Happenings in Rotary
Evolution of the Music Festival Society
Evolution of the Music Festival Society
The project team working on updating the bylaws of the Rotary Music Festival Society and creating a Support Agreement between the Society and the Rotary Club for the next five years presented their work to the members of the Rotary Club.  The team consists of Anne Carrier, Mike Christie, Wayne Chesley and Dave Panabaker.
 
The team worked on the following Principles in it's work on the Festival Society.
  • All members of the Rotary Club want the Festival to be “successful and sustainable” as we make changes.
  • The Rotary Club wants to remain the Primary sponsor of the Festival and retaining the naming rights.
  • Rotarians wants to be involved - as Members of the Society, fundraisers, volunteers and sponsors.
During Strategic Planning workshops wth the Rotary Club in 2017 and 2018, as well as Planning Workshops for the Music Festival in 2019, it was clear that an evolution of the Music Festival, to be a publicly run, open society which would be responsible for the Festival was the goal of the club.  Some of this was due of course to the declining number of Rotarians in the club and the difficulty of staffing two operational groups.
 
Highlights of the Support Agreement
 
• A five year financial commitment, which the new Society can “bank” on and work their budget around.
• A commitment to discuss future funding prior to the expiry of this agreement.
• A commitment by the Rotary Music Festival Society to retain the name, in exchange for the financial commitment.
• A commitment by the Rotary Music Festival Society to a quality Festival, in keeping with past practice.
• A seat “reserved” for a Rotarian, nominated by the Club, to sit on the Music Festival Society Board, to work as a liaison with us as principal sponsor.
 
After significant discussion and a number of questions being asked, the following motion was called.
 
Moved by Dave Panabaker and seconded by Mike Christie; "Do the members of the Rotary Club support the proposal, of opening the Rotary Music Festival Society membership to the public, and with continued financial support from the Rotary Club, the movement of the operation of the Festival to this new public group?"
 
The motion was approved by the members present and will form the basis of the signing of the support agreement and revisions to the Music Festival Society bylaws.
A New Rotary Year - PE Terry Partis
A New Rotary Year - PE Terry Partis
From sunny, far off Fort Meyers Florida, President-elect Terry Partis took the stage and spoke about his journey into the role of President that begins in July 2021.
 
 
He started by thanking everyone in the club for the honor of servicing as Club President, and for trusting him with the responsibility.  He noted how he originally thought of himself as "a 20 year Rotarian but not an ideal member", but after listening to the incoming RI President Shekhar Mehta, Rotary Club of Calcutta-Mahanger, West Bengal, India he changed that description to "a member for 20 years but not an ideal Rotarian".  He showed the introduction of the theme for Shekhar's year at the helm of Rotary International, and the logo of "Serve to Change Lives".
 
His speech is on YouTube, the link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUEdRqyuJU4 
 
Terry has enjoyed the Leadership Training, although in-person training is always preferred, the use of breakout rooms and great speakers has really helped the learning stay interesting.  Terry spoke about the opportunity our current District Governor Mary Turner mentioned at her last visit, that COVID has allowed us the chance to review what we do, to change what needs to be changed and come back to in-person meetings with a fresh approach.
 
Terry also spoke about several of the quotations in the Shekhar's speech, and how "Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy on this earth" was a meaningful expression of Rotary ways.
 
Terry thanked two Rotarians especially for helping get his year started on a positive note.  He thanked Terry Cooper for taking on the International Service Director role, and for organizing some joint projects with other clubs which will help us get restarted in International Projects.  He also mentioned new Rotarian Brent Secondiak, for helping him understand some of the Youth Advocacy Center issues and what may be a wonderful local project for Rotary..
 
He finished by reminding all of us of the challenges to all of us, "Bring One Member", "Empowering Girls" and the need for "Inclusion, Diversity and Equity".
 
 
Update on International Service
Update on International Service
Terry Cooper, Director of International Service took the "stage" and did a presentation on the activities of the committee over the past year, as well as proposed the participation in a new project.  He began his presentation by speaking about the need to recruit new members of the committee over the past year, with changes in club membership.  He also spoke about some reorganizing of the committee records that has taken place, they now have a "Dropbox" site where records and information are stored and can be shared with the club,
He spoke about getting the group active again, about some updates on the "Make 'em Smile" project in Sri Lanka and provided a review about a couple of other projects that were proposed.  He also mentioned the Tenderfoot "Self Help" School kitchen and cafeteria project in the Kangemi slum, in Nairobi, Kenya.  Kitt Brand will provide a update on that project when she receives one.
 
Terry finished his update with the opportunity to participate in a unique project, "3D Limbs - Columbo, Sri Lanka".  The project came to the committee’s attention in February when they were following up on the Make Them Smile Dental Project with the Rotary Club of Capital City Columbo Sri Lanka.  The committee had a Zoom call with Paul Cahill of the Rotary Club of Calgary Centennial and Sri Lanka club members Stephnie Rodrigo and Supem de Silva. The  Committee decided to pursue this project given it was cost effective ($2000 US from club’s 2021-22 budget), and we would partner with 3 Calgary clubs and an Ontario club, and looked like a promising project that would have an immediate impact on children in the area,
 
The project involves providing the necessary seed money (scanners, software, printers, and training of local technicians) to set up the production artificial limbs below knee using 3D printers. The target audience would be youth under 23 from impoverished regions in Sri Lanka, and the technology allows for a better fit and alignment with the knee socket which needs adjustment every 6 months due to leg growth.
 
Based on a motion from Terry, seconded by Dave Panabaker, the club agreed to make allowance for this project in our 21-22 budget.  That motion was approved unanimously and we will all watch this project with interest.
Upcoming Events
View More...
Newsletters
Medicine Hat

We meet In Person & Online
Mondays at 11:45 AM
Medicine Hat Lodge
1051 Ross Glen Dr SE
Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3T8
Canada
Meeting Virtually until at least June 28, 2021
Join Us Online [Login to view details]
District Site
Venue Map
Club Contact Info
Rotary Club of Medicine Hat
PO Box 1058
Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 7H1
 
mhrotary@gmail.com
Rotary Links