2019-04-01 Rotary Buzz
Ted opened the meeting at 11:45 am with the singing of O Canada and the Rotary Grace!
Health of the Club – Paul Pedersen reported that our health must be good as no one has said otherwise.
Happy Bucks – Dan M is still learning his new position and is thankful that his team is not afraid to tell him when they think he needs to reconsider a decision; Dave S is happy he still has $1 in his pocket after taking grandkids to Disneyland; Lou H is happy that Lisa Vornbrock will be applying for membership in our Club, and also for her upcoming vacation. Ted G shared the adventures of moving parents into a Senior Living complex. I think we are all happy it is him and not us going through that!
Announcements and Committee Updates:
- Gala Update – make sure you have marked your calendars for April 27 at the Best Western. Dawn plans to attend the next evening meeting and will have tickets. Please use this opportunity to invite the community to support Rotary. This year we will honor long time Rotarian Ken Drever with a special tribute and thanks. This is our major fundraiser for the year, so if we want to continue to do major projects in the community and internationally, we need the support of ALL members to get people out and collect items for our auctions.
- KIVA update – we made 3 new loans in the last month or two, to purchase equipment to expand businesses.
- Spring Leadership Assembly in March – Ted shared some pieces of a presentation given at the conference about recruiting and retaining members. A couple of interesting statistics coming out of a survey:
Why do people join Rotary? #1 was to have local impact and #2 was fellowship.
Why do people stay in Rotary? #1 was fellowship and #2 was local impact.
So when we talk to potential new members and tell them we have 1.2 billion members worldwide and are proud to be “this close” to eradicating polio, it seems we are missing the most important information: what we do in our community and how we make lasting friendships. Food for thought the next time you talk to someone about why they should join our Club.
- AGLC items
- Charitable Gaming Review – underway, Morris Henderson representing both Rotary Clubs on the Regional Working Group. Major concerns seem to be inequitable wait times and distribution of proceeds
- Chase the Ace – 4 Rotarians (Lou and Morris Henderson, Roy Wallace, John Stoddart) met with 4 senior staff from AGLC’s raffle licensing area including the VP of Regulatory Services. The AGLC staff listened to our ideas of how Progressive Raffles could be structured in Alberta to address the concerns AGLC has about licensing raffles of this nature beyond the current $20,000 threshold. They complimented us on the research we have done and the knowledge we have of the raffle process. They thanked us for acknowledging the position AGLC has as Regulator in managing the risk to the public and to charities associated with charitable gaming. The VP, Dave Berry, promised to take our ideas forward and assured us that he has an open mind toward changes in this area. It is unlikely that AGLC will seriously look at opening up progressive raffles to higher limits any time soon, as they want to evaluate the impact of the recent changes made to raffle license limits and random number generators.
- Kassia Fardoe Global Scholarship Grant
Kassia has not yet received her acceptance from London School of Economics.The Rotary Club of Dulwich, Peckham and Crystal Palace has offered to be her Host club in London.We have started a Global Scholarship Grant application. Kassia is busy completing her information for the Global Grant and District Grant. As soon as Kassia is accepted I will email out the Global Grant Number so that anyone who wishes to direct Foundation donations to her scholarship can do so. Deadline for applying is June so we have a bit of time. Please consider supporting Kassia by making your 2019 Foundation donations before the end of June, and designating them to this Scholarship Grant.
50/50 - $201 – Carman Mason drew the Queen of Diamonds—not the Ace of Spades.
- Meeting adjourned at 12:50 pm.
- Next meeting – Evening Meeting, April 8, 2019, 6:00 pm
- Presentation on the 2018 Youth Canoe Trip by Augustana and Camrose Police leaders