Bulletin for January 14, 2015

Posted by Nina Benn 
on Jan 14, 2015
 
Meeting Notes for January 14, 2015
 
Greeter:  Nina
Door Duty: Dan
Note taker: Carolyn
  1. Meeting called to order @ 6:30 p.m. by President Gordon
  2. National Anthem led by Gordon Benn on the piano
  3. Invocation offered by Dan Rippin
Announcements:
  1. Scott Higby from the Rotaract Club advised that their club is holding a fundraiser on Thursday, January 22nd at Maude Hunters Pub on Shelbourne Street.The event is a Burger and Beer for $15 with $5 of the proceeds going towards their literacy fundraiser, the 1000X5 Book Recycling Project.
  2. At our meeting on January 28th, we will be celebrating Robbie Burns’s night in our usual style.We will also be hearing from Katie and Brianna of Rotaract about their time at the San Diego Rotaractors Convention.President Gordon requested that we check with our spouses/partners to see if they would like to attend the meeting to see if we can make the minimum of 20 people to have a hot meal to go along with the haggis.
  3. Jack MacAulay reported on our Salvation Army Kettle fundraiser.The 1st Saturday we collected $202.40, the 2nd Saturday $1,050.56 and the last Saturday $552.81 for a grand total of $1,805.77.Well done everyone!
  4. Jack MacAulay also advised that Past District Governor Neil McPhee had passed away.Neil had been a member of our club many years ago.
Program:
The program this evening was Club Assembly. 
President Gordon announced that the Victoria Rotary Club is opening up their Car Raffle fundraiser for all Victoria clubs to participate in.   This year, Thrifty Foods will be contributing a sum of $25-$50,000 to possibly purchase the car and/or bring up the total amount of the fundraiser to $100,000.  Thrifty Foods wants one large community project for the proceeds and this will be decided between Rotary and Thrifty’s.  The Victoria Foundation may also be a participant in this project.  Our club will be required to sell raffle tickets on the Peninsula.  Gordon will advise the Victoria Club our wish to pursue participating in this project.  More information will be provided when available.
Sidney Classical Orchestra.  We have been requested to provide 30 guests at the next concert taking place on February 28th.  Guests are to be individuals in our community who could not normally afford or have the opportunity to attend a concert.  President Gordon will approach the local hospitals for participants.  If you know someone who would like to attend the concert, please contact President Gordon.
President Gordon attended a Rotary Membership Summit on January 10th.  No new information to report, however, Rotary estimates that in 20 years, Rotary as we now know it, is unsustainable unless membership grows.  It is a chronic problem with all service clubs. 
Community Projects:
A new Community Projects committee has been formed comprising of Roger, Cosmo, Dan and Jack Parry.  The committee met recently to discuss spending some of our funds.  The club has $3,250 to spend and have recommended the following projects:
  1. Roger spoke about the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association.$1,000 is recommended to assist with new aluminum bleachers.The club will receive recognition by way of the newspaper, their website and possibly a plaque.
  2. Jack Parry spoke about the Vancouver Island Model Engineers and their project for building a new washroom building by their train storage building.The association runs the trains on the Heritage Acres property; however, is a separate entity from that group.The cost of the project is $25,000 and the Camosun Carpentry School will be building the new structure and many of the materials and labour are being donated.We will try to get a plaque on the building and their webpage will also list us as a donor.$1,000 is recommended for this project.
  3. Cosmo spoke about Haliburton Farms.The roof project on the cooler building has been completed but the Farm does not have sufficient funds to complete payment of same.Our club had provided funds for the construction of the cooler building a few years ago and the committee is recommending we provide $1,250 to assist with the payment.A plaque will be installed beside the front door of the building.Cosmo will provide samples of the plaque for the club to decide on.
On behalf of the committee, Roger proposed spending as follows:
  • $1,000 to the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association
  • $1,000 to the Vancouver Island Model Engineers
  • $1,250 to the Haliburton Farms.
A motion to approve the above spending was made by Dan and seconded by Jack Parry.  The club’s vote was all in favour.
Roger advised the Thrifty Smile Card program fundraiser currently stands at $400 (max. $1,000).  If we do not reach the $1,000 max., it is recommended that we top it up to $1,000 and additional funds may be added.  Our designated recipient is ORCCA, the association which provides dental assistance to children and adolescents under the age of 19 from low income families on the peninsula.  Our funds will be used to purchase dental supplies.
President Gordon advised he had received a letter from Barry regarding the future of our club and it’s declining membership.  Barry recently had a discussion with a member of the Brentwood Bay Club regarding their membership concerns and a possible merger with our club.  President Gordon posed the question as to whether or not our club was sustainable given the current lack of members and feels we have three options:
  1. Do nothing but we will need to have an active plan in place to attract new members
  2. Have some form of merger with the other Peninsula clubs
  3. Merge with Brentwood Bay club.
Rotary clubs cannot merge.  A club must give up it’s charter and it’s members join an existing club or charter a brand new club.  Names of existing clubs can be changed.
President Gordon will contact ADG Judith Bowen to ask that her club (Brentwood Bay) form a committee to meet with a committee from our club to discuss a possible merger.  We will also ask that Judith contact the Sidney by the Sea club to see if they are interested in discussing the idea.
President Gordon asked for volunteers on this committee.  Barry, Roger, Jack Parry and Jack MacAulay agreed to be on the committee along with President Gordon.
President Gordon announced that Jonathan will not be able to take on the position of President for next year due to family commitments.  Cosmo has volunteered to stand as President.
Sergeant at Arms:
Carolyn was Sarge tonight and had a quiz for the members.  Many loonies were collected for the pig!
Happy Bucks:
Jack MacAulay had happy bucks for the great junior hockey tournament and Canada’s win over Russia receiving the gold medal.
Sad Bucks:
None.
Marble Draw:
Jack Parry had the winning ticket and pulled an unlucky white marble.
Next Week’s Program:
Karen Morgan from the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation.  Karen will be speaking about the doctor shortage on the Saanich Peninsula and what the Foundation is doing about it.  This will be an excellent program, so please bring guests to the meeting.
 
Duties for January 21, 2015:
Greeter and Note taker – Rob Christie
Door Duty – Nina
Sergeant at Arms: Jack MacAulay