a second guest, Mike Harris of the Dumfries Devorguilla Rotary Club, told our members of the Kids Out scheme supported by Rotary. Kids Out Day is normally the second Wednesday in June when children, identified by the local Education Department as being disadvantaged or having special needs, are taken from school to a specific venue. There, along with Rotarian stewards and with their own school support, they take in a range of activities. In the case of Dumfries, 120 children may be involved. This topic arose as the Hawick Club is interested in investigating whether something similar might be possible in this area. Many questions were asked and answered and the matter will be more fully discussed by Hawick Rotary at their AGM to be held on Zoom on May 13^th.