Rotary Club of Oakville 

Monday, April 20, 2026 – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Regular Club Meeting
Recorder: Karla Cabrera

1. Social Time (6:00 p.m.)

Members and guests gathered for fellowship prior to the formal meeting.

2. Call to Order (6:30 p.m.)

The meeting was called to order with the Ring of the Bell and a welcome to Rotarians and friends.

3. Opening Protocols

• Land Acknowledgment: Larry Rodrigue
• National Anthem: Led by Frank Morewood
• Toast to King Charles III & Canada: Lynn Childs
• Invocation: George Farrow

4. Guests

The Club welcomed the following guests:

• Christine Bradley
• Karen Kelly‑Woolcock
• Norah Knox

5. April Birthdays

• Bob Miskelly – April 15
• Gary Comendford – April 2
• George Farrow – April 26
• Richard Roberts – April 16

6. Dinner

Members enjoyed a delicious buffet meal.

7. Classification Talk – Silvia Dimitrova

Silvia shared her inspiring personal and professional journey, including:

• Growing up in Bulgaria and immigrating to Canada
• Becoming a lawyer and serving at the United Nations
• Her passion for piano and jazz
• Her life in Oakville with her husband, where they enjoy travelling and playing music together

8. Happy Bucks

Led by Mike Fisher, members shared recent joys and positive moments:

• Mike Fisher: Participated in the Community Clean‑Up event and enjoyed time with friends afterward
• Rod: Recently travelled to Calgary and had a great experience
• Susan: Enjoyed the Club Leadership Learning event
• Silvia: Returned from Bulgaria after spending Easter with her grandmother
• Amin: Happy to see George Farrow back; proud of his daughter for passing her first Bar exam; enjoyed the Community Clean‑Up
• Lyndsay: Proud of her daughter for achieving 100% on a challenging exam
• Ed: Celebrated the success of the 2026 Interact Conference
• Ralf: Spent quality time with his three daughters and grandchildren; recognized Rotarians who work tirelessly behind the scenes, including Rod
• Mark: Recovering well from knee replacement surgery and enjoying the new perks, including a parking permit
• Karla: Happy to see George Farrow back; grateful for the success of the Community Clean‑Up and thanked all participants
• Mahendra: Pleased to have participated in the Global Medic event
• Lynn: Highlighted a fantastic Rotary weekend with three events: Community Clean‑Up, Global Medic, and the Leadership Learning event

9. Introduction of Guest Speakers

Mike Henry introduced Gary O’Neill and Tony O’Donnell from Kerr Street Mission (KSM).
Mike and Lynn presented KSM with a cheque for $153,000, to purchase of a new refrigerated truck.

10. Presentation – Kerr Street Mission

Key points shared by KSM representatives:

• Expressed gratitude for Rotary’s ongoing support
• Oakville is experiencing historically high poverty levels
• Minimum income required to meet basic needs in Oakville: $53,000
• 20.4% of Halton residents face food insecurity
• In 2025, KSM distributed $240 million worth of food
• KSM focuses on:
  • Family Services
  • Child & Youth Development
  • Food Security
• KSM served 1,380 people in the last six weeks alone
• Emphasized the critical role of community organizations in supporting vulnerable residents

11. Announcements & Upcoming Events

• POD Duties:
  Ralf Soeder reminded members to participate and respond promptly to POD captains.

• Interact Conference:
  Liliana Chocarro reported that youth participants demonstrated enthusiasm and strong problem‑solving abilities.

• Repair Café – May 2, 2026:
  Karla announced the upcoming Repair Café.

  • Cheque presentation at 1:00 p.m.
  • Members are welcome from 9:00 a.m. if they wish to have items repaired
  • Registration link will be circulated by email

• Earth Day Community Clean‑Up:
  Karla reported a successful event with 19 volunteers cleaning two sites.

• Club Leadership Learning:
  Lynn shared that the event was an excellent learning opportunity for all attendees.

• Annual Golf Tournament – September 14, 2026:
  Save the date for this year’s tournament at Piper’s Heath.
  Funds raised will support the Halton Learning Foundation.

• Next Meeting:
  Monday, May 4, 2026.

• Members are kindly reminded to register in advance and to register any guests.

4 Way Test led by Lynn.