Past President Melanie Harty took the podium today, President Bruce was celebrating a "significant" anniversary and was away today. Questions were asked about why he didn't bring his significant other to the Rotary meeting to celebrate, so we'll ask him when he returns. Melanie was extremely happy that the Medicine Hat stampede was over, she had been involved with quite a few pancake breakfasts.
PP Melanie mentioned that next week is a holiday, so enjoy the long CIVIC holiday weekend and our next meeting will be a business meeting on ZOOM.
A good crowd at the meeting to welcome our Music Festival Society guests.
Dave Panabaker and Alain Guerard did a short presentation on the Club 1000 raffle for 2024. After describing the results of the past several raffles, and some ideas both from the team and from Rotarians who were present, they presented a motion to acquire an AGLC license for the 2024 raffle. That motion was past and work will begin on preparing for the raffle.
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 Mike Christie 403 878 3311.
Rotary Club Membership Update:
Please consider joining the membership team. Check out a meeting of this team and see how exciting it is! The committee meets on the second Wednesday 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, 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
RI CONVENTION 2025 IN CALGARY
The RI Convention was held in Calgary in 1996. It’s going to be in Calgary again in 2025
DG Kurt Kowalchuk (email dated June 19) is calling for committee members, in particular but not exclusively, for the Sponsorship & Revenue committee, and the House of Friendship committee
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Host Organizing Committee secretary, Luanne Whitmarsh (l.whitmarsh@shaw.ca)
DG Kurt writes that this convention is going to be done in a way that will be transformational for Rotary in our District and he sets out many ways in which this may be achieved.
WATERTON GLACIER PEACE PARK
The annual celebration of the Waterton-Glacier Peace Park, a project of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Idaho and Montana Rotary Districts in 1931. This year’s celebration will take place from September 21-24. It is a great opportunity to hear about the Park, its successes and challenges, and to celebrate cross-border Rotary efforts.
Home page for history and information: Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Association/commitment to building peace (watertonglacierpeacepark.org).
The Rotary Club's Program Committee members are 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 Rotary Club welcomed our guests today from the Charitable Society that runs the annual Music Festival. Our guest speaker was Delynne Lorentzen, who is the Executive Director of the Rotary Music Festival. She was introduced by Don Davis, Chairman of the Festival. Don also welcomed the President of the Rotary Music Festival Society, Cathie Catalano. The charitable society has operated the Music Festival for the past few years and is transitioning to a public society to allow parents, teachers and those interested in youth and music to participate in running the event.
Delynne spoke about the value of the Festival, which has been running for 68 years. The Medicine Hat Rotary Festival is the longest continuous running music festival in the province, Delynne spoke about the long term benefits of the festival experience on all the youth that perform, they gain confidence, discipline and creativity in performing in public and that carrys into their adult lives. Sometimes you don't know exactly what the impact will be, but many local adults speak very fondly of their time in the Rotary Music Festival.
"There is nothing that builds into the foundation of a local community more than investing in its young people. When you think about your community and ways to make it better, some people look at infrastructure or amenities but I think that foundation is the children". Delynne also spoke about seeing the progress and maturing of local music students, some who go on to do great things, not always in music. But music training is quite literally one of the top predictors of general success in life.
Delynne also spoke about some of the very accomplished students who have grown out of our Festival into the professional music business, and how we are known as a community that seems to generate a very high level of performer. As a club we should be very proud of the impact and lasting benefits of the Festival on youth.
Our current leadership of the Rotary Music Festival Society, Cathie Catalano - President of the Society, Delynne Lorentzen - Executive Director of the Festival, Anne Carrier - Past ED of the Festival and Don Davis - Chairman of the Festival. Thanks to all of you for your hard work.
GUESTS: The Rotary Club welcomed 3 guests and attendance was a total of 26 people.
Delynne Lorentzen, Executive Director of the Rotary Music Festival.
Cathie Catalano, President of the Rotary Music Festival Society.
Cathy Bosinger, guest and sister-in-law of Rotarian Dawn Barr
Club Draw:
Rotarian Glen Presley was the winner of a beer mug, for a "long ago" Rotary event.
Please remember to contribute items for the weekly draw as the stock cupboard is running VERY low!
Makeups:
None mentioned
Birthdays:
Terry Partis August 5th.
Sue Withers August 7th.
Gregg Martin August 25th.
Rotary Anniversaries:
Ken Zollner 40 years August 1, 1983.
Jillian Koch 7 years August 8, 2016.
Wedding Anniversary Rose Runner for August 2023:
Terry Brekko
Minutes: a few reminders
NEW GENERATIONS SERVICE EXCHANGE PROGRAM (NGSE)
Last meeting Alain Guerard, member of our Club and member of the District NGSE program committee, intimated that a NGSE participant from Brazil, Victoria, will be spending a month in Calgary (15 Jan – 15 Feb 2024) and a month in Medicine Hat (15 Feb – 15 March 2024), centering her vocational exposure at and through the YMCA in both cities. Her career interest is physical education.
Alain said the NGSE is looking for host families in both cities. Victoria could have more than one host family in each city, if that facilitates matters for Rotarians who are willing to take her into their homes. Alain mentioned that planning is also underway for another young participant from Brazil, Victor, a qualified civil engineer, to spend time with WTS Logistics in Calgary, for the vocational pillar of his NGSE experience.
NEXT BINGO: The next Bingo session will take place on Saturday August 5, in the afternoon.A full team is signed up.
CLUB MEETING ON AUGUST 7th - NO MEETING (CIVIC HOLIDAY)
CLUB MEETING ON AUGUST 14th - BUSINESS MEETING (ZOOM)
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TERRY FOX RUN: Sunday 17 September: 10:30am
The Sunrise and Ignite Clubs are organizing the annual Terry Fox Run/Walk for this year, taking over from the Kinette Club which ran it for almost 40 years.
The Run takes place every year in over 10,000 locations in Canada (communities and schools) and in 33 countries around the world. It is the largest event that supports cancer research.
All Rotarians are encouraged to take part in the event on Sunday September 17 at the Medicine Hat College, walking, running, or biking, starting at 10:30am.
It is a non-competitive event for families on the 3k Sunrise Rotary Trail.
Register at http://terryfox.org and help fundraise for cancer research in the name of one of Canada's great heroes, Terry Fox.
SAAMIS ROTARY CLUB: 21st ANNUAL RAFFLE
Tickets can be purchased on the Saamis Club website:http://www.winningticketlottery.ca The 50/50 pot is now in excess of $23,800 and the winner gets half!
Family of Rotary
Club Secretary Doug Fleming is home recovering from hip surgery, and doing well. All the best, Doug!
Rotarian Terry Partis is recovering from his sports (pickleball) injury and his wife Pam is recovering from hip surgery. We wish both of them a speedy recovery.
Rotarian Dick Bide has returned home after his second knee replacement surgery and is progressing well. We hope to see him at a meeting soon.
After a weekend at home, Ray Kemp is back in the MH Regional Hospital on Monday and our thoughts are with you, Ray.
Please keep a Board Member informed about members health 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, 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.
