MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Having previously served four terms as president of the Rotary Club of Christiana, retired educator Ronald Hamilton was recently selected to head the service club for the 2014-2015 administrative year.

He has taken over from immediate past president Paul Patmore.

“As any youngster will tell you, teachers have the annoying habit of insisting that their students repeat an exercise over and over until they get it right,” Hamilton told Rotarians in his acceptance speech.

“Perhaps this is why … this club, with its many members associated with education, has insisted that I repeat the exercise this year. They hope that this year I will get it right,” he quipped.

Staying true to the theme ‘Light Up Rotary’, which charges members to continue to make a difference in the communities in which they serve, Hamilton announced plans for the year.

He said the club will continue to sponsor the programme for rehabilitating at-risk youth at Holmwood Technical High School.

Mentorship support, he said, will include some members taking the youngsters to their businessplaces to familiarise them with what goes on in the work world.

Hamilton said too, that the club will continue to promote local agriculture and healthy family lifestyle through the Annual Potato Festival. He added that consultation has started with the Jamaica Agriculture Society (JAS) for the promotion of rain-water harvesting.

Additionally, there is discussion with the Christiana Citizens’ Association and the police to improve the security of the Christiana town centre through the installation of CCTV cameras. An overseas partner has already been identified to provide the financial assistance to install the cameras, Hamilton said.

The neighbouring town of Spalding is also included in the Christiana club’s plans for 2014- 2015. The new president said a training centre will be reopened there and in tandem with HEART Trust/NTA courses in small appliance repairs and electronics are expected to be offered.

A career day to be organised for students and a health fair are also among the plans for the year.

— Alicia Sutherland