Reporter: Lorna C
Photo: Jack P
Visiting Rotarians: Denis Pare – Victoria Rotary Club; Tom Kofin – Edmonton Rotary Club
Visiting Rotaractors: Cetarek Ing; Ellsa Stauft
Guests: Colleen Force – guest of Jim Force; Jennifer Hastings – guest of Mary Canty; Alyx Valdal – guest of Janna Gisler; Toni Jordan – guest of John Jordan
Announcements:
- Mary C reported that Brian L is doing okay but has very low energy – he hopes to be back to the Rotary meetings when he feels better.
- Denis Pare – The Victoria Rotary Club is hosting a Gala Dinner on May 6th to raise funds for hospice in honour of their late member Pat Crofton. The dinner/silent auction will be held at Victoria Golf Club and tickets are $125 each. If you would like a ticket you can contact Denis HERE
- Joan Peggs – The flag program (club’s major fundraiser) is now underway. 166 subscriptions have been sold so far this year. Please purchase a flag or ask your friends and neighbours to purchase a subscription. We are hoping to sell 300 subscriptions.
- John Jordon needs help to put flags on poles -11am May 3rd at the hotel – please volunteer to help.
- Perry Bamji – The Paul Harris Dinner tickets have sold out. There is one complimentary ticket left - if you are attending and know of someone who is a potential Rotary member talk to Perry about using this ticket. Members attending the Paul Harris dinner are asked to wear their medals and pins. 66% of the people attending are non-Rotarian. Event starts at 6pm – if you have any dietary concerns please contact the hotel in advance.
50/50:
Ron C. – Celebrations Master fined those who are not attending the Paul Harris Dinner, hockey fans, golf fans and those who did not step up to take the bulletin notes. Next time he will be testing us on the latest Rotarian Magazine.
Happy/Sad Dollars –
Cory got engaged this weekend.
Cory got engaged this weekend.
Jim announced the global grant for East Timor has been approved, $48,000 in medical equipment will be delivered – this all started out with $,1200 raised at a family reunion
Tom L – his wife lost the emerald from her ring a number of years ago – it has now been fixed and Tom is picking it up today. Good luck with the proposal Tom!
Denis Pare – a Military Appreciation dinner will be held at the Union Club on April 29th –public are welcome. The Union Club offers a membership discount to Rotarians.
Wendy – is off to Hawaii.
Neil R. – reminded us about the good work of the APU School in Malawi and the Food for Works program they have started.
Mandi – has launched a new website – howtodogood.com – first 12 hours had 100 facebook likes. Let her know if you have an idea for a post.
Jenni H – is very proud of her son who is involved with the launch of iron and earth.org
Lorna’s son and daughter in law attending a facebook gala in LA tomorrow nigt – lots of celebrities will be there – WHY IS LORNA NOT INVITED?????
Guest Speaker: John Jordan
Mary Canty introduced the speaker, John Jordan. John met his wife Toni while they were doing service with Habitat for Humanity – 16 years later they still volunteer. John does tremendous work in Rwanda.
Rwanda is smaller than Vancouver Island but has 5 times the population. John has been focusing on the training of youth who are often double orphans. Last year he told us of a young boy who had been living on the street for a number of years. John got him placed in a home and the boy is still there, has a family, and has started school. John has come across two more children in a similar situation and they have also been placed in the same home. He showed excellent photos of the happy faces of the children who might otherwise have had a grim future.
It use to be that the key that a good future was assured by obtaining high school graduation but now, although a number of young people are graduating from high school, the educational requirement for teacher and government jobs, has increased to 2 years of college. Therefore high school graduates are unable to find work. John has been working with these young people to redirect them to other types of vocations such as seamstressing, retail or how to start their own business, if it appears they will be unable to qualify for college. There was some resistance from the students not wanting to be redirected but once they are on a new path, they feel empowered.
John thanked Oak Bay Rotary for providing a grant for 25 latrines that afford privacy and also a method of providing fertilizer! A local Victoria bee keeper has gone to Rwanda twice to help train, and set up a bee keeping collective. 6 local teachers have been certified to instruct on reproductive health and these teachers have educated over 1200 girls.
John says his is a journey of faith: key to opening opportunities for these children. Sometimes he feels overwhelmed but he gets help from our Rotary club and this has been the vehicle to bring joy to these lives. Just say yes and then it becomes possible.
Dallas thanked John – she noted that John does not seem to be able to implement an exit strategy from Rwanda, and thanked him for all the wonderful work he is doing .
Meeting closed with the Rwanda national anthem.
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