President Cathy Skene opened the meeting with the club's land acknowledgement and the singing of O'Canada led by Dave Morris.
Chair Announcements
Nancy Hansen reported that the last delivery of can tabs to the recycling company netted $117, which goes to purchasing wheelchairs. Every little bit helps. Also please save plastic bread bag tabs and postage stamps for Nancy. You can bring all these items to a meeting, and Dave Morris will deliver them to Nancy
Reminder of the demonstration to be held at Portage & Main next Monday, as Caroline told us at the last meeting. If you have questions about that, Iain can help you.
Assiniboine Rotary Club is planning a ‘watch party’ for the virtual district conference on May 9 and 10. District conference this year coincides with Assiniboine’s annual fundraising dinner and Winnipeg West’s Chickenfest. To prevent missing out on anything, they have suggested:
May 9 - Watch party from 12 noon - 3:45 pm
Assiniboine’s dinner at 6. Tickets are $75. This is a great party so be sure to get your ticket early so as not to miss out.
May 10 - Watch party from 9 am - 4:30 pm. Winnipeg West Rotary Club will arrange a chicken lunch delivery directly to the venue. As well as an exciting group of presenters, there will also be a virtual House of Friendship. We are working on a couple of entries from our club to include in it. More information is available on the district 5550 website. This is almost as good as going to an in-person conference, and you get to sleep in your own bed.
It will be open to all Rotary Clubs in Winnipeg and surrounding areas. Assiniboine needs to get a rough estimate of numbers to choose a venue, etc. If there are enough of us, they will try for a meeting room at the Holiday Inn West. If it’s smaller, perhaps a community hall or a church hall. They expect the price to be $50 for the watch party.
And a reminder about our anniversary dinner on April 28th. Guests are welcome. Let’s pack the room. Tickets will be $60, and will be available soon. Rod and Nick are hard at work on a video reminiscence. Ask your family, friends and neighbours to save the date. This would be a great opportunity to introduce new people to our club. And while you are at it, mention Lobsterfest on June 13th, and the Golf Tournament on September 10th to them. Let’s break some sales records. The poster is now on our club website, and online sign-up will be available soon.
A happy announcement: those of you who were here when Ruby and Stephanie spoke about Epic Opportunities may remember a woman in the video they showed who said that her dream was to work in film and that she wanted to be a script supervisor. Well, it’s not a film, but she is over the moon with happiness. Lisa will be a script supervisor on an upcoming play for Manitoba Theatre for Young People.
After dinner, President Cathy introduced our guests
This evening we have someone who will be familiar to those who have been with our club for a while, Margaret Hemphill. Margaret has a message for us.
Presentation from Margaret & Barb: Brush Up Charleswood Project
Introduction
Margaret and Barb began their presentation by introducing themselves. Margaret shared that she had been a member of Rotary until she left four years ago due to COVID. She recently moved to Headingley, making it easy to become a member again. As the publisher of several local magazines, including Neighbors of Charleswood, West Winnipeg Living, and Bridgewater, she mentioned that they currently have 12 publications. Their aim is to engage with the community and make a positive impact, which led to their new initiative.
The Brush Up Charleswood Initiative
Margaret and Barb explained their exciting new project, Brush Up Charleswood. The idea is to help seniors in need of assistance with house painting, especially those on a fixed income, disabled, or ill. They shared a personal story from several years ago when a local couple faced the threat of legal action for not painting their house. Margaret stepped in, offered to coordinate volunteers, and helped gather donations to get the house painted. Inspired by this experience, Margaret decided to bring the project to Charleswood.
Project Details
Target Group: The project will focus on seniors in Charleswood who are unable to paint their homes due to age, illness, or financial constraints.
Requirements: The house must be under 2,000 square feet, preferably a bungalow, to ensure safety for volunteers. They will avoid using ladders or scaffolding, reducing risk.
Volunteers: The project already has volunteers lined up, including a professional painter who will supervise the work. Margaret, a trained painter, will oversee the project.
Support and Donations
Margaret and Barb emphasized the support they’ve received so far:
Paint: Donations for paint and supplies are mostly secured.
Landscaping: A landscaper will tidy up the yard of the selected home.
T-Shirts: They are still in need of T-shirt donations and are looking for businesses that would like their logo featured on the shirts and in the magazine.
They also mentioned other services being offered, such as window cleaning, electrical help, and even replacing light switches in the home, provided at no cost.
How You Can Help
The main request at this time is for nominations of seniors in the Charleswood neighbourhood who could benefit from having their homes painted. The nominated individuals must live in single-family homes in the area, as apartment buildings will not be considered.
Honouring Long-Term Residents
In addition to the Brush Up Charleswood initiative, Margaret and Barb introduced a new feature in the Charleswood magazine: honoring long-term residents. They plan to recognize those who have lived in Charleswood for 50 years or more by featuring them in the magazine, along with a small gift as a token of appreciation.
Encouraging Community Involvement
Margaret also invited members of the community to contribute content to the magazine. She emphasized that everyone has valuable life experiences and stories to share, and they are always looking for quality content for their publications.
Closing Remarks
The presentation ended with an invitation for feedback and an open call for nominations to help make Brush Up Charleswood a success. Margaret and Barb thanked everyone for their time and support, emphasizing that their goal is to restore the sense of community care that used to be a hallmark of Charleswood.
Jack Wilson provided an overview of the Forest Committee’s ongoing projects, specifically focusing on grants they’ve applied for and the work related to the outdoor education area and portable washroom. He discussed the progress made on these initiatives, their associated costs, and the collaborative efforts involved in bringing them to fruition.
Outdoor Education Area and Portable Washroom Proposal
The committee has been working on a proposal for the development of an outdoor education area and the installation of a portable washroom. This proposal follows a series of meetings between the forest committee and the city, as well as a general meeting held a few months ago. The goal is to create a more accessible, practical space for visitors.
Grant Avenue Entrance: The first image in the proposal illustrates the Grant Avenue entrance. This area is being considered as a possible location for a portable washroom, one of the options being explored.
Environmental Partnership and Parking: Another part of the proposal involves the creation of an environmental partnership and a parking area at the junction of Shaftesbury and Taylor.
Washroom Options: Several possible locations for the washroom have been discussed, with priority given to areas that minimize potential environmental impact.
Challenges and Considerations
Jack highlighted some of the challenges the committee faces in realizing these plans, especially regarding the design and operation of the washroom:
Accessibility: The washroom needs to be fully accessible, with facilities for wheelchairs and strollers. The current proposal includes a container-style washroom with a dividing wall to separate the bathroom and water storage areas.
Costs: Significant costs are associated with the washroom’s construction and maintenance, including plumbing, accessibility features, and seasonal operations.
Estimated Costs: The estimated cost for the seasonal washroom project is between $60,000 and $80,000. The outdoor classroom area will add an additional $10,000, with potential additional costs for wood chips and other materials.
Annual Upkeep: The city will be responsible for the ongoing upkeep, which includes regular cleaning and opening/closing the washroom daily.
Environmental Impact: The committee is considering solar power options for the washroom and plans to minimize the environmental footprint.
Design Considerations
The committee has reviewed several examples of container-based washrooms and other facilities in the city. These include:
A bike repair station at the University of Winnipeg using a repurposed shipping container.
Seasonal washrooms in public parks such as Assiniboine Park and St. Norbert’s Farmers Market.
These examples provide a reference for the design and functionality of the washroom, ensuring that it aligns with the community's needs while minimizing costs.
Fundraising Efforts
Jack emphasized the importance of securing funding for these projects, noting that they have applied for grants from the Winnipeg Foundation and other sources. He mentioned:
Application Process: The committee has worked closely with consultants to prepare detailed estimates and secure the necessary support from the city. The Winnipeg Foundation has been helpful in connecting the committee with resources to strengthen their application.
Competition: The committee faces strong competition for funding, as there are many professional grant writers involved in similar projects. However, the committee remains hopeful due to the quality of their proposal and the significant volunteer effort involved.
The committee has dedicated 70 hours of volunteer time to preparing the application, with the support of key volunteers including Lloyd Talbot, Mike Dudar, Leanne Mitz, Ed Thompson, and Ezekiel McLeod.
Next Steps and Volunteer Support
The committee is optimistic about receiving the necessary funding but acknowledged that securing the money is the first step. Once funding is in place, they will begin moving forward with the construction of the washroom and the development of the education area.
Community Support
Jack emphasized the importance of community support, both in terms of volunteer time and financial backing. The committee is actively seeking support from local businesses and community members to help make the project a reality.
Closing Remarks
In conclusion, Jack thanked the volunteers and partners who have contributed to the planning and application process. He encouraged everyone to continue supporting the project and to stay engaged as it moves forward.
Final Questions: Jack opened the floor for any questions and expressed his optimism about the project’s success.
President Cathy thanked Jack and the committee for their continued dedication to this important project. The members congratulated the committee through applause.
Lyle said he was down on the river Friday, fishing, and caught a couple of fish—not big ones, but enough to keep him happy. While he was there, he noticed a lot of geese coming back—a lot of them! It seemed like they were arriving a little earlier this year, and maybe there were even more than usual. He guessed they decided they didn’t like the climate in the U.S.!
Chuck is happy that it's the Falcon Lake Ski Hill Slush Cup this weekend. Chuck’s granddaughter wants to ski in it—though he’s not sure if she’ll go across the pond or just take part. Either way, they’re heading to the cabin for the weekend. Good thing Chuck has plenty of skis!
Alan explained his Happy Buck, saying he was a little late because he had a flat tire. He mentioned having to go home and wait for his wife to return so he could get another vehicle. His Happy Buck was in support of the Charleswood Art Group’s annual show and sale, taking place from April 25th to 27th at Charleswood United. He brought advertisements and left them on each table, encouraging everyone to check it out. He assured us it was a fantastic presentation last year and well worth attending again.
Bernard shared his Happy Buck, mentioning that he visited the Saskatoon Rotary Club while on a business trip. The club sent their best wishes to everyone in Winnipeg. On his way back, he chose not to take Highway 16, opting instead to explore by driving to Regina before heading home on Highway 1. The weather was rough, with snow making for challenging road conditions with lots of accidents, but he was grateful to have made it home safely.
Jim shared that he received a phone call from his son in Calgary this morning. He was happy to hear that his son had confirmed his travel plans to come and help with the Lobster Fest on June 13th—which happens to be Friday the 13th.
Ed shared his experience attending the Fever Candlelight events in Winnipeg. He and his companions have been to two or three of these performances, with the most recent being a tribute to ABBA. He found the concert very enjoyable, but what stood out most was the venue—the Crescent Arts Centre. Originally a United Church on Wardlaw, just off Osborne, the building was a surprising discovery for Ed. Despite living in Winnipeg since 1963, he hadn’t known about it or the other church nearby. The experience left him impressed by the hidden gems within the city.
Sarge Mike had a guest draw the winning ticket and Joyce’s ticket was drawn. Joyce is on a winning streak, however did not choose the lucky marble.
Sarge Mike managed to secure many dollars for Polio by charging one dollar from each person for not wearing green. Next week’s speaker is another familiar face, John Inglis. John was the charter president of Winnipeg-Charleswood Rotary Club and, in this our 40th anniversary year, will share some reminiscences about his Rotary journey. And John is a great storyteller, so you won’t want to miss it.
After dinner, President Cathy introduced our guests
Bernard shared his Happy Buck, mentioning that he visited the Saskatoon Rotary Club while on a business trip. The club sent their best wishes to everyone in Winnipeg. On his way back, he chose not to take Highway 16, opting instead to explore by driving to Regina before heading home on Highway 1. The weather was rough, with snow making for challenging road conditions with lots of accidents, but he was grateful to have made it home safely..png)
