President Joanne Serkeyn called the meeting to order with 16 Lincoln Rotarians + guests Erin Graybiel. Christina Lajeunesse, Roy Caja & Justin Ziegers in attendance. She invited Pod #3 representatives, Sue Foster & Bill Wiley to lead the opening exercises.
Sue began with the LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT followed by her THOUGHT FOR THE DAY... "Spring has come; summer is almost here! This Rotary year is almost done. As we reflect on projects from the year and upon our activities both far and near... We're thankful for successes enjoyed. We're thankful for resources employed in the service of others, in service of peace, for in serving others our joys increase. Let's be thankful at this meeting for food and friends, for hearts to serve and helpful hands." She continued with the words of Eleanor Roosevelt... "When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to the happiness that you can give out."
Sue ended with a TOAST to the King, Canada, Rotary International & the Rotary Club of Lincoln.
Bill's POINT OF PRIDE (POP) featured The Grindstone as the place for keeping your finger on the pulse of the club. He offered his appreciation to Margaret Andrewes for her role in its creation over the past several years
50/50- Somebody had the winning ticket but failed to pull the ACE of spades & so the POT grows...
Dale Hatch
HAPPY BUCKS
Mother's Day activities were the topic of the day with the Moms & a few Dads in the group reporting on happy times with their families on Sunday, May 11. The only downside for those who were travelling that day was THE TRAFFIC on the major highways.
In addition...
Jennifer T - her discovery of a young relative's gravesite in the same vicinity as her mother's grave in a cemetery in Kitchener
Sue - success of the Lincoln Chamber's Business After Five event hosted by Lincoln Rotary on May 1
Roy - for the invitation to our meeting
Debbie - her grandson Nathan accepted into engineering at the University of Guelph + a wonderful visit to Khazimula on her recent trip to South Africa
Brenda & Terry - delightful day in Niagara-on-the-lake - Shaw ("Anything Goes") & dinner
Rob - for 2 recent theatrical experiences - Shaw & Stratford
Margaret - Bill's POP & the many Rotarians who have served as Grindstone editor over the years
John K - origin of "The Grindstone" name is in tribute to Lincoln Rotary's early days when all members were working hard - i.e. "keeping their nose to the grindstone"
Martha - sharing the club's Grindstone bulletin with outbound RYE students
Justin - harvesting a Black Walnut on his property in preparation for milling the wood
Dave S - moving to new house very soon +++
Christina - many hidden gems in Niagara
Erin - all the amazing people who support BBBS Niagara
Phil - lilacs & asparagus each spring
Joanne - great time in Bonino Springs, FLA with friends; bike is set up for her 70K ride in support of Myeloma Canada
Please join me in the fight against myeloma! I'm gearing up for my first 70 km ride of the year with the Myeloma Canada Ride, and every donation brings us closer to a cure. Your support will fuel research, improve patient care, and empower those affected by this disease.
Help me crush my fundraising goal and make a difference in the lives of Canadians impacted by myeloma. Every bit counts - donate today!
Christina Lajeunesse, Donor& Community Engagement Coordinator
Erin Graybiel, Executive Director
MISSION: Enable life-changing mentoring relationships to ignite the power and potential of young people
VISION: All young people realize their full potential
Community Care of West Niagara (CCWN) accommodates a BBBSN satellite office for easy access by staff and families in the Town of Lincoln and surrounding communities.
BBBSN programs are offered at no cost to families. This is made possible through the generous financial support of individuals, service organizations, granters, businesses & foundations.
COMMUNITY-BASED 1:1 PROGRAMS
These mentoring programs (for example Big Brother, Big Sister) occur in the community setting and provide children and youth ages 6-18 years old (mentee) with an additional, caring and consistent adult (ages 18 +) role model (mentor) to talk and share the experiences of growing up with. The pair build a healthy, caring relationship that is supported by our experienced mentoring coordinators and can last a lifetime.
In 2024, there were 220 successful matches with this program where “bigs & littles” were together for at least 2-4 hours per week.
Across Niagara, there are over 300 children & youth waiting for a mentor.
In-School Mentoring
The In-School Mentoring (ISM) program matches children and youth (in grades 1-8), identified as needing additional support, with Mentors who act as a role model and friend. Mentors meet with their Mentee at their school and engage in activities such as board games, crafts, sports, cooking and more!
Common referral reasons include: lack of school engagement or poor school attendance, lack of self-confidence/self-esteem, lack of social skills or friendships, experience with bullying others or being bullied and lack of respect for authority figures. Visits occur in local DSBN and NCDSB schools for one hour a week during the school-day, for the duration of the school year.
Roy Caja, Chief Communications Officer & Adventure Scouter
Our Mission: To help develop well-rounded youth, better prepared for success in the world.
Our Vision: Canadian youth making a meaningful contribution to creating a better world.
Roy’s journey in scouting began in his Mom’s living room where she hosted Scout meetings circa 1989-1995. It has been 15 years since he began in active leadership roles with 1st Beamsville Scouting. His lively talk featured his “DREAM PLAN” for ensuring that there will always be a home for his troop in Beamsville.
The current Scout Hut is located in Bomberry Park adjacent to the former Beamsville District Secondary School campus with access off Maple Avenue. It is a relatively new building thanks to the support of the Town of Lincoln but lacks capacity to serve the 125 children and youth (5-25 years) involved in 1st Beamsville Scouting - 30 Beavers; 32 Cubs; 35 Scouts; 19 Adventurers; 8 Rollers. It is estimated that there are 150 on the waitlist. Of greatest concern is lack of onsite storage for equipment & supplies.
Established in Beamsville over 100 years ago, Roy explained that the 1st Beamsville troop’s reputation is well-recognized throughout the region, province & country. He shared stories of a number of activities that Scouts enjoy in the immediate area along with other opportunities further away. His deep pride was evident in what he described as “a powerful experience” for any young person.
In reaching out to Lincoln Rotary, he expressed his hope for the club’s funding support specifically for operating expenses; assisting with camp registration fees & other needs for underprivileged youth; increasing storage capacity at the Scout Hut.
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