Events

Rotary Business Meeting

- Draft budget approval
- Golf Tourney outcome
- Armours Beach update and discussion
- Rotary shirts — all paid up?
- other?

Also a presentation from Klaus Fuerniss about his revitalization of The George.

Dr. Anshu Chandra, a Rotarian with the Niskayuna Rotary Club and Director of the Haiti Eye Clinic through the Global Eye Project. I would be honored to speak with your club virtually about the life-changing eye care our volunteer team provides in rural Haiti.

Since 2008, our team has worked to expand access to eye care in rural Haiti, where preventable vision problems often go untreated due to limited resources and a shortage of trained professionals.

In 2015, we established a small eye clinic within the hospital in Fond des Blancs, Haiti. What began as a modest effort has grown into one of the region’s busiest and most trusted eye centers. Our team has now provided more than 138,000 free eye exams, restoring sight, preventing avoidable blindness, and delivering care to thousands of patients who would otherwise go without treatment.

On a typical day, we see more than 100 patients, many of whom walk hours or even days to reach the clinic. Sustainability is central to our work. The clinic also serves as a training center for Haitian staff, equipping local professionals with the skills to deliver high-quality, internationally aligned care. Each year, we serve up to 15,000 people on a budget of less than $50,000 through the Global Eye Project, a fully volunteer-run nonprofit with no administrative overhead.

As we continue expanding this work, we are launching two important initiatives:
• Launching the first school-based vision screening programs in four school systems in Fond des Blancs, helping children see clearly so they can succeed in school.
• Building a permanent eye clinic to ensure sustainable, year-round eye care for underserved communities.

The permanent clinic is especially urgent because the hospital that currently houses our clinic will reclaim the space in 2027. To ensure uninterrupted care, we have secured land, acquired equipment, trained a Haitian team, and completed architectural plans with Architects Without Borders.

See our Impact:
Overview & Urgent Need: https://youtu.be/jy4cGAsIjz4
1-Minute Inside Our Clinic: https://youtu.be/vcwVGbJZ6rM
Patient Story: https://youtu.be/dP3opzJ84d4

[He] would greatly appreciate the opportunity to present virtually to your club. This is a 30-minute presentation with a PowerPoint and short videos that share this story and the lives impacted. If your club is interested, please share your availability, including your preferred start and end time (Eastern Time – New York), as well as your club’s full name, and I will do my best to accommodate your schedule. When he is in Haiti, he can also offer a brief live virtual tour of the clinic.

He thank us for our time and for the incredible service Rotary clubs provide to communities around the world.

Daniel was the force behind the Water Project we did in Peru in 2007.   He will talk about his experience in Peru when he worked on the project.   This was one of our International rewarding projects that we  were part of.   Bring Friends and Family to listen to him,

RC Pender Harbour is hosting a multi-Club luncheon at the Legion in Pender Harbour. Let's carpool and provide a strong showing from RC Gibsons! Here's their invitation...

the Rotary Club of Pender Harbour would like to invite all of the Rotarians from the other Sunshine Coast Clubs to attend a social in Pender Harbour at noon, on Fri. Sept. 25th at the Legion in Madeira Park.  Please join us for lunch where we pay our own bill, and offerings for this event will be limited to 4 offerings: soup & salad/ burger & fries/ chicken wings and other multiple salad offerings.  I have spoken and confirmed the Legion being able to accommodate us all!  Please bring your Spouse/ Partner or/and Friend, as they would be more than welcome.

We will provide 15 mins per club to give the group a presentation of what you are doing/ projects/ fund-raisers and changes within your organizations.  

We will still set-up ZOOM to accommodate should anyone else within our Club's wish to join in. (Note: Jim/Malcolm)

This event is intended to be a meet & greet to all the Rotary clubs on the Coast, to enhance a collaborative Rotary theme.

This will be an opportunity for committees to meet at their chosen location on our regular Thursday evening time.

The Lions Club in Gibsons is made up of volunteers wanting to do good in the community. So are we. Paulette will give us a glimpse of what the Lions Club has been up to, and maybe we may discover how we could accomplish more together!

Details to follow...

Tonight's speaker will be Pamela McElheran from St Bart's Food Bank. Pamela will bring us up to date on the Food Bank program and possibility the effect of Howe Sound Pulp and Paper closing on the food bank's program. Please be sure to register by 12:00PM Wednesday Novemeber 4th to ensure you have adinner. Any dietary requests are to be emailed to Lynne at lgeikie@eastlink.ca along with any members who are attending but not having dinner. Smiles Lynne

Our speaker tonight will be Lisa Stiver. Lisa played a key role in opening YMCA childcare centres in Sechelt and Gibsons, helping increase access to quality childcare for local families. She also worked at YMCA Camp Elphinstone and continues to champion the camp through her leadership in a capital fundraising campaign. Most recently, she secured a free-to-play grant that provides structurally disadvantaged children with the opportunity to attend camp at no cost, ensuring more children can experience connection, belonging, and outdoor learning regardless of financial barriers.She is an active volunteer member of the Gibsons and District Fire Department and is currently completing officer training. She has volunteered for wildfire deployment support, including travelling to Kelowna during devastating wildfire seasons to assist communities in crisis.Beyond emergency services, Lisa volunteers as a board member for the Sunshine Coast Foundation and will soon chair the Grants Committee, helping direct vital funding to organizations and initiatives that strengthen the community. She also volunteers with Elderdog Canada, walking dogs for seniors so they can continue to keep their beloved companions at home.  Please be sure to register by 12 PM on Wednesday November 18 to guarantee you will have a dinner. If you have any dietary requests or are not having dinner please email Lynne Geikie at lgeikie@eastlink.ca 

Rotary AGM