Vol. 100 No. 48
Philip Webber, President
Franco Gallo, Secretary
Next meeting: Tuesday June 19, 2018 Dr. Peter Ross, VP Research "Ocean Wise", UVic & Vancouver Aquarium "Microplastic pollution threatens the world's oceans"
Dr. Peter S. Ross is the Vice-President of Research at Ocean Wise, a global conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium. He holds an Adjunct Professor position at the University of Victoria and served as a Research Scientist for the Canadian Government between 1996 and 2013. Dr. Ross oversees nine research programs at Ocean Wise, with a focus on conservation science. He is an international authority in the area of ocean pollution, having published over 150 scientific articles, with a focus on the source, transport, fate and effects of priority pollutants. He launched the Ocean Pollution Research Program at Ocean Wise in 2014, and continues to lead a solution-oriented microplastic pollution research program.
Join us to learn more, find out what you can do to help fix the problem or at least stop contributing to it. It will be a very interesting presentation.
Upcoming meeting: Tuesday June 26, 2018 Grace Shyng, Acting Executive Director, Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (WIDHH) "Plans for the new WIDHH Centre of Excellence"
Grace Shyng started at WIDHH as a staff audiologist in 1994 and became the head of audiology in 1999. She holds a Master of Science in Audiology from UBC and is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. Grace participates in many professional committees including a national certification exam committee for Audiologists. She is also a proud recipient of the Noelle Lamb Award for Excellence in Clinical Education from UBC. Grace recently spearheaded the creation of an innovative clinical research division ot WIDHH in partnership with UBC and Worksafe BC. Her professional areas of interests include amplification, aural rehabilitation and aging.
Upcoming meeting: Tuesday July 3, 2018 Hard of Hearing (WIDHH) Goodbye and Hello
President Phil Webber will be saying goodbye to his role and will be passing the torch to the 2018-19 President, Brian Street.
Virtually all membership in Rotary is based on a "classification". It describes the distinct and recognized business or professional service that the Rotarian renders to society.
The principle of Rotary classification is somewhat more specific and precise, however. The classification of a Rotarian describes the "principal or recognized business or professional activity of the firm, company, or institution" with which an active member is connected.
In other words, classifications are determined by activities or services to society rather than the position held by a particular individual. The Classification principle also permits businesses and industries to be separated into distinct functions such as manufacturing, distributing, retailing and servicing.
The classification principle is a necessary concept in ensuring that each Rotary club represents a cross-section of the business and professional service of the community.
UPDATE ON SUSPECTED POLIO CASE IN VENEZUELA
Following unconfirmed reports on 8 June of suspected polio re-emergence in Venezuela, final laboratory testing has confirmed the cause of the paralysis is not wild poliovirus or vaccine-derived poliovirus.
A 34-month old child had presented with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) on 29 April, from a community with low vaccination coverage in Orinoco delta, Delta Amacuro state.
While wild and vaccine-derived polio have both been ruled out as the cause of this child’s symptoms, this area of Venezuela is experiencing vaccination coverage gaps. It is critical that countries maintain high immunity to polio in all communities, and strong disease surveillance, to minimize the risk and consequences of any eventual poliovirus re-introduction or re-emergence.
Article, Polio Global Eradication Initiative, CLICK HERE
International Rotary convention brings 24,000 people to Toronto
The 109th annual international Rotary convention will take place in Toronto on June 23–27, and is expected to bring 24,000 Rotary club members from over 175 countries to the city – injecting an estimated $48.5 million CAD into the local economy.
Often described as a “mini-United Nations,” Rotary’s fifth convention in Toronto will transform the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Air Canada Centre into a cultural mosaic as the organization’s global network of volunteers gather to exchange ideas on how to improve lives and bring positive, lasting change to communities around the world.
Note: Franz Gehriger will be changing his membership from an individual membership to a corporate membership
If no written objection is filed with the Secretary within 7 days of
June 15, 2018 (by June 22, 2018), Swissreal Investments and its individual representatives, Franz Gehriger (current member), Nadia Gehriger, and Jeremy Towning will upon payment of the dues and assessments determined by the Board, be declared elected as Corporate Members of the Club with Swissreal Investments' representatives being individual members of the Rotary Club of Vancouver recognized by Rotary International.
The classification to be held by Swissreal Investments and its representatives is Real Estate: Management & Development
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Last Meeting June 12 , 2018
President Phil Webber chaired the meeting and gave the invocation.
Kayo Otake accompanied us on the piano for the singing of O Canada.
Jim Evans, Sergeant-at-Arms Elect, introduced visitors and guests.
Chair's announcements:
Bike-a-thon: The June 8th Rotor - a must read for "Why we do it"; including my [Phil's] piece on the Corporate Challenge Cup.
A yoga event organizer is still needed to head up an activity for our Club. June 21 is World Yoga Day and PDG Shasha Varvandkar of RC Raipur Millennium will be in Vancouver and is looking to lead yoga sessions for Rotarians, their families & friends. Contact Phil Webber as soon as possible if you are willing and able to help.
Farmed salmon: Get informed! Be part of the conversation - VAncouver Sun today's (June 12th) Opinion Page: Horgan must decide on the future of salmon farms in BC. CLICK HERE to read the article.
A word about the People of Action Awards. Rotary's new branding emphasizes that Rotarians are people of action. At the District Conference, Don Evans emphasized how very appropriate the People of Action is because it is the things we do in our communities, and around the world, that really matter, that demonstrate how we, as Rotarians, Make a Difference.
The People of Action Awards for 2018 are intended to highlight some Rotarians and how they have taken action in this Rotary year.
From the many who were nominated, 10 Rotarians from District 5040 were selected as recipients of the first District 5040 People of Action Awards. They are representative of the kinds of things so many Rotarians just do. They take action -- and things get done.
On behalf of Min Kuang, I was delighted to accept the award on her behalf at the District Conference for presentation to her at this club meeting.
Min Kuang was presented, by District Governor Don Evans, with the People of Action Award for her role in organizing the Foundation Dinner and in building our Club's Membership.
Don Evans cited: the Foundation Dinner extraordinaire -- Min took the lead in the November Lower Mainland Foundation Dinner and did so quite non-traditionally. She took a multi-cultural approach, including sophisticated entertainment with a local Korean and a Brazilian (or was it Argentinian) flavour & more. Min brought out non-Rotarians, including sponsors, and generated new members as a result. The dinner sold out which, along with the associated Paul Harris donations, topped $60K in revenue.
Secretary's, Franco Gallo, announcements:
reminders of upcoming events/meetings (see above);
birthdays:John Hoyle Jun12, Ian Storrs Jun15
member anniversaries:Franco Gallo3 years, Keith Phillips 3 years, Phil Webber 19 years, Tremayne Perry 54 years
wedding anniversaries: John & Cindy Hayto 33 years Jun15
Special announcements; presentations, and members' moments:
Pinar Cetin Efe was inducted as our newest member. Pinar's classification is Graphic Design.
Taylor Navi, President, Rotaract Club of Vancouver UBC. Taylor provided us with a summary of what the UBC Club has been involved with over the last year:
started with a trip to Uganda doing community outreach
shoreline clean up, picked up over 40 pounds of garbage off Wreck Beach area
worked in community kitchens - Mission Possible, cooking community meals
hosted a Spiritual Awakening Conference
enjoyed Burgers 'n Beer as a fundraiser for Doctors without Borders, tuberculosis program
partnering with the newly chartered Interact Club at Sir Winston Churchill to help host a 5K run as a fundraising event
Next up is planning their international trip which they do every 2 years. They are most interested in bringing feminine hygiene products wherever they are most needed to support young women. This after seeing how young women are being held back by staying away from school, etc., due to not having proper or sufficient products.
Min Kuang's company, Digital One Asset Inc., was one of the organizers of the Blockchain Impact Summit 2018 in which Henry Zhang was also involved. Min Kuang, Henry Zhang & Lulu Wang presented a $1,000 donation cheque to President Phil Webber on behalf of RCoV as the charitable partner of the event to be used for youth programs.
Don Evans thanked everyone for the tremendous support of the District Conference. There were 26 who attended from our Club and it was wonderful to see us win the Club of the Year.
District 5040, for the 3rd year in a row, has seen net growth. There are two new Clubs in the District: Lillouet and Dragon Club of Greater Vancouver.
District 5040 is in the top 20 Districts who support giving to PolioPlus.
All around it's been good news and a great year as District Governor.
Program:
Jim Evans introduced the speaker, Professor Santa Ono, President and Vice-Chancellor of UBC.
Professor Ono used to speak quite often at the Rotary Club of Cincinnati, the city from whence he moved to take his position at UBC. He compared UBC to RCoV as both are similar in age, with the former being about 110 years old. (The provincial legislature passed a new University Act establishing the University of British Columbia in 1908.) The first class to graduate did so in 102 years ago.
In the 1950s, the Rotary Club of Vancouver donated $150,000 for the construction of International House. (CLICK HERE to read a paragraph briefly explaining the history of the building.) The International House is an incredibly important hub at the school. It has helped UBC become one of the most international universities in Canada. It has had an impact on many, many students which will last their lifetime.
Santa Ono believes that UBC’s historic motto tuum est, “it’s up to you”, can be thought of as thinking beyond yourself; how can you help, sometimes to those you never see, is very much in line with Rotary's beliefs and motto, Service Above Self.
Prof. Ono spoke about the tremendous contributions Rotary, particularly the Rotary Club of Vancouver, has made in the area of hearing research and treatments. Over time we have donated over 1/2 million dollars to the area of research; fundamental research, including the new stem cell research, that reaches far beyond British Columbia through academic sharing internationally.
Beyond acknowledging the great contributions our Club has made to UBC & St. Paul's Hospital, he provided some more general information about UBC.
He, with his team, is working on strengthening the Cascade Corrider -- working with UoW & UCLA, UBC ignores boundaries and is building bridges. The strategic plan is now complete with huge support from the UBC community and has been complimented by McGill, Stanford and others. It will shape UBC over the next century.
Three themes, inclusion, collaboration and innovation, represent key opportunities for transformational change in how UBC works. UBC's work as a public university is represented by four core areas: People and Places, Research Excellence, Transformative Learning and Local and Global Engagement. Click on the link below to access the full strategic plan document.
Prof. Ono stated that for the university to realize their potential on so many levels & areas they need to break down the long-established silos between faculties and learn to work across faculties. It is only in this way that the larger environmental and social issues can be worked on. No single institution can tackle these things alone, the issues are simply too large and complex. Therefore a consortium of organizations is being built to collaborate and problem solve.
For example, $24 million dollars has been donated specifically for an institution for healthy aging. Working with UBC on this will be the University of Washington and Cambridge University. The hope is to improve the quality of lives as we live longer and longer.
In closing, Prof. Ono expressed a genuine desire to offer support for anything Rotary, such as the bike-a-thon. Our mutual support will certainly be ongoing.
To read more:
UBC Strategic Plan, Shaping UBC's Next Century, CLICK HERE
Emerging Media Lab, CLICK HERE for more information about this cutting edge group
Fascinating scrapbook of news articles from 1941 that included references to anything "UBC", whether it be students, teachers, events, alumni, etc., CLICK HERE. Harley & Lloyd Detwiller were referenced in an article about them, as alumni, attending a formal dinner.
Milton Kiang's blog about Santa Ono's visit to the Club, CLICK HERE
Meeting adjourned with a toast to the power of education.
Dr. Peter S. Ross is the Vice-President of Research at Ocean Wise, a global conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium. He holds an Adjunct Professor position at the University of Victoria and served as a Research Scientist for the Canadian Government between 1996 and 2013. Dr. Ross oversees nine research programs at Ocean Wise, with a focus on conservation science. He is an international authority in the area of ocean pollution, having published over 150 scientific articles, with a focus on the source, transport, fate and effects of priority pollutants. He launched the Ocean Pollution Research Program at Ocean Wise in 2014, and continues to lead a solution-oriented microplastic pollution research program.
