Reporter: Brian Lamb
In her opening remarks today, President Heather provided inspiration by telling us about the various ways to interpret and embrace the concept of “Spirit”
Last second fill-in for missing in action Tom Lidkea to provide the invocation was Wynn Taylor
Guests:
Lorna Curtis introduced visiting Rotarian Danny McCoy and the following guests:
Elena Muratova (guest of Vicky Pitt), Barbara Guyton (guest of Joan Peggs) and Kathy Baan (guest of Anne McIntyre.
Kathy Baan, Senior Community Affairs manager for the Telus Victoria Community Board, was invited up to present a cheque from that board to Disaster Aid (Anne McIntyre) for $2500 for its Soap for Hope program
Announcements:
- Mary Canty indicated that as far as she knew, all club members were in good health
- Lorna Curtis (who seems to be everywhere) reported on a very successful Saturday night fundraiser for The Rotary Club of Oak Bay Foundation. The entertainment was great and Interact students ran a concession (visitor Kathy Baan bought the remaining chocolate bars). President Heather later singled out club members Rod Sim, Lorna Curtis and Joan Peggs for special thanks for their hard work on behalf of the Foundation’s fundraiser.
- President Heather brought updated information on the fundraiser for Polio eradication “The World’s Greatest Meal to end Polio”. Taking into account all the Meals, over $17,000 was raised which when matched by our Federal Government and then the Gates foundation turned into over $102,000. That will be enough to provide 255,000 polio inoculations. What a great fundraiser in this long running fight that Rotary is so associated with.
50/50:
Celebrations master Jack Petrie was in usual fine form with jokes and several table questions to bring in loonies. When he felt that too many tables had been able to answer his question, he fined everyone one more loonie.
Guest speakers:
Our program today (“Days for Girls”) was presented by Anne McIntyre and John Jordan.
Anne began by outlining that Days for Girls was founded by Celesle Mergens in 2008 based on an experience she had while in Kenya working in orphanages. She wondered what the girls did for feminine hygiene and was told “Nothing”. They wait in their rooms. She was horrified and made the decision to change this. This resulted in the production of washable hygiene kits accompanied with education in basic biological functions.
Seven years later DFG is helping in over 85 countries and has reached over 200,000 girls.
Anne then related how she and Disaster Aid Canada got involved. The idea initially came from a discussion with Jim Force who asked whether it distributed washable hygiene kits and when he found it didn’t, he urged Anne to consider the idea. A subsequent visit by Anne to the Sooke Rotary club brought the same question and answer. Finally on a trip to another club, Anne read about “Days for Girls” and Celesle Mergens and decided all the signs had to be followed up and she contacted Celesle. This resulted in DAC becoming a team leader and it now distributes these kits in almost all its international shipments.
John Jordan then related his own parallel story of starting to distribute the kits in Rwanda, the resistance he met initially at the administrative level (the girls loved them) and how this has led to the production of the kits in Rwanda in a local cottage industry. The improvement in the lives of the girls has been significant since they no longer have to miss school. They have also brought reproductive health education to the girls through training 6 women and hope that the government will soon take over the costs associated with this education.
Tom Croft offered the thanks of the club to Anne and John for their presentation.
Tom then conducted the conclusion of the silent auction and live auction of 3 pieces of jewelry provided by Creole Carmichael. Vicky Pitt was the successful bidder for the brooch provided by Creole and St Philips church fund drive to sponsor Syrians is the beneficiary of the funds raised today. (Historic note, Oak Bay Rotary charter club member Neil Robinson was Rector at St Philips church. Neil later moved up Island and left our club but was a longtime supporter of the student exchange program).
Reminder: there is no Rotary meeting on December 22nd or 29th. The next official club meeting is January 6, 2016.
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