About 40 special needs adults and their family or guardians, in the Family and Peer Support Group, came to Rotary Park, next to Delta City Hall, on August 15, 2021, to participate in the annual summer picnic which the Rotary Club of Ladner sponsors every year for the group. Members of the group as always were grateful for the chance to enjoy the outdoor event, with tasty food and games, which, they say, makes a difference in their lives. Ladner Rotary also sponsors a Christmas dinner for the group. Thank you to Mike and Kathy Storey and to Arthur and Geraldine Birk for organizing this event, along with 12 other Ladner Rotary volunteers. -- photos Chris Offer
The StoryWalk, with a two-page spread of a story book at each of 21 stations along a 1 km section of the Millenium Trail in Ladner, is now open for children and families. The stories will be changed every month throughout the year, promoting reading literacy and physical literacy. The project is outlined in the following CBC Radio interview with project leader, Tammy Hansen, on July 13, 2021. photos by Chris Offer
The StoryWalk reading and activity trail for children and families in Ladner gets a new story for August in the monthly exchange of stories. -- photos by Chris Offer
With the global theme for 2021-22, “Serve to Change Lives,” Rotary Club of Ladner installed its new president, Denis Denischuk, and board of directors at a virtual ceremony on June 29, 2021, officiated by the 2021-22 Rotary District 5040 Governor for 50 of the Rotary clubs in BC, Lorne Calder, of the Rotary Club of Prince George. Ladner Rotary, now in its 64th year, will continue to build on projects for the community, such as the StoryWalk trail of reading stations for young children, the pantry for high school students who need nutritious food over weekends, events for special needs adults and the Ladner Rotary Splash Park.
After many months of active participation in Ladner Rotary projects, Pania Lincoln was finally sworn in as a new member, in person, on July 27, 2021. Welcome Pania.
Paul Harris Fellow honourees are individuals who meet high professional and personal standards set forth by Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International. Honourees may have contributed more than US $1000 to The Rotary Foundation or may be recognized with this award by their club for extraordinary service above self. After many months, Shirvan Bakhtiyari, of Millenium Pacific Greenhouses in Delta, received his Paul Harris Award on July 27, 2021.
Dozens of families, among the more than 1,000 people suddenly forced to flee their homes in Lytton, BC when fire swept through most of the town on June 30th, so far have received from many Rotary members in this region $10,000 in gift cards plus $4,000 in fuel cards and supplies, as requested by leaders of the destroyed community. These funds are half of the total $28,000 in funds Rotary has raised to date for the BC Wild Fire Relief fund through the club in Steveston community of Richmond.
Excerpts from a presentation about the past 18 months in Canada and federal policies planned or enacted, which Hon. Carla Qualtrough, MP, Delta, and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion gave to the Rotary Club of Ladner on July 27, 2021, are reported below.
Speaking to the Rotary Club of Ladner on August 10th, Conservative party candidate for Delta in the next federal election, Garry Shearer, talked about what he had learned about the community over the past three years.
The death of an off duty corrections officer, who was recently shot in a North Delta shopping mall, has led to protocols developed by Delta Police with local retailers about what to do in the event of a similar incident to protect themselves and their customers. Ladner Rotarian, Acting Sergeant Ken Kirk, provided this update at our club meeting on August 3rd. The theft of catalytic converters, especially from larger vehicles, has been increasing, now even in daylight from the middle of shopping malls, he reported. A driver can have their catalytic converter etched with their identification, through Delta Police Department, and a bike rider, their bike registered, in case of theft. Stolen property has been returned through that kind of system. Delta Police continues to serve, and work with, Tsawwassen First Nation, as well as all of Delta. Volunteers' contributing to community policing had dropped off during the past year or so of pandemic restrictions, but will be picking up again this Fall. Once again, Delta residents are encouraged to keep an eye out for any threats to security and safety and report them to police: "No call too small."
Guest of Ladner Rotary in February, Gordon McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, Lothian, Scotland, is nominated to become President of Rotary International for 2023-24. Gordon spoke to our club about Scotland. He lauded Rotary’s ability to adapt technologically during the COVID-19 pandemic -- an example being his speaking to our club from afar via Zoom -- saying the approach should continue and be combined with the best of our past practices as Rotary seeks to grow and increase engagement.
He says, “We have learned there is a willingness within communities to care for one another, and we must ensure that we encourage people who have recently embraced the concept of volunteering to join us to allow them to continue giving service.”