Meeting Report: September 11, 2012

On the 11th anniversary of something horrific in New York City, President Joan inspired us with something inspirational, a Vimeo of an Australian Rotary Student Exchange Pioneer. His actions and the those of others who followed, help to make the world a little closer and more peaceful. Watch Yoko Sekimoto recall her “fabulous experience” with Youth Exchange in 1962, when she became the first Japanese student to participate in Rotary Youth Exchange. In 2012-13, Rotarians in Japan are celebrating 50 years of exchanges around the world.

Wendy gave the Invocation. Tom caressed the ivories. The buffet table afforded us another horn of plenty. We are so fortunate. But...not with today's proposed speaker. She didn't appear. Claire introduced Hugh Roberton, Assistant District Governor (on right, with his predecessor ADG, Tav Macpherson) and our lone guest, Julia Phillips, a Rotaract Student at UVIC who is taking her Political Science Degree. Then Claire really was let off the hook as she had no speaker to introduce. So...time to improvise which resulted in September presenting our club Facebook Page with the able assistance of David Westler, manning the computer.

Before that, Ron Cooley elegantly panhandled as the Fines Master, for reluctant donations from guilty parties like Mark Bedford who beamed with pride over the Grand Slam US Open winner, Andy Murray (seems Mark still has British Pride. Andy Murray is Scottish). Then Mark turned on his fellow clubmate, Tav, and reported that he had been talking during other announcements, causing Tav a loss of coin...and face. Thereupon Tav, trying to get back in our good graces, suggested a fine to Perry for looking so good, and Perry was moved to sashay out as if in his own Paris Fashion Show to display his finery, claiming an intent to 'raise the bar' haberdashery-wise. He did look good on the runway. See below if you don't believe it! Back to Mark. We sang him Happy Birthday, then applauded Tom Lidkea for 43 years of marriage (or should that be his wife Margaret deserving that applause?). Joan Firkins had Happy bucks as she and Donna are off to Vietnam and further. Heather won the 50/50 but no big prize marble.

Heather also brought us up to date on the preparations underway for our club Merrython to be held Sunday, December 3rd. Volunteers needed.

Jim Force outlined our participation in Raise a Reader on September 19th. Volunteers are needed.

David Sills reminded us to double-check our information on the next printed Member Contact Info sheet which he is assembling. Don O'Coffey asked for volunteers and participants for the ALS walk this Sunday. Lori McLeod reminded us as 'New Generations' Director of our needed financial support to sponsor students.

Lisbon here we go! We watched a short promo video on the next International Rotary Convention to be held in Lisbon, Portugal June 23rd-26th, 2013. View it HERE if you missed it.

The challenge is still with us. Joan Firkins (below left with Dallas) announced that many of the staff of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are in Evanston now, helping to recharge the End Polio Now campaign as there is a looming shortfall of required funds. We've come a long way. Please visit the site to add your name to the list of Rotarians urging the UN (and governments around the world) to fund the final push needed to finally eradicate polio. The signatures will be presented to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as a show of solidarity and support at a special polio event during the UN General Assembly in New York during the week of September 18. Please sign up now here. And for more information, here's the web site for End Polio Now:  http://www.endpolio.org/.

Okay Mark, back to Britain. We sang a song to your Elizabeth girl over there in Buckingham Palace. Ding went the bell and we're all off out to the sunshine. Feels like Fall is coming on, there's a little chill in the air...but it's always warm and hospitable in our Rotary meeting.

Jack

Just an extra note from your webmaster. Our Mary is turning 90 (incredible!!). See below the invitation to her "Birthday Party" that she has asked me to distribute to all Oak Bay Rotarians. If you cannot read the phone number and email they are: canty-at-telus.net and 598 3462: