The Rotary Club of Calgary comprises professional and community leaders brought together in fellowship to make a better future.
Birthdays:
Jim Shaner
January 16
Wes Stephens
January 19
Joe Fras
January 22
Message from President Madeleine
Happy New Year!
I’m looking forward to re-connecting with many of you on January 10 when we start our 2023 lunch meetings at the Ranchmen’s Club on 13th Ave SW, while the Palliser is undergoing renovations. That lunch is our 1st annual Marmie Hess Legacy Lunch celebrating her generous bequest to our club focused on the power of education to open windows of opportunity.
As we ramp up for this new calendar year I’ll be working with fellow club members in the next few weeks on the subjects of board and committee goals for this year, possible paths forward regarding Reconciliation, the James Wheeler Davidson lunch, our future with BBQs, the task force on legacy giving and other topics for in-person and zoom lunch meetings.
Please do share ideas on making our vibrant club even better – mkingrotary@gmail.com or 403-400-4404.
Madeleine
Featuring our Title Sponsor: Southland Transportation- Part 1- Focus on Safety
Manon Mitchell
Southland Transportation has been the title sponsor of our Stay In School Golf Classic for a few years now. It is a pleasure to feature this organization in the next few issues of our COG to raise awareness of the wonderful local organization. Today’s article is simply to share their vision.
Southland Transportation has a Safety Vision: Safely Home is our deep conviction to Safety, and the ultimate promise we make to each other, to our clients, and to the communities in which we operate. The Pacific Western Group of Companies is driven by safety. It is our first core value, and is at the heart of all that we do.
Watch for upcoming articles all about Southland Transportation, after all, we share the same vision of keeping kids in school!
Rotary Clubs Working Together for the Community Kitchen
Franco Savoia
On Monday December 19th, 2022 representatives from 11 Rotary Clubs were recognized by Community Kitchen for their pooled contribution of $48,000 of the $160,000 5-ton reefer truck that the agency will use to transport perishable food across our city. With other generous supporters Community Kitchen now fully owns the vehicle.
The Small Donations Committee reviewed the request and invested $7,500 towards the pooled Rotary grant.
Bill Lawless (West Club) led a campaign among the Calgary Rotary Clubs to assist Community Kitchen in replacing their refrigerator truck. The following 11 clubs participated: Calgary, Stampede Park, West, Heritage Park, Centennial, Millennium, North, East, Olympic, Sarcee, Chinook. All of the clubs are recognized on the truck. Look for the truck as it winds its way across our city picking up and delivering perishable food in ensuring that vulnerable Calgarians have access to food.
Small Donations funded a series of financial literacy workshops designed to increase the economic stability of recently incarcerated women as they work towards independent living. Calgary John Howard Society developed these workshops to offer basic education around budgeting and saving, as well as securing and maintaining housing, employment, banking and accessing community resources. This project resulted in the creation of a number of workshop modules for use in the future, and had a specific impact on the women attending these workshops over the past year. See below for the Final Report.
Rotary Funding- Final Report (October 1, 2021 to October 1, 2022)
Project Summary:
Berkana House (Women’s Community Residential Facility (CRF) provides wraparound support to women exiting correctional institutions. The program received funding to provide workshops designed to provide basic financial education. The workshops also provided additional supports around maintaining housing, employment, accessing banking and community-based resources.
The women who attended the financial empowerment workshops provided positive feedback stating that these group sessions were beneficial, and they all were able to take away different learnings. During the individual financial coaching sessions, the women were able to create a budget plan that was suitable to them and discuss areas of employment and income supports available when they transition out of Berkana house.
Key activities:
• Development of workshop modules: financial literacy, housing rights, accessing basic needs support
• Facilitating weekly group and one-on-one financial coaching sessions with residents
• Development of personalized budgets
• Support in accessing financial assistance
• Support in connecting with community-based resources.
Outputs:
19 of clients housed upon exiting the program
13 gained employed
6 accessed income supports (ie. AB works/AISH)
15 opened up a bank account
16 completed a budget plan
Client Success Stories:
“The financial coaching sessions were a great refresher of what resources were available as sometimes things change when you are in jail for a while. I liked learning about budgeting and how I can best use my grocery card here at the house.”
And
“Some feedback from the financial course you took, I actually liked it. It's got lots of information for people that have never been on their own legally or have to pay for their own things. For others it is a great reminder for people and help them make goals for themselves while they are at Berkana to save money for their release.”
Mark Your Calendar, Tuesday January 31, 2023
Manon Mitchell
Set aside lunch time on Tuesday January 31st because our club’s biggest service project ever: the Calgary Reads Big Book Sale, will take place from in April to May this year. This event brings Calgarians from all ages together in raising funds for Early Childhood Literacy projects and programs in Calgary. The website will be launch shortly and will answer many of your questions, however, on January 31st we will learn more about the sale itself (setup, sale, take down) and the roles all of us will be called assist with to make this service project a great success.
We are thrilled to work alongside the volunteers who have organized this sale for many years. These experts will share their knowledge and vision for this year’s event.
Mark your calendar: January 31st Zoom meeting at lunch and then the following dates for the service projects:
April 18 – May 7: Time to collect books and donate to the Calgary Curling Club!
May 8 – 11: Finalize the sorting and display of books
May 12 – May 22: Time to sell books
Be part of the excitement of this amazing event!
Preparing for the 2025 Rotary International Convention
Manon Mitchell
At our December 6, 2022 club meeting on Zoom, our own member, Mark Starratt, provided a great overview of our local area Rotary Club members’ roles and responsibilities during the 2025 Rotary International Convention right here in Calgary. Mark and Greg Stokke from the Stampede Park club are co-chairs of the Host Organizing Committee (HOC).
What a great opportunity it will be of all of us to welcome Rotarians from around the world! The last in person convention prior to COVID saw about 25,000 Rotarians meeting in Hamburg. When the event was held in Toronto the year before the attendance was closer to 35,000!
If you missed that meeting, click here to view the recording of Mark Starratt's presentation describing the Calgary RI convention in 2025: https://youtu.be/dlJ0wnl4M9Q
Our Club's Great Speakers
Manon Mitchell
Our Programs committee has attracted great speakers again this year. On May 3 of 2022, Mac Van Wielingen spoke to our club about the recommendations stemming from the Alberta Public Inquiry Into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns, with a focus on the importance of good governance.
"What a beautiful way to end the year, honouring Order of Canada appointees and learning about the depth and range of their accomplishments," said Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada in a release issued Thursday.
"Celebrated trailblazers in their respective fields, they are inspiring, educating and mentoring future generations, creating a foundation of excellence in our country that is respected throughout the world. Their commitment to the betterment of Canada fills me with pride and hope for the future. Alianaigusuqatigiivassi. Congratulations."
Our club continues to attract amazing speaker who increase our awareness, educate and inspire us every week. What a great benefit for our members and guests!
Larry Kwong New Year Dinner
Tickets are $50 each and we also reserve full tables of 10 for $500.
You can register by going to the website listed on the poster.
Time to Plan Your Garden, the Veggie/Plant Fundraiser is Back!
Manon Mitchell
Gardeners it’s time to start planning this summers garden. For nine years now, NSTEP and The Rotary Club of Calgary West, have been partnering to offer amazing veggies and plants to beautify and enhance your property.
The cherry tomatoes never cease to produce tasty fruit and the quality of the flowers are of the highest standard which means more blooms and exquisite beauty.
Once you know what you want to order, just click here:
You’ll have to choose 1 of 2 locations to pick up your plants on Wednesday May 24th. Let’s support NSTEP and Rotary and get our gardens looking fabulous!
Have a look at the wonderful veggies/plants by clicking below.
Photos from Ralph Lundberg, Rotary Christmas Lunch
George Brookman and Tim Heaton perform!
Manon Mitchell can sing too!
SIS Christmas Party on December 9, 2022
Alana Sargent, Coordinator, Stay-in-School Programs
The Carl Smith Stay-in-School Program (SIS) hosted its first program-wide event on December 9th! Close to 80 mentors, mentees and their parents and siblings attended our Christmas Party at Carya Village Commons in East Village. We enjoyed music, crafts, pizza, gingerbread house making, cookie decorating, video games and a brilliant magic show. We hope this will be the first of many program events!
In other news, we have a male Gr. 6 student and 3 female students (2 Gr. 7 and 1 Gr. 10) looking for a new mentor, please email me at stayinschool@rotaryclubofcalgary.ca if you’re interested in joining us. Share your experience and provide support, guidance and encouragement to a young mind, it sure is a meaningful role.
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