Rotary Weekly News - October 21, 2024 (Oct. 21, 2024)

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

President Mike Christie started the meeting by welcoming everyone to CORE on 3rd St SE, and thanking our host Deb Shaw for the coffee and refreshments.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AND DISTRICT UPDATE

District Grant Webinar: Saturday 19 October: online: 09:00 - 12:00. Essential that one member attends; preferably more. The District Grants Committee has made District Board approved changes that our Club needs to know about!
District Governor Christina Hassan: Members were told about DG Christina's Instagram posts, on her visits to different Rotary Clubs in our District, and were encouraged to follow her. She also posts on Facebook.
RI Convention in Calgary, 2025: 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.

CLUB PROGRAM

Monday 28 October: Club meeting at The Lodge: a focus on the Club's Bylaws

Monday 4 November: Club meeting online: business meeting

Monday 11 November: NO MEETING - Remembrance Day

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

RI CONVENTION 2025 IN CALGARY

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)
PDG Sandy MacKay has volunteered to be the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat's representative on the RI Host Committee. Many more volunteers are needed and will be welcomed.
Registration for the 2025 Rotary International Convention is open - https://convention.rotary.org/en-us

Ideas for Future Programs

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.

CORE - Helping make a Difference

The Rotary Club was welcomed to the downtown location of CORE at noon today, and enjoyed a great presentation by Debbie Shaw, the Executive Director of CORE.

Deb spoke about returning to CORE, after a 12 year adventure with AHS. She came back to CORE because this was a place that "made her heart sing". Before her stint with AHS she was at CORE for 22 years, and has been back at CORE as ED for approximately 10 years.

She advised us that CORE has been part of this community for 70 years in 2024. and all their infomration can be found on their website http://www.coreassociation.ca

Their mission statement speaks to community service.

"To provide a variety of community-based support services for the individuals and their support network. To enable the individuals to be successful and satisfied with their goals, relationships and quality of life within the community."

Deb spoke about their Puppet Program and the updated version of George P Vanier school, now renamed "Rita's Cottage".

They have 100 clients and maintain group housing for around 40 individuals. An amazing group and thank you for all your work in the community.

Meeting News

GUESTS: Debbie Shaw, Executive Director of CORE and our guest speaker. Also, Johanne Booyens joined us.

ATTENDANCE:

This "in the community" visit was attended by 15 club members.

CLUB DRAW:

Ken Zollner won a set of candle holders.

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:

Gwen Dirk October 4
Sharon Hayward October 7
Peter Mueller October 13
Igor Grujic October 15
Jack Snedden October 26

Rotary Anniversaries:

Dale Stein 17 years Oct. 22 2007
Anne Carrier 11 years Oct. 07 2013
Reagan Weeks 3 years Oct.04 2021

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ROSE RUNNER FOR OCTOBER 2024

Milan Vujovic

Minute Reminders:

YOUTH AND VOCATIONAL SERVICE RELATED SOCIAL ON SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER

Margie Booyens passed on the following from the YEX and NGSE social on Sunday.

Big thanks, obviously, to Jim Sodaro for opening his amazing home to us, and to Stan Sakamoto for his generous contribution of the tea and coffee
Thanks to all 36 who attended, not just for attending, but for the plate of delicious eats they contributed, and for bringing a partner and/or a friend to share in the time with the two Brazilians
Special thanks to Bia and Samara's host families
Appreciation to Bia and Samara for respectively being our NGSE and Youth Exchange Program participants in our city

MONARCH 1911 SOCIETY AGM

Dave Panabaker advised the meeting that the AGM needs to be delayed to accommodate some bylaw requirements, and is planned for late November.

DISASTER RELIEF: HELPING OUR FRIENDS IN THE SOUTH

Rotary International Director, Chris Etienne, has requested Rotarians to respond to the devastation in parts of the USA from the effects of Hurricane Helene, by donating to a fund for recovery efforts. Contributions can be made via online payment, mailed cheque, or wire transfer. Please find more information at:

https://www.rizones33-34.org/disaster-relief/.

MEMBERSHIP FEE: $325.00. Treasurer Gail has sent an invoice to all members. Payment options are in the email.

ITS NEVER TOO EARLY TO BE THINKING ABOUT CHRISTMAS

The "all club" Christmas Party has been scheduled for Sunday December 8th, at the Desert Blume Clubhouse. It was a great event last year and hopefully this year it will be bigger and better.

TEAM FREEWHEEL WORK OPPORTUNITY

Terry Cooper is always looking for more volunteers to roll up their sleeves and help fix up bicycles, in the Knowles Electric Building on Fleming. Over 500 have already been fixed and distributed to those needing mobility to get to work, to the shops, to recreation opportunities etc.

SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS KETTLE SHIFTS

Anne Carrier is organizing the shift work for our Saturday ringing the bells for the Salvation Army. Our day is Saturday December 7th, we have a total of 6 locations and 2 hour shifts from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. Anne will have the signup information at the next Monday meeting.

FUNDRAISER FOR SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB

Please support Sunrise Club's innovative fundraiser on November 6th at 7:00pm at the Library. The speaker is a well known photographer/ tornado chaser. Tickets are $25 and will be available soon.

Family of Rotary

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.