President Tom called our meeting to order today at The St. Catharines Golf & Country Club. 

Those who joined the President at the head table included:

• Speaker Introducer: George Irvine
• Speaker: Les Groves
• Sgt-at-Arms: Bill Williams
• Member: Ted Usick
• Registrar: Blair Pollard

Introduction of Guests:

Guests included:

• Meredith Jackson Donohue – Visiting Rotarian
• Gordon Cooper - Guest of George Shepherd
• Alexis De Wolfe - Guest of Roger Segalin
• Allen Hardy - Guest of Kelly Buckley
• Albert Cipryk - Guest of Margaret Jarrell
• Bekki Kugler - Youth Exchange Student
• Sara Pickett-Stot - Guest of Bekki Kugler
• Jack Picket - Guest of Bekki Kugler

Grace: Larry Iggulden

O Canada: Don Shaw

Toast to the Queen and Canada: by President Tom

Birthdays:

July 18 - Eugene Gillies
July 19 - Mike Pihura
July 20 - Judith Barker

Announcements:

President Tom attended the Ribbon cutting ceremony for Hospice Niagara and offered congratulations to all those within our Club for a job well done.

Chris Bangham informed us of our last chance to be a part of the Rib Fest Advertorial page set to run August 1 – the cost is $100. Chris also used his podium time to promote a bike ride that will leave from the Golf Club on Thursday August 9 immediately following our meeting. The idea is to ride to Port Colborne along the canal trail and then across to Fort Erie along the Friendship Trail. Riders will stay overnight in Fort Erie and ride home on Friday along the Niagara River to NOTL and then along Lakeshore Road to St. Catharines. The distance is approximately 160 kilometers. Anyone who wants to join in should call Chris Bangham.

Chris Bangham

President Tom announced the following meetings for next week:

July 23 – Youth Advisory
July 24 – Ribfest at Rodman Hall at 5:00 pm
July 24 – Board at noon
July 25 – Program Committee at 9:00 at Rodman Hall
July 25 – Auction Committee at 6:00 pm at the Golf Club

Ribfest needs more volunteers for the evening shifts on Saturday and Sunday.

50/50 Draw:

No winner for the $344 at stake.

Youth Exchange:

Bekki said goodbye again. She related that for the first couple of months she wanted to go home – now she wants to stay! She has had a wonderful time in Canada and expressed her pride in being a Rotary Exchange Student.

Bekki Kugler

Bekki and her friend Sara serenaded us with an A cappella rendition in two part harmony of “I’ll be with you till the stars fall from the sky”. This performance was received by the Club with a standing ovation.

Bekki and Sara

Happy Dollars: Collected by Mark Zammit

Mark led by saying he could tell a funny joke or offend us by singing.  He said that he has ridden in the Lake-to-Lake race every year for the past 5 years and reached the conclusion that he has peaked and will probably never make the Tour de France.

Mark Zammitt

“Yer Editor” borrowed a buck to recognize the wonderful job performed by Ian Elmes in designing the new Hospice Niagara facility and for Judith Barker’s leadership in making it all happen.

Bekki Kugler let us know that she has inspired her friend Sara to apply to be a YE Student this fall – Sara wants to go to Germany.

George Park recognized Judith and added recognition for Pat Hundtermark for being one of the founders of Hospice Niagara.

Chris Bangham praised Hospice Niagara as one of the leaders of the Hospice movement in Ontario.

Henry Klassen recognized the Wise Guys for raising over $100,000 this year.

Judith Barker invited everyone who wants to see Hospice Niagara to the Open House July 20.

Judith Barker and Mike Pihura

Jacquelyn Clark asked all new members to get involved in this year’s TV Auction – work will begin very soon.

Liz Palmieri expressed her admiration for Bekki and Sara and told us their song made her cry (another member expressed without paying that the earlier rendition of Happy Birthday made him cry)!

John Crossingham thanked Bekki and Sara for their song and remembered Ivor Khan’s A cappella singing at our Club in he past. John also thanked President Tom for his help in establishing a 5-week cycling course at Brock University’s Continuing Education Department.

John Travers was happy to report a grand time had by he and Linda towing their trailer 6,000 kilometers through Cape Breton (on 14% grades), New Brunswick, PEI and Maine.  In Maine they competed in a curling bonspiel in Cape Cod!

Doug Foss brought greetings form BC and Whistler.

Phil Porter brought greetings from Calgary. He also explained that our Rib Fest ad is on the back of bus #9051.

Program:

Les Groves’ 100th Rotary Presentation

George Irvine introduced Les Grove. Les was born in Brandon Manitoba in 1934 and came to St. Catharines following WWII. In 1955 he joined Stanley Tools as VP Marketing and retired in 1982.  In 1986 Les joined CESO, Canadian Executive Service Organization and organization dating from Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s time. Les spoke to our Club in 2002 when we awarded him with a Paul Harris Fellowship. He retired in Peterborough where his son practices Dentistry.

George Irvine

Les began by explaining that this was not his 100th presentation, it was his 1st! He explained that he does not use notes and cannot remember what he said after he has completed his speech. He explained that he was very turned on today because this was his last talk. He also explained that he speaks better when ladies are present and recognized the charm and dignity they have added to Rotary. Les has been quoted in the Peterborough Chronicle that, “there is nothing wrong with retirement as long as you don’t let it get in the way of your work!” His goal is to make his retirement years his most productive years.

Les Groves

Les has completed CESO missions in Dominican Republic, Calcutta, Bombay, New Delhi, Katmandu, Sri Lanka, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong. In Canada, this organization is comprised of a Board of 14, a staff of 63 and 130 volunteers. CESO has a presence in 16 countries worldwide. It is a Canadian non-profit corporation that draws on senior executive and technical expertise in a wide range of fields to provide management, technical and policy development assistance around the world and in Canada on a volunteer basis. Since its creation in 1967, CESO has carried out over 50,000 missions in 70 countries. Since 1969 CESO has completed 30,000 national assignments.

Les explained that his efforts have made him feel young.

Thanks to the Speaker

Harold Nash thanked Les for his presentation today and remarked on what a good friend of Rotary Les has been over the years. Harold was amazed and inspired by Les’ record of speaking at 100 Rotary Clubs and wondered why Les is not a Rotarian.

President Tom thanked Les by making him an honorary member of our Club.

Les Groves and President Tom

John thanked President Tom for his commitment to us and to “Rotary Shares”.  He believes that all of us are looking forward to a great year of Family in Rotary, improved Public Relations and Tom’s leadership style.

Next Week: Karl Baldauf – Ambassadorial Scholar

Other Announcements:

•  ROTARY District Newsletter for June is now available at http://www.rotary7090.org/pdfs/districtnews/DN0706.pdf

•  The 9 th annual FACS Fall Gala is being held at White Oaks on Friday October 12 th . For more info, or to book tickets, call 905 937-7731 ext 3304

•  The annual MS Bike Tour takes place in Niagara on August 26 th . There are 40 and 75 km routes along the Niagara Parkway . Call 1 800 268-7582 for more details, or register at msbiketours.com