Rotary Club of Oak Bay Meeting 9 February, 2016 - Rudi Wallace from The Mustard Seed

Reporter: Jack P.

Photos: Bob S.

Heather commenced our meeting with the reminder that February is Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month. After a flamboyantly pedantic O Canada , Will led us in the Invocation and then the orderly stampede to the buffet table with Jim Force dispensing soup as if in a Charles Dickens novel. 

Guests:

Much lively banter ensued at the tables as Joan Firkins introduced our visiting Rotarian Frank Elman from Sydney, Nova Scotia, our Rotaractors, Mia Kennedy, Ellsa Stauft, Joey Vaesen, and Cetareh, whose last name is such a long and challenging exercise, that even she doesn’t offer it. Sort of like ‘Beyonce’. No last name required. Guests included Maureen Madsen guest of dad Neil; Barbara Campbell, guest of Pablo, and Rudi Wallace, our speaker.

Announcements:

• Mary reported on good health in the club 
• Heather reminded all of the upcoming DLTA Conference, April 1-3, at the Victoria Conference Centre, with early bird registration being extended until 14 February.  For more information and registration CLICK HERE 
• Jim asked for a volunteer driver/chaperone to take 2 of our local girls to RYLA, over the March 10-13 weekend, in Portland. 
• Prez Heather then gave Paul Harris pins to Janette, her first,  
  

and to Will his third.

• Prez Heather also praised Rotaractor Joey Vaesen for his enthusiastic recruiting for our Christmas fun run. Lots more younger folks resulted, thanks to Joey.

50/50:

Celebrations Master, Tav, challenged us about a number of smarty pants things, many to do with the other event in February besides the Super Bowl: Chinese New Year! Who knew? He roasted Ron for his hockey injury, and Lynne for wearing green in advance of St. Patrick's day. Happy and Sad dollars were accompanied with tales of black eyes from falling (Lynne), a one year anniversary of meeting attendance by  Eileen, and a "fresh from a Caribbean Cruise" Heather.  Janette, obviously hogging the spotlight after her Paul Harris award, also won the draw but was brought back down to earth by not selecting a black ball.

Guest Speaker:

Brian introduced Rudi Wallace, from The Mustard Seed. 

Our speaker was brilliant, articulate, easy to follow and very interesting indeed. Rudi has been with the Mustard Seed for 5 years and is the architect of where the $100,000 raised in the car raffle, and matched by the Victoria Foundation, will go and how it will be dispersed, to build a better infrastructure for the “Food Rescue Plan". Our community is full of ‘Food Insecure’ people who qualify for this title when they worry about where their next meal will come from. 50,000 is the number that Rudi estimates.

Mary eloquently and wittily thanked him. Rudi  departed full of mug and from this writer's viewpoint, had an upbeat experience with his tablemates.

It was a good day all round, capped by our exit to a sunny, warm Victoria, armed with the bonhomie and good natured fellowship that a buoyant club like ours engenders. We are fortunate indeed!

(For an article in the Times Colonist on The Mustard Seed Food Rescue Plan CLICK HERE)