Our May meeting at the Arbutus Club was filled with many highlights! We were honoured to be joined by Dean Rohrs, Past RI Vice-President and current member of the Rotary Club of Langley Central. Dean is also Past RI Director, Past Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinator, Past District Governor and served on numerous Zone and District Committees, including Youth Exchange. Given her depth and breadth of experience with Rotary and travels across the globe, not to mention her career experience, we could have listened to her for hours!
If you didn't get to hear Dean, please check out the link below to read about Dean's experience as an OR nurse in the first heart transplant ever performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard.
Major Donors
Dean presented a personalized engraved crystal Rotary Foundation paper weight and major donor lapel pin to three members whose generous contribution to the Rotary Foundation have reached $10,000 USD. Congratulations and thank you to Christine Mihailedes, Ilan Heller, and PDG Leigh Higinbotham. Your generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world. Dean was able to provide her first hand knowledge of the difference the Rotary Foundation is making through global and district grants, including the growth of Rotary in Ukraine as a result of the 375 grants to support Rotary club projects, such as our shipment of two containers of medical equipment and supplies to Ukraine. You can read more about the impact of Rotary and the Rotary Foundation in Ukraine here https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-ukraine-stronger-two-years-after-war-began
New Members
Dean's work was not done for the day as she helped to welcome and induct our two newest members, Marg Carley and Craig Dowling! Welcome to both of you; we are excited to have you join us and look forward to serving together!
Rotary Citation
Assistant Governor, Mary Anne Velayo also attended and presented the Rotary Citation to Past Co-Presidents Jean Gardner and Lydia Marston-Blaauw to recognize the work and achievement of club goals in the Rotary year 2022-2023. Congratulations!
Community Service
On May 23 a group of members, family and Rotary friends were at Backpack Buddies to prepare almost 1,000 bags to help feed our city and area's most vulnerable children who go without consistent access to food on the weekend. We filled the bags with foods that are familiar to them and that are easy to prepare - apples, mini carrots, oatmeal and breakfast cereal, mac and cheese, soup, chili, etc. so they don't go hungry over the weekend! You can learn more about Backpack Buddies here https://www.backpackbuddies.ca/
