Bulletin Oct. 8, 2014

President Gordon called the meeting to order at 6.30pm and lead us in the National Anthem. Dan Rippin gave the Invocation.

 

John Leng was the greeter and Jack Gallop manned the desk on behalf of Jonathan Dickie.

 

Guest Speaker: Anne McIntyre of the Oak Bay Club was our only visitor.

 

President Gordon informed us of the Zone 25 meeting of past and present District Governors coming up in Victoria the week of November 10th. Past President Carolyn is organizing the Airport welcome for participants on the 12^th, 13^th, and 14th and is looking for volunteers from this and other local Rotary Clubs. Past District Governor Jack MacAulay will be participating and attending one of the re-union dinners.

 

Armistice Day is coming up on November 11th Dan Rippon will acquire a wreath and Jack MacAulay will place it during the Ceremonies.

 

Past President Carolyn discussed the Foundation Night Dinner she is organizing for the November 26th meeting. This will be a fund raiser for the Rotary Foundation with other clubs being invited and will include a "white elephant" sale. Members and Guests are invited to donate wrapped items for sale with written hints (in the form of a poem) of what the package contains. The gifts should not exceed $20 in value. The price paid by the successful bidder will be considered a donation to the Foundation.

 

Carolyn also showed us the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation write-up in a recent Peninsula New Review. President Gordon is also the President of this Foundation and the write-up highlighted the significant contributions that ours and other local Clubs have made.

 

The District Governor’s visit is November 12, 2014.  He will be the only speaker that night.  The Board will meet him at about 5:30 p.m. and each Board member will give a report.  Please talk to Gordon if you need help with this.  This is a spousal event.  Please come.  Dress code is slightly elevated.

 

There is a Rotary Light-up and Fundraising Dinner at Don Mees Restaurant on October 24^th.  If you are interested contact Bev Hoag  (250) 889-5413.  Tickets are $40.00.

 

The DLTA Conference is in Centralia, Washington on the March 28^th weekend.  Someone will have to sign up for a course on Matching Grants.

 

 

Tonight's program was a presentation By Anne McIntyre who is the Executive Director of Disaster Canada. 

Anne was only appointed to this position six months ago and being the only full time employee she has clearly become a quick learner. Her background has been in accounting following graduation from Camosun College.

Disaster Canada was started by the Ladysmith Rotary Club but is run out of a rented warehouse in Esquimalt. It remains a Rotary Project and has a Board of Directors and for the most part is staffed by volunteers.

It was formed to perform much of the same function as that of Shelter Box in the U.K. i.e. to provide a packaged kit containing a tent large enough for a family and many items including sleeping bags, cooking equipment, water purifiers, tools and children’s items, which meet the basic shelter requirements in emergencies such as floods, earthquakes and other disasters. The reason for this Canadian venture was to be able to take advantage of local resources at lower cost. Each kit costs around $750.

The local organization has since developed supplemental kits not necessarily for disaster relief but typically for the same country profiles. These include "Soap for Hope", recycling and repackaging hotel soap; Little Dresses for Africa; and Days for Girls, Feminine Hygiene Kits.

Anne explained that local partners such as other Rotary Clubs in the countries receiving the kits were mandatory.

Linda Leng thanked Anne for her presentation and presented her with the Polio Vaccine Sponsor Certificate.

 

Ian was Master Sergeant tonight and fined Cosmo for being late and slipping past the desk during the Anthem. Gordon was fined for something related to taxes and Carolyn for not knowing the Lt. Governors name. Happy dollars were paid by Ian for his and Carolyn's trip to Arizona and Sad and Happy dollars for John and Linda's departure for Arizona.

 

Jack Gallop won the draw but missed the blue marble.

 

Next week’s program will feature Heather Gartshore, Councillor for North Saanich.

 

Roger Hind is the Greeter and Jack Gallop will repeat at the desk unless Jonathan Dickie is back.