The Grapevine Newsletter

 

 

(a)  Questions for the Board - The Board of Directors completed a review of the feedback from the survey of club members in November and is launching a new session titled Questions for the Board.  The session will be included immediately following the speaker's presentation and will allow members the opportunity to raise and have answered any questions or concerns that they might wish addressed.

 

 

 (b) Donate and Dine - This Valentine - was a very successful endeavor.   Over $10,000 gross receipts came in via the website and in cash/cheques. $9,806.00 was raised through meals, donations and the silent auction. After expenses, approximately $7,500.00 was generated for the good of Rotary. A calculation of total volunteer hours expended, compared with the final total of funds raised resulted in a finding that for every volunteer hour expended, approximately $64.00 was raised.   

                                                                                    

Al thanked Liz, on behalf of all of us for her outstanding leadership.

 

(c) The Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup is scheduled for April 24, 2021.  SAVE THE DATE.  Our club is partnering with Lincoln Rotary and has invited Rotary @ Noon to join us as well.  More detailed information about the event will be shared at the March 4th meeting including the many partner groups that have already signaled their interest in joining in the clean-up.

 

 

If you have any young people who may be interested, send their contact info to Liz so they can get on the list of participants.  We have a limit of 100 attendees.

 

 

(e) 2021 District 7090 District Conference is scheduled the week of March 16th.  Since the meeting is virtual and no-charge, Rotarians can attend as many of the sessions as they wish during the week.  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is the theme for the conference and it will feature many inspiring and interesting speakers.  Since one of the conference days will be on the 3rd Thursday of the month, it will serve as the club's meeting for that date.  All club members are encouraged to register at 

 

 

(d) Book/Film Appreciation Group - 'The Handmaid's Tale' will be discussed during a virtual meeting scheduled for Monday, March 1, 2021. The next book/film to be read, viewed and discussed will be selected in conjunction with the library.

 

 

(e) Paul Harris Recognition - The virtual event is to be scheduled for the last week in March due to conflicts with other civic events and the availability of the recipients.

 

 

(f) Proposal to establish a West Niagara Satellite Club. Rotary International has created authorization for and is encouraging support for a new club concept. A 'Satellite Club' attached to an established club. In this case the Rotary Club of Grimsby. It would have its own Board of Directors and meeting time. The club would provide service to the community and strengthen and augment our club.  The board has reviewed the proposal and it will be brought to the club at its March 4th meeting for ratification. A separate proposal and information sheet will be distributed to all active club members via email ahead of the meeting. 

 

 

 

 

A club assembly format where club members will have an opportunity to discuss the future of the club, what a Satellite club is, and the proposal to support the establishment a West Niagara Satellite club.

 

All members are encouraged to participate and share their thoughts, perspectives and offer suggestions for the proposal for district designated funds for the next year.  All proposals must be to district by March 15th.

 

 

 

Participation in the District 7090 virtual District Conference.  Thursday's session focuses on "YOUTH - The Future of Rotary"  Rotarians are promised an interesting and entertaining evening with these two speakers.  PRIP Barry is from East Nassau in the Bahamas and is one of the most engaging and fun president's Rotary has ever had. Evan Burrell is a service minded super-hero with a passion for social media.

 

1st speaker: Past Rotary International President Barry Rassin  
https://www.rotary.org/en/2018-19-rotary-president-selected

 

2nd speaker: Evan Burrell; Engaging Youth Rotary: Rotarian & Inspirational Speaker.  https://www.evanburrell.com/

 

 

 

 

This was a virtual club meeting. There were 18 Rotarians present with guests Elaine Hughes and speaker, Pamela Blackwood. The meeting began with our usual practice of including pre-meeting time for conversation, conviviality, and opportunities to connect with fellow members.

       
The Canadian Anthem was played and presented by Liz, with accompanying backdrop of striking panoramic, majestic Canadian vistas.  Liz presented toasts to Canada, Queen, the Office of the President and Rotary International.

     
Invocation was given by Roger:   "Thanks for this day....Guide our club leaders and all of us in our actions and in our responsibilities to those whom we serve"

Al introduced our speaker:

 

Pamela Blackwood, the Executive Director of McNally House and her topic 

 

Ms Blackwood is an accreditor of Hospices in Ontario and a sessional professor at Mohawk College.

                                                                                                                        Limited visitation: Family support is given twenty four hours a day. Currently the policy is two visitors per resident with only one visitor allowed each day. 

   

Inspirational work: The PSW's and nurses continue to provide excellent care. Staffing challenges exist because workers are not allowed to work cross sector. There are usually six beds, however, limited staffing has resulted in one bed being closed.

 

New admissions: A clear Covid test is required and 14 days of isolation. McNally House is a small health care facility and West Lincoln Memorial Hospital has been extremely supportive and helpful.

 

Volunteers: Usually there is a cadre of 125 volunteers. Covid has kept them at home. The Administrative Team has picked up many of the jobs assigned to volunteers (cooking, cleaning, screening, phones). Since August, there are 24 dedicated volunteers involved with letter writing and phone calls to residents.

 

Supplies: At the beginning of the pandemic, PPE supplies such as masks, gowns, face shields and gloves were directed by the government to hospitals. In August, this was rectified. In the interim, the Grimsby community stepped up to help. This included West Lincoln Hospital, Tim Horton's, Board members and school children (Valentine cards).  One little boy forwarded his swimming goggles for creative use as PPC equipment. 

 

Provincial Policies: There have been 97 new changes generating regular meetings with Executive Directors and Medical Directors across Ontario.   

 

Bereavement Support at McNally House:  i. Grief During Covid    ii. Artful Healing   iii. Grievers' Corner   iii. Hope for the Holidays 

                                       

Psycho -Spiritual Pre-Death Support: On-line support is offered for caregivers.        Community Support: In conjunction with Grimsby Public Library programs are offered in legacy writing, author talks and book discussions.   

 

Fundraising: Successful events include a virtual 'Hike for Hospice' ($69,000.00) and a Charity Golf Classic at Penn Lakes ($75,000.00). Covid has prevented financially supportive church gatherings, hot dog sales and the polar bear swim. 67% of cost are government funded. 100% of food, hydro, ppe, etc. must be raised.                                                                                                                                              Expansion and Capital Campaign: (On hold). Construction of a 10 bed hospice housed in a new building with entrance off of Lynwood Ave. The original building would continue to offer services as a day hospice. This would help with the two year gap at home that exists from time of diagnosis to available hospice space. There are currently 85 people on the waiting list. In 2019 there were 450 people using services provided by Day Hospice programs. The new facility would include an overnight suite for a family, a family recreation room and a memorial garden. It is expected that it will take two to three years to reach the fundraising goal of 21 million dollars to complete the project.                                             

 

Kathryn thanked Pamela for the presentation, expressed good wishes on behalf of Rotary and offered continued support from the Grimsby Library.

 

 

 

Meeting was adjourned by President Liz

 

 

 

Meeting ID:    863 5641 9004

Passcode:    291547