Taiwanese Enterprises to Run Marathon for Good Cause
Oct. 2009 event part of Rotary International e
2009/10/01 | By Steve Chuang
RI's involvement in polio eradication began in 1979 when it vowed to help immunize six million children in the Philippines as its first project under the new Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grants program. To further devote itself to fighting polio, the charity officially began the “PolioPlus” project in 1985, having helped 122 countries to end polio so far. With decades of hard work, the charity has helped to reduce the number of polio-afflicted children to less than 2,000 worldwide in 2007 from 350,000 at the start of the project.
Joining the momentum already started, a couple of Rotarian charities in Taiwan are organizing to sponsor and participate in “Run for Rotary in Taiwan With Donation to R.I.,” a 42.195-kilometer marathon hosted by District 3460 of Rotary International on Oct. 11, 2009 at the Sun Moon Lake, Nantou County, central Taiwan.
The marathon is open to the public worldwide, and the organizer, in an effort to rivet global attention to the event, will specifically donate US$100 under the name of each foreign Rotarian who completes the full marathon race of 42.195 kilometers, to RI for the WCS (World Community Service) & PolioPlus program.
Besides offering prizes to the 10-fastest runners, the organizer will subsidize a 2-day-trip to foreign Rotarians: allowing them to experience the local culture at the Formosa Aboriginal Cultural Village, the National Palace Museum and Shilin Night Market and Sun Moon Lake, some of the most popular destinations around Taiwan. Those who can't take such trip will be offered US$100 as subsidy for FIT touring on the island. A number of foreign Rotarians from Japan, Europe, South Africa and North America will definitely be participating, according to the organizer.
Second-largest Marathon
Chang Kuang-yau, chairman of Kuang Chien Computer Co., Ltd. and newly-installed governor of District 3460, from which more than 4,000 Taiwanese Rotarians, some being business owners and managers, are volunteering to help with social causes in central Taiwan counties, are very optimistic about the success of this marathon, the first to be hosted by the Rotary Club.
“Some 6,300 runners, including Rotarians in Taiwan and overseas, will be in the marathon, including over-1,800 who are applying to complete the full race,” Chang says. “The ‘Run for Rotary in Taiwan with Donation to R.I.' is the second-largest marathon in Taiwan, only next to the ING Taipei Marathon, despite being its inaugural staging, with the expected success, benefits to be achieved attributable to the efforts by Taiwanese Rotarians, the unsung heroes.”
Not to make it a grueling event, Chang has tapped the coordinated effort of the Rotary Club and local governments to organize the marathon around an iconic tourist spot in Taiwan: Sun Moon Lake, whose natural scenery should provide energizing motivation, not to mention the portable showers that will make the run more charitable than competitive, considering that the Oct. sun in Taiwan can still simmer.
“Backed by Taiwanese Rotarians' compassion,” Chang says, “we have raised NT$600 million (US$18.18 million at US$1: NT$33) for this marathon. Though modest in comparison to bigger counterparts, the budget will allow foreign runners to enjoy the most considerate services, and, above all promote Taiwan to the world.”
Chang, a marathoner who will run the full course, says that a number of globally-known, Taiwan-based brands as Acer, Trend, Asus, AUO, Wistron Corp., BenQ, Chimei, Giant, Johnson, etc., will also be participating as runners.
Equally impressive as the marathon itself is Chang's efforts towards the charity event: The chairman, living up to the mission of the Rotary Club that demands a member to be a compassionate corporate citizen, forges on, despite his Kuang Chien Computer having suffered a 10-20% sales decline so far this year.
The company, founded in 1984 in Taichung County, central Taiwan, is a dedicated developer of IT (information technology)-based products and manufacturing machinery for advanced electronics, including MCC system for multimedia computer laboratories, ATT system for language learning classrooms, manufacturing solutions and machinery for PCB (printed circuit board) manufacturers and EDM (Electrical discharge machining) factories.
In production machinery, Chang said that his company has seen the development of models for fabricating flexible PCB as a key strategy, mainly because such boards are critical for IT products, handsets, and related consumer electronics, hence calling for higher degree of precision in production machinery. Having already developed some machine tool models, the maker is scheduled to launch them as major sales booster next year.
Chang remains optimistic about business prospects, which may explain his passion for running marathons, expecting a sharp turnaround in the near future, especially when he knows strong market demand exists.
Steve Chen, chairman of Ferro-Carbon Enterprise Co., Ltd., expressed in an interview to agree totally with Chang's decision to host Taiwan's first Rotarian charity marathon, saying this is the best way to put Taiwan center stage at Rotary International, which should also help bring out compassion among the business community in Taiwan.
Also the president of Taichung Chung Hsing Rotary Club, District 3460, Chen has held the post since this July and plans to boost the branch number to 50 in his one-year tenure.
Summing up aptly his view on charity, Chen says that “Being a Rotarian is extremely meaningful, a great way to contribute to the community.” Not mere words, his club has given significantly to help the victims of the massive mudslides caused by the recent Typhoon Morakot.
Ferro-Carbon
The antithesis of many miserly tycoons and business owners who resemble reincarnations of Scrooge, Chen makes sure his employees are given comfortable, safe working environments.
To show appreciation for dedication, services rendered, the company holds yearly parties to celebrate traditional festivals and year-end banquets, with such efforts effectively helping staffers to bond, build loyalty, as well as creating a positive office climate. Treating workers as valuable assets, the maker also encourages staffers to self-improve by taking on-the-job training and vocational college courses, with such programs being SA8000 recognized as a top-notch firm in Taiwan for social accountability.
Chen says that his company has effectively introduced ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CIS (corporate identity system) and has been approved by ISO9001 standard as a globally competitive supplier of tiling tools and suction-cup-integrated bathroom fittings under its own FECA brand, with the line including industrial suction cups, pulling claws, tile cutters, spiked rollers, seam rollers, belt-band clamps, hole saws, mud mixers and related hand tool parts, making the company an OBM (original brand manufacturer).
Also backing the marathon is Rack Jin, chairman of Jin Gio Sheng Enterprise Co., Ltd. and president of Changhua Central Rotary Club, who is organizing a 60-member cheerleading squad, in addition to running the race himself.
A true Rotarian, Jin says: “I will stick to R.I's 4-way Test—“Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendship? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”, whenever I make a decision.” It is such spirit that has driven Jin to donate display racks and shelves, his main products worth some NT$10 million (US$303,030) to help the mudslide and flood victims in southern Taiwan to rebuild.
Established in 1990, Jin Gio Sheng is in Changhua County, central Taiwan and specializes in production and development of metal display shelves and racks for various purposes. Nearly 20 years of experience helps to make the company a competent OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and ODM (original design manufacturer).
The tapering off global downturn, which has slashed its exports by 50% this year, has fortunately been offset by surging domestic sales, helping the company to maintain solid performance.
Jin attributes fine-tuning design of display racks and shelves, achieving better exterior designs and enabling the items to be used as furniture, rather than industrial and commercial equipment, with such R&D playing a part to steer his company to a promising future.