With president Leon checking in from Metchosin, and then checking out early due to connectivity issues, VP Lana was in charge of the meeting. Joining in from the Timms Centre were Anthony, John, Allan, Nav, and our three guests, while Wayne, Gerty, Brendan, Leon, Nora and Bob tuned in with Lana via zoom. We heard how Leon is enjoying visits with his sisters, that ferries are apparently booked into July, that Lana is planning a trip to Kent, and John will be away for a couple weeks. Wayne shared updates about Kari Kutvonen and Sonia Gill, and thanked those members who had volunteered to sell 50/50 tickets. We officially began the meeting with O Canada with at least one person singing, all alone at home.
Scholarship Recipient - Quinn Zaniol
Quinn Zaniol, a scholarship winner from Aldergrove Community School, told us about himself and the many activities in which he’s involved. This Student Council President spends much of his time beyond academics on several community-oriented initiatives. Among many other extracurricular pursuits, he helps as an in-school mentor to new and younger students, managed his school's boys' soccer team, played for two years on his school's curling club, volunteers as a peer tutor, and organized educational Orange Shirt Day presentations and activities. As Council President he oversees all games, spirit days and fundraising at school, along with their school store and social media activity.
Quinn will pursue a Bachelor of Arts at Simon Fraser University in the fall and hopes to one day realize much of the positive change he creates in school on a broader scale to enrich the lives of many more people.
Foundry Langley
Heather Scott, ED of the LMH Foundation, spoke to us about youth mental health, giving an overview from problem to solution and campaign. One of the new ventures LMH Fdn. is fundraising for is Foundry Langley. What is Foundry? It is a province-wide network of integrated health and social service centres for young people ages 12-24. Foundry Centres provide seamless, integrated care for young people to access mental health care, substance use services, primary care, social services, and youth and family peer supports. Loren Roberts, ED of Operations for Encompass Support Services, shared a slideshow about Foundry and spoke about the various partners, including LCSS, in this project. Call Wayne if you would like to view his collection of screenshots from this presentation
How Rotarians in Poland are Assisting Ukrainian Refugees
Poland has taken in more than a million refugees and Rotary clubs all over the country created a central account for contributions.
The Rotary Club of Olsztyn is collecting and managing donations for more than 150 Ukrainians who are staying at Ostróda Camp, a conference and recreation center. Most of the occupants are unaccompanied children whose parents stayed in Ukraine. Four cars full of supplies including food, clothes, toiletries, and toys were donated hours after the center began accepting refugees.
Members of the Rotary Club of Zamosc worked with a member of the Rotary Club of Wolsztyn, who owns a medical supply distribution company, to coordinate a partnership with other organizations to collect supplies and equipment.
The Rotary Club of Gdansk Centrum is providing accommodations for four refugee families, and members who own businesses are offering them work.
This is Rotary, People of Action!
Thank you for your support of the victims of the war in Ukraine.
Other updates
Nav produced a cheque for $1280 from the Probus Club of Langley, an organization that has now ceased to exist and whose financial assets are now ours. Someone suggested the money could go towards a donation to Foundry from our club, and the Executive will be voting by email on the matter of a club donation as the next Executive meeting would be after the deadline for getting this confirmation to LMHF. All other Rotary clubs in Langley are contributing.
Because we were running late, another more general Rotary update was postponed to next week. Our happy dollars were pledged for our three guest speakers, for a worthwhile project (Foundry), for Nav back at a meeting, for Rotary helping Foundry, for Marina standing up to bullies and the diplomat who resigned in protest of Russia’s actions, and for excellent speakers, while sad dollars were given because no-one took the goodies provided for the in-person meeting.
We closed with a toast to Canada and wished each other a good evening. Remember, if you cannot attend the meeting in person, you are invited to join via zoom at https://zoom.us/j/413459127. We are looking for volunteers to sell tickets at Lee’s Market in Fort Langley next Saturday and Sunday (June 11-12).
