Rotary Club Highlights - March 03 2016 - #32

Posted 
on Mar 08, 2016
 
 
Not yet President George Darte presided. 
 
After Grace by Terry McDougall, O Canada led by Rick Evans and a Toast to the Queen, George called on John Crossingham for a Rotary story about the Rotary story.  John wants to know if you can tell the club about something that has enriched your life that would not have happened were it not for Rotary.  That is a Rotary Story.  If he doesn’t hear from you, then Dave Darby will be stuck at the head table for the rest of the month.  SAVE DAVE, Tell a Rotary story.
John continued to introduce our Guest Speaker, John Howard. 
John was the owner of Vineland Estates. He now owns Megalomaniac Winery, which he started to provide funding for an internet portal that will allow terminally ill children a chance to link securely with their family and other children who are facing death.  The Foundation he started is now in 11 of the 13 children’s hospitals in Canada.
John singled out 3 of our members who had contributed to the wine industry in Niagara, Greg Darte, Walter Sendzik and Patrick Gedge.  Ontario wine is now 28% of the wine sales (7% VQA) in the province.  John has seen the growth in the industry.  When he bought Vineland in 1995, there were 12 wineries, now there are 180 producers across the province.  Megalomanic has added 23,000 sq.ft., is producing 40,000 cases a year and is the fastest growing brand in Ontario.  He started the brand to poke fun at the pompous purveyors of Grand Vin.  His launching of ‘Son of a Bitch’ Pinot Noir landed his label on the front page of the Times and in the Museum of Modern Art.
 
He has helped make Niagara a destination.  John told us the average customer is 46 and female with above average income.   90% of the visitors buy
1 or 2 bottles, but 11% buy 4 or more.  At least 30% visited 6 or more Ontario wineries in the past 2 years.  77% of the LCBO customers buy wine.  Of them, 53% spend less than $400/year, but 10% spend more than $1,000.
John thinks the movement of the wine kiosks to the centre of the grocery store and the expansion of the Ontario wines that will be offered in the stores is a positive forward for the industry.
 
John was thanked by Patrick Gedge.
 
Birthdays:
The birthday boys were absent, but we thought kindly of Walter Sendzik and John Travers.
 
The Golf Tournament is on Monday June 20th at Lookout Point
 
Next Thursday is Ice Dogs night starting with a tour of the Arena at 4:30.
 
Lenore Klassen, our newest Rotarian, was introduced by Larry Kent.  She is the Manager of the T-D at Lake and Lakeshore.  Welcome Lenore.
 
Happy Dollars:
Rick Merritt collected the following Happy dollars:
               1.            Larry Kent for the scholarship, John Howard awarded his son.
               2.            Greg Darte for the education in life and business he got during his work at Vineland Estates.
               3.            Ken Taylor for the 2200 pounds of meds supplied and the 1000 patients treated during his trip to the Dominican Republic.
               4.            Ted Usick because his daughter Olivia is our exchange student to France.
               5.            Lezlie Murch because one of her students is on Rotary exchange to Paraguay         
               6.            Ra-Ra put in a yankee dollar for the fellowship she has enjoyed in the club.
 
50/50:
Dave Stevenson let the 50-50 pot grow by pulling a King of Diamonds.
 
Dave Sherlock and Ted Usick each won a Magnum of Megalomaniac Cabernet/Merlot.
 
NEXT WEEK:  Buffalo's 3 Best Kept Secrets - Patrick Kalor