Newsletter August 14, 2017 (Aug 14, 2017)

President's Remarks

President Karen Blewett welcomed everyone to this smoky Monday meeting.

Karen also had her weekly "fun fact", to celebrate our 100 year Centennial. She reminded the club about the fundraising project done in 2001, where the club raised $70,000 with a "Live almost Free for a Year". Under then President Joel David and with the assistance of Jack Snedden, the club made a significant donation to the new Esplanade, opened in 2005.

Membership Notice

Please watch this space in the future, several new membership proposals are coming through the system.

Rotary Information:

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park weekend is Sept 22 - 24.
RYPEN camp is the weekend of Sept 21 -24.
RLI - 1, the initial module of the Rotary Leadership Institute series is available on Sept 30, in Calgary.
District Grant Qualification workshop, Medicine Hat will be Saturday Oct 28.

Rotary Presentations:

None this week.

Upcoming Club Events:

The next Board meeting is Wed August 16, including a review of the Strategic Plan and Club Survey. That meeting starts at 5 pm, Cypress Club.
The annual club budget meeting will be Monday August 21, led by Treasurer Gail Halderman.
District Governor Rick Istead will be visiting the club on Monday Nov 6.
In case you want to note it on your calendar, the 2018 District Conference will be May 4 - 6, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Calgary.
For more Club activities, to keep up with events and stay in touch, check the Club website at: www.medicinehatrotary.com

Future Programs:

If you have any future program ideas, please e-mail Heather at heather.bach@ahs.ca.

Presentation on Medicine Hat Womens Shelter Society

Posted by Dave Panabaker on Aug 14, 2017

The Rotary club was delighted to welcome Aimee Sarsons, Community Education & Awareness Worker for the Medicine Hat Women's Shelter Society, to speak to the club about the activities of the society and some of the recent physical relocation of programs that has occurred within the group. Aimee was welcomed by President Karen Blewett.

Aimee spoke about the role of the Medicine Hat Women's Shelter Society, the short term help available through the Phoenix Safe House and the longer term education, support and counseling that is provided through Musasa House. She went through a number of other programs, and course available to families, particularly children of family violence.

Due to space issues in the original facility, their Outreach Program has grown from 1 Outreach worker to 3.5 workers. Outreach is located in the Ridge professional building in order to lessen stigma of attending a shelter for support. Safe Families Intervention Team (SFIT) does the same work as Outreach, they just do it out of the police station. In addition, the workers and the officer come to the Ridge office once a week, in order to have effective team building and communication.

Aimee's presentation is available on the club documents section of our website, if anyone is interested in more information or potentially volunteering for their agency.

Rotary Support for CORE

Posted by Dave Panabaker on Aug 07, 2017

This activity happens once a month, and sometimes we forget that it is going on, so thanks to Terry Cooper for taking a few photos of members of the club at the CORE Hot Meal program on Wed August 2nd. Great work everyone.

Club Meeting News

Posted by Dave Panabaker on Aug 14, 2017

Introduction of Guests

Aimee Sarsons, Community Education & Awareness Worker (our guest speaker)
Jace Anderson, Sunrise Rotary Club ( and our contractor for the Rotary Impact Assessment)
Jeff MacFarlane, former member of our club and now President of the Okotoks Rotary Club.
Karl Schwonik, the new Associate Dean of Business, Medicine Hat College.

Birthdays:

None this week

Anniversaries:

Ken Zollner - August 15, 1983 - 34 years

Weekly Draw:

Debra Best was drawn for the attendance "free" lunch, and she was in attendance to win.
Ted Cowtan won the door prize draw of a chalkboard message center.

Club 500:

$1,500 was won by Denise Henning on a ticket she sold to herself.

Make Ups:

Nothing to report..

Family of Rotary:

Nothing this week.

Minute People:

Dave Stalwick thanked everyone who volunteered for the bingo on Sunday evening, he has a full team.
"POST MEETING MINUTE" from President Karen. The Rotary Youth Entrepreneur Camp public open house, where the kids display their business ideas and items is open to the public, and sponsors (of which our club is one) are encourage to attend to see the camp and encourage the kids. If you have time on Saturday August 19, at approximately 11 am. It would be great to see a few Rotarians in attendance.
Chris Perret advised that he has a number of "Rotary - People of Action t-shirts" for club members who didn't get one as part of the Float work. He will have them available at the next week meetings.
Milan Vujovic presented President Karen Blewett with a club banner from his recent visit to the Rotary Club of Kotor, Montenegro, a club in District 2483.