Sunday, 28 August 2016

Rotary Club of Oak Bay Meeting 10 August 2016 - Thuli from Lesotho

Reporter: Tom Croft

Membership Development Month!

With Ryan on cash and Lynne M on 50/50, the Garron was kept entertained and Ryan balanced, good work Garron.
Lorna Curtis filled in for President Lori who is vacationing.  She opened the meeting at 12:20 sharp!  Lorna is asking us “Why did you join Rotary”?

O’ Canada was sung a capella and led by Neil Rawnsley.
Grace was provided by Janna “Small acts performed by millions of people can transform the world!”

Neil Rawnsley, Tav MacPherson, Tom Croft, Mary Canty, Perry Bamji, and Victoria Pitt all provided their varied reasons for joining Rotary.

Lorna handed out business cards, “The First Lunch is on Us”.  Membership packages were also left on the tables to encourage us to invite more friends and prospective Rotarians for lunch. All Rotary Clubs will have the information packages by the end of September.

Visitors were introduced by Tav; Jean Dickson, Colleen Force, Donna Chow, and Thuli Kamohelo our guest speaker.

Announcements:
  • Pub Crawl for Polio; eradicating polio one step at a time is August 27th, 2016.  Get tickets on line at ride.c/pubcrawl.  Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Downtown Victoria.
  • District Governor Salmon BBQ, August 20th, last call for tickets.
  • Joan Peggs, Youth Services Committee, thanked everyone for donating $650 for sponsoring lunches for Rotaract and Interact.
  • Mary Canty: Pablo coming up from Mexico, to perform with his quartet and is looking for billets from Sept 5 to 9th.
  • Janna, baby pool 50/50 for Rotary
  • Anne Mac, Westjet raffle tickets $20 for anywhere they fly, draw is Sept 10 proceeds of Soap for Hope.
  • Wendy, Social Committee 5th meeting dates, this month will be a surprise at the Victoria Lawn Bowling Club, (do we have to wear our Whites?)
  • Janna announced a new Fireup Bell project. 
The Rotary Moment for today was provided by Lorna, on changes to the legislation of Rotary. The governing body meets every 3 years to go over and update Rotary governance.  Recent changes:
.     Rule of 85, combined years of membership plus age, with a 20 years minimum membership .
.     Club flexibility to change meeting schedules, must meet twice a month.
.     In person, on line or both; check out E-Club of Canada One.

Lorna Curtis thanked the Oak Bay Collector Car show volunteers, it was a great success again.

Celebrations Master/Sargent at Arms, duties were performed by Joan Firkins. Canada’s first medal? Rotary’s other motto? “Those who serve first serves best”, Who wrote the President’s message? the President John Germ.
Birthdays: Ryan Gisler.
Anniversaries: Wynne and Sanjay.  Club membership: Lynne and Don 16 and 17 years respectively.
Happy Sad Dollar: Dallas thanks for taking over as CM, Lorna Happy for granddaughter’s 6th Birthday and Disneyland; Tav – women’s Rugby, Heather – finally a CFP, Lynne 100% attendance over the 16 years. Vicky happy because her niece was called to the bar. Draw was won by Brian.

Guest Speaker:
Nadia introduced our speaker Thuli Kamohelo whom she met in Lesotho.  Thuli began with a song called “This is my story, this is my song”, “I am praising my saviour all the day long”.

She told us the story of her very difficult life, her father and mother died at a young age, she became the head of her household. Nadia and Helga helped her by providing emotional support during her struggles to find herself and raise her siblings. She won an award for being one of the top 10 students in the whole country received a scholarship to attend University which she has just graduated from in Nursing. She will be returning to Lesotho in September, but even though she is a qualified nurse she will not have a job when she returns there.

Thuli is motivated to help her women of Lesotho gain access to health services and be there for them. Her life experiences have given her wisdom to realize there are many girls who like her, need help to get through school. "I want to be role model for change in my country"!

Neil Rawnsley provided a very thoughtful thank you on behalf of the Club. Expressing many of our feelings that we are so fortunate to have had Thuli visit us and tell us her story.

Lorna closed the meeting with a Rotary minute, “How did you get started in Rotary”.

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