Flash - December 10, 2012 Meeting Notes

Visiting Rotarians: Annie Kamarainen, Frank Yakimchuk, T Wah

Sergeant Dunham: Advertised his new golf shirt.  It fits snuggly.  The Special Olympics spring games are scheduled for April 2013.

Marc St. Pierre: Dog died.  Surgery failed.

Brea Fitzpatrick: Went streaking with the Mayor (for MS).  Thought it was worth a buck.

Blaine Dushanek: Celebrated a family event.  Cooked hot potatoes for them.

Leroy Ehnes: Under paid with an advertising buck - did anyone have an old truck for sale for his son.

Larry Owen: Back from Palm Springs.  Still active as the BTB treasurer while down there.  I guess your accountant can be anywhere.

Dave Harrop: Has 5 new members for an induction evening planned for the end of January.

Donna Allard: Her husband is in Winnipeg so she is free and available.

Hillary Boisjolie: Loved the social at Parkland and especially the décor.

Elaine McFadden: Her daughter ran a 10K in 56 minutes.  Better than the editors time.

Dan Hachey: His daughter is developing her acting career in Vancouver.  Is in her first TV commercial to be shown on Shaw.

Diane McDonell: Listed off the greeters for next week’s Christmas meeting.

Russ Wlad: “Is still in the club”.  Has been busy and away and and and…  Watched his daughter play a Bantam game while Phil Pattison ref’d.  Phil gave her a credit for a goal - after checking with her father.  Daughter wondered why the wrong person got credited for the goal.

50/50: Drew Annie’s ticket.  Got the four way test mostly right.  Well done Annie.  The draw was wrong.  Not so well done Annie.

Darcy Mykytyshyn: There’s a vote going on for the best volunteer organization in North America.  The winner gets a dossier of Air Miles.  Rotary is in second place, 10,000 behind the Shriner’s.

Club Business: Annie spoke about her last week.  She’s going to lots of parties.  Was captivated by an upside down tree.

Program: Karen Simon gave her classification speech.  She joined the RCMP 30 years ago after an upbringing in Alix, where her baseball coach was a member.  Tried again after a degree at Mount Royal and made it.  Base camp was in a dorm with 24 females undergoing rigid inspections.  Their new uniforms were designed by an “angry old man”.  Was stationed in Battleford before meeting and marrying her RCMP husband Ivan in 1988.  Twins and a daughter followed leading to a five year LOA.  Then came postings to Pelly, Yukon (where they fly in your groceries and salmon), to Hinton where she went back to work “as Ivan’s wife”, High Prairie, Grand Prairie, Staff Sgt covering the Western Alberta district and then a Commission.  Responsible for budgets, traffic, the fleet, long term plans, 132 members and 72 non-members.  Is now an aide to the Lieutenant Governor.  Her son is entering the RCMP and a daughter is taking Kinesiology at RDC.

Gail Surkan spoke about her passion - “the community of Red Deer”.  And a “tribal elder”.  She grew up near Regina in a community where everybody new everybody and helped everybody.  Her father had MS.  The snow was coming.  Suddenly many combines turned up to finish taking off the “cash crop”, working late into the evening, in the dark.  After marriage and time in Calgary, Gail and Roger moved to Red Deer with their three kids.  Pat Henry, a former club president, paid for her babysitter so she could lead the downtown award winning redevelopment plan.  Then helped redesign Waskasoo Park.  Entered politics because the paths weren’t ecologically sensitive enough.  Threw her hat in, followed by 6 years on Council and 12 as mayor.  Gave as Red Deer’s community values: 1) strong natural attraction to the land, 2) good education commitment, 3) volunteerism, 4) collaborative spirit, 5) entrepreneurial self-reliance, and 6) cutting edge collaboration (i.e. Dawe school).  Today’s challenges: 50% of the kids at St. Pats are ESLs, more inclusivity because of diversity, more “Canadians” using public spaces, no gated communities, respect for the community’s “flexibility and muscle”, and togetherness (i.e. BTB).  Rotary is a community leader and lights the way.

Next Meeting: Christmas party (December 17)