Sports carnival bonds Rotary fraternity in Jalna
It was fun-filled three days when the Rotary fraternity including Rotarians, Rotaractors and the Inner Wheel members came together during the first week of March for the Rotary Sports Carnival organised by RAC Jalna, RID 3132, in the city.
Over 60 Rotarians from five Rotary clubs (RCs Jalna, Jalna Central, Rainbow, Midtown and Elite), 100 Rotaractors (RACs Jalna, Central, Rainbow and Rainbow O2) and 20 members from Inner Wheel clubs of Jalna, Central and Horizon participated in box cricket, badminton and table tennis tournaments. The tournament fee for cricket was ₹10,000 a team and for the other two tournaments it was ₹300 for singles and ₹500 for doubles, and “that took care of the expenses. The biggest takeaway from this event for all of us was the bonding and camaraderie thinning the line between Rotaractors and Rotarians,” said club president Mohit Bhakkad.
Rtn Shriniwas Bhakkad, charter member of RC Jalna, inaugurated the carnival which was “a gala event that helped to develop and strengthen the bond among the Rotary members,” said project chairman Badal Gehi. Rtrs Deepen Punjabi and Chirag Talreja were the co-chairmen for the event.
The community-based club, installed in 1968 by RC Jalna, has 63 members. Other significant projects done during this year include two medical camps and the Beej Bappa. “We distributed eco-friendly Ganesh idols during Ganesh Chaturthi and the project made a good impact in the community. We engaged local craftsmen to make clay idols and marketed them at a reasonable cost, along with a pot and some seeds. Only organic colours were used on the idols,” said club president Bhakkad, adding that as the Covid pandemic was raging during the festival, the club members encouraged the people to perform the visarjan in the pot and plant the seeds in the same clay. “People loved the idea for its sentimental value.”
The club organised two medical camps — one in August and its follow-up in November — in a village near Jalna, in association with its parent club. Regular health checks to screen for blood pressure, diabetes, heart health, bone density and eye and dental issues were done on 170 villagers and medicines were distributed. For those who needed further treatment, the doctors offered to treat them at a subsidised fee at their clinics.
In January the club tied up with a Bengaluru-based fitness company and organised a virtual TriFit Challenge. The health-related public activity had 250 participants from across the globe and comprised cycling, walking and running. “Each activity had three levels and certificates were given to those who completed their chosen levels successfully.”
The club raises its own funds for all its service projects. “Until before the pandemic the club was collecting ₹2,100 as annual dues from the members, but now we have brought it down to ₹1,750. I don’t know how they will react to RI’s decision of $8 from the coming year,” said the club president.
