(Nothing Exceeds the Opportunity of Knowing Each Other)
Mar. 5, 2024
Guests at our Meeting
Sharon F. – guest of membership
John Boomsma. – guest and husband of Claudia
Dragan Petrovic – speaker
Acting Sergeant at Arms
Timea Sarkozi
Rotary Quiz:
Which newspaper publishes Wordle? New York Times
How many cities are named " Burlington " in the United States? 29!!
How many acres are there in the Royal Botanical Gardens? 2400 acres
Who was the premier of Ontario in 1972 when our club was formed? Bill Davis
Where is the Rotary International Convention in 2025? Calgary, Alberta
What is the name of the Burlington Junior A hockey team? Cougars. Note that Dan Higgins was their trainer!
50/50 - Jackpot total at $524
Winner Jacqui - won her lunch, but the Queen was not chosen, so the pot continues to grow.
Anniversaries
None recognized this week
Birthdays
None recognized this week
Rotary Anniversaries
Happy Dollars
Patricia – returned from a trip to Mexico with her family (sporting a great tan!)
Surjit – donated $7,000 to the Kenyan scholarships from the international committee. Thanks to past chair Anand, Rick L., Will, and Mike D. for their work on this project.
Appeal to the membership to suggest international projects.
Zelda – Thanks to Janet for introducing her to Sew on Fire.
Dave L. – Enjoyed a trip to Prince Edward County with Timea.
Dianne – Enjoyed Rotary Youth Exchange country announcement day. Jonah knows his exchange country and will tell us next week when he attends the pub night.
Announcements
President Dave – Norm thanks us for the get-well card. He is now out of the hospital and at Martha’s Landing as he recovers.
Jody, Community Service – We received thank you cards for our donations.
Global Medic monthly food packing is taking place on Saturday from 10 am – 12 pm. Only 2 members of our club are attending so far, so please come if you can.
Propose a donation to the Centre for Diverse Learners for $1050 at the next board meeting on March 11.
Motion: $10,000 (previously $7000) Gore Park Outreach: delivery vehicle – this is a multi-club initiative with clubs from Burlington and Hamilton considering participation. ($7000 board and club approved, extra $3000 board approved, awaiting club approval)
Plan A – increase the contribution to $10K per club, get another $20K from 2 Hamilton clubs who have agreed and $15K from the Port Nelson United Church who if they assist will allow is to save 9% on HST. Plus, there may be $5000 of individual donors and there is a van currently on hold for us that is available right away rather than waiting until a new one is ordered.
Karen, Club Services – Thank you from Mohammed for the card he received from the club.
Next Tuesday's lunch meeting is cancelled. There is a pub night instead at the Poacher starting at 5:30 PM. Email Karen to confirm if you are attending.
Brent, RMC Chair – Thank you to Dragan for supporting Ribfest.
The deadline is today for responding to the City’s policy and events survey. Remember to submit your views.
Speaker - Dragan Petrovic, Masonry & Charitable Work
Masons' Charitable Endeavors Continue to Make a Global Impact
In Burlington, Ontario, the spirit of community service thrives as Dragan, a prominent figure within the local Masonic fraternity, leads initiatives to support various charitable causes. Dragan, serving as the equivalent of President for Wellington Square Lodge, has been instrumental in organizing philanthropic events such as 'Hops for Hospice', which recently raised $20,000 benefiting Carpenter Hospice.
Inspired by the success of Canada's Largest Ribfest, Dragan's brother-in-law in Serbia created a similar Rotary Club fundraiser, showcasing the global ripple effect of charitable initiatives pioneered by Masons.
Masons are organized into lodges, focusing on self-improvement and fostering bonds among members through ritualistic practices.
The Scottish Rite, a specialized branch of Masonry, has made significant contributions to education and healthcare. Their building in Hamilton, utilized for filming series such as The Handmaid’s Tale, also houses initiatives like a dyslexia learning center and medical research into conditions like Alzheimer’s. Similarly, Shriners, another Masonic group, have established 22 children’s hospitals, further highlighting the fraternity's commitment to humanitarian causes.
Looking ahead, the Masons are gearing up for 'Hops for Hospice 2', scheduled to take place at the Royal Canadian Legion on May 4, 2024, at 7 pm. Tickets, priced at $60 per person, include a meal and entertainment by dueling pianos. Interested individuals are encouraged to reach out to Maya for ticket purchases.
The Masonic fraternity, with its democratic elections and universal religious affiliation among members, traces its roots back to the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717. Today, with over 6 million members worldwide and 200,000 in Canada alone, Masonry remains a global force for good, with lodges recognized by national and provincial bodies. The fraternity welcomes members from diverse backgrounds, offering a network of support and camaraderie that transcends geographical boundaries.
In parallel, the Sisterhood of the Eastern Star serves as the women's counterpart to Masonry, embodying similar principles of service and fellowship.
As the Masons continue to make strides in charitable endeavours and community building, their impact resonates locally and globally. They embody the timeless values of compassion, unity, and service to humanity.
The presentation slides are accessed with this link:
You can help promote peace in the world by encouraging peace and development leaders in your community to apply for the Rotary Peace Fellowship.
Each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for peacebuilders from diverse backgrounds to study at one of our peace centers located at leading universities around the world. This year, we’ll select 50 peace fellows to study in our master’s degree programs at six partner universities in Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States and 80 fellows to earn postgraduate diplomas through our professional development certificate programs at Makerere University in Uganda and Bahçeşehir University in Turkey.
Rotary Peace Fellows use their training to amplify their work at the local, regional, or global level. Together, we can advance peace by encouraging our local peacebuilders to learn about Rotary and apply for this unique fellowship.
But we need your help finding candidates. Rotary and Rotaract members can get involved by:
Forwarding the fellowship announcement to your contacts and including it in club and district communications
Using our referral form so potential candidates can receive more information and apply
Sharing a PowerPoint presentation about the fellowships with your club members and community
Taking the All About Rotary Peace Fellowships course to learn about the centers and fellowship qualification criteria, eligibility restrictions, and application process
Candidates have until 15 May to submit applications to The Rotary Foundation.
Thanks to generous support from donors and the dedicated participation of Rotary members, the peace fellowship program has more than 1,700 alumni working to make positive change in more than 140 countries. Many program alumni have founded their own organizations to address critical issues or serve as leaders in governments, nongovernmental organizations, educational and research institutions, media and the arts, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.
To learn more about how you can recruit the next generation of peace fellows, write to rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org
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