Rotary Club of Oak Bay Meeting 7 June 2016 - Interact presentations: RYLA and Rotary Adventure in Citizenship

Reporter: Jenny Hildebrand

Eugen Bannerman welcomed us and opened the meeting with an Aboriginal prayer. 

Visiting Rotarians and Guests: Welcomed by Janette 

Ginette Thomas – West Ottawa Club

Bill Ashley – Port Angeles, Washington

Chris Garrett, Friends of Uplands Park

Jacque Sirois, Friends of Uplands Park

Chris Hyde-Lay, Oak Bay Rec

Tim Hintz, Guest of Lori McLeod

Interactors:

Tara Matthews

Nikki Frazer

Health of the club:  No news this week

Announcements:

• Lori was awarded a New Members pin for bringing 2 new members into the club.
• August 21^st is the District salmon barbeque to be held in Sooke.  There are already a few members planning to attend from our club and car-pooling is a possibility.  Tickets are $40.00.
• Please note on June 14th we’ll be holding our lunch at the Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC) at the Oak Bay High School. The occasion is to provide our members a look at the NLC and particularly the Teen Room for which our club funded the fitting out of the room.  The suggested area for parking is at the north end of the OB Rec Centre parking lot. The High School is a short walk from there.

Celebrations Master:  Victoria Pitt

Victoria levied several fines today: Pablo for leaving early, an unnamed person who left their cell phone on … oops!, anyone who had not yet paid their yearly dues, anyone who had not yet confirmed or declined attendance for next week’s lunch as well as anyone in the raucous group near the back who continued talking once the meeting was called to order!

Birthdays: Jana, Barry, Wendy and Vicki (today).

Anniversaries: Heather (19), Wendy (4), Jim Laing (5), Vicki

Happy and Sad Dollars:

Lori is looking for nominations for a Valued Elder Recognition Award.

Joan F. enjoyed the 4 day Rotary International Convention in South Korea with 45,000 other Rotarians which included a fascinating tour of the demilitarized zone.

Jack announced Jazz Fest tickets are selling fast with some of the main shows already sold out.

Naida is delighted that her young friend from Lesotho’s visitor’s visa was approved this morning.

Mandy enjoyed a great visit with her adorable 5 month old niece in Vancouver over the weekend.  Mandy asked for the club’s support of a June 17^th Disaster Aid fundraising event to be held at Centennial Square which will raise funds to assist with the rebuilding of Fort McMurray.

Wendy is pleased her two sons are in Ecuador together.

Helen, as a former resident of Ottawa, was pleased to hear Nikki had a good experience at the Rotary Citizen Program recently held there.

Vicki gave $100 in celebration of her combination birthday and club anniversaries which she pointed out did not add up to 100!

50/50: Don had the winning ticket but did not draw the black marble.

Guest Speaker: Jim Force announced our Interact speakers Tara Matthews and Nikki Frazer.

Presentations: 

Tara Matthews: Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Tara attended the RYLA Conference at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, March 10^th-13^th, 2016 which she found a stretching and transformative experience. 

Highlights:

Interesting keynote speakers including a Holocaust survivor, a professor from UW who discussed the politics of scarcity and the future of diversity in America, an interactive lecture on healthy living.

Meeting other likeminded and deep thinking students with whom she could interact around issues of substance.

Action groups of approximately 10 students which were formed to put together a skit based on learnings from the lectures and which was performed on the last evening of the event.

Overall, Tara felt the conference was a unique opportunity to expand her world view and one which made her a deeper person with new aspirations of how she can engage throughout her life to make the world a better place.

Nikki Fraser: Rotary Adventure in Citizenship Program

Nikki recently attended the 66^th Annual Citizenship Program in Ottawa with 203 other students from across Canada.  Nikki found the experience to be personally expanding and one which left her extremely grateful and proud to be a Canadian.  She thanked Rotary for the opportunity and encouraged them to continue sponsoring this valuable event.

Highlights included:

An icebreaker which allowed students to meet, engage and make new friends from across Canada

A mock election campaign

Inspiring speakers on relevant topics including Canadian Human Rights, Women in Politics (Elizabeth May) and Syrian Refugee Resettlement (Phil Gurski)

Tours of Parliament Hill and the House of Commons

Participation in an emotionally moving Canadian Citizenship Ceremony

Chris Hyde-Lay: Oak Bay Parks and Recreation, Community Service Team

Chris thanked the Club for our generous $6,000 donation which will go towards the installation of two bike racks and four educational panels at Uplands Park and Cattle Point. 

Wynn thanked the guest speakers for their inspiring presentations and pointed out the spirit of Socrates was alive and well in that our student presenters have clearly taken the maxim “know thyself” to heart.

The meeting was closed with the playing of the national anthem of Serbia.

(Steve S. was still grappling with the responsibilities of being cashier for the day.)