REMINDER: Treasurer Devon Biddle announced that our annual club dues invoice will be sent to us by email BUT you can pay right now at the front Registration Desk. Dues are $210 for the year (may be paid now or one half now and one half Jan 1, 2019). On the invoice , there will be a voluntary contribution of $100 for the Rotary Foundation Annual Programs Fund and $20 for Polio Eradication, if you so desire to pay, and Devon will ensuire that you get credit towards your next Paul Harris Fellow Award. Spouses may pay $165 annual dues for their membership, as long as one spouse pays the $210. You can start paying TODAY at the front Registration Desk, when you come in to the meeting. Invoices will be emailed shortly.

 

REMINDER: TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: AS SOON AS YOU HAVE YOUR COMMITTEES IN PLACE, PLEASE SEND THE NAMES OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, VICE-CHAIR AND MEMBERS TO DAVE ANDREWS SO THAT WE CAN UPDATE AND PUBLISH THE 2018-19 COMMITTEE CHART.

 

SERGEAT AT ARMS REPORT: Sonya Thompson

 

ACE OF SPADES DRAW: Past Pres Hilda, AGAIN, was the lucky winner tonight but alas, he drew the 2 of

Hearts and received a consolation prize, thanks to Dr Larry Hurren.

The deck gets smaller and the pot grows.

 

DUTY ROSTER:

FOR September: Front Desk Tim Dwyre Bulletin Editor AND Greeter Kris Sachdeva

FOR October: Front Desk Sue MacKinnon Bulletin Editor AND Greeter Bob Stewart

(Editor’s note: If you cannot be available for these duties , please find a replacement)

 

 

HAPPY TOONIES:

Larry: Happy the club is doing a good job at Bingo and he will there at Bingo starting on Oct. 20

 

Ted: Happy-LaTed - Lawn bowling is finally coming to end for this year.

 

Dave A: VeryDDave A - Very excited for the coming Saturday for KSV.

 

RRobert KiplRRobert Kipling - Reminded us of Sept. is Literacy month, Giant Book sale-Sept. 27

 

Sue: was Sue   Sue: was happy to be at the Bingo although it was a poor showing.

 

Devon:- ConD  Devon - Congratulations to Hilda & Al for their Anniversary.

 

Dan:- had a go Dan - had a good afternoon at Camp Samac providing Security.

 

Linda:-Remind Linda reminded her that she was girl guide at Camp Samac

 

ROTARY MOMENT

None tonight.

 

GUEST SPEAKERS : Brad Cook – Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Durham Region

 

Brad Cook was introduced by Dave Andrews.

Rotary's Monthly theme for September is Basic Education and Literacy. Each year, in the District newsletter, I ask our fellow Rotarians in Southern Ontario : What is your Rotary Club doing to support this important Rotary Foundation Area of Focus? Basic education and literacy is one of The Rotary Foundation’s six areas of focus. We know that basic education and literacy are essential for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace.

More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. That’s 17 percent of the world’s adult population. Rotary's goal , and that makes it our goal, is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. We support education for all children and literacy for children and adults.

ROTARY MAKES HELP HAPPEN: We take action to empower educators to inspire learning at all ages. The Rotary Foundation supports education through scholarships, donations, and service projects around the world.

For many years, we have supported the Guatemala Literacy program along with over 80 Rotary clubs world-wide , 7 right here in our own District. But what do we know about what goes on right here in Durham Region? And that is eaxctly what president Linda asked me to do. Find out. Here to tell us what is happening in Durham Region, please welcome Brad Cook, the Executive Director of the Litercay Council of Durham.

Brad was born in Oshawa, and has been the Exec Dorector of the Literacy Council for 16 years. He has worked with a number of adult literacy learners, one-on-one and in small classes. He has taught a varitey of skills ove rthe eyarsincluding the “Skills for Success” program. He has a Masters Degree in Education speacilzing in Comparative and International Development Education at OISE at U of T.

Speaker’s Remarks:

Brad was delighted to be here.

The Literacy Council of Durham Region (LCDR) is a charitable non-profit volunteer organization, established in 1980 and dedicated to increasing adult literacy in the Durham Region guided by the principle Each One Teach One.

The LCDR is a learner centered program that is committed to helping learners achieve their outcomes and goals. Their clients: are Adults 19 years of age and over who strive to improve their reading, writing and numeracy skills; Tutors who volunteer their time and expertise in helping learners and they also work collaboratively with other service agencies.

 

The Council has been operating in Durham since 1980. Over the years the Council has slowly increased in size and has made strong links in the community to help meet the needs of adults who strive to improve their reading, writing and numeracy skills. The Council is a learner centred program that is committed to helping learners achieve their stated outcomes and goals.

In 1993 the Literacy Council of Durham became a member agency of the United Way of Ajax-Pickering-Uxbridge to support literacy in those Durham communities. The United Way’s donations have allowed us to continue our work in our local communities. Other funding is received from the Ministry for Training, Colleges and Universities, which is the main government body responsible for funding adult basic skills training and literacy programs in the province of Ontario.

The Council has worked with over 710 learners and delivered 56, 409 hours of direct literacy instruction since 2005. The majority of these learners were assessed at Literacy and Basic Skills level 1, which means they would be unable to read and write for simple daily tasks. The Council has succeeded in helping these individuals improve their skills and reach their goals. With a waiting list of learners and a continued need for volunteers, the Council continues to strive to make community connections and raise its profile to meet the need of the 22% of Durham residents who have severe difficulty with literacy skills.

 

He defined Literacy as the ability to read and write. About 17% of population is still illiterate. He finds Literacy is an interesting field to work, gives inspiring success. His team finds different challenges. One-on-one communication & dealing is done at the work place. Different types of skills are used such as Visual, Audio and Action. The average age of people coming for help is 38 yrs. 37 % are employed; 11% from Secondary school. Grade 9-11 are only 4%; Unemployed are 74%. English is the first language.

 

For more information, please go to https://literacydurham.ca

 

Speaker was thanked by Hilda Finnigan. She commented that Statistics are surprising.

 

Brad Cook talking to Dr Kris Sachdeva and to Robert Kipling

Ken Hurst, Past Pres, Rotary Club of Ajax and our Pres Linda Porritt

 

Meeting was adjourned at 8:20 PM.

 

IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, MAKE UP : Go online at www.rotary.org go to the Rotary 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.