President Karen Blewett welcomed everyone to this club business meeting today, which will focus on Centennial updates as well as an update from Doug Thorson on the political situation in Nicaragua.
President Karen provided the following Centennial Celebration updates.
She thanked Anne Carrier for her help with the invitations and mailing addresses. On behalf of the board and the Centennial Committee, her work is really appreciated.
Many invitations have already been sent out to dignitaries, Presidents and President-elects from all the Rotary Clubs in the District
If you know of past Rotarians, friends of Rotary, past YEX students, etc that may be interested in attending, please forward the invitation on.
An electronic version of the invitation is shown in this Newsletter and will be available through Clubrunner this week.
The Centennial Celebration on June 8, 2018 starts at 6:00 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm), register online or at the table at the back of the room.
We have a lot of Centennial related activities happening! A few updates
Medicine Hat News Partnership:
History and Impact Photo Stories in the MH News - our first photo story in the MH N will be next week, May 7 and we will have a series of "Making a Difference Mondays" that will run for 26 weeks. This will be a free promotion for our Rotary Club, in partnership with the News.
Rotary Magazine - also working with the News on a Rotary Magazine insert (scheduled for Sept 2018). There will be more updates in the next few weeks of what that will look like.
Rotary Impact Assessment - the club has received the first "final" Impact Story over the weekend and anticipate another 10 - 15 to be coming through within the next two weeks. This is VERY EXCITING for us to have this information on how our Club and Rotary has been making a difference for the past 100 years.
Rotary History Video - in progress and will be a short, 5 minute presentation that will be launched during the Centennial dinner.
Rotary Week - It's OFFICIAL! We have a Rotary Week lined up for the June 4 - 8, 2018 week to coincide with our club's birthday and Centennial Celebration. A proclamation by the Mayor is scheduled for May 30th at 1:30 pm. and the Rotary flag will fly at City Hall.
Rotary Fun Fact:
Rotary has a tradition of make up meetings, so which Rotarians have to travel farthest for a make-up meeting?
If you guess the 34 members of the Rotary Club of Pipette, Tahiti, which is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is the club that is the most remote from any other, you'd be correct.
Other interesting tidbits:
The southernmost Rotary meeting is that of the Rotary Club of Base Marambio-Antartida in Antarctica.
To visit the northernmost club you must travel above the Arctic Circle to the Rotary Club of Barrow. Alaska, USA
If you attend the El Aguilar club in Argentina, you are meeting with the highest club in the world at 16,000 ft (4,880 meters) above sea level.
The lowest club meets at 40 feet (12.2 meters) below sea level at El Centro, California, USA
It is said that there is a Rotary club meeting being held somewhere in the world every hour of every day.
If you attended one meeting per day it would take over 80 years to visit all of the more than 30,000 Rotary clubs in the world.
Membership Update:
No new membership applications at this time.
Rotary Club Information:
Housekeeping:
Please bring auction items. It is an important part of our meeting.
If you have a Meeting Minute, please send Pres Karen a note (email, phone, in-person)
Board minutes can be found on Clubrunner, under Club Documents.
Club Centennial Photograph: Monday, May 7, 2018 at the Medicine Hat Lodge
Centennial Celebration: Friday, June 8, 2018, at the Medicine Hat Lodge.
Rotary Presentations:
Doug Thorson presented a short update on the political strife that currently grips Nicaragua, and explain some of the recent turmoil. He has spent a great deal of time there over the past 10 years, has made many friends and feels badly not to be there at this time, but it is simply not safe. He is in daily communication with those left behind, and might be a target if he had stayed. The clubs concern, for our friends with the Rotary Club of Esteli and the local Rotaract club whom we've done projects with was evident and the club prays for a peaceful resolution to the troubles in the country.
Upcoming Rotary District Events:
District 5360 Convention: May 4 – 6, 2018: Register on District website. The Club will provide support ($100) to Rotarians interested in attending the District Convention.
Rotary International Convention – June 23-27, 2018 in Toronto: This is a great opportunity for new and seasoned Rotarians to become immersed in the world of Rotary. The Club has agreed to provide an incentive of $500 for new members and $200 for existing members to attend the RI Conference.
Future Programs:
For more Club activities, to keep up with events and stay in touch, check the Club website at: www.medicinehatrotary.com
If you have any future program ideas, please e-mail Heather at heather.bach@ahs.ca.
Attendance draw was won by President Karen Blewett, so she won a free meal.
Raffle draw was won by Dieter Brand, who won Mexican coffee.
Club 500:
No draws now until May.
Make Ups:
None announced this week.
Family of Rotary:
The club sends condolences to Sarah Bowman, whose grandfather past away last week.
Minute People:
Dawn Barr brought an update to the club on the short term youth exchange program, which will involve a student from Germany this summer. More news when plans are firm.
Theresa Eisenbarth updated the club on the Adventures in Citizenship students who are currently in Ottawa, and on the evening meeting with the Interact students at Medicine Hat High School. That meeting will be Monday evening, May 14, and will start with school tours at about 4:45, a dinner in the new cafeteria and presentations by the Interact students.
Dave Panabaker reminded Rotarians that NEXT WEEK is the 100th anniversary club photo, which will be taken after the meeting on May 7th. Please try to be in attendance, and hopefully the photo will only take about 15 minutes, and will be done about 12:45 pm. Wearing something with a Rotary brand or logo would be a nice touch. As well, if you want a photo printed on gatorboard, they will cost $20, please sign up with Dave.
The next Rotary bingo is now Monday evening, May 7th starting at 5 pm. An email will be going out after the meeting, please respond.
Al Garden advised the club that today was the first golf tee times after the meeting, so spring is officially here.
