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      The Rotary Club of Langley’s 48th and final regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on June 25, 2020, and our O Canada effort was greatly improved.  Leon played a scenic version of O Canada and we could sing along to the words and music, but as our mics were muted, we heard only ourselves accompanying the anthem.  Each of us thought the singing was great!
     Welcome from Wayne: “For the last time, I’m reminding you that our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  We have had a challenging time in the latter part of this Rotary year in connecting person to person, but we were quite successful prior to COVID-19 appearing.  Since then our method of connecting has changed, and we have been given new opportunities to adapt our club to appeal to more people.  We need to let them know what we have to offer, and how they can share the joy we have when we help others.  Our motto is Service Above Self, and it’s a good one.”
     Announcements:  Arboretum and RIC, Rotaract Sponsorship (the paperwork is complete and we have the charter to print and get signed), Rotaract
Opportunity, Executive Decisions: donations of $5000 to ABSL and TRF, plus another $3000 to World Help Network to cosponsor a container to Belize in September.  This will also give a hands-on opportunity for club members to help load the container.
      A Year-end Review will be presented at next week’s meeting, prior to the installation of our new executive.
     Our guest speaker was Jayne Wilson, Executive Director of BC Federation of Foster Parent Associations (236-425-0997  www.bcfosterparents.ca.)   Jayne enjoys the flexibility of working in non-profit which often demands a “think out of the box” approach.  She shared information about foster parenting and the challenges and rewards of doing “the toughest job you’ll ever love.”  Club members shared their experiences with foster parents and children and we had a lively Q&A session.  Check out the photo section for a few of her slides.
     We really enjoyed a special program, “Looking Back and Looking Ahead” prepared by Claudia.  The photos, mostly from the past year, and the music combined to make this must-see viewing.  We will put this presentation onto our website for others to enjoy.
    We collected Happy and Sad Dollars for Polio Plus, with many $5 bills being donated this week in recognition of our guest speaker and Claudia’s power point presentation.   Some dollars were donated thanking Wayne for his year as our club president, providing leadership through some challenging times.
     We closed with a toast to Canada and cheerfully waved good-bye to another Rotary year.
 
 
 
     The Rotary Club of Langley’s 47th regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on June 18, 2020, and our O Canada effort really could have been improved.  Leon played a version of O Canada but could not get the sound to work.  So, we sang along with the words that appeared on the screen.  Well, that was the idea, but the version being played was a little slow, so most Rotarians forged ahead at the pace they felt the song should be sung, apparently ignoring the words on the screen, and there were four or five different paces.  This wouldn’t have been so bad had our mics been muted as they were last week, but we could hear Rotarians singing, different words at different times, and it wasn’t really good.  How will we fare next week?
 
     Welcome from Wayne: “As I am sure you now know, our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  We are living in a time when technology enables us to connect with people everywhere.  We can hold face-to-face onscreen discussions with Rotary leaders, can communicate with many Rotarians from our district at training events, and meet with each other without leaving our homes.  We are connecting the world in ways we hadn’t really considered in the past.  Let’s take advantage of the opportunities we now have.”
 
     Announcements:    Arboretum and RIC, Rotaract Sponsorship, Ribfest, and Coffee Corner with John Hewko People are using the benches in David’s Garden.  Les is donating about $60 000 worth of plants to the ABSL.  Wayne has applied for RI to approve all four Langley Rotary clubs being cosponsors of the Rotaract Club of Langley.  We hope this will be in place before the end of the month. Our executive is in favour of supporting an online 50/50 draw for Ribfest.  More details will be coming in the new year. Wayne reviewed points made by Rotary’s CEO, John Hewko, in his Coffee Corner with Rotarians in District 5050 this week.  Click here for the details.
 
      With a quorum of executive members voting, we passed the following motion moved by Allan, seconded by Lana: “That we approve spending $3000 to co sponsor a container to Belize with the Rotary Club of Port Moody.”    Carried this will provide a hands-on opportunity for our members in September, assisting in loading the container.
 
     Program: Remembering with Photos  Wayne put together photos of our club members from 2008, and added several banners from Rotary International as well.  We took time to look at the photos, remember people and events, and make comments as we saw fit.  It was actually a great social interaction time while looking at the photos. For more photos please visit June 18, 2020
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Langley’s 46th regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on June 11, 2020, with a new high of eighteen people involved.  Rather than repeat last week’s experience with the national anthem, we tried something new.  Leon played a version of O Canada and we sang along with our mics muted.  That way we could hear the singer and ourselves, and see the others mouthing the words.  It worked quite well.
 
    Welcome from Wayne: “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  According to Mark Maloney, our RI President, Rotarians are connecting with the world more than ever before, as more of us make use of modern technology to reach out and connect with others.  He encourages us to engage our members, to reach out to those who have not been attending meetings, to restore connections.  Once again, our club is ahead of the curve, as we’ve been doing that for some time.  Thank you, Claudia.  Mark says this pandemic is a watershed moment for the world, and for Rotary.  It has provided us an opportunity to become more flexible, and we should use this to our advantage in shaping a club that is attractive to all ages.” 
 
     Wayne introduced our four guests, scholarship winners this year.
 
     Discussion topics included Arboretum and RIC, Message from DG Brad, Program and Remembering with Photos.  Wayne read a statement from RI dealing with the topic of racism, and how at Rotary, we have no tolerance for any kind of racism.  Photos took us down memory lane (for longtime members) or introduced us to information from the past (for newer members).
 
     Cassidy Cardle and Leah Cho, from Walnut Grove Secondary School, and Ella Davidson and Lida Magnus from Langley Fundamental Middle and Secondary School told us about themselves, their interests, their volunteer activities, and their plans for the future.  When they complete their studies as planned, we will have a nurse with PHD, a clinical counsellor, a clinical psychologist, and a lawyer in our midst.
 
     We collected an above average number of happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus and closed the meeting with a toast to Canada.  An executive meeting followed. For more photos please visit June 11, 2020.
 
 
 
     The Rotary Club of Langley’s 45th regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on June 4, 2020.  The usual social interaction was enjoyed by members and guests signing in.  Almost exactly on time near seven o’clock  president Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.  We did sing O Canada, but the thirteen attending were not as synchronized as we’ve been in previous efforts.  It was the most humourous version of our national anthem we ever heard, and laughter could not be contained.  Better luck next time.
 
    Welcome from Wayne: “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  Now we’re connecting by Zoom and other online formats.  Club training is available on a weekly basis for interested Rotarians.  I know Claudia and Veronica have participated, and I encourage more club members to take advantage of these opportunities.  Go to the District 5050 website for more information.” 
 
     Wayne welcomed Sharon Bazant, our guest speaker, to the meeting.
 
     Discussion topics included Arboretum and RIC, Membership, Polio Plus Project, and Remembering with Photos.  Wayne welcomed Jim See back as a member of our club, and was sorry that Jim hadn’t been able to hook up for this meeting.  He shared information from a Zoom meeting he had attended featuring Mike McGovern, and you can click here to read his report.  Members were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Bill Lee, a former member and past president of our club.  Bill had a great sense of humour and brightened many of our meetings with his wit.  Wayne showed photos of Bill Lee and other members who are no longer with us, as well as other interesting photos from our club’s past.  Expect more of these photo sharing sessions at future meetings.
 
     Sharon Bazant is a local author living in the Cloverdale area.  She recently published a memoir of her roller-coaster years in Thailand and beyond entitled Nine Years in Bangkok: Lessons Learned.  Sharon shared her memories with us and read a few passages from the book.  She and her family had quite the adventures travelling around (including living in Pakistan and Thailand), and the little glimpses into topics and events covered in the book that she shared enticed some of us to want to read the book.
 
     We collected happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus and closed the meeting with a toast to Canada. For an update on Polio Plus please visit our Polio Plus Report. For more photos on our meeting please visit June 4, 2020. 
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Langley’s 44th regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on May 28, 2020.  Great social interaction was enjoyed by members and guests signing in.  For the first time online, we reached seventeen participants.  After Les seemed to give most of his arboretum report, president Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.  We did sing O Canada, and the online singing and timing amused our student guests.
 
    Welcome from Wayne:  “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects  the World.  Right now we’re trying to connect with all our club members, and hoping more will be able to attend our meetings from the comfort of their homes.  With restaurants opening up, somewhat, perhaps soon we’ll be able to meet in small groups to connect over coffee.  In the meantime, Zoom meetings for club meetings and district informational presentations are the order of the day.”
 
     Annuals are now being planted at the arboretum to bring colour over the summer.  Les reported that the gate is now open, so you won’t have to park across the road and sneak in to enjoy the site.  Claudia is actively leading the membership committee and has attended online sessions.  The Nikomekl Enhancement Society is looking for a volunteer to assist with their website, and Allan has the details for anyone interested.  We sang Happy Birthday to Leon, a new, slow version so everyone could keep in time (or that was the idea), and actually did get some harmony.
 
     Jack Miller was our guest (attending for the last time as guest) along with Una Chang, from Walnut Grove Secondary, and Jennifer Vuong, from Aldergrove Community Secondary.  Una and Jennifer are two of our scholarship winners this year, and both presented interesting summaries about themselves.  Una will begin studies at Trinity Western University as she prepares to become a nurse.  Jennifer is planning to attend the University of British Columbia to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Science, hoping to become a biomedical engineer in the future.  Both girls mentioned that it was really cool to be part of our club meeting.
 
     We collected happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus and closed the meeting with a toast to Canada. For more photos please visit May 28, 2020. 
 
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Langley’s 43rd regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on May 21, 2020.  Great social interaction was enjoyed by members and guests signing in.  When he deemed appropriate, president Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.
 
    Welcome from Wayne:   “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects
the World.  I haven’t connected with the world, but I did connect with six young women on your behalf and made them very happy.  They were excited to hear from me that they had been awarded Rotary scholarships.  We did not have guest speakers on May 28 or June 11, so I arranged for three students to speak to us on each of those occasions.  Club members on the Membership Committee were also able to connect with others in District 5050, and I’m hoping more club members will take advantage of the opportunities to become involved in online training sessions offered by our district.”
 
     Announcements included an updated speakers list, membership information from Claudia, and correspondence from DG Brad.   Wayne expressed pleasure that our club was ahead of the game in already conducting activities requested by Brad.  Club members who have been unable to attend meetings should be receiving phone calls from our volunteer phoning committee: Claudia, Rudy, Brendan, Allan, Bob L., John and Wayne.
 
     George Garrett was our guest speaker, informing us about the need for and services offered by the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society.  Over 3500 people were assisted in 2019 by about 200 drivers, and 2020 had projections of 27000 trips. The service is very well used.  George also shared anecdotes from his career as a reporter for CKNW, proving to be an informative and enjoyable speaker. 
 
     Executive members passed motions proposing Jim See and Jack Miller as new members of our club.  Jack was a guest again this evening, and we enjoyed his participation. 
  
     We collected happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus and shared a number of humourous stories, as this meeting seemed to have more laughter than usual. We closed with a toast to Canada. 
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Langley’s 42nd regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on May 14, 2020.  After allowing about twenty minutes for members and guests to log in and exchange pleasantries, president Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.
 
    Welcome from Wayne:   Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects
the World.  I’ve been told that because we are forced to use technology, meeting online via the internet, we are actually more connected than we have been in the past.  Perhaps, but I miss the in-person meetings with you.
     Announcements included the possible reopening of the arboretum after the long weekend, upcoming speakers (listed elsewhere), Rotary COVID update, announcement of scholarship winners (more information to be provided on website), and a short quiz on the Four Way Test.
 
     Dr. Brendan Martin served as our guest speaker and turned storyteller as he spoke about how nonviolent protests have been more effective in bringing about change than the protests involving guns.  If as few as 3.5% of the population get behind a protest movement, massive changes can be made.  Brendan’s compelling story included both tragedy and persistence from two Irish women who felt there was a better way. 
  
     We collected happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus (and heard about a beautiful stream in Boulder, Colorado), and closed with a toast to Canada. 
 
 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Langley’s 40th regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on April 30, 2020.  After allowing a fifteen minute social time for members to log in and exchange pleasantries, president Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.  In it he quoted from remarks our RIP Mark Maloney had made when announcing his theme. 
 
    Welcome from Wayne:   Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects
the World.  “Rotary allows us to connect with each other, in deep and meaningful ways, across our differences,” Maloney said. “It connects us to people we would never otherwise have met, who are more like us than we ever could have known. It connects us to our communities, to professional opportunities, and to the people who need our help.”
     Maloney also called on every Rotary and Rotaract club to identify segments of their community not represented in their club by creating a membership committee with diverse members.  
     “Through Rotary, we connect to the incredible diversity of humanity on a truly unique footing, forging deep and lasting ties in pursuit of a common goal,” he added. “In this ever more divided world, Rotary connects us all.”
     Officially we had one guest, Nora Truman.  However, since Nora joins us so frequently, we now treat her as one of us and forego the formal introduction.  An interesting, slow version of Happy Birthday was sung for PE Veronica, who will be celebrating on May 2nd.  Lana was wished a happy anniversary as well.
 
     Fifteen new azaleas have been added to the collection for the garden at the Arboretum, Les reported.  Wayne advised that Rotary will be holding a virtual convention in June that will be free for us to attend.  We wait for details.  Claudia reported on procedures for welcoming new members and will be updating our membership application form.  Wayne informed club members that twenty-three applications for scholarships were narrowed down to thirteen, and numbers 4 – 13 had been distributed to the scholarship committee members for their evaluation.  Three of those ten will then join the top three to become this year’s six scholarship recipients.  Twenty of the applications were from females, with only three from males, and the top eighteen were from young women.
 
     PE Veronica headed up a discussion about social activities and members expressed a desire for more of them, starting as soon as we are allowed to meet together in person.  Veronica kept track of the suggestions made.  We had thirteen people participating, and finally got to hear from Bob Lukie, even though we could not see him.  The screen shots saved by Leon shows us “in action” during the meeting.
 
     Wayne shared before and after photos of the improvements made at LCSS through our district grant project.  We still have the hands-on part, sanding and painting, to do once we are again allowed to gather.
 
     We closed with happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus, and a toast to Canada. For more pictures please visit April 30, 2020. 
 
 
 
  
 The Rotary Club of Langley’s 401st regular meeting of this Rotary year was held via Zoom on May 7, 2020.  After allowing a fifteen minute social time for members and guests to log in and exchange pleasantries, president Wayne called the meeting to order and asked if club members would like to sing O Canada, our traditional opening when we meet in person.  Before long we were singing, not all in unison, but mostly with the same words, and we could recognize the song. 
 
    Welcome from Wayne:   Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects
the World.  In the news yesterday we heard that slowly we will be able to move a little way towards the connections we had before this virus struck.  It will not be the same, and likely will never be the same.  Now we have a new meaning for “remembering the good old days.”  Rotarians will prevail, though, and we will continue to do good in our world.  Our new district grant project is the latest example for us.
     We welcomed guest speakers Susan Cairns and Michelle Bisson-Somerville, and special guest Pauline Buck, president of the Rotary Club of Aldergrove. 
 
     Announcements included having two benches installed in what we call David’s bird garden at the arboretum, and the possibility of installing the Rotary wheel there instead of in front of the Rotary Interpretive Centre building.  We will have 100+ varieties for the azalea garden.  Members were asked to review the Four Way Test as questions will be asked at our next meeting.  Pauline shared information about her club and projects they have underway.
 
     Susan and Michelle brought us information about the garden tower project in our schools, one we have supported by buying six (?) towers for the program.  The food program in the schools is supplemented by the vegetables these towers produce.
 
     Dr. John Brynjolfson brought us information about medical marijuana and the benefits and cautions that come along with it.  Interest was expressed in the gummy bears, but John recommends the liquid for superior quality assurance.
 
     This was our first online meeting with speakers presenting to us, and it worked quite well.  We collected happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus (at the request of several members, Wayne is now collecting IOU dollars), and closed with a toast to Canada. For more pictures visit May 7, 2020.
 
 
 
 
Our weekly meeting via Zoom was a little different than most meetings.  After fifteen minutes of socializing while people logged on to the meeting, Wayne called Meeting #39 to order and offered his words of welcome. “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World. What a theme for a year when we’re being told to stay home, to self-isolate, and to avoid large groups. Thank goodness for technology. Now (speaking for myself) some of us just have to learn how to use it.”
            Les and Leon pointed out that the local paper featured a picture of the tulips at the arboretum where club members have donated hundreds of hours of labour. Wayne shared a message from DG Brad about a future volunteer opportunity, Volunteer Surge, which is now in the United States and plans to come to Canada.  More information will be sent out to all Rotarians in our district very soon.  Club members welcomed guests Dwight Bennett (again appearing as the telephone in our snapshot) and Jack Miller to our meeting.  This week we had sixteen people involved in our meeting, a new high for our online sessions.  Claudia shared the results of the recent membership survey she conducted, and the information will be used as we plan future meetings.
     President-Elect Veronica then led a brainstorming session where we exchanged ideas about what we would like for our club and how we can make the Rotary experience more meaningful for all members.  Leon recorded ideas on a whiteboard and we will continue the process next week.
     Happy dollars were donated and will be saved for future delivery.  We closed with a toast to Canada.  Cheers! For more pictures visit April 23, 2020.
 
 
 
 
     Our club held meeting # 38 using Zoom with ten participants.  After allowing time for socializing, Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.  Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  We are doing our best to do this and maintain the proper protocols during this time of crisis.  By Zoom meetings and email messages, we are keeping in touch and sharing with each other.
     We welcomed past member Dwight Bennett as our guest at the meeting.  Dwight appears as the telephone in our screenshot of those attending.
     Rather than hold special executive meetings, Wayne advised that decisions would be made and voted on at our regular meetings, since the majority of those attending are executive members, and we have a quorum each time.  He will advise members ahead of time when a funding request has been received, so they can be prepared to make an informed decision.
     Wayne reviewed the requirements for the club to earn a Presidential Citation and informed the members that the rules have been relaxed due to the coronavirus causing social distancing and other hardships.  We now must achieve three of the goals under Unite People and three under Take Action.  Reviewing what we’ve done this year, it appears that we will meet these requirements and earn a citation for our club.  Good for us!
     The Area district grant re. COVID-19 will include proposals from all four Langley Rotary clubs so we will share the grant equally at $1250 US each.  The Rotaract club will not participate financially but is looking at its options for assisting in the other projects.  Our club will provide funding for the Gateway of Hope and as the needs are urgent, Wayne asked that we approve our share for the matching grant immediately so plexiglass shields may be purchased and installed as soon as possible.  Moved by Leon, seconded by Lana; “That we approve a donation of $1750 ($1250 US) to Gateway of Hope for the purchase and installation of plexiglass shields as needed in the reception and kitchen areas.”  Motion carried.  Matching funds from the district, when received, will be used to purchase masks and antiseptic wipes.
 
     Happy and sad dollars were donated, and more members are creating special containers for these funds.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     Our club held meeting # 37 using Zoom and had nine participants.  After allowing time for socializing, Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome.  Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  Rotarians continue to do this, but unfortunately, person to in-person contacts are limited.  We now need to connect online, and we continue to do our best to serve others.
     Both Claudia Trigio and Bob Hillmer celebrated birthdays last Monday, and this week we sang for Bob.  It was a slow paced first verse, but we sped things up for our special verse, finishing with beautiful harmony.
     Les announced that at the arboretum the daffodils are out in full flower, and the tulips are up but not yet blooming.  Forms have been poured in the bird garden, and the benches have been treated and assembled.
 
     Lana reported that she will be able to send copies of all receipts for her district grant, so we should be able to wrap that one up in the next two weeks.  We decided to redirect funds that had been approved for events that are now cancelled or postponed, and discussed possible projects for the new special Area district grant.  Support for the Gateway of Hope won approval, and Claudia will check the costs of the plexiglass screening for the food area.  We also approved a grant of $2500 to SOS Children’s Village B.C. supporting their Transition to Adulthood (TTA) program.
 
     Happy and sad dollars were donated, and members are creating special containers for these funds, looking forward to when we can deliver the money to Anthony.
 
 
 
     Our meeting was held via Zoom with Leon serving as host.  Socializing and catching up with each other was a fun way to begin, and then President Wayne officially called to order Meeting # 36.  In his welcome, he remarked, “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  No-one predicted or even guessed how difficult that would become due to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.  We are now meeting online, rather than in person, and all social events have been cancelled or put on hold.  No club training event.  No district conference at Harrison.  No Rotary International Convention in Hawaii.  We try to remain optimistic, reach out to each other, and do our best to stay healthy through these troubled times.”
     Nine people joined in, and we sang happy birthday to Claudia. It was interesting to hear Rudy’s voice finishing each line just after many had sung the words.  Oh, the beauty of technology.
     Announcements were made about AG opportunities, an up-coming joint presidents meeting, scholarship applications, survey of club members, the garden wall at LCSS being finished, a possible district grant for our Area, the donation of Ribfest gloves, and that we will be making some decisions about funding requests next week.  SASSY will go forward in a virtual format and we are sponsoring one of the awards.
     Happy dollars were donated and will be saved for future delivery.  We closed with a toast to Rotary, and a toast to Canada.  Cheers!
 
 
     The Rotary Club of Langley continues to meet weekly, despite COVID-19 restrictions.  We switched to online Zoom meetings and are slowly getting used to how to interact appropriately in this new format.
     It wasn’t really business as usual tonight, but more of a social interaction meeting.  We welcomed past members Dwight Bennett and Jim Armstrong to the meeting, as well as guest Jack Miller.  We wished Bill Clemas well as he is troubled by his leg and unable to join us.
     Daffodils are up at the arboretum and we shared stories about ourselves and how we’re coping in this situation.  We collected or pledged happy and sad dollars, and closed with a toast to Canada. For more photos please visit March 26, 2020.
 
 
 
 
    Meeting #34 of the Rotary year was a first for our club, and also a most unusual meeting.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not meet at the Timms Center or at the Rotary Interpretive Centre, or at any restaurant.  Thanks to Leon Jensen, we were able to meet online via Zoom.  However, only Claudia Trigo and Wayne Wiebe joined Leon for the meeting.  They were hopeful more would join in next week.
     The three had a great conversation, talking about current events and their personal situations.  They kept up the Rotary club’s tradition of happy and sad dollars, and closed with a toast to Canada.
 
 
 
Community Centre began much as any other meeting, with the Call to Order followed by O Canada.  In his Welcome, Wayne repeated, “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.”  He added, “We must be careful just how we do that right now with the threat of a possible pandemic upon us.  Our Club Training Event has been postponed, and there may be more programs affected.”  No one knew just how prophetic his words would be.
 
     Announcements were made about the Arboretum and RIC, membership,                    
Club Training Assembly April 4 (4 four of us signed up so far), scholarships (23 applicants), and from the Social Committee.
 
     Our guest speaker was Rose Hamilton from SOS Children’s Village BC.  Her agency provides family-based foster care for children and youth in our communities through their Village model.  This includes support to caregivers, youth, and kids through residential services, program and support services, and wraparound care.  SOS believes in keeping siblings together and in family strengthening, creating a sense of community and belonging, and in educating and empowering children to become contributing members of society.
 
Happy and sad dollars were collected for Polio Plus, and we closed with a toast to Canada. For more photos please visit March 12, 2020. 
 
 
 
Following the call to order and O Canada, Wayne’s opened the meeting with
“Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  We must be careful just how we do that right now with the threat of a possible pandemic upon us.  However, we will persevere.”
 
     Announcements:    Arboretum and RIC, Social Committee, Membership, Club Training Assembly April 4, Scholarships, and Letter from RI President
 
     Our guest speakers were Arianna Wingfield and Daniel, with their tag team
“We all play a R.O.L.E.” presentation Part Two.  We learned about addictions and the problems of drug overdoses.  Far too many people are dying from drug overdoses.  This is frequently the result of having black market drugs of various strengths and contents, often unknown by the users.  Daniel shared his earlier experiences with drug use and the difficulties people have kicking their addictions.  Despite us having an opioid crisis here in the lower mainland, many lives have been saved by the use of Naloxone, and Arianna and Daniel explained the steps to help save a person who is suffering from an overdose.
 
     We all got to “save” a tennis ball, practising our inoculation skills.  After our training, all of us received Naloxone kits to take with us should we meet up with someone in need.  A very interesting meeting. For more photos please visit March 5, 2020.
 
     Welcome from Wayne: Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  Last week we learned more about each other, and tonight we’ll hear how we can connect with a lot of people this summer.
 
     Our guest speaker was Jeff Morfitt talking about Ribfest.  In two years Ribfest has grown to be the largest fundraiser for any of the four Langley Rotary clubs.  We netted about $60 000 in the first year, a fantastic start.  Last year we made over $150 000, achieving much more than originally hoped for.  We anticipate at least matching last year’s total, and would like to emphasize the family nature of the event.  We will again have a site-wide license for beverages, and want to encourage families to enjoy the stage performers.  We will need more volunteers, and Rotarians are requested to work as many shifts as possible.
    
     We collected happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus, closed with a toast to Canada, and followed that with an executive meeting.
For more photos please visit February 27, 2020.
 
 
 
Well, this was an unusual evening.  We were to celebrate our first social meeting in the Rotary Interpretaive Centre after months of waiting.  We arrived, in the cold, and found the door locked.  No one had advised us to pick up a key, and we had expected the caretaker to do so.  After waiting outside and considering moving the meeting to other locations, Wayne and Les headed off to the Township maintenance yard in search of a key.  One photo shows those left behind, shivering as they waited.  The Township building was closed, but Wayne spoke to an RCMP officer who tried calling the after hours phone number on our behalf.  Alas, no one was answering it.  Mr. Clay and Mr. Wiebe returned to the RIC with the sad news.  Just as we were about to travel out to Aldergrove to the Arts Centre, Wayne the custodian showed up.  He’d seen the group outside, suspected the problem, and had returned home to pick up the key and let us in.
 
     Once inside we found that the emergency space heaters warmed the building very well, so well that the only way of controlling the temperature was to open windows.  We spread out the food (appetizers plus) that we had brought and enjoyed a light meal together.
 
     The meeting was called to order and in his welcome, President Wayne stated, “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  Let’s make some connections tonight as we learn more about one another.”
 
     Our guests, Wayne and Marion Crossen were welcomed, and official announcements concerned the Arboretum and RIC, Social Committee,
Membership, Club Training Assembly April 4, and Scholarships.
 
     We had at least eleven speakers as we each told a bit about ourselves and our lives.  We discovered interesting tidbits of information, and heard about interests and where people had traveled.  Anecdotes were shared, as well as laughter, and a good time was had by all.
 
For more photos please visit February 20, 2020.
 
 
     Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  Our club has decided that we like to connect with each other every week, so welcome to meeting number 28 of this Rotary year.
 
     Announcements:    Arboretum and RIC, Social Committee, Ribfest,
Membership and Club Training Assembly
 
     Our guest speaker was Tyler Walton, relating “A Personal Story” to us.  He told of his addictions, the troubles he went through, and how he has now become a sober, contributing member of society.  Tyler’s story was very compelling, and members asked many questions, showing strong interest in the story he shared.
 
    Bob Lukie did the honours in collecting happy and sad dollars, and we closed with a toast to Canada. For more photos please visit February 6, 2020.
 
 
 
     On January 30, 2020 meeting #27 of our Rotary year opened in the usual fashion.  Then our president welcomed us and asked us, “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  What have you done this Rotary year to bring new members to our club?  What should our club be doing to attract new members?” Allan and Les updated us on the arboretum and RIC (will need furnace replaced), the social committee has plans for next month, and Wayne reminded us about the Rotary Citation and what we still need to do to earn this award. 
     We had two guests (we don’t include Nora with the guests anymore), Karen Moraes and Margaret Ann.  Margaret was our guest speaker and she spoke to us about the New Directions English Langley School, telling us about the programs and the clientele.  It turned out one of our members has taken classes there, and speaks highly of the school.  Claudia is showing us up by becoming fluently bilingual.
     Happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus were collected, and we closed with a
toast to Canada. For more photos please visit January 30, 2020. 
 
 
Tonight we met at the home of Allan Richmond to enjoy a catered Christmas dinner.  Great appetizers, a delicious meal, and friendly company made for a truly enjoyable evening.  We sang Christmas songs and tried to embody the Christmas spirit.  Sorry, no photos.
 
 
At our meeting this evening we received updates on the arboretum, Groups of Five and Ribfest.  We also heard from the social committee and received an invitation to an anniversary event at Gateway of Hope.
     Our guest speaker was Zosia Ettenberg, Executive Director of Langley Pos-Abilities Society.  Zosia told us about a pilot program she hopes to offer to have people’s wheelchairs serviced or repaired at low or no cost to the individuals.  Experts would be hired to be available to look at the wheelchairs at a central location, and people who cannot afford the regular repair rates would be able to become mobile again.  Zosia is seeking funding for this project.
     Club President Wayne Wiebe was in a cheerful mood as he presented a cheque from Ribfest to Treasurer Anthony Ball, and another cheque from our club to Les Clay for the ABSL. For more photos please visit November 28, 2019.
 
 
 
Wayne called the meeting, #19 this year, to order and Les led us through O Canada.  In his welcome President Wayne stated, “Our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  We are working to help the world by fighting polio, and by helping fund projects around the world through our personal and club giving to the Annual Fund.”
 
     Announcements included the following topics: Arboretum and RIC, Social Committee, Groups of Five, Ribfest, Foundation Dinner, Gateway of Hope invitation, and a message from Allan Richmond.
 
     Our guest speakers were Alison Nicol and Kirstie Strange, speaking about the Langley Youth Hub.  It is located not far from the Township Civic Building and is providing a much-needed service to homeless youth.  Alison and Kirstie told about the programs offered and why they are needed in Langley.  We were invited to tour the building sometime in the future if we wished.
 
     Happy and sad dollars (and extra, if you missed giving on World Polio Day) were collected.  As is our custom, now that we don’t sing God Save the Queen to end our meetings, we had a toast to Canada. For more photos please visit November 14, 2019. 
 
 
The Rotary Club of Langley’s 17th regular meeting of this Rotary year was held on October 24, 2019.  President Wayne called the meeting to order and gave his official welcome, reminding us that our Rotary theme this year is Rotary Connects the World.  We are working to help the world by fighting polio, and tonight we have a special program to bring us up-to-date on the subject.
 
     Our guest speaker was Rachel Sledding, the Director of Development at Wagner Hills.  As a daughter of a Missions Pastor she grew up in a family where they lived with a passion of helping others and a call to serve. In her own words,  “I am excited to be part of an organization that brings healing, growth and transformation to those in addiction. Thank you for having me share with you.”
 
     Rachel spoke about the work done at Wagner Hills and the success rate they have with the addicts who come to them.  As a club we are invited to visit Wagner Hills and plan to do so in the spring.  Members were very impressed with the presentation and the program they offer.
 
     Then we moved on to the topic of polio eradication on World Polio Day and the program featured our own Brendan Martin and Veronica Lopez, with technical assistance from Claudia Trigo.  Rotary, in cooperation with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has done so much to eradicate this disease, and we have much to be proud of.  Descriptions, numbers and facts were shared with on-screen graphics.  We realize, though, that because the wild polio virus is still endemic in two countries, we must be vigilant and continue our fight.  We are “this close” to ridding the world of polio and protecting all the children of the world from this terrible disease.
 
     We collected generous happy and sad dollars for Polio Plus and closed the meeting with a toast to Canada.  Thank you to Claudia, Veronica, and Brendan for their excellent presentation. To see more photos please visit October 24, 2019.
 
 
 
 
President Wayne Wiebe called the 16th meeting of this Rotary year to order and led the singing of O Canada.  In the Welcome from Wayne he mentioned  that we are working to help the world by fighting polio, and we will hear more about that next week.
 
Our guest speaker was Eric Woodward, a member of Langley Township Council and local entrepreneur.  In an engaging presentation he spoke about development and concerns in Langley, including Fort Langley where he has been active, and answered questions on matters affecting council all across the district.  Our meeting ran longer than usual due to the high interest and many questions from club members.
 
We concluded with a toast to Canada, and then executive members reconvened for another meeting.
 
 
 
 
 
President Wayne opened the meeting and asked members what they had done to help Rotary connect the world.  Announcements included Rotary Interpretative Centre (Wayne and Jorda met with Township officials), Rotary World Help (we renewed our membership), Club Website (Wayne and Jonah are posting weekly updates), District Grant (appears to be all in order), Arboretum (the tarp was stolen so we couldn't varnish the "roots" bench), Social Committee (plans made for Christmas party), Groups of Five (time to pay your $100 US contributions to TRF Annual Fund), and World Polio Day (we will be having a special program on Oct. 24).
     Our club funded two indoor gardens for Langley School District, and Susan Cairns received the cheque for $3500 from President Wayne.  These gardens use little water and no soil and produce a variety of vegetables for student lunches.  Susan will be in touch with us when we can visit a school to see the garden in action.
     Our guest speaker was fellow Rotarian Tony Malyk who spoke about his book, Leaky Bucket of Profits, and his journey along the road to writing the book.  Many blue-collar businesses fail to profit as they should because of poor business planning, not because of good or bad ideas. Tony has learned firsthand that common business processes and principles reside in virtually every industry and are transferable with the right knowledge and insight.
     Happy and sad dollars, including half the sales from Tony's book to club members, were gathered for Polio Plus. For more photos visit October 17, 2019.
 
 
 
 
President Wayne called the meeting to order, and after O Canada, encouraged members to bring in new members so we can increase our impact on the community, just as DG Brad had suggested.
    Announcements took up a fair bit of the meeting time, with topics including club website, arboretum, Groups of Five, Know Your Neighbours, work groups, social committee, World Polio Day, Foundation Dinner, Taste of Fort Langley, and RLI.
     Our guest speaker was Laura Sandgren, President of CDART (Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team) SWBC.  She and CDART founder Cheryl Rogers spoke about their agency and informed us about how to prepare a disaster kit for our pets and the needs the pets face in case of disasters.  Ours was Laura's first presentation and her enthusiasm showed.  The lengthy Q&A which followed the session showed that a high degree of interest was sparked within the club.  Pets often become parts of families.
     We sang Happy Birthday to Rudy Storteboom, who admitted he might be having a birthday but divulged no numbers. For more photos visit October 3, 2019.
 
 
 
       This was a very special meeting for our club, with three (or four) key features:
1.  We welcomed and heard from our District Governor, Brad Whittaker;
2.  We inducted a new member, Brad Jalbert, into our club;
3.  We officially inducted four members into the newly resurrected Langley 
      Rotaract Club:  Jonah Johnson, Mikayla Johnson, Sydney Morfitt, and 
       Abran Johnson;
4.  We enjoyed wonderful treats brought by John Brynjolfson.
   AG Jorda Maisey introduced DG Brad and he delivered a very impressive and inspirational message to the club.  He wants us as Rotarians to make an impact this year, and to learn more about Rotary.  He asked us to google Rotary Action Groups, Rotary Friendship Groups, and Rotary Leadership where we will surely find items of interest and increase our knowledge.
     President Wayne announced that we were successful in being awarded a District Grant for improvements at LCSS and that club and Rotaract members would be asked to lend a hand at the painting project.
     Visiting Rotarians were Bill Lindahl and June Jones, who brought her granddaughter as well.  Plans are being made for us to have some type of celebration of World Polio Day on October 24.  Wayne thanked Jonah for his great work in getting comments and photos onto our website, so now  we have a visual record of our meetings and you can catch up when you miss a meeting.  DG Brad met with the club executive after the regular meeting, encouraging us to implement a membership plan. For more photos visit Sept 26, 2019.
 
 
 
     President Wayne opened the meeting with the singing of O Canada, once again led by Les Clay.  In reminding members of our theme, Rotary Connects the World, he encouraged as many members as possible to meet DG  Brad Whittaker next week when he makes his official visit.  All directors should be in attendance for the executive meting to follow.
     Three wedding anniversaries were announced:  Brendan and June Martin on the 20th, Bob and Maria Hillmer on the 22nd, and Stephen and Irina Richardson on the 23rd.  Rivers Day celebrations will be going on at the Arboretum from 11 to 3 on Sunday, and Rotaract will be holding a Meet and Greet from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday as well.
     The Yorkson Block Party we helped sponsor was a success, despite the rainy weather.  Trisha, Jonah, Leon and Claudia volunteered at the event, and Wayne brought his granddaughter and four relatives from the United Kingdom to participate in the activities.
     Brendan has brought to our attention World polio Day on October 24, and our club will plan special activities to honour this day.  The executive will bring suggestions to the club, but here's a hint.  Start saving your change and small bills (large ones welcomed as well) for the happy dollars that night.
     Our guest speaker was Lisa Block, site manager at Hope for Women in Langley.  She has a strong desire to help women who find themselves in crisis situations, and finds Hope for Women to be an incredible fit.  She spoke about their programs and showed videos of some of the clients who have had their lives changed for the better by contacting the agency.  Women who find themselves with unplanned and often unwanted pregnancies are given options, and are not left on their own to cope.  Sadly, despite the counselling, about 80% choose to end the pregnancy as their perceived best choice.
     Following the regular meeting, the executive met and HISTORY WAS MADE.  For the first time in the history of the Rotary Club of Langley, the majority of the executive members at an official executive meeting were female.  Twenty-five years ago Wayne Wiebe was our club president when he sponsored and inducted the very first woman into our club.  Now, a quarter century later, he is again our president and chaired this historic meeting.  A selfie of the group was taken to commemorate the occasion. For more photos visit Sept 19, 2019. 
 
 
 
President Wayne repeated our theme, Rotary Connects the World, and reminded the club that our District Governor would be visiting in two weeks' time.  He would like to meet as many members as possible before the regular meeting, and then with the executive after the meeting.  All directors should be present to answer questions.  Wayne gave the directors their "assignments", including which ones would be responsible for the five avenues of service.  
     September birthday wishes go to Trisha (16) and Brendan (older).  We continue to sing both verses of Happy Birthday, quite heartily.  Members had some difficulty naming I Guess Things Happen That Way by Johnny Cash, this week's tune, after the opening sounds.  
     From that Johnny we switched to John Brynjolfson, who filled in for an absent guest speaker with the second part of his medical update.  This time he spoke about Parkinson's and the advances being made in fighting that disease.  He sees a future where medicine will be available to stop the spread of Parkinson's, and people will not have to suffer as they do now.  Many of us wish that day were here right now. For more photos visit Sept 12, 2019.
 
 
 
Following the call to order, we opened our meeting in the usual fashion, singing "O Canada".  We seem to blend the old and new versions, singing "in all your sons command" and "in all of us command" with no difficulty.  Wayne noted that for the first time in many years we have not prepared to participate in the Langley Cruise-In.  He circulated member information sheets, the first step in preparing to conduct a study of our members' occupations, working on a goal in the Rotary Citation.
     Our guest speaker was Bill Hendricks from Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities and he spoke to us about horse therapy for children (and others).  He brought a number of visual aids and explained how the program works, helping individuals with physical disabilities relax and become comfortable with their horses.  Children gain confidence and appear, at least for awhile, to be pain free.  He offered to host our club on a field trip to his facility, and club members expressed interest in doing that. For more photos visit Sept 5, 2019.
 
 
 
President Wayne encouraged us to show Rotary Connects the World by bringing in some new members.  Les Clay replied that he had one in mind.  Stay tuned.
     On behalf of the Foundation Committee, Wayne wrote the proposal for a District Grant to include three projects at Langley Community Services Society.  For the two garden areas, including building an Allan Block wall two courses high, we would provide oversight but hire someone to do the work.  For the third, we would provide the labour and invite Rotaractors to join us in preparing a ramp for painting, and then doing the actual painting.  Now we wait to see if our application is successful.
     Club members were challenged to identify a song and name the artist after hearing only the opening chord.  Veronica and Rudy were able to recognise  A Hard Day's Night by the Beatles by hearing only that iconic chord.  
     Our guest speaker was our own practising physician and past president of the club, John Brynjolfson.  John brought us all kinds of incredible facts about research findings and new developments about prostate cancer, and he feels positive about medical breakthroughs coming to make our lives better.  Words like benign prostatic hyperplasia and 5 alpha reductase inhibitor just flowed freely from his lips.  He saved the second part of his talk for another day. For more photos visit Aug 29, 2019.
 
 
 
Our Rotary theme is Rotary Connects the World.  Some of us were able to hear RI President speak to the theme at Ribfest.  Wayne was lucky enough to sit with him and enjoy some very tasty ribs!  Early indications are that we surpassed last year's profits with this year's event, and comments have all been extremely favourable.
     President Wayne reported on the results from the last Executive Meeting, keeping members informed.
     Our guest speaker was Nichole Marples, Executive Director, Langley Environmental Partners Society.  Did you know that over 1700 km of streams and ditches have been mapped in Langley?  Much information was shared, and a great Q&A followed.  Nichole signed a book destined for Nicomekl School as a thank you for her presentation. For more photos visit Aug 22, 2019.
 
 
 
 
President Wayne reminded us that we can help Rotary Connect the World at Ribfest this weekend.  He announced we were getting a second quote for services for the proposed district grant for work at LCSS.  Special guests were Lillianne Fuller, Brooke Lindberg, and her parents, Clayton and Cathy.
     Brooke, a recent graduate from Langley Fundamental Middle Secondary School, spoke about her volunteer experiences and her plans for the future.  As a winner of one of our $1500 scholarships, she was most appreciative and thanked us for helping her, and stated, "I plan to continue to volunteer and make a difference in the world around me."
     Lillianne spoke about the Nicomekl Elementary School lunch program and her involvement with that project.  Students behave better and learn more when they are not hungry, and the results of providing food for the students who otherwise would not receive the nutrition needed are obvious and heartwarming.  Lillianne has been able to obtain sufficient sponsorship funding for this year, but may be back to see us next school year. For more photos visit Aug 15, 2019.
 
 
 
President Wayne handed out Rotary pins to commemorate our theme, Rotary Connects the World.  Members were informed that Rotary International President Mark Maloney would be attending Ribfest on Aug. 18 and would be meeting with the four Langley club presidents.
      We held extensive discussions about where we should meet, and whether we should move to the Rotary Interpretive Centre .  Allan showed photos of the new sign in place at the building.  After full discussion, we decided to stay at the Timms Centre but hold occasional meetings (up to once per month) at the Rotary Interpretive Centre.  Negotiations with the Township will be needed to get this approval. For more photos visit Aug 8, 2019.
 
 
 
 
 
President Wayne encouraged the club members to make plans to do our part to see that Rotary Connects the World, and to have fun while we're doing it.  For the second week in a row we met at the Rotary Interpretive Centre, this time on the lower floor.  
     Our guest speaker was Chantelle Bowles, Development Coordinator for Corporate and Community Partnerships -- Fraser Valley, for Canuck Place Children's Hospice.  Chantelle's presentation was both informative and compelling, as evidenced by the questions and answers which followed.  If she could find time among her many volunteering experiences, Chantelle would be welcomed to join our club to help us meet community needs. For more photos visit Aug 1, 2019.
 
 
 
We met this week at the new Rotary Interpretive Centre at the Doubleday Arboretum.  As our club had donated $250 000 plus over 9900 hours of labour on this project, we wanted to experience a meeting inside this unique building.  President Wayne shared information from the executive meeting held last week, and announced that Judi Piccolo was reaffirmed as an honorary member of the club.  Funding requests have been forwarded to our new funding committee for recommendations to the executive.
     Plans are well underway for Ribfest, and members are encouraged to sign up to volunteer.  With no speaker for the evening, Wayne decided to play Name That Tune and provided the music.
     We went back in time as Wayne played parts of several songs and club members attempted to first name the songs and artists, and then arrange the tunes by year and tell which had remained #! on the Billboard music charts the longest.  Who knew that It's All in the Game (Tommy Edwards) and Purple People Eater (Sheb Wooley) each remained at #1 for six weeks in 1958, or that Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White (Perez Prado) was #1 longer than Rock Around the Clock (Bill Haley) ten weeks to eight in 1955? For more photos visit July 25, 2019.
 
 
 
President Wayne opened the meeting by reiterating Rotary's theme, "Rotary Connects the World", and stating that he felt confident our club would be doing its part.  Our speaker this evening was Roxci Bevis, Program Coordinator for the Derby Reach /Brae Island Parks Association.  Roxci gave an interesting and informative presentation about the parks association, its goals, and what services it offers.  She is in charge of planning recreation and conservation events in Derby Reach and Brae Island Regional Parks.  Wayne asked her to sign a book which will be donated to Nicomekl Elementary in her name. For more photos visit July 18, 2019. 
 
 
 
 
President Wayne reviewed the requirements of the 2019-2020 Rotary Citation for Rotary Clubs, and mentioned various targets we should be able to meet.  Setting up a Membership Committee is easy, though getting all members to bring prospective members to the meetings is more difficult.  If we're successful, we'll have the net gain in membership we need.  We are actively supporting a new Rotaract Club, and our Director Jonah Johnson has been named the president of the new Langley club.
     Our own member, Jim Lee, provided the program for the evening.  Jim recounted many memories from his years in Rotary. For more pictures visit July 11, 2019.
 
 
 
President Wayne welcomed the members to a new Rotary year and emphasized the new Rotary Theme, "Rotary Connects the World." He read a welcome from R.I. from President Mark Maloney and wished the club an enjoyable and successful year. One sign of success would be to gain new members.
 
We had two speakers: Lewis Nikkel and Jared Woolhether. Lewis, a winner of one of our scholarships this year, has completed grade twelve at D.W. Poppy Secondary School and told us about his interests, goals, and aspirations. Jared, a recent RYLA attendee sponsored by our club, spoke about the positive and enjoyable experience and shared his enthusiasm for the program. For more pictures visit the Rotary Connects the World Photo Album.
 
 
 
 
PDG Wayne Wiebe called on his former assistant governor, now PDG Sean Hogan, to install the new executive members of the Rotary Club of Langley for 2019-2020.  Wayne is returning to the post twenty-five years after first serving as club president.  Executive members are listed on the left-hand side of our first page on the website. For more pictures see the 2019-2020 Installation Photo Album.