Gossip Sheet # 23 - December 9, 2004
Editor: Doug Geddie

Jagdish Mehta

Angus Adams

President Betty-Lou brought the meeting to order. Rick Evans led us in Oh Canada, Carol Stymiest delivered Grace, and we toasted the Queen and Canada.

President Betty-Lou introduced the Head Table: Speaker Introducer, District Governor Elect, Art Wing; Speaker, Judith Barker; President, Betty-Lou, Sergeant-at-Arms, Jim Denham; Distinguished Member, Angus Adams; and this week's Registrar, Terry McDougall, who introduced our guests –

Betty-Lou profiled this week's long-serving Rotarian, Angus Adams. Angus joined Rotary in 1970, had a lifetime career with the Vineland Research Station as a chemist, chaired many Rotary committees especially the Rotary Foundation, received a District Service Award, managed the District Malawi Project, and received a Paul Harris Fellowship for his international work.

Guests – Dr. Ed Blair, guest of George Shepherd; John Travers, guest of Dave Butler

Announcements

Janet Johnston

Betty-Lou congratulated Dr Dan Patterson for defending his doctoral thesis.

Betty-Lou attended the district membership meeting, and reported that it was inspiring.

Glory Ressler through Janet Johnston announced that December 23 is our Christmas meeting and friends and family are welcome. We are to expect a choral sing, and are advised to bring a non-perishable food item for Community Care.

The Board has decided there will be no meeting December 30.

The report of the Nominating Committee was sent to everyone by e-mail. There are eight names on the list, and we get to vote for four. If you have any additional nominations, they must be received by December 14. Ballots will be at the meeting next week. And will be counted on January 6.

Betty-Lou announced that the new second vice-president will be Tom Arkell.

The Rotary Club of Pasedena is requesting donations for their Rose Bowl parade float.

The District is seeking nominations for District Governor. Call Betty-Lou with any suggestions.

Janet Johnston passed along a note of thanks from our newly-picked Youth Exchange student, Bryan Donahue.

Sam Walters and George Darte auctioned off left-over items from the Auction to help Sam get the stuff out of his back-office.

George Darte	Art Wing

Ten Day Notice
John Travers - proposed by Dave Butler, Classification -"Designer - Exhibits"

Happy Dollars

Bob Lawler

Bob Lawler carried the basket this week and commented on the fine painting by John Lehnen that he noticed at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Art Auction. He then handed the microphone to –

Art Wing who announced that Jacqui has sold her business successfully.

Dan Patterson who is pleased and relieved to have completed his doctorate.

George Darte who is happy that with 300 volunteers, the United Way has reached its goal.

Morris Gomme who has received a pace-maker and feels invigorated.

Ron Sloan happy for two weeks in Florida.

Dr Don Fraser congratulated Dan Patterson, our newest Doctor.

Doug Geddie thanked everyone who made the golf tournament such as success that we were able to send a cheque to the Niagara Peninsula Children's Centre for $28,100 to support the summer camp program they run for local, disabled children.

Marg Jarrell announced a refugee program we should consider supporting. Missed its name.

Rob Reid announced a production of Joseph at the Collegiate, featuring a cast of many including his son.

Angus Adams was happy to be on display, and complimented Dr. Ed Blair for the work he put into the Milawi Project.

Coach Denham wanted to know where Morris Gomme left his house-coat and his slippers.

Betty-Lou thanked George Darte for his leadership in the United Way canvas.

50/50:
Pat Rooney helped reduced the cards and increase the pot.

The Program
Judith Barker - Classification Talk

Art Wing

Art Wing introduced Judith who was introduced to Rotary by Jacquie Herman.

Judith began by going back five years to a time when she owned and published a newsletter in Toronto that covered corporate sponsorship. In 1999 a number of events collided in such a way that she began to re-assess her life. The death of her sister and another dear friend had a profound impact on her. With no family, she started to make some lists about what she might do with her life. After a day lecturing at Brock, and a cruise around Port Dalhousie she decided to sell the newsletter and move to Niagara. Through the internet she found Lana Thompson at Rusty Kruty Realty and Nancy Geddie at Niagara College, two women she said convinced here that the move to Niagara was a wise decision. Nancy hired her to lecture at Niagara College.

Judith Barker

Judith was born and raised in North Carolina. In high school she was a cheer-leader and class valedictorian. (An unlikely combination in North Carolina, she quipped.) She went to UNC at Chapel Hill during the days of racial boycott, space exploration, and the shooting of John Kennedy. After college she taught in Maryland for a few years. She then moved to England where she worked as a temporary. She met a man in England that she did not marry, and moved to Canada with him. She taught in Toronto for awhile but then went back to school for an MBA. From there she went into publishing and eventually bought the publishing business that produced the newsletter on corporate sponsorship.

After arriving in St. Catharines, she connected with Hospice Niagara almost immediately. Today she is Executive Director of Hospice Niagara.

Elizabeth Forsyth thanked Judith, and told her we are very happy she is in Niagara, in our Rotary Club and guiding Hospice Niagara

Betty-Lou concluded the meeting with a quote that she said reminded her of last week's presentation on the Foundation by Harold Nash and George Irvine – In 1996, Paulo Costa of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Past President of Rotary International addressed the convention in Calgary and said, “Rotary International's masterpiece is the Rotary Foundation. It transforms our most daring dreams into the most splendid realities. The Rotary World and even the political world are already aware that the Rotary Foundation is the most generous expression of Rotarian generosity, a generosity that not only brings benefits, but also brings help and cooperation to solve the problems that affect mankind. Only God achieves the impossible, but the Rotary Foundation achieves the best that mankind can possibly achieve.” Betty-Lou urged us all to support the Foundation and pointed out that Harold will be in the lounge prior to next week's meeting to receive cheques, which I found out should be addressed to the Rotary Foundation, not to our Rotary Club of St. Catharines.

Next Week – Club Assembly

Art Wing, Judith Barker and Betty-Lou Souter