Chair: Doug Hill

 

 

O Canada: Susan Ueffing

 

Sue: Happy to have had the opportunity to visit the Rotary Club of Aruba last week and going again this week!

Doug: Happy to have seen in the women’s national curling that Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories all went to the playoffs!

Greg: Put in a happy dollar to raise the idea of creating a Rotary club choir – we certainly have the talent to pull it off. It would be especially helpful during special events and funerals, etc.

Heather: Went to the Integration Summit for the new district, and would like to encourage our members to consider friendship exchanges with other clubs within the new district as we think about travelling in the future.

 

Bill was happy to see a good crowd and noted that the Rotary theme for February is Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution, which resonates with our world at the moment, both nationally and internationally. Bill also mentioned that the Rotary Peace Centres are looking for fellowship applications and he will speak more about it next week.

 

Matt- doing very well post-accident, hope to see him soon.

Randy – Bill hadn’t heard back from him this week.

Fred - Greg believed that he was home but had a long road ahead, though Wally thought he was at VRH.

Mark Clarke – Katie brought up to the club that Mark Clarke, the Head Lion for the Kentville Lions, who had presented to the club recently had passed away last week.

 

Bill introduced Brittany Mastroianni, Manager of Community Development for the County of Kings. She is presenting on the County’s new strategy for Equity and Diversity.

Much of Brittany’s presentation is below.

 

 

There were lots of questions from members after Brittany’s presentation. Sue asked how council makes decisions with this strategy. Brittany explained that the staff have to include how projects fit within the plan when creating reports for council so they will have the information to make the decisions. Ellen talked with Brittany about how the County’s environmental plan must overlap with the Strategy. Kate noted that the Town of Kentville is working on a plan as well. Rick Ramsay asked if the club can use the document to help guide our own projects? Britanny agreed that would be possible and there will be ways to sign on to the Strategy for groups. Greg asked how we can do a better job of diversifying. Brittany’s main response was to go to where people are, and expect some possibly tough conversations. Gerry asked if there was any collaboration with other Municipalities or levels of government. Brittany said some of that was coming. Rick asked if rotary was invited to give feedback on the Strategy, but no service clubs were involved. Mostly folks who work directly with marginalized communities. Katie asked is the Strategy has been finalized, and Brittany was happy to say that yes it had been adopted by Council in December – but there will be regular feedback required on their progress.

 

Peter Clarke thanks Brittany for her terrific presentation.

 

Nominations for the Paul Harris awards will be coming shortly. Think about who you might want to nominate!

 

 

RI Minute

What is a Rotary Foundation Global Grant for Vocational Training?

Established in 1965-66, the Group Study Exchange Program was an educational program that promoted international understanding through organized travel and personal contact. The program evolved as Rotary updated its grant model and placed this activity within global grants. Vocational training under global grants builds skills within a community by offering local training, by supporting groups of professionals traveling abroad for rigorous study in their profession, or to teach local professionals about a particular field. This type of training is often effective in conjunction with a humanitarian project.

You can volunteer to be a vocational training team leader or nominate a non-Rotarian vocational team member – which will it be?

 

 

Doug and the club read the 4-Way Test and adjourned.

 

See you next week!