Warm Greetings!
It was a very special morning at Rotary!
Our guests included Terry Hepburn from the Burlington North Club doing a makeup.
Kristi Smith from the Burlington Rotaract. She brought an invitation for a fundraising activity and competition. The 7th Annual Pub Quiz on Sunday March 18, 2018 starting at 1:00pm at 5 West Brew Pub, 3600 Dundas Street, Burlington - formally known as The Purple Heather. Teams of 4 for $10.00 per person. Funds this year will be supporting Project Harvest.
Abraham, our Exchange Student, did an amazing presentation on his past week. His English has improved, so has his appetite for food! Joe Watson gave Abraham tickets for the Raptors game and some extra spending money. Looking forward to hearing all about that adventure to Toronto.
Announcements
Catherine Brady - Rotary International hosting fundraiser Thursday, February 8, 2018 at 7:30am. Please bring a wrapped gift to auction off.
Wayne Gowan – read a card of thanks received from Sophia Korz, recipient of the Robert Elstone Scholarship for her performance during the Rotary Burlington Music Festival.
Thanks was received from the Salvation Army and YMCA for our generous donations.
Guess who’s coming to dinner?? Contact Allan Ramsay to participate in this fun event.
Club will participate in the Senior Centre Breakfasts in April -Rene will keep us posted on that as another one is also planned this spring
Reminder to pay for the host hospitality dinner for June 25, 2018 pay Eric Anderson, $100.00.
“You are Awesome, You are Amazing”
Our speaker this morning was Thanh Campbell. His book entitled “Orphan 32” was a compelling story of life, love and self-discovery. If you were not in attendance, you truly missed a beautiful life story.
Nearly two decades long, the Vietnam War was one the history’s devastating battles. More bombs were dropped than both World Wars put together. Lives were destroyed and families torn apart.
In 1975, the last flight out of Vietnam rescued 57 war orphans before the communist took over the south capital of Saigon. En route to Canada, Nguen Ngoc Minh Thanh, was aboard that flight. He was Orphan #32.
The flight that left previous to that, carrying over 150 orphans, was shot out of the sky shortly after take-off. The pilot carrying orphan #32, took a different flight pattern.
Thanh’s story began like many other Vietnamese orphans on Operation babylift, but as he later discovered, his path had taken a much different direction from the rest. The flight landed in BC, then made its way to Trenton, Ontario.
Orphan 32, Nguen Ngoc Minh Thanh, was adopted into a Canadian family, in Hamilton. His name was changed to reflect his Canadian citizenship - Thanh Campbell.
Thanh took us through an incredible journey as he reflected on his life. Eventually meeting up with other children from that same flight. Another small miracle happened, he was reunited with his family in Vietnam, but never forgetting his family here in Canada that gave him a life he never would have had.
Thanh was a gift, although he did not realize it at first. His Message to all of us…
“We all have a beginning date … an expiry date. What really matters most, the dashes in between those dates. Live the life you were meant to live. “
“You are Awesome, You are Amazing”
