Whoop~Up Bulletin
Vol.86, No.3, July 28, 2003
Upcoming (Meeting days in black)
Newly Proposed Member, Second Notice: Marc Quellette, classification, communications.
Bernie Presiding
Greeter MIA, guests are:
Darrell Allen
Marc Quellette
Megan (our exchange student returned from Belgium)
Future donors learn how easy it is to give. . .
Golfing Success
Thanks to Ollie Ramage, Cam Lavoie and John Keenan for a great event and a lot of fun. Thanks to David Cassidy (Sr) for his donation of an ottoman that raised $162 in draw-ticket sales with proceeds to Polio Plus.
Archives
We continue to send Rotary archives to the Galt Museum, and also use the repository for research on our club.
Dragon Boat Success
Bernie received a cheque from the committee for $4558, the full value of our outstanding loan to the event. The full financial statement will be out soon, and looks healthy.
Megan Comes Home
Megan says she learned to speak pretty good French fairly quickly in Belgium. Well, pretty good. During a talk to the host Rotary club about Canada, she wanted to say that Canadian food has more preservatives in it. She didn't know the word for preservatives, so just guessed that saying it with an appropriate accent should do the trick. Club members fell very silent and afterwards asked why Canadians put condoms in their food.
She learned a lot, and gained a lot, including 25 lbs from the good food offered to her. Last year, she left her best friends and returned to her best friends, taking up where she left off like it was yesterday. She has learned that what she thought was most important before her exchange is nothing now. Megan continues to try to balance two worlds, both holding on and leaving it behind. She has learned the value of true friendship and has been able to help friends overcome problems from far away. She has unpacked her bags and unpacked her memories and hopes she is ready to carry on to university. We think so. Megan brought back pennants to add to our collection.
Multiple Paul Harris Fellow
Bernie takes great pride in presenting Tania with another Paul Harris fellowship, and thanks her for the contribution to Rotary. Tania, who just returned from Cuba yesterday says there is much need in Cuba and around the world, and glad to help.
Committee Reports
Jack Yaeck, fundraising committee, speaks glowingly of our Black Tie Bingo evening that will bring in $25,000 to $30,000, and our Summer Lottery that is expected to raise $80,000 or more. If you are bubbling over with a good idea, call Jack. He is still contemplating a replacement for the Chicken BBQ. The Dragon Boat festival borrowed chairs and tables from the Air Show organisers, with the caveat that we would not have to pay $2500 rent if we helped out with security during the Air Show on August 16-17. Rotarians are signing up in droves. Security check required, will Frank pass? His photo on his drivers license doesn't look like him.
Tania's Youth Committee is looking good. All host families are signed up for our incoming exchange student, thanks to Elisabeth, LoraLee, Linda, Jamie and Beatrice who is picking her up, keeping her for the break-in period and taking her to the inbound exchange program. Remember the goodies container where you can drop off samples, tickets, film, school supplies, etc for Isabel.
Jamie speaks of Rotary International and the need to get the knowledge out of all the good we do. She plans a project like the treadle sewing machine project that Lethbridge East partnered with a Club in India. Donations to RI are matched many times over.
Foundation details are found at http://www.rotary.org/foundation/administration/index.html
Jamie Torry is our club Rotary Foundation representative who will accept your tax-receipted donation or help you to create an endowment.
Jamie is also spearheading the Regional Rotary Conference in April 23-25 here in Lethbridge. Mike is looking after home hospitality, Helen is looking after home stay and Bob Jones of Lethbridge East is looking after break-out sessions. The conference theme is "Threshold of A New Century."
In her spare time, Jamie chairs the Black Tie Bingo Committee. To be even more successful than last year, we need good attendance, high-end auction items, prizes, and art.
David Senior (Hop-Along) sent a multi-page e-mail to Bernie with his mega ideas on Fellowship and Community. No doubt we will hear more about that when he returns.
August 19 is the Lethbridge parade day. More details on our Rotary float later this week.
Elisabeth is heading up Membership and Club Service. Bernie expects she will return from vacation, just loaded for bear.
Incoming President Darrell spoke of the Galt Garden Revitalization project as being the biggest part of his upcoming year. He and Dallas sit on the main committee with city representatives.
Robin says ticket sales have been slow, but expects they will pickup shortly because 22,000 brochures went out with the Lethbridge Herald today. Rotarians are allowed to buy tickets unless they sit on the organizing committee. The Cadillac will be on the parade float, featured at Whoop-Up days, at the Air Show, at Galt Gardens on August 10, and in shopping malls. August 10 is the cutoff date for the Early Bird draw.
President Bernie spoke of the Presidents' Citation Challenge that will help to address global poverty and illiteracy. We are participating through the formation of a Family of Rotary in which Peter Green has agreed to take on the challenge of keeping Rotary members' widows and widowers in the groove. Second, we have a target of a net increase of 3% in membership. Third, we commit to helping you through a program such as career counseling, juvenile rehabilitation, feeding the hungry, the food bank, carol festival fundraising, and the Christmas bell ringing program.
Our Centennial program will continue to require fund raising as will the Rotary Foundation, Group Study Exchange, Polio Plus, Ambassadorial programs and an International program. Two African clubs have asked us to partner with them in projects there. On September 9, Richard D. King will be speaking, this is a perfect opportunity to bring a prospective member. Garth Toombs, Charles Pratt, Ian Brown and Monty Audenaart are lined up to speak.
Over the years, our club has donated $87,200 USD to the foundation. Last year, we donated $4400, Lethbridge East $4521, and little old Pincher Creek donated $10,000. Pincher has also committed to a $500,000 Centennial park project.
Sergeant At Arms
Robin deferred his report to next meeting. However, he says that Megan's report brings new meaning to the term, Rubber Chicken Circuit. He also suggested that she is taking her program to the Amish for a Prevention of Abe's Program. Thus, grandly pun-ished we were let out to play.
Draw
Dale Merchant takes home $10 and Darrell takes $5.
"We endeavor to tell the truth in all reporting."