Jim Forestell asked that board members review the document for the sign-on of the joint NGO statement to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) states / parties. We would be supporting proposals to RI to change aspects of their policy on "political issues" with a view to enabling clubs and districts to lobby on humanitarian issues such as this, as well as climate change and abuse of women and children. Jim will be asking the Charleswood R.C. board to endorse the statement at the board meeting on the 25th. If the board endorses the statement, it will enhance the likelihood of having district endorsement at the district annual meeting on the 26th. Jim hopes to have our support. Please contact Jim or David Newman if you have comments or concerns that Charleswood Rotary Club would support this document. Jim will forward this on so that it can be presented at the District 5550 AGM on May 26^th.

• The series started in the United Kingdom following an individual working with youth. She was working to create a peaceful community for all to live in.
• The second location was Melbourne, Australia. The Rotary supported programming was working with Sudanese children to develop leadership skills through soccer. We need to invest in our children today for a brighter future.
• The third edit brought us to Uganda where 1.2 million people live with HIV infection. There are 1.2 million children orphaned by the disease. Rotarians are helping the people of Uganda receive health services and food. Some communities are too far from regional hospitals, the result is that they can not travel to them. Rotary is bringing the care to the communities. Rotarians are supporting these services to help create a normal life for the children. Their wish is to have the best life that we all have here.
• Our next stop on this journey was Lima, Peru.  Twenty percent of Lima citizens live with no clean water. The Rotary Foundation was providing water filtration for 5,000 families living along a river. The river water was leaching into their wells and causing disease. Once the people started using the water filtration stations, the children began to feel healthy again.
• Haiti has the highest mother/child mortality rate in the western hemisphere. The video followed a registered midwife from Toronto traveling into remote areas. The only way to get into these areas is by large 4-wheel drive trucks. The Rotary Foundation provided the funding for a truck worthy of the challenge of travel on these remote and rough roads. The midwife is now able to schedule visits to these communities once a month. Supporting maternal and child health.
• New Orleans was flooded out in 2005. The hurricane resulted in 80% of the city being flooded. There were 126 high schools in New Orleans before the hurricane. Of the 126 only 16 high schools were not destroyed by the storm/flood. Rotary Foundation along with over 6,000 hours of volunteer work, rebuilt Warren Easton H.S. This brought people back to the community. With Warren Easton H.S. rebuilt, it was a beacon that gave the required momentum for other schools to be rebuilt.
• There are over one billion people in India. The number of people living below the poverty level is 263 million. In India, weaving is a tradition. The problem is that the incredibly talented women weaving can not even afford to buy their own Sari. They were being taken advantage of financially by middlemen. Rotary Ambassadors have been working in Dulay to assist the women to become financially independent. A brighter future for themselves and their families. Within two years of the start of the project, the goal is to have 100 women working for themselves. Ultimately, they are looking at having 1,000 women through the program helping to end the cycle of poverty.

Nancy Morris was impressed with the breadth of service areas that Rotary provides. There are multiple ways that we can help others. There were some great ideas in the video.

• Sarge Mike Dudar had the opening Happy Buck tonight. Joanne and Mike were able to get out and walk the trails at Assiniboine Forest. Great trails, especially as they were not at all muddy. Therefore, no muddy shoes!
• Jim Forestell was happy to have had a Zoom gathering of his 5 siblings on Saturday. This was to celebrate two birthdays amongst them. All are healthy and doing fine.
• Greg Fraser gave a big ‘shout out’ to Victoria Hospital and St. Boniface Hospital staff. Greg was in the Vic initially due to abdominal pain. Diagnosis completed at Victoria Hosp. and transported to St.B. Consult with the surgeon at 3am and surgery arranged for removal of his gallbladder. They all did a wonderful and efficient job.
• Ed Toews was able to join us tonight. His Happy Buck was to be back with us!
• Chuck Crocker has been making a walk with his 9-year-old granddaughter a daily event. They went for a 1-hour hike over the St. James-Moray St. Bridge.
• Elaine Thompson was joyous to report that she was able to play Scrabble with 3 grandchildren and their mom all the way to the end of the game.  “It was wonderful!”.

Meeting Adjourned: 6:30pm