Dr. Yap Lip Kee
District Governor (2024-25)
Rotary International District 3310
 
Let us honor our legacy while forging a new path for the future—aligning with the vision of the Rotary Action Plan, which is centered on inclusivity, actionable steps with measurable impact, fostering collaboration, and creating meaningful experiences for members and participants that make a tangible difference in our communities. It is essential that we listen to feedback, adapt to changing times, and make innovation accessible.
 
Our collective efforts to bring about lasting change must begin within our Rotary family. It is through our unity and shared goals that we can mend the fractures in our world. This year, let us harness The Magic of Rotary to offer steadfast support to those both within and beyond our organization. We invite you to join hands with Club Presidents, Assistant Governors, District Officers, and fellow Rotarians on this transformative journey. Together, let us utilize The Magic of Rotary to rejuvenate our membership and extend aid to those in need.
 
Your role is pivotal in shaping your club into a beacon of goodwill and camaraderie that embodies the core values of Rotary throughout your community. Through united efforts, we will wield The Magic of Rotary as catalysts for change in the world—one service at a time.
Keng Keng TAN PhF (MD)
President (2024-25)
Rotary Club of Bugis Junction (RCBJ)

When we were young, we always wanted to be the heroes we read about in storybooks or watched on TV. The word "hero" comes from a very ancient word that meant many things to the Greeks. You probably have heard of the Twelve Labors of Hercules, the demigod with incredible strength and courage but also a few flaws: Hercules was known for his quick temper, and some even said he lacked intelligence because he often acted before thinking, making his life more difficult yet interesting. Like Hercules, other storybook heroes also have their shortcomings, but they all share common traits: bravery, determination, compassion, and resilience. And they each possess a "superpower" they can use when they are called to their adventures.
 
Now, look closer, searching for the heroes in our lives. At home, in school, and around us. Yes, my father and mother were my first real-life heroes. My godfather, a gentle La Sallian brother, I've always wanted to speak English as well as him; the schoolmates of my teenage years whom I wish I could run the 200m race as fast as them; the elderly lady who helped me with my 50kg luggage at a busy bus interchange in London when an impatient bus driver kept honking at me; there are so many heroes in our lives, every day, and everywhere, heroes are just among us.
 
Rotarians continue their "Service Above Self" quest to make the world a better place. This year, under the theme of "The Magic of Rotary," let's discover and use the "superpower" gifted to us. It can be something insignificant that we don't even realize ourselves, but it is often something we are good at that people appreciate. Together, with kindness, a helping hand, and an open heart, ordinary people like you and me can accomplish amazing things, create magic, and be the heroes we have always wanted to be.