This week's sergeant-at-arms David "Brom" Bromwich called our meeting to order, and Michael Pierson and Manon Mitchell led us in singing O Canada. Tom Loucks delivered the invocation.
While there were no visiting Rotarians this week, Club secretary Jennifer Lavier Jankovic welcomed this week's guests and acknowledged the six members celebrating birthdays. A card was circulated for Lorne Suitor who is turning 85 this week.
Did you know that while Rotary has been in existence for 114 years, women have only been admitted as members since 1987? Efforts to allow women to join Rotary were defeated in 1950, 1964 and 1972. In 1977 the Rotary Club of Duarte, California admitted several women as members and had their charter revoked by Rotary International in 1978. Following several years of court battles, the US Supreme Court ruled in May 1987 that US Rotary clubs could not deny membership based on gender. Following these developments, women could join Canadian Rotary clubs in 1988. In 1989 the Council on Legislation of Rotary International voted to amend the RI constitution to remove the requirement that membership in Rotary clubs be limited to men.
The Rotary Club of Calgary welcomed its first women, proposed by Gord Walker, in 1991. The first to join our club were Martha Cohen and Nan Walker Jensen, the niece of Paul Harris.
George Brookman introduced our newest club member Bill Hamilton. Welcome to the club, Bill.
Announcements:
President Rick issued a call for volunteers for the upcoming West Canadian Digital Imaging fundraising barbecue on September 19th. He also thanked the volunteers who helped at the Calgary United Way kickoff held at Olympic Plaza on September 5th.
Ali Gursoy announced our annual Kananaskis highway clean up fellowship event on September 21st. This event is part of Alberta Transportation's Adopt-a-Highway program.
Mark Starratt announced the upcoming planned workshops that will be held on September 26th and October 22nd at the Calgary Golf and Country Club.
Manon Mitchell reminded us that with two weeks to go until (un)Gala, there are still 45 tickets available. There are also a few remaining sponsorship opportunities.
Craig Henderson provided an overview of the Communications portfolio and offered heartfelt thanks to several people who work to support the club's communications.
Thanks go out to Maxine Morrison for redeveloping the club's website. Her dedication to the project, along with the participation of ClubRunner, has led to a website that will serve us long into the future. This redevelopment was among the final deliverables of the club's Ignite initiative.
Thanks go out to Ralph Lundberg for contributing the photographs that go into the COG Newsletter, and to Dave Richardson for serving as Ralph's backup photographer. Ralph has been providing photos of the club's meetings for seventeen years.
Thanks go out to Steve Mason of the Rotary Club of Calgary South for providing the video recordings of our club meetings. For those who may have missed a meeting, our recordings can be viewed on the club website.
The period for nominations for the office of President for the Rotary year 2021-2022 is open.
The nominating committee will choose a member to serve as Club President. Any eligible member of the Club who would like to be considered for the nomination may advise the committee of his or her interest.
The nominating committee for President will advise the Club of its nominee for President at the last regular meeting of the Club in October.
Any additional nominations from members of the Club may be made to the Secretary of the Club. Nominations shall close at 12:00 noon on the day of the second regular meeting of the Club in November.
A special meeting will be held Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at the Palliser Hotel. At this meeting all active members in good standing will be asked to vote on a special resolution to amend the club's bylaws.
The special resolution will be to repeal the existing bylaws and replace them with the proposed bylaws that have been circulated to all members.
As an active member it is extremely important that you attend this meeting. Please make every effort to do so.
The Foundations Committee is hosting two seminars for members who are interested in learning how to create lasting legacies. The objectives of these workshops are to
Provide important information for Rotary members who are planning to create or update a will.
Encourage members to consider a charitable gift in their estate plans, including the three ways by which this can be done.
Inspire attendees by focusing on the reasons for making a legacy gift and all the tax advantages that are currently available.
Encourage Rotarians to consider making a legacy gift.
Both workshops will run from 6:15 to 8:30 pm. Please use the links below to register for one of these workshops.
Yegana Alasgarova introduced Madeleine King, who spoke to the club about her experiences on her two Friendship Exchange trips. Friendship Exchange is an international program that allows Rotary members and their friends to take turns hosting in their homes and through their clubs. Participants travel as individuals, couples, families, or groups, and need not belong to Rotary. The Friendship Exchange exists to
Broaden international understanding
Explore a profession or job in a different context
Build enduring friendships
Establish a foundation for peace and service
Gain opportunities for active project involvement and support
Learn about a region’s people, food, languages, customs, and history
Find partners for grants
These exchanges are organized around at least one of three themes: culture, service, and vocation, and are paid for by the participants or their districts. Hosts are not expected to assume a significant financial burden, and club or district funds may be available to offset the costs of exchanges that have a vocational emphasis.
Madeleine travelled to India on a Friendship Exchange in 2016 with Karin Buhrmann from the Rotary Club of Pincher Creek that is now the international partner in a human milk bank project in Auranagabad, India. Karen and Madeleine began their exchange in Mumbai, and travelled from there to Solapur, Auranagabad and Goa. On arrival in Solapur, they met Rotarian Manjushri and her family, who hosted Madeleine and Karin during their stay. Manjushri is a doctor who runs the Sawli Hospital, a maternity hospital and nursing clinic. The clinic provides women from poorer backgrounds a place to stay for up to ten days after giving birth. The four Rotary clubs in Solapur showed off several of their projects, including Anapurna Yojana, a prize-winning project that provides clothing and daily meals to 100 seniors. The project resembles our Meals on Wheels. They also visited a school for the blind that is supported by local Rotary clubs. Madeleine told us that the host Rotary clubs treated the exchange visitors as VIPs.
Following an excursion to Goa, Madeleine and Karin went to Aurangabad, where they were hosted by local Rotarians. Madeleine and Bob Taylor will be returning to Aurangabad in October, when they will go to see the hospital where the milk bank is being set up. In addition to visiting projects, Fellowship Exchanges allow visitors to sightsee, and Karin and Madeleine saw the Ellora and Ajanta caves. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ellora caves are one of the world's greatest examples of cave excavation architecture.
Madeleine also went on a Friendship Exchange to New South Wales with Yegana Alasgarova. She noted the strong fellowship focus of the Australian exchange. She concluded her presentation by noting that while Rotary Friendship Exchanges are little known to our club members, they are immensely rewarding experiences.
Randy Borisenko thanked Madeleine for her most interesting presentation.
COG Staff - September 17th, 2019
Editor
Craig Henderson
Photography
Ralph Lundberg
Rotary Club of Calgary - Chartered April 1914 as Club #949
Suite 305, 105-12 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1A1
