Our President, Jennifer Kay, believes strongly in the ideals and the missions of Rotary. Unfortunately she has been sidelined for health reasons for a good portion of this past year. Nevertheless Jennifer has never been far from our thoughts and we all wish her a speedy recovery.
Above are President Jennifer Kay and Past President Karen Milner
Be well Jennifer! Your club has great admiration for you and we miss the joy of your smile and the sound of your laughter. We want to see you soon.
For the past few years, by June 1st, most of Ribfest planning is over, the contracts are signed, the licenses acquired, and everyone is looking forward to the event, One can almost smell the ribs being cooked and the fat dripping into the fire, the blooming onions sand the sweaty Steering Committee members and volunteers striving to do the needful. Not this year, due to COVID-19!
8th Annual Ribfest, June 2019 - Before social distancing
The Oakville Family Ribfest, our annual flagship fundraiser, ends with the cleaning, washing, restoring and returning of the parking lot in good condition to Sheridan. The planning for next year’s event starts within a couple of weeks with Steering Committee’s celebratory drinks and a debriefing session to review and document what went well, what did not, and identifying three or four key priorities. For the 2020 event, the priorities were: pursue corporate volunteer partnerships, more streamlined parking process and more variety of food offerings.
The first sub-committee to get going is the Sponsorship Committee with the ‘Sponsors Recognition Lunch’ the week of Thanksgiving, followed by several biweekly high cholesterol breakfast meetings; committee member start following-up with previous sponsors and identifying new ones. The remaining sub-committees usually start planning their respective activities and come on stream in January.
By the middle of February, several activities were underway: procuring licenses for liquor and 50/50, tweaking the layout to increased traffic flow in the Marketplace, identifying grant opportunities, planning details of corporate volunteer partnerships, pursuing contracts with ribbers, food vendors and logistics providers, preparing for social media ramp-up, etc.
COVID-19 brought every planning activity to a screeching halt. The Steering Committee recommended, and the Board agreed to postpone the event to June 2021. Within a couple of weeks, we also received a note that Bingo was also put on hold to maintain social distancing. So, two of our three fundraising streams stopped flowing - Online Auction is still being planned for the Fall 2020, and even that would potentially be adversely affected as most grossing auction items are gift certificates from restaurants, beauty salons, etc.
No fundraising opportunities when the need among the causes we support locally and globally is even more! When the going gets tough, the tough get going……
The Fundraising Committee met through Zoom (courtesy of Bent) and brainstormed various ideas. We now have several fundraising vehicles underway.
Some of the collected bottles in the Bottle Drive Fundraiser
email bottledrive@rcot.ca to arrange to get bottles picked up
Claire suggested that we collect beer and wine empties and return them for cash. Under Ken C and Claire’s stewardship, this fundraiser has been a success. With the help of several RCOT members and their family members, specially Cathy W’s son Dillon, Ken’s nephew Eric, and 2 other wonderful youth, the team has expanded the program to collect empties in front of the beer store as well as friends and neighbours and so far has raised approximately.$3,000 dollars. University students are helping with the collection and return of empties since they will be eligible for CERB benefits for volunteering. We estimate that we have handled in excess of 20,000 pieces.
Practically every day that Ken goes outside, some one has left empties on his front porch, so the word of mouth is continuing to spread. The committee has decided to extend the fundraiser through the summer. This program only makes significant dollars if we collect very large volumes! So please continue to ask your friends, family and neighbours to save their bottles until the end of August. A new email has been sent around that you can circulate.
John K and one of our newest members, Tim Wilson, decided to enhance the 50/50 program. We have the license, a minimum guarantee of $3000, and are promoting the event through the Rotary Website, email, social media, etc. A big thank you to Access Storage, our on-line 50/50 a Sponsor; not only have they generously sponsored the Draw, but also contributed two Early Bird prizes - three months of free storage at two Access Storage locations in Oakville.
After three weeks, we have sales over $5,000, an excellent start to our goal of $20,000 in sales. However, we will all need to work at encouraging sales to make it successful.
If you have not bought your tickets, please do so immediately to get the pot up! Please click http://CovidRotaryRaffle.ca/ to buy tickets, and please forward the message and poster to family, friends, and contacts to boost sales.
Bill Kerr suggested that we pursue raffle two Airline tickets to an attractive destination. This is still a work in progress; we are trying to ascertain if we can collect sufficient Aeroplan points through donations from RCOT members and the community at large and use these points to procure the tickets. Stat tuned for more details in the July RIOTS.
Another suggestion that is receiving serious consideration is Cyber Bingo and Online Games. Alan C investigated this further. The Online Games fundraiser sets the registration amount for players to register to play in their Quiz Event, with all the registrations making the fundraiser fund and 1st place wins 10% of the fundraiser fund, 2nd place wins 6%, etc. However, it currently only operates in the UK, but they are adding more countries on June 1. If Canada gets supported, we will need to ensure we can legally do it.
So, remain healthy, maintain social distancing, stay at home, but think out of the box.
Thank you for all of the fundraising ideas submitted so far. If you have any more fundraising ideas that we could pursue during COVID-19 lockdown, please forward them to me at rphalpher@gmail.com.
I am looking forward to working with Cathy Whittaker and the board for the Rotary year: 2020-21.
The Rotary Club of Oakville, Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar, Rotary Club of Oakville West and the Oakville Passport Club have established an Oakville Rotary Relief Fund.
Collectively, the four Rotary Clubs have put $30,000 into this fund from moneys raised through their fundraising efforts in the prior year and are raising money from the community.
Complex intubation mannequin for OTMH Emergency Room - $3,938.75
Above intubation mannequin at OTMH
Online access to learning support for 11 families through Halton Learning Foundation - $1,650.00
Six weeks of canned goods support to the Kerr Street Mission - $2,400.00
Cheque presentation at Kerr Street Mission
Six weeks of canned goods support to the Foodshare Food Bank - $2,400.00
Cheque presentation at Foodshare
Second Round ORRF Recipients (source:Oakville News)
Halton Children’s Aid Society received $2,125 for food bags and Walmart gift cards for vulnerable youth that have ‘aged-out’ of this important support network.
Halton Women’s Place $2,000 for assistance with operational funding due to decreased fundraising abilities.
Oakville Art Society received $2,000 for assistance with operational funding due to decreased fundraising abilities.
Oakville Art Society Office Manager, Jayne Cangemi expresses her thanks
Oakville Meals on Wheels will utilize $3,000 to cover increased expenses for PPE. They will $1,000/month for three months for the protection of their volunteers.
Salvation Army Lighthouse Shelter received $1,000 to purchase outdoor furniture to enable residents to safely use the shelter’s outdoor space.
The Oakville Rotary Relief Fund will continue to support necessities in food, PPE, and education/technology during this pandemic. The ORRF organizing committee works with the Community Foundation, United Way and the Town of Oakville.
All donations to the Fund are tax deductible. Tax receipts will be issued by CanadaHelps.
If you prefer to send a cheque, please make it payable to: Rotary Club of Oakville Charitable Trust and send to: The Rotary Club of Oakville, Unit 110, 30 Normandy Drive, Oakville, ON, L6K 3V2
Our International Hunger Relief Program due to Covid 19 is wrapping up. We received a donation of $3000 US from the Rotary club of Waterdown which was distributed to rural eastern Guatemala (Quiche province). In total we have distributed a total of $33,313 worth of food - approximately $18,000 to Guatemala City, $9,000 to Quiche, Guatemala, and $6,000 to Honduras.
Thanks to all the donors – Rotary Clubs of Oakville Trafalgar, Oakville, Burlington Central, Burlington Lakeshore, Toronto, Waterdown, District 7080, and many private donors. We kept hundreds of families from going hungry.
Global Grant for a Mini-hospital at Chiquimula University
Unfortunately, the work on our Global Grant for equipping a mini hospital for the University of Chiquimula is delayed. Everyone is preoccupied fighting this pandemic. Hopefully, we will be able to pick this up again when things return to normal. We did apply, and receive approval, for matching Government of Canada funds for this project.
Global Grant for a Dental Services for the Poor, San Miguel, Mexico
June is also making progress on the dental Global Grant in Mexico. They have found a charity to work with that will pay the ongoing operating expenses (a Global Grant won’t pay for these but will pay capital expenses).
District Grant for Maternity Clinic, Copan, Honduras
We have been approved for a District Grant to fund equipment for a maternity clinic in Copan, Honduras. The project will be $10,000 US with a 1:1 match from the District. It is for the 20-21 year so can’t start until August when the District receives their funds, but we have reserved funds from this year’s budget for it.
KIVA
We have supported KIVA again. This will grow the amount of capital available to make microfinance loans to women in developing countries. Emmanuelle chairs the committee that selects the recipients.
The Oakville Community Foundation earlier this year established a web portal to help students access various sources of financial aid in one place. The Education Awards are one of the Programs on that site.
It is structured so that students can apply on-line. Serendipity !! Who knew then that the COVID 19 outbreak would require another path where students can submit applications. The link to the Portal is: http://awardshub.ca/
So the three-club Committee will push forward, gather whatever applications we can, and help students who fit the criteria for support.
As there will not be a celebration Dinner as in the past, we are free to be flexible with the timing of the Awards, so long as get the money to the students before the start of their new school year. Currently a June 30th virtual presentation is being planned.
If you are aware of any students who may be wondering how to apply, either direct them to John Kubacki, or the Community Foundation Portal. The deadline is June 15th.
On May 28th, Hailey Sutherland, the Rotary Indigenous Scholarship recipient for the 2019/20 school year was the Guest Speaker for our regular Thursday Meeting. Hailey gave a very inspirational and touching presentation. She highlighted her past and spoke about some of the challenges she and members of her community face. In particular she spoke emotionally about the impact of drug additions and suicides and how that has lead her to want to focus her education on Psychology. When she graduates she plans to return to her community to help. She also mentioned that her Elders have given her the Indigenous name of Warrior Woman and it was clear from the presentation that it is a very fitting name.
It was an excellent presentation and helped remind us all why we work hard to raise the funds that we do for all of the charities and causes that we support.
As the COVID-19 upsets the present and sidelines all our expectations for the future, we naturally wonder what the future holds for us, our families and country. Interestingly we are blessed with a host of commentators, historians, philosophers, economists, psychologists, columnists and politicians who are ready, from their knowledge and wisdom, to tell us what the future will be and how we will live, post-pandemic. It is impressive how confident they are.
Winston Churchill once remarked on the skills needed by politicians.
“The ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.”
Nobody knows for certain what the future will be like. Yet that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare ourselves. We can do that by affirming the qualities that helped us and our ancestors to get though the changes in life and meet the unknowable future: integrity, perseverance, patience, faith and hope, hard work and endurance. As the wartime slogan says, ”KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON”.
Also, as we are seeing every day, our greatest source of strength comes through being part of a community. Together we share the suffering, the dangers, the successes, the victories; together we find new ways and solutions. So we don’t need to know the future! We simply need each other. Together we’ll work it all out, as we always have, by going through everything together, step by step into the unknown. We don’t know what will be but we’ll get there together.
A big RCOT thanks goes out to Liz Blunt for her unique and useful idea to raise funds for Rotary while protecting Rotarians and their families.
Liz donated the materials and made about 50 masks and raised $500 for RCOT.
Don wanted to insure that all Rotarians made note of the important instructions below on the care of face masks
Please let Don know if you would like Liz to make any face masks for you or your family. don@blunt.ca $15 ea or 2 for $25 … donation payable to RCOT
These mask tips have been passed along by Don Blunt whose wife Liz sewed an number of masks for members and raised a few hundred dollars in the process. Thank you Don and Liz!
The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 has impacted the lives of everyone. Many of the local events and functions that we are all used to attending have been cancelled or postponed. Our annual Rotary events are no different. So as at today the following events are postponed or cancelled.
STRAWBERRY SOCIAL - JULY 2020
This year's event has been cancelled and our partner, Acclaim Health has been informed. If you have any questions please contact Vanda Albuquerque.
9TH ANNUAL RIBFEST - JUNE 2020
The event has been postponed until June 2021 and all of our vendors, sponsors and partners have been informed. If you have any questions please contact Ken Coulter or Bent Fink-Jensen.
ROTARY EDUCATION AWARDS - MAY 2020
With COVID-19 closing schools, we have delayed the date for getting applications from students until June 15, 2020. Please see the short article above.
A virtual celebration is being considered for June 30, 2020. More details will follow.
CAMP ENTERPRISE and RYLA APRIL - MAY 2020
In accordance with the decision made by District 7080 these events have been cancelled for 2020.
VISIT TO CRAWFORD LAKE - MAY 2020
Organized and managed by the Indigenous Committee this has been cancelled for 2020.
DISTRICT ASSEMBLY and TRAINING - APRIL 2020
In accordance with the decision made by District 7080 these events have been cancelled for 2020.
DELTA BINGO - MARCH 2020 until ?
Due to COVID-19 concerns, as of March 16th, Delta Bingo is temporarily closed until further notice
DECLUTTERING? CLEANING & ORGANIZING during this time of social and physical distancing? The Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar is partnering with the Art for Aid Project to supply art supplies to Indigenous Elementary schools grades K-8.
We are looking forNEW ANDGENTLY USED ART SUPPLIES. Brushes, small canvases, pencil crayons, gel pens, markers, erasers, playdough, modelling clay, kids craft items, Lego, drawing tools, childrens’ colouring books, acrylic & watercolour paint & watercolour paper, stickers, clasps & jewellery, beading materials, jewellery thread, feathers, strong scissors, hole punches, good quality crafting needles, deer & moose hide, fabric paints & new child-sized Tshirts, craft glue guns, glue sticks.
(please clean and disinfect all previously loved items with Lysol spray.)
What we don't take: flammable items, liquid paint mediums such as resins and oil paints, books, paper (we have lots), glitter and glitter glue (due to its large negative global impact on our waters).
Please hold onto your art supplies for now.
We will not be collecting anything yet, due to the Covid19 pandemic, but we are hoping to send our first shipment in the Fall of 2020.
FOR QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT: Joanne MacNair, Rotary Oakville Trafalgar ArtforAid@rcot.ca
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