Meeting Roundup

 

President John Topolniski welcomed members to the meeting and introduced the following guests:  Josee Belanger (inducted as member at meeting); Colleen Milne, former Assistant District Governor, member of Rotary E Club of Canada and Honourary member of the Rotary Club of Westshore); and Sam Punby, Rotary Club of Cambridge, Ontario.

 

Kel Phair (club Administrator) reminded members of the Christmas Party on December 3rd which would be held in the home of Frank Gertsma, starting at 5:00 pm. Update:  The Christmas Party was a huge success, with attendees enjoying fine food and good cheer.  Both Frank and Kel were thanked for their hard work as host and organizer.

 

Peter Faulkner passed out a sign up sheet for members who are able to volunteer at the Salvation Army Kettle in the weeks before Christmas. He asked members to contribute food items to the EMCS "10,000 Tonight Food Drive" on the evening of Thursday, December 8th; last year students collected 12,000 food items from Sooke residents to help the Sooke Food Bank to stock its shelves.

 

John reflected on a very positive local experience: equipment and clothing from his gardening firm had been left on site at Evergreen Mall; some found these items and brought them to the RCMP Detachment for John's retrieval.

 

Deb Johnston asked for volunteers to help her to decorate the Rotary Club of Sooke Christmas Tree at SEAPARC on Sunday afternoon betwee 1:00 and 3:00.

 

Members were also asked to help Roger Temple to decorate his red MG sports car as the Rotary Club of Sooke "float" for the Santa Claus Parade which would start at 5:00 pm on Sunday.  Members were also asked by John to serve as course marshals for the parade.

 

Colleen Milne thanked the Rotary Club of Sooke for its $1,000 contribution (through the World Community Service Committee) which would help to fund the construction of a water pipeline and sanitation project in a community in Honduras.         

 

Induction of Josee Belanger:  Josee became the newest member of the Rotary Club of Sooke in a ceremony led by John.  Kimberly Legeard and Jean Lister (Membership Committee Chair) were her proud sponsors.  Club members congratulated Josee after the ceremony. 

 

Speaker:Linda Teneycke, Sooke Fine Arts Show (SFAS):  Linda thanked the club for providing funds to enable SGAS to purchase frames for the successful Youth Art Display last summer.  She noted that 2016 was the 30th anniversary of SFAS.   It is now Vancouver Island's premier art show.  Last year it received 8,200 visitors to view the 380 works of arts.  SFAS made a significant contribution to the Sooke economy, with 33% of visitors dining locally, 14% shopping or participating in local activities and 9% using overnight accommodation.  SFAS provides many recognition awards to artists including two youth scholarships and four youth art awards.  

 

Linda encouraged club members to become involved as SFAS volunteers and noted some already are volunteers.  Much works needs to be completed for the 2017 event, including a new hanging infrastructure, new plinths (stages for art pieces) and new lighting.  

 

Kel selected the Six of Diamonds in the 50-50 draw - so the Queen of Spades is still in the deck!

 

 

 

 

President John Topolniski welcomed members to the monthly Club Assembly in which Board members report on the activities of the committees for which they are responsible. 

 

John reminded members of the upcoming Christmas Party on Saturday, December 3rd which Frank Gertsma will graciously host and The Stone Pipe will cater.  39 members, along with spouses and friends, had signed up by the end of the meeting.  The Sooke Lions Club is still looking for volunteers to help with their Santa Claus Parade which will begin at 5:00 pm on Sunday, December 4th.  Margot Swinburnson invited members to help her with decoration of the Rotary Tree for the Festival of Trees at SEAPARC.

 

Peter Faulkner and Steve Knoke reported that the Community Service Committee had met earlier in the month, with grants awarded to five local organizations, including DARE ($1,000), Harmony Project of Sooke (music instruction for youth) $750, Sooke Show Choir $500, Sooke Boxing Club $500 and Sooke Youth Choir $400.  Mark Ziegler described a piggery and garden project for destitute mothers in Lesotho, Africa. The World Community is considering a donation of $1,200 to the project in the 2016-17 Rotary Year.

 

Treasurer Jeannette Wilford reported that the Club is in good financial shape, with some of the funds raised through the April 30th auction still to be allocated.   

 

Errol Anderson drew the Queen of Clubs in the 50-50 draw - so the Queen of Spades remains in the deck!  

 

TomDeZeng reminded members that November is Foundation Month .  He will be happy to receive donation cheques to the Foundation in December for which tax receipts will be issued.  Donations can also be made on-line to the Rotary Foundation (Canada).

 

 

 

 

 

 

President John Topolniski began with the sad announcement of the death of long-time member Klaus Lenz.  Klaus is remembered as a dignified and gentle man who made many friends in the club.

John welcomed guests Josee Belanger and Paul Latremouille.  He also welcomed Speaker Katie Coard who is President and Founder of the Downtown Victoria Club and Chair of the Greater Victoria Rotary Public Image Committee. John congratulated Neil Flynn (November 12) and Kimberly Legeard (November 17) on their birthdays.  He also noted the 8th anniversary of Mark Ziegler as member. He also reminded members of volunteer opportunities with the Santa Claus parade on December 4th and as mentors to help students at John Muir School to learn about the new school garden.   No requests for contributions for emergency relief in areas of New Zealand that experienced the earthquake have as yet been received by the club. Trevor Colley said that he has delivered get-well cards to Bob Messer who has heart problems and to Dawn Humphries who is ill. Members were asked to participate in the decoration of a Rotary Christmas tree as part of the festival of trees at SEAPARC in December.  The last issue of Rotarian mmagazine has an article on Bill Moll, a District Rotarian who has visited our club many times in the past.

 

 

Speaker: Jean Lister introduced Katie Coard who gave an energetic and inspiring presentation on the opportunities available to Rotary clubs through the Greater Victoria Rotary  Public Image Committee.  The committee, set up six years ago, is dedicated to raising the profile of Rotary among target groups of potential members.  It has a marketing mission, with Rotary as a brand.  Katie drew attention to the new Rotary international logo which uses solid colours to make the letter easier to read.  She invited submissions to the monthly newsletter which she distributes to all members in Greater Victoria.   Katie also drew attention to the RotaryVictoria.org website, Facebook page and rack cards which provide information on the respective clubs' meeting times and locations. The website has a link to the Volunteer Victoria website so that Rotarians can participate in community projects with non-Rotarians.  A video is being made for use by clubs to promote their activities to potential members.  Katie gave John a wild pair of sunglasses (see picture below) which she used on a just completed 13 day road trip across our Rotary Zone which extends from Alaska to California.

 

Tom DeZeng chose the Queen of Hearts in the 50-50 draw - the Queen of Spades still reigns! 

 

 

Meeting # #1379

Chair; Peter Faulkner

Visitor: Lorne Christianson from Sooke Lions Club

Speaker Liam Stackwood (And his service dog Hammer) with his classification talk

Announcement : From Lorne Christianson: Sooke Lions Club will be organizing the Christmas Parade this year.

He was asking Rotary to put a float in. As well they are LOOKING For VOLUNTEERS. They have hired out the parking and traffic control but would greatly appreciate any help in the running of the parade. Parade is Dec. 4^th 2016, 4 pm line up, parade 5 pm.

Announcement from Kel Phair: Christmas party will be catered at Frank Gertsma’s on Dec 3^rd. cost will be 25.00 per person, and food donations welcome. Please tell Kel ASAP if you are coming so we know we are going ahead.

SPEAKER: Liam Stackwood

Liam was in the Military for 25 years, he joined up in electronics and then switched to Military Police. Liam saw many different places-Carp, Ontario, Ottawa, the Masset on Haida Gwaii, Esquimalt, Toronto, and then overseas to the Golan Heights. They occupied an uneasy spot in the middle between the Israelis on one side, and the Syrians on the other. At that time Syria was an amazingly beautiful place- much changed now.

During his tours- and from pressures from his co-workers, Liam began to have PTSD symptoms and effects, which really came forward after he left the military, and after he sold his security company. He has been working with the Occupational Stress Injury Clinic and has been able to retire, and is now committed to spreading awareness of PTSD and its effects. Liam has been joined in this with his partner and sidekick Hammer, a beautiful black lab that is amazingly intuitive in sensing anxiety in others. If you find Hammer siting on your feet and looking at you intently, you will know that your anxiety is not going unnoticed!

Liam you are going to be an amazing addition to our Club!

Liam was thanked by: Roger Temple

Draw won by Chris Hyde, did not win the Queen.