CLUB MEETING HIGHLIGHTS - February 28, 2023
Lincoln Rotarian Lindsay Dressel chaired the club's inaugural POD meeting held via Zoom, She welcomed special guests, Sandi & Fred Ward of the Newcomers & Neighbours Club of Grimsby & Area, along with the 17 other Lincoln Rotarians in attendance.
As her Point of Pride (POP), Nancy Neville featured Lincoln Rotary's outstanding success in raising $6,500 through its participation in Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) 2023 West Niagara. She expressed gratitude for Martha Kralt's leadership for the Rotary team and explained that donations continue to be welcome until March 31, 2023. Click here to support the Rotary Club of Lincoln team.
For her invocation, Gayle Lucas-Roth offered a thought provoking quote from a booklet, which she had recently received as a gift…
When we live with a spirit of gratitude we will stop thinking of a glass that is half full or half empty. We will come to realize that we are grateful we have a glass.
She followed with a toast to Rotary International, the King, and wonderful friendships.
UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS + ANNOUNCEMENTS
March 8, 2023, 7pm - Environmental SPEAKER SERIES Session - "Garden for Diversity" with Liz Benneian of Ontario Green
Fleming Centre, Meeting Room A
March 13, 2023 - Club POD Meeting #2 @ FLEMING CENTRE, Beamsville
SPECIAL REMINDER
As of March 13, regular club meetings will be held at the FLEMING CENTRE, 5020 Serena Drive, Beamsville
April 15-22, 2023 - Rotary District 7090 Conference
Hybrid model includes both in-person & virtual sessions and concluding with the Great Watershed Clean Up 2023. STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS!
RCL Meeting on April 25 is CANCELLED to encourage member attendance/participation at District Conference
April & May 2023 - RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) 2023
Watch for information re: eligibility, applications, etc. from Joanne Serkeyn
PROGRAM
Topic: Newcomers & Neighbours of Grimsby & Area
Presenters: Sandi & Fred Ward
Lindsay took great pleasure in introducing Sandi & Fred, with whom she has been acquainted since she joined the Newcomers & Neighbours group two years ago. As founders of the group in 2016, Sandi serves as President and Fred is the Registrar, responsible for keeping track of the membership. Over the years, the group has grown from 9 members to its current count of 112 members.
Fred explained that with his job as an engineer with Dow Chemicals over some 30 years, he and Sandi and their family lived in various locations in Canada, USA & Europe. In 2009, they retired and came to live in their “beach cottage” in Grimsby. Sandi shared that she had benefited greatly from her participation as a member of Welcome Wagon and Newcomers Clubs in the many places they had lived. In Canada, Newcomers is a national network with some 60 groups and more than 8,000 registered members. The aim of Newcomers is to help those moving to new communities build a social circle.
Once established in Grimsby, Sandi took the initiative to test the waters for a newcomers group and recruited 15 ladies who enjoyed getting together for lunch from time to time. By 2016, they determined that it was time to expand their group by including husbands and singles looking for community connections. A small notice in NewsNow served to attract enough folks to establish Newcomers and Neighbours of Grimsby & Area (NNGA)
NNGA is a social club with membership open to both new and established residents in the area. Its mission is to offer a warm welcome to both newcomer and the established resident of Grimsby and Area and to promote opportunities to develop lasting friendship.
NNGA activities are geared to a very wide variety of interests - coffee chats, card & board games, dining & wine tasting, walks & hikes, books, movies, mindfulness +++ A monthly newsletter (21 pages in the March 2023) issue is indicative of the amazing success of NNGA.
Annual membership @ $15 per single/$25 per couple is open to new and established residents of the Grimsby Area including Lincoln, West Lincoln & Stoney Creek. The majority of current members live in Grimsby and the average age is 70. Sandi recognized Lindsay as the youngest member.
Following their presentation, Sandi & Fred graciously responded to many questions from attendees.
In closing, Sandi referred to the quote by William Butler Yeats as the inspiration for her leadership with NNFA.
.png)
