Meeting of February 5

Reported by Dave Maxwell

Opening:

President Joan opened meeting at 12:15 - right on time. A rousing version of O Canada without Tom, followed by Grace from Mary.

Visitors and Guests:
John Jordan introduced the visiting Rotarians and Guests: 

·                Gem Munroe, Speaker

·                Don Thompson, guest of Wolf

·                Sabrina Corraini, Guest 

·                Patricia Jutras of Caboro Bay Books. Mother of the former Interact President Claire.

Health of the Club:

Mary Canty reported there is an opportunity to Visit Ted Harrison.

Announcements:

·      Joan needs some volunteers for the Polio Light-up on the buildings of Uptown.  This will occur on Feb23 in this third year for us. The event celebrate the 108 years of Rotary and brings awareness to the Polio objectives around the world. Joan needs  two shifts of volunteers.

   

·    The DLTA is coming. Its always a great event and we are encouraging many of our members to go. The Club will even help fund the 90$ reg fee!!!! All information including registration can be found at this link. 

·      Notice was given of a Membership Proposal for Sabrina Corrainia; membership has been accepted by the Board. She will be inducted next week, we hope! Please see bio in the January 22, 2013 Bulletin.

        

       Mary has invites for her Tea Party. Please see Mary.

Fines' Master Perry Bamji.

 Perry was very adept at extracting PENNIES from the crowd on the day that Pennies will no longer be  made. Fines were levied for not shaking the Phantom handshaker  (Pablo), for having no guest at a table, for poor grammar in the Tuscan evening invite, and more.  Tom Croft paid his fine in Pennies, of course.

Club Anniversaries: 10 years for Jack, again.

Holidays: John Jordan is off to Rwanda (but should hardly be called a holiday).

Birthdays:  David Philip and Neil Madsen

Happy Sad $s: Jessica for Marys tea party; Jack's Choir flash mob success; Mr Bannermans return to our Club after a leave!!, Jim force for a new Granddaughter on the way; and John for heading off to Rwanda again.

 The Draw, Neil Rawnsleys guest wins the 110$ last week and this week Neil wins the 11$ - no white marble.

The Oak Bay Rotary Club Foundation AGM occurred after the meeting. Minutes, agenda and the treasurer's report were all approved. Jack Petrie stepped down as a director and Heather Aked has stepped forward. The other Directors are Tav, Rod, Victoria, Dave Maxwell,  and immediate past president (John Edgell until June 30^th). We currently have about 25k in the Foundation which will be used over the coming years to provide for scholarships etc., to further educational initiatives.

Guest Speaker, Gem Munro, introduced by Neil Madsen.

  

Gem Munro operates the Amarok Society. He gave a wonderfully eloquent summary of what he and his team have accomplished in the slums of Bangladesh over the past 8 years and some 14 new schools since. He has copies of his book for sale. Below is a summary of his objectives and story.

Gem teaching teachers in Bangladesh

The Amarok Society brings a revolutionary solution to a chronic humanitarian problem. What do you do in a land where there is no money to build schools for the millions of uneducated children? How do you reach into the hearts of destitute communities to inspire lasting change in a way that’s sustainable and cost-effective? How do you counteract primitive extremism where fundamentalist fanatics have enjoyed free reign?

The Amarok Society effects miraculous changes in the lives of thousands of Bangladeshi children through our unusual and daring design for educating the dwellers of desperately poor slums. It teaches uneducated mothers how to read and write, and then teaches the mothers to be neighbourhood teachers – educating their own and their neighbours’ children every day in their homes, with astonishing results.

We teach very poor mothers how to read and write in their local language, we teach them English (necessary in South Asia for economic advancement) and teach them math. We also teach them life skills such as health, nutrition, child care and conflict resolution. The mothers, many of whom have never before even held a pencil, attend school every day for 2 hours. Teachers, recruited from nearby neighbourhoods and trained by AS, use accelerated learning methods (using songs, drama, games). Neighbourhood houses (rooms) are used as schools. The mothers are then trained to become teachers of their own and their neighbours’ children, developing some of the learning materials themselves for use with the children. The small schoolrooms, when not being used for mothers’ classes, are used by the women to discuss issues of importance, as determined by them, and as a place for cottage industry work to increase family income.

Working from the centre of the family out using accelerated learning methods (songs, pictures, drama) is a highly effective approach. Mothers come to understand and value education – learn how to create a positive learning environment for children, and they come to make better decisions in many areas for the family. Several mothers have reported that they can now make better sense of their world and have become more highly-valued within their own homes and in the community.

This link takes you to Amarok's donation page.