As members know, the Club is exploring three different possible meeting venues over the next three months.
We met at The Legion today – welcomed by John John at a desk at the entrance of the hall. We will be returning there in two weeks time, on Monday 18th March.
The two attentive staff members were quick to take food and drink orders from those in attendance and quick to deliver the orders to tables, members saying that their food proved to be very good value for money.
President Bruce Shepard welcomed the 15 in-person members and the nine online from far afield to this Business Meeting and to this possible new meeting site.
He was happy to announce that most of the Club committees are working effectively, many doing a lot behind the scenes.
The Publicity and Marketing Committee, headed by President Bruce, will be meeting via Zoom on Thursday 7 March at 16:00/4pm.
The meeting then went into receiving verbal reports from the other Executive members and Directors.
President Elect Mike Christie will be attending the District President Elect training workshops in April. The “Why Rotary” planning committee will be meeting this week. Our Club will be sponsoring the swimming event of the Canadian Paralympic Summer Games, to be held in Medicine Hat in August 2026. The sponsorship will total $6,000.
Treasurer Gail Haldeman assured members that the club was ‘on budget’. He said he’d be seeking permission from the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Control (AGLC) to use USD2000 for the Ukraine Type C Grant.
Club Secretary Doug Fleming was online. He said he was recuperating well after his second hip replacement operation. There was no club correspondence or business that needed to be brought to the meeting at this time.
Director of Club Service Dave Stalwick spoke about the meeting 'venue trials' the club is undertaking.
March 4th and March 18th - The Medicine Hat Legion
April 8th and April 15th - The Backroom at Ralphs Steakhouse
May 6th and May 13th - The Courtyard Room at the MH College
The payment arrangement at The Legion is to settle your bill just before you leave.
Dave Stalwick reiterated that the club would be meeting there again in two weeks time, suggesting that members came a bit earlier to order and eat before the President started the meeting just after noon.
Dave said he would gather everyone’s thoughts after the second visit – the positives and the negatives, one of which was that there was no storage space for the club – not at The Legion, nor at the second and third sites that we would be exploring over the months ahead.
Much more to come on this issue. Please try to attend at least one meeting in each location, so you can be informed about the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
Director of International and Community Service, Terry Cooper, reminded members of the International and Community Service committee that they would be meeting straight after the Business Meeting. He also reminded members that they would be voting the following week for club money to be released for two grants: for the Ukrainian Hospital project and the Monarch Theatre project.
Right at the end of the meeting, before President Bruce rang the bell, Dave Stalwick thanked John John for getting a reception table sorted and the Club banners to The Legion for the meeting. Appreciated by all.
Please note: The club is visiting the Downtown YMCA next Monday (11 March) at noon. CEO Sharon Hayward will give us an update on the Y and a tour of the facility. It will be a 'brown bag lunch' which means that you please need to bring your own food, for example sandwiches, from home. Water and coffee will be provided. You are welcome to bring guests.
