We are thrilled to take you behind the scenes of our recent Rotaract Club of Aley Handing Over Ceremony 2023-2024. This significant event marked the transition of leadership within our club and set the stage for a promising future.
We begin by expressing our heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing board members and the Immediate Past President, Jaleel Chehayeb. Their tireless dedication, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment have laid a strong foundation for our club's growth and impact in the community.
The Handing Over Ceremony began with a captivating Opening Ceremony, skillfully hosted by Kinan Morad, our Master of Ceremony. The atmosphere was electric as the members and previous board members took the stage, showcasing their remarkable dance performance.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our 16 esteemed sponsors, who have generously supported our club's endeavors. Their commitment to our mission has been instrumental in enabling us to make a significant impact in our community. Our sincere thanks go to Bady Resort, Picfelt, Raj Hotel, DJ Zayn, ELITES, Fondant, Royal Garden, International Wood Interior Corporation, Rawad Dakdouk Fireworks, Piece of Cake, Karem KaedBey Photography, Royal Wedding Cards, Kachouh Stores, Two Minds Production, Madina Nuts, and Café Espace.
Throughout the ceremony, we were privileged to hear from distinguished speakers who shared their wisdom and insights. George Azar, the Past District Governor; Jaafar Abdelkhalek, the Immediate Past President of Rotary Aley; Nader Salman, the Past Youth Chair of Rotary Aley; Wael Merhi, the Youth Chair of Rotary Aley; Melia Haddad, the DRR; Mayssa Abboud, the Past DDRR; Elie Gharios, the DDRR - Past VDRR; and Mario Sleem, the President of Interact Aley.
We introduced the esteemed members of the Rotary District Team and the Rotaract District Team. These dedicated individuals have played crucial roles in guiding and supporting our club's activities and initiatives. Among them are Rani Yehia, the District Alumni Chairperson; Elissar Ezzeddine, the Community Service Rotaract Coordinator; Eva Slika, the Newsletter Committee Country Chairperson; Bilal Zahalan, the District IT & Website Chairperson; Wael Merhi, the Finance Committee Country Chairperson and Global Networking Rotaract Coordinator. We are grateful for their expertise and commitment to our collective success.
We proudly present the Rotaract Mediterranean Team for 2022-2023, consisting of talented individuals: Lilian Shmait (Marketing Coordinator), Mira El Ammoury (Secretary Collaborator), Maya Awar (Med Times Journalist), Stephany Said (Marketing Collaborator), and Jana Said (Country Representative Assistant). Their relentless efforts have fostered regional initiatives and strengthened collaboration.
We appreciate the Dual Members from Rotary and Rotaract Aley for their active engagement, strengthening the bond between the organizations. Thank you, Jaleel Chehayeb, Elissar Ezzeddine, Stephany Said, Rani Yehia, and Wael Merhi, for your dedicated service.
We commend the Event Organization team for their successful execution of the International Mediterranean Weekend. Their hard work and dedication, led by Elissar Ezzeddine as the Chairperson, Mira El Ammoury as the Secretary, Wael Merhi as the Advisor, Jaleel Chehayeb as the Logistics Officer, Jana Said as the Registration Officer, and Stephany Said as the Marketing Officer, resulted in a memorable and impactful event.
This year, we are proud to undertake an extensive range of projects, reflecting our commitment to various avenues of service. These include 3 finance projects, 13 community service projects, 12 professional development projects, 10 international services projects, and 14 club service projects. Each project aimed to address critical needs and create lasting change in our community.
Our social media presence has been thriving, reaching milestones that highlight our growing influence. We have achieved 200 followers, posted 96 engaging updates, and reached an impressive audience of 94,000 individuals. These accomplishments demonstrated our commitment to effective communication and engagement.
Our club has received numerous awards for the outstanding projects and dedication to service. We were honored with the District Sustainability Grant for "Plant Your Map" and the Imagine Rotary Award for our donation to the Rotary Foundation. Our projects, including RYLA Aley, Travel 201, Tyre 3a Sour, and 22 Years Later, earned outstanding rankings and awards. The prestigious Mediterranean Awards recognized our impactful contributions to the region through projects MedNature, MedPeace, and MedCulture.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to Jaafar Abdelkhalek, the IPP of Rotary Aley, for his exceptional leadership and dedication. We also extend our appreciation to Nader Salman, Past Youth Chair of Rotary Aley, Kamal Chehayeb, Founding Member of Rotary Aley, Nader Chehayeb, RAJ Hotel Owner and Rotary Aley Member, Elie Gharios, Past VDRR of Lebanon, and Elissar Ezzeddine, Past CR of Lebanon. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in our club's success.
We took a moment to recognize the valuable contributions of our previous Committee Directors, Liaison Officers, and Board Members. Their tireless efforts and commitment to our club's initiatives have made a lasting impact on our community. We extend our sincere appreciation and presented them with well-deserved certificates to honor their dedication.
We celebrate Elissar Ezzeddine, our Treasurer, and Mira El Ammoury, our Vice President, as the Board Members of the Year. Their exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment set a high standard for our club.
We proudly acknowledge Jana Said as the Committee Director of the Year for her exceptional contributions in the area of International Services. Her passion, dedication, and impact have been commendable, and we are grateful for her exemplary service.
It is with great pleasure that we honor Karim Timani as the Member of the Year. Karim's dedication, passion, and active involvement in our club's initiatives have made a significant difference. We applaud his commitment and contributions to our Rotaract family.
President Jaleel Chehayeb had the honor of welcoming four new members to our club. We extend a warm welcome to Nathalie Fakhereddine, Karine Ichtay, Ceasar Ahmadieh, and Alia Jdeydani. We are thrilled to have them join us on our journey of service and impact.
The much-anticipated moment arrived as President Jaleel Chehayeb handed over the baton of leadership to the new President for the Rotary Year 2023-2024, Elissar Ezzeddine. In her inspiring speech, Elissar expressed her gratitude and shared her vision for the year ahead. President Elissar also presented a heartfelt Presidential Appreciation to Jaleel Chehayeb, recognizing his exceptional leadership and dedication during his term.
During this momentous occasion, Elissar Ezzeddine thanked the National Backbone of Aley, Mohamad Fakhoury the VDRR and Marc Al Khoury as the CR. Their roles will play a pivotal part in representing our club at the district and national levels, fostering collaboration and synergy.
President Elissar revealed our captivating new logo, artfully blending "Aley" in both English and Arabic, symbolizing our united spirit within the majestic mountain shape representing the strength, resilience, and unity that binds us together as a Rotaract family. But that wasn't all – a remarkable surprise followed as the club's brand-new website was unveiled, ready to connect and empower our community.
Moreover, President Elissar shared the empowering theme for the year: "Power of the Past, Force of the Future." As she explained the vision, a powerful dream emerged - to create a community that deeply values every person's health, wellness, and independence. Complementing this vision, the mission, represented by the acronym "KNOWLEDGE," charted a path to success. We are determined to Know our goals, Network with the community, Own everlasting friendships, Worship volunteering, Learn continuously, Excel professionally, Develop personally, Grow as leaders, and most importantly, Enjoy the journey.
Continuing our journey of global engagement, Aley once again spreads its wings with the formidable Rotaract District Team. President Elissar Ezzeddine leads the team as the CR Advisor accompanied by IPP Jaleel Chehayeb as the Global Grants & Finance Liaison Officer, and Mira El Ammoury as the International Services Liaison Officer.
The excitement doesn't end there as Aley takes center stage in the Rotaract Mediterranean Team, with Elissar Ezzeddine serving as VP and Wael Merhi as the Advisor. Working hand in hand with a talented group of Collaborators, including Jana Said as Secretary, Karim Timani as Treasury, Nathalie Fakhereddine and Jaleel Chehayeb as International Services Collaborators, Mira El Ammoury as Marketing, and Stephany Said as Internal Communications. We're also proud to have Eva Slika and Raghida Morshed as MedTimes Journalists, capturing and celebrating the vibrant Rotaract moments.
Notably, our Rotaractors make their mark on the Rotary Club of Aley Board, with Jaleel Chehayeb as the SAA and Wael Merhi as the Youth Chair. With this exceptional team of dedicated individuals, we are set to make a resounding impact both locally and globally.
.png)
In the grand finale of our Handing Over Ceremony, President Elizzar proudly introduced the dynamic Board Members for the Rotary Year 2023-2024 and the talented Directors & Liaison Officers, captured in the picture above. With the Power of the Past and the Force of the Future as our driving force, we unite as a passionate Rotaract family, ready to make a profound impact on our community and beyond.
With heartfelt thanks to all our esteemed guests who attended the Handing Over Ceremony, your constant support and dedication have fueled our club's mission and inspired us to embrace new horizons.
