The Buzz - November 16, 2020
The meeting opened with the National Anthem and Treaty 6 Declaration.
TWINNING OF CLUBS
Kim spoke about ongoing discussions to form a formal partnership/twinning between the Rotary Club of Camrose and the Rotary Club of Kingston Jamaica. It will begin with a formalized Memorandum of Understanding so both clubs are aware of any obligations, meetings and future collaborative partnerships.
Effiom Whyte from RC Kingston noted his club currently has partnerships with clubs in Naples, FL, White Bear Lake, MN and Willowdale ON.
President Jenn is expecting Past President Roy to speak to this further next week.
FIRESIDE CHATS
Shirley has been doing some research into the Fireside program - which is a way for new and established members to reacquaint themselves with the history, values, and nuances of Rotary International, and become more familiar with events and projects maintained by the RC of Camrose.
Part of the in-progress Strategic Plan calls for a re-kindling of the Fireside program as a platform to share Rotary experiences and answer any questions about Rotary and our Club. Held in a member’s home, it often involved good food, great wine and amazing conversation.
ROTARY CARES DRAW
November’s winner was Ken Drever #238. Remember to sell the 2021 tickets!
HAPPY BUCKS
Jenn - home renovations
Dan M - currently editing two books - LeRoy Joshnson’s book about the Viking Cup, and Effiom Whyte’s autobiography.
Jim - made it safe to Arizona, although the area is quite quiet and feels empty.
Lou - apology buck - story in the Booster attributed all quotes and information about the recent induction of Honorary Members to her and not those individuals who provided the background and accolades.
Paying Happy Bucks - as our meetings are held online, there is no way to collect bucks at individual meetings. Members are encouraged to make an online transfer a couple of times a year to cover the Loonies that would have otherwise been collected. Please use the club’s online account email address rccpay@gmail.com to forward Happy Buck contributions.
ROTARY FUN FACT
Carolyn enlightened the club to the history of women in Rotary prior to Rotary International expanding their membership criteria to include women as full members on January 23, 1989.
This designation of “Rotary Ann” was never one of disparagement, but rather grew out of an interesting historical occasion. The year was 1914 when San Francisco Rotarians boarded a special train to attend the Rotary Convention being held in Houston. In those days few wives attended Rotary events, and until the train stopped in Los Angeles, the only woman aboard was the wife of Rotarian Brunnier.
As the train picked up additional convention-bound delegates, Mrs. Ann Brunnier was introduced as the Rotarian's Ann. This title soon became "Rotary Ann". Since the clubs of the west were inviting the Rotarians to hold their next convention in San Francisco, a number of songs and stunts were organized which would be performed in Houston. One of the Rotarians wrote a "Rotary Ann" chant. On the train's arrival at the Houston depot, a delegation greeted the West Coast Rotarians. One of the greeters was Guy Gundaker of Philadelphia, whose wife was also named Ann.
During the rousing demonstration, someone started the Rotary Ann chant. The two petite ladies, Ann Brunnier and Ann Gundaker, were hoisted to the men's shoulders and parade about the hall. The group loved the title given to the two women named Ann. Immediately the same term of endearment was used for all of the wives in attendance and the name "Rotary Ann" was here to stay.
Nine years later, in 1923, Guy Gundaker became president of Rotary International. Bru Brunnier was elected president in 1952, 29 years after that. Thus, each of the two original Rotary Anns became the "first lady of Rotary International."
Oklahoma City, Club 29 is responsible for the origin of the Rotary Ann auxiliary organization. OKC Rotarian Virgil Browne's wife, Maimee Lee, proposed this organization to Club 29 in November 1928, and its acceptance has spread to thousands of clubs throughout the Rotary world.
One of the purposes of a Rotary Ann Club was to bring into fellowship the families of the members of the Rotary club. Other objectives include assisting Rotarians in the execution of various club and community projects and uphold the purposes and aims of Rotary.
FEATURE PRESENTATION - CAMROSE POLICE CHIEF DEAN LaGRANGE
Dean was raised on a family farm outside Red Deer and is in the middle of a long line of family members involved in Law Enforcement - his father was RCMP, his daughter is a 911 operator, and his sons are police officers in Calgary and the RCMP. He attended SAIT after following a romantic interest to Calgary (yes, he and Lori later got married), and he volunteered with Calgary’s Victim Service Unit.
He served in various roles with the Calgary City Police Service - from traffic sector to Major Events and the Strike Force. He took a leave of absence in 2011 to participate in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was part of a 24 member police force tasked with providing more formalized police procedure education to the local Afghan police force, and improve the traffic conditions in Kabul where the daily traffic includes people, cars, trucks and sheep. Dean said that while he went to Afghanistan to help the people, it was a challenge to create any sort of structure in a country where the residents are simply trying to survive one day to the next. He said a military force can’t teach democratic policing in a war zone, and they can’t expect to change 3,000 of history.
Upon his return to Calgary, he was assigned to District II in southwest Calgary and then became Duty Inspector responsible for all city-wide resources from K-9 and SWAT to the HAWKS air surveillance team. His retirement shortly thereafter was short-lived as he joined the RCMP as an Inspector, spending the next 18 months in Red Deer - he found this to be an eye-opening experience as the ‘chain of command’ was on a national level, not locally has he as accustomed to in Calgary.
When the Chief of Police position opened in Camrose he saw the opportunity to achieve ‘the pinnacle’ of a policing career to become Chief of a police force. He said policing in Camrose is very much the same as policing in other communities… it’s just a matter of scale. Camrose is in a ‘bubble’ compared to other communities - but must still contend with about 5 percent of the population causing 95 percent of the issues the police deal with.
President Jenn thanked Chief LaGrange for his presentation and the opportunity to learn more about him, policing, and what brought him to Camrose.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS
November 23-Foundation Update by Ted Gillespie
November 30-Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Update
December 7- Lori Gosseling- Community Building Presentation
December 14- AGM
December 21- Festive celebration of some kind.
UPCOMING GREETERS / FUN FACT PRESENTERS
November 23 - Blanchette, Florence and Cole, Dan
November 30 - Iverson, Bernadine and Phillips, Donna
December 7 - Doig, Tiffany and Rebus, Don
December 14 - Mason, Carman and Stetar, Jerome
December 21 - Berry, Heather and Roberts, Ken