Birthdays this week: Jack Kinch, John Rose and Graham Gardiner all share May 20th as a birthday.
Hockey Helps the Homeless (HHH) guests Mel Barrie and Craig Herner presented their donation of $2,277.50 to the club. They noted their sincere appreciation to club members for help provided with their recent fundraising efforts. HHH hopes to reach a total of $750,000 raised and donated locally over their history including this year’s efforts. This year’s event will be held October 26th where teams will be playing all day with various pros in attendances.
50/50 is up to $392.50
Ticket 546 to Graham Hawkins, Guest
Ticket 562 to Brandon
Ticket 540 to John Goodman, Guest
No winner and the pot grows.
Today’s topic was about Human Trafficking – and local efforts to prevent the exploitation of young teens in the sex trade.
The issue is pervasive and often happening under our noses at local hotels and motels.
The victims have little choice as the pimps prevent their workers from having options as most the victims rely on their pimp for the necessities of life.
The pimps often lure, groom, indebt and exploit susceptible victims into the industry and then make considerable demands of the victim in order to profit
Pimps will often brand their victims, illustrating a near ownership and enslaving of the victim
Young women are often preyed upon around grade nine when confidence is low, body image is an issue, and the girls are vulnerable. The best course of action is prevention.
Statistics on the rehabilitation is very low.
While new laws provide better tools with tougher sentences, it is difficult to get a conviction without the testimony of the victim who are often too scared or indoctrinated to come out against their pimp.
Great agencies have come forward to offer non judgemental support for the vicitims, specifically the Waterloo Region Sex Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre.
The victims sometimes just need a clean safe place to rest and eat.
President Ed thanks guest speaker Tammy Bender
May 30th
Meeting at Briarfield Residence
Club Business:
Laura Power’s Birthday today
The Flag Fundraiser has begun
Don’t forget to register for the President’s Gala upcoming
Visiting Rotarian Melodie Fitzpatrick from Kitchener Conestoga reminded us about their Dream Home Lottery – tickets available online at $125 each or 3 for $300.
50/50 – tickets
Laura #641
Chris #626
Guest David Petro #636
No winter of $431 pot.
Vera’s Place
David Petro updated us as to how Vera’s Place is doing.
Now with 6 beds operational the centre for women recovering from substance abuse is fully operational.
Playing a needed role in the community by changing lives for the better.
Nicole from Revera/Briarfield updated us to Revera’s Innovation and the Aging Experience research
Reviewed seniors approach and feelings towards aging
Interesting results in what is driving care choices among seniors concerning transportation, technical innovation in general, travel etc.
For more information go to the Revera Living and Innovation website
Mac Graham introduced todays speaker, Ms. Tammy Bender speaking about Barbuda and the impact of Hurricane Irma, a category 5+ storm
Once a population of 1700, the island is now only back to 600 after the storm.
A favourite destination for Princess Diana to visit
The Island is a beautiful enclave with considerably important ecology and species at risk.
A history of slavery – abolished with Commonwealth in 1830’s
Connected politically with Antigua as independent nation
Communal land system originating from post slavery period
A lot of international aid came in to help post storm, but the priorities don’t appear to be property set as a result of poor leadership from Antigua’s president, who has been very derogatory towards the people of Barbuda
They are building an airport, that the inhabitants didn’t want before repairing the water, electricity or communication network
A lot of mistrust has resulted post storm due to poor communication and questionable decision making.
New legislation enacted to disrupt the culturally important communal land system is upsetting the inhabitants of Barbuda
They have set up a facebook page to inform and provide information to the residents
Not all have returned to the island due to the poor sequence of improvements
