Our District has quickly moved into fall this month and our clubs are gearing up their programs and projects for the good of Rotary. The month of September is Education and Literacy month in the Rotary calendar and your District Governor team (DGE – Cathy Skene, DGN – Jude Chigbo and myself) were joined by our Public Image and Communications Chair, Jo-Anne Dalton at the 15 country, 5 zone Institute for advancing our learning and development. It was the fourth zone institute that I have attended and it was quite unique from the previous zone institute format - there were an additional 450 attendees from 3 more zones, making over 900 total attendees with sessions in both spanish and english.
At the zone Institute wrap-up, our District was recognized and awarded a certificate for chartering the most new clubs in all of Zone 28 over the past 3 years (2023 – 2026) with the formation of six new clubs, including two new Rotaract clubs. The credit goes to the diligent work of past DGs as well as membership efforts from many in our District for this positive development. The efforts to adapt and build our existing clubs is ongoing and we all need to ask a colleague or friend out to a Rotary event this next couple of months but there is a path to growth through the development of new clubs as this award demonstrates.
Education and literacy also reminds us that Rotary has a great opportunity to connect and support some of our young people and introduce them into the Rotary family and its motto of Service above Self.
So many of our young people would like to get engaged - this is an opportunity for your clubs within your catchment area to connect with the high schools. If you've had young people that you've sponsored into RYLA, it's an opportunity to have those individuals becoming Interact champions within their schools. I had the privilege of being the official race starter for the Rotary Club of Fort Garry’s fourteenth annual ½ marathon and 5 km runs this past weekend and they had 700 participants! Congratulations to the club for their amazing event and their influence on the weather was pretty good too! It is a massive fundraiser and community effort with partnerships and volunteers. I met four young people volunteering from the U of M Rotaract club and two of them were Interactors prior to becoming Rotaractors...the progression does happen.
Being the month of Education and Literacy our public libraries are a great civic resource and offer wonderful collections for our use, and if you haven't been to a library in your community in a while, go visit and get a library card. They are a great source of information. And of course, introducing some of our younger citizens to the library system is something that supports education and literacy as one of our Rotary Areas of Focus.
I want to mention that our future district conference next May 7 – 9 is going to have a session on adult education. Right now we have many in our adult population that have reading levels certainly not at a level that allows them to thrive and become independent and build the self esteem that is necessary to reach their full potential. Investing in adult education is something that is an investment in our communities. My visits this past week were in Northwestern Ontario with the vibrant and active clubs of Kenora and Dryden. I was accompanied by our Assistant Governor, Deb LeMaistre and husband Gord. In Dryden they have programs that are looking at closing the gap in reading ability and comprehension for the reading levels within the education system and it is having an impact in their community. This Rotary support is a Community and economic development benefit, which, by the way, is the Rotary theme for the month of October. The Dryden club is doing some amazing things and, in addition to participating in the award of some worthy Paul Harris recipients, I was hosted by Joanne Misner for a tour of the many wonderful contributions their Rotary club has made to this community.
Peace as a Thread through all our Programs
Earlier in the month, I was invited to attend a very meaningful evening with the Conflict and Resilience Research Institute of Canada and heard several very moving stories by many Rotarians and guests in attendance. This was a clear example of storytelling being a path to better understanding and an openness to positive peace, kindness and being of service to others. This is really who we are as Rotarians. We have some wonderful Rotarians that facilitate workshops on storytelling and I would like to hear from folks if this is something to make available, either as a club activity or a District workshop.
International Peace Day Ceremony
The Rotary Club of Kenora is a champion in so many ways but they have a Peace Park as one of their many community investments. It was a privilege to speak at the International Peace Day ceremony on September 21st and it included musical accompaniment from the local handbell quintet. The other investments made in the community are outstanding.
September 30th is a day to recognize and continue to improve the efforts to address the calls to action and the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Within our District we are on Treaty land today and We are all treaty people as the treaties, of which we have 7 in our District, were two groups agreeing on a shared understanding of cooperation and mutual benefits.
Why do we wear orange shirts on this day? It's to honor the thousands of children that attended Indian Residential Schools and recognized the intergenerational impact that those schools have left behind. The symbol of the orange T-shirt is inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad, who attended a residential school in Williams Lake. In 1973. Phyllis was six years old and about to attend her first day of school. Her grandmother bought her a new outfit for her first day. Phyllis picked out a bright orange shirt and was excited to wear it. When she arrived at the school. It was quickly removed and disposed of, never to be seen again. The orange T-shirt symbolizes the stripping of culture, freedom, and self-expression. Wearing orange is an acknowledgment that the Indian Residential Schools, colonization policies and legislation imposed onto Indigenous peoples and communities is part of our shared history of Canada. Participating in this act of reconciliation helps create awareness, shows support and understanding, and makes a commitment to never let another child live through these experiences again.
Rotarians in the Charleswood Club and Downtown clubs worked with Honoring Indigenous Peoples (HIP on a ‘Walk with the Earth’ event at Canadian Mennonite University and the Assiniboine Forest on September 26th. It was a very wet day but it was so appreciated to hear both organizer Samantha Westlands and Niigaan Sinclair speak so passionately about reconciliation and the connections to the earth.
One of the things I took note of at the Zone Institute was the program of Partners across Borders and Sister Clubs. Some of our clubs have done this successfully and it can lead to exciting opportunities. Similar to this, a former mayor in Winnipeg, Bill Norrie, established sister cities in other parts of the world, including in Chengdu in western China. Right now, one of the things that's significant about that – it is across the border from Nepal. Nepal has had a tragic and devastating climate event that has destroyed several villages and has caused unthinkable fatalities and impact on their communities and economy.
One of the programs that Rotary is heavily engaged in is shelter box. Shelter Box is active in Nepal right now and an appeal for some funding support for the people of Nepal would be appreciated by the District champions of this valued partner that addresses responses in many corners of the world. Our District has always been a great supported of Shelter Box and hopefully this will continue.
When we think of Partners across Borders, the Rotary club of Winnipeg was sponsored by the Minneapolis club to become the first Rotary Club outside of the US in 1910. Rotary is now in over 200 countries around the world and 1.2 million Rotarians. This support and sponsoring led to the 93 year Order of Rotary Fellowship (ORIF) ‘Goodwill Gathering’ that unfortunately was discontinued prior to the COVID epidemic. On both sides of the border, the former ORIF members have put money aside for future use.
Our District 5550 shares an International Peace Garden with our US neighbours south of us. At our district conference this upcoming year, we are going to have District and ORIF representatives jointly make a presentation to the International Peace Garden from the ORIF accounts. It will be an opportunity to rekindle the intent of the Fellowship and work towards Rotary ideals of peace, kindness and shared service. It's a reminder that shared humanity doesn't mean that you cannot have differences.
At Assiniboine Park and the English Gardens there is another chapter to this fellowship and an interesting history. The boy with the leaking boot is your greeter at the entrance to the English Gardens and its array of sculptures. It was dedicated to peace and it was the ORIF goodwill that took on the project in 1953 to locate it to Assiniboine Park and the English Gardens.
As we move into October and Economic and Community Development Month in the Rotary calendar, it's a great opportunity for your clubs to connect with local Chambers of Commerce and ensure they are aware of your Rotary Club and the impact that Rotary can have on local community endeavors.
World Polio Day is on October 24th. There are clubs and programs doing walks and fundraising to End Polio Now. We are making great progress in eradicating the wild polio virus, but until every case is eradicated, it can quickly turn around and expand. In Winnipeg we are holding a wonderful night of music with a concert on Saturday, October 24th at 7 pm and If you're interested in this event, our district website has information on getting tickets.
Amarok is a very interesting education program initiated in our District by the Dryden Club with partnerships with a couple of the Winnipeg clubs. It is a unique educational approach that has been. evolving in Bangladesh to train women who then teach five children in their village. It has had tremendous impact over the years. This fundraising event will happen at the Saint Boniface Cultural Centre on November 5th. Again, our website should have information on that event.
To have your event or project featured, submit a content request to the D5550 Public Image Committee by filling out this form.
