The majority of those reading this column will be ex-pats, having chosen this ‘place in the sun’ as their home. We have chosen to live here, not only for the sun and the wine, but because we appreciate the culture and the way of life in Cyprus. Some of the features of the country – the driving, the post etc. – may be frustrating but we owe it to our adopted home to be good citizens and to contribute more than just our money.
It is for this reason that our Rotary Club is aiming to take on projects that will improve the environment of Paphos. We are already involved in planting trees, but want to do more! We are currently waiting for the municipality to give us the go-ahead but are looking for permission to work in an area, maybe a park, to ‘adopt’ and improve by tidying , adding to the planting etc. There will be those who will say ‘the council should do it’ or ‘something should be done about litter louts and youths who spray graffiti’ but just complaining never makes anything better.
The philosophy of Rotary is that we should take action wherever we can to improve our communities. This most usually takes the form of raising money for charities but also includes the type of direct action we are planning to take. Whilst individuals can and do contribute to efforts to improve their communities, group action, as with the beach cleaning groups, is likely to achieve more (and be more fun). So I will finish by repeating my invitation from last month. If you are interested in being a part of a dynamic organisation and supporting our community drive send me a mail at: [email protected]. I will get back to you and we’ll arrange a visit to a meeting. No commitment, no pressure. Just a warm welcome.
