MINUTES OF ZOOM MEETING: Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Editor: Al Finnigan
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
Happy Birthday to Bob Elliott on June 11
Happy 50 th Anniversary to Dave and Jan Penney on June 12
Happy Anniversary to Sandy and Greg McDowell on June 12
Happy Birthday to Elizabeth Carrie on June 13
Happy Anniversary to Ted and Sharron Morrison on June 15
Rotarians On The Call: Ted Morrison, Robbie Laroque, Allan Finnigan, Lennis Trotter, Hilda Finnigan, President Sue, Larry Hurren, Dave Andrews, Anna Rejab, Janice Coupland, Khris Sacheva, Dave Penny, Robert Kipling and Bob Koski.
Guests: None tonight
HAPPY THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK:
Although none were spoken – everyone was happy to see and talk in person
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Pres Sue shared what happened at the Rotary Club of Oshawa and the tremendous response it is having the their club and clubs all around Canada:
After hearing the tragic news of the discovery of the bodies of 215 Indigenous children at the former Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, Peter Hernandez, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Oshawa, felt disturbed. As a father of three young girls, ages 2, 3 and 5, he was immediately hit by the sunken feeling that these children could have been his daughters under different life circumstances. That night he made sure to hug his girls and tell them how much he loved them.
Then his sadness turned to anger. Who would do this to children? What kind of a system would allow for such atrocities? And, how could this have gone unnoticed for generations? Or was it noticed, and as a society we simply looked away.
Peter was distraught as he logged on to his weekly Rotary Club of Oshawa Zoom meeting. The Sergeant at Arms asked for a moment of silence in memory of the Indigenous children. As the meeting progressed he felt comfort in the fellowship and camaraderie of fellow Rotarians as they listened to a Guest Speaker.
Peter waited until the end of the meeting to share his thoughts with the club. He spoke from his heavy heart and from a place of authenticity and optimism instead of from anger. After sharing his personal thoughts regarding the discovery of the 215 children, Peter made a commitment:
I pledge to learn their story.
I pledge to know their pain.
I pledge to make sure they did not die in vain.
I pledge to remember.
I pledge to change the future.
Peter also made a commitment to teach his children so the future learns a history of Canada that was unseen and untold. Afterwards, he made a donation in memory of the 215 Children with the condition that the club apply it in a way that best Honour’s the Children. Peter pledged $215 and so did 9 other members of the Rotary Club of Oshawa.
June is National Indigenous History Month. To honour the memory of the children who suffered in residential schools, #ipledge215 has been launched. Join fellow Rotarians and Canadians in urging leaders and decision-makers to call for #reconciliACTION to ensure that the experiences of those affected by residential schools are honoured.
To learn more and to MAKE THE PLEDGE, visit
https://honouringindigenouspeoples.com/ipledge215/
Al announced that Hilda handled a rodent problem at the house.
SPEAKER:
This week , President Sue showed a video from Ted Talks from Paula Stone Williams on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, entitled “I lived as a man and a woman. Here’s What I Have Learned”.
Here is the link:
After the video, the members present talked about what they thought about the video and what they have experienced in their lives.
A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve and are inclusive of all cultures, experiences, and identities.
We're creating an organization that is more open and inclusive, fair to all, builds goodwill, and benefits our communities.
To help us achieve our goal, the RI Board of Directors passed a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement:
As a global network that strives to build a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, color, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Rotary will cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture in which people from underrepresented groups have greater opportunities to participate as members and leaders.
Making diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority is everyone's responsibility.
We Encourage club members to take the Building a Diverse Club course in the Learning Center to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Adjourned Approx 8:00 pm
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER ROTARY EVENTS PLEASE READ THE SECTION AT THE
END OF THIS BULLETIN
UPCOMING ZOOM MEETINGS:
June 15, 2021 7 pm
June 22, 2021 7 pm
June 29, 2021 7 pm