After reading the Land Acknowledgement Statement, Acting President Glenn asked for all present to sing O Canada, which was followed by a message from PDG Fred Wright congratulating our Rotary club for a 52.2% response to the District’s recent survey on the topic of Membership.

ROTARY MOMENTS

Today’s speaker, Nancy Tovell, was not able to join us this evening. PDG Nancy will re-schedule her presentation.

President Doug still has a long road to recovery. Acting President Glenn thanked PDG Nancy for delivering the flowers and card from the club to Doug and Sandy.

The tickets for the Lobster Dinner will be available in the next week or so. Thanks to Iain for designing and printing a card for the Lobster Dinner.

Two or three Rotarian volunteers are needed to supervise the spring clean-up in and around the Assiniboine Forest, which will be done by a large group of Girl Guides (and some of their parents) who will meet at the parking lot on Chalfont and Grant on Wednesday, April 27th between 6:30 and 8:30 PM. Let Acting President Glenn (204-915-5062) know if you’re interested. The city supplies the vests, extra gloves and bags.

The club’s Board of Directors met last Tuesday and:

• approved increased funding for Westgrove School (including boots & socks),
• formally supported the Bridge of Hope Ukraine initiative with a committee to assist Mandy,
• appointed PDG Jim and acting President Glenn as the club’s voting delegates at the District Annual General Meeting in May, and
• accepted the Youth Committee report that it is seeking to sponsor students to attend e-RYLA and in-person RYLA this year. https://rotary5550.org/50018/Page/ShowSitePage?ClassCode=SitePage&Slug=ryla

PDG Jim brought us up to date on the Council on Legislation (essentially Rotary’s “parliament”, which meets once every three years). There are 94 proposed enactments in this year’s hybrid meeting which had been distributed to the 500 district representatives several months earlier. Three years ago, all 500 people were present in Chicago for the Council on Legislation. This year, 170 people are on the internet and 330 are sitting in a meeting room in Chicago. Thirty of those 94 items were discussed today. PDG Jim mentioned several of the changes that were among those 30 items discussed at today’s meeting (which took place between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM):

1. One item passed included the requirement that the minutes of each club Board meeting be sent to all club members before the next board meeting takes place.
2. Another involved the addition of Equity and Inclusion to the definition of Diversity in the description of a well-balanced Rotary Club.
3. Not particularly applicable to our district was the removal of the requirement for a member to live or work in the locality of the club.
4. It’s also possible for any active member to propose an active member to another Rotary Club.
5. Rotarians are now allowed to be a member of a Satellite Club as well as a member of a Rotary Club.
6. Rotaractors are now allowed to be members of Rotary International committees (which are set up by the President of Rotary International).

PDG Jim observed that in some parts of the Rotary world (like in Asia and areas of South America) there’s a lot of contention about rules. Some are difficult to understand, “but that’s the way it is”.

The Council on Legislation meetings will continue until Thursday afternoon.

We were treated to a version of Ukraine’s National Anthem being played on a bandura by “Taras”, who teaches how to play the bandura at the Royal Conservatory of Ukraine, located on Maidan Square.

The object of the project is to help bring families and children to safe refuge in Canada. Mandy provided details of what this might look like.

Another project could involve the orphans who were moved from Ukraine to Poland. The situation they are all in right now is challenging regarding the facility and supplies. Requests for help from the orphanage are anticipated.

Red Rebel Armour has a line of Ukraine t-shirts that they are donating to Bridge of Hope Ukraine for sale at $30 each for adult sizes, $25 for youth t-shirts. The volunteer selling cake pops as a fundraiser for the Ukraine project has raised $1000 selling her cake pops for the last two weeks. She will also be selling them at the Bridge of Hope Ukraine Dinner event. In addition, several friends have offered to take Ukrainian refugees into their homes.

Acting Sarge Lyle asked for Happy Bucks from the members present.

PDG Nancy shared a Happy Buck from member Margaret who dropped off the cards and book that club members gave to 4 year old Victoria who was recently treated for cancer and who lost all her hair. Victoria also received a hairless Barbie doll.

Lloyd was delighted with a recent family get-together, where he was surprised at how much children can grow in the space of two years.

PDG Jim was pleased to join with Lorraine, Dave, Elaine and Wendy in an excellent District Chat where we learned about membership and how we have to increase it if we want our district size to stay the way it is.

Darvin had a happy buck at last week’s virtual meeting and he had his cash for it today.

Iain had been to Las Vegas and noticed how low the water level was at the Hoover Dam. He wondered if a pipeline originally meant for oil could be used to export water to the Hoover Dam.

PDG Ed got his computer working pretty well and was able to complete his mutual fund analysis (which took 3 months), so now he’s ready to start doing taxes.

Al was back from his all-too brief trip to the west coast (where there was no frost!) and where he visited with many cousins he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Chuck was happy that his niece Julie was in Winnipeg for a provincial track meet with her teammates from Vincent Massey in Brandon. She was the second place winner in the Long Jump event, was part of a 6-member co-ed team that finished third in a relay event, but was unable to compete in the 400 m race because her lung capacity was affected due to a recent illness.

Cathy saw her regular optometrist today, who was amazed with Cathy’s vision recovery after her therapy.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Acting Sarge Lyle will be celebrating his birthday on Thursday, but reassured members that they would not have to sing.