1. Oct. 4^th, 2017 @ 1:30pm the ‘Sol Kannee Lecture on Peace and Justice’ at the C.M.H.R. The presentation will be:  Peace Through Prosperity, Steve Killelea – Founder & Executive Chairman, Institute for Economics and Peace. Admission is FREE and all are welcome.
2. Oct. 19^th, 2017 @ 7:00pm. to 9:00pm. at the Marpeck Room of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) featuring the Winnipeg Police Service, the Bear Clan and Paul K. Chappell (Peace Leadership Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, an Iraq War veteran, West Point graduate, international speaker, and author of five books).

• Each chair to make a report highlighting the good actions and suggestions on areas for potential change.
• Review the financials for the year.
• Rod (our new dinner chair) will initiate the 2018 plan he has for the coming year.

Rod Delisle is the new Chair for the annual ‘LobsterFest’. The date for the event in 2018 will be June2, 2018. No opposing discussion, the City of Winnipeg will be approached to book that date.

 

Each Constable gave a short introduction regarding their history and path to getting on this Unit.

 

Constable Shawn Smith started in the military and had a tour in Afghanistan. He then made a move to the R.C.M.P. for 6 years then finally moved over to the City of Winnipeg Police for the past 6 years of service. He is originally from Cross Lake (band member). He has worked in the ‘Indigenous Partnership /2-man unit’. This unit is designed to be entrenched in the community. Constable Smith has also provided Indigenous Awareness training to the Auxiliary Cadet Ambassadors. He has worked with David Newman in the past and became more aware of the work that Rotary does in communities when he saw the Rotary Bridge at Pisew Falls (Wabowden), 45 minutes south of Thompson on the Grass River. Constable Smith advised that his family has been the victim in past violent crimes and he appreciates the fact that Rotary is working towards the promotion of peace.

 

Constable Chika Modozie is originally from Nigeria and arrived in Canada 6 years ago. English is a first language in Nigeria. She has worked in the North-End, West District, as well as the district of first contact for prisoners about to be transferred on to the remand centre. Constable Modozie ‘s mother was a ‘Lion’ in Nigeria, so she was familiar with community service. Her first awareness of the work that Rotary does was the Polio eradication efforts in the north of Nigeria.

 

The Winnipeg Police Service Community Relations Unit supplies the School Resource Officers for Winnipeg Schools. The Crime Prevention Unit is tasked with bringing the police back into the community. The key word in the title above is service.

 

Most police officers live in Winnipeg and want a safe and secure community to live in. The ‘Diversity and Crime Prevention Unit’ works on developing positive relationships with all ethno-cultural communities in Winnipeg. As far as crime prevention is concerned, you are considered responsible for your personal safety, the police are secondary. The unit does provide New Comer (Africa, Syria etc.) presentations designed to advise them how to be safe downtown and other areas that they may initially be settled. Where they come from, they do not see the police as a group there to help. In their countries of origin, the police would most likely “take bribes and rob them blind”.  These presentations include aspects of home and personal safety and are also available for seniors. There are also presentations available regarding fraud and scams. They have provided ‘active shooter’ presentations. All of these presentations are free and can be arranged for a group by contacting the unit.

 

The members also come out to various community events such as RibFest and many others during the year. They have brought along the armoured vehicle (Constable Modozie drives it!) and patrol cars, mascots, stickers for kids. Please contact the unit or cmodozie@winnipeg.ca for more information.

 

 

Lloyd Talbot asked Constable Smith if he has had any interaction with the ‘Bear Clan’?

A.- Yes he has. The group started in the 1990’s and has grown rapidly in the last 4 years. The unit has helped the Clan develop policy as well as donated older radios free of charge. It is a grassroots organization doing good work. They had an anti-bullying march associated with the Turtle Island Youth Centre.

 

Kris Wilson asked if they carry firearms in schools?

A.- Yes, they are duty bound to have their firearm when in uniform at all times.

 

Ed has joined the Gimli Car Club. He has questioned the that club if they would be interested in sponsoring a ‘Car Show’ that would raise funds for the Rotary Club of Winnipeg-Charleswood.  The listing/advertisement must get into the local car magazine ‘MAAC’ for the March 2018 edition that lists all the Manitoba car events. The deadline for the publication is Dec. 15, 2017.  Ed Toews has approached C.M.U. about using the south grass area between the main campus building and the new student hall along Grant. This area should hold about 300 cars. The entry fee would be ~$10. There is no overhead to speak of for an event such as this.

Ed will be attending the Gimli Car Club meeting on the 18^th of Oct. to present this idea formally to them. Any extra activities attached to the event would be bonus funds; ideas would be appreciated in this regard. Possible Westgrove involvement in some fashion?

 

Chuck presented an expansion on the mussel invasion of our waterways. This is as a follow-up to the presentation that he had arranged but was unable to attend. We learned all about the Zebra mussel in the previous lecture, but there is a more threatening mussel out there. The Quagga mussel. There are significant differences between them:

 

Zebra mussel                                                                  

 

Quagga mussel

 

These organisms are filtering the waters of the Great Lakes to the point that they are nearly ‘vodka-clear’ water. Under some conditions, the plankton feasting mussels can now ‘filter’ all of Lake Michigan in less than two weeks, sucking up the life that is the base of the food web and making its waters some of the cleanest freshwater in the world. This is very bad for the fish populations in the Lakes.  This is not true for the invasive Round Goby fish. It evolved to feast on the flesh of the quagga and zebra mussels by cracking their shells with molar-like teeth. Now the bug-eyed, thumb-sized fish is thriving across the Great Lakes. The bad news about this fish is that as a young fish it will eat anything and everything. Other fish species are failing.

 

The Rotary Club of Winnipeg-Assiniboine Annual Fall Dinner fundraiser has been booked for Breezy Bend Country Club on November 24^th, 2017 @ 7:00pm. Cory has been great in assisting to get the event organized.  This dinner has always been well supported by the Charleswood Rotary Club, and the Assiniboine Club looks forward to this support continuing. Tickets are $60 and you will get a $28 tax receipt. There will be a silent auction etc.

 

Chuck Crocker had a $5 H.B. to announce that he had Grey Cup pool tickets to sell for the Charleswood Historical Society @ $2 /each.

 

Jack Wilson had his guest Gabriel Valentini at the meeting again tonight (was present two weeks ago). Jack was very pleased to announce that Gabriel would like to become a member of the Charleswood Rotary Club.

 

Jack Wilson had a second Happy Buck that he was particularly proud to announce, his daughter has passed all examinations and is now a Captain for West Jet Airlines!

 

Doug Prophet had a big smile on his face when he announced his H.B., his son will be married on October 24, 2017. His fiancé is from Yokohama, Japan..

 

Lloyd Talbot was happy to have been able to attend the RibFest that was held back in August at the Forks. This event was put on by the R.C. of Winnipeg-Downtown. The attendance numbers have quadrupled this year and the downtown club is looking for assistance to put on the event next year. Lloyd was speaking to Frank Cosway about options for share of work to be done, as well as a share of the fundraising profits. More discussion and details to follow in the future.

 

John Inglis was pleased to put a dollar into the H.B. pot because the golf- 3:00pm tee off group didn’t play too fast for his 3:10 group. At no time did his group ever fall behind the 3:00pm group!

 

 

P.C. Shawn Smith pulled the potential winning ticket # 152. Lorraine Forestell held the matching stub. Her attempt at pulling the blue marble was valiant, but no win tonight.

 

 

Jack Wilson for inviting everyone to his house for the “Winter Carnival” wind-up!

 

John Inglis for all the whining about whining. John was reminded that playing golf is a voluntary action.

 

 

President-Elect Mandy Kwasnica reminded all that there will be no meeting next week, Oct. 9, 2017 due to Thanksgiving holiday.