May 10, 2021 - Rotary Weekly News (May 10, 2021)

President Meeting Remarks:

President Mark Sorenson welcomed everyone to our meeting today. It was a much nicer day that the rainy weekend, but in this country it is hard to turn down percipitation.

There were 33 Rotarians and our guest, Police Chief Mike Worden.

Rotary Club "What-z New":

A new club laptop is in our future, the current one will not provide the service required to stream our meetings.
If our hybrid meetings continue in the future, a few more meeting helpers will be required to help run cameras and sound. We are all learning as we go along here, but these type of meetings are manpower intensive.

Rotary Club Membership Update:

If you are interested in helping this working membership team, please contact Mike Christie.

Rotary Club Information:

Housekeeping:
- Please collect club draw items. It is an important part of our meeting and the funds generated help to run the club.
- If you have a Meeting Minute, please phone or email the Newsletter and we'll include it.
- Board minutes can be found on ClubRunner, under Club Documents.
ZOOM Hints
- Doug Fleming came across a great article, with 19 tips to enhance your experience using ZOOM. Some simple tips, but they help you understand the software and how to make it work better. Check it out. https://www.cnet.com/how-to/zoom-tips-and-tricks-19-hidden-features-to-improve-your-video-calls-today/?ftag=CAD1acfa04&bhid=18997619689912104361113300575887&mid=13349909&cid=534298889

Upcoming Club Program, Activities, and Meetings

The next meeting is Monday, May 17th - PDG Neil Berg will be our speaker, to discuss membership initiatives.
The DG and President Mark have requested that we limit our in person gatherings while COVID cases are still present in the community. Our meetings will be virtual until at least Monday June 28^th that is currently our first scheduled " in person" meeting.

Upcoming Rotary District and International Events:

The Rotary International convention for 2021, originally scheduled in Taiwan will now be held VIRTUALLY as well. Watch for updates on registration and programs.

Future Programs:

The Rotary Club's Program Coordinator is Jillian Koch. If you have future program ideas, please email Jillian at jkoch@jmhca.com

Visit from Police Chief Mike Worden

The Rotary Club was delighted to welcome the new Police Chief for Medicine Hat, Mike Worden to the meeting. Mike was introduced by Director Mike Christie, standing in for our newest Rotarian, Inspector Brent Secondiak. Mike C. was provided an extensive biography on Chief Worden and provided a great intro. Chief Worden is an advocate of life long learning and was a long service employee with the Calgary Police force.

Chief Worden is a native (almost) Medicine Hat, his family moved to town in 1972 when he was 3. His father was the pastor of Westminster United Church, and has remained in town in his retirement.

Chief Worden attended Central Park School, Alexandra Jr High and Medicine Hat High School, so he knows his way around the south east hill area. He has a sister in town as well, so moving back to the Hat allowed for much closer family connections. He referred to policing as a "calling" and spoke of the need to have "consequences for actions". but that jail is not always the right answer.

He spoke about the frustration experienced in modern policing, and how it's easy to blame the homeless, those suffering from mental health or addiction issues. He spoke about "harm reduction" as a part of a strategy to break the cycles that can cause crime or community unhappiness, and how those efforts need to work closely together.

He also spoke about the Medicine Hat Police Service "app" for those with smart phones. It is a great way to be in touch with events in the community, and be "in the know" about police activities. If you have a smart phone, and you know how to use it, please download the app (pictured below). It is a great tool.

Above is the screen display, and the icon for the app. Use it!

Mike was asked and answered a wide variety of questions about police issues, and we all thanked him for attending and his frankness about the role his officers must play.

We all wish him well, and welcome Mike and his spouse Clare back to Medicine Hat!!

Meeting News

Posted on May 10, 2021

Guests:

Police Chief Mike Worden, our guest speaker

Club Draw:

No draw this week, but we are working on a "garage sale" for stuff that is gathering dust in the Storage Room. A list will be published soon.

Minute People:

President-elect Terry Partis and Director of Membership Mike Christie reminded everyone present that they have heard from about 20% of the club, on the "Club Health Check". A response from as many as possible is important to ensure club direction matches the wishes of the majority. Please send in your survey soon.
Dawn Barr and Anne Carrier are looking for more "rose runners", it's a once a month job and not a large one, but great for the family of Rotary.
Terry Cooper provided an update on our International Project, the "Make 'em Smile" denture project in Sri Lanka. The project is finished, with 426 dentures being given out to 239 patients. That exceeded their goal of 390 dentures. A final report including Sri Lankan Rotarians will have to wait, as the country is currently locked down amid a third pandemic wave.
Anne Carrier mentioned that Dr. Bill Taylor, who has been a long time supporter of the Rotary Music Festival, is looking for four "missing" Stars of the Festival programs. He is missing the programs for 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1997. If anyone has spare copies that they would be prepared to part with he'd love to have them. If you can help, please contact Anne Carrier, or Stan Sakamoto.
Dave Panabaker promoted a few of the Rotary Learning opportunities that are occurring this month.
- May 15 from 1:00 pm - 4 pm, Career and Financial Management for Youth. Register on the District website. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkceGqqz8qG9IeQC9weZO8TbMLCfmnOPD-
- May 19 from 7 pm to 8 pm, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Presentation. Register on the District website. https://rotary5360.ca/event/may-club-learning-webinar
- May 29/June 2 - 3 hour Club Leadership Training #3 - Select the one that works on the District website.
Just a reminder that the District 5360 AGM will be June 7^th, a "virtual" House of Friendship will take place on June 9^th and DG Mary will host a Year-end Celebration on June 16^th. Lots going on in the last two months of this Rotary year, so watch for the opportunity to sign up and participate.
Terry Cooper provided a short update on Team "Freewheel". A total of 50 bikes have been repaired and donated back out to the community. A number of other bikes have been scavenged for parts, some of the bikes from the police compound are in very rough shape, with missing equipment, bent frames and rims and generally not repairable. He and Peter would like to involve more club members in doing the pickup and delivery, as well as helping with the repairs. Although the COVID restrictions right now make that tough, some larger work parties will be organized during good weather, when the work can be done outside. The last donation was to a young student at Dr. Ken Sauer School. Below is a photo of Principle Carla Carrier accepting the bike. Great work by the team!

Gail Halderman announced that 2021 Rotary Rib-Fest has a date, the weekend of Aug 13 - 15. Everything is not confirmed with the "ribbers" at this point, but we are proceeding to plan as so we can secure sponsors and organize advertising.
Our friends at the Medicine Hat Sunrise Rotary Club are having another e-bike raffle this spring. Please support their efforts in Rotary by getting a ticket or two.

If you have photos or a story to include in the Weekly News, please submit it to Dave P and we'll try to publish it.

Birthdays: May

Ray Kemp May 16.
Doug Fleming May 19.
Ian McLaughlin May 20.
Ted Cowtan May 25.
Dawn Barr May 31.

Club Anniversaries: May.

Sue Withers 3 years May 14, 2018.
Dan Kammerer 17 years May 19, 2004.

Makeups:

None recorded.

Family of Rotary: (PLEASE KEEP ADOLF INFORMED ABOUT MEMBERS SO THAT INFORMATION CAN BE PASSED ON TO ALL IN THE WEEKLY NEWS)..

No report.