April 19, 2021 - Rotary Weekly News (Apr 18, 2021)

President Meeting Remarks:

President Mark Sorenson welcomed everyone to our meeting today, and hoped we enjoyed summer on Friday and Saturday, with the return to winter on Sunday....

There were 27 Rotarians joining us at the meeting today, it was great to see everyone.

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.

Upcoming Club Program, Activities, and Meetings

The next meeting is Monday, Monday April 26th - a business meeting is scheduled.
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:

Mark this date in your calendars, the 2021 Rotary District 5360 VIRTUAL Conference is Saturday May 1^st, 2021 from Drumheller, AB. Please use this link to register https://www.crsadmin.com/eventportal/registrations/publicfill/eventpublicfill.aspx?evtid=626a657c-9bf4-429c-a3b5-a9ca880ccac6 . The cost is $20, which will be donated to Canadian Mental Health.

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

The "Top Ten" Reasons to get out of bed during COVID

The Rotary Club of Medicine Hat was delighted to welcome our District Governor Elect, Martin Parnell to the meeting today. He will "take the reins" of the District on July 1st and will be back to entertain us again on Monday July 26th for his official visit to the club.

Martin provided a humorous and motivating talk about the serious side effects of the COVID pandemic, the physical and mental health of many people who have been effected by the shutdowns and restrictions. DGE Martin provided us with his "Top Ten List" of reasons to get out of bed during the pandemic. The talk was well received and hopefully will help all of us to soldier on and look to the good times down the road that will return.

MARTIN'S TOP TEN REASON TO GET OUT OF BED DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC

10 - Make Your Bed....

9 - Play a Game

8 - Take on a Project.

7 - Take a course.

6 - Go and do something "virtually".

5 - Get outside.

4 - Phone a friend.

3 - Set a goal.

2 - Help each other.

1 - Have a fundraiser.

and the bonus reason is to "attend a Rotary meeting, anywhere".

Thanks Martin, a great list and some wonderful stories for sure.

Doug Fleming said after the meeting that his number one reason to get out of bed was "to pee"....and can't we all relate to that too!!

Meeting News

Posted on Apr 19, 2021

Guests:

Martin Parnell, DGE for Rotary District 5360.

Club Draw:

No draws this week.

Minute People:

President Mark passed on the following message from Community Service Director, Melanie Harty. "This Earth Day, Thursday April 22nd, the City of Medicine Hat is encouraging residents to get out and help beautify our city by cleaning up litter from around their neighborhood. If there is interest, perhaps a group of Rotarians can gather at the Medicine Hat College on Thursday to clean our section of the Trans Canada Highway. If there is interest, it could happen.
President Mark also passed along the dates for the tree planting, in the Rotary Centennial - Dunmore Park. The Dunmore Community Association is organizing the tree planting on Friday April 30 and Saturday May 1. More information on signing up for a work shift and perhaps participating by having our Rotary Tent available will be made available as soon as we have it.
Dave Panabaker mentioned that there is a webinar on Wednesday April 21st, about the Rotary Learning Center. Again, register in advance to take part at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Hvbd6Jk1RsanwZyni-Y_gQ
Dave also mentioned that a full page "Thank You" advertisement was placed in the Medicine Hat News of Saturday April 17, 2021...on page 31. It recognizes everyone who worked so hard to organize, fundraise and sponsor the "virtual" Music Festival this year. Please take a minute to find it and look it over.
Dick Bide announced that he has firewood at his house, which will no longer be required because they now have a gas fireplace. If anyone wants it, please come by and get it, "gratis".
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: April.

Shalla Shaharyar April 28.

Club Anniversaries: April.

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)..

The club sends it's sincere sympathy and condolences to President Mark and his wife Cindy. Cindy's brother Aaron passed away from cancer a couple of weeks ago. Our thoughts and prayers are with the whole family. (Apologies for missing this Family of Rotary minute in last week's edition,.DJP)