Rotary Club of Burlington Central   14th of December 

Janet Canavan presiding. 

Guests: Kimberley Ingram, Abraham’s host mother

Will Pugh from Burlington Lakeshore Club, visitor and guest speaker.

Announcements: David Dean would like all members and their families with lusty voices to join him at 06:45 to be ready to sing carols for the Children's Christmas party next Thursday 21st. December.

The Adult Christmas party takes place this evening at 360 Pearl Street.

There will be no club meeting on December 28.

Janet thanked as for our contribution to the visioning that took place last week and found that as a group, the members were clearly knowledgeable about Rotary and had good ideas for future direction of the club.

On January 4th 2018, Janet will be presenting the results of this meeting. There will be a vision statement and a three year strategic plan coming out of this. The board will be revisiting and revising the constitution and bylaws and the mandates for new directors to the club. We are asked to send, by private email, any suggestions that might be helpful in process to Janet Canavan.

Tomorrow is the last day for the Toronto 2018 RI convention registration and on the 16th the price will go up from $345 US to $445.

There will be a Comedy Night at Club 54 for 4 Club Rotary members on January 13 between 930 and 1030pm for $15 a head with the beneficiary being Polio Plus and there will be a 3 to 1 matching of all revenue.

Our exchange student, Abraham, presented to his school on their information night, about Peru and his island’s history and culture. Last week Abraham went to Neema McElhinney’s senior’s residence, north of Toronto where he had dinner, and a haircut. He also went to the final game of the Toronto FC with, “Mr. Karmel”. It was his second ever soccer game and he clearly loved it. They then went to a Peruvian restaurant and to the ROM. He's had his second ever introduction to the snow and learned, at Owen’s house, how to operate a snowblower. A week or so ago he was using a leaf blower. Clearly he's been brainwashed into saying that he does it because he likes technology when it is in fact, an egregious case of child labour.

Five families will receive gift bags and cards, all families in the King’s Road School area.

Today's impromptu Sgt at Arms was Rod Collard who, in his inimitable way, did a very clever and amusing card reading trick under the guise, and rather extraordinary headdress, of "Tarmac”.   Rod’s many students throughout his career, were very lucky to have him as a principal.

Bryce Leggett gave a heartfelt shout out for Rob Sybersma is a who has been quietly doing an excellent job of being club treasurer, and the club joined in their thanks to Rob.

Karmel Sakran was not present, but Mae Radford thanked him for his over-the-top Santa Claus appearance at a retirement residence where he delighted the residents with his warmth and humour, hugs, and Ho Ho Ho's.

Albert Schmidt introduced Will Pugh who has recently been to a dinner in Rochester, where they have had a presidential dinner for the past that 93 years, this year with 350 Rotarians in attendance. They had as a guest, the nominee for President of Rotary International, Mark Daniel Maloney who will be president in 2019 – 20. His home base is Alabama and it was his first time outside of Alabama addressing Rotarians. He presented the beginnings of their visioning in which the statement is “Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe in our communities and in ourselves.”  The strength of Rotary is in the community of clubs rather than in individuals. Will sees our 4 Burlington clubs as a great example of Rotary's idea of service to our communities and to Humanity in general. He recommends that we attend the RI conference in Toronto in June to witness the power of what a group can do to work together with common values and the power of connection. Polio Plus and Rotary Youth Exchange each started with one individual's idea and blossomed into remarkable organisations.

Sustainability is the key to Rotary's ultimate success and any project has to outlive our engagement, sweat, talent or money. Clearly the youth programs’ influence on the students will outlive us in and be embodied in the youth who go on to continue the mission of Rotary. By being a member of Rotary it allows us the chance to acquire the riches associated with the community of Rotary International. Rotary changes us. We witness the youth involved with rotary blossoming with the opportunities that we give them.

Peter Thoem remembered presenting to a group of youth exchange students when he was involved a number of years ago as a director. The youth and their families came from Japan, Germany, North America and Europe who only 50 years before would have been sworn enemies and it was wonderful to witness the coming together of these generations.

There are only 16 active cases of polio left in the world!  we are "so close”, but then what other organisation in the world is better capable of bringing such a scourge to an end. 35 years ago in the Philippines the beginnings of a polio eradication programme was suggested and said to be impossible, then Rotary took over and we are now "this close"

What other organisation in the world is better capable of bringing Peace to the world?

Someone asked what the “Plus" represented in the Polio Plus program. It was intended as a an inclusive group of Rotary clubs along with numerous other organisations including the Centre for Disease Control, World Health Organisation, Bill and Melinda Gates foundation et cetera. Will told us of his grandfather who died at 93, and who had polio at the age of 18 months but never had a day in his life that wasn't affected by the effects that that disease had on him. Two thirds of polio victims will survive and continue to suffer throughout their lives.

Dick Scott thanked Will Pugh for his fine presentation.

Anthony Ford-Jones