Thousands of Rotary members, motivated by a special invitation from Pope Francis, gathered at the Vatican in Rome on Saturday to celebrate a message of compassion, inclusiveness, and service to humanity.
At midmorning, the group -- numbering some 9,000 members from 80 countries -- made its way through the congested streets of Rome, past the tight security surrounding St. Peter's Square, and settled into the area reserved for Rotary in front of St. Peter's Basilica for the Jubilee audience.
Francis, a 79-year-old Argentine, urged the crowd of more than 100,000, which included members of the...
From the May 2016 issue of The Rotarian
If there is one absolute truth about millennials, it is this: Anyone who says there is an absolute truth about millennials risks being subjected to their collective eye roll.
Millennials are individuals, and fiercely so. According to the Pew Research Center, most of them don’t even like being called “millennials,” let alone hearing generalizations about their shared attitudes and behaviors.
Case in point: Christa Papavasiliou, 31, recoils at the notion that older folks see her generation as a bunch of selfie-snapping smartphone addicts. “I’m the...
Editor's note: After the May 2016 issue of The Rotarian went to press, we were saddened to learn of the death of Garvin Evans, who along with his son, U2 guitarist The Edge, appeared on the cover of that issue. Evans was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Dublin North. We are grateful that we were able to share his remarkable story with our readers.
***
The boys of U2 are home. It’s Friday, 27 November, two weeks after the terrorist attacks in Paris. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. had been in Paris that terrible evening, rehearsing at the venue where they were...
From the May 2016 issue of The Rotarian
More than a million refugees from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan streamed into the European Union last year. Most entered via Greece after a harrowing raft trip across the Aegean Sea from Turkey. Once there, they made their way north, often on foot, traveling more than 1,000 miles through the rugged mountains of the Balkan countries toward Germany.
That was the uncertain odyssey facing Muhammad Mallah Hamza, a 26-year-old ethnic Kurd, in late 2014 when he decided to leave his native Syria. The trip would lead the recent college graduate to a picturesque...
From the May 2016 issue of The Rotarian
Demographic change is a drama in slow motion. It unfolds incrementally, tick by tock, but it transforms societies in fundamental ways – and the America of the early 21st century is undergoing two such dramas at the same time.
Our population is en route to becoming majority nonwhite at the same time a record share of us (like me) is going gray. Either trend by itself would be the dominant demographic story of its era. The fact that they’re unfolding simultaneously has created giant generation gaps. The United States is at a moment in its history when...
The Edmonton Emergency Relief Society has put out an urgent call for NEW donation items:
Blankets
Toothbrushes
Socks
Underwear
Towels
(Please no used items)
I’m sure their earlier call for NEW diapers and other toiletries (shampoo, soap, etc) would still be valid.
They can be delivered to their downtown warehouse at 10255 104 Street. If any club members wish to purchase items and bring them to the club on Tuesday, I’ll deliver them to ERSS after the meeting.
Yours in Rotary,
Rick
P.S. I have always wanted to see how many new personal items my van could fit. I bet it’s a lot. It’s a pretty big van. Just saying.
We have all watched and heard the horrific flash fire emergency unfolding in Fort McMurray, and many of you may be wondering how you may help. So here is a run down on ways to do just that.
A member of the Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona, who wishes to remain anonymous, has pledged to match any of our members' donations dollar for dollar up to $1,000. As of the time of this writing we have no deadline for the matching grants, but we suggest you submit your pledge on or before Friday May 13th. After you have finished the pledge form, please advise Rick Harcourt , cell or text: 780-965-4453 of the amount pledged in order to coordinate our anonymous member's pledge.
Outside of Rotary the Canadian Red Cross is accepting donations which will be matched by the Federal Government. Use the Red Cross online donation page on redcross.ca (probably the best bang for your buck)
Please see below for updated information on how you may donate using charge cards or cheques to donate through the Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation.
You will receive a tax receipt regardless of your method of donation.
Fort McMurray Fire Relief Fund Established
The Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation has established the “Fort McMurray Fire Relief Fund” to assist in the rebuilding of that city following this tragic fire. The Charitable Foundation is now ready to accept donations, for which tax receipts will be issued. The Foundation will rely on an independent committee of Fort McMurray stakeholders (including the Rotary club and the municipality) for advice on disbursal of the funds.
This fund is being established after consultation with DGN Frank Reitz (resident of Fort McMurray) and Fort McMurray Rotary Club President Jeanette Bancarz.
Donations may be from individuals or corporations. Rotary clubs may wish to facilitate this process by collecting donations, and then forwarding either the individual cheques or a cheque drawn on the club’s account for the total amount, along with a list of the donors and their addresses and postal codes.
Please forward donations to:
Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation
c/o Rotary District 5370 Office
16030 – 104 Ave.. NW
Edmonton AB T5P 0S3
and annotate cheques “Fort McMurray Fire Relief Fund”
If you wish to make a donation using Visa, MasterCard or American Express, you may do so by using the Canada Helps website and the Charitable Foundation’s link:
The highlight of our 'bring a prospective member' meeting, was talks by four current Rotarians about their lives in Rotary. Eric Germain first gave us an overview of the history of Rotary in North America, Alberta, and Edmonton in particular. He spoke about the goals of Rotary and how it revolves around fellowship and community service. He mentioned some of the local initiatives that our club has supported, such as YESS, in addition to the international programs such as Shelterbox Canada, our Wheelchair program, and Polio Plus. He also mentioned some of the fundraising activities, such as the flag program, that we do each year. He then spoke about his life as part of a Rotarian family, and how his father's dedication to Rotary, inspired his own involvement, as well as that of his brother Ken, and how this has now followed on to the third generation of their family with his daughter, Nicole, who is now a rotarian.
The second speaker was Carin Jansen van Vuuren, who spoke about growing up in a Rotary family in South Africa, and how she took part in many community service activities as a child, along side her father, Jan van Zyl, who was a lifelong Rotarian and a Past District Governor D-9400 . She spoke of how Rotarians around the world all have a common ground through their belief in charitable work and service to others. She mentioned how being inducted as a member of our local Edmonton club by her father was a highlight of her life as a Rotarian. She commented how volunteers do not always have the time, but they always have the heart.
Our third speaker was Loida Lumanlan, a new member of our local club who spoke about how Rotary provides an opportunity to get to know and serve the community with friendly like minded people. She also spoke of the strength of numbers, and how we can do so much more as a group, than any one individual can do alone.
Our final speaker was Daryl Baker, a long time member of Rotary in the Edmonton region, and member of the northern Alberta district Educational Committee. He gave us an overview of the local district size and administrative structure, with over sixty clubs in district 5370 for Northern Alberta. He also spoke of the clubs which we sponsor, for younger people, with Rotaract clubs for people aged eighteen to thirty, and Interact clubs, for people aged twelve to seventeen. He encouraged us to get involved, as there are many different committees to take part in. He also explained how the flat organisational structure, short terms of office, and continual training for future Rotary district and club executive, ensures that they run smoothly, and that the legacy of Rotary continues into the future.
On Tuesday, Ken Sutley announced to a delighted capacity crowd, that he and Diana Parker have been dating for the last three months. Wow! they sure know how to keep a secret.
Both Diana and Ken are long time Edmonton Strathcona Rotarians and both are past presidents of the club. We couldn't be happier for them.
-- You haven't played solitaire with a real deck of cards in years.
-- You have a list of 20 phone numbers to reach five people.
-- You chat several times a day with a Nigerian prince over e-mail, but you couldn't name your neighbor.
-- When paying a cashier, you only know how to respond to "credit or debit" -- what the hell is "cash"?
-- You think "music in the air" refers to free downloads.
-- You lose touch with any family member who doesn't have an email address.
-- Second-day delivery takes way too long.
-- You need PowerPoint to explain what you do for a living.
-- A "half day" means leaving at 5 p.m.
-- You find jokes on computers, not in books or word of mouth.
If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. Mark Twain
WANTED – Flag planters, sales & marketing personnel
The 2016 updated brochure is now posted in the files section of the Canada Flag site page.http://tinyurl.com/FlagProg
An online registration/payment feature is now in place. You can register yourself and direct friends and neighbours to this form:http://tinyurl.com/flagpayment
This important club fund raising initiative needs your help! We currently generate close to $19,000 per year (less expenses) from our “Canadian Flag Program”. Your ideas about how to retain current clients and grow the business would be welcomed.
If all our “able bodied” members were to generate or continue to maintain a small manageable customer base close to home, it would enable us to continue this program. Existing large customer client routes also need to be maintained as best we can and your help would be appreciated for these accounts.
For information about the miniature lawn flag and its purpose, contact Bob Sandercock
Maintenance of existing physical inventory is ongoing and new flags, poles & holders have been ordered. A reasonably accurate list of current clients has been produced. Your thoughts & offers of assistance, where needed, can be communicated via e-mail to our chairperson Dennis. email: freeman5@telus.net He is looking forward to hearing from you soon.
This is a picture of staff and other visitors at the Sunchild Band Health Center. My wife Ann and I were given a tour of the center and got to meet a few of the staff. My contact there is Evelyn, far right, who also met us at the Alexander Band. They are very happy and thankful that we were able to donate these chairs.
Here is a picture of Jackie who is the head nurse at the Alexis Band Health Center. I delivered 2 chairs there this morning. I was impressed by the setting as the health center overlooks a lake. Jackie and others there were very happy to get the chairs.
Posted by Stephan Jansen van Vuuren
on Apr 15, 2016
Caren and Skip Kerr hosted a great many members and guests in their home at Oktober Fest last year. View photo album from last year's fest.
This year they are graciously opening their door and their hearts again in hosting a Hawaiian Feast with all the trimmings provided.
The date is Saturday, August 13, 2016 from 4:00 pm (1600) till 9:00 pm (2100).
Like last year, the Kerr's are putting on the whole show by providing food, entertainment and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), Cocktails are $5 extra.
There will be prizes for best theme dressed couple or person.
All revenue from ticket sales will be destined to a project to be determined by the club.
This year we will have an Early Bird and a late purchase option:
From now till midnight (MDT) June 30, the ticket price is $40/ea
From July 1 till midnight (MDT) July 31, the ticket price is $45/ea
From August 1 till midnight (MDT) August 12, the ticket price is $50/ea
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