New President Dr Isaac Thompson takes up office
It's all change at the top as local minister from Cookstown who dedicates some of his spare time to volunteering and fundraising in the local community takes up the reigns as president of his local Rotary club. Dr Isaac Thompson was welcomed as the new president of Rotary Club of Cookstown on 21 June 2011 at the lunch time meeting in The Glenavon House Hotel.
Dr Thompson has been a Rotarian for eleven years and his commitment to the club has earned the respect of fellow members who were only too pleased to vote him in as their new president for the forthcoming year. Dr Thompson said: "I'm pleased to become the new president of our wonderful club. It's going to be a very exciting year. We're hoping to try out some new things and are looking for inspired and enthusiastic men and women to join our club. We try to enjoy ourselves in all the fundraising we do, and would love to hear from anyone interested in joining us and making a real difference to their community. "I'm looking forward to meeting and working with local groups and really getting people involved with Rotary. There is so much to do and enjoy and this gives one a wide perspective on the community in which we live and further afield."
Dr Thompson is married to Anne who is a Volunteer with the Mid Ulster Alzheimer's Society; their eldest son, Lloyd and his wife, Sarah live in Edinburgh where they are both medical doctors. Second son, Neil has recently graduated in Edinburgh with a 2:1 honours BSc degree in Building Surveying, and their third son, Reuel has just completed second year law in Dundee University.
Dr Thompson was ordained twenty-eight years ago as a minister of The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and for the last seventeen years has been minister in First Presbyterian Church Cookstown. As a former teacher and church organist, he still enjoys music, especially light classical. With middle age now very much a reality, keeping fit in The Glenavon's Riviera is mostly a keen objective "but sometimes lapses into a dream".
For the last six years he has been a member of the tenor section of The Sperrin Choir and has joined them on several trips outside of the Mid Ulster area to perform, including to Cookstown's twin town of Plérin-sur-mer in Brittany, France. For the last twenty-one years he has been a member of the National Council of The Leprosy Mission. As its chairman for three years, he has visited India and Nepal to represent The Mission and encourage its workers. He views his service in Rotary as an extension of his professional work, both of which would strive to live up to the Rotary motto, "Service above Self", and seek to remember the Rotary 4-way test: of the things we think, say or do: (1) Is it the TRUTH? (2) Is it FAIR to all concerned? (3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? & (4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
To find out more about the Rotary Club of Cookstown, or to join, please contact Mr David Falkingham on 077 1094 6030 or email: falkingham@chesstdc.com
Pictured is outgoing President of Cookstown Rotary Club, Paul Creighton, handing over the chains of office to 2011 President Dr J Isaac Thompson.
