President Bruce, now firmly at the helm, welcomed 18 members to the important budget approval Zoom meeting, after ensuring there was a quorum.
With a smile, President Bruce confirmed Past President Mark Sorenson’s caution to him, that being in the ‘hot seat’ means being inundated with emails!
Bruce drew attention to planning underway for the 2025 Rotary International Convention, due to be held in Calgary (see more later).
He mentioned receiving correspondence from the chair of the District Friendship Exchange committee, indicating that the friendship exchange is due to be revived and that this committee is looking for clubs interested in participating in an exchange.
Our Club has received two funding enquiries which have been referred to the club’s Community Service committee: one from the YMCA for life jackets for children, the other from Palliser Primary Care Network for financial assistance for transport for patients, via taxis and ride share.
After making these announcements, President Bruce handed over to Club treasurer, Gail Halderman, for the main focus of the meeting: to present, facilitate a discussion of, and get approval for the Club’s budget for 2023-2024.
THE 2023-2024 CLUB BUDGET
Treasurer Gail Haldeman presented the club budget for the 2023-2024 Rotary year, after which questions were fielded.
A few highlights:
CLUB SERVICE
Meeting costs have been lowered
Membership dues are now $300 and are due right now
DisCon will again be supported
The honoraria for Club Secretary and Club Treasurer will remain the same
The Club’s new Public Relations/Marketing/Social Media/Public Image committee will have a budget
Interclub visits have an allocation, although no specific plans have been made in this regard
WAYS AND MEANS
Gail took us through sources of income and expenditures
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Regarding expenditures, Gail mentioned a number of projects in the pipeline, including a major project that is still in the embryotic stage, plus the Rotary Centennial trail signage, and the Rotary Music Festival
If all goes according to plan, there should be a surplus at the end of the 2023-2024 Rotary year, to add to current funds. A surplus will mean that there may be financial support available for some unanticipated need/project that emerges
BIKE PROJECT UTILITIES BILL: it was decided that the electricity rate should be fixed, but not the gas
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE: It was suggested by Terry Cooper that Saamis Immigration Services be supported in different ways, as they work with and offer services to immigrants and refugees from around the world.
Treasurer Gail made a motion to accept the budget as presented to the club, seconded by Dieter Brand (and a number of others!). The budget was unanimously approved by those at the meeting. A PDF version will be placed on ClubRunner in the documents folder for future reference.
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 Mike Christie 403 878 3311.
Rotary Club Membership Update:
Please consider joining the membership team. Check out a meeting of this team and see how exciting it is! The committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 pm. Contact Mike Christie to join in.
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.
Upcoming Club Program, Activities and Meetings:
Thursday July 13th - Rotary Bingo - Evening
Monday July 17th - Dedication of Rotary Centennial Trail
Monday July 24th - Picnic meeting in Rotary Park on Maple Ave.
Monday July 31st - Where? At The MH Lodge. Guest speaker: Delynne Lorentzen on the Rotary Music Festival
Upcoming Rotary District and International Events
RI CONVENTION 2025 IN CALGARY
The RI Convention was held in Calgary in 1996. It’s going to be in Calgary again in 2025
DG Kurt Kowalchuk (email dated June 19) is calling for committee members, in particular but not exclusively, for the Sponsorship & Revenue committee, and the House of Friendship committee
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Host Organizing Committee secretary, Luanne Whitmarsh (l.whitmarsh@shaw.ca)
DG Kurt writes that this convention is going to be done in a way that will be transformational for Rotary in our District and he sets out many ways in which this may be achieved.
Ideas for Future Programs
The Rotary Club's Program Committee members are Jillian Koch (jkoch@jmhca.com), Dave Panabaker (d.panabaker@hotmail.com) and Margie Booyens (margiebooyens@gmail.com).
If you have ideas for future programs, please contact them.
The 2023-2024 Budget Approval meeting was attended by 18 members.
GUESTS: None
Club Draw:
This being a meeting held via Zoom, there was no club draw
Please remember to contribute items for the weekly draw as the stock cupboard is running VERY low!
Makeups:
None mentioned
Birthdays:
Jillian Koch...............July 19
Marg Mazerolle.........July 24
Rotary Anniversaries:
Sandy MacKay Jul 01 1977 46 years
David MacLean Jul 01 1977 46 years
Jim White Jul 1 1979 44 years
Margie Booyens Jul 4 2016 7 years
Glen Presley Jul 27 2015 8 years
Kitt Brand Jul 29 2009 14 years
Wedding Anniversary Rose Runner for July 2023:
Anne Carrier
Minutes
NEW GENERATIONS SERVICE EXCHANGE PROGRAM (NGSE)
Alain Guerard, member of our Club and member of the District NGSE program committee, intimated that a NGSE participant from Brazil, Victoria, will be spending a month in Calgary (15 Jan – 15 Feb 2024) and a month in Medicine Hat (15 Feb – 15 March 2024), centering her vocational exposure at and through the YMCA in both cities. Her career interest is physical education.
Alain said the NGSE is looking for host families in both cities. Victoria could have more than one host family in each city, if that facilitates matters for Rotarians who are willing to take her into their homes.
Alain mentioned that planning is also underway for another young participant from Brazil, Victor, a qualified civil engineer, to spend time with WTS Logistics in Calgary, for the vocational pillar of his NGSE experience.
3D LIMBS PROJECT
Terry Cooper reported that he and Margie Booyens had attended a Zoom conference call recently, to update those Rotary Clubs supporting the 3D artificial limb project in Sri Lanka on progress, and to launch the production stage.
An interesting fact mentioned is that the cost of each limb is $300.00, which is the cheapest in the world.
Terry said the money invested by Rotary in this project is money well spent.
CANADA DAY CAKE CUTTING
Anne Carrier expressed sincere thanks to the members and their partners who participated in the cake cutting and serving at the Stampede Grounds on Canada Day. It had been busy but turned out a great time of team work and enjoying fellowship.
The cakes were beautifully decorated and delicious. The public lined up and it wasn't long before there was no more cake to cut!
DISTRICT 5360 CONFERENCE
Conference photos and nine YouTube videos from the conference are available – keynote presentations, Arch Klumph Recognitions
The program committee of our Club will discuss the possibility of using one or more of these videos, or clips from them, over time, during our noon meetings – for information and discussion
DISTRICT WEBINARS
Chair of the District Public Image committee, Paul Tarrant of High River, presented a webinar for Clubs on social image, the use of social media etc. When we have a chair of our Club’s Public Image, Marketing, PR team, we can consider viewing and discussing this webinar together and seeing what is of use to our Club on this important aspect of club functioning.
ASSISTANT GOVERNOR: MEDICINE HAT CLUBS
Sharon McDonnell, a member of the Saamis Club, is the new Assistant Governor, taking over the position from Keith Walker (Sunrise Club).
RI PRESIDENT’S THEME FOR ROTARY 2023-2024
RI President Gordon McInally emailed all Rotarians on 10 July, writing: “Even as we now face new and serious challenges, Rotary takes care of its members and those we serve, works to build lasting peace, and embeds belonging and inclusion in everything we do. That is why I am asking everyone in Rotary to Create Hope in the World”.
There is much more to read and think about in this email.
ROTARY CANADA
Introduced by Anne Carrier, members expressed much satisfaction and pleasure to Don Davis (Chairman, Rotary Music Festival Society) about the article published in the July issue of Rotary Canada, on the Medicine Hat Rotary Music Festival.
A concert was held at the St Barnabas church recently to bid farewell to various young musicians, including two of the winners of the 2023 Rotary Music Festival.
WATERTON GLACIER PEACE PARK
The annual celebration of the Waterton-Glacier Peace Park, a project of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Idaho and Montana Rotary Districts in 1931. This year’s celebration will take place from September 21-24. It is a great opportunity to hear about the Park, its successes and challenges, and to celebrate cross-border Rotary efforts.
Home page for history and information: Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Association/commitment to building peace (watertonglacierpeacepark.org).
BINGO: The next Bingo session will take place on Thursday 13 July. A full team of volunteers has already been recruited
CLUB MEETING ON MONDAY 17 JULY
Dave Panabaker offered details about the program for Monday 17 July:
The meeting will be on the Rotary Centennial trail, on the corner of Southridge Drive and South Boundary road, to dedicate the trail and its signage.
Members can park at Boston Pizza on Strachan Road, jump on a Medicine Hat Trolley at 11:45, and be transported to the trail. Those interested in this option are encouraged to respond to the invite recently emailed to members.
Dan Kammerer and Mike Christie have organized the program, which is likely to include a number of dignitaries.
The dedication will be followed by a social time at Boston Pizza on Strachan.
All along the trail, there are benches and signage right next to the bench, explaining Rotary and our Club’s 100-year celebration in 2018.
PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF THIS DATE and join us for a celebration of yet another legacy type project of the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat!
CLUB MEETING ON 24 JULY
This Stampede related meeting will be an informal one, held in Rotary Park on Maple Avenue. Bring your own chair and lunch!
CLUB MEETING ON 31 JULY
Back at The Medicine Hat Lodge on 31 July, Delynne Lorentzen will address us on the Rotary Music Festival.
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TERRY FOX RUN: Sunday 17 September: 10:30am
The Sunrise and Ignite Clubs are organizing the annual Terry Fox Run/Walk for this year, taking over from the Kinette Club which ran it for almost 40 years.
The Run takes place every year in over 10,000 locations in Canada (communities and schools) and in 33 countries around the world. It is the largest event that supports cancer research.
All Rotarians are encouraged to take part in the event on Sunday September 17 at the Medicine Hat College, walking, running, or biking, starting at 10:30am.
It is a non-competitive event for families on the 3k Sunrise Rotary Trail.
Register at http://terryfox.org and help fundraise for cancer research in the name of one of Canada's great heroes, Terry Fox.
Past club member Joan Sauve now resides in Chinook, as does Ted Cowtan and Jim White. We believe all three would welcome a friendly visit from a Rotarian!
Past President Terry Partis sadly fell and broke his arm while playing pickleball in Iowa. The multiple fractures required surgery which is scheduled to be done in the Regional Hospital in Medicine Hat this week. Members are encouraged to connect with him
Past club member Adolf Seiler is due to visit Vancouver for a month, re-establishing friendships made many years ago
Please keep a Board Member informed about members health changes so that information can be provided to the club through the Weekly News.
The Rotary Club of Medicine Hat has returned to meeting in person, face-to-face meetings as of Monday March 21. A ZOOM link will still be available for those who are cautious, ill or are away on vacation.
