Sea Dragons Gavel Club discovered the Toastmasters–Rotary Alliance and saw a chance to offer students long-term community service through local Rotary and Rotaract Clubs. Many students wanted to give back to society but didn’t know where to start, and most of the opportunities available were short-term. Bruce Yu and Dylan Guo, as leaders of Sea Dragons Gavel Club, wanted to create something more stable and meaningful for students to get involved in.
The main obstacle was contacting Rotary Clubs in China, which are mostly located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Despite reaching out to several clubs, no one responded. Determined to make it work, Bruce Yu and Dylan Guo decided to take a trip to Rotary District 3450 Headquarters and Rotary Clubs in Hong Kong during Christmas break.
Hong Kong’s vibrant Christmas atmosphere made the trip more enjoyable, but what truly warmed their hearts was the support they received from countless people throughout the journey.
Upon arriving at the Rotary District 3450 Headquarters building, Bruce Yu and Dylan Guo were unsure whether the location information was outdated or whether security would allow them to enter. As they entered the building, a kind elderly man with white hair stood up and asked where they needed to go. They showed him the headquarters information, and he quickly said “Rotary” in Cantonese, “fu4 leon4 se5.” He guided them to the elevator, holding the door open, and told them which floor to select. They were relieved to have arrived at the right place and felt grateful for his kindness and inclusiveness toward the two shy students.
When they reached the floor, they finally saw the Rotary District 3450 logo on the wall. A young lady opened the door and listened attentively to their mission without interruption. She didn’t show impatience after hearing that they were high school students seeking collaboration between Toastmasters and Rotary for student community service. They asked her many questions regarding Rotary Clubs in China, and she provided them with the updated contact information for the president of the Rotary Club of Shenzhen. Her willingness to listen, combined with her positive attitude, made them feel that all the effort and challenges they had faced so far were truly worthwhile.
After returning to Shenzhen, Bruce Yu contacted Christine Deng, the president of the Rotary Club of Shenzhen. They had a one-hour conversation where Bruce explained their vision to provide community service opportunities to their club members while introducing them to Toastmasters. Christine was supportive and encouraged them to join local Rotary meetings and activities. This started the process of building stronger connections between Toastmasters and Rotary, ultimately benefiting students by giving them access to long-term community service projects.