When Peter Tonge is assessing the accessibility of a space, he likes to go in cold. He refrains from looking up available accommodations and avoids Googling the layout. By arriving without preconceptions, he can experience all the potential barriers first-hand.
Tonge is the project lead for Arts AccessAbility Network Manitoba’s venue audit — a wide-ranging assessment of the accessibility of local concert halls, theatres and galleries that is now available online for patrons and artists.
“It’s really sort of opened my eyes to lots of things,” Tonge says of the process of auditing three to four venues a week for the last several months. The Free Press tagged along during a recent survey of Platform Centre for Photographic and Digital Art.
Peter Tonge, Arts Accessibility Network of Manitoba main auditor, assesses the washrooms at the Platform Centre.
The visual art gallery is located on the first floor of the Artspace building on Arthur Street. Tonge, a wheelchair user, takes the power lift up to the main lobby and checks out the shared washrooms down the hall before rolling into Platform.
He snaps photos while moving through the small exhibit spaces, storage area and employee office; the images will help inform the 175-point audit that will be posted to the Arts AccessAbility online database (aanm.ca).
The audit was created through a lengthy consultation process with Manitoba’s disability community and includes considerations for artists and attendees who identify as disabled, deaf, blind or neurodiverse. Accessibility in public spaces and behind the scenes is equally important.
“The biggest thing we’re seeing — and, honestly, we’re not that surprised by it — is for performance venues, they’re doing a better job front-of-house, but they still haven’t thought about back-of-house,” Tonge says, describing greenrooms and stages that can only be accessed by stairs.
“Part of the impetus of doing this is trying to get organizations more in the mindset of expecting performers to have disabilities.
“Twenty-five per cent of the population in Manitoba has some form of a disability,” he adds. “Yet, when we show up, everybody’s surprised.”
Humbolt Bronco's Scholarship Presentation to Sam Marburg
March 4, 2023
Humboldt Broncos Rotary Scholarship Presentation
This presentation was in honour of the Humboldt Broncos players, staff and supporters who lost their lives or were injured in the April 6, 2018 accident, Rotarians from Rotary District 5550 and beyond contributed to a scholarship fund.
$10,000 were donated for 5 Annual University Scholarships in memory of this tragedy to recognize and support a Humboldt Broncos hockey player who shows concern for others, provides service to the community, and demonstrates an attitude of “Service Above Self”.
Rotary clubs present ‘Evening Around the World’ fundraiser
Moose Jaw’s local Rotary Clubs have combined with the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC) to present a fundraising dinner featuring food, music, dancing, and fashion from the city’s diverse cultures. The dinner takes place Friday, March 10 at St. Andrew's
Representatives from the Rotary Clubs in Saskatoon joined forces this holiday season to raise $15,000 for The Saskatoon Food Bank in a time of need.
Members of the Rotary Club of Saskatoon Nutana Rotary Club volunteered their time at the Saskatoon Bank preparing boxes of food. Further dates are booked to help out.
Dryden Rotary & Friends Bring Education to the World’s Poorest Children
3rd Annual Christmas Matching Opportunity
It all starts with Amarok mothers
One in three children growing up today is unable to read and write a single sentence. Most of these extremely poor children are living in dangerous urban slums.
Reaching these girls and boys is not as simple as sitting them down in front of a desk: first we must stabilize the slum they wake up in each morning.
Only then can we overcome the obstacles between each child and their education.
So, we do something unique:
We teach mothers to become neighbourhood teachers.
A mother can always reach her child, even when conventional schools can’t.
And together, mothers can transform the world these children are growing up in.
On the December 1st Talk Show Omar from ClubRunner Support spoke and presented on ClubRunner with the goal of assisting Members understand and utilize ClunRunner more effectively. Below Is the transcript of the followup email with some links and webinars that were mentioned during the talk show.
Hello Gailmarie, Susan, and Fred,
Thank you very much for having me for the District 5550 Talk Show & ClubRunner Essentials Training webinar!
I had a wonderful time meeting the District’s Administrators and club members, showing off all of different features in the club version of ClubRunner, and answering the questions!
I am glad the District had recorded the webinar for future use, and I would like to include some links & webinars I mentioned in the webinar, below:
To login to the ClubRunner Community, a member can use their same ClubRunner login credentials for the club or District websites.
Please feel free to copy these links to share with the attendees, or members & Executives interested in learning more! If they have any questions, please feel free to direct them to our Knowledgebase’ & Contact Us’ page, or have them send us an email directly to support@clubrunner.ca.
Thank you again, and please let me know if you have any questions, and if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely, Omar S. ClubRunner Toll Free: 1-855-621-2582 International: +1-647-490-5878
Information from the December 1 Club Runner Webinar
Some Members of the Rotary Club of Prince Albert pose in front of their new Club banner. These members were part of the committee that organized their recent Wine Gala. They raised $30,000 while having a lot of FUN.
Past President Joe chaired the evening which focused on one of the Prince Albert Club goals have having fun.
The Rotary Club of Prince Albert hosted its annual Wine Premiere November 5th. While the weather outside was delivering 18 cm of fresh blowing snow it did not stop the sellout crowd from enjoying a sampling of wines from Josh Cellars which makes well-balanced and delicious wines sourced from California's best growing regions. The four course meal was prepared by Randy Whitter to complement each of the wines. The Mont St Joseph foundation was the beneficary of funds raised.
Guests were greeted by members of the Rotary club with a Prosecco and a large ice sculpture of the Rotary Wheel.
Rotary Club of Watrous President Alan Mosewich presents an honourary Paul Harris award to Ronald Ediger. Ron personally completed the last 3 kilometers of the Rotary walking trail that now joins Watrous with Manitou Beach. President Alan Mosewich introduces four new members into the Rotary Club of Watrous: Ted Mansuy, Julie Mansuy, Pat Isherwood and John McArthur. They are joined in the picture by their sponsors: Ron Morningstar, Lorne Bradbeer and Murray Westby.
Sioux Lookout - Rotary District 5550 and the Rotary Club Sioux Lookout offered another amazing, wilderness, canoeing experience form July 6 – 20, 2022. The club has invited youth from all over the world each July for the last 28 years for 14 fun filled days of adventure. “There was no camp in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID, we were very glad to welcome the young people back this year. We missed the friendships and enthusiasm” said camp co-ordinator Rotarian Susan Barclay.
Rotary International President Jennifer Jones and her husband Nick Krayacich along with Bryn and Randy Styles visited our District as part of her Imagine Rotary Canada Tour. She arrived in Winnipeg to a rousing Rotary 5550 welcome at the James Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg, just after 10 AM on July 6.
The Rotary Club of Winnipeg-Charleswood’s Lobsterfest is its biggest fundraiser every year. Jim Forestell has served in a variety of capacities at the event since its inception 30 years ago, including chairman, co-chair and head lobster chef.
The dinner typically draws hundreds of guests and raises thousands of dollars for the club’s philanthropic efforts.
"Seeing 600 people from the community come in, enjoy themselves and support the Rotary club is very satisfying," Forestell says. "I get a lot of joy from that."
The retired Royal Canadian Air Force pilot first joined a Rotary Club in 1976. He was stationed at CFB Trenton in Southern Ontario at the time, and saw it as an opportunity to help improve the community.
Forestell joined the Charleswood club when he moved to Winnipeg in 1986. It’s one of more than 46,000 clubs around the world — including eight in Winnipeg — that aim to serve others, promote integrity and create lasting change in the community.
Now 80, Forestell has fulfilled a variety of roles during his time as a Rotarian. He’s been club president, district governor, organized the Rotary Youth Exchange program, chaired three district conventions in Winnipeg, and sat on the district policy board.
Lobsterfest, however, is one initiative he’s involved with that always stands out.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Forestell and fellow volunteers would serve more than 600 guests a sit-down, full-course lobster dinner.
Lobsterfest was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, but returned last May in the form of a curbside pickup event.
The club sold more than 600 dinners and raised around $15,000. It donated that money to a variety of initiatives, including STARS Air Ambulance, the breakfast program at Westgrove School, and Assiniboine Forest and Urban Stable, an organization that offers therapeutic horse riding for youth.
After more than 45 years as a Rotarian, Forestell says seeing the difference the club makes keeps him going.
"I’ve had a pretty fun and fortunate life… and it just seems right to repay that fortune by doing something to make the community a little better," he says.
Forestell is a great Rotarian and citizen, says Jack Wilson, a fellow member at the Charleswood club.
"He’s a very knowledgeable and involved and committed person," says Wilson, who has known Forestell for 20 years. "He’s very dedicated to serving the community and helping people."
Forestell and his fellow Rotarians are busy planning this year’s Lobsterfest, which will offer meals for curbside pickup June 17.
As always, proceeds from the event will allow the Rotary Club of Winnipeg-Charleswood to continue its efforts.
"We just try to do good work to make things better for everybody — to make the community a worthwhile and peaceful place to live," Forestell says.
For details about this year’s Lobsterfest, or for information on how to join the Rotary Club of Winnipeg-Charleswood, visit portal.clubrunner.ca/1000.
Lobsterfest Served With A Side of Community Betterment
We remember all the children stolen from their families and sent to residential schools, and mourn the ones who never made it home, including the 215 children discovered in unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation. As Canada begins National Indigenous History Month, we cannot mark this occasion without naming the colonial settlement of these lands and the ongoing impacts of colonization. And that the residential school system was an instrument of colonial genocide.
THE 215 PLEDGE TO HONOUR INDIGENOUS CHILDREN WHO NEVER MADE IT HOME
After hearing the tragic news of the discovery of the bodies of 215 Indigenous children at the former Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, Peter Hernandez, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Oshawa, felt disturbed. As a father of three young girls, ages 2, 3 and 5, he was immediately hit by the sunken feeling that these children could have been his daughters under different life circumstances. That night he made sure to hug his girls and tell them how much he loved them.
There isn’t anything profound or new to what I am about to tell you, only a reminder of some of our past and present strategies we all continually striving to achieve. We have, amongst our fellow Clubs and RI, continuing information and strategies to develop membership efforts.
Membership is always a challenge for any organization.
As you might know, the Rotary Club of Winnipeg has organized the Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) almost continuously since the first MUNA was held in April,1957. Now we are preparing for MUNA 2021 which will take place from April 30th to May 1st, 2021. Many Rotary Clubs in your District have participated in MUNA over the years and we would like to welcome delegations from your local high school sponsored by your Club. We need your assistance in helping to develop tomorrow's leaders. This year’s program will be a departure from previous years because of the COVID pandemic we are facing. This year’s event will be a “virtual assembly”, which may mean even more opportunities for participants from other parts of the country. The benefits to the young people who engage with MUNA this year have not changed. Through the MUNA program, young people get an opportunity to learn about the workings of the United Nations in a realistic simulation of its operation. Students get to discuss resolutions on topics ranging from world peace and security, to social and environmental issues. There are opportunities for them to share their ideas and practice their communication skills. They learn to listen, to challenge ideas with which they disagree and share their own solutions for some of the world most pressing issues. The skills practiced and developed at MUNA are a great asset whatever the career pursued.
The Neepawa Rotary Club has been working to improve their public image in the community. Some signage in the community and some Rotary structures were an eyesore. Motivated by the Public Image Newsletters, the club decided that now was the time to start.
In a time of extreme social and physical distancing, the Rotary Club of Brandon is helping local care home residents connect with the people they love the most.
Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
Jones will officially become president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge her.
Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact.
“As we reflect upon our new strategic priorities, we could have never envisioned that our ability to adapt would become our North Star during what is inarguably the most profound time in recent history,” Jones said in her vision statement. “Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. Using metric-driven goals, I will harness this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”
The Rotary Club of Regina Eastview 2019 - 2020 outbound exchange student Kali Ann Friesen recently returned to Regina from a year in Swden. She shared her experience with her home club. You can read her story on the Rotary Club of Regina Eastviews newsletter.
Guest presenters, Victor Roman and Jonathan Carrier, shared with us their introduction to, and their ongoing association with, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Regina and Area. Beginning with their "little" brother match, 10 and 8 years ago, Victor and Jonathan spoke about how their respective brother relationship has grown over the years. Growth was not restricted to the young person (the mentee), but equally so to them as the "mentor". A growth and development process, such that they have become important components of one another’s lives. As Victor stated so clearly, "We transform young lives by igniting their potential."
This weekend 26 high school students from across Western Canada and Ontario are participating in the R.C. of Regina Eastview Adventures in Agriculture program. The students will have a full 3 day agenda visiting various businesses culminating with speech presentations on Sunday morning at the Royal Regina Golf Club. The agenda includes the following: a tour of Redhead Equipment & Ralph McKay industries, Agribition events including the rodeo, John Deere tour and banking session, the U of Regina Biology Department for Agriculture experiments and a Viterra tour at Balgonie.
Other presentations will include the Sask. Institute of Agrologists and Investors' Group, Global Ag Risk Solutions, a veterinarian, Sask. Elocution and Debate Association. Saturday evening they will dress in their finest for a banquet at the Royal Regina Golf Club followed on Sunday morning with the presentation of their speeches and an address by the Minister of Agriculture.
Rotary Club of Saskatoon Nutana Program - Nazeem Muhajarine - U of S Mozambique Project
Asit Sarkar introduced Nazeem Muhajarine of the faculty of Community Health and Epidemiology at the U of S. Nazeem spoke about the Mozambique/Canada Maternal Health Project, of which he is Principal Investigator. The project's goal is to improve sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health in the province of Inhambane, Mozambique. A five-year project that began in April 2017 and is funded by Global Affairs Canada, the project is a partnership between the Inhambane Provincial Health Directorate and the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, which is the implementing agency. The headquarters is in Inhambane City and the Canadian office is in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan. Nazeem said there are 489 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in Mozambique compared to 7 to 10 deaths in Canada. In seeking to improve maternal health outcomes, the project has found it beneficial to take steps to reposition women as leaders in their families and communities and to fund micro projects, such chicken production and flour grinding. For more information visit: http://www.maternalhealthmozcan.ca/. Walt Pawlovich expressed the club's thanks.
Saturday the twenty-sixth of October was the twelfth annual Rotary Wine Premier, sponsored by B&B Construction and many other generous sponsors. The evening was a great success, boasting a full house, live entertainment, and the presence of the makers of the evening's wines from Italy and Australia.
Rotary Club of Prince Albert would like to thank all attendees, volunteers, and sponsors. We'd also like to thank Doug Reichel Wine Marketing for working with us to provide high-quality wines for the evening.
On Thursday, November seventh, members of the Rotary Club of Prince Albert visited Mont St. Joseph Home to present a donation from the proceeds of the 2019 Wine Premier. This year the Wine Premier raised a total of $22,000 to be donated, half of which was designated for Mont St. Joseph Home, and the other half designated for the Rotary Club of Prince Albert Centennial Project, which will be announced at a later date in 2020. Rotary members presented Mont St. Joseph Home with a cheque for $11,000, seen in the photo below. Thank you for all of the support we received to make the Wine Premier a success!
Rotary Club of Prince Albert 12 Annual Wine Premiere
A visiting Rotary Friendship Exchange team from District 9780, an area West of Melbourne, Vic, Australia, was in Northern Saskatchewan Aug. 15 - 29 this year. The D9780 Team were hosted by RC Hudson Bay, RC Melfort, RC Prince Albert and RC Saskatoon Meewasin. This picture includes the 12 Australian visitors and members of the Prince Albert Club during the visit there. The exchange included Rotary Club events, visits to local Industries, Historical Sites, Recreational Activities and more.
An RFE Team from across our District had been in D9780 in March of this year. All participants have reported that these RFEs were a rewarding Rotary experience, the best part being meeting Rotarians from around the world.
After a rip-snorting start to my year as Rotary District 5550's 2018-2019 Governor – which included Canada Day fireworks in Dryden, helping sort meals for and meeting the 16 young adults from around the world taking part in the two-week International Canoe trip in Sioux Lookout and then a multi-camp trip on Lake of the Woods in a Poker Derby organized by the Kenora Rotary Club, we finally arrived back in Winnipeg from our RV trip to the RI Convention in Toronto.
DiCon 2019 - 5550, “Inspired by the family of Rotary” is now in the history book. It was a great success. Two-hundred and five registered. The four plenary speeches all left dynamic messages.
Handbags of Hope is an organization that provides handbags and essential items to women in woman’s shelters in the province. Their goal is to uplift and encourage women of all ages who have had the courage to leave abusive and unhealthy relationships, as well as those in transition as a result of poverty and life challenges.
In March, a challenge went out to the Rotary clubs of District 5550, which extends from Sioux Lookout, Ontario in the east, to Flin Flon in the north, to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in the east. The challenge was to collect handbags and essential items like socks, mitts/gloves, hats/toques, shampoo/conditioner/soap, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, brush/comb, Kleenex, granola bars, tea, soup packages, gum, or a piece of pre-loved jewelry. The collected items were to be brought to the district conference held from May 2-4 where they would be sorted and distributed to shelters.
The Rotary Club of Neepawa recognized the value of this program and reached out to the community to help meet this challenge. The club put up posters and promoted the idea on social media. The Banner helped get the word out by running an article promoting the cause. Handbags and items started trickling in, then as the word spread, started pouring in. The community collected over 150 handbags and enough supplies to fill a half ton truck.
Local organizer Ron Nordstrom says, “We were hoping to collect 30-50 handbags and a few boxes of supplies. We were proud of and overwhelmed by the generosity of the community for this worthy cause. The small town spirit of helping those in need is evident. Thank you for your support Neepawa!”
Mandy Kwasnica of the Rotary Club of Winnipeg Charleswood organized this challenge for the district. She reports, “This flash project for Handbags of Hope was an overwhelming success. The generosity shown by Rotarians and their communities was incredible. Special thanks to the town of Neepawa who had the largest quantity of donations brought in. These handbags and the other donations received are going to have a major impact to those in need.”
The need for the items in the purses exists all year round and donations will be stored and distributed as needed.
The World Community Service (WCS) is the District Committee responsible for administering the District Grant program and handling of the funds received from The Rotary Foundation (TRF). Over the past year, there have been several new roles assumed.
Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) is an international reciprocal exchange program for Rotarians, Rotarian Partners and Friends of Rotary that gives participants an opportunity to take turns hosting one another in their homes and clubs. You experience other cultures and see the scope of Rotary in other countries.
At the District 5550 April 2019 meeting the Board approved a motion to "include a recap of the District Board meeting in the D.G. monthly newsletter." Three key items follow in infographic form.
From April 14 -18 2019 Rotary held its triennial meeting of the Council on Legislation in Chicago to review and vote on proposed changes to the legislation that governs Rotary. The delegates considered proposed amendments submitted by clubs and districts during the past two years to change Rotary’s Constitution, the Bylaws and Standard Rotary Club Constitution plus position statements by the RI Board.
ALL RIGHT!.....This is a 'shout-out', “It is only one month to the day to District 5550’s 2019 Conference, “Inspired by the Family of Rotary”. The dates are May 2nd to May 5th and the place is CANAD INN DESTINATION CENTRE, Polo Park, 1405 St Matthews Avenue in Winnipeg.
The RC of Melfort provided almost 6,400 volunteer hours and almost $78,000 in service project contributions last year. This year we expect to do even more.
MELFORT ROTARY DESCRIBES A DOZEN SERVICE ACTIVITIES
2019-04-01 05:00:00Z
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Canadian Foodgrains Bank,Communities in Bloom,Guatemala,Habitat for Humanity,Melfort Rotary Carol Festival,Ripple Effect,Rotary 1,Rotary 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten,Rotary Youth Exchange,World Polio Day
Editor’s Note: Pat has spent the bulk of this project describing the Fundraising event. As a long time runner of road racing, this is the nuttiest “Fun Run” I have ever heard about.
Over the past number of years, the Selkirk Rotary Club has had many large projects as well as contributions to various smaller initiatives in the community.
Over the last number of years, the Dauphin Rotary Club has continually remained involved in 3 community projects as distinct from fundraising projects. They are:
The RFE trip to India was a huge success in a number of ways. The participants bonded as a team and many Rotary friendships were forged between the members and their Indian counterparts.
As well, we were very impressed with the variety and depth of the humanitarian projects that the Rotary Clubs of District 3040 have undertaken in an effort to make a positive impact on the lives of ordinary citizens. From dialysis to eye care to drowning prevention, District 3040 is working hard to bring a better standard of living to many.
We came away with a positive feeling about the boom and growth of India, in the face of a huge population with very disparate living conditions. India is changing, and the pace of change will accelerate as the future unfolds.
The RFE team very much appreciated the opportunity to travel to India to enhance their understanding of another culture and another country.
On February 4th, I sent an email asking each Rotary club in the District to share their favourite fund-raising event for our March newsletter. I’d like to thank the 24 clubs who took the time to respond and to share their experience. Much of the analysis, which follows was created by my editor, John Borst of the Dryden Club.
They may be few, but the three clubs of Northwestern Ontario are keeping pace with the two other Provinces in District 5550. This is largely due to The Rotary Club of Dryden’s Rotary Radio Bingo which over the past twelve years has raised $1.3 million dollars.
Ten Manitoba Rotary Clubs reported on fifteen fundraising events. Although three clubs did not report their net proceeds, over $246,000 was raised for service projects within Manitoba communities during the past year.
The recent Council on Legislation changes allows clubs to create alternate membership types. Although Rotary International has only two types of membership - “Active” and “Honorary - clubs are free to have other types of membership, but only “Active” members are included in the official count of club members.
When we travel, PDG Ed and I frequently plan to visit a Rotary Club in the destination. Here are some of my observations on the meeting styles we encountered.
Gone are the days when all Rotary Clubs met weekly over a meal and attendance was taken and tracked. Over the past decade, flexibility and innovation have become the mantra of Rotary International. And the grassroots have taken up the challenge of creating new ways for clubs which to the demands of modern society and different cultures.
What follows provides a brief overview of the new form clubs are creating.
The CanadInns Destination Centre Polo Park, located at 1405 St Matthews Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3G 3P7, Ph: 204-775-8791, is where the conference is taking place. It is a pet-friendly and child-friendly hotel that offers free airport shuttle service, free wi-fi, free parking, an indoor pool, a fitness centre, a kitchen in every room and a restaurant for those not wishing to cook! It is the perfect place for a family weekend get-away!
Under the able direction of DG Elaine, the 2019 Conference Committee has arranged for some outstanding Rotary and business speakers. We think they will wow you with their stories. We have ensured plenty of time in the program to ask questions and interact with each of them.
The Conference 2019 website will be launching in January. The newly designed site will include all the things you need for a conference website and a little bit more. The website will have a look and feel of its host city as well as a feeling of our Charleswood Rotary club.
During the conference, Partners will have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on project to make life a little more bearable for some Winnipeg women. Our conference will collect and fill handbags for distribution through several shelters in our city
The Rotary Career Symposium in Winnipeg is one of the largest in western Canada and is held annually in the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg
• Approximately 12,000 attend-students, teachers, parents and others looking for a career or career change
• 100 exhibitors and 40 speakers participate in the Symposium every year
• Rotary Career Symposium showcases Winnipeg and Manitoba’s industries, employers, post-secondary institutions and trade organizations
• The Symposium encourages and motivates Manitoban youth to find a career of their choice and understand the education requirements involved in reaching their goals, allowing them to become contributing members of our community.
If you are a Rotary member and able to volunteer for this event please clickvolunteer link.
Before a club even begins to build a website they should ask themselves who they intend their audience to be and how they are going to reach out and grow that audience.
In Canada, one of the best gifts a parent or grandparent can buy for their child is a University or College education. Hence for the next five months, we are plied with ads for Registered Educational Savings Plan (RESP) investments. Unfortunately, many families have incomes too low to put aside the thousands of dollars needed to make such an investment.
Neepawa Area Collegiate Grade 12 students Rylan Hollier and Rylee Gluska were pleased to accept $750 dollars for the Peer Helpers Program from Neepawa Rotary Club President Wayne Hildebrand. Rylan and Rylee are two members of the Peer Helpers Program at NACI.
“Peer helping is based on the fact that youth often seek out their peers when they are experiencing some frustration, worry or concern”, said Rylan.
“By establishing a peer program, schools teach students how to help, not hurt, others”, explained Rylee.
Peer helping fosters a climate of care and respect within NACI to reduce violence, vandalism, and bullying. In addition, peer helping enables youth to learn skills to enhance self-image, reduce loneliness, promote health, and support academic and personal achievement.
“The Neepawa Rotary Club is very pleased to support the youth in our community”, relayed Wayne Hildebrand.
During October I visited eleven District 5550 clubs. I still have two clubs to see, South Eastman and the E-club of Steinbach. It has been exhausting, but I have learned so much about our District.
Members describe their club culture as “clubby” in the best sense of the word – they like each other and enjoy getting together. However, their numbers are dwindling as members “age out”. Only 6 or fewer members are still working; the rest are retired.
Charleswood Rotarians enjoy fellowship, holding fundraising events, doing local projects and learning from interesting speakers. They hold their fellow members and their abilities in high esteem. The group is inclusive and friendly. One member observed that the club seems to be open to doing things differently
The Thompson Rotary Club is in “survival mode”. Although the club has 26 members, the typical meeting Thursday at noon attendance is 8 to 12 members. The club has talked about changing their meeting or even folding, but before doing so, decided that November 2018 will be a make or break month.
At Assiniboia Rotary members are very involved as close friends, fundraise together and support youth-oriented projects. Much of their uniqueness, however, arises from the fact that women outnumber men 2 to 1.
Members are engaged. Everyone has a job of some kind and helps out at fundraisers. The club has been described as being healthy, active and positive and as one whose advice is being sought by other clubs. Members like to socialise and enjoy working and playing together. The club has a well attended social every month.
Weyburn Rotarians describe themselves as a mature club, a singing club, welcoming and friendly, where members enjoy great fellowship and have fun. They are very giving of their time and donations - their strength is fundraising
I began the month of October by attending a joint meeting of the Moose Jaw, Moose Jaw Wakamow and Assiniboia Rotary Clubs. Little did I anticipate how the evening would end.
Each year, throughout the World, Rotarians are engaged in sponsoring and hosting International Camps.
In 2018, sixty-one camps are aimed at young adults. Of the 61 camps, 54 were in European countries; three were in North America, 2 in South America and one each in Asia and Africa.
Members describe their club as very friendly, inclusive and their fellow Rotarians as an eclectic group who have fun, exhibit both frivolity and seriousness and are easy to get to know. One member, a woman, mentioned that she felt included in everything and that when she attends a club meeting, “I feel like I come home.” All members “get things done and make things happen” and want to do good in the world, locally and internationally.
Members of the Brandon club, thirty per cent of whom are women, enjoy their fellowship, take ownership over what is happening in their community, and volunteer readily when help is needed, regardless of how busy they are.
The Rotarians at the Fort Qu’Appelle Rotary Club, chartered in 1939, currently consists of five hard-working, energetic members. Its focus is to work on developing a relationship with the indigenous peoples in their area.
The club culture of Watrous Rotarians is self-described as one where members get along well, have fun together, enjoy great meals at their meetings and help out in the community, including tending bars and barbecues.
The Saskatoon Meewasin Rotary Club is one of only two clubs in D5550 that meets in the very early morning. At 7:00 AM the energy level was high and members were enjoying their fellowship.
The Rotary Club of Saskatoon North boasts a unique culture in D5550 – one third of the members are women, and one-third of the members are in the 35 to 55 age range.
The club used to have 25-35 members four to five years ago, but the numbers had dwindled to the mid-teens. The club is focusing on membership, which has risen to 20 following induction of two new members during the DG visit.
REGINA SOUTH: Increased diversity occurs as membership grows again
Elaine Thompson
2018-10-01 05:00:00Z
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Citi Kidz Regin,District Governor,Mother Theresa School,Regina Food for Learning,Regina Palliative Care,Regina Women Immigrant Centre,Ripple Effect Scholarship Fund,Rotary District 5550,ShelterBox,Waterson Centre
Support for mine action is a time-tested way for Canadian Rotarians to advance the Rotary Foundation's six areas of focus, particularly in Cambodia where the Canadian Landmine Foundation's grassroots partners are making a difference every day. We hope to inspire as many Rotarians as possible to join this effort.
Wilf Wilkinson President of Rotary International 2007/08 Chair of The Rotary Foundation 2012/13
REGINA: The city’s oldest service club with a wide range in membership
Elaine Thompson
2018-10-01 05:00:00Z
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Dean Smith Youth Centre,District Governor,Harbour House,Knox Metropolitan United Church,Little Souls Daycare,Regina,Rotary District 5550,Salvation Army,Shayil Home Women’s Addictions Program,Souls Harbour Rescue Mission
The Saskatoon Riverside Rotary Club describes itself as a small club of “truly selfless members” who are able to bring many non-Rotarians to help with fundraising projects.
The club’s culture is shifting to a focus on youth, retention of existing members (through engagement, communication and contact) and working as a team, both internally and with external partners, to get things done.
REGINA EASTVIEW: Teamwork centred on “Youth” and “Retention of Members.”
Elaine Thompson
2018-10-01 05:00:00Z
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Belgium,District Governor,Lyle Piett Memorial Golf Tournament,RYLA,Regina Mental Health,Rotary District 5550,Saskatchewan Visual Art Project,ShelterBox
The tour of Saskatoon clubs got off to a lively start at the Rotary Club of Saskatoon Nutana, where music (piano accompaniment for O Canada), positivity (Sargent-at-Arms replaced by a Cheer Captain) and creativity reigned.
During September, I visited Rotary clubs in Saskatoon, Estevan and Regina, with a break to attend the Zones 24 and 32 Conference in Montreal from September 23rd to 28th.
Editor’s note: Rather than one long article I have given each club a story page. A picture, club name and headline appear on this page. Each links to the story.
The culture of the Rotary Club of Regina Industrial Parks is that of “a close knit family” that helps the disadvantaged in the city in a multitude of ways:
Rotarians in Kenora raised the peace flag in honour of the September 11 attacks, and the International Day of Peace which takes place September 21.
Rotary President Lynn Carlson talked about why they did it.
"It's important to Rotary because our philosophy is around peace. We're about helping others around the world, whether that's within our community or globally," she said.
September 11, 2018 marks the 17th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York City.
Nearly 3,000 innocent victims, including 24 Canadians lost their lives.
Today only three countries in the world continue transmitting polio. As of this date, there have been 14 Wild Polio Virus (WPV) cases (Afganistan 11, Nigeria 0, Pakistan 3). There were 22 WPV cases for the whole of last year.
During August my visits centred on clubs in Manitoba and northeastern Saskatchewan. My objective is to grasp each club’s “culture” and learn their thoughts on D5550’s 2018-2021 draft Strategic Plan. This newsletter focusses on the “club culture” discussions.
RIBFEST is a family friendly event with lots of Food, a Beer Garden, Kid's Zone, Entertainment and an online 50/50 draw. (See the attached poster for the website link) Admission is free.
We are expecting about 20,000 people and hoping to raise $35,000 for local youth projects. Help us to "Create Leaders for tomorrow".
For moreinformation, check out the following websites:
Rotary District 5550 Literacy Chair Ann Grahame volunteering at the LitRAG booth in the House of Friendship at the recent Rotary International Convention in Toronto.
Toronto Rotary International Convention 2018 – LitRAG is Gaining Strength! reports LitRAG Vice-Chair Carolyn Johnson LitRAG had an active presence in Toronto sharing a message of active engagement in a wide variety of literacy activities, both locally and internationally. Our booth in the House of Friendship was busy throughout the convention, sharing ideas and promoting efforts of Rotarians in supporting basic education and literacy projects. More than 200 Rotarians from across the Rotary world signed up to become involved in LitRAG. Great thanks to Brenda Ericsson, Peter Johnson, Carolyn Johnson, Vicki Whiting, Anand Seth, Sue Bellor, Ann Grahame - and several others - for spending time at the booth talking with interested Rotarians and sharing ideas of ways that we can promote literacy.
It is not an understatement to declare that my Rotary year started with a bang. I’m probably not the first District Governor in Canada to notice that July 1st, Canada Day and the start of a new Rotary year coincide. So it should be no surprise that my year as DG started with fireworks. Four days before our first club visit, we attended Canada Day celebrations at the Dryden Government Docks area.
The sixth annual Saskatoon Rotary RibFest to be held August 3-6, 2018 at Diefenbaker Park in Saskatoon. RibFest will offer four days of delicious ribs barbecued by some of Canada’s top ribbers, plus live entertainment, a kids’ fun area, food and craft vendors, beer garden, 50/50 draw and more! Hours of operation will be: Friday, August 3 4 - 9 p.m. Saturday, August 4 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday, August 5 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday, August 6 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Please help promote Saskatoon Rotary RibFest by visiting our website at visit http://www.saskatoonribfest.com and by following, liking and sharing our social media sites at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saskribfest Twitter: https://twitter.com/saskribfest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saskatoonribfest/
Neepawa Rotary Meets Their International Tree Planting Challenge
The Neepawa Rotary Club has coordinated a second tree planting project in the town of Neepawa. This completed their contribution to a Rotary International challenge to plant a tree for every Rotary Club member. A total of 15 Rotarians and students from Neepawa Collegiate combined efforts to plant 12 two meter high trees near the soccer fields at the area known as “the Flats” in Neepawa. Last month 20 trees were planted along the Veterans Way walking path on the west side of Neepawa.
The tree planting project involved the Town of Neepawa, Whitemud Watershed Conservation District, and Peer Helpers and the Horticultural Club from Neepawa Collegiate. The town staff saved the planters a huge amount of work by digging the holes and having proper topsoil available to pack around the trees. The town staff will also include these trees in their watering schedule. The project was funded in partnership with Whitemud Watershed and Neepawa Rotary. The planting was completed by Neepawa Collegiate students and Rotary members.
Three different species of trees were planted, including North America Linden, Ohio Buckeye, and Bur Oak.
Last year Rotary International President Ian Riseley, challenged every Rotary club to plant a tree for each member. If the challenge was met, the result would be 1.2 million trees planted by Rotary. Rotary clubs around the world have accepted the challenge and far more than 1.2 million trees have been planted.
There are many reasons for us all to plant trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce greenhouse gases. They prevent flooding by protecting soil from erosion and reducing surface run-off. They support agriculture by improving topsoil erosion and create shade and shelter for livestock. Trees and forests improve health and well being by reducing air pollution. Woodlands help keep cities cool and are perfect places to exercise. Trees encourage wildlife, as they provide habitat for birds and small animals. Trees also increase property value. They promote peace simply by giving people a place to sit in the shade and contemplate the world. Planting trees shows a long term commitment to the community, as the ones who benefit the most will be future generations.
The tree planting project was a lot of fun. It is always a good idea to partner with middle school and high school students as their energy and enthusiasm is contagious. The Neepawa Rotary Club would like to thank all the partners for helping to meet our tree planting challenge.
Neepawa Rotary Meets Their International Tree Planting Challenge
A recent partnership between the Rotary Club of Dryden and Shaw Cable TV to get the message of Rotary out in the Dryden area as well as the messages of some great guest speakers at the Rotary Club of Dryden meetings. The Clubs goal is to increase membership interest. Great job Ed Iskra and congratulations on to Rena who has been working on this project the past months and Rotary year.
Click below to view the recent programs of the Dryden Rotary Club.
DG Peter and Partner Janet were were the special guests of the Rotary club of Prince Albert on April 23rd, 2018 to honour Rotarians with Paul Harris Fellow recognition. In order to receive this recognition a club member must donate $1000 U.S. to the Rotary Foundation. As well members can be recognized for multiple Paul Harris levels for every $1000 U.S. contributed. In addition to honouring club members the Rotary club recognized members of the community who are not Rotarians but are very well deserving of an honorary Paul Harris. Below we have club president Dr. Nnamdi Ndubka, Rotarian Clint Thierman, Honorary Paul Harris recipient Randy Whitter, Rotarian Les Mewis, and District Governor Peter Neufeldt.
Tayna Lucena, a former International Long Term Youth Exchange Program participant, was back in town, and she brought her infectious laughter and good spirits with her.
The Rotary club of Fort Qu'Appelle Celebrated Canada's 150 birthday with the creation of a Community Bulletin Board. Photos of the Club's Canada 150th project
Saturday October 21st marked the 10th anniversary of the Clubs Wine Premiere. Over 200 quests were treated to great wine and food. Wines represented two Wineries. The evening began with wine from Portugal being paired with the first two courses, and wine from Portugal was paired with the final three courses. Representatives from both Wineries made the trip from Portugal and Spain to be in attendance and share with us a little about their local culture, their approach to growing the grapes and the final product we were enjoying at the event. All proceeds from the event were donated to two local foundations, The Victoria Hospital Foundation and The Mont St Joseph Care Home Foundation.
For Rotarians to access the reserved block of rooms for the Rotary conference at the Delta Regina you will need to contact the Hotel directly at 306-525-5255 and reference Conference number M-5V08DZF
Reservations Instructions for Regina District conference
In the picture are the Principal of Central Park School, children and youth from LP Miller Highs School, Wagner School, Central Park School -- including members of the Early Act Club of Central Park Nipawin, and members of the Rotary Club of Nipawin, as well as Rotary Assistant District Governor, Brian Harris.
Rotary Club of Fort Qu'Appelle annual Canada Day breakfast supporting the community. Enjoy a great start to celebrating Canada's 150 birthday in the valley.
The Rotary Club of Fort Qu'Appelle is co-sponsoring with the Calling Lakes Interfaith Friendship Forum and the local Ministerial Association. As one step in implementing the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission the Club is working with others to offer "The Kairos Blanket Exercise", a unique learning experience designed to strengthen the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.
Distrct 5550’s annual Adventures in Technology (AIT) Program is now accepting applications for the 2017 session to be held the week of April 23 - 28, 2017. Go to Adventures in Technology page to register.
During the spring of 2016, under the direction of then D. G Ken Krebs and PDG Pat Chernesky as chairperson District 5550 embarked on a Million Dollar Dinner. fund-raising venture.
July was an amazing month, learning the geography of our district, seeing the beautiful sights and visiting 13 clubs. I was glad that Barb was able to accompany me on the longer trips and experience everything that I was able to see.
I am very humbled to be given the opportunity to be District 5550 Governor in 2016-17. I would like to introduce my fiancee Barb Klassen. Whenever possible, Barb will accompany me on the club visits.
Last January Barb and I spent a week in San Diego at the International Assembly. There were 574 fellow District Governor Elects there for “Rotary School”.
Rotary President John Germ spoke about how Rotary has been many things to many people in the last 111 years. Through Rotary our members have found friends, community and a sense of purpose. Every week more than 34,000 clubs around the world come together for one overriding goal: service.
Service to Humanity has been the cornerstone of Rotary since its earliest days and remains the main purpose today. So it only makes sense that is the theme for this Rotary year.
President John spoke of his belief that there is no better path to meaningful service today than Rotary membership and no organization better placed to make a real and positive difference in our world.
He spoke of going back to our roots as a service club hence he chose "Service to Humanity" as this year's theme.
Germ spoke of service in three ways:
a) How important members are to Rotary: Listening to their needs. Know they joined. Understand what they get out of it.
b) How close we are to ending Polio: Know there are only two countries left. Be aware of how important it is that we move forward with a united front and common goals.
c) Remembering that Rotarians are volunteers: The family comes first. A business income stream is second and Rotary third.
As we move forward we need to think outside the box and continue to change the world.
Have a great July and look forward to the club visits
Honoured to serve you as we give ‘Service to Humanity’
Rotary Youth Exchange Students raise funds for ShelterBox Canada
This past April the Rotary Youth Exchange students in District 5360 raised over $27,000 for ShelterBox Canada! The students held an international dinner with local community members and Rotarians to ensure that no family is left without shelter after a disaster.
The group was made up of both inbound and outbound students who came together with their Rotary Clubs to tackle such an impressive fundraising goal. Each student was awarded a ShelterBox Youth Exchange Challenge pin and certificate to thank them for their amazing fundraising efforts. Everyone at ShelterBox Canada would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who helped make this event a success!
If your Rotary District is interested in learning more information about the ShelterBox Canada Youth Exchange challenge please get in touch at youthexchange@shelterboxcanada.org
Deployment Update: Sri Lanka
In May, Sri Lanka experienced a cyclone that caused major torrential rain fall and landslides that buried whole villages in meters of mud.
“The landslides came so fast. All we could hear for about an hour was rocks crashing. Sometimes it was as loud as an atomic bomb.”
Our ShelterBox team is in Sri Lanka and is working with the military and the local Rotary network to establish camps for people who have been displaced from the landslides and flooding. ShelterBox aims to support over 300 households with ShelterBoxes and other needed aid items.
From ShelterBox Canada to Rotary: Thank you
Everyone at ShelterBox would like to extend a big thank you to all of the Rotary Clubs, Rotary Districts and individual Rotarians across Canada who have supported our efforts in the 2015-2016 year.
So far this year, Rotary Clubs have donated over $425,000 to support families who have lost everything after a disaster. On behalf of the ShelterBox team and those we serve, thank you.
ShelterBox Canada – 159 Jane St Office 2, Toronto, ON M6S 3Y8
I am starting with a huge “THANK YOU” to all Rotarians in District 5550 for making this year as District Governor such a wonderful experience. The welcome I have received at all the clubs, not only during my term as Governor, but ever since my confirmation as Governor Nominee has been heartwarming and an inspiration to serve as well as possible.
The official club visits have been a source of inspiration and I have shared as many new ideas from the clubs as possible to other clubs in the district. I have seen clubs working hard to increase membership, to share the sense of accomplishment of work well done and to promote goodwill and fellowship amongst Rotarians and friends of Rotary.
The many projects we were shown have demonstrated your eagerness to be a “Gift To The World”. Your generosity has benefited people around the world through your gifts to the Rotary Foundation. Your support of the Polio Plus project have brought us closer to a polio free world. Your support of literacy, water and sanitation, health and disease issues, economic improvement, women’s issues have all contributed to our ultimate goal – that of Peace and Understanding among all people.
I have been asked “What will you do now that your term is over?” As the Immediate Past District Governor, I will remain on the executive and board of our district, and I begin a three year term on the selection committee tasked with finding future district governors as well as being the Vice-Governor for one year. In terms of Rotary Service, I am stepping into a pair of shoes that will be a challenge to fill. PDG Nancy Morris is stepping down as co-chair of the D5550 World Peace Partners committee and I will be taking that position. It will be a challenge, but one I will be happy to address and hope I will be up to the job. This is a busy committee and you will be hearing much about it in the future.
Only a year ago I was starting the year’s journey and the time has passed quickly. Today I am saying farewell to the task of being District Governor and pass the privilege of governing our district to DG Rod Riopel. I know you will all grant him the same welcome, friendship and support you have given me over the past year.
I wish all of you a great new Rotary year and much success in the future.
DG Ken says thanks and passes the torch on to DG Rod
By K.R. Ravindran, Rotary International President, 2015-16
On every July 1st, a page turns in Rotary. One Rotary year ends, and another begins; we do not lay down our pen but only lift it from the page, as we write the final lines of one chapter and consider the first lines of the next.
The story of the 2015-16 Rotary year has now been written and my friends, you have written it well. We end our year with a net gain of over 30,000 members, and global membership approaching all-time highs. Our convention was the second-largest in Rotary history, with extremely positive reviews. Rotary Global Rewards, launched only one year ago, now contains over 1,350 offers and is approaching 100,000 site visits. And we are closer than ever to our goal of eradicating polio, with only seventeen cases of polio caused by the wild poliovirus to date in 2016.
These are achievements that all of us can be proud of. But we all know that the true story of Rotary this year was written, not in Evanston by its officers, but in every one of Rotary’s clubs and districts, by each of you, and by the Rotarians you have led, motivated, and inspired. The story of this Rotary year is the work of your minds, your hands, and your hearts; the story of health, of education, and of hope that you have brought to countless people, in every corner of the Rotary world.
In the final days of this year, I found my mind returning to the words I spoke on the final day of our International Assembly: “Every story has an end. But in life, every end is a new beginning.” The story of our year together, in Rotary office, has now been written. Again, a fresh page awaits us, empty, waiting to be filled. The pen hovers above it. What will it write?
That, my friends, is up to every one of us. The opportunities of our offices may be over, but those of Rotary remain: opportunities to serve, to change lives, to be part of our business of miracles, and to Be A Gift to the World.
I thank you for your service, for your trust, and for your confidence in me, and I wish you all the best in many years of Rotary service ahead. You are, and you will remain, a gift to me, as you are A Gift to the World.
‘Every story has an end. But in life, every end is a new beginning!”
Past District Governor (2001-2002) Eugene Suchoboki passed away on May 17, 2016 after a battle with cancer. At the time of his death he was a member of the Rotary Club of Regina South. "His cheerful and upbeat disposition will truly be missed," said fellow PDG Peter Peters.
Did you know that The Rotary Foundation is turning 100 in 2016-2017?*
The Rotary Foundation is a very significant part of the vitality of every club. Every club participates in at least some programmes and most support the Rotary Foundation through donations. Therefore it makes sense for every club to use the Centennial as a way for strengthening Rotary among members and in their community.
At the Rotary Club of Dryden’s annual Paul Harris Awards dinner on Wednesday April 20th, District 5550 Governor Ken Krebs spoke briefly on why supporting the Rotary Foundation is essential to the work of Rotary World-wide. Krebs put his focus on the six-areas-of-focus. To watch and listen to DG Krebs speech
It is not everyday that Rotarians get to celebrate a 100th Anniversary of the founding of their club. That is exactly what members of the Rotary Club of Moose Jaw will be doing on the 27th of May at 5:30 at the Heritage Inn.
Like a corporation, Rotary is governed by a Board of Directors lead by a President. Every three years however, with a nod towards a Parliamentary form of government, Rotary meets in a forum called the Council on Legislation. 2016 was such a year and the Council on Legislation met last week April 11-15.
Past District Governor, Pat Chernesky (2014-2015) will be honoured by the Town of Nipawin on April 21st with an Achiever’s Award for her Outstanding Volunteerism with the Rotary Club of Nipawin.
The application was put forward by members of the Nipawin Rotary Club under the leadership of Lorna King.
Desperate need for shelter in Fiji after Cyclone Winston
Cyclone Winston hit the islands of Fiji on February 20th and was the most powerful storm ever recorded in the South Pacific, with winds over 285 km/hr, torrential rain and 12m waves. The cyclone left 42 dead, buildings flattened and crops destroyed. Hundreds of thousands were affected, and 97 schools were damaged or destroyed. A state of natural disaster was declared by the Fiji Government, and they put a call out for international aid.
The United Nations estimates that as many as 350,000 people may have been affected, over a third of the Fijian population. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also says that access to fresh water remains a particular concern. 67,000 Fijians had been suffering drought conditions in January due to El Nino, and most of them live in the corridor affected by the cyclone.
ShelterBox has been responding since the Cyclone hit, utilizing prepositioned stock in Fiji as well as New Zealand and Australia. Our ShelterBox Response teams have already been able to deliver tents and ShelterBoxes to families on six remote islands. Canadian SRT, Ron Noseworthy (Member and Past President of The Rotary Club of Kenora) was recently deployed to deliver aid to families after the storm.
More aid is on the way, including 2,000 solar lights that will provide light and safety to communities without power, and 2000 complete ShelterBoxes, but it’s not enough. There are still many tiny islands too remote to have received help. We need your support to send more aid to assist families who have lost everything after the storm.
Many look forward to the beginning of April with great anticipation. There are so many things that occur this month. First, one day a year everyone is on the lookout for practical jokes. Who knows who is going to try to fool you one way or another. But once “April Fools Day” is gone life more or less returns to normal.
I cannot miss the chance to urge everyone to come to the District 5550 Conference. The venue this year is the Lakeview Resort and Conference Centre in Gimli Manitoba.
An “Early Act” Club was chartered in Nipawin Saskatchewan’s Central Park Elementary School on March 14th 2016, This is the first such club in District 5550.
By Mitch Empey & Jenn Sharp – originally posted at FaceBook & Instagram
On April 06, 2016, Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield announced the recipients of the 2015 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.
I am thrilled to be attending the ceremony to watch my soul Dad- Harold Empey be given this award. Harold has acted as a trailblazing inclusion agent. He was integral in opening Rotary International membership to women in the early 1990s. He has contributed to Saskatchewan's "globalization" long before it was a word we used in textbooks.
District 5550 Conference in Gimli, Manitoba May 12th to 15th. Don't miss out on the early registration date! Prices increase April 16th. Register now and save.
District Governor Ken Krebs announced the passing of Past District Governor Campbell "Cam" King (2004 - 2005). Cam passed away Sunday March 13 th 2016 after a lengthy illness. Our condolences go out to his wife and fellow Rotarian Myrna and the entire King family.
When a family loses its home, it’s devastating. However, when a family loses its home in the depths of winter, with temperatures as low as -25°C, it’s a matter of life and death.
January 2016 saw the first of five Rotary International Focus Area conferences from around the world. January 15-16 saw the first one, the Rotary World Peace Conference occur in Ontario, California. District 5550’s World Peace Partners co-chair David Newman attended the event and sent the following four reports via communitynewscommons.org.
District 5550 Archivist Gayle Jones (Moose Jaw Wakamow ) has announced that beginning with this year’s PETS assembly Clubs will be asked to establish an electronic archive file rather than the traditional paper system.
The 58th Winnipeg Model United Nations Assembly, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Winnipeg will be held on May 12th to 15th, 2016 at the Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. Delegations (each comprising two grade 10-12 students and a counsellor) will gather from all over Manitoba, and from Saskatchewan, Ontario, Minnesota and the Dakotas.
We are almost at Rotary’s anniversary. On February 23rd we will celebrate 111 years as a service organization. From an almost inconspicuous start, Rotary rapidly grew and now is not only the world’s oldest service club, it is also the World’s largest service organization.
By Stephanie Christensen, Executive Director, ShelterBox Canada
Rotary and ShelterBox Make A Difference
Rotary clubs and Rotarians across Canada raised over $1,014,000 for ShelterBox Canada in 2015. This money has been used to help thousands of people around the world.
With the start of 2016, District 5550 has lost one of its member clubs. The Rotary Club of Winnipeg North has officially given notice to DG Ken Krebs that it will “cease operation as of December 31, 2015”.
Light is such a joyful part of our holiday celebrations in Canada, but for families left with no shelter, light will be far more than a festive decoration. Light will be a lifesaver. That’s why, in every ShelterBox this winter, we urgently need to pack a LuminAID. This solar lantern is easy to carry, waterproof and inflates in just seconds. It is a brilliantly clever way to conquer the dark when all other power is dead.
This fall at the unveiling of the Peace Pole near the Pavilion in St. Vital Park I made the comment that Peace is our most precious possession, but that it is also our most fragile possession. Peace is something most of us have lived with most of our lives, along with the many freedoms we are privileged to have here in Canada. We indeed live in a peaceful country; one which values peace. One of the things contributing to our peaceful nature is our willingness to learn about one another and come to understand our commonalities as well as celebrate our differences.
Rotaract and Interact Committee 2015-16 met on Dec 3-4, 2015 at Rotary International Headquarters, Evanston, USA. The agenda of the meeting was to look into existing policies and recommend changes which can improve Rotaract and Interact movement across the globe
As new Rotarians soon know, Rotary likes to recognize donations to The Rotary Foundation with pins. For most of us receiving our first "Paul Harris" pin is a milestone in our journey as a Rotarian. The Million Dollar Dinner however, is about becoming a Major Donor and a Bequest Donor. Both of these ways of giving to The Rotary Foundation has a hierarchy of pins similar to the different levels of a "Paul Harris". The person on these "Foundation" pins is the founder of the endowment which became in 1928 The Rotary Foundation, Arch C. Klumph. An infographic on these pins follows.
In honoring their commitment for transparency and providing current information, the District 5550 Ripple Effect Scholarship Fund, led and managed by the Rotary Club of Moose Jaw Wakamow, has provided the following report.
"Infinite Possibilities" what is that about? Why is the Rotarian "?" embracing the idea with out stretched arms? And what is the significance of the shape of the "o" in Rotary?
Since January 2011, there has been only ONE new confirmed case of polio in India. In 2012, India was removed from the list of polio endemic countries. We are getting remarkably close to eradicating polio globally. Therefore, this might be one of the last opportunities we will have to organize a trip to India to participate in polio NID activities. This trip offers you and the Rotarians in your club and District an extraordinary opportunity to have an experience of a life time.
The very last club to be visited was the South Eastman Rotary Club in Steinbach, Manitoba. Due to the federal election their visit was rescheduled to October 26th. A luncheon following the visit included a celebration of the club’s involvement with the RCMP’s DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. The luncheon was attended by Rotarians, partners, RCMP officers, students and school officials.
What a theme for a month we associate with Christmas, Hanukah and many other religious and cultural celebrations. This is a time when we usually look at sharing our good fortune with others, not to mention sharing all that good cheer.
This piece I recently received in my email struck a chord for me. It in a way took me back to when President Ravi announced our theme and stated the this year we have 366 days and one leap second to accomplish our goals as district governors. The author is unknown. It was apparently found in the billfold of coach Paul Bear Bryant, Alabama, following his death in 1982.
We hear about the Foundation regularly, but November is dedicated to the Rotary Foundation. One could go on and on about how the Foundation works and give all kinds of facts about how large it has grown since its humble beginnings. Similarly one could talk about how we can increase our project strength through grants from the Foundation. Indeed, one can talk at length about the need for regular contributions to the annual fund, major gifts and Polio Plus.
Explore District 5550's "first ever" Million Dollar Dinner in this simple infographic. Key Components, Choices, Gifts and how to create your TRF "legacy of Service" are illustrated.
The 90th annual Peace and Goodwill Weekend was held at the end of Peace Week and featured Eduardo Costa as a keynote speaker. Costa is from Belem, Brazil and is currently studying for a PhD at the Arthur V Mauro Center for Peace and Justice at the University of Manitoba. Eduardo is a Rotary Peace Scholar by virtue of having been sponsored by the Rotary Foundation to get his Masters Degree jn International Development, concentrating on Peace and Conflict Resolution at one of Rotary’s six Peace Centres: Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
Moving into October, the District 5550 World Community Service and Grants Committee met in Russell Manitoba on the 2nd to 4th. Past projects and grants were reviewed and future plans drawn up. The grants committee has already announced the grants qualification seminars being held on line. All clubs are encouraged to have as many as possible attend the seminars to ensure you are certified to receive grant monies from the districts shared funds.
The Zone 24/32 Institute was held in Providence, Rhode Island, September 21st to 27th. The first three days were dedicated to training incoming district governors and other district leaders. The last three days were general conference style presentations of interest to most Rotarians. One of the last presentations was for Canadian representatives only and covered the recently announced grant to the Rotary Foundation (Canada) by the federal government.
September was another busy month. Some of the month was dedicated to official club visits, but other events kept us busy. I continue to be impressed with the strength and diversity found in our clubs and I strongly urge you to continue your efforts to make Rotary a “Gift to the World”.
This year many of the events celebrating World Polio Day will be held on Friday October 23 and we hope you are encouraging events and activities in your Clubs as part of the world wide celebration. You can also join the Live Streaming from New York at 5:30 p.m. Central/ Time. this year. Check out his link.
Rotary International has undertaken a new initiative – Alumni Relations. Laura Higgs has been appointed RI’s Alumni Relations Coordinator. The expectation is that every district will appoint a District Alumni Chair and that every Club will appoint their own Alumni Chair.
As Greece buckles under its own economic pressures, it is also under stress from a growing external pressure. Every day boatloads of migrants and refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and Afghanistan arrive on islands such as Lesbos
Rotarians participating in the 2015 Peace and Goodwill Weekend are invited to stay and join Peace Days events organized by the Rotary clubs in the Greater Winnipeg area.
August was membership month and membership was a common point of discussion during the visits. Many clubs are looking at new ways to attract and retain membership. Many have found that being in the public eye while working on projects affecting their communities has had a positive effect on recruitment. Some have found that engaging their members actively in projects is a definite factor in retention. The biggest reason for joining is being asked to join. Potential members are looking for fellowship, networking and a chance to give back, and belonging to Rotary is a way of doing all three.
September with “back to school” is fittingly Basic Education and Literacy month. Is your club involved in a literacy project locally or internationally? Local projects can be hands on at a local school reading to students, having them practice reading to you, donating books to the school or local library, adult reading programs and so on. There is a huge amount of satisfaction helping someone, young or old, learn that they can read! Internationally our district Rotarians are helping build and furnish schools for children and adults as well as promoting mother and child learning. Here is an opportunity for you and your cub to become an even greater gift to the world!
August and September Themes Focus Rotarians on Membership and Basic Education/Literacy
September 21, 2015 is the UN International Day of Peace. 5550's World Peace Partners Team has announced the full 2015 Peace Days Program to run from September 11 to 21, 2015
The Goodwill Weekend celebrates the Internationalism of Rotary as American and Canadian Rotarians join in fellowship. Rotarians from Districts 5580,(Thunder Bay, N Minnesota & ND) 5950 ( Central and SW Minnesota) and 5960 (Central and SE Minnesota and western Wisconsin.) will join District 5550 in Winnipeg from the evening of the 17th Sept. to Saturday evening on the 19th.
August was a month of travel to many of our clubs. The first week was spent with clubs in Winnipeg: St. Boniface-St. Vital, Winnipeg East A. M., Rotary Club of Winnipeg, Winnipeg - Transcona, Winnipeg - Assiniboine and a trip to the Basic RYLA camp.
After that we went to North East Saskatchewan to Visit Prince Albert Rotary, Melfort Rotary, Rotary Club of Nipawin, Rotary Club of Hudson Bay and the Senior RYLA camp. At Nipawin, Immediate Past District Governor Pat held a World’s Greatest Meal to End Polio. A number of members from the Nipawin club enjoyed a social evening with dessert and fruit punch. Donations were accepted toward Polio Plus, raising over $500.00 to the cause.
The following week we visited the Rotary Clubs of Brandon, and Brandon - Sunset with their Rotaractors and finished the trip with a visit to the Rotary Club of Neepawa.
The month was rounded out with visits to the Rotary Clubs of Yorkton, Dauphin, Swan Valley, and Minnedosa.
We have been impressed with the scope and magnitude of the service projects of the clubs visited so far in our district. Our clubs are becoming more willing to vary their meeting styles to accommodate their membership, improve retention and lower the average age of their members. Several more new members were inducted and we are starting to regain some of our losses that occurred at the beginning of the Rotary Year.
August Busy with Visits to 17 Clubs and 2 RYLA Camps
Canadians across the country are helping families who have lost everything after a disaster. Everyone from our donors, ShelterBox Canada Volunteers and Response Team Members (SRT's) are helping make a difference.
What can your club do to recognize the ongoing search for peace – in your club and community?
Go online to the Peace Days website where you will find the agenda for Peace Days 2015. http://www.peacedays.ca/
In every community there is someone who is interested in sharing the Ideals of Peace. Invite that person to come to your meeting between September 14th through 21st to present a program to your club!
Perhaps you too could make your first event a “Music For Peace Concert. Reach out to groups who are already serving the community, perhaps a local food bank, mission, community club, other service clubs or church organizations. And don’t forget to involve the schools and cultural and ethnic groups.
You know your community, both its needs and the resources; use the latter to support the former.
You may be the start of something great in your club! Every great initiative starts small; persevere and it grows!
September 21 is the United Nations International Day of Peace.
In 2010, to celebrate this and to raise awareness of the importance of this day, District 5550 held a Music for Peace Concert at the Forks area in Winnipeg. It was a cool, rainy day but we persevered. For the second Concert in 2011, we were fortunate to have a lovely fall evening.
Both years visitors to the Forks stopped by and enjoyed the event. We had local performers and in 2011 featured singer and violinist, Sierra Noble.
In 2012 we took no chances with the weather and held the concert indoors. Good thing because it was a cold, rainy, windy night.
By this time other groups were becoming interested and wanted to be part of an active Peace program. As momentum grew we found that local groups – secular, ethnic, and civic – participated with events at different locations throughout the city. A simple Music for Peace concert became “PEACE DAYS”.
A Peace Days committee was founded and they meet regularly throughout the year to make plans. A logo was developed and a flag was designed. It is raised and flown at Winnipeg City Hall to signal the beginning of Peace Days .
In 2014 the Gimli community held a Peace Days event and people who attended expressed the hope that there will be one there again this year. And so the word spreads.
Phase 4 of the San Miguelito School in Guatemala was built through District 5550’s Ripple Effect Program with funding from the Rotary Clubs of Kenora and Dundas Valley Sunrise.
Ian H.S. Riseley, of the Rotary Club of Sandringham, Victoria, Australia, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2017-18. He will become the president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge him.
It is so difficult to believe that we have ONE month left in this Rotary Year! Time is running out so quickly. I am actually a bit sad that there is so much more left that we could do this year and so little time!
I have completed my Feedback Letters to Clubs and hope that they have been of some value. You have all been “Lighting up Rotary” in your communities and the World in your own special ways throughout the year, and so many have benefitted! You have given hope by even lighting ONE candle to take away the darkness for that one person!
The month of May has no designated theme so we continue to carry on completing our Goals for the year and preparing for the next one!
Thompson Club Visit
We were thrilled to re-visit the Rotary Club of Thompson on May 14th to share in a very exciting time for them; SEVEN new members were inducted that evening preceded by several more prior to that fairly recently! The fellowship, energy and enthusiasm in the group were contagious. Congratulations to President Tom O’Brien and his Membership Committee who have been very successful thus far in growing and stabilizing the Club!
Polio Eradication
We are diligently working towards our Goal to eradicate polio, with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; please continue to support this cause by either purchasing the Just In Case Binders, Mr. Apple Discovers the Four Way Test or through personal contributions, if you wish.
Membership
When viewing the District Dashboard for Membership stats I was saddened by the fact that we have dropped by 15 members this month; I was so excited earlier as we had a net gain of 45 by the end of April, and were almost at our goal of a net gain of one member per month. I know we have lost a few members to that Great Rotary Club in the sky, but perhaps folks are taking a serious look at their membership and “cleaning up” so to speak, by end of May, as was initially recommended to do, so that Clubs would not be paying dues for those who would not be renewing memberships in the new year. BUT we are still far on the positive side! I thank you ALL for working so hard at Membership Growth and Retention this year. I hope that being more flexible, as I have been encouraging Clubs to be, helped. That, to me, is the key to growth in many Clubs. I would like to have an accurate Membership Growth number to present at District Conference so I urge you all to register any new members soon if you have not already!
Foundation
Our Foundation contributions to the Annual Fund are continuing and thank you for that. To date, 45/47 Clubs have contributed. The grand total is $145,848.32. I am confident that we will achieve at least our $100.00 goal per member this year …… so let’s “inject” that final dose into the fund and make this a good, healthy number ( pardon the medical terminology! ) giving our District more funding in three years for local projects, as well as contributing more to the World Fund.
Major Gifts Seminar
We were thrilled to host Carolyn Ferguson, our Zone 24 Major Gifts Officer from Ancaster, Ontario who spoke in all 3 of our major centres about the Foundation, Major Giving and Bequests. Thanks to PDG and ARRFC Eva Vida and DRFC Bob Durston for helping at the Winnipeg Venue. I was able to accompany Carolyn in both Regina and Saskatoon.
This was a wonderful learning experience for us and I thank all who attended and especially those who worked hard at organizing the meetings and getting Rotarians out to hear her presentation! Carolyn felt that the trip was very successful; there will be exciting news evolving from this very soon! She was inspired by the results of the visit.
DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2015
We are very excited to offer delegates an informative and Fun Filled Conference; we are happy that Inner Wheel has decided to join us for a parallel Conference but they will be joining us for several of our sessions as well. This is a “First” in our District. Another “First” is the “Hands on Literacy Project” happening off site at 4:15 at our Elementary School on Friday the 19th! Come and meet the students, teachers and resource people from our Community, who will walk you through the various Stations of activity.
We have a prestigious line up of both Plenary and Breakout speakers in an effort to cover as many areas of Rotary which time allowed us to have! The President's Representative is Jacque Andrew, past DG of District 6000, plus we will be graced with the presence of PDG Al Bergsma from Rocky Mountain House the Assistant Rotary Regional Coordinator for Zone 24 West and PDG Eva Vida the Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for Zone 24 West. We have some very special awards to recognize Rotarians who have gone above and beyond. But most of all, we welcome our District 5550 Family of Rotary to enjoy and savor the Fellowship and evening entertainment that makes these events so memorable!
Membership and Conference Draw 2014-2015 Year to a Close
ShelterBox was able to provide shelter for more than 15,000 people whose lives were turned upside down following the recent Nepal earthquakes.
Our ShelterBox response teams have been working tirelessly to reach families whose homes have been destroyed or badly damaged. Help from Rotarians, Rotaract members, local volunteers, and cooperation from other organisations, has been crucial in helping our aid to reach remote communities in Nepal’s mountainous landscape. The need is great. More ShelterBox aid will be arriving so we can continue to provide the shelter to keep families safe and dry before the monsoon rains arrive.
ShelterBox has responded to several disasters in Nepal throughout the years. Most recently ShelterBox provided aid to people who had lost their homes in the north of the country due to flooding and landslides last autumn.
Two natural disasters hit Chile
A ShelterBox response team has arrived in Chile, as the country is facing two separate natural disasters, leaving communities without homes and shelter.
The Calbuco volcano has resulted in the evacuation of 6,600 homes. The Atacama region of Chile has suffered from intense rainfall, leading to rivers bursting their banks, flash flooding and landslides. The region got 7 years worth of rain in 1 day. The floods left more than 8,000 families with either damaged or totally destroyed homes.
The ShelterBox team, made up of John Cordell (US), Scott Culbertson (CAN) and Kevin Moforte (US), is working with fellow aid organisation Habitat for Humanity and the Chilean Red Cross Society to provide shelter kits to 1,500 families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged by these events.
Rotary District 3292
Rotarian and Canadian SRT Dave Hallett, Tim Osburn and Becky Maynard meet with Rotary 3292 District Governor Rabindra Piya and District Secretary Nugal Vaidya. The District 3292 Disaster Relief Fund has been supporting ShelterBox during the earthquake response as well as working tirelessly on numerous community projects throughout the affected regions to support the people of Nepal.
Rotary president, Gary C.K. Huang , has appointed Jacque Andrew, past District Governor of District 6000 as his representative at the 2015 District 5550 conference
Canadian ShelterBox response team members, Claire Noseworthy (Kenora Rotarian) and Andre Blomenik (Fernie, BC), have been helping to deliver shelter to communities in Southern Malawi, following devastating flooding that first started in January.
ShelterBox has been working solidly to reach some of the most vulnerable people in need of shelter. Families whose houses had been completely destroyed by the floods had been living in makeshift shelters made out of sticks and thin plastic sheeting, sleeping at night with just a blanket for protection.
It has been so difficult to access some regions that the teams are still finding areas in great need of aid, almost three months after the initial disaster. Andre Blomenik said: ‘We have seen a repeated story within these areas, of a young, single mother with two, three or four children and a destroyed home. It is often a single parent household and many of the families we met have experience of poor health, often HIV or diabetes.’
One of our beneficiaries was Eunice, who is HIV positive. She is not only the sole caregiver for her children, one of whom is deaf, but also looks after her mother who has health and mobility issues of her own.
The ShelterBox teams are working in the districts of Zomba and Mulanje. They are focusing their attention on distributing aid to people in their own communities so that they can be near to their land and their families, and can sooner rebuild their homes.
People in Vanuatu Left Homeless
ShelterBox continues to help people in Vanuatu left homeless after a category 5 cyclone hit the Pacific Islands. Peter Pearce, from Gosford North Rotary (Australia), went to Vanuatu within 48 hours of the airport opening to begin delivery of Shelter Kits, tents and other essential lifesaving items.
Many of the outer lying islands were severely hit. The cyclone had decimated homes in its path. It doesn’t take much to flatten the houses as most are constructed using bamboo and soft wood, they have all gone as have all of their crops.
While on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, our ShelterBox response volunteers have been staying in ShelterBox tents and using ShelterBox equipment, such as water filters and cooking utensils. Being self-sufficient means that our volunteers aren't putting a strain on limited resources and can focus on helping the people who truly need it.
Reaching the remote areas that most need support is a long process, but your support enables us to send the supplies and ShelterBox response volunteers to do this. Thank you
April is Magazine Month! Our “Rotarian” has been in publication since 1911, spreading the word about Rotary! We share Rotary now through many different social media but there is still a very important role for our magazine. It showcases the work of Rotarians around the world and as President Huang stated, “It engages, entertains, enlightens and inspires”.
Personally, I look forward to each issue and read each article, enjoying success stories, following the Presidents’ travels, and just learning more about the Rotary world. When you are finished reading issues of the magazine, share it with non-Rotarian co-workers, friends, and place it in waiting rooms, etc to help tell our story!
Our travels have continued this month; we were honored to attend Moose Jaw Wakamow’s Global Service Above Self Awards Banquet, celebrating the achievements of several Community members both locally and Internationally ……… their passions are above and beyond! While in the area, we shared at meetings in both the Assiniboia and Moose Jaw Clubs; plus we had a stop at Watrous for more food and fellowship!
Thank You to the Rotary Clubs of Saskatoon for inviting us to the 2015 Badge Shield & Star Dinner, honoring very worthy professionals for their achievements,and making the Community of Saskatoon a better place! Special Thanks to Bev and Vic Dubois for hosting us there! The motto of the special guest Speaker Sandy Davis of this event “The highest reward for your work is not what you get from it but what you become from it” parallels, I believe, how we grow in Rotary!
The Winnipeg Career Symposium What an opportunity for the participants! Cudos to the Rotarians of Winnipeg along with their Partners in making this huge event such a success! Thank You Cheryl for the time you spent with me on such a busy day; it was great to reconnect with so many Rotarians in the city!
Warm hospitality was a part of the Paul Harris Evening which we attended in Neepawa on April 23rd recognizing Rotarians and Non Rotarians for their generosity and Community work! Information about OUR Foundation was also presented and shared. Thank You President Dave and Bob and Carolyn!
Long Term Youth Exchange, Outbound Orientation in Russell April 24-26th was a success, as always! Good job, Leanne and Committee! Our students, parents and counsellors connected so well there, receiving their much needed information while having fun as well! I am so proud of our Youth Exchange Program!
OUR FOUNDATION ………….. Annual giving now totals $141,136.32 YTD. Continued support is encouraged to continue both local and International projects from this fund. The goal of AT LEAST $100.00 per Rotarian for this year has not been achieved yet BUT we still have 2 months to do it! Let’s get over the top! We have some Clubs that have done very well in this area and you will hear about them at District Conference!
MEMBERSHIP ……… Recent data shows our membership has grown from 1513 July 1st 2014 to 1565 on March 31st 2015! ( 52 Members Net Gain! ) Good work and please keep the momentum going!
Our Zone 24 West Major Gifts Officer Carolyn Ferguson will be visiting our District. She will be in Winnipeg on May 27th, Regina May 28th, and Saskatoon May 28th Evening and morning May 29th. Details are being finalized with her and ALL clubs will be notified when these are complete with times, etc for each day. She will discuss Major Giving and the Permanent Fund, and also meet with individuals/small groups for further discussions.
Remember to continue supporting Polio Plus through our 2 Fundraisers or personal/Club contributions as you wish!
DISTRICT CONFERENCE June 18-21st 2015 A great conference is planned and we are excited to see many Rotarians, partners, students, Interactors and Rotaractors there! We will send frequent updates to everyone through Clubrunner emails! Detailed information will come via that source, so please stay closely tuned to us there. Please visit our website as new information is added regularly!
We have all been touched by the recent enormous tragedy in Nepal; thoughts and prayers are with the many involved. Rotary has joined forces with our official Project Partner Shelterbox to supply the much needed cover for these people. District 5550 has launched a fundraising campaign through our Website so please contribute as you are able!
Thank you for “Lighting up Rotary” in your own way to make our local and Global Communities shine just a little more! Lighting ONE candle in a dark corner of the world for even ONE human being makes a difference in that ONE life!
On March 14Cyclone Pam hit the south Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu with devastating consequences. Vanuatu, one of the world’s poorest nations, is made up of a sprawling cluster of more than 80 islands, which are situated about 1,600 kilometers east of northern Australia.
After over eighteen months of work, it seems only fitting that Dryden Rotary’s participation in a Basic Education and Literacy Global Grant Request be submitted to Rotary International during March which in Rotary is “Literacy” month.
District 5550 World Peace Partners is pleased to announce the next building block towards peace, compassion and “service above self” amongst our youth, the ‘Rotary Adventures in Human Rights’ program.
“Adventures in Global Citizenship” which has grown and developed through the years as a pilot is now HR-2600 a new course called 'Human Rights UniverCity'
By Roy P. Vallance, Chair District 5550 MUNA Committee, Rotary Club of Winnipeg
In 2015, the Rotary Club of Winnipeg is excited to be running its 57th annual Model United Nations Assembly or MUNA.
Graduates of this program include Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger.
MUNA 2015 will be held in Winnipeg on April 30th, May 1st and 2nd, at the Canadian Mennonite University. Delegations of two high school students and a counsellor, take on global citizenship as they simulate the United Nations Assembly.
Please sponsor a delegation or two from your local high school. Let us help develop our leaders of tomorrow.
For further information and online registration, please visit our website at www.winnipegmuna.ca.
We look forward to welcoming a team from your local high school.
Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) Issues Call for 2015 Participants
Our Youth Exchange Committee has made us proud, receiving an award for the strength, enthusiasm and dedication for which they are already so well known!
Leanne Kessler and Paulette Connery have attended many sessions at the North American Youth Exchange Network (NAYEN). Some examples are the Short Term Exchange Program, helping students plan their exchange, creating marketing strategies to attract more students, interview questions, best management practices, and much more! This is a recognition you richly deserve! Thank You.
Dedicated ShelterBox Response Team volunteers deliver emergency shelter and vital supplies to communities around the globe overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis.
Latest ShelterBox deployments include Madagascar, Malawi, Gaza, Malaysia, Sierra Leone and Philippines.
A Happy Canadian Winter to you all, especially to those such as I, who need to be here and cannot escape the cold weather for long, if at all, this year! To those who have found a warmer place to enjoy, good for you!
Each year, within Rotary, February 23rd is designated as Rotary Day. It celebrates the date on which the first Rotary meeting took place. It is also a good time to review the impact that Rotary is having in the World.
District 5550’s major literacy initiative is the Ripple Effect program. This inspirational video called The Ripple is a good example of the power of a “Ripple” effect.
Regina South Rotarian, Wallis Zbitnew has with dedication and foresight created a new resource for Rotarians titled Mr. Apple Discovers the Four Way Test: Four Questions that Dramatically Changed His Life.
Published by Inner Truth Publishing Zbitnew’s goal in writing the book is:
While Canada waits to catch a glimpse of what is inside its newest national museum, Rebecca Deng is already cherishing her experience previewing the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Deng’s tour this summer was included as part of the Adventures in Global Citizenship course at The University of Winnipeg’s Global College. A portion of the course took place in the museum with CMHR experts acting as guest faculty.
Have you thought of what you want to do to make a difference within Rotary?
Presently the District is looking for someone to take positions for the Membership Committee, the District Trainer team, and Rotary Leadership facilitators.
I know you all really want to be out there sailing, fishing, swimming on a lake somewhere in this great country of ours but here for your Rotary edification are some of the posts that have been placed on our District 5550 Blog 5550opinions this past month.
I’ve been trying to increase the number of views and visitors this site receives. It has been attached to our District website since March 2011. However, I know from the statistics which I gather that very few Rotarians access through that portal.
So with only a couple of days to go in May I thought I would share with you the posts that have occurred this month:
Posted on May 16, 2014 by John Borst, District 5550, Communications
Sustainability DemystifiedBook Review If I Had a Water Buffalo: Microfinance as a Means to Sustainability Posted on May 28, 2014 by John Borst, District 5550, Communications
Although accompanied by considerable controversy RI General Secretary John Hewko says, “The reaction to our new member site. . . has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark upon a new Rotary digital age.”Rebranding Rotary: Watch the Slide Show
Why is it that superior technology doesn’t always win out? Why do some enterprises fare better than others? Why do some charities become better funded and better known than others? Is there a common trait? Yes, I think there is.
Do you remember when video tapes were first introduced? Sony was the first to bring the technology to market and they called it “Beta” video. VHS video came shortly after. Beta was certainly the better technology at the time. Why did VHS win with an inferior product? Now, of course, both are obsolete.
Another example was the Apple operating system vs. Windows. Again Apple was the superior product but almost went bankrupt trying to compete against the Windows operating system in other PCs. Why did the Apple operating system not become the dominant system?
A Canadian corporate example would be BlackBerry. Its cell phones with e-mail & texting provided the greatest degree of security and still do today. Then why is it almost bankrupt?
All these companies did not realize that the market size for the technology they developed was much larger than one company could handle and missed the absolute requirement to share the technology with others by restricting its use for competitive advantage. Each alternative took the inferior technology, made it “open” and not only let everyone else improve on it but also, in the process, make it the most acceptable and accessible at reduced cost. Beta was gone long before VHS; Apple made a comeback with its block buster innovative “i” product line, of itunes, ipod, iphone and ipad and the revolutionary “apps”. Blackberry may still have the US president using its phone because of the security it provides, but not many others are following his example, because the apps and operating systems of Apple’s proprietary iOS and Google’s open source Android smartphones became more desirable than security, even among business users.
Now consider Rotary. It was started February 23, 1905 by Paul Harris, a man with a vision. What was it he started? Was it supposed to be a charity or a local service group? Neither of these seems to tell the whole story. For me Rotary is about a group of people getting together and combining their individual expertise and knowledge, without financial reward, to remedy a human need or condition anywhere in the world. The sole reliance and faith in mankind to duplicate this simple idea and share it with others around the world was the vision.
It is the sharing I am concerned about here. We appear to be passed by because few people seem to know what we do. For example the January edition of Maclean’s had an article on the eradication of Polio by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotary wasn’t mentioned even though the value of Rotary‘s contribution in money and manpower exceeds that of the Gates Foundation. The article didn’t even mention our Federal Government from time to time contributed our tax dollars to match the contributions of Canadian Rotarian’s donations towards Polio eradication.
Are we like BlackBerry who didn’t believe that a mountain of “apps” could replace security on a cell phone, or like Apple who failed to see the advantages of Microsoft’s open source Windows 1.0 in 1982 even though they had popularized the icon based operating system in the first place?
Traditionally, Rotarians have practiced humility and not promoted their good works. Unfortunately, the more society has come “under the influence” of advertising and marketing the more Rotary’s struggles to attract new members has increased. Rotary has only recently come to the realization we haven’t kept pace with the communications revolution that has engulfed us.
Throughout this year I have been asking each club to ensure a member is responsible for Communications and/or Public Relations. Not only do we have to improve our messaging out to the community but among and between ourselves.
Over the past two years Rotary International has created two marketing opportunities to improve communication among Rotarians.
Rotary Showcase
The first is web feature “Showcase” where clubs and Districts can ‘showcase’ their favorite projects.
See https://map.rotary.org/en/project/pages/project_showcase.aspx . How many projects do you see for District 5550 from our 48 clubs? What a wonderful site to celebrate what our clubs are doing. What a great way to refer new members or club Rotarians for ideas on worthwhile projects. This site also provides an opportunity for an enthusiastic member to create and display a video or slide presentation on your own club projects.
It all starts with Amarok mothers
President Alan Mosewich introduces four new members into the Rotary Club of Watrous: Ted Mansuy, Julie Mansuy, Pat Isherwood and John McArthur. They are joined in the picture by their sponsors: Ron Morningstar, Lorne Bradbeer and Murray Westby.
Guest presenters, Victor Roman and Jonathan Carrier, shared with us their introduction to, and their ongoing association with, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Regina and Area. Beginning with their "little" brother match, 10 and 8 years ago, Victor and Jonathan spoke about how their respective brother relationship has grown over the years. Growth was not restricted to the young person (the mentee), but equally so to them as the "mentor". A growth and development process, such that they have become important components of one another’s lives. As Victor stated so clearly, "We transform young lives by igniting their potential."
What began as a dream nineteen years ago came to fruition today with the completion of the final section of the Rotary Trail
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The Rotary club of Fort Qu'Appelle Celebrated Canada's 150 birthday with the creation of a Community Bulletin Board. Photos of the Club's Canada 150th project 
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This past April the Rotary Youth Exchange students in District 5360 raised over $27,000 for ShelterBox Canada! The students held an international dinner with local community members and Rotarians to ensure that no family is left without shelter after a disaster.
In May, Sri Lanka experienced a cyclone that caused major torrential rain fall and landslides that buried whole villages in meters of mud..jpg)
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The United Nations estimates that as many as 350,000 people may have been affected, over a third of the Fijian population. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also says that access to fresh water remains a particular concern. 67,000 Fijians had been suffering drought conditions in January due to El Nino, and most of them live in the corridor affected by the cyclone.
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As Greece buckles under its own economic pressures, it is also under stress from a growing external pressure. Every day boatloads of migrants and refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and Afghanistan arrive on islands such as Lesbos
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After that we went to North East Saskatchewan to Visit Prince Albert Rotary, Melfort Rotary, Rotary Club of Nipawin, Rotary Club of Hudson Bay and the Senior RYLA camp. At Nipawin, Immediate Past District Governor Pat held a World’s Greatest Meal to End Polio. A number of members from the Nipawin club enjoyed a social evening with dessert and fruit punch. Donations were accepted toward Polio Plus, raising over $500.00 to the cause.
Greetings Fellow Rotarians!
Our ShelterBox response teams have been working tirelessly to reach families whose homes have been destroyed or badly damaged. Help from Rotarians, Rotaract members, local volunteers, and cooperation from other organisations, has been crucial in helping our aid to reach remote communities in Nepal’s mountainous landscape. The need is great. More ShelterBox aid will be arriving so we can continue to provide the shelter to keep families safe and dry before the monsoon rains arrive.
A ShelterBox response team has arrived in Chile, as the country is facing two separate natural disasters, leaving communities without homes and shelter. 
Rotarian and Canadian SRT Dave Hallett, Tim Osburn and Becky Maynard meet with Rotary 3292 District Governor Rabindra Piya and District Secretary Nugal Vaidya. The District 3292 Disaster Relief Fund has been supporting ShelterBox during the earthquake response as well as working tirelessly on numerous community projects throughout the affected regions to support the people of Nepal.
It has been so difficult to access some regions that the teams are still finding areas in great need of aid, almost three months after the initial disaster. Andre Blomenik said: ‘We have seen a repeated story within these areas, of a young, single mother with two, three or four children and a destroyed home. It is often a single parent household and many of the families we met have experience of poor health, often HIV or diabetes.’
One of our beneficiaries was Eunice, who is HIV positive. She is not only the sole caregiver for her children, one of whom is deaf, but also looks after her mother who has health and mobility issues of her own.
Many of the outer lying islands were severely hit. The cyclone had decimated homes in its path. It doesn’t take much to flatten the houses as most are constructed using bamboo and soft wood, they have all gone as have all of their crops.
