April 02, 2024 -REGULAR SPEAKER MEETING
Dana Dolezsar, Director, Stop Ecocide Canada
Topic: Ecocide: the missing 5th crime
Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and the Crime of Aggression; are identified, globally, as the worst crimes against peace, the crimes of gravest concern to the international community. What if I were to tell you that there was a missing 5th crime? The crime of Ecocide. In this fascinating 20-minute presentation, you will learn about the rapidly growing campaign to make the mass destruction of ecosystems an international crime at the International Criminal Court. You will learn who is doing it, how it can be done, the timeline, the achievements thus far, and what it could mean for humanity given the current environmental crises we face. Speaker Dana May Dolezsar from Stop Ecocide Canada will introduce you to the campaign and ask you to consider, "How would our world be different if the mass destruction of nature were a crime?"
Dana May Dolezsar is an activist, poet, filmmaker, and student of sustainability management living and working on Coast Salish Territories known as Vancouver BC, Canada. She is an organizing member of Stop Ecocide Canada and founder of West Coast Youth for Ecocide Law. Dana has been campaigning for action on climate change since she was 12 years old, giving speeches about the Kyoto accord back in 2002. She has attended countless marches and rallies and helped organize grassroots campaigns including blockades and non-violent direct action. In 2022 Dana turned her attention to the law and felt that bringing NVDA cases into the courtroom needed to be supported by clearly advocating for a change in legislation. Dana became an "Earth Protector" and began volunteering with Stop Ecocide Canada, meeting with MP's and giving presentations on Ecocide Law at schools, online, and even on Parliament Hill.
Please join us for some good old fashioned Rotary camaraderie while enjoying a great meal and then sharing the experience of learning about one of the great children's charities there is. Note that the deadline to RSVP is no later than Sunday March 31st as our numbers need to be guaranteed to TCC on Monday morning.
If no written objection is filed with the Secretary within 7 days of March 29, 2024, (by April 5, 2024), Sean Chan, will upon payment of the dues and assessments determined by the Board, be declared elected as a returning member of the Rotary Club of Vancouver recognized by Rotary International.
The classification that Sean Chan will hold is “Finance - Corporate Advisory”.
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Frederique Niel Mar 29
Daniel Hawreluk Mar 31
at our Club
Graham Coleman 8 years
Peter Clarke 19 years
Tom Calkin 43 years
wedding
Jaewon & Eun Kyung Kim 1 year Mar 30
* come in person to celebrate your birthday with Purdy's chocolates!!
Mindy Tulsi-Ingram chaired the meeting and gave the invocation.
Sam Shorter, Secretary-elect, hosted ZOOM
Jim Evans, Sergeant at Arms, introduced guests
Chair’s Announcements:
Welcome to our guests, new and returning, as well as our own members who have taken time out of busy schedules to attend. We are grateful to see new faces, remember guests are ALWAYS welcome at our meetings.
Words of wisdom from Ralph Towsley, if you’re going to attend any Rotary event, attend the President’s Gala. It’s a wonderful, fun way to say thank you to the person who has stepped up in the role of President to serve our membership and club. A huge commitment for which we are grateful.
For those who celebrate Easter and all that comes with it – ‘Happy Easter to all of my favorite Peeps! May your Easter basket be filled with joy, happiness, and peace now and always.’
Secretary's announcements:
reminders of upcoming events/meetings (see above)
birthdays, member club anniversaries, wedding anniversaries (see above)
Members' moments and special presentations:
Franz Gehriger shared info about the upcoming Irish Pub social on April 9th. 6:00 @ Donnellan’s The Forge in Gastown. Stay tuned for registration information to be forthcoming via email. This event will be in lieu of a luncheon meeting April 9th.
Franz also spoke about the upcoming Ride for Hearing (July 14th). Flyers are available for you to take and share in your community (coffee shops, grocery stores, favorite shops, etc.) The money raised is used to support those with hearing issues in BC. They are looking to have 350 riders on e-bikes, normal bikes, and in the family ride. There is an early bird discount still available to register. Also looking for 99 volunteers. As a club we hope, and indeed expect, every member who is able to participate in one form or another. Please sign up as soon as possible to help the organizers know what gaps need to be filled.
Stu Bird let those who have not seen the new St. Paul's site know that the construction is well underway. It is really exciting to see. We have been very fortunate with our fundraising so far in working towards our $6M commitment, including ½ million from the Pacific Oncology Society. We are now at $4M raised, 2/3 of the way to our goal.
John Hayto promoted the upcoming President's Gala Dinner, Back to Black. It will be a black tie optional event on Friday May 24th at the Terminal City Club. The purpose will be to recognize Jason and also the recent presidents for whom we were unable to celebrate until now. It will be a FUN event, open to friends and family. Registration will be forthcoming soon.
Sara Lee, UBC Rotaract co-president, promoted their car smash fundraiser. Cost to let loose will be one swing for $3, five swings for $10. All proceeds raised will be for the Rotary Education Fund, an international scholarship program that awards around $7.5 million in scholarships per year. Not to mention the community service they are providing in giving students and others a safe outlet pre-exams.
John Bathurst promoted the hoop-a-thon coming up on April 20th. They are looking to recruit a ringer who can make some baskets on our behalf. Pledge sheets are provided at our lunch meetings. If you are not able to attend in person, contact Nathan Hesketh to let him know of your pledge. All funds raised go to help the youth of Britannia and Strathcona.
Program - REGULAR MEETING SPEAKER:
Rohan Aurora introduced speaker Andrea Tang, CEO of Variety - The Children's Charity.
Variety is on a mission to help every child with complex healthcare needs fulfill their unique potential. By providing life-changing support and essential resources—including medical and mobility equipment, specialized therapists, mental health counsellors, expert tutors, and vital assessments—Variety empowers extraordinary children to overcome barriers and thrive. Protecting the health and well-being of children is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference. We believe that every child has the right to live in an inclusive world and feel a sense of belonging in their community.
Andrea's major life focus in on maternal and child health. A perfect fit with Variety. Her older sister has down's syndrome and is one of the many reasons for Andrea's path leading her to where she is now.
Variety is an international charity that was founded in 1927. The original Variety Club was formed by 11 businessmen working in the entertainment industry. This group discovered an abandoned infant in one of their theatres and banded together to raise her. This alliance grew into an organization that puts children first and boasts 40 chapters in 11 countries today.
Here in British Columbia, our chapter was established in 1966, focusing on empowering children with special needs throughout the province. Continually inspired by our roots in teamwork, we’ve partnered with donors and businesses to raise millions of dollars to help children and families across the province.
The vision: To create an inclusive world where no child is left behind. Variety steps in where healthcare becomes a challenge.
Variety supports a lot of different disabilities. Some of the stats: 1 in 4 Canadian have a disability – many that are not visible. There is an estimated 80,000 BC children and youth with disabilities currently not receiving any support. It is estimated that 1 in 3 children are struggling in at least one of five areas including social, emotional, physical, language, and communication areas.
Last year Variety supported over 21,000 BC children and youth, provided 6,646 grants in 240 different communities and 44 school partners. The impact of there work has been summed up by Sharon, mom to Isaac who experience incredible bullying and subsequent trauma adding to some physical difficulties he was dealing with. “With Variety’s help, we have been able to access critical and life-changing therapies for Isaac that would be out of reach otherwise. I’ve watched my son suffer through his pain, feeling helpless, and now I know we aren’t alone in this.”
Variety really believes protecting the health and wellbeing of kids is of paramount importance. Being able to step in to support families during the child’s key developmental years it set them on a more positive trajectory.
Some remember that our club was involved in the telethon where we provided a team of people to man the phones. The telethon is still one of their flagship fundraisers, during the Show of Hearts campaign in February, though it is more of a hybrid model since the pandemic. We will follow up to see if we can help next year.
If you want to learn more about Variety and the work they do, or how you can help, you are encouraged to reach out to Andrea.
Website: https://www.variety.bc.ca/
Phone: 604-320-0505
Email: info@variety.bc.ca
Meeting adjourned with a toast to the children of tomorrow and thoughts of hope, confidence, love & success.
