THE Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown named its first female president during its annual presidential demotion and promotion celebration on Thursday, June 18.
“I’m honored and I’m challenged but I’m ready for it,” said 2015-16 club President Cecile Ramos of her assumption of the role. Ramos is the ninth to hold the position since the club was founded in 2007.
At the celebration event, held at the Silver Lake Medical Center in Los Angeles, outgoing club president Terry Gubatan said he was honored to have held the high office for the past year.
He touted several of the club’s accomplishments in the community during his tenure as president, including Vision to Learn, a program that provided free glasses to 43 children in the community.
“They thought blurred vision was normal,” he said.
“We’re so proud of that event … because it’s going nationwide and we get a chance to do this in our community,” he added.
“It was a good year, but it’s not over yet. I may be stepping down, but we’re more excited that our new president is stepping up,” Gubatan said.
The former president was commended by District Governor Elsa Gillham.
“President [Terry] has made sure that the Hist Filipinotown had a vibrant club. And from there, your incoming president, President Cecile, will make sure that the Historic Filipinotown being a vibrant club will have members that will be a gift to the world,” she said.
In her remarks, Gillham defined “vibrant” as an acronym that stands for: Visibility in the community, Involvement and participation of members in club projects; Bigger, better bolder projects; Reached out to recruit and retain members; Advancement and training of leaders to step up and lead; Never ending fun; The Rotary Foundation support.
Ramos, as the new leader of the club, said she would like to continue focusing on community projects and boosting visibility.
“We’d like to sponsor youth programs like basketball teams. We’d like to help them with the uniforms,” she said.
This year, the club’s motto is “be a gift to the world,” and Ramos said she has asked herself how she can be a gift to the community.
“After working in the community, in the end, it results to be a gift to the world. So let’s all think we are going to continue to be a gift to the world,” she said during her remarks.
Outside of the rotary club, Ramos is involved in Burlington School, a private pre-school with extended daycare center, and the Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council.
This year’s club officers include: president-elect Roman Mosqueda; secretary Ben Aranda; Treasurer Macky Fortu; director of club service Benito Miranda, co-chair John Mina; director of community service Orly Cagampan, co-chair Macky Fortu; director of international service Cirilo Pinlac, co-chair Sonny Gancayco; director of vocational service Roman Mosqueda, co-chair Vicente Ching; director of youth service Terry Gubatan, co-chair Marc Caratao; foundation chair Leo Pandac; membership chair John Mina; and director of public relations Cora Soriano.
The Historic Filipinotown Rotary Club consists of about 20 members and is a 100 percent Paul Harris Fellow Club, a type of recognition given when all members donate $1,000 each year to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus or an approved foundation grant.
