Rotary Club of Oak Bay Meeting of 21 July 2015 - Vocational presentations by Jack P. and Sanjay U.

Reporter:  Renate Gibbs

Opening:  

President Heather recounted aspects of the legacy of Paul Harris for Rotary Clubs and the resulting impact this has had in making Rotary Scholarships possible, one of the most generous throughout the world.  Members and guests assembled then sang a rendition of ‘O Canada’!

John Jordan gave the invocation.

Guests: 

Ted Chambers announced the Visiting Rotarians (Dennis Rusk – Phoenix 100, George Zeman, Victoria Club ) and Guests (Jenifer Blyth, Maureen Madsen, Lori Rusk, Janet Welham and Helga Jacobson) .

·       A Banner exchange occurred with the Phoenix 100 Rotary Club.

Announcements:

• Mary Canty advised another past member is now moving to the Kootenays: Jaqueline Mealing is leaving Courtney for Kaslo.  
• Jim Force and President Heather presented Janet Welham (District of Oak Bay) with an enormous facsimile of a cheque in the amount of $40,000 to support the work involved in furnishing the kitchen and interior of the brand new Neighbourhood Learning Centre, part of the Oak Bay Youth Centre.  Janet thanked the club warmly and provided a description of the activities local youth could expect with Oak Bay Recreation Centre’s partnership.  Vicky Pitt promised to issue a wallet sized cheque shortly!
  
• President Heather reminded the club that last year’s Paul Harris Dinner was a success and this year on October 22^nd, 2015 we will once again award 3 non-Rotarians with a Paul Harris Award.  Nominations are now invited, and Perry Bamji will send out the criteria early this week to help meet the August 11^th deadline for nominations.
• Neil Rawnsley presented Steve Sharlow with a Paul Harris pin to acknowledge Steve has achieved this six times!
  
• Bill Burns introduced George Zeman, who addressed the need for help with the Car Raffle for the remaining 3 weeks. He stressed that help with the car ‘movements’ were going to be important.  Brian Lamb is also ready this week and the next, to share more books of Raffle Tickets, please turn in ‘sold’ books as soon as possible and consider signing up to sell tickets, taking a book of tickets to sell  and moving the car.  By August 9^th these efforts will help us reach the goal of $110,000 which will be matched by Rotary Foundation to help support the Food Share Program in Victoria.
  
• Vicky Pitt reported that $1500 is available to us through Thrifty Smile Cards.  Heather would like this worthwhile program to have another member take on this oversight as she takes on her responsibilities. Janette volunteerd.

Celebrations Master

Tom C did a remarkable job of relieving  everyone of their loonies and toonies for various and sundry reasons. The best fine of the day involved the statement that ‘short pants are not appropriate' worn by a select few.  Four birthdays included our celebrations master, Ron Beyer, Joan Peggs and Ron Cooley.  Tom Croft and Joan Peggs each gave $68 in recognition of staying young.  Happy and Sad $ included Perry Bamji for John Jordan’s work in Rawanda, Mary Canty loved the time to chat with potential raffle customers, Lynne Murray had an injury free but scary taxi ride, Vicky Pitt learned there is a way to get a malfunctioning car power window to work but it’s still a mystery, Joan Peggs solved another car problem using a spare key to start her vehicle, Bob Schell celebrated his 5^th grandchild with $5 and George Zeman thanked those who attended his son’s film screening “I search for Freedom” which is going to be shown in 80 cities.  Sanjay Uppal had the winning ticket number for the 50-50 draw and pulled the appropriate marble for the big bucks!

Guest Speakers:

Heather Aked preceded guest introductions with a story about her first tenure as President more than a decade ago which involved inviting Jack Petrie (a newer member then) who was paired with Bert Wonton who took more than his share of time time to talk about his vocation.  Jack was assured he would be invited to speak again; Heather just didn’t warn Jack that it would be eleven years later!

Peter Lawrie introduced Jack Petrie, a partner with Newport Realty. 

Jack wasted no time outlining his early years, leaving Hamilton, Ontario in 1969, where he went on to manage bands such as Ike and Tina Turner.  Convoluted circumstances and ‘a 100 head of chickens’ eventually brought Jack to Victoria in 1975, and after a year of bartending, he obtained his real estate licence and was off and running.  Actually his first 2 weeks in the business involved sorting out what new clients would like and discovering how to keep clients.  Jack was sure it wasn’t accidently showing off his driving skills in a Volkswagen Beetle sliding through intersections and up on the curb in front of the new clients.  Jack was able to think on his feet.  For example he thought  quickly when at the start of an Open House  he opened the door to find the resident cat expiring in front of him.  His decision to tuck the recently deceased cat on the fireplace hearth lent an air of calm as the family viewed the home without noticing the cat.  Jack’s composure was tested when the parents and Jack found the children sitting with the less-than-lively cat and patting it. Needless to say, the cat wasn't moving a muscle.

Peter Lawrie followed some laughter to eloquently introduce Sanjay Uppal, Revenue Manager with the Royal BC Museum.   Sanjay also started in Ontario, leaving Thunder Bay for Yellowknife and then Iqaluit before coming to Victoria in 2004 with his wife Megan and 2 young daughters.  Sanjay explained that the day in the life of a revenue manager involves the opportunity to develop revenue beyond the Box Office, as only 17% of revenue comes out of ticket sales.  With such a world class organization as the Royal British Columbia Museum, Sanjay recounted some heart-warming stories where visitors are known to exhibit a generous spirit.  He shared that 52% of visitors are actually BC residents who come to learn about the province’s history and natural habitat through the museum’s many exhibits.  Sanjay is also developing skills in another role as a Property Manager and completing the course to become a licensed Real Estate salesperson.

Closing:

Vicky Pitt updated the club on a Global Grant Scholarship awarded to Katie DeRosa who spoke at a previous meeting and will pursue her studies at the London School of Economics.  President Heather closed the meeting and then The Queen was sung.

Rotary Club of Oak Bay Meeting 14 July 2015 - Guest Speaker: Elizabeth May OC, MP - Leader of the Green Party

Reporter:Ron Cooley

President Heather opened the meeting but had technical difficulties so we started in a non traditional manner.

Heather told us that the RI President was inspired (quote from Rotarian March 2015): 

"We in Rotary aspire to great deeds. We look up to and admire the towering figures of history who gave such great gifts to humanity. Abraham Lincoln, who gave the gift of human dignity to so many.  Mother Teresa, who gave the gift of compassion to the forgotten. Mahatma Gandhi, who gave the gift of peaceful change to the oppressed. All of them gave their lives to others – and their very lives became gifts to the world. Cannot we in Rotary be, in our own way, a small gift to the world?"

We skipped O'Canada 

John Edgell gave the invocation

Sandy Currie introduced the Visiting Rotarian's and Guests.

Visiting Rotarians:

Allen Lin:​  Vancouver Centennial; Creole Carmichael: Victoria; Bruce Willets: Laguna Beach, CA;Elizabeth May: Sidney by the Sea

Guests:

Helga Jacobsen; Eileen Lavigne - guest of Steve Sharlow; Lloyd Hildebrant; Jenny Hildebrant ; Colleen Force – guest of Jim Force; Jessica Van Der Veen; Lynne Murray; Mandi Pui; Laura Mali                                              

President Heather and Wendy Townsend presented Jim Force with his Past President pin and a plaque.

Bill Burns was recognized for receiving the Citizen of the Century from Courtney. Well done. He did try to protest he was not that old.

President Heather inducted 2 new members. Jenny Hildebrant and Mandi Pui where pinned  by their respective sponsors Anne McIntrye and Jim Force.

Announcements:

 Mary Canty informed us that John Snively and Tricia Timmerman were battling smoke in Nelson. They will have to wait for the snow to put the fires out. Ted Chambers has rejoined us. International service committee will meet after the next meeting on July 21,15

Lori McLeod was our Celebrations Master and 1st of 2 speakers. She did fine herself for her "shameless plug of Elder Care."

Lori stated that 22 million in funding is available to help prevent isolation of sebiors. On Vancouver Island alone, we have 40,000 seniors (above 55) and Southern Vancouver Island has 19,000 seniors of which 14% have no one to turn to which leaves them feeling disconnected and undervalued. This leads to a 60% increase in Alzheimer disease in this group.  

Lori stated that they would be 100% connected if they were Rotarians and  fined us all.

We were fined if we did not get out and enjoy our lovely inner harbor; we did not meet with family or friends this summer; Bill Burns was fined for his Century of age; Rod Sim was fined for over aggressive collections (the EU could use his help);Heather was fined (she offered herself up) for not being a good example and wearing her Rotary Pins

We sang Happy Birthday to Heather (it was last week) Lorna Curtis' is on the 18th

Happy & Sad $:

Jim Force had a happy $1.10 (all he had left) for the return of 1 flag after the Oak Bay news article. Ryan Gisler had a happy $2 for his sister getting married; John Edgell $2 for surviving 2 weeks of grandchildrens visit;Dallas thanked everyone for her card and Joan Firkins for all of her help; Anne McIntyre for her Red eye trip to Toronto (happy or sad?); Heather Aked gave $69 to the Rotary Foundation for a combination of her birthday and anniversary but did not break it down. How old is Alexander?; Heather suggest Lori should be fined for her long intro. Joan Peggs won the draw but not the big prize.

Guest Speaker: Naida Hyde introduced our Speaker Elizabeth May OC, the Leader of the Green Party and Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands. Naida covered the following about Elizabeth May, in her introduction: Elizabeth was born in Connecticut but when she was 18 after a holiday to Cape Breton, her family upped sticks and moved there. Travel can have a profound effect on your life.  Naida and Elizabeth have a couple of things in common. The both are long time supporters of girls education in Lesotho. They both have an aunt Mary. Elizabeth's aunt Mary said "Life has much more imagination than you or I." Elizabeth has chosen Life with a capital "L" She quotes Norton Juster in The Phantom Tollbooth who says "So many things are possible just as long as you don't know they are impossible." She embraces the Ghandian principle "having more can never replace being more." As a lawyer, she could have embraced the corporate world but instead took on the directorship of the Sierra Club of Canada.

She is the proud mother of Cate as well as 3 step-children and grandmother to 7.

Elizabeth is an officer of the Order of Canada, received for her decades of environmental work.

She is an author and has a new book (8th) Who We Are. Farley Mowat says "Elizabeth is a storyteller in the Grand tradition."

Joe Clarke, former Prime Minister calls Elizabeth May "Canada's most effective Parliamentarian." She was 2012 Parliamentarian of the Year; 2013 Hardest working MP;

2014 Best Orator.

“Join me in welcoming the woman who danced barefoot in the sand with Bella Abzug”.

Elizabeth May:

Elizabeth suggested that she should quit while she was ahead. That was the most lovely and generous introduction she had ever had. Rotary is non partisan, she said, and non political but with only 97 days to the next election she would be cautious. She said that it is like a protracted job interview. She said it is the single greatest honor to be elected to represent her constituents.

She suggested she could have had a number of vocational classes in Rotary: Author; Chef ; Waiter; Chimney Sweep. 

Growing up, Elizabeth's family was well off; her father was VP of Aetna insurance. She said her parents had an inadequate concept of financial planning. They started a restaurant in a town of 42.  Her mom said they were "nouveau poor"

Elizabeth started her career as a policy analyst in Ottawa.  At that time, the Westminster  Parliamentary  conventions followed by Parliament in Canada government was different to procedures today. All members were equal.

The Prime Minister’s job was not considered full time and often they held a portfolio. The PM's office consisted of a few file clerks and assistants.

Since the early 1970's she has seen a steady increase in the PM office as everyone consolidates power and adds to it. The last 4 decades has changed a lot. Prior to that, the PM did not interfere in proposed legislation. Debates were very open and non partisan with sincere evaluation about what the best choice was. It was also open to new ideas which could be introduced. 

Elizabeth referenced Irresponsible Government: The Decline of Parliamentary Democracy in Canada: Brent Rathgeber, Andrew Coyne​ and said that basic respect is no longer observed. Parliamentarians no longer hold government to account and we need to restore the traditional conventions of the Westminster system.

Americans brought a deep distrust of the excess of power to their constitution with a system of checks and balances. An interesting fact she quoted was that the entire graduating class of 1776 at Harvard moved to Canada. Elizabeth May is hoping to restore respect across all party lines.

She questioned how  we might control an excess of power? "Take away their money." The PM's office has 10 million dollars per year of funding that they are unaccountable for. The #1 goal is to improve the chance of getting re elected. 1980 was not that long ago and we could work together like Rotary for the good of the country.

John Edgell had a question re Nestle using ground water.  Because of B.C.’s lack of groundwater regulation, Nestlé Waters Canada — a division of the multi-billion-dollar Switzerland-based Nestlé Group, the world’s largest food company — is not required to measure, report, or pay a penny for the millions of litres of water it draws from Hope and then sells across Western Canada.​ Elizabeth said this is a hot issue and water pricing is important. Canadians and Americans are the biggest water wasters on the planet and we should not allow such corporations  to use ground water for resale at any price.

She spoke about the drawback of NAFTA allowing foreign corporations to sue the government if a decision interferes with their expectation of profit. The current agreement is in place until 2045. 

Renata Gibbs thanked Elizabeth and presented her with a unique Rotary mug.

President Heather closed the meeting with the Sri Lanka National Anthem.

Rotary Club of Oak Bay Meeting 4 July 2015 - RCMP Chief Supt. Ray Bernoties on the Tour de Rock

Reporter: Ron Cooley

Jim Force, our hallowed past president, opened the meeting with some thought provoking questions. 

• ​Why are you here?
• Why did you renew?
• What is your gift?

Jim thanked Jack Petrie for organizing the Gospel Choir for the Beach Party.

Jim presented Joan Peggs with her Rotarian of the Year plaque.

Visiting Rotarian & Guests:

Tom Lidkea introduced our visiting Rotarian - Bruce Willets from Laguna Beach CA

and Guests - David Westler great to see him again; Eileen Lavigne guest of Steve Sharlow;

Garen Gisler brought his parents to the meeting and Ray Bernoties our speaker regarding Cops for Cancer

Jim Force spoke of his passion for literacy and of our club's great support of that and our many projects including Africa and Mexico.

He asked members why they were here. The responses were:

• Polio Plus
• Friendship , comradeship 
• Community
• Local and community projects

Jim said one of our greatest strengths is good friends working together.

Health of the Club:

Mary Canty talked about the health of the club. Neil Rawnsley is back.

Dallas has had surgery and Len has had a fall so Joan Firkins is helping out.

Announcements:

• Bob Schelle requested that anyone who had flags from the long weekend return them after the meeting.
• Bill Burns said that stolen flags were marked Oak Bay Rotary
• Lynne Murray request members check and place badges in proper spots (shifted with new members).
• Naida Hyde  presented a banner and described her visit to Lesoto Rotary club.
• Neil thanked Perry, Steve Sharlow and Tom Lidkea who helped out with the flags.

Perry Bamji was our Celebrations master:

He fined everyone at baby Garen's table to ransom his toy that was left behind a previous meeting. He asked Jack Petrie to purchase a New Orleans cook book as he is the resident expert. Jack was willing to go as high as 10K. $2 from anyone who saw Lorna's picture on You tube

$1 from anyone who did not attend the Gospel choir. $1 from everyone at Joan Peggs' table for the privilege of sitting with the Rotarian of the Year. $1 from anyone sitting with Neil Rawnsley.

He then fined Vicki Pitt's table for not knowing the name of the new RI President.

No Birthday people were in attendance

Happy/Sad:

Peter Lawrie had a happy $5 for a stolen flag that was returned.

Joan Peggs had a happy $29 for her 2 dogs, one who is turning 12 and the other who turning 17. Bruce Willets had a happy $ for his 8th annivesary married to a wonderful Canadian girl who made him feel like he was 79 again. Mary was very happy for the Gospel Choir. Janette gave 5 happy $ for the recovery of her ID from her stolen purse in Portugal.

Neil won the drawn but no luck on the winning marble.

Guest Speaker:

Mary introduced our speaker Ray Bernoties Chief Superintendent Commander Island District RCMP-GRC. She said it was a pleasure as an x-cyclist. Ray is riding in this year's Tour de Rock. He has been in the RCMP for 24 years and served in Surrey, Ottawa and in Northern Canada.

Ray said he was dressed covertly in a suit as he is riding for Oak Bay Police this year. 

He and his family moved to Oak Bay from Surrey and his 2 young sons, 4 and 6, were nervous about the move until the Oak Bay Tea Party parade went right  past their house and they recovered a life time worth of candy. The family plans to stay forever.

His parents moved him to Ontario when he was 9. He made a note that he would be a police officer in BC by the time he was 25. Is Surrey in BC? If so, he made it.

Ray's talk was very emotional and he appeared to have a allergy attack. He said he speaks all the time but it is never about things personal to him.

He had a video that would not play but you can access information at www.tourderock.ca It will give route and dates also.

This year's tour will start in Port Alice and will be approximately 1000 kms over 9 days with stops at several schools. Vancouver Island's Tour de Rock raises more money for cancer research than all the other BC tours combined.  Last year it raised $1.3 million.

Since 1998, it has raised over $20 million.  It will run from Sept 19 to Oct 2, 2015. The longest day is 140 kms and the course has grueling climbs with plenty of rain.

The 6 month preparation requires training 2 nights a week, with a long ride on Sunday which is usually 100km. Not everyone makes the final cut to ride. This Sunday, the ride is up Mt. Washington which becomes competitive and turns into a race. 

Ray said that when he is wearing his Tour jersey, motorists wave with all 5 fingers. He is riding with a fellow who's mom was born the same year as Ray.

Each rider is expected to raise $5000 towards Cancer. Some have raised $50,000.  Ray is attending Markets, Rotary clubs and barber shops to raise money for his share. Each rider is assigned a junior rider who has or had cancer. Unfortunately, there is never a shortage.

Now 82% of children who contract cancer can expect to survive. The goal should not be only to survive.  Part of the money raised sends children to Camp Goodtimes which costs $1500 to attend. Camp Goodtimes in Port Moody provides a safety-focused, medically supervised, fun and recreational experience for children with cancer and their families. 

Cory Burger thanked Ray who is a past member of Rotary, for speaking about cancer which has touched many of us, and the work it takes to be a part of Tour de Rock and the funds raised.

Ray asked us "What are you passionate about?

Jim whose passion is Literacy; closed the meeting with a video from the Malawi Girls School - one of our long term literacy projects.

Our very own treasurer Brian L selling raffle tickets