President Melanie Harty welcomed all to the Zoom meeting. She reminded us that to reduce the monthly expenditure of the Club on food and the meeting venue, some of our weekly meetings, as we move forward, will be on Zoom only.
Instead of a live guest speaker, the 20 in attendance enjoyed watching and discussing the recording of a very informative presentation made by engineer-by-training rancher Ben Campbell, at the 2022 Rotary DisCon "Supporting the Environment" conference, held in Cochrane in May.
Ben and Steph Campbell ranch on a farm south-west of Calgary, started by Ben's grandfather, John Campbell, who emigrated to Canada from Scotland in the 1950s.
A few more meeting helpers are required to run cameras and sound during our hybrid meetings. We are all learning to adapt to this new reality. Anyone wishing to help should contact Mike Christie 403 878 3311.
Rotary Club Membership Update:
Would you like to join the membership team? Check out a meeting and see how exciting it is! The committee meets on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. Contact Mike Christie to join in.
Rotary Club Information:
Housekeeping:
If you have a Meeting Minute, please phone or email the President and it will be included in the next Newsletter.
Board minutes can be found on ClubRunner, under Club Documents.
Upcoming Club Program, Activities and Meetings:
Wednesday July 13 - Rotary Bingo (evening)
Monday July 18th - Noon meeting in-person at the Lodge (CFB Suffield Presentation)
Thursday July 21st - Rotary Board meeting
Monday July 25th - Noon meeting in-person in Rotary Park on Maple Ave. Bring lunch and a chair.
Monday August 1st - Holiday - no meeting
Upcoming Rotary District and International Events
District Webinar: Wed July 13th, 7-8.30pm: Rotary and the Ukranian refugees: How to Help. Register on the District Website
Next District Conference: Lethbridge: May 5th and 6th, 2023.
Future Programs:
The Rotary Club's Program Committee is: Jillian Koch (jkoch@jmhca.com), Dave Panabaker (d.panabaker@hotmail.com) and Margie Booyens (margiebooyens@gmail.com).
If you have ideas for future programs, please contact them.
The fact that 70% of the Native Grasslands ecosystem and 80% of the Aspen Parkland ecosystem in the foothills near Black Diamond have been destroyed, with a loss of up to 90% of the wildlife, has motivated Ben and Steph Campbell to rise to the challenge of developing a vibrant, healthy ecosystem on their ranch.
The aim is to raise and feed cattle in a sustainable way that benefits the land, the soil, and conserves the wildlife, there being a symbiotic relationship between them.
Wasps, bugs, ducks, native bumble bees, and brown bats are all being conserved and are thriving on the ranch - and predators like badgers, coyotes, bears and mountain lions are not eliminated. In Ben’s experience, “A healthy ecosystem manages and balances itself”.
Ben projected photographs which evidenced the difference between the green, fertile land on his ranch and the adjacent overgrazed land of a neighbour which was clearly not part of a healthy ecosystem.
Ben touched on climate change and how what he is doing on his ranch is designed to fight it.
The essence of Ben’s message is that on the Grasslands of North America, cattle can fill an ecological role and make the environment stronger, healthier, more diverse and more climate change resistant.
Ending off his lively, impassioned presentation and the subsequent question time, Ben reminded the audience of the inextricable relationship between people and the natural environment – when nature suffers, we suffer. The environment is critical because it supports the ‘family of humans’.
Here’s the link for the full recording of this presentation, which we hope you will view:
Club program: July 18: in-person at the Lodge: guest speaker Lt Col Stephen Burke from Suffield; July 25: in-person in Rotary Park on Maple Ave: the start of Stampede Week; bring own lunch and chair; Aug 1: Holiday – no meeting.
KITT BRAND:
For consideration: working with the other Rotary Clubs in MH to arrange an annual International Day at for example Medalta, inviting all newcomers – immigrants and refugees
DAVE PANABAKER:
If you wish to know more about Rotary helping Ukrainians in cities and small towns, register for the District Webinar on Wed 13 July from 19:00 – 20:30
Bingo: One more helper is needed for the Bingo team on Wed 13 July
MORE THAN A MINUTE!
Terry Cooper updated the Club on the ’Team Freewheel’ Bike Project and requested support to explore a possible venue for the centralized operation of the project. A summarized version is as follows:
Information gathering on the MH Cycle Guild has revealed that there are differences between our bike project and that of the Guild in terms of: target group (clients), source of bikes, and how the refurbished bikes are distributed
There is sufficient need for both projects; they are not in competition; communication channels will be kept open between the two projects and we will cooperate in whatever ways we can
This is one of few RC of MH hands-on projects; has been very successful thus far; should therefore not be handed over to any other organization
The project needs, however, a physical space in which bike parts can be stored, bikes worked on, and refurbished bikes stored prior to distribution. The operation from Terry and Peter’s back yards needs to be terminated for a number of sound reasons
Terry sought and was granted support by the meeting, to explore a dedicated space for the operation of the Team Freewheel project – a space comprising three offices, storage bins, and a working area, being made available by Dawn Knowles, the only expenditure being the monthly utility bills.
The other Rotary Clubs in town could be invited to assist with the bike project and, for a fee, perhaps use the facility for other purposes as well, like storing goods
The discussion of this ‘minute’ elicited interesting possibilities, including young people helping to fix the bike that they then take home; young people being offered short courses in bike fixing and maintenance; and the Club applying to Gaming to use some of the money generated through the Casino and Bingo activities, for this bike project
Postscript:
Terry C, Ken Z, Peter M visited the site with Dawn Knowles in the evening of 11 July, and found it to be just what the bike project needs in order to sustain and expand its operation. See images below. The Board will make a final decision at its meeting on July 21.
Upcoming Social Events:
Monday July 25th, Celebration in Rotary Park: bring your own lunch and lawn chair.
Family of Rotary:
Please keep Adolf informed about members so that information can be passed on to all in the Weekly News.
Wayne Chesley had his surgery on Thursday, is still in the hospital in Calgary and can't wait to get home.
The Rotary Club of Medicine Hat has returned to meeting in person, face-to-face meetings as of Monday March 21. A ZOOM link will still be available for those who are cautious, ill or are away on vacation.
