Rotary Club News, Dec 16, 2019 (Dec 16, 2019)

President's Remarks:

President Margie Booyens welcomed everyone to this meeting, and started out with the sad announcement of the passing on Saturday of Susan Partis, spouse of Rotarian Terry Partis. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family in this tough time. Adolf Seiler, in his role as the Family of Rotary organizer, told Rotarians present that the funeral for Susan would be Thursday Dec 19^th, at 1:30 pm at Pattisons Funeral home.

President Margie then mentioned to Rotarians that next weeks meeting would be chaired by Dave Panabaker, and that Dan Kammerer would be speaking about his recent Rotary Friendship exchange with clubs in New Hampshire and Vermont. So you get "2 - AG's" for the price of one!!

President Margie also reminded the club about the fellowship meeting that will take place on Monday December 30th. Please invite a spouse or other family members, remember to confirm your attendance by answering the invitation that Jillian has sent out and for each person that is coming, if you wish to participate in the gift exchange, bring a WRAPPED gift. (please keep any expenditure small, certainly less than $25.00). It should be a fun lunch get together.

Rotary Club "What-z New":

please watch this space, starting next week. for upcoming meeting changes and new ideas that the Board and the club are considering.

Rotary Club Membership Update:

New Inductions to the club are planned for the first meeting in January, on Monday January 6th.

Rotary Club Information:

Upcoming meetings:
- See the club calendar adjacent or the club website.
Housekeeping:
- Please bring club draw items. It is an important part of our meeting.
- If you have a Meeting Minute, please send President Margie a note (email, phone, in-person)
- Board minutes can be found on ClubRunner, under Club Documents.

Upcoming Rotary Club. District and International Events:

Club Leadership Training will be in the Crowfoot Room, MH College on Saturday, March 21, 2020...open to all Rotarians.
Next District 5360 convention May 1 - 3, 2020 in Calgary.
Next Rotary International Convention, June 6 - 10, 2020 in Honolulu, Hawaii

Future Programs:

For more Club activities, to keep up with events and stay in touch, check the Club website at: www.medicinehatrotary.com

Our Program coordinator is Jillian Koch. If you have any future program ideas, please email Jillian at jkoch@jmhca.com

Rotary Exchange student - Maddy Caparini

Posted by Dave Panabaker on Dec 16, 2019

It was wonderful to have Maddy Caparini with us today, to give us her presentation about her year in the Republic of Czechoslovakia. She was only 15 when she embarked upon her life changing experience and she spend the 2018 - 2019 school year in Trebic, Czech Republic. This community is about 2 hours from Prague, but she truly enjoyed the community. She was hosted by a small Rotary club, with only about a dozen members but they had three different Rotary exchange students that year.

Trebic has a terrible history from WW2, it was once one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe but was basically cleared out during the war and very few family's remain. It is full of UNESCO World Heritage sites, they have many many churches and castles....Maddy really loved it!

She had 3 host families, in a variety of locales while she was there. She did many presentations in her school about Canada, and made many new friends. She showed photos of all of the host families, of the food that was popular, of her classmates and her various trips. This particular District hosted 94 Exchange students, we will have 12 in our District this year according to Brian Robinson, who was her outbound councilor. Maddy especially enjoyed her Eurotour, which is the District trip through France, Spain and Italy. She showed many great photos.

Maddy was emphatic that she thanked Rotary, particularly her sponsor club which was Saamis - Medicine Hat, for this life changing experience. She is very grateful for the time and money spent on her behalf and she promised to be involved with Rotary in the future. She was thanked by President Margie.

Meeting News

Posted by Dave Panabaker on Dec 16, 2019

Introduction of Guests:

Peter Mueller, a guest of the club.
Maddy Caparini, YEX student and our guest speaker.
Brian Robinson, PP of Saamis Rotary and District YEX chair.
Elaine Behiel, a Rotarian in waiting.

Birthdays:

Gail Halderman - Dec 16.
Adolf Seiler - Dec 17.
Ken Zollner - Dec 18.
John John - Dec 19.

Club Anniversaries:

Ken Feser 1 year Dec 17, 2018

Attendance Draw:

Adolf Seiler was in attendance and was the winner of a free lunch.

Club Draw:

The prize was won by John John.

Club 500 Draw:

No Draw this week, the final 2019 draws will be done next week.

Makeups:

None mentioned this week

Family of Rotary:

Once again, the condolences of all the club go out to Rotarian Terry on the loss of his wife Susan. Her funeral will be Thursday Dec 19^th, at 1:30 pm at Pattisons Funeral Home.

Minute People:

Brian Robinson took a minute to update the club on the status of YEX in the City, to advise that a new outbound student has been selected for the 2020 - 2021 year and he is hoping that both clubs will be involved in helping with housing and entertaining the next inbound student. Please register online on the District website and become accredited to deal with the students. The link is https://rotary5360.ca/page/volunteer-screening .
Dave Panabaker was very happy to report that he has received official word that the "renaming" of 23rd St NW to "Rotary Centennial Drive" is on the Minister of Transportation's desk for signoff and that early in the New Year it will be official. A social event, in conjunction with the renaming will take place in the spring.
Dave Stalwick recruited the last couple of people he needed for the last bingo of the year, on Monday Dec 23rd.
Dick Bide announced that signup sheets are on the tables for the 2020 Dinner club, which will run from Jan 1 to Dec 31. Please consider this great social activity of the club, and a wonderful way to meet spouses and share hospitality.
Terry Brekko announced that advertising and "Patrons of the Festival" fundraising packages are being handed out today. Please make sure you have your work done by the last meeting in January.
Dawn Barr mentioned that the Dec 30th fellowship meeting will include a gift exchange and if your partner (or more folks) are coming, please bring that number of gifts (value not to exceed $25.00).