The Rotary theme for September is Basic Education and Literacy. It is a huge emphasis in many Rotary Clubs, and something that gives confidence and hope to young children.
My Rotary Club in Mount Vernon distributes dictionaries to all third grade children in our city. I know that many other Rotary Clubs do the same project. Having delivered these dictionaries to children over the years, I witness a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. While in the classroom, I ask the children to look up several words. The dictionary provides a definition fit for a young child, and often has pictures or images to support it. I watch the children thumbing through the dictionary as if they are receiving one of the best gifts of their lives. It is encouraging to know that children are able to read and comprehend some basic educational skills.
Learning to read opens a lot of doors. I remember in my years as a hospice chaplain and bereavement coordinator witnessing adults not being able to read simple things, like the prescription on a medicine label or instructions for cooking a meal. It was frustrating realizing that adults cannot read, which hinders and limits their lives.
As Rotarians, let’s encourage literacy and basic education. Let’s make sure all children learn the gift of reading. My hope is that you may take time to tutor a child who struggles to read or spend time reading to children, grandchildren, or other young children. It is a valuable gift that we can offer.
David Lukov
District 5050 Governor
Governor's Message
In the month of September, I will begin my District Governor Club visits. I am looking forward to seeing fellow Rotarians as we gather for fellowship, service and fun. I hope to meet each of you during these visits.
With the Rotary theme of hope, I want to write about the recent wildfire disasters in Maui, the Northwest Territories and parts of British Columbia. These wildfires have wiped out homes and communities. It has caused a great deal of pain and anguish for many. I saw a recent video from my colleague and friend in District 5060, District Governor Marjolein Lloyd. She lives in Kelowna, BC, and was describing the tragedy that some of her friends and neighbors experienced who had lost their homes or suffered significant damage. Marjolein and her husband had several of these families staying with them. I saw the anxiety and despair on her face. But I also heard her share words of hope.
One of the paradoxes of hope is that it is sometimes found in the ashes. I don’t want to minimize the pain people experience when tragedy strikes. It is heart breaking. It hurts. It can cause tears, anguish, anger and frustration. But it is sometimes in the emptiness found in tragedy that we experience hope.
I deal with pain everyday as a funeral director. I see people come into the funeral home feeling heartbreak and anguish. I admit there are times I wish I could fix the situation. I can’t. Nobody can. Things feel hopeless. It is sometimes in these situations though that hope emerges. In the empty moments of life, we become challenged to reflect on our purposes in life. It forces us to stop and take stock of what matters. As we pause and reflect, we are likely to experience hope.
Our goal as Rotarians this year is to create hope. May each of us take the time to reflect on our direction and purpose, explore what hope is, and share this confidence with others.
Now’s the time…to get the world out to high school Juniors about applying for one of the 2023-2024 YES teams at www.YES5050.org.
The District 5050 Youth Engaged in Service Program is fielding three teams this year: Skagit, Snohomish, and BC. YES involves monthly meetings, leadership training, local community service, and an international humanitarian service project in Guatemala or Honduras at the end of the school year.
Since its inception in 2007, 18 Rotary Clubs have sponsored 88 students who have volunteered over 7,000 hours in their local communities and have provided portable water filters, planted gardens, assembled wood burning stoves to replace floor fire pits, constructed a kindergarten building, built play structures, and provided books, school supplies, and hygiene kits in remote villages where people suffer from so many things due to remoteness and poverty.
Students are assisted in raising their $1,500 program fee and their Rotary Club sponsor contributes $1,000 in recognition of their 80 hours of local community service as well as $1,000 for the international project materials.
Money can provide materials and transport people to the far corners of our world. Participating in YES is so much more than sharing one’s time and abundance to meet physical needs. It is each individual person making a commitment to interact with another person and walk in their shoes for just a moment. It is coming to recognize the humanity in each one of us…YES is truly a transformative experience.
Being District Governor is one of the most important roles in the District. It is rewarding, challenging, exciting, and highly responsible. It is the epitome of Service Above Self. The District Governor provides leadership, inspiration, and guidance to Rotary clubs under the general supervision of the Board of Directors.
In each District, the Governor serves as the official representative of Rotary International and is charged with upholding the Constitution and Bylaws of Rotary International, fostering success in their District at the Club level.
The District Governor is nominated by their Club, and all qualified candidates are interviewed by the District Nominating Committee, comprised of five Past District Governors. Each District Governor serves a one-year term, but that individual often fills many roles in the lead-up to, and following their year as District Governor.
LaFarge Lake Park Garden WalkRon Postman, Coquitlam Sunrise
A stroll through Coquitlam’s LaFarge Lake Park isn’t complete without a pause to rest on a beautiful coloured steel bench in the shape of two hummingbirds. A plaque under the bench lets people know that the Garden Walk was created by members of Coquitlam Sunrise Rotary who planted the flowers, shrubs and tree in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, after fundraising $7,000 for the project.
LaFarge Lake Park is the premier outdoor recreation facility in Coquitlam, acting as a destination site for sports, recreation and cultural events. It is used by thousands of residents throughout the year and attracts thousands more from across Metro Vancouver for its signature events, including the spectacular Lights on the Lake held annually December/January.
In addition to the Garden Walk, adopted during the two-year presidency of Lori Travis, members of Coquitlam Sunrise Rotary meet regularly to clean the club’s adopted street, paths and parking lots around the lake and, when the park was developed joined with other TriCity Rotary Clubs to fund the popular bike path and volleyball courts.
The Garden Walk Project was made possible thanks to a Rotary District grant and the fundraising efforts of Coquitlam Sunrise Rotary members. The hands-on project began in July 2022 when Rotarians worked with City of Coquitlam parks employees to plant a peace tree, plants and flowering shrubs. The bench and Rotary recognition plaque were recently installed, completing the project.
From the Editor's Desk
Mental Health is a huge focus of RI President Gordon MacInally. He is inviting everyone to a Suicide Awareness and Prevention presentation sponsored by the Mental Health Initiatives Rotary Action Group on 9 September, 9 AM our time. Click this link to register and join us on Zoom.
Speaking of Rotary Action Groups, we will provide a comprehensive list next month of all of the current RAGs. There are so many and more under development that there's sure to be at least one that you can participate in. There are at least a half dozen that I am participating in.
Govenor Lukov's Club visit schedule is above. Please note that this is subject to change. If your Club is not listed or noted as "pending confirmation" please contact Governor's Aide Pat Bond to finalize his visit date.
There's still an opportunity to support Lee Harman's Miss Vicky End Polio Now fundraising campaign. Miss Vicky left Alaska late last month with a goal of reaching Mexico later this month. Click this link to find out more!
We also welcome the Rotary Exchange Students to our District. They are settling in with their host families, getting ready to attend school and meeting you at your Club Meetings and Events.
Speaking of events, if you want your Club's program, initiative, fundraiser and success story to be seen by the entire District (and our friends outside of the District), send us the information! With graphics or photos. And please make sure you identify everyone in the photos. Remember, the deadline is the 23rd of the month before publication. Thank you to those that are sending material. Best to use the Story Submittal forms available at the District website and photos should be separate in jpeg format with everyone identified. Make sure any graphics or images you use in your submissions are original, perhaps even created by your own members and not taken off of the internet unless you have received copyright permission.
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment,
This monthly publication is a service to District Members and Friends. It is intended as a source of news and opinion from throughout the District.
The mission of the Peace Arch Journal is to promote communication, understanding, fellowship and fun beyond club meetings, in a manner complementary to shared efforts at placing Service Above Self.
Please send articles and news with or without pictures attached to emails. Photographs are always a plus! Note that the editor appreciates conservation of space in order to meet the sender’s needs and the editor’s time.
The deadline is the 23rd of the month.
Address any and all information to the Peace Arch Journal Editor.
Rotary to amplify climate action at COP28 in DubaiRotary will help facilitate collaboration on community-led climate action, and discuss the intersection of climate change and
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