Sunday, July 08, 2007 Mayor welcomes swim champ, Korean Rotarians
SWIMMING champion Gillian Akiko Thompson was the guest of honor and speaker in the 28th induction and turn over ceremony of the Rotary Club-North held at a local hotel Saturday night.
Thompson along with officials from the Rotary Club of Seongnam Seonil, South Korea District 3600 called on Mayor Celso Lobregat at City Hall Saturday morning.
“It is an opportunity to be here in Zamboanga for the first time,” Thompson told the mayor during the courtesy visit. She expressed admiration the friendly and hospitable qualities of Zamboanguenos as well as the on going development of Zamboanga.
Contrary to negative reports portrayed by the media, Zamboanga is a beautiful and peaceful city, she stressed.
Meanwhile, Rotarians from South Korea led by President Sun-Bok Kim are also impressed by the rate of development in Zamboanga and attributed it to the city’s “hardworking mayor.”
Kim, through a translator expressed confidence that Zamboanga’s growth will soar further under the leadership of Mayor Lobregat.
Thompson and the Korean Rotarians were accompanied by the Rotary Club North officials led by incoming president Kerwin Baldovino.
Baldovino assumed as the RC-North president from Roberto “Bong” Ko during rites at the Garden Orchid Hotel last night.
Highlight of the induction ceremonies was the signing of the sisterhood agreement between the RC-North and the SeongNam Seonil Rotary Club.
Meanwhile, Thompson will also grace a Rotary Club-North sponsored symposium on the role of the youth as future leaders at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University on Monday. (SEC)
