Rotary Meeting February 14, 2013

Valentines Day! Pres Dennis introduced several guests including Ian Sesson from Penticton Rotary and Maureen Doerr from Oliver Rotary who attended enroute to Seattle with Brian to attend the 3 day Presidents Elect Training (PETS). 

Upcoming commitments included volunteers for serving morning muffins to both the elementary and senior schools next week. Marieze is coordinating. Also the One to One reading program is moving ahead with Dennis and John to shadow Marieze in the elementary school over the next two weeks. 

Our guest speaker was Bob Etienne, cultural leader, historian and Holy Man with the Osoyoos Indian Band. Bob is employed at the Desert Cultural Center where he gives the interpretive desert tours and leads the desert animal presentations, including the rattlesnake showing. He has worked with rattlesnakes for many years and trained others to work with them but still retains a great deal of respect for them! Bob brought us up to date on some OIB news including the 2012 revenue number of $40mm, the expansion of the RV park to 450 sites and peak employment in excess of 50 people and described a new environmental focus at the Cultural Center. Bob also talked at length about our common responsibility to respect and protect the land, for everyone.

It is Rotary Week all next week. Osoyoos Council has proclaimed it as such so must be! To recognize that and our 10 year anniversary of our Club, the noon meeting is cancelled in lieu of a social starting at 5pm for members, spouses, and several guests. Wine and appetizers will be served and several presentations to the community will be made. The intent is to have fun and generally raise awareness of Rotary in the community.

Linda won the Valentines 50/50 (how appropriate!) and then a board meeting broke out!