ANTIGONISH, N.S. — It’s an annual dinner which celebrates a long-standing and supportive relationship.
Members of the Coady International Institute family came together, recently, with folks from the Rotary Club for their yearly meal of mutual appreciation and respect.
The event occurred Oct. 16, at the Coady’s Vegso Room, and was attended by roughly a dozen Rotarians as well as Coady participants from around the globe, including; Bangladesh, Swaziland, Uganda, Nepal, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Ghana.
Coady development officer Lynn O’Donnell provided the welcoming address during the dinner.
“I have worked at St. F.X. for 18 years but during an information session two months ago here at the Coady, I was so inspired by the collaborative culture, the strategic mission, and the commitment to those original priorities, that I applied for this job, literally, immediately after the session,” O’Donnell said.
“The Rotary has been an incredible supporter of the Coady for more than 20 years. We look forward to this annual dinner not to only meet you and share a meal, but to thank you and to celebrate your commitment to supporting this institute; it is truly vital to the continuation of the Coady programs.”
For those in the audience unfamiliar with Rotary’s work, O’Donnell provided them a snapshot.
“A global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change; across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.” she said.
“Who does this sound like? The mission of both the Rotary Club and the Coady are so similar.”
Rotarian Bruce Chisholm talked about the long relationship between the Rotary Club of Port Hawkesbury and the Coady, noting the support actually extends to more than 30 years.
“And one evening each year, members of the club and guests share a meal with Coady participants,” Chisholm said of the occasion.
“A special part of the evening is to learn from these leaders about their visions and how Coady equips them with new tools to be used when they return to their home organizations, throughout the world.”
One of those leaders is Nozipho Sasha Thorne, program director with boMake Rural Projects (bomake.wordpress.com).
“Never have I felt more important and empowered to affect positive social transformation as I do at this very moment,” Thorne said.
“My experience at Coady has been so powerful. I take back home, to the Kingdom of Eswatini, a wealth of knowledge and inspired, life-long friendships. Ngiyabonga, thank you.”
For more on the Coady, visit Coady.stfx.ca. For more on Rotary International, go to rotary.org.
