Club Bulletin For 12 November 2013 - Joan Firkins - EREY

Bulletin Reporter: Jim Force

President Pete opened the meeting at 12:40.

Wynn introduced our guests: 

Dennis Sutton of the Harbourside Club and David Newberry of the Victoria Club.

Announcements:

Jim F: Flag Committee Meeting in the Hotel Library directly after our luncheon meeting

Joan P (wearing her Santa hat): Orders for Poinsettias are due by Friday November 22^nd. Flowers will be ready for pick up and delivery on Wednesday November 27^th.

Dennis Sutton: Christmas Fruit Cakes are available for $25 or $45 from the Harbourside Club. They will be delivered on Tuesday December 3^rd. [Editor's note: They're amazing - tried some today!]

Jessica: The shoe store on Cadboro Bay Rd across from Pure Vanilla will donate 5% of their November sales to the Merrython. Be sure to stop by to say hello, thank them for their donation and perhaps treat yourself to a new pair of shoes. [Editor's note: Jessica, please send me the name and I'll add it here]

President Pete: For those who would like to contribute to aiding the Philippines, consider donating to http://www.shelterboxcanada.org/

Good news: Our Peace Scholar candidate, Krystal Renschler, was selected by RI as a Peace Scholar for 2014. Here is a note she sent to Vicky today:

Good morning Victoria, Perry, Skip, and Bob,

I received very exciting news this morning from Rotary, informing me that I have been selected as a 2014 Peace Fellow. I am absolutely honoured and overwhelmed with gratitude.  

I wanted to send thanks to each of you for the support and assistance you have provided throughout the process. I look forward to the years ahead of working alongside Rotary and being a part of this phenomenal Fellowship program. 

With utmost thanks and best wishes,

Leslie: Presented a $56.25 check from the Oak Bay Cobs. We get 5% of purchases made by Club members. Don't forget to tell them at Cobs that you're with Oak Bay Rotary!

Celebrations Master: Ron Cooley awarded fines to the following:

            Lates – two unnamed new members

            Eugen – dereliction of duty as he missed being a greeter

            Joan P. – Her request for changes for the Merrython took all of Ron’s loose change

            New members warned that next week they will be fined if they don’t have their members sign-up sheets in hand.

            A buck from anyone who ate all their Halloween candy before Halloween

            A buck from anyone who missed attending our outing to Wave Adventure last Tuesday

            A buck from anyone who didn’t purchase a poppy for Remembrance Day

            Two bucks from anyone who hasn’t volunteered for the Merrython

Birthdays

            Bill Burns: November 16^th

Anniversaries

            Peter Sou & Debbie November 10^th

            Jim Laing & Mary November 14^th

            Lori McLeod & Doug November 15^th

Club Anniversaries

            Rod Sim: November 1^st, 19 tears

            Renate Gibbs: November 2^nd,  3 years

            Peter Sou: November 3^rd,  27 years

            Tom Croft: November 22^nd, 28 years

            George Pritchard: November 11^th, 35 years

           

Happy & Sad Dollars

            Perry thanked everyone who wished Annamarie well. She is on the mend.

            Joan F. thanked Janna for a great evening of bowl painting at Fired Up (for the Souper Bowls of Hope

            Tricia sad in regard to tragedy in the Philippines; happy to be off to Australia to visit kids and grandkids

            Mike happy to be a new member and no longer a visitor

            Bill happy to be having his grandchildren with him on his birthday

            Sandy happy to announce that it is his and Barbara’s anniversary today

            Eugen sad to be late and to have missed his duty, but happy to have attended the installation of the new President of UVic

50/50 Draw was won by our speaker, Joan F (below), but unfortunately she drew a black marble. 

Joan was introduced by Lorna (left):

Joan Firkins is currently one of only 41 Regional Rotary  Foundation Coordinators in the Rotary world.  She is responsible for Vancouver Island, Western Washington, Oregon, Northern California and Nevada.  Joan talk focused on The Rotary Foundation (TRF), as November is Foundation Month. She invited us to visit the TRF web site @ https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/rotary-foundation

She reminded us that TRF is “effective, ethical, global and transformational,” and that it has awarded over three billion dollars to projects around the world.

Funds raised in our district reside with RI for 3 years during which the earnings are used to operate TRF. After 3 years 50% of the funds are returned to the District and 50% of the funds go to the World Fund. In 2012-13 our district raised $652,285 for TRF. As such, in 2015-16 the District will receive $326,198.

In 2012-13 our Club raised $15,784. Our goal for 2013-14 is $11,000. We have raised $1507 to date, but expect to come close to meeting our goal with the tax auction later this month.

Joan encouraged everyone to contribute to TRF. One of our goals is to have 100% “Every Rotarian, Every Year - EREY.” Contributions can be as little as $10 or as much as one likes. For the Club to be awarded the EREY banner we need to have every member contribute and have a minimum contribution of US $100 per capita or just over $6,000 total.

To reach this goal of EREY we need to touch the wallets by first touching the hearts of our members. To this end Joan showed us several photos illustrating the good work of Rotary around the world.

Neil R. then gave details of the of the tax auction to be held next Tuesday (November 19). Below: Tav thanked Joan, presenting her with an Oak Bay Rotary mug, to add to her growing tea set.