The Rotary Club of Kelowna Sunrise held their 36th Annual Installation Dinner and Program on June 28th at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club. The club’s annual event, emceed by Immediate Past President (2015-16) Bill Reynolds, featured a celebration of the club’s successful 2016-17 Rotary year and recognition of Sunrise Rotarians who had provided leadership for the club and who had provided exceptional support for the Rotary Foundation and its work, and the installation of 2017-18 President Andy Griffin and his executive and the directors for the in-coming Rotary year.
Rotarians and guests at the evening event were entertained by Maddie Ertel on saxophone and through her vocals and by Alex Buck on keyboard, before leading the gathered with O`Canada. Maddie then sang a Grace before the crowd was guided to the buffet style delicious dinner, accompanied by wine and finishing off with a served dark chocolate cheese cake.
In his opening remarks, Bill Reynolds acknowledged the continued service of five charter members Bruce Brown, Paul Mulvihill, Andy Griffin, Wayne Duchart, and Jack Martin, along with club members Wayne Evans, Fred Lindsay, Graham Bell, Don Turri and Jerry Sedmak who were inducted into the newly chartered club within the following two years.
Past-President Bill then introduced Huck Parfeniuk, Director of the club`s Rotary Foundation Committee who expressed appreciation on behalf of the committee for the outstanding contributions made to the Rotary Foundation throughout the year by the club members, surpassing the goals set by the committee for the Rotary Year 2016-17, resulting in a grand total of US$21,193 directed to the Annual Fund, US$2,096 to the PolioPlus Fund and an additional $US1,746 in cash donations to the Endowment Fund. He also reported that the goal set for the additional members becoming benefactors and Bequest Society members had been surpassed.
Huck recognized Robin Durrant as a Major Donor Level 2, Paul Harris Fellows awarded this Rotary Year and additional members becoming benefactors and Bequest Society members during the 2016-17 Rotary year. Foundation Committee member Ed Kolybaba, following remarks of gratitude for the support for the Foundation by the members of the club, presented both Wendy and Tom Paterson with a Bequest Society Level Two lapel pin.
An article follows on the Home Page of the club`s website providing more information on the recognition provided by The Rotary Foundation and the club`s Rotary Foundation Committee.
Emcee Bill acknowledged the 17 club Rotarians who had achieved Perfect Attendance during the 2016-17 Rotary Year, before introducing 2016-17 President Pat McAllister who took over the podium for the last time in his year of leadership.This is the template with image at the left side and floating text on the right side.Double click on left side image to change it.
Following recognition of the three families who had hosted Christina (Chris) Dyra-Lahoz, the club`s Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Spain for the past year, Pat paid special tribute to a number of Rotarians who had provided exceptional service during the Rotary Year with the awarding of Presidential Citations to Nigel Hart, Brian Fennell, Greig McPhee and Ed Kolybaba and Certificates of Appreciation to all of the 2016-17 executive members and directors. He then presented major awards to Stephen Buck, a friend of Rotary, with the Local Hero Award, Doreen Welsh with the DG Vern`s Special Award for “Friendship and Fellowship, Martha Kennedy with the Dale Frandsen Award and Brian Wrightson with the Rotarian of the Year Award. More details of these awards are featured in an additional article on the Home Page.
A special tribute was expressed by in-coming President Andy Griffin to the work of Max Mosley as Membership chair as he provided leadership for the club’s greatest membership growth in one year since the club was chartered. All eleven new members inducted during the 2016-17 Rotary Year were introduced and thanked by Andy for their focus on providing service through the work of the Rotary Club of Kelowna Sunrise and Rotary International. This group which will have an impact on continuous service within the community and worldwide includes David Raye, Marjolein Lloyd, Melanie Hall-Szyszkiewicz, Paula Madsen, Rebecca White, Ron Chandler, Stuart Lang, Shauna George, Cara Durfeld, Susan McIntyre and Tom Ritchie.
Andy Griffin received the gavel from out-going President Pat which signified his ascension to President of the Kelowna Sunrise Rotary Club for the 2017-18 Rotary Year. In his first remarks to the club members and guests, Andy outlined a number of his goals and plans for the new Rotary Year. He then stressed that he anticipated that the club would continue focusing on providing humanitarian service through the Global Fund of The Rotary Foundation, as has been done in the past. Through a slide presentation, Andy highlighted a number of examples of projects that the club had been involved in within South Africa, India, and Ethiopia.
2017-18 President Andy introduced his new executive of Maribeth Friesen (President Elect), Huck Parfeniuk (Vice-President), Pat McAllister (Past-President), Mike Crowley (Treasurer) and Carole Farley (Secretary). The 2017-18 Directors were also introduced with a majority of them returning for another term, except for Bob Fortier who will assume directorship of the Foundation Committee and Stuart Lang who will move into the position of New Generations Youth Director.
2017-18 President Andy introduced his new executive of Maribeth Friesen (President Elect), Huck Parfeniuk (Vice-President), Pat McAllister (Past-President), Mike Crowley (Treasurer) and Carole Farley (Secretary). The 2017-18 Directors were also introduced with a majority of them returning for another term, except for Bob Fortier who will assume directorship of the Foundation Committee and Stuart Lang who will move into the position of New Generations Youth Director.
