e-Strathconian, Sep 15, 2017 (Sep 15, 2017)

The Rotary Club of
Edmonton Strathcona

Chartered 1974

e-Strathconian

September 15, 2017

Thanks for visiting our site! The first ClubRunner site in District 5370

"The Friendly Club"

We meet Tuesdays at 12:15 PM

Woodvale Facility and Golf Clubhouse

4540 - 50 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T6L 6B6
Canada

Phone:

(780) 918-1079

Fax:

(780) 665-7011

Email:

strathconian@telus.net

District Site

Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona

Venue Map

Canada Flag Program Online Sign-up and Payment

May 01, 2015 – Dec 31, 2021

Opportunity to Serve - Build a Backpack
Wise Warrior Gym
Jul 12, 2021 7:00 PM – Jul 13, 2021 9:00 PM

July 13th Club Meeting University Club
University Club
Jul 13, 2021 12:10 PM

Back to Woodvale July 27
Woodvale Golf Club
Jul 27, 2021 12:00 PM

View entire list

Kecia Kerr, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of Northern Alberta

Posted by Vi Hughes on Sep 13, 2017

On Tuesday we heard a very interesting presentation from Kecia Kerr, pictured, the Executive Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of Northern Alberta (CPAWS NAB). CPAWS NAB is a non-profit organization that is science based and collaborates with government, indigenous peoples and local communities to advocate for protection of our parks and wilderness areas. It was established in 1968 and was the first regional chapter of CPAWS. The Northern Alberta branch advocates for the three National Parks in Northern Alberta, Wood Buffalo, Jasper and Elk Island, along with our other wilderness areas. About sixty percent of the land in northern Alberta is public land and twelve percent of this is currently protected in some way. Nationally, ninety percent of land is public and ten percent of this is protected.

The International Convention on Biodiversity goal for protected land, to ensure biological diversity and sustainability is to protect seventeen percent of all land by 2020. CPAWS NAB is currently campaigning to have the Bighorn watershed set aside as protected land. This headwater provides ninety percent of the water in the North Saskatchewan River and none of it is currently protected. The argument for Parks and protected areas is quite strong. Diverse woodlands of this type help to mitigate extreme weather events by acting as sponges to absorb excess water and also reducing the effects of drought. Connected protected areas help to provide refuges for all kinds of wildlife.

She then went on to talk more specifically about Elk Island National Park. Elk Island was first protected in 1899, to provide a refuge for the population of native elk that resided there. In 1906 a fence was built to enclose the park, and it is still the only completely enclosed National Park in Canada. The park reached its current size in 1947. The park is composed of a very unique type of habitat, based on glacial moraine, with lakes, wetlands and mixed forest. It was deemed a Biosphere Reserve in 1916 and is also now a Dark Sky Preserve, where one can view the stars and night sky wonders such as the northern lights. It is home to forty species of animals, two hundred species of birds, one species of reptile and two species of fish.

It has large populations of elk, moose, wood bison, plains bison, white pelicans and trumpeter swans. Because of it’s location, it lies where the natural habitat of the two types of bison overlap. It was first actively repopulated with plains bison in the early nineteen hundreds and then later by the wood bison in 1947. The two types of bison are segregated in separate areas of the park. The wood bison are south of Highway 16. The bison have formed the nucleus of bison populations all over North America and beyond. This park is completely surrounded by farmland, and as such is isolated from other wilderness areas in Northern Alberta. Currently, the park is over populated by bison, elk and moose, and this is causing destruction of the native habitat.

The elk are impacting the forest by eating all of the small shrubs, which then cascades through the ecosystem causing all kinds of problems. The park is currently looking at several options for managing the overpopulation of ungulates. The main options are translocation (which can be quite costly), live auction, lethal reduction and lastly, alteration of the fence to allow movement in and out of the deer and elk, but not the bison. Each choice has its pros and cons and CPAWS NAB is advocating for translocation, recommending the involvement of native peoples in any form of live auction or lethal reduction and advocating for more study on the possible impact of any changes to the fencing.

We can help CPAWS NAB by telling our government representatives we would like to see more protected areas. CPAWS NAB is supported by the Edmonton Community Foundation and also by private donations. As one of our members aptly said, it is reassuring to know that there are knowledgeable people out there who are advocating on our behalf for protection of our wilderness areas.

New Hope School

Our Rotary group has partnered in a joint venture with the Rotary Club of Pretoria to help raise funds for the New Hope School in Pretoria. Patrick Gibson has put together a presentation that he will be making to the other rotary clubs in our area to encourage them to help us with this venture. Our goal is to put enough funding in place for us to be able to apply for a Rotary International matching grant.

Patrick gave us the same presentation he will be making to other local rotary groups. It included a short introduction on the New Hope School, followed by a video that has been prepared by the New Hope School. The New Hope School has been one of the projects of our club for some years now, and most of our members are well aware of the work they do in schooling for handicapped children in the Pretoria area. They provide many services above and beyond the usual schooling activities, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and many others, as needed by their students.

They receive only basic funding from the local government, so must fundraise to provide these other services. Some of the specific projects our funds could be used for would be a specialised playground, or programs to provide technical skills such as kitchen skills, nail and hair salon skills and sewing skills. Patrick has also put together a ‘Go Fund Me’ page on the web, on which people can get more information, view the video and make contributions. We will also be adding a link on our Rotary web page to this site.

https://www.gofundme.com/new-hope-school

Paul Harris Awards Presentations, 170905

Posted by Vi Hughes on Sep 06, 2017

Hal Quilliam presented three Paul Harris Awards on behalf of the trustees of the Rotary Foundation. Campbell Chow received a Paul Harris plus three award, Wally Romaniuk received a Paul Harris plus two award. Bob Sandercock and his wife Libby received a Major Donor Award for their ongoing support of the Rotary Foundation. The major donor award is presented for donations beyond the Paul Harris plus eight level.

Your Rotary Club is going out to lunch!

Posted by Audrey Martyn on Sep 01, 2017

Program Chair, Audrey Martyn, has arranged an out-of-site visit to South East Edmonton Seniors Association (SEESA) for our September 26 luncheon meeting.

We will have lunch in the cafeteria -- please bring $10 cash -- SEESA Executive Director, Kim Buehler will present an overview SEESA's operation.

DETAILS

Meals On Wheels on the roll...

Posted by Vince Campbell on Sep 08, 2017

Hi Vince,

Thanks for arranging today’s volunteer session. We were happy to have the help of so many Rotarians! I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves. I managed to take one picture while on shift (see attached). I’ve already tweeted it out – feel free to use it as you choose.

Joan Freeman, Karen Peddie and Loida Lumanlan
Thanks again!

Caitlin Fleming
Community Engagement & Fund Development Manager

Edmonton Meals on Wheels

News from J Percy Page Interact Club

Posted by Salma Ibrahim on Sep 15, 2017

Dear Eric [Germain] and Strathcona Club,

One last thank you for introducing me to Rotary through my high school years. I really enjoyed the club, the fundraisers, and the trips. Even though planning the Fundraiser the past few years were hard, it clearly was worth it with all the money we were able to donate at the end. Sometime during the year I was informed that our club was the largest high school interact club in the district (5370) that ranges from here and up north and into the territories with over 40 students registered.

I was hoping that you could send my thanks to the Strathcona group for me. It was an incredible honour to be the president of not only our largest group yet at page, but the entire district!! Im so proud, and I hope I represented the Club well as VP and President and that you are proud of my performance as well.

Also a big thank you from us grade 12. Being in the Interact club really gave us many memories together. I have attached a photo of (left to right)

Me, Salma Ibrahim (member 2014-15, VP 2015-16, and President 2016-17)
Sophie Berube (member 2014-15, Past President 2015-16, 2016-17 and director 2016-17)
Ouch Nwoke (member 2014-15, Director 2015-16, Director 2016-17)

I will reply with another email with a picture of the entire group. Our group photo for the yearbook was the largest group. So large that we had to get rid of the backdrop because we could fit in its frame!! It was a great problem to have And I was so proud to be the President of that specific group.I was hoping you could attach the photo to your club website not he JPP page. I just have to find it since one teacher at school has access to it, and since Im in university now, it might take a while. Hopefully by next week.

I will be sending another email with tip and advice on how the club can continue with this streak. good luck to the next generation of Interact and good luck to President Vincent Campbell in the 2017-2018 year. Please know that your sponsorship at our school is making great impacts in our live as it did for my friends and I as we all head to another chapter. Thank you for the memories and we will always live with the motto of Service Above Self I. our everyday lives. I hope your presence at j Percy page continues. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Salma Ibrahim

4-Way Test

RI link: 4-Way Test

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