It was an amazing Saturday, packed with not one, not two, but three impactful activities. The Rotary E-Club of Heritage, NY, the Smart Rotaract Club - our newest Rotaract Club, organized the day in partnership with the Pediatric Education Development Society International (PEDSI). The morning began with a workshop for International Medical Graduates and medical students who are preparing to get into US Residency Programs. Nearly 30 attendees benefitted from this training workshop.
While this program was in progress, a mobile blood collection van from the New York Blood Center pulled up outside the Smart Medical Center in Jamaica, Queens, and began preparations for collecting blood from donors who had signed up earlier. By the end of the day, some 45 people had donated blood including Heritage Club President, Dr. Maksud Chowdhury, Smart Rotaract President Dr. Rummanu Yeasin, and Sunshine Club member Ashfaque Salim..
Present during the course of the day were District Governor-Elect Syed Alirahi, representing the DG, Vice-Governor PDG Mahbub Ahmad and Area 5 AG Bina Ahmad who also represented our sister Sunshine Club as it's Charter President.. Also, present were the Area Governor for Area 9 Abit Ragbeer, Treasurer and Past President of the Westchester Rotary Club, Shazia Alirahi, and the President of the Hicksville South Rotary Club (District 7255) Mizan Rahman.
The day was far from over as just after a quick pizza and chicken fingers lunch provided by the Heritage Club, the CPR Training program began, led by American Heart Association-certified CPR Instructors. Some 30 young people took part and were awarded certificates of completion.
President Maksud, thanked the Rotary leaders for attending and demonstrating the District's support for his Club and the young Rotaractors.. He introduced DGE Syed who talked about Rotary being a family and thanked the young people for taking this training. Vice-Governor PDG Mahbub applauded the Rotaractors and young people for giving up their Saturday to learn to be of service to others. He said the willingness to be of service comes from the heart and just by being here today, they have proven that they all have hearts for service. In her short remarks, AG Bina particularly thanked the Rotaractors who, within months of their establishment, had already established a new standard of Rotaractor's service to the community.
Here are a few pictures.
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