President Janeane welcomed 37 members and exchange students. It was a great turnout.
This week’s fun poll related to the slight relaxation of the lock down. Many had seen friends or family, a few went to the mall but no one had a restaurant meal. Most admitted to feeling less fit than a couple of months ago.
Construction is continuing on the Rotary Centennial Peace Garden at Maffeo Sutton Park. A number of members have visited the park recently including Ross White who took these photos.
Notices of Motion
Denise Wittkofski gave notice on behalf of the Community Partnerships Committee that a motion will be made in two weeks to give $10,000 to Nanaimo Youth Services Association to buy laptop computers. The Club Board of Directors approved the sum. The Committee is in the process of applying for a $3,500 USD District Community Grant in connection with this project.
Wendy Pratt gave notices of three motions on behalf of the Community Grants Committee. These expenditures have been approved by the Board of Directors and members will vote on them in two weeks’ time.
1. To support the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society with a grant of $5,000 in connection with their enforced move to new premises and Covid-19 relief.
2 .To support Eden Gardens with a grant of $6,000 in connection with their therapy programs and Covid-19 relief.
3. To support People for a Healthy Community (Gabriola Island) with a grant of $1,700 to purchase and install a new propane stove to be used for food preparation.
Also mentioned that the Committee has approved $1,000 for the VIU nursing program for third year practical and charity works in Mexico. It is not clear if the trip will take place because of Covid-19 so the Committee promised the money if the trip goes ahead.
Doug Cowling said if any member would like more information about any of the grants proposed in Wendy’s notice of motions, they should speak to either Doug or Wendy (for Brain Injury), Dave Connolly (for Eden Gardens), or Frank Shoemaker or Peggy Richardson (Gabriola people for a Healthy Community).
Note the Community Grants Committee does not respond to form letter requests. Organizations in need should apply by filling in the form on our website.
Motion
Having given a notice of the motion two weeks previously, Carey McIver proposed that we make a contribution of $15,000 CAD towards the Sunyani Municipal Hospital global grant project to purchase equipment for their maternity ward as well as other equipment to combat COVID-19. The motion was approved unanimously.
Rotary Exchange
May is Rotary Youth Service Month and we were delighted to welcome to our meeting last year’s exchange students Dorien from The Netherlands and Julia from Colombia, together with Amy who is one of this year’s outbound students. 
Amy joined us from Sweden and gave us her impressions of life under Covid-19. She said that people are expected to act responsibly and take precautions by suggestion. There are relatively few regulations. Amy has had a good year. She started travelling and exploring during the fall and so experienced much before the pandemic hit. She observed that Swedes are more reserved than North Americans, but now the friendships she has made are deep and she hopes they will last.
Dorien said that the rules in the Netherlands were relaxed a little this last week. But last weekend the weather was fine and everyone flocked to the beaches and forgot about social distancing.
Julia is in quarantine at home in Colombia. She said the situation is not very good. She is still hoping to go to the University of Bogota in August, but it is very uncertain.
Jason Bradly rounded out the youth proceedings by showing us a video he had made about Nanaimo Rotary Student Exchange spanning from 2007 to the present. So many happy, smiling young faces!
Happy and Sad Bucks
Janeane was happy to recognize Umesh Lal and David Woodward at the meeting, as we haven’t seen them for a while. Also Leslie Sundby was at her first meeting as a regular member.
Joan Ryan was happy that Dorien will be helping her remotely to prepare some materials for the Interact Club.
Susie Stephens was happy that yesterday she and her 
grandson were able play on the beach at Rathtrevor. This was the young fella’s first time in the sea water. He loved it!
Wendy Pratt was happy that her youngest son celebrated his 45th birthday yesterday. He is a fireman in Yellowknife and she is very proud.
Ross White was pleased that he had achieved 33 years in the club and was also pleased that he had, after several attempts, got the project MOU signed for the Nanaimo Youth Services Association District Grant application. 
Unfortunately we finished the meeting with a sad buck when Jason Bradley told us that our exchange student Igor was all set to return home today, when just a few hours ago he learned his flight had been cancelled and Poland had closed its borders.
