President Mike Christie, knowing that he had more than a full agenda for the meeting kicked off the last meeting of 2024 promptly on time. He wanted to express Christmas greetings in person to everyone in the club and also made a note that he was half way through his President's year. (several comments about that were "stifled")
It was a meeting of presentation and celebration, so it started off with the induction of a new member. The club welcomed Brenda Mercer, sponsored by Margie Booyens, to the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat. Past President Bruce Shepard read the charge to Brenda.
Brenda is a Board member of the National Urban Aboriginal Strategy, and has been actively involved in indigenous advocacy in Medicine Hat for many years. She was raised in Saskatchewan, in a non-indigenous family and subsequently attended Medicine Hat College. She has been married to Chris for 28 years and is the proud mother of two daughters, grandmother of seven and the great grandmother of one. We all look forward to hearing Brenda's classification talk, and to having her help us understand aboriginal issues in our community and country.
The Rotary Club then celebrated the induction of three of our newest members into the Paul Harris Society. PDG Sandy Mackay presented Sharon Haywood, Ken Walcer and Nadia Deenen with pins and certificates recognizing their contributions to the Rotary Foundation.
Staying with the theme of the Rotary Foundation, our Foundation Chair and Club Treasurer Gail Halderman presented Mark Sorenson, David Stalwick and himself with new pins reflecting increased levels of giving to the Foundation. The Rotary Foundation returns that giving to this District, after a three year period, in the form of District Grants. Support for the Foundation assists all clubs in the District with carrying out the work of Rotary.
Rotary Club "What-z New":
A few more meeting helpers are required to run cameras and sound during our hybrid meetings. Anyone wishing to help should contact President Mike Christie 403 878 3311.
Rotary Club Committee Membership Update:
Please continue to assist your 'team captains' (committee leads) and please also work in other areas of club activity, as you are able.
Please have a look on ClubRunner in the Committee section. You should find your name on one of the committee member lists, as per your choice(s). If not, please contact President Mike.
Rotary Club Information:
Housekeeping:
If you have a Meeting Minute, please phone, text or email the President and it will be included in the next Newsletter.
Board minutes can be found on ClubRunner, under Club Documents.
Rotary District 5360 and Rotary International News
MONARCH 1911 SOCIETY
As many Rotarians will know, our club in cooperation with the Saamis Rotary Club and the Friends of the Monarch Society have been working on restoring both the structure and the programming at the historic Monarch movie theatre on 2nd St SE.
The Monarch 1911 Society ran two very successful fundraising events in December at the theatre, one for the Irvine Agricultural School and a second for the society itself. However, one of the things they are in need of is volunteers to work future events.
Our club will try to keep track of events on a the Monarch, to give members a heads-up that the opportunity to serve exists. If you are interested, please let Rotarian Janessa Anderson (403-952-1907) know and she can provide details of available shifts and responsibilities.
Volunteering at a show is a great way to connect with the community and support the historic local landmark.
RI CONVENTION 2025 IN CALGARY: 21-25 JUNE
The RI Convention was last held in Calgary in 1996. It’s going to be back in Calgary again June 21 - 25, 2025.
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Host Organizing Committee secretary, Luanne Whitmarsh (l.whitmarsh@shaw.ca)
Club Convention Champions are playing a vital role in communication (both ways) between the District 5360 Host Convention Committee and their Club. Our Convention Club Champion is PDG Sandy MacKay.
The Rotary Club's Program Committee members are Jillian Koch (jkoch@jmhca.com), Margie Booyens (margiebooyens@gmail.com), Alain Guerard (aguerard@telus.net), Sharon Hayward (sharon.hayward@medicinehatymca.ca)
If you have ideas for future programs, please contact them.
One of the great things about having new members in the club is hearing their Classification Talks, where they speak about their family, their employment history, their personal story and passions. Today were were privileged to hear from two new club member, who happen to be spouses, about their journey to being members of our Rotary family.
First, Sharon Haywood, currently the Executive Director of the YMCA spoke about growing up in the Prince Albert area, living on a grain farm and attending a rural school. Living in this community introduced her to income inequality, racism and social injustice. It was probably a key to her future career path.
In her teens she was active in Scouts Canada, and was a debate champion in high school. She went on to work for the Heartland Health Region in Kindersley, she was the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association for five years and then in 2016 joined the YMCA. In her tenure the Y has doubled its impact within the community. She has one daughter who is now 11 and when she has time loves to ride her Harley.
Kevin Walcer was born in Fort St John, but moved to Burstall, Saskatchewan when he was quite young. He has two younger sisters and his Mom and Dad now make Medicine Hat home so family visiting is simple. He was also involved in Scouts Canada, which taught him leadership skills and combined with a family ethic of hard work and service has stood him in good stead through his various careers.
Kevin was the youngest EMT in Saskatchewan, doing that job while he attend Grade 12. He got a nursing degree in Veigerville in 1988 and was working at Holy Cross Hospital and then moved to MH Hospital in 1991. He obtained a Bachelor of Nursing in 2000 at the MH College and has since become an instructor at the College. He has three daughters, loves to golf when he gets a chance and try's to keep up with Sharon on another Harley.
Welcome to Rotary both of you, it was fascinating to hear your stories and we look forward to all the things you can do through Rotary for our Community.
On Thursday 12 December, at noon, about 30 Rotarians, partners and friends, congregated at the Veiner Centre in Medicine Hat, for a combination of social time and service.
After a tasty lunch of own choosing and lots of conversation in the Bistro restaurant, we headed for a large room in which we spent the next hour or two, stuffing about half of the pile of 500 Christmas stockings and brown bags.
We were guided and supported in our efforts by Tammy Poole, Transportation and Volunteer Facilitator at the Centre.
This is the first time the Veiner Centre has undertaken their own Christmas stocking stuffing project – “Stockings for Seniors” - and it has received great support from various organizations and community members, including Police Officers, Firemen, and the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat. Our club donated $500 towards the contents of the stockings.
Many of the items were donated via the tags on the Christmas tree at the Centre, which Veiner Centre members and friends took to guide their shopping for specific items for the stockings for men and for women.
The stockings are to bring Christmas cheer into the homes of seniors (50+ years) around town, delivered by Meals-on-Wheels volunteers. Recipients will extend beyond Meals-on-Wheels clients to seniors known to Elder Abuse and members of the Veiner Centre who will be on their own over the festive season.
We were amazed at the variety of goods, which included a range of personal hygiene items, puzzle books, toques, gloves, candy, mugs, gift vouchers, place mats, playing cards, tea, coffee and jam.
Thanks to the artistic efforts of school children, we were able to pop a lovely Christmas card into each stocking.
What a great project! And what a fun time we had! Thank you Veiner Centre for being such a wonderful resource for seniors in Medicine Hat! And thank you, Tammy, for allowing the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat to participate in your festive season ‘STOCKINGS FOR SENIORS’ initiative!
ATTENDANCE: 20 members attended in person and 6 were online for this meeting.
CLUB DRAW: The lucky Terry Cooper won some special coffee.
Please remember to contribute gifts for the weekly draw. If you are somewhere interesting, a small gift to the club is an easy fundraiser!
Makeups: None were mentioned.
Birthdays:
Ken Zollner December 18th.
John John December 19th.
Reagan Weeks. December 27th.
Kitt Brand December 28th.
Sieg Kappler. January 1st.
Dick Northcott January 13th.
Mark Sorenson. January 23rd.
Melanie Harty. January 25th.
Jim White January 31st.
Rotary Anniversaries:
Gail Halderman 29 years. January 1, 1996.
Peter Mueller. 5 years January 20, 2020.
Igor Grujic 5 years January 20, 2020.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ROSE RUNNER FOR JANUARY 2024
Odessa Vermee
Minute Reminders:
BINGO UPDATE
Dave Panabaker reported on the last Bingo for 2024 on Sunday 15 December. The club served 99 patrons of the bingo hall and contributed a $1,793.25 profit to the monthly pool. Rotarian Terry Cooper (Mr Lucky) won the guess pot. The next bingo will be the first one for the club in 2025, and will be the evening of Saturday Jan 4th, from 5 pm to 10 pm.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AT CORE
Club Service Director Dave Stalwick took a few minutes to speak about ongoing search for a better spot to meet on a regular basis. Dave advised that the CORE association has offered a meeting room space, on a weekly basis to the Rotary Club and that meetings for the month of February 2025 (February 3, 10 and 24) would all be held at this location. Cost of the room, cost of the food, storage and access were all viewed as positive, although parking downtown can be an issue.
Definitely more to come on this in January.
TEAM FREEWHEEL
Terry Cooper advised that the last working session for 2024 will be Thursday December 19th, in the morning. He suggested dropping by around 10 - 10:30am to view the work and the "cleaned up" shop.
JUDGE DIETER IN ACTION
Dieter Brand brought his long and illustrious career in the legal field to a close on Monday 9 December. We all wish him the best in his retirement.
ROTARY DINNER CLUB
Milan Vujovic advises everyone who has signed up for this year's dinner club that dinners can now be booked. If you have a particular date in mind, it's best to get it to him (or his spouse Almira) so that date can be fit into the schedule. Please phone and book your dinner as soon as you can.
Family of Rotary
Adolf Seiler, previously a member of our club, is now home in Parksville BC, and apparently able to take phone calls once again. He celebrated his 82 birthday on Tuesday.
The Medicine Hat Rotary club sends along our best wishes for recovery to Bernice Chesley, widow of former Rotarian Wayne. Bernice has suffered a health setback and has been moved to a care facility in Calgary, to be close to family.
Please keep a Board Member informed about members health and/or any other changes, so that information can be provided to the club through the Weekly News.
The Rotary Club of Medicine Hat has returned to meeting in person. Our first meeting of every month is a ZOOM business meeting. Check the club calendar, which is usually up to date for our meeting locations and program.
