Meeting March 17 – Happy St. Paddy’s Day
Announcements
Congrats To Mac Graham for his Rangers Community Assists award – and his 5th anniversary wth the club.
Chuck Thompson - Birthday
Rick Bolzon and Jake Thomas’s wife – Kelly Schleuter – also celebrate birthdays this week.
Club Anniversaries – 9 years for Jack Kinch (Congratulations Jack and Trish) and 5 for Mac Graham
Laura Power has lost a family member and is supporting her mother. Send best wishes to Laura.
A really momentous occasion to celebrate - Rotarian Simon and Ruth Adler are thrilled to announce the arrival of twins Noa Sara & Perry David.
Everton gave report on the postcard thank you and thinking of you initiative. Bill Pegg looked after the printing (Gratis - Thank you Bill) and participants will add a personal message to those shut in who have been identified to receive cards. A good project that will touch a few lives and lift a few spirits. Thanks to Everton and the committee.
Rotary International has added a 7th primary focus to the existing 6 focusses – the Environment
- Ian Robertson is representing our Club on a 5-Club Cluster Committee to coordinate an Environmental Program. Stay tuned.
The District 7080 District Conference
- Saturday, May 29 with the Environment as the Theme. There will be some outstanding speakers and presentations in this virtual event. More details to follow.
Kitchener Westmount Rotary Club President Change Over - Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Congratulations to Alison Scott for coming up with the Idea and to Everton Wilmot and his Community Service Committee for coordinating the community member groups a thank you/thinking of you/keep safe postcard
Finally, the Board has approved a new Community Service Project targeting Youth which will be introduced to the Club Membership on Wednesday, April 28 at our regular Wednesday noon meeting. Please put in your calendar and plan to attend.
Catch the Ace over $16 k on progressive jackpot. Get tickets if you don’t already have some.
Karen Spencer introduced Stephen Jackson.
Attended:
Jack Kinch
David Barth
John Thompson
Bill Pegg
Chris Wilk
Dave Forewell
Willis Bengnwi
Karen Spencer
Graham Gardiner
Mac Graham
John Rose
Brandon Flewelling
Alexander Pavlov
Everton Wilmot
Chick Tompson
Bill Green
Troy Steubing
Antoine Gerritson
Ian Robertson
Michelle Gardiner
Guests
Stephen Jackson (Speaker)
Mike Morris
Lew Ford (Rotary of Kitchener)
Speaker
Stephen Jackson, MASc.
Stephen is of Metis descent and has participated in a number of traditional ceremonies and cultural events. He has been privileged to learn teachings from a number of esteemed elders. He has much lived experience in the systems that impact Indigenous people including being part of the 60s Scoop. He holds a Masters of Industrial Psychology and an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo.
He is an expert in Talent Management programs, tools and systems and has led major strategic organizational HR transformations, HR enterprise system transformations and culture changes for large organizations like the Region of Peel, City of Edmonton, Edmonton Police and Corel. He is certified in project, change and process managements, coaching, organizational design and facilitation. He has received many awards for the global best practices he has developed for organizations. He has also led the HR function in large organizations including Edmonton Police and had a significant consulting career.
Since joining the organization in November 2017 as CEO, Stephen has developed and operationalized strategic plans that have seen the organization significantly grow (approximately 1000%) in its service delivery offerings as well as its mandate of serving the local Indigenous community. He has been instrumental in developing relationships and partnerships that will enable the completion of AO’s Centre for Indigenous healing in the region.
Stephen manages all operations for Anishnabeg Outreach, reports to the Board of Directors and personally leads all program development. Stephen is responsible for all strategy and growth to ensure we are well positioned for the future and takes pride in his employee and leadership development accomplishments. Stephen manages a growing number of related and integrated businesses and a rapidly growing team of new staff that are helping to transform a small employment agency into a significant regional Indigenous organization that centralizes wrap around and healing-based services to the diverse urban Indigenous population living in the region. His most recent successes include creating an Indigenous foodbank for covid relief which now supports hundred of families in need, developing a national Indigenous Tech Mentoring program in partnership with UofW and many others and establishiment of a Mental Health unit for the 50,000 Indigenous people living in the region. Stephen represents the organization on many Indigenous and non-Indigenous committees and at many events.
Recreationally, Stephen enjoys oil painting, golf, camping and canoeing and is particularly proud of his two children.
Stephen Jackson and his team Created Anishnabeg Outreach Center for Indigenous Healing.
He talked about the concept of reconcilitation as justice versus healing. Justice is lodged in the past and can never be dealt with. Healing is what we seek instead and can take place in the now.
Once people are independent and off support systems and healing has taken place then reconciliation will have been achieved.
Currently there are systemic issues – like barriers to employment etc.
Center works for Healing via Mental Health and Transformative journey processes.
The center has many programs designed to assist participants on their healing journey.
They also provide spirit bundles - packages of goods and supplies that are customized to the needs of the recipients and the products in the bundles are donated.
They are launching their vaccination center this Friday.
The Center has an Employment center with a mentoring program where they provide Tech Skills and training geared to employment in entry level positions. Self directed programs are alternative to university of college.
Mentors come from tech companies.
The center is only possible due to many partnerships with local educational institutions, Community service organizations and companies.
All the partners work to remove barriers and create a safe space for indigenous tech workers.
There is also a Traditional Healing Lodge with Traditional as well as modern healing methodologies.
The center is creating an earth week event with the most important day as Earth day – Earth Blanket Awakening at Sunrise. April 28. It is about healing from the pandemic as well as other healing.
Everything that was done to create the center was about and relies on partnership. Partnership is the key.
Stephen then gave thanks to our club for back packs and support with the spirit bundles and thrifting program for women in prison.
https://twitter.com/solmamakwa/status/1371216468193517568
Jack Shared the Book “Clearing the Plains” as something that should be included in our school curriculums.
Willis Bengnwi thanked Stephen
The meeting was ended.
