Gossip Sheet # 10 - September 9, 2004
Editor: John Lehnen

President Betty-Lou Souter called our meeting to order today at The St. Catharines Golf & Country Club. Joining Betty-Lou at the head table were:

Henry Becker

•  Guest Speaker Introducer: Janet Johnston
•  Guest Speaker: Laura Anaya
•  Sgt-at-Arms: Henry Becker
•  Member in the Spotlight: Foster Zanutto, President for '93 – '94 and a Paul Harris Fellow from 1999.

Guests

Dave introduced our guests including:

•  Visiting Rotarian Greg Shupe
•  Visiting Exchange Student Chigusa Yoshida
•  Ron Dubcek, guest of Pat Rooney
•  Margo Adams and Lee Peekstok, Mom and Dad of Laura Anaya
•  Jan Grosvenor and Andrea Barrera, guests of Lezlie Murch
• Wendy Thompson, guest of Tim Rigby.

Foster Zanutto

Birthdays

September 9: Steve Butz. Steve was not present so we were “spared the agony” of enduring our own song. Sept 15-Gerry Wooll, Sept 17 -Ross MacDonald, Sept 18-Cam Hathaway

Announcements

The Alzheimer Society of the Niagara Region is currently organizing its 9 th annual Coffee Break™ . Niagara Regional Police Chief Gary Nicholls will kick off the event on September 10 th and the world will celebrate internationally on September 21 st . An Alzheimer Coffee Break is a time when you can invite your co-workers, clients, colleagues, friends or neighbors to enjoy a cup of coffee (or any other beverage) at a break time or another specific get-together. Then, you simply ask everyone to make a donation. Some of the most successful Coffee Breaks in the past have involved doing something a little different. Many businesses have hosted barbeques, street dances, raffles, dress down days, sold coffee cup decals and done cash register round ups. You can let your creativity flow. With your assistance, we can help today and provide hope for tomorrow. It is simple; just register for a Coffee Break kit by calling me at: 905-687-6856 X561 or by emailing me at: tkindt@alzheimerniagara.ca

The Niagara Peninsula Children's Centre requests the honor of your presence at their, “Annual Benefit Dinner Dance” at Club Roma Friday October 1, 2004. The orchestra, “Introduction” will be playing and cocktails will begin at 6:00 p.m. with dinner from 7:15 to 9:15 and dancing from 9:30 to 1:00 a.m. Tickets are $100 per couple with a tax receipt for $40 and are available from the Centre by calling 905-688-3550. Deadline for reservations is September 23.

Denise and Ken Taylor are the subjects of a feature story in this month's edition of Canadian Living.

Martha Abra has tickets on sale for the Anniversary Dinner on Friday October 14. You can also purchase tickets through our web site.

Nancy Ferris reminded us that we are in Week 3 of 8 allowed for the Auction Canvass. Get started and make your calls; the Warehouse is OPEN. Dr. Don Fraser was the first Rotarian to turn in an auction item this year.

Nancy Ferris

Happy Dollars

Heather Combe

Collected by Heather Combe who was happy that her daughter has learned how to take the BUS to school this year. The school is in the South end of the city and they live in Port.

Chris Bangham is happy to be enjoying his 39 th wedding anniversary this week.

Jim Denham was happy but I did not hear why…

Marg Jarrell was happy to announce that the Adolescent's Family Support Services Niagara (AFSSN) will be purchasing the Welland YMCA building when the Y moves to their new digs at the Niagara Centre Y on the Niagara College campus in about 3 to 5 months.

John Snowling was not happy to wake up this morning to see that his backyard creek had become a lake courtesy of Tropical Storm Frances (have a look at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ for a very interesting compilation on the current status of hurricanes).

Graham Kennedy paid a happy $ to announce that he has a member of his congregation who is 30 to 35 years old, has administration skills and is looking for employment.

Rob Reid was happy to report that his son, who delivers Chopin to Caribbean Cruisers, emailed that he was safe from the hurricanes plaguing that part of the world. The ships move to stay 300 miles or so away from the hurricane in within sunny skies.

Betty-Lou was happy to thank First VP Larry for taking last week's meeting while she was vacationing in Saratoga Springs NY. She was also happy to thank Heather Combe on behalf of a friend for Heather's professional services.

Lezlie's guest, Andrea Barrera had the lucky number but drew the 8 of spades…

The Program
Laura Anaya – Youth Exchange 2003 – 2004 in Belgium.

Janet Johnston

Janet Johnston Introduced our guest speaker, Laura Anaya. Janet recalled that the Youth Exchange Program has one purpose at its heart, to promote world peace. Each year 7,000 students are selected worldwide to participate in a one-year immersion, often having to learn a new language and always having to assimilate a new culture. Both the students themselves and those who provide their support on exchange are rewarded by having their lives enriched. Through the student exchange interview process, it was determined that Laura was suitably mature, had good scholastic standing and possessed an open mind .

Laura Anaya

Laura sported a T-shirt that said, “Made in Belgium”. She began by saying that she had wanted to be a Rotary Youth Exchange Student since she was 11 years old when she saw the District 7090 students marching as a group in the Grape & Wine Parade. Laura possessed some French when she left Canada for Belgium, a country having three official languages, German, French and Dutch. While there she attended a school for young people aged 12 and up. She studied Math, French, German, Physiology and Physical Education and she joined the school basketball team. There were 300 other Rotary Youth Exchange Students in Belgium for the year along with her. There were two other Youth Exchange students in her school; one from Mexico and another Canadian. While away for the year, Laura learned a lot about herself and the Belgium's culture; she also learned that her host club was all male and characterized them fondly as a “bunch of old men who drank beer and told ‘women' jokes”. Laura thanked us very much for her year away and her year of experiences.

Alex Elliot thanked Laura. He hopes that she will become a Rotarian one day and is happy that she has had a great experience in Belgium.

Janet Johnston, Laura Anaya and Betty-Lou Souter

The Rotary Moment

Today focused on Past President Hodgson from 1949 – 1950 whose theme was to “Train youth today in business ethics to build for tomorrows success”.

Next week: Classification – Glory Ressler