Gossip Sheet #34 - March 1, 2007

Phil Porter

Program : Phil Porter and Kelly Buckley

Larry Iggulden gave the blessing and Don Shaw lead O Canada.

Acting President Tom Arkell welcomed all and introduced the head table: Henry Becker, Tanya Bouchard, Sergeant-at-Arms Peter Mahoney, Emily Shutten and Phil Porter, who introduced today’s guests.

Guests: Visiting Rotarian Terri Saunders, past-president of the Midland Rotary Club, Brad Saunders, Alec Saunders, Jamie Saunders, Erica Wiens, Karen Deroche, Emily Shutten, Dr. Joyce Engle

Acting President Tom Arkell said that he has yet taken his president elect training in how to get the mike to work. Regardless, he faired well, found the batteries and moved one notch closer to the presidency.

Phil Porter announced new rules governing the 50/50 draw. Tickets are now $2 each or $2/6 and whoever draws one of the four aces wins. I guess that’s the end of the $1,500 jackpots!

Emily Shutten

Rotary Program in the Spotlight: Emily Shutten spoke on behalf of the new Rotaract Club being formed at Brock University with 9 active members. She also spoke about RYLA and the work the students 18-24 are doing at the district level. They are sending supplies to children orphaned by AIDS in Africa. Representatives from District 7090 will be taking the supplies to Mozambique. Members interested in supporting this project with donations should contact Emily through Chris Blake.

Birthdays: John O’Connell and Walter Sendzik were honoured with a resounding chorus of Happy Birthday.

Walter Sendzik and John O'Connell

Betty Lou Souter announced the formation, at the district level, of the Paul Harris Society - membership in which is awarded to donors of $1,000 annually to the Rotary Foundation. Rotarians who make a donation before April 1, 2007 become Charter Members of the RHS. See Betty Lou for further information or to make a gift.

Rachel Delaney launched our club’s literacy project in recognition of Rotary’s Literacy Month. She will be collecting new and gently used books and magazines throughout March for distribution in the community. She then tested the club’s literacy skills seeking definitions to two words: circumfluent (flowing around) and besmirch (tarnish), although alternate definitions including elephant circumsize and ‘being Murtch’s brother’ came from the floor. More definitions to come over the month. (editor note: be sure to have a dictionary on hand for the gossip sheet for next month).

The Children’s Committee is meeting on March 5 th at Sullivan Mahoney at 5:00 and the ? Committee is meeting on March 7 th at 5:15 at the same location. (apologies from the editor – please call Joyce, she may know which committee is meeting.)

Terri Saunders, daughter of Eugene Gillies and daughter-in-law of Alec Saunders, and former president of the Midland Rotary Club presented a Paul Harris Award to Alec Saunders. Now in his 90th year, Alec was a member of our club from 1973 to 1983 and an honorary member from 1983 to 1991. She spoke highly of his life and contribution to his community and family.

Doug Geddie happy to be back from his leave of absence to run the Canadian Junior Curling Championship.

Ken Taylor was happy to see Emily Shutten whom he delivered and offered supplies from Not Just Tourists for the RYLA group going to Mozambique. He also said that he and Denise were in Cuba last week delivering supplies and that Graham Kennedy was there today delivering a specialized piece of respiratory equipment.

John Crossingham brought greeting on this wintry St. Davids Day from his welsh corgi.

Art Wing encouraged members to become charter members of the Paul Harris Society and then spoke about how teasing and complaining about not being able to get on a trip to Egypt resulted in both he and Dave Butler leaving for Egypt very soon. They will be doing a makeup in Cairo next week.

Oraine De Rosa took her daughter to Las Vegas last week to celebrate her daughter’s 21 st birthday. She was happy to come home with $30 in her pocket.

Eugene Gillies was happy for Alec Saunder’s Paul Harris and was unhappy, perhaps maybe more apologetic, that he forgot to sign in wife Sheila as a guest today.

Larry Iggulden reminded members that those members not able to contribute at the level to join the Paul Harris Society still have an opportunity to contribute $120 to the Every Rotarian Every Year campaign.

Tim Rigby was happy to see Alec again. Alec has tried, unsuccessfully, to convince Tim to join with a different life insurance company.

Ted Husek was pleased with how his daughter is progressing in her reading skills.

Dan Patterson was pleased that the college’s new VP Academic Joyce Engel was able to join him today.

Betty-Lou Souter took the opportunity of Kenny’s absence from the house to have her kitchen renovated. She also acknowledged the support of Chili Cook Off Champ Phil Porter and others who raised $3,000 for Community Care.

Roger Segalin congratulated Alec and spoke of not besmirching something or other (editor’s note: missed the context but not the word).

No luck this week for Carol Stymiest even with the odds increasing given the new rules.

Tanya started her presentation by having club members complete a chart whereby points were given for each category (education, language, experience, age, arranged employment and adaptability). While she simulated us trying to move to Canada by substituting Inuvik as the destination, only 3 club members had enough points to be able to relocate. She was proving the point at how difficult it is to come to Canada as a ‘working class’ immigrant.

The Welland Heritage Council provides settlement services, emergency shelter, legal advice, language training and other support programs for new immigrants and refugees to Canada. It recently celebrated its 30 th anniversary. There is also a sister organization in Niagara Falls providing similar services.

They just opened a new office at 40 King Street in St. Catharines for CAIPS (Canadian Access for International Professions and Skilled Trades) serving the immigrant community. The office provides employment counseling, assessment and referrals, workshop and seminars, networking opportunities and a mentorship program. This program provides their clients with the opportunity to meet and be mentored by a Canadian professional who is established in their profession or trade. The office also provides a variety of employee recruitment assistance to local employers.

Kelly Buckley thanked Tanya and hoped that through this program we will read about fewer engineers and other professionals driving taxis and delivering pizzas.

Minister Jim Bradley, Minister of Tourism and Minister Responsible for Seniors