Rotary Club of Regina

Club Meeting February 5, 2024

 

 

President George Carson welcomed everyone to the meeting and acknowledged that the meeting is being held on Treaty 4 territory. He reaffirmed our commitment and responsibility to improving relationships between nations and to improving our own understanding of local Metis and First Nation communities.

The first portion of the program was a Rotary Foundation presentation provided by Ian Yeates and Peter Peters. Peter provided a high-level overview including details of the annual, Polio Plus, and endowment funds, the Rotary Peace Fellowships, and the district and global grants. In 2022-2023 the foundation spent $344 million, 45% of it on Polio Plus.  Ian provided more details on the Polio Plus fund, which has been in place since 1985.  Achievements since its inception include $1.9 billion being raised, 2.9 billion children vaccinated in 122 countries, and polio rates down by 99.9%. In 2023 there was a total of 12 wild polio cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan. An increasing challenge is the rate of derived polio that has risen in areas where immunization rates have fallen (e.g., New York/London).  Both Peter and Ian shared why it is important for members to continue to contribute to the foundation.  

Our guest speaker was former Police Chief Evan Bray, now known as the “Voice of Saskatchewan” as host of Talk Radio.   Evan presented a humorous presentation, starting with an apology for the numerous “obnoxiously” large billboards of his face across Regina and Saskatoon. He stated that he treasured his time as the Chief of Regina Police Services but acknowledged, that like many other opportunities, it is important to know when it’s time of move on.  In discussing some of the challenges he faced at chief (Teepee protest/Unifor strike) he said his approach was to look at each side and look for opportunities to pull the two sides at least closer, if not together.   In his new role as talk show host, Evan sees new opportunities to deal with issues (climate change, pronoun policy, Donald Trump, Hamas, and chickens in the back yard) and bring different perspectives to the discussions in a respectful manner.  Throughout his career he has stood by five pillars of leadership: 1) communications, both talking and listening, 2) strong relationships, 3) opportunity to hear and be heard, 4) understanding others perspective, and 5) making it fun.  Although he has stepped away from his role as police chief to radio host, the expectations are similar in that you bring the sides together, have a respectful conversation and walk away a little more informed.

Birthdays: Brian Hardy—Feb. 2^nd; Stewart Graham—February 6^th; Vern Fowke—February 21^st.

No anniversaries.

Reminder of wine tasting/food pairing at Bar Willow on February 7^th at 4:00 pm at cost of $43/person.

Let George know if you are interested in attending.

50/50 draw of $185 lives on.  Thanks to those assisting with the meeting including Russ Hart, Carole Bryant, Mitch Zaba, Stewart Graham, Gilda Treleven-Graham, Gerald Fiske, Al Goudie, Katherine Bergman, Joanna Alexander and of course President George Carson.

As an introduction to the four-way test, Joanna reflected that in a world of turbulence and change, with fake news, and reasons to question our political leaders, our justice system, and even our own ethics, the test is still as relevant as it was when it was written in 1932.

 

Rotary Club of Eastview meeting—February 22, 2024 (Delta)

Rotary Club of Regina meeting—March 4, 2024, (Delta) speaker from Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism.