GUEST SPEAKER
Our own Sue MacKinnon just returned from her first Rotary Convention in Hamburg and her month long trip through Europe, having just retired from her job at OPG on May 28.She remarked that Hamburg was a clean, vibrant, university town with a very large port.
Sue was very impressed how big and how international Rotary really is with over 20,000 Rotarians in Hamburg from 200 countries and geographical regions. She remembers seeing a lady in a bright colourful dress and realized that it was covered with the Rotary logo. It turns out that the lady made it herself.
Sue remembers all of the outstanding projects that were highlighted by many strong vibrant Rotary Clubs, She remarked on one project which was a floating hospital carried out by a number of Rotary Clubs. One of the take aways was an increase of 800 members in the 74 clubs that were behind this project. She noted that a lot of clubs in the world do Bingos as fundraisers. She talked to a Rotarian from Cambridge , Ontario who said that every club members volunteers.
Another project that caught her attention was done by a Rotary club which involves the homeless . The club exchanges clothes with the homeless, takes them and washes them and brings them back to each homeless individual, cleaned.
She was also impressed with a Rotary Club in Maine. The police chief lost a child to drugs. The club members started a campaign to get the excess prescription drugs and neutralize them.
After her trip, Sue realized how great a country we have here in Canada and is very proud to be a Canadian.
After her Convention, Sue traveled to Berlin, Munich and 5 countries and then stayed in London England with her daughter for two weeks, where she was able to do some sight seeing. She also attended the Rotary Club of Grenwich England which is held in a soccer and rugby club. Not many signs to indicate Rotary met there. The meeting was 12 people including Sue. The meeting format was certainly similar to ours but had a few differences . Most clubs in England no longer toast the Queen. Lots of fines and very few happy bucks,
Following Sue’s presentation, we carried on with a business meeting and added many club members to club committees to assist with the effective running of our club this Rotary year. Many hands make lighter work for our members.
ROTARY MOMENT
None this week.
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, MAKE UP : Go online at www.rotary.org go to the club locator and find a club or clubs near your destination. Or you can add the free App Rotary Club Locator to your phone for instant look up of any club in the world. Please mail or fax your make-ups to Secretary Robbie Larocque, or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officer at the next club meeting.