Rotary Club Highlights - May 12, 2016 - #42

Posted 
on May 17, 2016
 
 
President Cindy Mewhinney began our meeting with a moment of silence in remembrance of Past President John Bird. A Celebration of John's Life will take place on Saturday, May 14 at the Cat's Caboose 224 Glenridge Ave. St. Catharines, ON from 1 - 4 pm
 
Grace was provided by Jacquie Herman-Wing
Followed by O Canada lead by Rick Evans
 
Head Table consisted of:
Introduction of Guests:  Terry Romaniuk
Presenter: Rachel Delaney
President: Cindy Mewhinney
Sgt at Arms: Rick Radowsky
Head Table Guest: Liz Palmieri
 
  
Liz Palmieri gave a report from the Literacy Committee 2015/16
 
This year, at the direction of President Cindy, we launched the Rotary Home Reading Program at Lincoln Centennial School. A big thank you goes out to Linda Landry, President of the Lakeshore Rotary Club, who mentored us as we implemented our program. Her club had been doing this type of program for a number of years in 2 St. Catharines elementary schools.
 
From the beginning of January between 6-10 volunteers read one-on-one to up 22 children every Tuesday morning. The weekly progress of the kids has been recorded and when I dropped in on Tuesday this week it was impressive to see how many children had advanced a number of reading levels.
 
Next Tuesday the program ends for this year. We're giving each child who took part in the program a gift of one of the books that was used in the program. They will select which book they would like to and we'll put a sticker with the Rotary logo and the child's name in recognition if their participation in the program. Our final grant of the year from the Literacy Committee will be to Lincoln Centennial School to replenish their inventory of "leveled" readers.
 
We're inviting the 14 volunteer readers to join us at lunch on June 9th, the day we celebrate all our youth service work. Many of the volunteers are friends or relatives of club members. It's been a terrific way to have a direct impact on a child.
 
Other literacy projects that we've supported this year include:
Education Foundation of Niagara> a grant to provide bus transportation and guided tours for 40 children from 4 St. Catharines schools to have an educational outing at the St. Catharines Museum-this grant was supplemented by a donation from one of our committee members.
CFUW St. Catharines- $400 – for their Gift of Reading Program, which annually provides a new book for each of the children at 4 St. Catharines schools. This year schools supported include Dalewood, Ontario, St. Anthony and St. Nicholas. The program also supplements books in each school's library.
Niagara Children's Centre- $500- Emergent Literacy Program- which provides new board books for 18 month old children in St. Catharines- this program promotes healthy early literacy and communication development in preschoolers.
Niagara Children's Centre-$500 Program to purchase books for Strive Niagara, formerly ASSFN providing free books to teen moms in their program and to support circle time to demonstrate the best read to read to their young children. This grant also helped to leverage the district matching grant in support of the World Community Service Committee's literacy project they are supporting at the Niagara Regional Native Centre, again in partnership with the Niagara Children's Centre.
 
 
A warm welcome was given by Cindy to our Past Presidents in attendance followed by a lovely Slideshow of  Past Presidents of our Rotary by our Historian Mark Zammit put to the music of Like A Rock.  Check Out Club Runner for a review of it. Well Done Mark!!
 
 
Rachel Delaney  Presented the Gossip Book to Past President Bob Gosselin. This book is put together by our Historian Committee aka Mark Zammit as a token of appreciation and acknowledgement of everything that happened throughout the year the Past President reigned.
 
     
    
Cindy lead a rousing game of Rotary Trivia, looks like we may have to update our History Books, as many of our Rotarians had more information than the books did. It was however a lot of fun and I am sure the table that won enjoyed the box of Beechwood Donuts.
Here are the Trivia Questions:
Round One Name that Past President:
  • Who initiated the Every Rotarian Every Year in our Club?
  • What PP had perfect attendance for 50+ years?
  • What PP has hosted 26+ Rotary Youth Exchange Students?
  • Which PP is famous for spearheading the start of the Polio Plus Campaign in Canada?
  • Which PP initiated the bridge for the Greater Niagara Circle Trail?
  • Which PP led a GSE Team to the Philippines?
Round Two  A Numbers Game
  • How Many PHF has our club given out over the years?  148, 201, 282 or 342?
  • In the History of our club, how many Presidents have been President for more than 1 year? BONUS: NAME(s)
  • How many PP are still Active Members of the club?
  • How Many Rotarians in our club were PP in other clubs? Bonus name 3
  • What year was our Club Chartered? Who was inaugural Club President?
  • How many PP have been District Governors? Bonus for each named.
Round Three Club History
  • You have to serve as a Director before becoming Club President. True or False?
  • What was our Club's original club meeting location?
  • How many other Rotary Clubs has our Club Chartered?
  • What Children's based Charity is our club a Founder of?
  • Who was our Club's first female President?
  • What country has our club funded an orphanage in?
Tie Breaker Question
  • What was the actual date of our charter?
 
                          
George Darte thanked all our Past Presidents encouraging and welcoming them to attend anytime. A Ball and Book are being donated on behalf of all Past Presidents.
 
Announcements:
                We are looking to store a desk for the next 5 years as the new location has a desk and the lease is for 5 years.
                Peter reminded us of the fellowship time next Tuesday with a special celebration of John Bird's life.
 
No Birthdays or Anniversaries.
 
Paul Harris Fellow Award presentation by Art Wing:
       
      
Art stated:  "Today, an anonymous member of our club has asked me on their behalf to make a presentation of a Paul Harris Fellow. The Final inspiration for this was outlined in April Rotarian-as an article described the presentation of a Paul Harris Fellowship to the entire staff at Rotary headquarters in Evanston  Illinois- in appreciation for all that their efforts in making Rotary so successful. In our case a donation of $1000 US has been made for a person in our organization who has helped make our Club successful for the last 11 years. And in doing so has more than over fulfilled the expected requirements of the position for those 11 years.
                Recently she said: It will be 11 years this September that I have privilege to work for and to be connected with the Rotary Club of St. Catharines and I feel honored to do and be so. I love everything that Rotary is--the people, the projects, the challenges of my job, the support given to the community and to the work around the world and am grateful to be part of it in the capacity by which I can serve.
 
She had done all of that in Spades. As is her normal- Above and Beyond Expectations in the true spirit of Service Above Self.
 
It is my honor, on behalf of one of our members to present a Paul Harris Fellowship to one of our Honorary Members..our own Joyce Western."
 
Happy Dollars was lead by Larry Iggulden
      
         
 
 
 
Barb Fraser was the 50/50 ticket winner, daughter Janet unfortunately drew a 5 <>
 
Cindy's Challenge of the week
In memory of John Bird and knowing the friends meant an awful lot to him over his life, including his Rotary Friends, reach out to a friend that you haven’t seen in a while.