Our Interactors Host a District Conference

With a little "help from a few friends," members of our Strathcona and King George Interact Clubs, and the District 5040 Interact Council hosted a very successful conference on Saturday March 10th at Britannia Secondary School. 
 
Pictured above are some of the nearly 100 Interactors from across the province who participated in an engaging and energizing day of learning with speakers, presentations and workshops. Past District Governor and current District Youth Chair, John Berry provided this report of the event:
 
"Ron, I want add a note of huge appreciation to you, and to everyone else who contributed to making the day the terrific experience that it was. Your efforts in arranging the facility, handling all the logistics around the site, getting the pizzas sorted out in short order when plans had to change and working with your own club (and enlisting the capable and efficient Peter!) on the equipment, all were instrumental in the event's success. 
 
Everyone on the District Interact Committee (whether on not you were "formally" a member!) was fantastic in pitching in as needed...I know it's just what we do in Rotary, but still, it is awe-inspiring to see that epitomizing People of Action!"
Our Interactors Host a District Conference 2024-04-08 07:00:00Z 0

Welcome Andrew!

 
We closed out the month of February by welcoming Andrew Robertson to our club. Andrew is a former member of the Rotary Club of West Vancouver who has studied and worked in numerous fields, including mining, oil, energy, real estate and emerging technology industries.
 
Thank you Andrew for choosing to share your skills and passions with our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise! 
Welcome Andrew! 2024-03-14 07:00:00Z 0

Bidding for Love and Fun

 
Our Club's annual Valentine Auction fundraiser took place at our February 14th meeting, which rescued more than one last-minute romancer and raised a record $4370 for our club's service and administration expenses.
 
A big thank you to our guest auctioneer, Aaron Jasper, who did a fabulous job promoting the goods on the auction block which included: restaurant and home-cooked meals, vacation stays at hotels and homes in Vancouver, Invermere, and Whistler, guided shopping trips to Mexican and Japanese speciality food stores, and many tasty wine and chocolate offerings...along with a best-in-class donation of a healthy, organic Microgreens kit and lessons. 
Bidding for Love and Fun 2024-03-13 07:00:00Z 0

Guess Who's Coming?

 
Every year our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise organizes a Guess Who's Coming to Dinner social event where members volunteer to host follow members and guests to show up at their homes with a potluck contribution to an evening of friendship and feasting.
 
 
 
The fun begins when the guests and hosts find out who is arriving and the diverse meal contributions are combined for a tasty meal. 
 
 
Thank you to Abigail for organizing this year's event and to Carlos and Kaustav for hosting. Can't wait for next year!
Guess Who's Coming? 2024-03-13 07:00:00Z 0

A History Tour of Chinatown

  
 
Bridging the gulf between Northshore and Downtown Eastside worlds is a Lunar New Year tradition for our super member Ron who leads an annual Chinatown Tour with North Vancouver's Brooksbank School teachers and students every February. Gong Hei Fat Choy! 
A History Tour of Chinatown 2024-03-11 07:00:00Z 0

A Winter Sock Drive Success

 
Youth from the Interact Clubs at University Hill and King George Secondary Schools gathered donations of new socks to provide to Vancouver park rangers to hand out to homeless individuals during their patrolling and enforcement of city bylaws. 
 
Thank you to our young leaders for their service initiative and to our club members and friends, including Ranger Steve, for helping those in need during our recent February cold snap.
A Winter Sock Drive Success 2024-03-11 07:00:00Z 0

CLICK Funds Kids in Need

 
On February 28th, Catherine Atyeo visited us with the story of how she co-founded Contributing to the Lives of Inner City Kids, (CLICK) in 2004 with Alva Jenson, at the time a teacher at Strathcona Elementary. At that time, Catherine was a single mother who was visiting the school on a Monday morning where she heard a child crying outside a classroom because he hadn't eaten since Friday.   
 
Twenty years later, the CLICK foundation team of volunteers has raised and distributed over $1 million to support local groups serving children and families living in poverty in Vancouver. Recipients include food, clothing, therapy, recreation and after-school programs across the city.  To donate or learn more about their amazing work, just CLICK here
CLICK Funds Kids in Need 2024-03-11 07:00:00Z 0

A Mentor & Coach to NextGen Business Leaders

 
The February blues melted away on February 21st when new member Cheryl Thomas took us on a tour of some of the highlights of her career and travels in her Classification Speech.
 
Originally from Saskatchewan, Cheryl started her career as a Speech Language Pathologist in Alberta where she led key innovations to improve the access and delivery of services to clients and families as practice Director at the Red Deer Health Unit. After completing a Master of Science with a specialty in Organizational Behaviour, she moved to Vancouver Island and transitioned into international consulting and teaching. 
 
Cheryl has worked and taught business courses across North and South America, as well as in Iran and Dubai. She has served on provincial and local Economic Development Board and was a member the Rotary Club of Victoria Harbourside the Rotary Club of Dubai. 
 
Cheryl moved to Vancouver last year after joining University Canada West (UCW) in 2020 as Associate Professor and Course Lead Consulting Practices and Capstone Projects. Read here about how Cheryl's UCW MBA students (pictured below) finished first at the 2024 National MBA Games.
 
Not all business, Cheryl is also an avid golfer and choral singer. We are delighted to have Cheryl in our club and look forward to learning from her through community service, fun and fellowship!
 
 
A Mentor & Coach to NextGen Business Leaders 2024-03-05 08:00:00Z 0

Playing the Odds for Communities

 
We hosted speakers Karen Gray, VP of Marketing for Parq Vancouver and Marina Andrew, Manager of Municipal Relations for the BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) at our January 24th meeting.
 
The BCLC sets the standards, policies and procedures for the operation of all gambling facilities in the province to ensure a high standard of security and integrity within a regulated, controlled market. In 2022/23, BCLC generated $1.6 billion in net income from lottery, casinos and sports-betting which went back to the Province to help support healthcare, education and community programs all across BC.  
 
BC has 36 casinos in 33 communities across the province, the largest of which is Parq Vancouver. Parq focuses on providing a luxury gaming, dining and hotel experience in downtown Vancouver.  We appreciate the advice from Marina on applying for funding from the BCLS's community grants program and the generous Parq donation to our annual Valentine fundraising auction provided by Karen. 
Playing the Odds for Communities 2024-02-12 08:00:00Z 0

Welcome Cheryl!

 
We closed out the month of January by officially welcoming Cheryl Thomas as the newest member in our club.  Cheryl is an accomplished business professor and Rotarian who transferred to our club from the Rotary Club of Victoria Harbourside.  
 
We look forward to learning more about Cheryl in her upcoming classification talk and through sharing service activities and fellowship events in the weeks and months ahead!  
Welcome Cheryl! 2024-02-08 08:00:00Z 0

Learning & Giving Back

 
Ivy Liao, one of our 2019 Rotary-Strathcona Hoop-A-Thon scholarship recipients, was our guest speaker on January 31st.  A few years after her parents enrolled Ivy and her brother in a local table tennis club, Ivy became national champion of her age group at 10 years old, and a key member of the Canadian National senior team at age 14.  
 
Ivy completed her undergraduate degree at UBC while continuing to compete internationally, and also giving back as a coach with BC Provincial and UBC teams.  She is working as a project manager at ShEvalesco, a not-for-profit leadership organization for youth, as well as volunteering as a mentor with the Girls Who LEAP and the Face of Today Foundation. She will be start her law degree at the Allard Law School in the fall.
 
Read more about Ivy and her remarkable athletic, academic and career accomplishments here.
 
Learning & Giving Back 2024-02-08 08:00:00Z 0

Rotary Peace Efforts Past & Present

 
We launched the new calendar year with a presentation by former District 5040 Governor Chris Offer.  Chris is the Chair of the Rotary Peace Major Gifts Initiative Committee whose goal is to raise $75 million for the Rotary Peace Centers and Rotary’s peace area of focus. 
 
In addition to updating us on the contemporary impact of Rotary's Peace Centers mission to train peace leaders from across the world, Chris walked us through the legacy of Rotary International's peace work from its early 20th-centry influence in the formation of the United Nations.  Learn more about Rotary's Peace Initiatives here
 
Rotary Peace Efforts Past & Present 2024-02-08 08:00:00Z 0

Researching Youth Health & Wellness

 
Our guest on January 17th was Annie Smith, Executive Director of the McCreary Centre Society a not-for-profit organization committed to improving the health of BC youth through research, evaluation and community-based projects. 
 
Their best-known research is the BC Adolescent Health Study (AHS), which is the most extensive study of the health of BC youth. Data from the study is used by government agencies, communities, schools, and health professionals to plan programs and services for youth.
 
Annie spoke to us about their latest study, Searching for a place: The health and well-being of homeless and unstably housed youth in BC. Participants were 838 youth aged 12-27 who were homeless, unstably housed or at risk of homelessness -  those without a home, in temporary accommodation, on the street, couch surfing, staying in an SRO or shelter.  Key recommendations from the findings include:
  • More youth safe houses and shelters
  • Self-referral options for youth
  • Services for those who become homeless at a young age
  • More outreach workers and portable health services; and
  • Support to obtain ID and substance abuse and sexual health treatment.
We are grateful for the important work done by McCreary, and we look forward to having Annie return to speak to us again, after the release of the AHS in February. 
Researching Youth Health & Wellness 2024-02-08 08:00:00Z 0

Lawyers Supporting Ukraine

 
On January 17th, we were joined by three lawyers who provided us with a sobering peek into the complex humanitarian and war defence efforts in Ukraine.  
 
Jessica Lott Thompson is a former Director of the Yukon Human Rights Commission and Member of the Law Societies of British Columbia and Nunavut who works with other Canadian lawyers who volunteer to assist with human rights and legal work in Ukraine. 
 
Mariia Zivert and Nadiia Denysiuk are Ukrainian lawyers who have been volunteering their time and skills since the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea. In February 2023, a year after the full-scale Russian invasion, Nadiia, together with Mariia and other legal colleagues, co-founded the Dead Lawyers Society charitable organization.
 
Nadiia leads the organization’s Defence Procurement projects and Mariia heads the Medical Outpost project that supports 12 hospitals near the front line and combat medic units working on evacuation of the wounded. You can donate to support their efforts at the link to the Foundation above. 
Lawyers Supporting Ukraine 2024-02-08 08:00:00Z 0

Seasonal Service Contributions

 
Our busy club member Zarina always manages to fit in time for service and was onsite at the Miyawaki Tree Planting Project at Terra Nova Park in Richmond with her daughter Aralina from the Interlink Interact club. 
 
This is a service project of the Rotaract HOPE 604 Club. Christine, the club's President, has invited our club to join in yearly...so get your boots and spades ready for next fall!
 
 
Our Strathcona Interactors and the Strathcona Youth Council baked up a storm using the kitchen facilitates at the Strathcona Community Centre, including some all-time treats: brownies, cinnamon rolls, sugar Cookies, Rice Krispie squares, and lemon tarts that went to a Christmas Eve dinner in the Downtown Eastside.  Great work all!
 
 
Since September, members of our club have been participating in the Bread Brigade partnership project with the Mountainview Rotary Club and Cob's Bread. Every second Tuesday, a small team picks up the unsold bread and pastries from Cob's and delivers them to The Osborn shelter on East Hastings.  
 
More help is needed at Cob's for January and February, so if you can spare half an hour on a Tuesday evening at 8:15 pm, please sign up here for a future shift to help package up the donations at Cob's Bread at 1702 Robson Street (corner of Robson and Bidwell) for delivery.  Thanks to Ron and Steve for their support with unloading at The Osborn.
 
 
Every second Saturday of the month our club also supports the Food on the Corner service project at 222 Main Street (near the court house) to distribute home-made soup, sandwiches, pastries, bread and coffee to seniors and others in need on the Downtown Eastside.  We need two members to help out on January 13th, so if you're available from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, please contact Ron. 
Seasonal Service Contributions 2024-01-02 08:00:00Z 0

Christmas Cheer

 
Many thanks to Carlos and Azita for hosting our club's annual Christmas potluck party and for the wonderful, warm welcome and fun that was shared by all!  Our next social event will be the return of our Guess Who's Coming to Dinner event. Stay tuned for updates.
Christmas Cheer 2023-12-30 08:00:00Z 0

Pedalling Kindness

 
Author, cyclist and kindness champion Brock Tully shared his life story and many inspiring messages of hope with us on November 22nd. 
 
Check out this documentary about Brock's life and work, Heart Rider.  Thank you Brock for your service work to create kinder, healthier communities! 
Pedalling Kindness 2023-12-04 08:00:00Z 0

Supporting West End Seniors

 
Executive Director Claudine Matlo and Yathu Radhakrishnan, Events and Communications Coordinator, joined our October 18th meeting to discuss the activities of the West End Seniors' Network (WESN). Operating out of Barclay Manor (pictured above) and a storefront at the Denman Mall since 1990, the organization has since grown to over 900 members, with 250+ volunteers supporting a wide range of social activities and programs, including health, housing, food security and recreation.  
 
For many years, our Rotary Club worked closely with WESN, serving on the Board and hosting a Christmas luncheon. We look forward to exploring how we and our King George Interact Club can support WESN's future efforts.
Supporting West End Seniors 2023-12-03 08:00:00Z 0

Our Entrepreneurial Rockstar

 
October kicked off with a wonderful classification talk from Danison Buan, who shared his fascinating story of community service and business success.  
 
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Danison worked three jobs as a University of Winnipeg student while also volunteering at a local hospital. He later transferred to SFU's Business School which brought him to BC and to Rotary. 
 
A passionate entrepreneur, Danison has mentored, founded or co-founded an incredible number of businesses, including a tea house, a Greek restaurant, a food truck, a travel business, a bookkeeping service, and a beauty salon, to name only a few.  Eight years ago, he started ReFood, a charity that collects surplus food from grocery stores and other sources, and distributes it to individuals and families in need in local communities.  
 
Danison is a true global citizen as he regularly works in Bali and the Philippines on business and micro-finance projects while also serving on numerous charitable boards.  Five years ago, he joined the Burnaby Rotary Club and later founded the Regal Rotaract Club. Today, he chairs the District Membership Committee and our club's Grant Committee, among others.  
 
Fun facts: In addition to his business degree, Danison is a Red Seal certified chef and enjoys basketball and calligraphy in his "spare time."  Thank you Danison for choosing our club to continue your Rotary leadership and service...and we really look forward to your mentoring workshop on time management!! 
Our Entrepreneurial Rockstar 2023-12-03 08:00:00Z 0

Raising Awareness for Polio

 
Undeterred by the wet winter weather, Rotarians, Interactors, Rotaractors and friends from across Metro Vancouver turned out for the second annual Walk to End Polio.  The walk ended at Science World, where the dome's lights sparkled in red to mark the occasion! 
 
The walk started at City Hall, with a Proclamation ceremony by Deputy Mayor Rebecca Bligh, and City Councillors Mike Klassen, Lisa Dominato, Peter Fry and Peter Meiszner who participated with District Governor Shirley-Pat and the presidents of the nine Vancouver Rotary clubs. Check out the ceremony here.  
Raising Awareness for Polio 2023-12-03 08:00:00Z 0

Supporting Safer Communities

 
Neil Fernyhough, Executive Director of the West End and Coal Harbour Community Policing Centre spoke to us on October 11th. The non-profit organization, located at the corner of Davie and Jervis streets, coordinates education and information programs delivered by 100+ volunteers to support residents and merchants with reducing crime and street disorder and increasing personal safety - including addressing violent shoplifting and stranger attacks, home security, graffiti clean up, and pedestrian safety.
 
Interested volunteers who are willing to commit to 4 hours a month of service are invited to contact Neil for an interview.
Supporting Safer Communities 2023-12-03 08:00:00Z 0

A Career in Curiosity

 
On October 25th, we welcomed Jamie Kemp as our newest member and on November 29th she shared her remarkable career inspiring service-based learning.  The journey began in second year studies at McMaster University when Jamie's History professor invited her to explore a Medieval manuscript with the freedom to select her own curiosity-based approach. That moment sparked a lifelong journey in international research, teaching and leadership. 
 
Jamie has taught courses in numerous European universities and in the departments of Art History and Medieval Studies at the University of Victoria. She later served as Professor of Arts & Humanities and then Interim Chief Academic Officer at Quest University Canada in Squamish. Jamie returned to Victoria as Academic Dean and Senior Educational Administrator at Pacific Design Academy, and also joined the Rotary Club of Victoria-Harbourside. 
 
Today, Jamie serves as Chief Academic Officer at LaSalle College, Vancouver, where she provides the creative inspiration for service-based learning to 20,000 applied and liberal arts post-secondary students across 23 international schools. 
 
Fun facts - Jamie is a novice rower at the Vancouver Rowing Club and has a 16th-century Italian manuscript in the University of Victoria Library collection named in her honour - the Codex Kemp - pictured below.  Thank you Jamie for sharing your passion with us! 
 
A Career in Curiosity 2023-12-03 08:00:00Z 0

A Visit from DG Shirley-Pat

 
November kicked off with energy and inspiration thanks to a visit from our Rotary District 5040 Governor Shirley-Pat Chamberlain - pictured above with club members and friends.
 
Congratulations to club member Lawrence receiving his Paul Harris +8 pin and King George Interact President Wilson receiving his club's 2022-2023 Citation - pictured below.
 
 
A Visit from DG Shirley-Pat 2023-12-03 08:00:00Z 0

Sunrisers Fuelled the Hooplaw Fundraisers

 
Team Rotary Vancouver Sunrise lived up to its name with another successful early morning Pancake Breakfast to support the lawyers participating in the annual Hooplaw fundraising basketball tournament.  Proceeds from the event support local charitable projects, including our Rotary-Strathcona Youth Leadership programs.  
 
Special recognition and appreciation to:
  • Past President Cam, Luba and Ron who led the organization and pick up of donated food and supplies.
  • Jamie Kemp and her colleagues at Lasalle College's Culinary School who provided supplies and professional equipment.
  • Abigail, Emma and Jason who fought the flames and prepared a big serving of pancakes and sausages to get the party started!
Sunrisers Fuelled the Hooplaw Fundraisers 2023-10-07 07:00:00Z 0

SLP Support for Early Childhood

 
On September 20th, we took a deeper dive into September's Rotary theme of Basic Education and Literacy with an interactive and engaging presentation by Katrina Jenkins - pictured above with a proud Papa Kwan.  Katrina is a paediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who works with Vancouver Coastal Health helping pre-school children with a wide range of communication delays and disorders to improve their speech and language skills and gain confidence.  
 
Thank you Katrina for your service supporting children and their families and making our future generations and communities stronger and brighter!
SLP Support for Early Childhood 2023-10-07 07:00:00Z 0

Serving and Growing Local Education

 
Vancouver School Board (VSB) Chair Victoria Chung spoke to us on September 13th about the Board's role and priorities and the new development underway at the Coal Harbour Community Centre.
 
The mixed-use development is a joint initiative of the VSB and the City of Vancouver and will provide an elementary school for 340 students, a child care centre with 69 seats and 60 units of social housing attached to the Community Centre. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Victoria and the VSB, the City, and this exciting initiative at our club's beautiful waterfront location!
Serving and Growing Local Education 2023-10-07 07:00:00Z 0

Growing New Rotaractors

 
Our newest club member Jamie Kemp and Ron were busy in September promoting Rotaract opportunities to students during orientation at Vancouver's Lasalle College, where Jamie is the Chief Academic Officer.  Given this dynamic duo, it can't be long before we hear about a potential new Rotaract Club in our District! 
Growing New Rotaractors 2023-10-07 07:00:00Z 0

Our Doctor of Data Science

On September 6th we were treated to a fascinating classification talk by one of our newest members, Dr. Ryan McBride.  With his dry wit and a collection of family and vacation photos, Ryan took us through his journey as a lifelong resident of Surrey and Burnaby and his career as an academic and scientist who applies mathematics and data science to real-world community problems. 
 
Along the way, we also learned about AI, Ryan's favourite travel souvenirs (tacky fridge magnets) and how he has combined a demanding teaching, research and consulting career at SFU with his passion for service through Rotaract and Rotary. Thank you Ryan for sharing your research expertise as a founding member of our Grants Committee, and for your friendship and fun! 
 
Our Doctor of Data Science 2023-10-07 07:00:00Z 0
Canada-Japan Cultural Exchange 2023-09-05 07:00:00Z 0

Global Business Collaboration

 
At our August 2nd meeting club member and marketing master Kaustav Ghosh (pictured above with our Club's new Grants Committee Chair Danison Buan and Past President Cam Scott) gave us an engaging update on his online business campaign I Support Your Business.  
 
In the past six months, the global marketing initiative has expanded beyond the original 100+ companies, with 92 new Canadian and Indian small businesses supporting one another for shared success - congratulations Kaustav!
 
Learn about the latest Indo-Canadian partnership initiative of I Support Your Business here: https://youtu.be/I_-cvz9IQFo and about the origin of this successful marketing venture here: https://youtu.be/fbPQUd2KzSI.  
Global Business Collaboration 2023-09-04 07:00:00Z 0

An Exceptional Service Leader

 
On August 9th we were treated to an inspiring presentation of the personal and professional journey of club member Zarina Rosimo. Zarina is the Operations Manager for Shelter and Outreach Services at the PHS Community Services Society, having previously worked as a Building Manager with Atira's Hutchinson Block and Hazelwood Hotel properties and for the BC Indigenous Housing Society.  
 
Prior to working in supportive housing, Zarina was a Community Support Worker with the RainCity Housing and Support Society, and a Supervisor and a Mental Health and Addiction Support Worker with the Greater Vancouver Community Services Society.  
 
Zarina brings a true service commitment to her job and to her role as a Rotarian - one that is deeply rooted in her lived experience growing up in care and having had to advocate for change and supportive programs in the school system as a young parent. 
 
Zarina transferred to our club from the Rotary Club of Vancouver Mountainview where she served as Club Secretary and received the Don Evans Award for First Nation/Indigenous Advocacy for her leadership initiating the Safe Rides for Indigenous Women and other service projects in the Downtown Eastside. She is also a member of Regal Rotaract Club and serves on the District DEI and Youth Alumni committees. 
 
We are grateful to have such a shining model of Service Above Self in our club! 
An Exceptional Service Leader 2023-09-04 07:00:00Z 0

Building Understanding Through Shared Learning

The month of August closed out with a beautiful performance of traditional Japanese dance by our friend and educator, Mari Kato with her daughters Hibiki and Shizuha - above. 
 
Mari Kato also shared her work as the owner of Focus Education Services, which builds intercultural language skills through lessons, teacher training, workshops, and global interactive events.
 
Thank you to Mari, Hibiki and Shizuha for the gift of music, story and dance. If you missed it, you can enjoy the performance on our Vancouver Sunrise YouTube channel here
Building Understanding Through Shared Learning 2023-09-04 07:00:00Z 0

It's (Not) All Business

 
At our August 23rd meeting, we discussed our 2023-2024 Action plan to continue advancing our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise Strategic Plan.  Fasten your seat belts because among our goals and plans for this Rotary year, we can look forward to:
  • A new Grant Writing Committee led by Danison to increase our Foundation impact.
  • Growing our service projects by tapping into the talents and passions of our new members.
  • Continued expansion of our Hoop-A-Thon participation with other District Rotary clubs, and
  • Even more social events for our members and friends...including the return of the popular Guess Who's Coming to Dinner event!
It's (Not) All Business 2023-09-03 07:00:00Z 0

Proud of Our Pride Support

 
 
We were proud to wave our Rotary banner and provide our support for our local Pride community through two summer events: 
  • Special thanks to Teacher Sponsor Doug Sherrett who coordinated our Strathcona Elementary EarlyAct Club's leadership of their school's second annual school pride parade in June.
  • And thank you to Ron and President Peter who organized participation by members and friends of our club and the Vancouver Young Professional Rotaract Club with the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Parks & Recreation's entries in the annual city July Pride Parade. 
Proud of Our Pride Support 2023-09-03 07:00:00Z 0

Recruiting Hoop-A-Thon Partners!

 
Gary wowed the crowd of Rotarians who attended the July 9th Vancouver Bandits Rotary Night at the Langley Events Centre.  
 
The great news is that his hard work and the drive from White Rock to Langley paid off.  Several clubs signed up to learn more about the Rotary Hoop-A-Thon for Local Communities partnership, and the Vancouver Bandits look to become a key partner going forward. Woo hoo!!
Recruiting Hoop-A-Thon Partners! 2023-08-06 07:00:00Z 0

Officially, President Peter!

 
The launch of the new Rotary year in July included the hand over of duties from our outgoing Board members to the new club leadership team, which includes our new President Peter Fox and new Treasurer, Reyna Dominguez Debernardi.  ADG Maryanne Velayo made the handover official by presenting us with the 2023-2024 banner for this year's theme, "Create Hope in the World."
 
Thank you to outgoing Treasurer James Miller for your service and to our continuing Board members, including Past President Cam Scott for your dedication and leadership.  Ready, set, go!
Officially, President Peter! 2023-08-05 07:00:00Z 0

A Membership Windfall

What better way to end the past year and welcome the new year than with the gift of three new members who joined our club at the changeover of the Rotary calendar year?  With great joy and gratitude we welcome Danison Buan, Zarina Rosimo, and Ryan McBride to our club and we look forward to serving with these these talented and dynamic young Rotarians - pictured above with Past President Cam and President Peter. 
 
Stay tuned for much, much more about Zarina, Danison and Ryan in upcoming Bulletin features, including which of them got their Ph.D before their BC driver's license, which one indulges their love of cuisine in their home "test kitchen" or when travelling the globe, and which one has received the distinguished Don Evans Award for First Nation/Indigenous Advocacy.  
A Membership Windfall 2023-08-05 07:00:00Z 0
What a Year it Was! 2023-08-05 07:00:00Z 0

Rolling In the New Rotary Year

 
Sticky fingers and lots of laughs proved to be the perfect recipe to celebrate the Rotary annual changeover with new friends and old pals. Master Chef Ron Sushi led a sushi making fundraiser and social event on July 7th at the Obregon household in North Vancouver. Funds raised will support our club's international Project Amigo, helping children of migrant workers in Colima, Mexico attend school. 
 
Special thanks to Azita and Carlos for hosting this wonderful party! Catch some of the highlights here on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I06q_7zuXSM
Rolling In the New Rotary Year 2023-08-05 07:00:00Z 0

Finishing with Finesse

King George Interactors Clean Up on the Beach and at Graduation

As their year-end service project, our amazing King George Interactors spent a sunny day in June cleaning up English Bay beach where they received a kudos and thanks from members of the community. Thank you to Dan Turville of the Strathcona Community Policing Centre for the clean-up equipment and supplies.
Congratulations to our graduating King George Secondary Interactors, who ALL received one or more scholarships, including 2022-23 President Malena Hacker and Communications Director Noah Sasaki who received our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise Foundation's two annual scholarships. 
Finishing with Finesse 2023-07-02 07:00:00Z 0

A Local Champion

Who are these guys? To find out, read the story below under District Capers!
A Local Champion 2023-05-13 07:00:00Z 0

A Life Affirming Close Call

 
Jarek Jakubec is a Senior Rocks Mechanics Engineer and diamond deposit specialist with SRK Consulting. He is a lifelong athlete who has climbed the summits of over 70 volcanoes around the globe. 
 
Jarek (pictured above in the yellow jacket) joined our April 26th meeting to share his harrowing experience in November 2021 surviving a mountaineering accident on the descent from the summit of Nevado del Colima in Colombia.
 
The climbing team was  at an elevation of 4,750 metres when a less experienced climber dislodged a 1.5 tonne boulder that hit Jarek on the rope below, fracturing his legs and pelvis in multiple places. It took a team of 5 people over 8 hours to carry him down to base camp 4,000m by lifting his stretchered in 2-minute intervals. Luckily, he was evacuated by a Black Hawk Special Forces helicopter and received life-saving surgery in Bogotá one week after the accident.
 
Jarek was able to medevac home to Vancouver shortly after surgery and began a two-year rehabilitation process to regain his ability to walk.  Proving that anything is possible, he recently completed the GranFondo Whistler bike ride and is back on his mission to summit the rest of world's volcanic peaks.  
A Life Affirming Close Call 2023-05-07 07:00:00Z 0

Shooting Hoops to Support Future Leaders

On April 22nd, we welcomed the return of full-court action at the Strathcona Community Centre for our 2023 signature Hoop-A-Thon fundraising project to support kids at risk with scholarships, basketball and youth leadership programs. 
 
          
 
This year again, we welcomed partner Rotary, Rotaract and Interact clubs from across District 5040 and corporate donors who participated in the event. 
 
Pictured above are: Chris Gailus from Media Sponsor Global BC TV who raised over $6500 this year through his expert shots and social media support; and VP of Finance, Dallas Leung, from Corporate Sponsor Global Container Terminals shown beside King George Interact President Malena who led her team of high schoolers to raise funds for the Downtown Battered Women's Shelter.  
 
The top team award goes to the Vancouver Young Professionals Rotaract Club team pictured below.  Gunesh, in the centre was the day's top shooter, sinking 22 baskets in one minute.
 
The final tally of funds raised will be available in June, but, at the end of April, Hoop-A-Thon project leader Gary Chomyn reported that we have already met our $50,000 target!! 
 
 
Enjoy more event photos on our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wHGhEcO-JE
Shooting Hoops to Support Future Leaders 2023-05-07 07:00:00Z 0

District Conference Capers

The month closed out with extra Hoop-A-Thon highlights at the District 5040 Rotary Conference April 28th-30th.  
 
Past President Ed gave a wildly successful presentation promoting the one-minute Hoops fundraising formula followed by a live demonstration with celebrity District shooters that raised over $2500 for Food Banks BC. 
 
Thanks to our other Sunrise club members, President Cam, Frances, Vicente, Lawrence, and Diana who staffed the House of Friendship Hoop-A-Thon information table, attended the conference learning sessions and Gala dinner, and represented our club over the three days. 
Pictured above are scenes from the conference including headline photo "Hoop-A-Thon twins" Ron (aka the Rotary Bunny who kept speakers and attendees on time and task) and Strathcona Basketball alumnus and local basketball coach Dimitri Harris.
 
We are especially grateful for Dimitri's help.  He went to great lengths to find and transport a portable basketball hoop to the Pinnacle Hotel, and without that commitment and effort, we could not have staged our live conference Hoop-A-Thon fundraiser for Food Banks BC.  
 
Demitri joined the Strathcona Basketball program as a 6-year old, and, after many triumphs and challenges, he now serves as a basketball coach as well as a mentor to young people in Vancouver and Northshore communities - a true champion!  You can read some of his story here: https://joutreachsociety2014.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/harris-demitri.pdf 
District Conference Capers 2023-05-07 07:00:00Z 0

Confronting a Hornet's Nest

 
Paul van Westendorp, BC's Provincial Apiarist, and member of the Rotary Club of Tsawwassen, joined us on March 15th, to tell us about recent efforts to address local outbreaks of the Northern Giant Hornet in BC and Washington State.  Previously known as the Giant Asian Hornet, (whose scientific name is Vespa Mandarinia), its presence here was first reported by a vigilant beekeeper in Nanaimo.  
 
This non-native species seems to have hitched a ride on a container ship from Korea or Japan, and scientists on both sides of the border have been working to locate and destroy the nests of these fierce predators of honeybees and their food sources.  Hopefully, 2023 will "bee" the last year that Paul and his colleagues will need to surveil and patrol for these critters!  
Confronting a Hornet's Nest 2023-04-05 07:00:00Z 0

Another Successful RYLA South

 
The RYLA South (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) program returned in full force for close to 100 participants over the holiday weekend March 29 - April 1, 2024 at Camp Elphinstone on the Sunshine Coast.  The program provides indoor and outdoor interactive workshops, team­-building exercises, professional speakers, hands-on service projects and other fun activities for young people ages 16-18 - check it out here
 
This year our club sponsored 8 high school students (4 Strathcona Interactors and 4 King George Interactors) who attended RYLA South this year and we look forward to hearing from some of them at a future meeting.
 
Special thanks to the hard work and commitment of our very own James Fox, District 5040 RYLA Chair, and Monica Lopez and Lucas Setek, RYLA South Co-Directors, who lead this great program and to members Andrew, Cam, and Steve for providing transportation for the kids to and from the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.
Another Successful RYLA South 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

High Finance Planning

 
Cheers and thank you to our high-powered Finance Committee members who met recently to balance our books.  
 
The venue was the Terminal City Club, and it was reported that the Happy Hour timing was entirely coincidental. 
High Finance Planning 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

Mea Cuppa

One of our members, Ron Suzuki, received this thank-you gift for his recent presentation to the Richmond Rotary Club.
 
It also serves as a useful reminder of our club's Values Statement and the standards that we each aspire to fulfil at work and in life as Rotarians.
Mea Cuppa 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

Serving On An Unforgettable Ride

 
We celebrated International Women's Day at our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise with a special presentation by club member Abigail Turner about her recent motorcycle ride across four Rotary Districts in India. The Ride for Rotary is a Rotary Foundation fundraising event where participants experience Indian heritage, culture and hospitality along with an exchange of Rotary fellowship.
 
We could almost feel the warm wind at our backs as Abigail shared pictures and stories of this incredible and sometimes harrowing experience - watch out for those trucks and cows!
Serving On An Unforgettable Ride 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

Supporting Kindergarten Students

 
Our youngest Rotarians, members of the Strathcona Elementary EarlyAct Club were inspired by their youth mentors at the Strathcona Interact Club to partner with ToysRUs in gathering donated toys, wrapping them and delivering them to kids in five different Kindergarten classrooms and a local Parents Support Group.
 
Pictured above are some of the lucky recipients - and please note that only those with school photo permission waivers are in the shot ;D 
Supporting Kindergarten Students 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

A 101 Marketing Formula to Serve Others

 
On March 29th, Kaustav Ghosh joined us to share his personal and professional experiences in Rotary and creating impactful branding and marketing campaigns. 
 
Kaustav is a creative and passionate business consultant and former District Rotaract Representative in India who recently moved to Vancouver.  He spoke to us about two campaigns that he and his wife, Laxmi Sorte, created to assist over 800 small businesses in India that were struggling during the pandemic.  
 
We are also delighted to report that Kaustav will be officially joining our club as a new member in April - which is the best gift of all by allowing us to share in his upcoming Canadian marketing and travel adventures!
 
To learn more about Kaustav and his marketing mastery, check out his website and this video about The Honda Great Indian Travel experience:
A 101 Marketing Formula to Serve Others 2023-04-04 07:00:00Z 0

Celebrating a Man for all Seasons

 
On February 22, we celebrated a special birthday milestone for our longest-serving and most distinguished member, Vicente Asuncion. Joining us for this very special occasion were Vic's wife Maryanne, son Ben, plus former club mates from the Rotary Club of Vancouver Quadra: Hans Doge, Dawn Sadler and Don Yerba.  
 
Thank you for giving us a wonderful excuse to have cake with our coffee and breakfast Vicente! 
Celebrating a Man for all Seasons 2023-03-04 08:00:00Z 0

Collecting Winter Wearables

 
Our hats are off to the inspiring young members of the University Hill Interact Club who launched their new club with a successful Toque and Sock Drive for the Homeless - pictured here with members of Vancouver's Park Rangers whose work brings them into contact with members of the city's homeless population.
Collecting Winter Wearables 2023-03-04 08:00:00Z 0

Young Peer Helpers in Training

 
Service Above Self was on full display when Teacher Sponsors and youth from our Strathcona Elementary EarlyAct Club showed up for a Pro-D day of training on February 17th. 
 
Thirty-six of these dedicated young people learned how to serve as Peer Helpers for their fellow students with a goal to make school recess and lunch hours safer and more inclusive for all.  How to lead the way, future Rotarians!
Young Peer Helpers in Training 2023-03-04 08:00:00Z 0

PEDAL Brings Bikes to Communities

 
PEDAL Society's shop manager Sarah Thomas joined our January 18th meeting to tell us about the work being done by her organization to help current and would-be cyclists access and maintain their bikes. 
 
Founded in 1993, PEDAL offers services and programs through its bike shop at Main & Broadway in Vancouver and with local and global partners. Sarah told us about a few:
  • Donating PEDAL-designed bicycle-powered coffee grinding machinery to a worker-owned co-op in Guatemala.
  • Deaf Access programs for hearing impaired riders to learn from PEDAL's ASL speaking mechanic.
  • Women Trans Queer Nights for maintenance and safety skills attended by 110 participants in 2022.
  • Gear Up Mechanics Training program giving youth with job barriers an opportunity to gain bicycle mechanic working experience, while giving back by restoring bicycles for donations.
  • Contributing to our environment by refurbishing or recyling 660 bikes, almost 1900 wheels, and 620 tubes.
PEDAL is 100% run with support from volunteers, grants, and partners including Arc'teryx, City of Vancouver, KidSafe, and the Vancouver Community Bike Network. 
PEDAL Brings Bikes to Communities 2023-02-06 08:00:00Z 0

April 22, 2023 is Hoop-A-Thon

 
Strathcona Community Centre is getting the word out about our 2023 Hoop-A-Thon fundraising event to neighbours in their Winter Bulletin. Mark your calendars to join us on the court with the kids!
April 22, 2023 is Hoop-A-Thon 2023-02-06 08:00:00Z 0

PEDAL Society's Community Bikes

 
PEDAL Society's shop manager Sarah Thomas joined our January 18th meeting to tell us about the work being done by her organization to help current and would-be cyclists access and maintain their bikes. 
 
Founded in 1993, PEDAL offers services and programs through its bike shop at Main & Broadway in Vancouver and with local and global partners. Sarah told us about a few:
  • Donating PEDAL-designed bicycle-powered coffee grinding machinery to a worker-owned co-op in Guatemala.
  • Deaf Access programs for hearing impaired riders to learn from PEDAL's ASL speaking mechanic.
  • Women Trans Queer Nights for maintenance and safety skills attended by 110 participants in 2022.
  • Gear Up Mechanics Training program giving youth with job barriers an opportunity to gain bicycle mechanic working experience, while giving back by restoring bicycles for donations.
  • Contributing to our environment by refurbishing or recyling 660 bikes, almost 1900 wheels, and 620 tubes.
PEDAL is 100% funded by donations, grants and volunteers, and partners with sponsors like Arc'teryx,City of Vancouver, KidSafe, and the Vancouver Community Bike Network. 
PEDAL Society's Community Bikes 2023-02-06 08:00:00Z 0

Toys R Wrapped

 
Strathcona Interactors collected donations, wrapped and delivered over 200 toys to children in need in the Strathcona area in partnership with:
  • Britannia Community Action Program for Children
  • Strathcona Community Centre
  • Strathcona Elementary
  • Xpey̓ Elementary, and the
  • Hastings Community Centre.
Judging by the pictures it looks like they had lots of fun performing this service for kids in need too.  For more inspiration, check out their video on Youtube here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PjLlS7jkza4&list=PL7t0sYrOyWZWMYVkGR_Jab7YhDsvy8XrU
Toys R Wrapped 2023-01-03 08:00:00Z 0

Holiday Happy Bucks!

 
Our members' holiday stories at our Welcome Home meeting raised spirits and a few bucks for Rotary's Polio Plus campaign.
  • Visits and travel with loved ones to Point Roberts, London, England and Mexico.
  • Christmas Eve partying with 51 first cousins.
  • New Year's Day beach patrol at English Bay with 20,000+ Polar Bear dippers.
  • Surviving your kids' first clubbing night out.
  • And...apparently some people just can't get too much gravy. 
Welcome 2023 and here's hoping you bring peace on earth, better health, and more laughter to all!
Holiday Happy Bucks! 2023-01-02 08:00:00Z 0

January 11th Return to Coal Harbour

 
At long last, we returned to our Club's home base meeting location at the Coal Harbour Community Centre (CHCC) on January 11th. Why do we love it so much? Here are just a few of the reasons:
  • The best waterfront view in downtown Vancouver, bar none! 
  • With meetings that run from 7:30 to 8:30am, street parking is free prior to 9am at nearby metered spots along West Hastings, Broughton, Jervis and Cordova Streets. 
  • Lung fulls of fresh sea air on your way to and from our weekly Rotary meeting.
  • Come-as-you-are dress code. Shorts, yoga pants or a suit and tie are all welcome! 
  • Free wifi access - see https://vancouver.ca/your-government/vanwifi.aspx for instructions.
  • Provides a stunning and welcoming destination for visitors to our beautiful city!
Given the new school construction taking place immediately south of the CHCC, access to our waterfront meeting room is via the alternative entrance marked by the Vancouver Sunrise sandwich board sign.  You can’t miss it as you walk along the sea wall.  See you soon!
January 11th Return to Coal Harbour 2023-01-02 08:00:00Z 0

Sharing Sunshine Dream Possibilities

  
 
We closed out our Rotary meetings in the month of November with an uplifting presentation by Brianne Oswald, Partnerships Manager of the Sunshine Foundation.  
 
The Foundation was created in 1987 to help youth, ages 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, to identify their future vision and to take a step towards realizing that potential. Too often, these young people have their dreams defined by the physical limitations and challenges that able-bodied members of their communities see. 
 
Research shows that overcoming obstacles in adolescence, with the right supports, can foster mental resilience and positive growth.  A couple of the stories Brianne shared with us demonstrates this formula in action.
  • Razan, above, had her future dream career as a DJ accelerated with the gift of music equipment and is now working at venues where she previously was never invited.
  • Allayah, below, is a Grade 12 student, and an aspiring lawyer who happens to be paralyzed and relies on her family to support her daily needs.  During the pandemic, Allayah's ability to research politics and the law was limited to times when she could access a borrowed Chromebook from her school - until the Sunshine Foundation gave her a laptop to increase her independence.
The Sunshine Foundation works with youth and families across Canada to build confidence, independence and optimism to boost their mental health and future goals. For more information on their work and results check out https://www.sunshine.ca.
 
Sharing Sunshine Dream Possibilities 2022-12-03 08:00:00Z 0
When Help is Needed, Strathcona Interactors Respond 2022-11-30 08:00:00Z 0

Take Heart Where This Risk is Concerned

 
On November 16th, Dr. Cathy Wang joined us to provide practical tips to address the daunting reality that for 1 in 4 adult Canadians, high blood pressure is the #1 risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease.
 
Cathy is a Clinical Instructor in UBC's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science and the business owner and manager of 360Care Denman Pharmacy in Vancouver's West End - https://360carepharmacy.com.
 
High blood pressure, or "hypertension"  is affected by two sets of risk factors:
  • those things we can't control including our genetics, our age and gender; and
  • risks we can control or influence, especially our nutrition, level of physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol use. 
Pharmacies provide free access to blood pressure readers with simple instructions.  So next time you're out and about picking up groceries, prescriptions, or a lottery ticket, take a moment to roll up your sleeve and give your heart a first and second thought!
    Take Heart Where This Risk is Concerned 2022-11-30 08:00:00Z 0

    Promoting Healthy Communities & Vaccine Access

    Mark Zhou and Ajit Johal joined us on October 5th to tell us about their work as creators and drivers of immunize.io, a local not-for-profit organization that works with local and international pharmacists, community groups and health organizations to promote access and availability to approved vaccines - including support for the global polio immunization campaign.

    Ajit is the Clinical Director of immunize.io.  He teaches at UBC within the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science and is the voice and face behind immunize.io's education webinars and media spotlights. Co-founder Mark is Operations Manager, and also a pharmacist who applies his experience in operations optimization, project management, technology adoption and implementation. 

    Their mission is to immunize the world against preventable diseases by promoting community access and collaboration between healthcare professionals.  Their commitment starts with a 1-for-1 promise to donate one vaccine abroad for every vaccine they administer locally.

    Thank you for the amazing work Ajit and Mark!

    Promoting Healthy Communities & Vaccine Access 2022-11-06 07:00:00Z 0

    Supporting Migrant Workers Across Our Province

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    The next time you visit a local seniors' care home, check into a fresh room in a hotel, bite into a local peach or enjoy a sip of BC wine, you might want to consider the challenges facing the 6,000 migrant workers who deliver these services each year for our communities. 
     
    On August 31st, we welcomed Hugo Velazquez to speak to us about about the work he leads to support migrant workers in our province.  Hugo is a lawyer, local Mexican diplomat and the Senior Manager of Community Outreach, Advocacy and Migrant Programs for MOSAIC BC.  
     
    MOSAIC is the largest organization in Canada providing settlement support services for immigrants and new Canadians, including serving as the lead agency for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees in BC. MOSAIC's support services are delivered in English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Tagalog and translation and interpretation support is also available in over 50 languages.
     
    Supporting Migrant Workers Across Our Province 2022-09-22 07:00:00Z 0

    Celebrating & Empowering Girls Who LEAP

     
    Rotary International's first woman leader, Jennifer Jones, has made Empowering Girls one of the four presidential initiatives for her Imagine Rotary year.  The Empowering Girls initiative is Rotary International's commitment to making a lasting impact on a generation of girls. Through the Empowering Girls Initiative, Rotary members worldwide are working to enhance girls’ safety, health, education, and well-being.
     
    Our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise is proud to be a founding sponsor of the Girls Who LEAP (Lead to Empower & Act with Purpose) program that provides leadership and mentorship opportunities as well as early intervention supports for at-risk female-identifying and non-binary youth in our local Downtown Eastside and Grandview Woodlands communities https://www.girlswholeap.com
     
    On a sunny August weekend, participants, mentors and elders of the Girls Who LEAP program gathered for a BBQ picnic to celebrate the third successful year of this amazing program that now serves over 120+ girls between grades 6-12 and onwards.   
     
    We can't wait to see what these future community and organizational leaders will accomplish this year!
     
    Why is Empowering Girls a Priority for President Jennifer Jones and Rotary?
    Celebrating & Empowering Girls Who LEAP 2022-09-22 07:00:00Z 0

    Big Dreams & Giving Back to Community

    Thanks to the amazing support from our partner Rotarians, Rotaractors and corporate sponsors, we were able to hand out $36,000 in awards to all 13 applicants to our 2022 Hoop-a-thon Rotary Youth Leadership Scholarships this year. 
     
    Hear from the students what these awards mean to them...
    Big Dreams & Giving Back to Community 2022-08-09 07:00:00Z 0

    A Big Investment in Future Generations

       
     
    There was no better way to kick off the new Rotary year than by presenting the proceeds of our 2022 Hoop-a-thon fundraising campaign to an incredible group of young students and youth program leaders! 
     
    This year's campaign set another new record by surpassing our target of $50,000 by almost $10K and brought our Hoop-A-Thon fundraising total to over a half million dollars for kids at risk.
     
    How did we distribute the funds you might ask...
    A Big Investment in Future Generations 2022-08-09 07:00:00Z 0

    Welcome to President Cam and Our Board for 2022-23!

     
    No brass bands were available on short notice, however, District Governor John Berry and Assistant District Governor Mary Anne Velayo presided over our transition meeting on July 6th and led the swearing in of our President Cam Scott and our Club Board of Directors for the 2022-2023 Rotary year.  A huge thank you to our leaders for their time and service in guiding our club affairs! 
    Welcome to President Cam and Our Board for 2022-23! 2022-08-09 07:00:00Z 0

    EarlyActors Brings Pride to Classmates & Neighbours

    One of our June highlights was a neighbourhood Pride Parade that was organized and led by our Strathcona Elementary School EarlyAct Club members on June 16th. 
     
    Undaunted by the stops and starts of changing pandemic restrictions, and with strong support from teacher sponsor Doug Sherrett and seed funding from our Sunrise club, the 30+ member EarlyAct Club at Strathcona started work on this service project in early May. 
     
    The results were nothing short of spectacular!
    EarlyActors Brings Pride to Classmates & Neighbours 2022-07-07 07:00:00Z 0

    Hoop-a-thon 2022 Shows the Way to Help Kids On and Off the Court

    All the hard work and planning paid off on the morning of Saturday April 23rd, when Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and supporters showed up to raise funds at our annual Hoop-a-thon fundraiser.
     
    One of the highlights of the day was the participation of Global BC TV News Anchor Chris Gailus - pictured above addressing the group.  Chris has been a strong supporter of the Hoop-a-thon event in recent years, and, this year he surpassed his previous free-throw record when he sank 18 baskets in one minute to raise over $3000 through his effort.  
    Hoop-a-thon 2022 Shows the Way to Help Kids On and Off the Court 2022-05-04 07:00:00Z 0
    UBC Rotaractors Convert Exam Frustration into Funds for Good Works 2022-05-04 07:00:00Z 0
    From the Archives: Helping Grow Rotary in Ukraine 2022-05-04 07:00:00Z 0
    Rotaractors, Interactors and Rotarians Back in Action! 2022-04-13 07:00:00Z 0

    Shooting for $50K: Hoop-A-Thon Goes Live on April 23!

    What's a Hoop-a-thon? 
     
    For those who don’t know, Hoop-A-Thon is our club's signature fundraising event based on pledges in support of the number of free throws each participant can sink in one minute.  The funds raised go to scholarships, local youth leadership programs and the basketball program at Strathcona Community Centre (SCC).
    Shooting for $50K: Hoop-A-Thon Goes Live on April 23! 2022-04-13 07:00:00Z 0

    The Doctor is In - Learning About Ophthalmology
     

     
    Dr. Briar Sexton joined us on February 16th to speak to us about the practice and profession of Ophthalmology.  We learned that it is one of the "3 Os" of eye professionals who help us manage our eye care and vision needs.
    • An Optician (sometimes known as a "dispensing optician") is a trained vision care technician who specializes in fitting eyeglass lenses, frames, contact lenses, and other vision correction devices. In Canada, an optician is required to be licensed by an accredited ophthalmic institute, must be registered with a provincial regulatory agency, and must possess an ophthalmic dispensing licence.
    • An Optometrist is a primary eye care provider who can conduct eye exams, write prescriptions, and treat eye diseases. Canadian optometrists require seven to eight years of training at a post-secondary institution before obtaining their professional designation as a Doctor of Optometry (also known as an OD).
    • An Ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who is also licensed to assess vision and eye health, carry out surgical procedures, and pre- and post-operative eye care.  In Canada, medical school graduates must complete a residency minimum of five-year residency and many will continue on for an additional one to two years to specialize in a particular vision component, such as the cornea, retina, or neuro-ophthalmology (how the eyes and brain work together). Many ophthalmologists are involved in scientific research on the causes and cures for eye diseases and vision disorders and also carry out the same examination and dispensing services as Optometrists and Opticians.
    The Doctor is In - Learning About Ophthalmology  2022-03-17 07:00:00Z 0

    Things You Should Know About Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers

     
    Anissa Lau, an Outreach and Event Coordinator for Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers (MVCS), gave an excellent presentation on February 23rd to inform us about Crime Stoppers and its community safety work.  
     
    Crime Stoppers is a completely independent, not-for-profit organization that takes information from anonymous members of the public about crimes past, present and future.  They offer cash rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to a charge or an arrest.  Callers are given a code number which is used for case updates and rewards.  Tipsters are never asked to testify (they are protected by the Supreme Court of Canada).
    Things You Should Know About Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers 2022-03-17 07:00:00Z 0

    Supporting Community Safety in Strathcona 

     
    On January 26, 2022, we welcomed Dan Turnvill to our weekly meeting to speak to us about the work being done by the Strathcona Community Policing Centre and how our club can get involved.  
     
    Dan is the Executive Director of the Strathcona Community Policing Centre, which is one of 11 community policing centres across Vancouver, and is the major initiatives run by the Strathcona Community Safety Association, a registered charity.  Dan joined the Strathcona Community Policing Centre in 2020, after a decade working in sports management with the BC Soccer Association, including 2 years as the head of Discipline. 
     
    Supporting Community Safety in Strathcona 2022-02-10 08:00:00Z 0

    A Personal and Professional Perspective on Reconciliation

     
    Our guest speaker at our January 12, 2022 meeting was Lorelei Higgins who spoke to us about the shared path of Truth and Reconciliation.  
     
    Lorelei has deep professional and personal experience on this topic. As a Métis Canadian, she  comes by her peacebuilding roots naturally. Her Métis heritage can be traced from the Red River in Winnipeg, Manitoba where her great-grandfather came across to Canada from Kent, England, and met her great-grandmother – a Cree and Ojibwe community leader.  
     
     
    A Personal and Professional Perspective on Reconciliation 2022-02-09 08:00:00Z 0

    RYLA Changes Lives

    RYLA Changes Lives
     
    On December 15th, our own James Fox updated us on what’s happening with RYLA in 2022.  James has been a key leader as co-director of District 5040's RYLA South program for 8 years.  He will take on an even bigger leadership role as RYLA Chair for the District in 2022.
     
    RYLA stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and is a cornerstone leadership development program of Rotary International.  RYLA gathers young leaders ages 14-30 in a supportive environment to develop and inspire growth and leadership skills for positive community change.
    RYLA Changes Lives 2022-01-03 08:00:00Z 0

    A Presidential Citation

     
    Among our October highlight events, was the very worthy recognition of Past President Carlos who was presented with a Club Citation by Past Assistant Governor John Bathurst.  
     
    A Presidential Citation 2021-11-12 08:00:00Z 0

    Reality Checking Cyber Crime Risks

     
    On October 20th, Dominic Vogel, a Cyber Security Specialist, spoke to us about cyber risk.  Dominic is a frequent security commentator on radio/TV/social media and was recently appointed to the BC Provincial Cyber Security Advisory Committee.
     
    Reality Checking Cyber Crime Risks 2021-11-12 08:00:00Z 0

    Helping Our Neighbours

     
    Our club added dollars to dedication on October 9th when we presented a donation to Food on the Corner, a program that provides meals to over 150 people in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood every Saturday morning from 11 to noon.  
     
    Helping Our Neighbours 2021-11-12 08:00:00Z 0

    Welcome to Natalia, Miguel and Jessica!

    In keeping with the spirit of Canadian Thanksgiving, October was a month of bounty for our club as we welcomed three new members to our growing Rotary Vancouver Sunrise family:  Natalia Cabrera, Miguel Buitrago and Jessica Singh.  
     
     
     
     
    Welcome to Natalia, Miguel and Jessica! 2021-11-12 08:00:00Z 0

    Prepare for the Future While You Enjoy the Present

    Nicole Garton was our guest speaker on October 27th and spoke to us about the importance of ensuring you have at least the essentials for wills and estate planning in place to prepare for the unexpected. There are many risks and problems that can arise for the estimated one-third to one-half of Canadians who pass away without these measures in place.   
    Prepare for the Future While You Enjoy the Present 2021-11-10 08:00:00Z 0
    Lighting Up the Town to End Polio Now 2021-11-10 08:00:00Z 0

    August 2021 Club Activities

    A Very Personal Story of Truth and Reconciliation
     
    On August 11th Cecelia Reekie visited our club to provide an overview of Canada’s residential school system, followed by an account of her Dad's experiences within that system.  
     
    The Indian residential school system became law in 1886 and over the next 100+ years, more than 150,000 children of First Nation, Métis and Inuit descent attended residential schools, which were mostly run by various religious orders.  The system was based on the government's policy mandate that, by separating children from their parents, they could be educated and thereby “acquire the habits and tastes of civilized people.”  
     
    Cecelia’s Dad was 11 years old when he was taken from his parents along with his little sister.  He was known at the Alberni residential school as #126 and was assigned the anglicized name Cecil Paul.  During the morning, he was taught to read, write and speak English (students were severely punished for speaking their native language).  The afternoon was for chores and the evening was spent on religious studies.  Despite not seeing his parents over the next four years and enduring multiple forms of abuse, he left the residential school at the age of 14 as a survivor with a grade 5 education.  
     
    The Government of Canada established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2007 to facilitate the reconciliation among former students of the Indian Residential Schools system, their families and all Canadians.  Reconciliation is about how we, as Canadians, can work together with Indigenous people.  
     
    While some efforts have been made to address certain of the TRC's recommendations for change, this summer's revelations are a start reminder that the real process of reconciliation is just beginning - starting with a genuine acknowledgement and understanding of the truths recounted by survivors and their families.  Heartfelt thanks to Celelia for sharing her family's painful truths with us for that purpose.
     
    Although Cecelia’s Dad passed away on December 3, 2020, his story is not lost.  A recent Vancouver Sun article containing an excerpt from her Dad's biography, the contents of which were based on recorded interviews and journal entries, can be found and shared at: https://vancouversun.com/opinion/cecil-paul-and-briony-penn-alberni-the-journey-of-hell-begins  
     

    An Inspiring Presidential Update

     
    Strathcona Interact President Eva Yeung was our guest speaker at our August 18th meeting, bringing us an account of the many activities and accomplishments of the club. 
     
    Strathcona is a community-based, as opposed to a school-based interact club.  All members have a connection to the community and wanted to give back. While some attend Britannia Secondary, others grew up there and live or attend school elsewhere.  
     
    They are a small but mighty young team whose first-year accomplishments reflect the power of a few creative and dedicated people to make a big difference. In 2020-21, they: 
     
    • Partnered with Vancouver Chinatown Foundation to create Covid-19 Experience stories for the Chinatown story-telling centre.
    • Organized a Holiday Craft event where they taught local day camp kids the importance of giving during the season. They were able to deliver this event successfully following Covid-19 restrictions (pictured above).
    • Raised funds to produce 48 wellness packages to local seniors at the May Wah Hotel that houses low-income residents and seniors. Each package involved supplies such as dental hygiene, socks, masks, and hand-written cards from the Interact members. 
    • Hosted a Financial Literacy workshop for members and other youth on basic banking.
     
    Their goals for the 2021-22 year include increasing the membership and diversity of the club and working on several projects, including a sustainability project to educate local youth on invasive plants and an international project to build and deliver 100 kits with school supplies to kids in need. 
     
    Currently, the Strathcona Interactors are working on two fundraisers: a Bottle Drive and an Art Auction. President Ed and our (new) fundraising team will be following up to explore how we could support or partner with their members on these two initiatives and possibly other service projects.
     
    For more inspiration and information, check out the Strathcona Interactors on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/strathconainteractclub/?hl=en
     
    A Ted Talk on Tax Planning 
     
     
    Former club member and fellow Rotarian Ted MacCormac joined us on August 4th to share his advice and experience on tax and estate planning.  
     
    Ted walked through the most popular topics (FAQs) and services sought by his accounting clients which include the  capital gains inclusion rate, taxation of investments, taxation of different types of investments, estate planning, tax treatment of foreign property, and more general business tips. 
     
    Ted's top tips for estate planning include:
    • Keep it simple
    • Be aware of the BC Wills Variation Act
    • Donation bequests can be carried back from the Estate to the final personal income tax return
    • Assets at the date of death go to a testamentary trust until they are distributed
    • The testamentary trust does not have exemptions like the personal income tax return has, but it does have marginal rates for three years
    Thanks very much to Ted for making this special guest appearance and for walking through these scenarios with us.  It was a great reminder not to put off until tomorrow what you can do today! 
     
    August 2021 Club Activities 2021-09-10 07:00:00Z 0

    Club Activities for July 2021

    John's Journey to the Club
     
    We started the new Rotary Year on July 7th with new member John Clark’s classification talk, aka “how did I get here.”  John was born in 1972 in Outremont, a residential borough of Montreal.  Most of his formative years were spent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  He returned to Montreal in the early 1990’s and obtained a BA in Political Science.  As a result of his disenchantment with Bill 101 and what was happening in Quebec at the time, John accepted a position in Japan as an English language teacher.  He flew to Tokyo in January 1995 and was based there for most of the next 25 years.  
     
    As his Japanese language skills improved, so did his career opportunities. In 2001, he set up a consulting company in Hong Kong that focused on cross-border commercial contracts for his Japanese clients.  For a time, he was working for Ernst and Young and he obtained a Law Degree from Wolverhampton in the UK.  John still has a team in Tokyo working within his consultancy.
     
    John married Arisa in 2016.  It was her dream to move Vancouver to operate a day care for local Japanese families, so in early 2021, John and Arisa moved to Vancouver’s West End.   Since arriving in Vancouver, Arisa has been undertaking studies and John was briefly involved with BC’s Site C Hydroelectric Project as well as a Disney film production company in Victoria involving both cast and crew. 
     
    John discovered our Club through the RI and District contact channels relatively shortly after his arrival in Vancouver.  He was inducted on May 19, 2021 and recently nicknamed "John san" in recognition of his adopted Japanese background (and to avoid confusion with fellow founding Club Member John H).  More recently, the unofficial welcoming committee toasted his arrival on a sunny July afternoon with a pop-up patio welcome pictured above - from left to right: John san, Thomas, Peter, Cam and Matthew.
    Our Year Ahead Goals
     

    At our July 14th meeting, President Ed wasted no time in striving to live up to his "hitting-the-ground-running" reputation recently acquired from immediate Past-President Carlos.   He presented the annual goals that have been set for our club in consultation with our Board and District 5040 Governor Lorne Calder....along with his hopes, commitments and expectations for another year full of partnerships, friendship and fun!

     
    Among the key goals established for our 2021-22 Rotary year are:
    • growing the club's membership from 23 to 25 members (in keeping with Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta's challenge to grow Rotary by 10%)
    • holding 5 social (fellowship) activities during the year
    • having 6 club members attend the District 5040 conference in Prince George
    • sponsoring an elementary and a high school student through Project Amigo as our signature international service project
    • starting an EarlyAct Club at Strathcona Elementary School, and 
    • achieving member participation in 5 service projects, (including our signature local project, the annual Hoop-a-thon and Rotary-Strathcona Youth Leadership program).
    If this sounds like the kind of challenge that gets you excited, then you're in the right place with the right people at the right time!

    Food for Thought and Impact 

    Terra Paredes, Manager of Community Events and Engagement for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) gave us a fascinating virtual tour of the food bank's operations at our July 28th meeting.  Founded in 1983 to provide "temporary relief" to the hunger crisis, the mission of the GVFB is to provide healthy food to those in need, with a vision of healthy communities through fair and effective food systems.  Sadly, the need has grown over the years and today's statistics indicate that 16% of all BC residents and 19% of Vancouver residents are unable to access enough affordable, healthy food, including 20% of children and 21% of seniors. Clients are required to provide: government-issued photo ID for each adult member and child within their household; proof that they live within the catchment cities; and information about their source(s) of income. 
     
    Terra provided an overview of the scale and complexity of the food bank's operation, which has been built solely through donations from the public, industry partners, and applicable grants, with no ongoing government funding.  The GVFB currently operates four direct distribution locations (Vancouver, North Van, Burnaby and New Westminster) that support 8,500 people per month.  In FY2020, the food donations amounted to 7.2 million lbs.  Since opening Burnaby, their capacity for fresh and frozen has increased by 400%.  
     
    In addition, they work with 115 community agency partners that have food programs in place for their own clients, including housing agencies, shelters, seniors and school food programs.  GVFB supports those programs with food that ranges from grab-and-go items like fruit and granola bars to large-scale grocery orders that will turn into fully-cooked meals - for a total of over 16,000 visits per month.  The food bank has also built significant relationships with growers and industrial pre-consumer donors but are pulling away from post-consumer and food drive donations as they bring a very high level of waste and incur disposal costs. 
     
    Hopefully, we’ll be able to schedule a live visit to GVFB’s new Terminal Avenue operation in the fall.  In the meantime, for more information about the food bank or to donate to this critical need, please visit https://foodbank.bc.ca.
     
    A Brainstorming Forming and Norming Morning 
     
     
     
    We got down to work at our July 21st meeting with an early morning, coffee-infused brainstorming session. The purpose was to consider the merits and possibilities of expanding our club's future fundraising efforts. Drawing upon our members' experiences and creativity, we kicked off the discussion with three questions:
    1. What are some fundraising ideas?
    2. Who can we partner with for fundraising efforts?
    3. What are some pros and cons for having a fundraising committee?
    Some of the ideas and comments generated included:
    • A good starting point could be to consider adopting successful fundraising approaches from other clubs (such as used book sales, document collection and shredding, golf-related events, online or live auctions) and partnering with other clubs, (including Interact, Rotaract clubs, as well as our future Early Act club), or with vendors and businesses from our Rotarian networks.
    • If working with other groups, it’s critical to set the rules on who does what (roles and responsibilities) and how funds are split.
    • It’s important to be clear on the cause and report to the donors on the results (integrity, accountability and the 4-Way Test).
    Based on the ideas and interest expressed in this initial exchange, the club has since canvassed members for interest in signing up to be part of an initial or ad hoc fundraising committee. Stay tuned for an August update about the interest, potential mandate and role of this team.

    Pat Montani:  In Memoriam 

    We recently learned of the passing of fellow Rotarian Pat Montani following his short battle with pancreatic cancer.  Pat spoke to us in August 2020 about Bicycles for Humanity (B4H), a grassroots non-profit organization that he started in Kelowna with his wife, Brenda, in 2005 (the same year he joined Rotary).  B4H relies on volunteers to collect used bicycles and then ship them to African and other developing countries around the world.  By 2020, B4H had grown to 50 chapters worldwide and had shipped 325,000 bicycles overseas.  In addition, over 200 of the shipping containers have been converted into bike shops, aka Bicycle Empowerment Centres.  
     
    Pat worked tirelessly for the betterment of those in need.  His goal was to create economic opportunities and sustainable employment.  To this end, Pat helped to create self-sustaining local businesses:  bicycle repair shops throughout Africa, a touring company in Uganda and dental assistance programs in several countries.
     
    Pat and Brenda were awarded the Governor General of Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal  in September, 2016 for the creation of B4H.  Pat was also awarded the Citizen of the Year in Whistler in 2019, again for his work with B4H.  Pat was a past member of the Rotary Clubs of Kelowna, Whistler and, most recently, Pemberton.  A more fulsome summary of Pat’s incredible achievements and Rotary legacy can be found at:  Tribute to Pat Montani | Rotary Club of Pemberton (rotarypemberton.ca)
    Club Activities for July 2021 2021-07-31 07:00:00Z 0

    2021 Strathcona Hoopathon Presentation

    Our 2021 Rotary HOOP-A-THON was held on Saturday April 24.  
    The Program featured Rotarians, The Strathcona Kids, Chris Gailus & Yvonne Schalle from GLOBAL BC, Rotoractors, Interactors and Rotarians in Germany.  Thanks to our many donors who made this year’s event a huge success!
     
    Watch it now on You Tube:
     
     
     
    2021 Strathcona Hoopathon Presentation Carlos Obregon 2021-04-26 07:00:00Z 0
    Support Vancouver Young Professionals Rotaract Club's Shoebox Project - Check out their Online Auction! Diana 2020-12-02 08:00:00Z 0
    Rotary World Polio Day 2020 proclamation by Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart 2020-10-28 07:00:00Z 0
    Bono's Message to Rotary on the Fight to End Polio D 2020-10-27 07:00:00Z 0

    Succesful Hoopathon 2020 and Scholarship Presentations

     
    On Sunday June 28, in an outdoor, physically-distanced ceremony, Rotarians gathered with the successful scholarship recipients, family members and community representatives to celebrate the 2020 Rotary Youth Leadership Hoop-a-thon awards. 
     
    THANK YOU!!
     
    The 2020 Strathcona ROTARY Youth Leadership Hoop-A-Thon Raised $52,000+
     
    Thanks to all who donated this year during unusually difficult economic times. 
    Because of the generosity of Rotarians, friends, family, our Corporate Donors, The HoopLaw Tournament and the Vancouver Basketball Foundation we were able to exceed last year’s receipts!
     
    ALL of the money raised will go towards helping kids in East Vancouver:
     
    Scholarships: $35,000
     
    Strathcona Basketball Program: $8,190
     
    Rotary Youth Leadership Training (RYLA): $4,000
     
    Girls who LEAP: (Lead, Empower, Act with Purpose): $5,000
     
    Since 2007 the ROTARY Hoop-A-Thon Project has raised over $415,000 supporting our Youth Leadership initiatives in Vancouver. 
     
    Again, thank you for helping us help the kids!
     
    SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
    Succesful Hoopathon 2020 and Scholarship Presentations Diana Theman 2020-06-28 07:00:00Z 0
    Interactors Leading the Way for Vision 2020 Diana Theman 2020-01-05 08:00:00Z 0

    Week of October 16 2019

    We had 13 members and 2 visiting Rotarians, Brian Street from the Vancouver club and Mary French who is the CEO and founder of the Dictionary Project 
     
    Announcements:
     
    * For our next meeting on Oct. 23, 2019, our guest speakers will be Jason Lauzon, Principal of the King Jorge Secondary School and School Ambassador Jesse.
    * Our club's Christmas party is formally scheduled for December 14th. It will be at the Obregon's house like last year. More details to come.
    * October 24th is World Polio Day. We have a photo opp with the Vancouver Major on October 18th at 3 pm at City Hall; please try to attend!
    * From October 25-27, Districts 5040 and 5050 are hosting the largest Rotaract event on the west coast of North America, the Big West Rotaract Conference. This ninth annual regional conference for Rotaractors provides skill training and leadership development for our organization’s young leaders.
    * Be a star and join us for some Hollywood Glitz as Rotarians and Rotaractors across District 5040 raise fund for our Rotary Foundation.  Hollywood Glitz dinner and the show takes place on Saturday, November 16th at the Burnaby Firefighters Banquet and Conference Centre and is sure to be an evening of entertainment that you don’t want to miss! Poster with details is attached.
     
    Note that on this evening Rotarians can make a donation of $500 US to the Rotary Foundation that will be matched by District Points and you will receive a Paul Harris. 
     
    Tickets are now on sale online at www.burnabymetrotownrotary.org or by calling Sam Wong at 604-731-1191 ext 3
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Mary French, the founder of the dictionary project, brought us the Rotary moment today. The goal of this program is to assist all students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionary. The dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and at home for years to come. Educators see third grade as the dividing line between learning to read and reading to learn, so we encourage our sponsors to give dictionaries each year to children in the third grade.
    Learn more about this program by visiting their official website: https://www.dictionaryproject.org
     
    Guest Speaker
     
    Our Speaker today was Trevor Stokes, who runs the Street Front Alternative program. 
     
    Streetfront is a Vancouver School Board alternative education program based out of Britannia Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
    Streetfront approaches education with an emphasis on physical activities and outdoor experiences. They offer classes in Math, Science, Socials and English for grades 8 -10. In addition, they have Physical Education, Outdoor Education, Planning, Woodworking, and Foods classes. They run three days per week, with some students training for and participating in the Seattle and Vancouver full and Half Marathons. They also spend approximately 35 days of the 190 school days in an outdoor environment – this includes the three four-day camp trips.
     
    Watch Trevor in this TEDx talk:
     
     
     
    Visit their website to learn more: https://streetfront.ca
     
    Thought of the day:
    You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it's important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages. - Michelle Obama
     
    Week of October 16 2019 2019-10-16 07:00:00Z 0

    August 8 2018

      
    This week we welcomed 12 members and Sheila's guest, Kathy Chou.
     
    Announcements:
     
    * Rotary Leadership Institute courses deadline is August 31. Rotary Leadership Institute is one of the ways our Rotarians can learn more about the world of Rotary and enjoy some fellowship along the way. These facilitated session are very interactive and enjoyable.  Register online:
     
    https://rotary5040.org/Stories/rotary-leadership-institute-1
     
    *Our Day of the Dead fiesta is confirmed for October 27th at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $75 per person.
     
    Rotary Moment
     
    August is Membership month and today Diana asked us to consider WHO our members are and who might be prospective members for our Club to meet Ron’s membership goal of growing to 30 members. As a breakfast club, we might appeal more to “morning people”, retirees, people who don’t have a lunch break or who have to get home right after work for child pick-up or evening commitments.
     
    But we shouldn’t rule out non-morning people either, who might be able to attend with a little peer support and encouragement for ride sharing or reminders. As a downtown club, we might appeal to people working in the area, maybe people coming to the rec centre on Wednesdays for child care or programs, using the Evo or other ride sharing in the rec centre parking, or businesses in the Coal Harbour area or the West End.
     
    Most of all we will appeal to people who value community service and have the time to commit to at least one of our projects and to the social activities. We will appeal to people who see us in action in the community at Strathcona or hear about our work with youth in Project Amigo, RYLA and King George Interact, which makes it important to show up and get the word out. 
     
    Business Meeting
     
    Our club Board met yesterday and here are a few highlights:
     
    Membership
     
    Everyone to invite guests and work on helping to engage good speakers please.
    Ron, Gary and Ted to set up meeting with Van City about a corporate membership to have local branch managers or other reps attend our club.
     
    Financial - Treasurer’s report
     
    Ted reported we are in good shape, ended 2017-2018 in a slight surplus position. Invoices for dues will be going out shortly - payment due within 30 days please.
     
    Projects
     
    Abigail, Emma and Matthew had a great time teaching swimming at Project Amigo. For many kids, it was their first time ever being in the water, other than local streams which can be dangerous during flooding. More details to follow at a future meeting we hope!
     
    Gary thanked everyone for their support with a successful Hoop-a-thon this year which increased our fundraising by 20% for a total of $23,429 thanks to our partnership with other clubs. Ron noted that the Strathcona kids raised an additional $10,000. Refer to Gary’s email for more details.
     
    Foundation:
     
    John declared his objective to increase the Rotary Sunrise Foundation fund by $25K-$30K in the next two years through member contributions with he and Marni kicking off the effort this year. The funds can be used to increase our scholarships which have not increased in amount since the fund was established 25 years ago, and to provide greater support to youth programs such as RYLA and other work we do. More to follow on this and our scholarship and bursary program funds with SFU which require our attention to ensure we are meeting our objectives through the university’s administration of the funding.
     
    2018-2019 Presidential Priorities:
     
    Please provide Ron with feedback on his proposed goals for 2018-2019 and he will formally present them at a September club meeting - see summary below:
     
    Great Vibrant Meetings:
    • Rotary Moment
    • Continue with a Great Speakers Program
    • Members invite friends and family to come to meetings
    • Have an amazing greeter
    • Sergeant at Arms/ Announcements
    • Birthday Celebrations

    Membership 30 Members by 2019:
    • each member in their vocation or network to actively recruit “Bring a Friend to Meeting Day”
    • a family membership fee thought about this at Changeover seeing all the spouses
    • Member/Friend/Family Get-together Events ie Day at the Races, Fireworks, Christmas
    • membership subsidies look at ways we can make being a Rotarian affordable the Member can payback by taking a more active role in Service
    • membership attendance provide opportunities for members who cannot make meetings to be active in committees and service instead
    • recruitment meeting with Downtown Business Association and other organizations
    • each member has a crew talk with their vocation as part of membership drive maybe can invite another club member to help
    • meet individually with each member for their thoughts and feedback about club find out what they are passionate about

    Fundraising for Club Activities:
    • Rotary Raffle
    • Pub Socials
    • Day at the Races
    • Grants Gaming
    • and Aviva
    Youth:
    • King George Interacts, Britannia Interacts, Langara Rotaract
    • Meet with Administration and School Sponsor
    • Club presence on recruitment Days club presence at meetings
    • Host our own Vancouver Interact Conference on a Pro-D Day
    • Fundraiser to support Youth programs 50/50 draw Project Amigo Raffle for RYLA
    Local Projects :
     
    • Hoopathon and Salvation Army Foot Program

    International Projects:
    • Project Amigo
    • Brands Across Canada
    Service Events:
    • At least one a month Recycling Solid Waste Disposal
    • Salvation Army Toy Mountain
    • Neighbourhood Cleanup
    • Pancake Breakfast.
    • Revisit West Ends Seniors Lunch 
    Promote Rotary:
    • Pride Parade Participation
    • Club Days at Schools and Post Secondary Institutions
    • Community Festivals/Rotary Tent/ Rotary Sign to have at all events
    • Bookmarks  
    • Buttons to hand out 
    • Service Events 
     

    Thought of the day:
     
     
    “To handle yourself use your head, to handle others use your heart. “Eleanor Roosevelt.
     
    Why Rotary? Read more here: https://www.rotary.org/en/why-rotary
     
    About Rotary: https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    August 8 2018 2018-08-08 07:00:00Z 0

    January 3 2018

     
    4 Way Test:
     
    President Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. We had 11 members present today.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Our Rotary Moment today was about an experience Alfredo had this past Christmas. He received a Christmas card from a client and in the envelope, instead of a lump of coal he found a $150 donation to our club's foundation! Talk about an original and thoughtful present.
     
    Announcements:
     
    * In February 2018, the eyes of the Rotary World will be on Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Zones 24 and 25 will host the Presidential Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Peace. Our member Diana Theman will be attending. Read more about this conference on the official website: https://environmentandpeace.com/
     
    * This year we will be having another fundraiser for Project Amigo, more details coming in the month of March.
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Jackie Kloosterboer who is the Emergency Planning Coordinator & Emergency Social Services Director with the city of Vancouver. 
     
    Jackie has been leading the way in earthquake preparedness for over 18 years. She presents more than 100 Earthquake Preparedness sessions each year to groups, businesses and at conferences, taking people step by step through the process of how to prepare their family and pets for whatever disaster comes their way. Jackie is often interviewed by a variety of media outlets across Canada as she promotes Earthquake Preparedness.
     
    There were 3 recommendations that I feel are very important and easy to implement:
     
    1) Have an out of Province emergency contact. You may not be able to contact all your friends and family locally due to the communications services being unavailable or limited.
     
    2) Have an agreed on evacuation location where all your family members can meet in the event of an
    emergency.
     
    3) Budget 4 liters of water per person per day. 
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." - Oprah Winfrey 

    Next Speakers:
     
    Jan 10 - Business Meeting.
    Jan 17 - Advanced Education, High School Graduates' next move.
     
    Jan 24 - Robbie Burns Day
    January 3 2018 Carlos Obregon 2018-01-03 08:00:00Z 0

    December 20 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    President Elect Ron Suzuki led the group in the Four-Way Test. We had 13 members present today.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Our Rotary Moment today was about clean water. Clean water and sanitation is a human right. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, they lead healthier and more successful lives.

    We don’t just build wells and walk away. Rotary members integrate water, sanitation, and hygiene into education projects. When children learn about disease transmission and practice good hygiene, they miss less school. And they can take those lessons home to their families, expanding our impact.
     
    Announcements:
     
    * There will not be a meeting on December 27th, that is the only cancelled meeting this month.
     
    * The Yaletown and the Vancouver Rotary clubs have committed to the Hoopathon once again this year.
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Jonathan Evans from the Salvation Army. The Army was founded in 1865 in London by one-time Methodist circuit-preacher William Booth and his wife Catherine as the East London Christian Mission. In 1878 Booth reorganised the mission, becoming its first General and introducing the military structure which has been retained to the present day.
     
    The organization reports a worldwide membership of over 1.5 million. The Salvation Army offers a variety of services and programs throughout the province of British Columbia for members of the communities that we serve. These activities are motivated by a belief that each individual possesses an inherent worth and dignity. It is the goal of The Salvation Army to restore dignity and hope in the lives of those we serve through these programs as they experience times of need.
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

    Next Speakers:
     
    Jan 3    - Jackie Kloosterboer, Earthquake Preparedness.
    Jan 10 - Business Meeting.
    Jan 17 - Advanced Education, High School Graduates' next move
     
    December 20 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-12-20 08:00:00Z 0

    December 13 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    President Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. We had 16 members present and two visiting Rotarians from South Africa, Roger and Mariam Dymond.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Our Rotary Moment today was done by Michael Alty. In 2015, the Health Minister of Malawi, Africa, noted that the nation of more than 17 million people had only 10 active dentists practicing there. They faced a real problem of untreated dental health issues. So, the Rotary club of the capital, Lilongwe, sponsored a ve-day dental camp that treated more than 1,100 Malawians.
     
    The Rotarians held a golf tournament in advance to raise the money needed to pay for all the medications and dental hygiene products. They also hired 30 additional dentists needed to make the dental camp a success. There is still a need for more dentists in Malawi but the backlog of needed treatment has been addressed. 
     
    Announcements:
     
    * There will not be a meeting on December 27th, that is the only cancelled meeting this month.
     
    * The Yaletown and the Vancouver Rotary clubs have committed to the Hoopathon once again this year.
     
    * Our Christmas party was a success! Thank you very much, John and Marni, for hosting everyone, please check out the pics below:
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Today we had our Annual General Meeting for both our club and our foundation. Our finances are looking good, thanks in large part to our Treasurers and our board, thank you all for your hard work!
     
     
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Abraham Joshua Heschel — 'When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.'

    Next Speakers:
     
    Dec 20 - Salvation Army, Christmas theme.
    Jan 3    - Jackie Kloosterboer, Earthquake Preparedness.
     Jan 10 - Business Meeting.
     
    December 13 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-12-13 08:00:00Z 0

    December 6 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Ron Suzuki was the acting president today; he led the group in the Four-Way Test. We had 14 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Our Rotary Moment today was done by Michael Alty. The Rotary Foundation as of the 2015-2016 Financial Year had over $1 billion in assets invested. However, like many Rotary projects, the Rotary Foundation had a humble beginning. It was an initial contribution of $26.50 in 1917 which set in motion a powerful force that has transformed millions of lives around the globe!
     
    Announcements:
     
    * Our Christmas party will be this Saturday!
     
    * On Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM to noon there will be a membership workshop entitled Priority #1 Plus. Sing up here:
    https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/registrations/publicfill/eventpublicfill.aspx?evtid=ee7c9d43-60d1-4b4b-9fee-faea5ff62f8d
     
    * There will not be a meeting on December 27th, that is the only canceled meeting this month.
     
    * The Yaletown and the Vancouver Rotary clubs have committed to the Hoopathon once again this year.
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was our member Tina Parbhakar, the topic of her presentation was "Uganda - child rights". 
     
    Tina is a practicing lawyer and an avid volunteer based in Vancouver, B.C. She is passionate about social justice issues in Canada and abroad. In 2012-2013, she worked in Kampala through the Aga Khan Foundation Canada as a Communications Specialist with the Madrasa Early Childhood Programme and has previously worked in Delhi with Participatory Research in Asia on issues related to violence against women. She is currently a member of Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada.
     
    As part of her presentation, she recommended that we watch the video linked below, it is called "The girl effect"
     
     
    Tina's presentation was very informative and we thank her for speaking to us today!
     
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein

    Next Speakers:
     
    Dec 13 - Business meeting. Club's AGM and Foundation.
    Dec 20 - Salvation Army, Christmas theme.
    Jan 3    - Jackie Kloosterboer, Earthquake Preparedness​​​​​​​
    December 6 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-12-06 08:00:00Z 0

    November 29 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Ron Suzuki was the acting president today; he led the group in the Four-Way Test. We had 13 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Our Rotary Moment today was done by John Haley, he brought a collection of crafts and jewelry that he acquired in his trip to Africa, we all got to admire the beauty and artistry displayed by the crafts.
     
    Announcements:
     
    * Our Christmas party will be on Dec 9th, RSVP by December 3rd!
     
    * On Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM to noon there will be a membership workshop entitled Priority #1 Plus. Sing up here:
    https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/registrations/publicfill/eventpublicfill.aspx?evtid=ee7c9d43-60d1-4b4b-9fee-faea5ff62f8d
     
    * There will not be a meeting on December 27th, that is the only canceled meeting this month.
     
    * The Hoopathon will take place on April 28th, 2018, the first planning meeting took place this week.
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Laura Track. Laura is a lawyer in CLAS’s Human Rights Clinic. She advocates on behalf of people who have experienced discrimination and assists complainants to navigate BC’s human rights process. Laura also has a strong interest in making legal knowledge accessible, since the first step in defending our human rights is to know what they are.
     
    She delivers workshops and presentations to a wide variety of audiences to inform and empower people to exercise their human rights.
     

    Prior to joining CLAS, Laura worked with several other legal non-profits in Vancouver, learning much along the way about the law’s potential to advance equality and social justice. She is on the Advisory Committee of the Rise Women's Legal Centre and a volunteer yoga teacher and Board Chair of Yoga Outreach, a charity providing free yoga classes to disadvantaged communities.

    The topic of her presentation was "Marijuana legalization and human rights".
     
    Here are a few highlights of her presentation:
     
    * Bill C 45 will make Marijuana legal by July 2018.
     
    * Canadians 18 or older will be able to legally possess up to 30 grams and four plants of Marijuana for recreational use.
     
    * Employers will likely treat Marijuana use like alcohol, not allowed during work hours.
     
    * One of the challenges presented by the legalization is that there are no reliable tests for impairment due to marijuana use.
     
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Dr. Seuss — 'You are you. Now, isn't that pleasant?'

    Next Speakers:
     
    Dec 6    - Tina Parbhakar, Uganda - child rights
    Dec 13 - Business meeting. Club's AGM and Foundation.
    Dec 20 - Salvation Army, Christmas theme.

    November 29 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-11-29 08:00:00Z 0

    November 22 2017

     
    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 14 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Sonya told us about diversity in Rotary. The first Rotary Clubs in Asia were Manila in the Philippines and Shanghai in China, each in July 1919.
     
    Rotary's office in Illinois immediately began encouraging the Rotary Club of Shanghai to recruit Chinese members “believing that when a considerable number of the native business and professional men have been so honoured, the Shanghai Club will begin to realize its period of greatest success.” As part of considering the application of a Club to be chartered in Kolkata (then Calcutta), India in January 1920 and Tokyo, Japan in October 1920, Rotary formally considered the issue of racial restriction in membership and determined that the organization could not allow racial restrictions to the organization's growth.
     
    In Rotary's legislative deliberations in June 1921, it was formally determined that racial restrictions would not be permitted. Non-racialism was included in the terms of the standard constitution in 1922 and required to be adopted by all member Clubs.

    Rotary and other service clubs in the last decade of the 20th century became open to gay members. Other minorities, in the face of general changes in demographics and declining membership, are also encouraged to join.

     
    Announcements:
     
     
    * On Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM to noon there will be a membership workshop entitled Priority #1 Plus. Sing up here:
    https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/registrations/publicfill/eventpublicfill.aspx?evtid=ee7c9d43-60d1-4b4b-9fee-faea5ff62f8d
     
    * Our club's Christmas party will be at John Haley's house on December 9th, make sure you save the date!
     
    * There will not be a meeting on December 27th, that is the only cancelled meeting this month.
     
    * The Hoopathon will take place on April 28th, 2018, mark your calendars!
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was member John Haley, telling us about his once in a lifetime adventure trip to Africa. 
     
    Here are a few of the many exciting highlights of his presentation:
     
    * He and Marni  went off the beaten path to meet with several very interesting tribes that live in remote areas in Africa.
     
    *  One of the tribes they had contact with were the Himba people, The Himba are indigenous peoples with an estimated population of about 50,000 people living in northern Namibia. They are semi-nomadic.
     
    * Himba women especially, as well as Himba men, are remarkably famous for covering themselves with otjize paste, a cosmetic mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment, to cleanse the skin over long periods due to water scarcity and protect themselves from the extremely hot and dry climate of the Kaokoland as well as against mosquito insect bites
     
    * Another tribe they met with were the Maasai. The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress.
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    “The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to.” Richard Mullin

    Next Speakers:
     
    Nov 29 - Laura Track, Marijuana Legalization
    Dec 6    - Tina Parbhakar, Uganda - child rights
    Dec 13 - Business meeting. Club's AGM and Foundation.
    November 22 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-11-22 08:00:00Z 0

    November 15 2017

     
    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 14 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame. As well as District Governor Don Evans and his wife Debbie and Davinder Grewal Assistant District Governor.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Diana Theman told our guests about our current catering company. Potluck catering is a non-profit social enterprise and registered charity, Potluck Café Society operates Potluck Café & Catering to help fund and support its community programs, including the creation of jobs for neighborhood residents with barriers to traditional employment. 
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    *The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
     
    * On Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM to noon there will be a membership workshop entitled Priority #1 Plus. Sing up here:
    https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/registrations/publicfill/eventpublicfill.aspx?evtid=ee7c9d43-60d1-4b4b-9fee-faea5ff62f8d
     
    * Our club's Christmas party will be at John Haley's house on December 9th, make sure you save the date!
     
    Especial Announcement: Our member Ted MacCormack was awarded a Paul Harris medal for his contributions to the Rotary Foundation, congratulations!
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was our District Governor Don Evans. Don Evans has been active in Rotary for more than 30 years. He is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Vancouver (2002-2003) and has held many different positions with his club. He has been active with District 5040 Strategic Planning, a member of the District Foundation Committee and was a PETS Trainer. He was named Rotarian of the Year in 5040 in 2014.
     
    Here are a few of the many interesting highlights of his presentation:
     
    * Rotary Presidential Conference on Environmental Sustainability & Peace,  Vancouver, BC,  Friday to Sunday, February 9 – 11, 2018. More information here: https://environmentandpeace.com/
     
    *  Our District 5040 is now the top growing district in terms of membership in Canada! 5th in North America!
     
    * Rotary International now has over 500K Interactors and 250K Rotaractors.
     
    * RI wants all the clubs to start tracking members volunteer hours, make sure you log in your hours in the attendace sheet when you come to our meetings.
     
    * District 5040 has a new Rotarian business directory, make sure to register your business there: http://rotary5040.business/
     
    * Our district conference will take place on May 31 to June 3 2018 in Squamish, please check out the conference webpage to find out more and register: http://www.rotary5040.org/Page/2018-district-conference

    Thought of the day:
     
    Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein
     

    Next Speakers:
     
    Nov 22 - John Haley, African trip part 2
    Nov 29 - Laura Track, Marijuana Legalization
    Dec 6    - Tina Parbhakar, Uganda - child rights
    November 15 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-11-15 08:00:00Z 0

    November 8 2017

     
    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 13 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Ted MacCormac told us about a very interesting fundraising that a club he attends in Hawaii did one day. Members were invited to donate the spare change they were carrying. They ended up raising a considerable amount, but the most impressive part was that the venue's server was one of the largest donors!
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    *The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
     
    * On Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM to noon there will be a membership workshop entitled Priority #1 Plus. Contact Tom Smith to sign up.
     
    * Our club's Christmas party will be at John Haley's house on December 9th, make sure you save the date!
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Commander Chris Persson, Commander of the HMCS Discovery. HMCS Discovery is a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve division and shore facility based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Created during World War II from the Vancouver Half Company of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, Discovery was used for recruitment and training and provided almost 8,000 personnel during the war. Discovery continued in its training role following the war, and also serves as headquarters for several Reserve and Cadet units.
     
    Commander Chris Persson joined the Naval Reserve in Ottawa in 1978. For the first 8 years of his naval career he trained and worked as a cook, working in that capacity on and off on the west coast and in some of the nation’s smaller naval ships.
     
    In July 2011 he deployed on a six-month tour in Manama, Bahrain where he was a Future Operations planner for Counter Piracy and Counter Terrorism Naval Forces in the Indian Ocean and Somalia Regions. 
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Carl Gustav Jung — 'You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.'

    Next Speakers:
     
    Nov 15- Business Meeting with District Governor Don Evans.
    Nov 22 - John Haley, African trip part 2
    Nov 29 - Laura Track, Marijuana Legalization
     
    November 8 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-11-08 08:00:00Z 0

    November 1st 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 13 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Gary Shearer, our guest speaker, did the Rotary moment for us today. He told us about an experience he had during the training seminar for incoming Rotary district governors. This seminar took place in San Diego, just a few hundred meters from a military base. The moment that impacted him was when the Japanese and US flag came in together to the venue. The 2 former enemies united in Rotary.
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    *The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
     
    * On Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM to noon there will be a membership workshop entitled Priority #1 Plus. Contact Tom Smith to sign up.
     
    * Our club's Christmas party will be at John Haley's house on December 9th, make sure you save the date!
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Gary Shearer, District Foundation Chair.
     
    Some of the highlights of his presentation:
     
    * The Rotary Foundation disburses USD$200M each and every year on Rotary projects around the world.
     
    * The RF has 3 funds, Polio, annual fund and permanent fund.
     
    * The RF ranks among the best-managed charities in the world.
     
    * The RF has 6 areas of focus:
     
    • Peace and conflict prevention/resolution.
    • Disease prevention and treatment.
    • Water and sanitation.
    • Maternal and child health.
    • Basic education and literacy.
    • Economic and community development.
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Carl Gustav Jung — 'You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.'

    Next Speakers:
     
    Nov 8  - Commander of HMCS Discovery
    Nov 15- Business Meeting with District Governor Don Evans.
    Nov 22 - John Haley, African trip part 2
     
    November 1st 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-11-01 07:00:00Z 0

    October 25 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 14 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame, who is considering joining our club!
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Today we skipped it to have more time for our guest speaker.
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    *The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser was a success!
     
    *The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
     
    * Our club's Christmas party will be at John Haley's house on December 9th, make sure you save the date!
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was our member Larry Belsito doing his classification talk.
     
    Some if the highlghts of his presentation:
     
    * He was born in Ontario, his father was Italian and his Mother Canadian.
     
    * He had 3 brothers.
     
    * He met Tania, his wife, in 1972. They have 5 grown children.
     
    * Some of the places he has lived and worked in: Dubai, Fiji, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Qatar.
     
    * He joined Rotary in 1979 and he is a charter member of our club. He has bee our club's president twice.
     
    * He actually danced with Tina Turner in 1983!
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    It's one of those days where even my coffee needs coffee!

    Next Speakers:
     
    Nov 1  - Garry Shearer, RI Foundation and Polio Plus
    Nov 8  - Mark Ferrari, Port of Vancouver
    Nov 15- Business Meeting with District Governor Don Evans.
     
    October 25 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-10-25 07:00:00Z 0

    October 18 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 17 members present and one guest, Adriana Adame, who is considering joining our club!
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    This month Larry Belsito will be doing the Rotary Moment. Today he told us 20 good reasons to join Rotary:
     
    1. Friendship: In an increasingly complex world, Rotary provides one of the most basic human needs: the need for friendship and fellowship. It is one of two reasons why Rotary began in 1905.
     
    2. Business Development: The second original reason for Rotary's beginning is business development. Everyone needs to network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every business community. Its members come from all walks of life. Rotarians help each other and collectively help others.
     
    3. Personal Growth and Development: Membership in Rotary continues one’s growth and education in human relations and personal development.
     
    4. Leadership Development: Rotary is an organization of leaders and successful people. Serving in Rotary positions is like a college education. Leadership: - learning how to motivate, influence, and lead leaders.
     
    5. Citizenship in the Community: Membership in a Rotary club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary club consists of the most active citizens of any community.
     
    6. Continuing Education: Each week at Rotary there is a program designed to keep one informed about what is going on in the community, nation, and world. Each meeting provides an opportunity to listen to different speakers and a variety of timely topics.
     
    7. Fun: Rotary is fun, a lot of fun. Each meeting is fun. The club projects are fun. Social activities are fun. The service is fun.
     
    8. Public Speaking Skills: Many individuals who joined Rotary were afraid to speak in public. Rotary develops confidence and skill in public communication and the opportunity to practice and perfect these skills.
     
    9. Citizenship in the World: Every Rotarian wears a pin that says “Rotary International.” There are few places on the globe that do not have a Rotary club. Every Rotarian is welcome – even encouraged – to attend any of the 29,000 clubs in 194 nations and geographical regions. This means instant friends in both one’s own community and in the world community.
     
    10. Assistance when Traveling: Because there are Rotary clubs everywhere, many a Rotarian in need of a doctor, lawyer, hotel, dentist, advice, etc., while traveling has found assistance through Rotary.
     
    11. Entertainment: Every Rotary club and district has parties and activities that provide diversion in one’s business life. Rotary holds conferences, conventions, assemblies, and institutes that provide entertainment in addition to Rotary information, education, and service.
     
    12. The Development of Social Skills: Every week and at various events and functions, Rotary develops one’s personality, social skills and people skills. Rotary is for people who like people.
     
    13. Family Programs: Rotary provides one of the world’s largest youth exchange programs; high school and college clubs for future Rotarians; opportunities for spouse involvement; and a host of activities designed to help family members in growth and the development of family values.
     
    14. Vocational Skills: Every Rotarian is expected to take part in the growth and development of his or her own profession or vocation; to serve on committees and to teach youth about one’s job or vocation. Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc...
     
    15. The Development of Ethics: Rotarians practice a 4-Way Test that governs one’s ethical standards. Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and personal relationships.
     
    16. Cultural Awareness: Around the world, practically every religion, country, culture, race, creed, political persuasion, language, color, and ethnic identity is found in Rotary. It is a cross section of the world’s most prominent citizens from every background. Rotarians become aware of their cultures and learn to love and work with people everywhere. They become better citizens of their countries in the process.
     
    17. Prestige: Rotary members are prominent people: leaders of business, the professions, art, government, sports, military, religion, and all disciplines. Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world. Its ranks include executives, managers, professionals – people who make decisions and influence policy.
     
    18. Nice People: Rotarians above all are nice people - the nicest people on the face of the earth. They are important people who follow the policy of it is nice to be important but it is important to be nice.
     
    19. The Absence of an “Official Creed”: Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meeting or rituals. It is an open society of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
     
    20. The Opportunity to Serve: Rotary is a service club. Its business is mankind. Its product is service. Rotarians provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for somebody else and to sense the self-fulfillment that comes in the process and return of that satisfaction to one’s own life. It is richly rewarding.

     
    Announcements:
     
     
    *The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page can be found here:
     
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/day-of-the-dead-party-for-project-amigo-tickets-36905247589
     
    *The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
     
    * Our club's Christmas party will be at John Haley's house on December9th, make sure you save the date!
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Chris Loat from Shelterbox. ShelterBox is an international relief charity that provides immediate assistance to people affected by disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, flooding, hurricanes, cyclones, tsunamis, or conflict. With 18 international affiliates, ShelterBox provides shelter, lifesaving equipment, and educational materials to hard-hit communities worldwide. Since its founding in 2000, ShelterBox has responded to more than 200 natural disasters and humanitarian crises in almost 90 countries, providing vital aid for well over 1 million
    people. 
     
    Please visit their website: https://www.shelterboxcanada.org/
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    "When we serve others, we gain more than hope. We gain energy."
    — Margaret J. Wheatley in

    Next Speakers:
     
    Oct 25 - Larry Belsito, classification talk
    Nov 1  - Garry Shearer, RI Foundation and Polio Plus
    Nov 8  - Mark Ferrari, Port of Vancouver
     
     
    October 18 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-10-18 07:00:00Z 0

    October 4 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 15 members present.
     
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    This month Larry Belsito will be doing the Rotary Moment. Today he told about famous Rotarians, here is a list with a fe of them:
     
    • King Albert I of Belgium – Honorary (RC Brussels; RC San Francisco)
    • Dr. Forrest C. “Phog” Allen, college basketball coach and Basketball Hall of Fame member
    • Clinton P. Anderson, US Congressman; US secretary of agriculture; US Senator
    • Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, astronaut and second man to walk on the moon, USA
    • Neil Armstrong, astronaut and first man to walk on the moon, USA
    • Ásgeir Ásgeirson, president, Iceland, RC Reykjavik; past RI district governor
    • Eusebio Ayala, president, Paraguay
    • King Baudouin I of Belgium
    • Eduard Benes, president, Czechoslovakia
    • Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
    • Clarence Birdseye, developer of a process for quick freezing food, USA
    • Harry A. Blackmun, associate justice of the Supreme Court, USA
    • Frank Borman, astronaut, USA
    • Sir Donald Bradman, cricketer, Australia
    • Sir Norman Brearley, aviation pioneer, Australia
    • Frank Brennan past president Eureka Rotary and past district governor 1942 – 1943
    • William Jennings Bryan, statesman, and orator
    • George W. Bush, president, USA.

     
    Announcements:
     
    * Ron has been successful in having an Aviva Grant approved for voting.  Congratulations Ron!.  On October 10 the voting starts, so we need to vote and get the word out to vote.  The voting concludes on October 19.
     
    https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/voting/project/view/17-123
     
    *The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page can be found here:
     
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/day-of-the-dead-party-for-project-amigo-tickets-36905247589
     
    *The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Raymond Greenwood, also known as Mr. Fireworks. Mr. Fireworks has been making events "light up" for over 30 years. Alongside his son Matthew "Boom Boom" Greenwood they sell and organize fireworks displays, both indoor and outdoor.

    Leading up to Halloween they run a family fireworks store which includes all my Flashing Light Products, proudly brought to you by The King Of Bling
     
    He helped bring the fireworks to the city in 1990 and ran it for the next 11 years when it was sponsored by tobacco company Benson & Hedges and known as the "Benson & Hedges Symphony of Fire."

    When the federal government clamped down on tobacco sponsorship in 2000, Benson & Hedges canceled its backing.

    HSBC Bank Canada, BC Hydro and the City of Vancouver chipped in to save the event. Each year since organizers have struggled to come up with the roughly $4-million in cash and donations required to produce the show.
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Life is like a firework. You gotta ignite the fuse and make it beautiful.

    Next Speakers:
     
    Oct 11 - Business Meeting
    Oct 18 - Chris Loat, ShelterBox
     
     
    October 4 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-10-04 07:00:00Z 0

    September 27 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 12 members present as well as four guests from the Strathcona Community Centre: Coach Mitra Tshan and players Devon Wong, Lucy Guan, Surprise Munie.
     
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Today Ron Suzuki presented the RM. These are his words:
     
    "In honour of our guests today this is my Rotary Moment and the reason I joined this Club. Strathcona is a little Community Center that does big things serving our Countries oldest and poorest community.
     
    In 2003 I met Rotarian Robert French who invited me to speak at an upcoming Breakfast Meeting. My presentation included needed support for the Center's Downstairs Kitchen Renovation and our expanding Basketball Program.
     
    In 2004 the Rotary helped the Center raise 5,000.00 for a kitchen renovation in 2005 Rotary raised funds to purchase and install a  Basketball Score Clock  2006- we now have the Rotary Hoopathon which as of 2016 raised over $225,000.00 for Basketball and Youth Leadership Programs.
     
    When I retired I was told to surround myself with good people who do good things and this is why I joined the Rotary!"

     
    Announcements:
     
    • We have a very important AGM meeting next week. We need 2/3 of the members to be present. Please do your best to attend.
    • The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page can be found here:
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/day-of-the-dead-party-for-project-amigo-tickets-36905247589
    • The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
    • Shail Mahanti invited us to the "Shredathon for Clean Oceans" organized by the Arbutus Rotary Club. This project aims to raise funds to clean up the beaches and shores of El Salvador. The event will be on September 30th from 10 am to 2 pm. The meeting place will be the Shell gas station on Broadway and Arbutus.
     
    Meeting:
     
    Today we presented the Strathcona Community Centre with a cheque for $11,500. These were funds raised on the Hoppathon.
     
     
     
    Our club was very proud to present Gary Chomyn with a Paul Harris for his hard work on making the Hoopathon a success!
     
     
     
    Guest Speaker:
     
    Our guest speaker today was our new member Natalya Lysova with her classification talk. Her talk was very interesting and helped us know more about her. Some of the highllights of her presentation were:
     
    • She was a Rotary Youth Exchange student in Australia in 1998
    • She holds 3 degrees, Psychology, Law and Business Management.
    • She currently works as an Executive Assistant and corporate development with a mining company.
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    How lucky Adam was. He knew when he said a good thing, nobody had said it before. Mark Twain
     

    Next Speakers:

    Oct 4 - Raymond Greenwood, Mr. Fireworks.
    Oct 11 - Business Meeting
    Oct 18 - Chris Loat, ShelterBox
     
    September 27 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-09-27 07:00:00Z 0

    September 20 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 13 members present as well as three visiting Rotarians, Harold McLeod from Florida, Shail Mahanti from the Arbutus club and Thora Thorasdottir from Iceland.
     
    Our meeting today took an unexpected turn since we were not able to access the community centre. As resourceful Rotarians, we quickly found an alternate meeting venue in Diana's party room of her building :)
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Today Ron Suzuki presented the RM. These are his words:
     
    "Rotarians Celebrating Diversity Everyday. 
     
    It was very challenging for people of Color in the early part of the 20th Century. In 1914 the Komagata Maru a chartered ship of South Asian Immigrants was not allowed to land in Vancouver.1920 was the second coming of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States 1923 the Chinese Immigration Act banned Chinese from making Canada their home. 

    25,000.00 Japanese Canadians were interned in 1942.
     
    In 1921  when Racial Restriction was addressed in Rotary it was formally determined that racial restriction would not be permitted. Non-Racism was included in the Rotary terms of the standard constitution in 1922, required to be adopted by all member clubs. 
     
    Rotary and other service clubs in the last decade have encouraged the membership of the LGBQT community as well as other minorities. Peter and I marched in last months Pride Parade in front of 650,000 we both thought maybe next year getting all the Vancouver Rotary Clubs to participate as a community service entry."

    Announcements:
     
    • The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page can be found here:
     
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/day-of-the-dead-party-for-project-amigo-tickets-36905247589
     
    • The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/
    • Shail Mahanti invited us to the "Shredathon for Clean Oceans" organized by the Arbutus Rotary Club. This project aims to raise funds to clean up the beaches and shores of El Salvador. The event will be on September 30th from 10 am to 2 pm. The meeting place will be the Shell gas station on Broadway and Arbutus.
    Meeting:
     
    Our meeting today was adapted from the original plan since we did not have AV in place. John Charbonneau was kind enough to offer to come back and give his presentation next week.
     
    This image shows what a group of locked-out Rotarians look like:
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. -Epictetus
     

    Next Speakers:

    September 27 - John Charbonneau, Reverse Mortgages.
    Krystal Brennan, Stream of Dreams Murals Society.
    Raymond Greenwood, Mr. Fireworks.
     
    September 20 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-09-20 07:00:00Z 0

    September 13 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four-Way Test. Today we had 16 members present as well as one guest,Jonathan Evans, from the Salvation Army and one visiting Rotarian from the Downtown Club, Franco Gallo.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Today Ron Suzuki presented the RM. These are his words:
     
    "Rotaract  a contraction for Rotary in Motion originally began as a Rotary International Youth Program in 1968 in Charolette North Carolina. Rotaract is a Rotary Sponsored service,leadership,organization for young men and women 18-30.
     
    Presently there are now 9,522 clubs spread around the world which equals to 291,006. I will be speaking to the Trek Program at UBC today. Trek is a Student Service Program servicing the Downtown East-Side. I will be talking about the Rotaract Program today!"

    Announcements:
     
    • The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page can be found here:
     
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/day-of-the-dead-party-for-project-amigo-tickets-36905247589
     
    • The Rotary Club of Vancouver Downtown invited us to the Rotary Foundation Dinner on November 18. More details in this link: http://richmondrotary.com/event/rotary-foundation-dinner/

    Meeting:
     
    Our meeting today was our monthly business meeting to discuss our current and future projects as well as membership recruitment and retention. Great work by our board and all members.
     
    The pictures below show Ron Suzuki handing out scholarships. You may recognize Lokton Au, president of the King George Interact, as one of the recipients.
     
     
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mahatma Gandhi.

    Next Speakers:

    September 20 - John Charbonneau, Reverse Mortgages.
    Septermber 27 - Krystal Brennan, Stream of Dreams Murals Society.
    October 4 - Raymond Greenwood, Mr. Fireworks.
     
    September 13 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-09-13 07:00:00Z 0

    September 6 2017

    4 Way Test:
     
    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 16 members present as well as one guest, Jane Mitchell, a guest of Sheila Anderson and 2 visiting Rotarians from the Cambie club, Branden Yu and Kwahgo Son.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Today Ron Suzuki presented the RM. These are his words:
     
    "My only regrets in retirement is my day to day contact with our youth.The first Interact Club for Senior Secondary Students was established by the Rotary Club of Melbourne Florida in the late 60s! The term Interact is derived from inter for international and act for action. Today there are over 15,875 Interact Clubs with more than 151,000 members in 88 countries.
     
    A major goal of Interact is to provide opportunities for young people to create greater understanding and goodwill with youth throughout the world. As a member of the Project Amigo Committee I will be meeting with our King George Secondary Interact Program about their engagement in this International Project!"

    Announcements:
     
    • The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Hellenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page can be found here:
     
    https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/day-of-the-dead-party-for-project-amigo-tickets-36905247589
     
    • The Rotary Club of Vancouver Cambie invited us to their Korean Thanksgiving Fundraising dinner. It will take place on October 7th at 6 pm in the New Vista Society. For tickets please call Branden Yu at 778 862 9122.

    Meeting:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Bob Blacker, Past District Governor and Rotarian for the past 20 years. Bob is a Paul Harris Fellow and member of the District 5040 Paul Harris Society.
     
    Bob was born in Australia, moved to Canada in 1971. That same year Bob joined the New Westminster Police Department and retired from the department in 2000 with the rank of Inspector.
     
    Today he talked about the "Write to Read" program. Write to Read is a volunteer effort on the part of many individuals who have contributed their time and effort to create a library system for remote First Nations communities in BC.
     
    The Write to Read Project delivers books, libraries, computers, tablets & high speed Internet connections to remote First Nation communities in BC.
     
     In 1998, Bob became an Honorary Aide de Camp (HADC) to the Lt. Governor of British Columbia. In 2007 His Honour, Steven Point, and Bob started to work together to get books into isolated First Nations Communities in British Columbia. In 2012, after his term as Lt. Governor, HH Steven Point returned to the Bench as a Provincial Court Judge. As a result, Bob carried on as the Project Leader. Both men never dreamt that WRITE TO READ would be as successful as it is today.
     
    Learn more about this project on their website: https://www.writetoreadbc.com/
     

    Thought of the day:
     
    Education Is Not the Learning of Facts but the Training of the Mind to Think - Albert Einstein​​​​​​​

    Next Speakers:

    September 13 - Business Meeting.
    September 20 - John Charbonneau, Reverse Mortgages.​​​​​​​
    Septermber 27 - Krystal Brennan, Stream of Dreams Murals Society
    September 6 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-09-06 07:00:00Z 0

    August 30 2017

    4 Way Test:

    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 15 members present as well as two guests, Emma Dyer, Abigail Turner's daughter and her friend Piper McIntire. 

    Rotary Moment:

    Today we learned about the power of Facebook as a tool to promote Rotary and our projects. To give you an idea of the reach that Facebook has, here are some impressive stats:
     

    It took 38 years for radio to reach 40 million listeners and television 12 years to reach that many viewers, but it took Facebook only nine months to register 100 million users. That’s right -- one hundred million users in nine months. Today Facebook has over 2 billion users!

    Our club's Facebook page has close to 3,500 "fans". These are people who want to receive our content as it gets posted in our page.

     
    Announcements:
     
    • Whistler Get-Together remember the date of September 3 for the day at Whistler, biking or not, with lunch and a BBQ at Abigail and Jason’s house. Follow up with Abigail for details.
    • The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Helenic Centre. Tickets will be $50 and the event page will go live shortly.
    • President Alfredo thanked Past President Cleopatra for serving our club for the past 2 years. She was presented with a Past President Rotarian pin.
    • Sheila Anderson inducted our newest member, Natalia Lysova. Natalia comes from a Rotarian family and she was also a Rotary exchange student.
    • Larry Belsito and Gary Chomyn were presented with Tom Harris awards for the incredible work they do for our club and the community.
    Meeting:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Tom Smith. He is a member of the Tsawwassen Rotary Club since 2002,  and past member of the Vancouver Rotary Club. Tom is a Past President of his club and former Assistant Governor.  Currently he is the District Membership Chair and Paul Harris Society District Chair.  He is the Social Chair in his own club. And recently appointed to the TRF Canada committee for helping manage the government grant of $1,200,000 per year for 5 years.
     

    Tom is a curler, bridge player and a cyclist.  He and his son, Steve, run a sales agency.  He is married to Stephanie and also has a daughter, Wendy, who is a teacher.  And last but definitely not least, a six year old grandson, Noah and a two year old granddaughter, Amelia.

     

    His presentation was on the crucial topic of Rotary membership. he provided our members with several very innovative ways of attracting and retaining members.

     

     

     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something doneask a woman." - Margaret Thatcher
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    September 6 - Bob Blacker, Education and Literacy.
    September 13 - Business Meeting.
    September 20 - John Charbonneau, Reverse Mortgages.
    ​​​​​​​
     
     

    August 30 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-08-30 07:00:00Z 0

    August 23 2017

    Posted on Aug 23, 2017

     

    4 Way Test:

    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 14 members present as well as one visiting Rotarian, Mike Carter from the US.

    Rotary Moment:

    Today we learned about how one club in Philadelphia has created different types of membership to cater to members on different life stages and carreers. 
     
    The Rotary Club of Philadelphia offers different levels of membership, including full, a la carte with "pay as you go" lunches, and a Happy Hour Club. The Happy Hour Club meets once a month for a happy hour meeting and once a month for a service project during the day.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Whistler Get-Together remember the date of September 3 for the day at Whistler, biking or not, with lunch and a BBQ at Abigail and Jason’s house. Followup with Abigail for details.
    • The Project Amigo Dia de Los Muertos dinner fundraiser will be on October 21st at the Helenic Centre. More details to follow.
    Meeting:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Paola Murillo, founder of Latincouver. In 2008 Paola Murillo and a group of friends felt there was a need for Latinos to feel more welcome in our City. A Latin plaza was in the works. The name “Latincouver” just sounded right, the perfect mix between Latinos and Vancouver.
     
    We were welcomed within the Latin American communities in 2009 with a huge launch Party. Latincouver ”The Virtual Plaza in BC” was officially born. We presented our 1st Carnaval del Sol in Vancouver at the Hellenic Community.
     
    They currently run 5 programs:
     
    The Carnaval del Sol had 120K visitors this summer. Latincouver received the proclamation for the “Latin American Week” from the Province of B.C. and work along with the City of Vancouver to promote a multicultural scene.
     
    Read more about this organization on their website: http://www.latincouver.ca/
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Roots are not in landscape or a country, or a people, they are inside you." - Isabel Allende
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    August 30 - Tom Smith, District Membership Chair.
    September 6 - Bob Blacker, Education and Literacy.
    Septermber 13 - Business Meeting.
     
    ​​​​​​​
     
     

    August 23 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-08-23 07:00:00Z 0

    August 16 2017

    Posted on Aug 16, 2017

    4 Way Test:

    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 12 members present as well as 2 guests, Natalia Lysova and Bill Archer.

    Rotary Moment:

    Today we learned how Rotary International is governed:
     

    Rotary International is governed by a board of directors composed of the international president, the president-elect, the general secretary, and 17 zone directors.

    The chief operating officer of RI is the general secretary, who heads a staff of about 600 people working at the international headquarters in Evanston and in seven international offices around the world.

     
    Announcements:
     
    • Whistler Get-Together remember the date of September 3 for the day at Whistler, biking or not, with lunch and a BBQ at Abigail and Jason’s house. Followup with Abigail for details.
    • From now on, the sign in sheet at the meetings will have a box where you can enter how many hours you have volunteered recently. This is a way to keep track of all the volunteering our members do and that may go unnoticed otherwise.
    • Don Kavanagh. Long time well-known Rotarian has passed away. There will be a Memorial next Wednesday at 1pm at Kearney Funeral Home. The address is 450 West 2nd Ave. in Vancouver.
    Meeting:
     
    Our guest speaker today was Bob de Wit, from the Greater Vancouver Home Builders' Association. The topic of his presentation was "Hot-button issues in the residential construction industry".
     
    Some of the points of view he shared were:
     
    • Metro Vancouver Real Estate prices will continue to rise.
    • Annual housing starts are rising from 19K to 30K, but supply is still running way behind demand.
    • Some of the reasons for increased demand are: 
      • Population growth, immigration.
      • NIMBYISM ( not in my back yard) run amok.
      • Municipal processing times have gworn excessive.
      • Government fees and charges have escalated
      • Tariffs. Such as the ones for drywall and rebar.
      • Lumber supply disruptions due to forest fires.
      • Lack of capacity.
     
    To learn more about what the Greater Vancouver Home Builders' Association does please visit: http://www.gvhba.org/
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights." - Smedley Butler
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    August 23 - Paola Murillo, Latincouver.
    August 30 - Tom Smith, District Membership Chair.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary Foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
    August 16 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-08-16 07:00:00Z 0

    August 9 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    4 Way Test:

    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 17 members present.

    Rotary Moment:

     

    The topic today was led by Gary and the subject was the Hoop-a- Thon for 2017. Our Goal- We are shooting to make a difference for kids on and off of the court. Our goal this year was $22,000. Our achievement was $23,162. We received a Rotary grant of $2,333. Chris Gaillus had pledges of $302 for each basket, which took in $3,322. Rotary Club of Vancouver donated $1,000 from their foundation. The Yaletown club donated $450. $11,581 went to scholarships and bursaries and $11,581 went to the Basketball programs for equipment, coaches, and camps.
     
    Next year’s goal is $25,000. Congratulations to Gary and his team.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    • Rotary Day at the RacesA reminder of the Hastings Race get-together on August 13. Sheila will contact those who have committed with the details before the date and will take any reservations from anyone who decides to come. Let Sheila know if you have not advised her that you are coming.
    •  Also Whistler Get-Together remember the date of September 3 for the day at Whistler, biking or not, with lunch and a BBQ at Abigail and Jason’s house. Followup with Abigail for details.
     
     
    Meeting:
     
    We had a business meeting today.
     
    FINANCIALS- John is accumulating all info needed to reapply for the gaming grant. (Deadline is Nov. 30).
     
    For each speaker coming to our club, we will send a donation of $10.00 to the polio fund as a thank you.
     
    MEMBERSHIP- Each member had committed recently to try to bring at least one guest a year to our meetings ( as potential members). Also we should try to pass out the Welcome to Rotary brochures to as many people as possible.
     
    DIVERSITY- Our goal is to increase gender, professional and ethnic members.
     
    ENGAGEMENT- Seven people have volunteering to be monthly Rotary Moment presenters.We have four more openings for the year.
     
    On our Attendance Sheet, we should now enter the amount of time each week that was spent volunteering for Rotary, next to your name.
     
    YOUTH- Please read the outcomes sought and measures on our Strategic Plan for
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    August 16 - Bob de Wit, Building Codes and Affordable Housing.
    August 23 - Paola Murillo, Latincouver.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary Foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
    August 9 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-08-09 07:00:00Z 0

    August 2 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    4 Way Test:

    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 16 members present, as well as Natalia Lysova, who will be a member soon!

    Rotary Moment:

    Gary Chomyn shared the final numbers for the Hoopathon:
     
    • 2017 goal: 22K dollars
    • Actual 2017: 22.5K dollars!!
    • 2018 Goal: 25K dollars
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    • Rotary Day at the RacesA reminder of the Hastings Race get-together on August 13. Sheila will contact those who have committed with the details before the date and will take any reservations from anyone who decides to come. Let Sheila know if you have not advised her that you are coming.
    •  Also Whistler Get-Togetherremember the date of September 3 for the day at Whistler, biking or not, with lunch and a BBQ at Abigail and Jason’s house. Followup with Abigail for details.
     
     
    Meeting:
     
    Our guest speakers today were Doreen Drysdale and Sheila Polard, from the Life Saving Society.
     
    The Lifesaving Society (formerly the Royal Lifesaving Society) is a not-for-profit organization whose mandate is to reduce water-related death and injury. The Society has been educating the public and training lifesavers and lifeguards in B.C. since 1911
     
    Promoting lifesaving and lifeguarding programs, and improving aquatic safety through youth education are just two ways the Lifesaving Society is able to serve the public. The Junior Lifeguard Club creates a focus for children aged seven years and up, preparing swimmers with valuable lifesaving skills. The Canadian Swim Patrol and Bronze Star are programs specifically designed for young swimmers.
     
    Find out more by visiting their website: http://www.lifesaving.bc.ca/
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    August 9 - Business meeting.
    August 16 - Bob de Wit, Building Codes and Affordable Housing.
    August 23 - Paola Murillo, Latincouver.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary Foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    August 2 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-08-02 07:00:00Z 0

    July 26 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    4 Way Test:

    Alfredo led the group in the Four Way Test. Today we had 19 members present, as well as our Assistant DG, Parvinder Grewal, our speaker Yahaira Moran and her companion, Meriely Arias, Director of Publicity and Promotions, Venezuelan Canadian Society of BC

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Our Rotary Moment was presented by Assistant DG, Parvinder Grewal.   She paid tremendous compliments to our club, for our camaraderie, enthusiasm and the fact that everyone participates personally. This is Parvinder’s last year in her term as Assistant DG. She focused on the new District Governor, Don Evans.
     
    Don is a strategic planner. He suggests that we visit the Rotaract and Interact clubs in our area at least once a quarter. Also very important is that the Website is always kept up to date. We should make sure that we occasionally attend a hands-on visit to local projects. The Squamish club has opened a bank account for donations to help those affected by the BC Fires. And we must work out a system for recording volunteer hours for all members.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    • Rotary Day at the RacesA reminder of the Hastings Race get-together on August 13. Sheila will contact those who have committed with the details before the date and will take any reservations from anyone who decides to come. Let Sheila know if you have not advised her that you are coming.
    • Whistler Get-Together Also remember the date of September 3 for the day at Whistler, biking or not, with lunch and a BBQ at Abigail and Jason’s house. Followup with Abigail for details.
    • There is a Board Meeting next Tuesday at Lawrence’s office.
     
    Sargent at Arms:
     
     Due to time restraints, please remember your Happy Events from this week and let us know next week what they were.
     
     
    Meeting:
     
    Cleo introduced our speaker today, Yahaira Moran.Topic “We speak Spanish here” How to keep a second language. Yahaira is from Venezuela and after staying in Texas for several years, came to Vancouver in 2013.
     

    The objectives of this program are:   1. To Motivate the use of Spanish and increase vocabulary. 2.Teach about other Spanish speaking Countries and their cultures.  3.Workshops about resources in our community.  For more info, google www.vcsbc.ca , the website for Supporting the Venezuelan Community in BC. Sheila thanked the speaker in  Spanish.
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    Doreen Drysdale    Life Saving Society
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    July 26 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-07-26 07:00:00Z 0

    July 19 2017
     

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    4 Way Test:

    The meeting was held by a stand-in and a very knowledgeable person having been President for two years, Cleo Perez, who also led the club in the Four Way Test. We had 17 members present, Guest  Rotarian, Tom Smith and our speaker, Spencer Sproule

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Cleo also continued with chapter two of the History of the Four Way Test.  It has been with Rotary since 1943, having created created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert Taylor for his bankrupt company.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    • Rotary Day at the Races. This year the event will take place on Sunday, August 13. Sheila has tentatively booked the afternoon for us, including reserving the family area so that kids came come and enjoy the event and the buffet. Sheila needs to know who might attend. Please let her know as soon as possible so that we can confirm with the racecourse.
    • Whistler Get-Together September 3 at Abigail and Jason House at 8369 Rainbow Drive,
      We will meet at the house and go for a bike ride ( for those who bike) and meet the rest at Lost Lake, Bring lunch/snacks. Start time will be at around 11ish.
      Dinner will be at 5 PM at the house. The hosts will do hamburgers, etc. It is an easy walk or
      drive to the Lake.  Abigail will provide more information and details closer to the date. Let them know who is coming.
    • The official tally is in for the Hoop-a-thon.   Chimp took in $16,971, cash donations $2,000 Others $2,333 Total Gross amount $22, 301, Net after expenses $21,800.  Next year’s goal will be $25,000. Huge success.  Congrats to Gary and his team.
     
    Sargent at Arms:
     
    Peter Fox did the honours today. Among many interesting stories shared by our members one stood out, Tina is going to be the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association - BC Branch's Equality and Diversity Committee.
     
     
    Meeting -    Our speaker today, Spencer Sproule was introduced by Ted.
     
    His subject was LNG, an interesting subject for the last few years. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is natural gas,  methane with some mixture of methane that has been converted to liquid form for ease of storage and transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volume of natural gas in the gaseous state. It is odorless, colorless, non-toxic and non-corrosive. Projected location of the plant would be in Prince Rupert or Port Edward. This was approved by five tribes of the Tsimshian First Nations.
     

    Employment is expected to be 1139, and contributions to the BC communities, about 156 million dollars.Total spent in BC since 2013 is 7.4 Billion. There are 190 conditions which were laid out before the decisions had been made. One was the formation of an Environment Monitoring Committee consisting of two First Nations tribes.      
     
       
    Speaker was thanked by Frances.
     
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    Show me someone who has never made a mistake and I show you someone who has never tried! - John Wooden Basketball Coach UCLA
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    Yajaira Moran- We Speak Spanish Here
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    July 19 2017  Carlos Obregon 2017-07-19 07:00:00Z 0

    July 12 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    4 Way Test:

    The meeting was led by stand-in Ron Suzuki, who also coached us through the Four Way Test. We had 12 members present as well as guest Scott McCormac, son of Ted, Natalia Lysova, second visit as a potential member, Gloria Staudt, from New Westminister morning club and guest speaker, Saad Karim.

    Rotary Moment:

    Cleo started a three chapter history of the Four Way Test. In the 1930’s, The Club Aluminum Products and its 250 employees were bankrupt. Herbert J Taylor decided that the company had to change its ethical philosophy to reflect high ethics and morals that God would have waned in business. In the 1940s, Taylor was a director of Rotary International.He offered it to Rotary and it was accepted. It has never changed and was copyrighted in 1954
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    • Rotary Day at the Races. This year the event will take place on Sunday, August 13. Sheila has tentatively booked the afternoon for us, including reserving the family area so that kids came come and enjoy the event and the buffet. Sheila needs to know who might attend. Please let her know as soon as possible so that we can confirm with the racecourse.
    • Ted sent around a sheet last week regarding Every Rotarian, Every Year. Please send a reply to Ted.
    • Mosaic and Junior Achievement are looking for volunteers.
    Sargent at arms:
     
    Cleo took over the collection of donations to the Polio Fund.
     
    Meeting -   Gloria Staudt introduced our speaker, Saad Karim. Saad Karim from North Vancouver was sponsored by District 5040 as a Rotary PeaceFellow. On August 30, 2012, Saad graduated from the three-month peace program at Chulalongkorn University Bangkok.

    Saad has worked for the past ten years with a variety of humanitarian programs in Africa, most recently in Darfur, Sudan. He has accepted a new job working in Liberia.

    If your club is interested in nominating someone from your community to attend Rotary’s three-month peace program or one of the two-year graduate university programs please contact the District 5040 Peace Center Committee Chair Gloria Tom Wing

    For more information on the Rotary Peace Centers visit www.Rotary.org/RotaryCenters

    Saad Karim was selected by his fellow students as one of the two class spokesmen at their graduation. This is the graduation presentation speech can be found by googling “Saad Karim- Rotary Peace Fellow Vancouver, BC”

    Thank you to the speaker by Francis Kototyluk
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you will start having positive results. Willie Nelson
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    Spencer Sproule-Topic LNG
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    July 12 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-07-12 07:00:00Z 0

    July 5th 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 17 members present. We also had Natalia Lysova from Russia, who is currently looking to join a club.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Cleo told us some very interesting facts about how Rotary started in Latin America. The firs club was in Cuba in 1916, the second one in Uruguay in 1918.

     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    • Rotary Day at the Races. This year the event will take place on Sunday, August 13. Sheila has tentatively booked the afternoon for us, including reserving the family area so that kids came come and enjoy the event and the buffet. Sheila needs to know who might attend. Please let her know as soon as possible so that we can confirm with the racecourse.
     
    Meeting -   Today we had our first business meeting in this Rotary year. President Alfredo led the meeting and we reviewed our plans and budgets for the year.
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
     
    Barack Obama
     
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    There will be no meeting on Wednesday, June 28.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    July 5th 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-07-05 07:00:00Z 0

    June 21 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 17 members present. Tania Belsito was our guest.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Today we skipped the Rotary moment so we could have more time for the Canada 150 presentation.

     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • 2017 Hoop-A-Thon: FINAL Call for donations!  If you have not made your donation, please do asap, so we can finalize this year’s totals and deliver on our commitment to Strathcona kids.  You can go on line and receive an instant tax receipt: http://chim.pn/238E2xX
    • Rotary Day at the Races. This year the event will take place on Sunday, August 13. Sheila has tentatively booked the afternoon for us, including reserving the family area so that kids came come and enjoy the event and the buffet. Sheila needs to know who might attend. Please let her know as soon as possible so that we can confirm with the racecourse.
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th at Patron Tacos Cantina at 11 am. $35 per person.
    • Rotary Club of Vancouver Bike-A-Thon - July 9 - Seeking Volunteers.
     
    Meeting -   Today Larry Belsito put together a very fun presentation about Canada's 150th birthday. The presentation included videos and quizzes.
     
    The winners of the quizzes on Wednesday were:
     
    Ted was the winner of the best dressed in red and white- One lotto Max ticket

    Diana was the winner of the Canadian Inventions with 11 correct answers One Lotto Max ticket

    Cam was the winner of the Multiple choices with 9 correct answers  3 Gold Rush Scratchit tickets

    Cleo was second with 8 correct answers   2 Gold Rush scratchit tickets

    There was a tie for third place with 7 correct answers One Gold rush ticket each Michael, Carlos and Ted
     
    These are some Canadian inventions:
     
    1. Peanut butter
    2. Insulin
    3. Java programming language
    4. Canadarm
    5. Basketball
    6. Snowmobile
    7. Standard time
    8. Electric wheelchair
    9. Electron microscope
    10. Poutine of course!
    These are the videos we watched:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    The beauty of the trees,
    the softness of the air,
    the fragrance of the grass,
    speaks to me.
    The summit of the mountain,
    the thunder of the sky,
    the rhythm of the sea,
    speaks to me.
    The faintness of the stars,
    the freshness of the morning,
    the dew drop on the flower,
    speaks to me.
    The strength of fire,
    the taste of salmon,
    the trail of the sun,
    And the life that never goes away,
    They speak to me.
    And my heart soars

    Chief Dan George
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    There will be no meeting on Wednesday, June 28.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    June 21 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-06-21 07:00:00Z 0

    June 14 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 12 members present. We had 2 visiting Rotarians, Blair Trenholme from the Vancouver club and John Robertson visiting from California.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Our Rotary moment today was to point out how Mateo Carrete, Alfredo's son, actually scored 10 hoops in the Hoppathon. He is only 5 years old, but he actually practiced for weeks leading up to the event. A true Rotarian in the making!

     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Next week’s meeting (June 21) will be presented by Larry Belsito.  It is a celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.  THERE IS A DRESS CODE.  All those attending are expected to wear red and white (partially, at least).  RED AND WHITE
    • Rotary Day at the Races. This year the event will take place on Sunday, August 13. Sheila has tentatively booked the afternoon for us, including reserving the family area so that kids came come and enjoy the event and the buffet. Sheila needs to know who might attend. Please let her know as soon as possible so that we can confirm with the racecourse.
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th at Patron Tacos Cantina at 11 am. $35 per person.
    • Rotary Club of Vancouver Bike-A-Thon - July 9 - Seeking Volunteers.
     
    Meeting -   Today we had a business meeting to discuss our club's plans, budgets, and other fun things.
     
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” Helen Keller.
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    June 21 - Larry Belsito - Canada's 150th Birthday
    There will be no meeting on Wednesday, June 28.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    June 14 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-06-14 07:00:00Z 0

    June 7 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 13 members present. We had a visiting Rotarian from Romania, Dr. Cristian Falup-Pecurariu who is in town attending a congress about Parkinson's disease research. We also hosted the Interact Club of King George school.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     

    Larry Belsito told us some very interesting stats about Rotary in Canada:

    • There are 2 Canadians on the Rotary International Board.
    • Dean Rohrs, a former member of our club, is the incoming Vice President of Rotary International.
    • There are 24K Rotarians in Canada, 7,600 of them are women, 31.6% of the total.
    • Canada is the 13th country in the world in terms of Rotary members.
    • Canada is #6 in donations to the Rotary Foundation.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Rotary Day at the Races. This year the event will take place on Sunday, August 13. Sheila has tentatively booked the afternoon for us, including reserving the family area so that kids came come and enjoy the event and the buffet. Sheila needs to know who might attend. Please let her know as soon as possible so that we can confirm with the racecourse.
       
    • The Hoopathon was a success, the totals are still being tallied and will be available later this month.
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th at Patron Tacos Cantina at 11 am. $35 per person.
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speakers were the RYLA attendees that our club sponsored.
     
    These are some highlights of their presentation:
     
    • There were over 100 attendees to RYLA this year
    • The activities included workshops on public speaking, a polar bear swim, goal setting workshops and more.
    • They all left RYLA with new friends!
     
     
    Pics from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art." - Stanislaw Jerzy
     
    Next Speakers:
     
    June 14 - Business Meeting
    June 21 - Larry Belsito - Canada's 150th Birthday
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    June 7 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-06-07 07:00:00Z 0

    May 31 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 16 members present. Our only guest was our speaker Bryan Yu who is the Deputy Chief Economist for Central 1 credit union.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     

    Sheila Anderson is doing the Rotary Moment this month. Today she read from Rotary Canada some of 20 things to know about Rotary.  Among things he read were – 4 R.I. Presidents were from Canada, Winnipeg was the first club outside the U.S.A., and the R.I. Convention has been held in Canada 7 times and it is scheduled for Toronto next year. 
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • The Hoopathon is this Saturday. Please be there at 10 am and be ready to have fun!
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th at Patron Tacos Cantina at 11 am. $35 per person.
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was Bryan Yu, from Central 1 Credit Union. His presentation was titled "Economic and Housing Outlook for Canada".
     
    His presentation was filled with very well researched and useful data. These are some highlights:
     
    • Currently, there is a positive outlook for the Global economy. Growth is around 3%
    • 2 more interest rate increases are expected in the US this year.
    • The Canadian economy is expected to have modest growth in the second half of this year.
    • The Bank of Canad is expected to hold rates for the rest of this year.
    • The Canadian dollar is expected to remain in the 74-75 cents exchange rate.
    • BC's outlook is positive, 2.8% growth expected this year.
    • BC's labour market is the strongest in Canada.
     
     
    Pic from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    You can make positive deposits in your own economy every day by reading and listening to powerful, positive, life-changing content and by associating with encouraging and hope-building people.
     
    Zig Ziglar
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
     
    June 7 - RYLA
    June 14 - Business Meeting
    June 21 - Larry Belsito - Canada's 150th Birthday
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
     
     
     
     
    May 31 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-05-31 07:00:00Z 0

    May 24 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present as well as one guest, Anicia Miles.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Sheila Anderson is doing the Rotary Moment this month. Today she told us a story about a young woman's journey with Rotary. Sylvia Barton is our District’s first participant in the New Generations Exchange Program and this is the story of the journey she has embarked on with Rotary. Sylvie as she is known by those close to her, is a 3rd year student at SFU majoring in criminology with a minor in First Nations Studies. 
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Only 1 week to go until the Hoppathon! Don't forget to send out your emails.
    • Join Frances and her Blockwatch Team for the  “Bells for Bikes" event Sunday May 28th. The event will start at 11 a.m. on the Arbutus Corridor from 49th Avenue to 57th Avenue.
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th at Patron Tacos Cantina at 11am. $35 per person.
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was John Haley, who showed us a slideshow of his trip to Africa.
     
     
    Pic from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
     
    Ibn Battuta, The Travels of Ibn Battutah
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    May 31 - Brian Yu - Senior Economist - BC Central One
    June 7 - RYLA
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    May 24 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-05-24 07:00:00Z 0

    May 17 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present as well as 2 guests, Nic Davies and visiting Rotarian Gina Neumann from the Cranbrook club.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Sheila Anderson is doing the Rotary Moment this month. Today she gave us a quiz about Rotary history:
     
    • When was Rotary formed? A: 1905
    • Why is it called Rotary? A: The members chose the name Rotary because initially they rotated subsequent weekly club meetings to each other's offices.
    • Where was the second club formed? A: San Francisco
    • Where was the first Canadian Rotary club? A: Winnipeg
    • Where was the first International Rotary club started? A: Dublin
    • When was the Rotary foundation started? A: 1917
    • When were women first admitted as members? A:1987
    • How many countries is Rotary present in? A: 200
    • When did the Polio Plus program start? A:1985
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Only 2 weeks to go until the Hoppathon! Don't forget to send out your emails.
    • Join Frances and her Blockwatch Team for the  “Bells for Bikes" event Sunday May 28th. The event will start at 11 a.m. on the Arbutus Corridor from 49th Avenue to 57th Avenue.
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th at Patron Tacos Cantina at 11am. $35 per person.
    • The district 5040 site has been upgraded to include a comprehensive section on Rotary Background Check procedures. It can be easily accessed without logging into Clubrunner so is available to volunteers as well as members. On the home page, click on the heading "Take Action" and then on the drop down menu, choose "Background Check". Please spend the time to read through the information and options available to ensure you have an up to date background check.
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speakers were Maria Poe and Lianne Stooshnoff from Mosaic BC. They spoke about the Work BC employment services centre. 
     
    MOSAIC is a registered charity serving immigrant, newcomer and refugee communities in Greater Vancouver for the past 40 years.
    Supported by a board of directors, the organization manages a $20 million plus budget annually with more than 300 staff, 450 volunteers and 300 contractors.  
     
    MOSAIC administers WorkBC Employment Services Centres in Vancouver Northeast of the BC Provincial Government. 
     
    WorkBC is the provincial government's access point to the world of work in British Columbia. It was created with one key goal – to help all British Columbians to successfully navigate B.C.’s labour market.

    WorkBC helps people find jobs, explore career options and improve their skills. We also help employers fill jobs, find the right talent and grow their businesses.

    Other people who regularly use WorkBC products and services include parents, teachers, career and employment counsellors, human resources professionals, researchers and decision-makers.
     
    Visit their website for more information: https://www.mosaicbc.org/services/employment/
     
    Pic from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    Care is a state in which something does matter; it is the source of human tenderness.
     
    Rollo May
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    May 24 - John Haley - My African Vacation
    May 31 - Brian Yu - Senior Economist - BC Central One
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    May 17 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-05-17 07:00:00Z 0

    May 10 2107

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present as well as 1 guest, Glenn Wilson.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Sheila Anderson is doing the Rotary Moment this month. Today she told us about the Rotary International convention for 1018, which will be in Toronto from June 23-27 2018. Check out the official website: http://www.rotary2018.org/
     
    Sam Owori is selected to be 2018-19 Rotary president. The 2016-17 Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International has unanimously nominated Samuel Frobisher Owori, of the Rotary Club of Kampala, Uganda, to be the president of Rotary International in 2018-19.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Don't forget to send out the email to your contacts to gather pledges for the Hoopathon!
    • Our changeover brunch will be June 25th. Date to be confirmed very soon.
     
    Meeting -   Today we had a business meeting. These meetings take place after the monthly board meetings. In these meetings, we discuss our club's operation as well as our ongoing and future projects.
     
    Last week, our guest speaker was our member Tina Parbhakar. The title of her presentation was "Child and Youth law in Uganda" and this is the recap of her presentation:
     
    Tina spoke to the club about her experiences in Uganda with children's rights and the law.

    In particular, she described her six month internship through the Canadian Bar Association on a project called Supporting Access to Justice for Children and Youth in East Africa. She worked within the Ugandan Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and described, for example, a monitoring visit to a remand centre that holds children who have come into conflict with the law and a media tour of Justice Centres Uganda, an innovative effort to ensure citizens outside of the most urban areas of Uganda have access to free legal services and advice.
     
    Tina will continue this presentation with specific examples of the Ugandan justice system in action and concluding remarks at a meeting in August. 
     
     
    Pic from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "All great achievements require time." - Maya Angelou 
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    May 17 - Leanne Stooshnoff / Maria Po - Mosaic/Work BC
    May 24 - John Haley - My African Vacation
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    May 10 2107 Carlos Obregon 2017-05-10 07:00:00Z 0

    May 3 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 16 members present as well as 1 guest, Glenn Wilson.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Sheila Anderson is doing the Rotary Moment this month. Today she told us that the The Rotary Foundation has received the highest possible score from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.

    In the most recent ratings, released on 1 September, The Rotary Foundation earned the maximum 100 points for both demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. Only 1% of charities achive this recognition.

    The Foundation also received its ninth straight 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. "Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work,"
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Stratchcona is celebrating its 45th anniversay this year.
    • Saori Ogura, our ambassadorial scholar, was published recently in the UBC Forestry magazine "Branchlines". Her article is titled "Indigenous agrobiodiversity and climate change".
    • Gary Chomyn sent all of us the first email that we must send out to our contacts to gather pledges for the hoopathon. Make sure you send it out.
    • We are sponsoring 3 Rotaractors to attend the district conference in Whistler.
    • Sophie Gloy invited us to the 54th International Golfing Fellowship of Rotary (IGFR). It will take place August 6-12. More info here: http://www.igfr2017.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was our member Tina Parbhakar. The title of her presentation was "Child and Youth law in Uganda"
     
     
    Pic from our meeting today:
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily. - Zig Ziglar 
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    May 10 - Business meeting
    May 17 - Leanne Stooshnoff / Maria Po - Mosaic/Work BC
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    May 3 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-05-03 07:00:00Z 0

    April 26 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 19 members present as well as 1 guest, Liliana Marlene Esparza, a guest of Alfredo.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Tina is doing the Rotary Moment this month. She will be talking about Rotarians she has met that have had an impact in her life. She told us about meeting Jim Sparling, a RC Saanich member who is a specialist in chest / respiratory medicine and ran the VIHA chest clinic for more than 10 years before retiring in 2010.  

    Jim has been volunteering in Uganda since 1994 on his own and in partnership with a number of Rotary Grants - created the Friends of Mengo Hospital Society. His focus is Tuberculosis. Current incidence in Canada for TB is ~5/100,000. In the 1700’s/1800’s in Europe when TB was at its worst, the incidence rate was ~35 – 40/100,000. In 1994 at a Montreal medical conference professionals were speculating the end of TB in the world by the turn of the century. Currently, in Uganda, the incidence rate is ~700/100,000 and in sub-Saharan Africa it climbs to 1000-2000/100,000 depending on the country. The game changer has been HIV. It suppresses the part of the immune system designed to resist TB.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • 3 of our members attended the Rotaract meeting at King George school. They were very impressed by the number of attendees and how enthusiastic and comitted they are!
    • Gary Chomyn sent all of us the first email that we must send out to our contacts to gather pledges for the hoopathon. Make sure you send it out.
    • We are sponsoring 3 Rotaractors to attend the district conference in Whistler.
    • Sophie Gloy invited us to the 54th International Golfing Fellowship of Rotary (IGFR). It will take place August 6-12. More info here: http://www.igfr2017.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was Daniel Rotman. Daniel has a background in all things mind related and an interest in all things sustainable.
    He studied Cognitive Science and went on to complete a Masters in Conflict Resolution. The conflict he sees as the most pressing today is with our relationship to waste.
     
    He currently volunteers with SPEC as Co-Chair of the Zero Waste Committee where he is developing a waste reduction education program.
     
    He spoke about the "circular economy". A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.

    Looking beyond the current "take, make and dispose” extractive industrial model, the circular economy is restorative and regenerative by design. Relying on system-wide innovation, it aims to redefine products and services to design waste out, while minimising negative impacts. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural and social capital.
     
    Below are links to the resources I showed during the presentation as well as additional links to resources and other areas of interest.
     
    http://www.recyclingalternative.com/ > the organization I work for, we are a local, values based waste management company that embodies the notion of keeping materials at their highest value, and innovates to create and promote opportunities to foster a circular economy
     
    https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ > champions of the circular economy movement
     
    http://www.nzwc.ca/Pages/default.aspx > regional and national initiative helping to galvanize the zero waste movement in Canada
     
    http://www.masterrecyclervancouver.ca/ > the waste reduction education program I co-created and co-facilitate, be sure to check out the Talkin' Trash radio show for podcast style shows on a variety of topics that alumni of the program created just last year
     
    http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/waste-wizard.aspx > search tool for where to properly dispose of all your municipal waste
     
    http://rcbc.ca/ > local not for profit organization to help make recycling easier, they have a hotline you can call to ask questions about disposal of goods as well, and feel free to direct those kinds of questions to me as well as they often don't have good answers to difficult questions
     
    http://www.bcrecycles.ca/ > website that lists all the extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs in BC and where to find depots and drop off spots for hard to recycle items, like hazardous waste
     
    http://www.spec.bc.ca/waste > lastly, a plug for the organization I volunteer with, which also founded RCBC, and the Master Recycler Program
     
    Pic from our meeting today:
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    Andrew Carnegie — 'There is little success where there is little laughter.'
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    May 3 - Tina Parbhakar - Child and Youth law in Uganda
    May 10 - Business meeting
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    April 26 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-04-26 07:00:00Z 0

    April 19 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 16 members present as well as 2 guests, Maricarmen Obregon and visiting Rotarian: Carol Brock from Coral Galbes.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Tina is doing the Rotary Moment this month. She will be talking about Rotarians she has met that have had an impact in her life. She told us about meeting Stephen Mwanje. In 2010-11, Mwanje was governor of District 9200, which then included Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. As he was researching options to address Uganda’s lack of health care, he crossed paths with Marion Bunch, an American Rotarian who had founded Rotarians for Family Health & AIDS Prevention in 2004. Their collaboration resulted in the country’s first free health clinic, organized by Mwanje in 2011.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • We are sponsoring 3 Rotaractors to attend the district conference in Whistler.
    • Sophie Gloy invited us to the 54th International Golfing Fellowship of Rotary (IGFR). It will take place August 6-12. More info here: http://www.igfr2017.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today we had the kickoff meeting for our Hoopathon. Make sure you check out the new webpage: http://hoopathon.ca/
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    April 26 - Matthew Pattinson - Composting/Waste Prevention
    May 3 - Tina Parbhakar - Child and Youth law in Uganda
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    April 19 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-04-19 07:00:00Z 0

    April 12 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 21 members present as well as 3 visiting Rotarians: Sophie Gloy, Nic Davies both of them are looking for a club to join (wink, wink) and Carol Brock from Florida. We were also happy to have ADG Davinder Grewal as our guest.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Tina is doing the Rotary Moment this month. She will be talking about Rotarians she has met that have had an impact in her life. She told us about meeting Naz Rayani has been honoured for his philanthropic efforts many times over the years, including receiving the Order of Canada. 
     
    Announcements:
     
    • The Interact club of King George secondary has invited us to attend one of their meetings. The date is April 21st at noon. Please coordinate with Abigail for more details.
    • We are sponsoring 3 Rotaractors to attend the district conference in Whistler.
    • Sophie Gloy invited us to the 54th International Golfing Fellowship of Rotary (IGFR). It will take place August 6-12. More info here: http://www.igfr2017.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today we had our yearly hockey pool. Good luck to everyone with their teams!
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    'Live long and prosper' is an abbreviated version of a traditional Jewish religious blessing. It came to a wider public in the Star Trek TV series. It was used there by the character Mr. Spock
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    April 19 - Business Meeting.
    April 26 - Matthew Pattinson - Composting/Waste Prevention
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    April 12 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-04-12 07:00:00Z 0

    April 5 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 15 members present as well as our guest speaker, Dale Albertson.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Tina is doing the Rotary Moment this month. She will be talking about Rotarians she has met that have had an impact in her life. She told us about Connie M. Deford, whom she met at a seminar. Connie a  retired City Clerk of Bay City, Michigan. She was voted Michigan City Clerk of the Year and was the recipient of the prestigious Quill Award from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, the Bay County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award, and the Michigan Municipal League Award of Merit.
     
    Currently, she serves as a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and meeting consultant. She is a Past President of both the Michigan State Association of Parliamentarians and the National Association of Parliamentarians. She serves clients throughout the United States.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • The hoopathon committee has reached out to the Vancouver and Yaletown clubs, both of which have expressed interest in joining our project.
    • We are sponsoring 2 Rotaractors to attend the district conference in Whistler.
     
    Meeting -   Our guest speaker today was Dale Albertson, who is an International Development Expert. He is the executive director of ACCES. the African Canadian Continuing Education Society.
     
    For more nearly 20 years, ACCES has been helping young Kenyans obtain the skills and education needed to benefit themselves and their society through: post-secondary scholarships; secondary scholarships; primary schools; health, gender and HIV/AIDS awareness; and small business and agricultural training.
     
    Please visit their website to learn more: https://acceskenya.org/
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." - Willie Nelson
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    April 12 - Hockey Pool led by Paul Hamilton.
    April 19 - Business Meeting.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    April 5 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-04-05 07:00:00Z 0

    March 29 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 17 members present as well as visiting Rotarian Peter Roundhill, from the Lions Gate Rotary Club. We also had Jamey McDonald as our guest speaker.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    James Fox told us about an essay written by a Rotaractor, on this essay, the author highlights the incredible reach and capabilities of the Rotary organization. With 1.2 million members Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries. Interact, organized and sponsored by Rotary clubs for young adults aged 12-18. There are more than 12,300 Interact clubs in 133 countries. Rotaract: groups organized by Rotary clubs to promote leadership, professional development, and service among young adults aged 18-30. There are more than 8,000 Rotaract clubs in 167
    countries.
     
    As you can see, the impact of Rotary is huge!
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • The hoopathon kickoff meeting will be at our club on April 19th.
    • Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise President and Foundation Chair would you please encourage your members to sign up for our District's most important annual event in support of The Rotary Foundation, especially as we celebrate its 100th Anniversary. Guests are welcome. Please email Ted for more information.
     
    Meeting -   Our guest speaker today was Jamey McDonald, from the New Hope Community Services Society.  New Hope welcomes and supports refugee claimants and immigrants through housing, employment, and community.
     
    They own and operate a 13-unit apartment building in Surrey. It is designed to provide housing for families as they transition to healthy living in Canada
     
    The primary need for refugees is safe, secure, reasonably priced housing. New Hope offers this to all categories of refugees. Once housing has been taken care of, refugees need help to settle into their Canadian life. Included in that are such things as:
     
    • Job Skill Acquisition
    • Medical/Dental Care
    • Transportation
    • Schooling for All
    • Culture Learning
    • Safe Living
    • Banking
    • Shopping
    • Recreation (and so much more)
    Check out their website for more information: http://newhopecs.org/
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Love does not need vocabulary"
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    April 5 - Dale Albertson    Fundraising for Charities
    April 12 - Hockey Pool led by Paul Hamilton.
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    March 29 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-03-29 07:00:00Z 0

    March 22 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present as well as Joan Posivy from the Rotary club of Vancouver.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    James Fox jumped right into his club duties by providing us with a Rotary moment today. He told us about the Guatemala literacy project. The Guatemala Literacy Project (GLP) is a partnership between Rotary International clubs and the non-profit organization Cooperative for Education (CoEd). This initiative provides badly-needed textbooks, computer labs, scholarships, literacy and training programs to underprivileged children in Guatemala.
     
    You can find more details on their website: http://www.coeduc.org/r_about.htm
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • The hoopathon kickoff meeting will be at our club on April 19th.
    • Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise President and Foundation Chair would you please encourage your members to sign up for our District's most important annual event in support of The Rotary Foundation, especially as we celebrate its 100th Anniversary. Guests are welcome. Please email Ted for more information.
    • Volunteers needed.  The annual TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes is taking place on June 11th. As one of their signature fundraising events, they rely on over 500 volunteers to help them execute the event. If any members are interested in volunteering they are welcome to review opportunities on the two websites below. They need volunteers in Stanley Park Vancouver as well as Mill Lake in Abbotsford.
       
      Vancouver: https://goo.gl/A6zV7S
       
      Fraser Valley: https://goo.gl/ksrBPu
       
      Any help would be most appreciated.
     
    Meeting -   During our meeting today we had Joan Posivy, from the Vancouver Rotary, tell us about the Global Youth Project. She founded this project in 2014
     
    One of her favourite speaking engagements — for the last 20 years, in fact — has been at the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) camp for young adults. I see an incredible amount of talent and potential in each one of them, and more importantly, I want to be sure they see this in themselves. 
     
    Check out her website here: http://globalyouthproject.org/
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." - Albert Einstein
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    March 29 - Jamey McDonald    Better Lives Counselling/New Hope
    April 5 - Dale Albertson    Fundraising for Charities
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    March 22 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-03-22 07:00:00Z 0

    March 8 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 18 members present as well as 3 guests, Sophie Gloy from the Rotary club of Victoria and Nic Davies who belonged to the Whistler Rotary club. Both of them have recently moved to Vancouver and are looking for a new club, wink, wink :). We also had James Fox for the last time as a guest since he was inducted today!

    Today being International Women's day, we asked our lady Rotarians to recite the 4-way test.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    James Fox jumped right into his club duties by providing us with a Rotary moment today. He told us about a project done by Rotarians from Taipei.
     
    In January 2014, a report titled “Child Welfare League Foundation” noted a considerable gap between urban and rural areas. The lack of resources in remote areas led to poorer performance by children, many of who were aborigines. Since these children could never catch up, roughly a quarter of them consider dropping out of elementary school. Improving basic education seemed to be extremely crucial in helping eliminate poverty in these areas.
     
    To make the project sustainable, they support teachers specialized in this creative science approach not only to teach fourth through sixth graders, but also train the local teachers in order that they can carry on the training for future classes.
     
    In three years, they used Rotary Foundation funds to reach 20 schools. The program continues to grow today.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • The Gates foundation recently published their yearly public letter with updates on the work they do. This year they mention, and give credit, to Rotary for the fight to end polio.
    • Club members who are interested in visiting the upcoming RYLA can do so. You just need to let them know in advance, it will be on March 15th in Gibsons, BC. Contact info can be found in this link: http://ryla5040.org/contact/
     
    Meeting -   Our guest speaker today was Philip Burgess, from the Bottom Up Foundation. 
     
    From The Bottom Up Foundation is a registered non-profit providing diaper assistance to the families of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Diapers are expensive—they can cost $70 to $80 or more each month. As a result, parents with limited means often try to make do without them, try to stretch their supply by leaving babies in dirty diapers longer or re-use  disposable diapers. A diaper is a small thing, but can make an impact in a big way.
     
    The need is tremendous— healthy child will require an average of 50 diaper changes a week, translating approximately 2600 diaper changes a year.
     
    To find out more, visit their official website: https://www.bottomsupfoundation.com/
     
    And their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fromthebottomupfoundation/
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude." - Dale Carnegie
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    March 15 - Business meeting
    March 22 - Dominic Rubino - Van Entrepren Assn - Global Student of the Year Award
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
    March 8 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-03-08 08:00:00Z 0

    March 1st 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 19 members present as well as 1 guest, James Fox who will become a member next week.

    We all recited the 4-way test.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Cleo told us that she is currently taking a training program based on the works of Dale Carnegie. She was impressed to find that there are multiple references to Rotary in his books!
     
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Our club will take part in the Club Day organized by the Vancouver Public Library on March 4, 2017. The event will take place March 4th at the Library Square from 11:00 to 3:00 pm.
    • Club members who are interested in visiting the upcoming RYLA can do so. You just need to let them know in advance, it will be on March 15th in Gibsons, BC. Contact info can be found in this link: http://ryla5040.org/contact/
     
    Meeting -   Our guest speaker today was our member Sheila Anderson. She told us about Project Amigo, in Mexico. This year this is our international project.
     
    Project Amigo was born when Rotarian Ted Rose first visited the state of Colima, back in 1984, he went to hike a volcano. But, instead, he took the wrong bus and found himself in a little poverty-stricken village.
     
    That mistake, and a few other fortuitous events, led to his decision a couple of years later to trade his comfortable life as the owner of an office machine company for a life surrounded by wonderful, and very poor, children who appeared to need a helping hand if they were ever to break out of poverty.
     
    To achieve their goal, the project aims to remove the financial barriers to education through scholarships that include school fees, transportation, uniforms and school supplies, and a hot lunch.
     
    To date, there are over 60 university graduates from the project.
     
    To find out more, visit their official website: http://www.projectamigo.org/
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion." - Dale Carnegie
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
     
    March 8 - Philip Burgess - Bottoms Up Foundation
    March 15 - Business meeting
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
    March 1st 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-03-01 08:00:00Z 0

    February 15 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 15 members present as well as 2 visiting Rotarians from Brazil: Monica Wagner and Daladiana Lima. Both of them are here in Vancouver for a few months to learn English.

    We all recited the 4-way test.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Frances presented part III of the "Women in Rotary" topic. She told us about the "Inner Wheel Club" which is an international organisation closely linked to Rotary that was founded in 1924 by Margarette Golding, a nurse, business woman and the wife of a Manchester Rotarian, to unite wives and daughters of Rotarians.
     
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • RYLA. We are sponsoring 8 participants.
     
    Meeting -   Today we had our Valentines day auction. Some great items were donated and our club raised funds for our operation.
     
     
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "All you need is loveBut a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." - Charles M. Schulz 
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    Feb 22 - King George Interact Club
    March 1 - To be confirmed
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
    February 15 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-02-15 08:00:00Z 0

    February 8 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present as well as 2 guests, James Fox, District chair of RYLA south and son of Peter Fox, and Brian Martin from the West Vancouver Sunrise club.

    We all recited the 4-way test.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Frances presented part II of the "Women in Rotary" topic. She told us how Rotary clubs in Sri Lanks and India wanted to include women as member. And this was 40 years before the US clubs finally allowed women as members.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Valentines day auction. Please input your auction item in the online spreadsheet we sent earlier this week.
    • Peace fellowships. Please consider putting forward nominees for this opportunities.
    • RYLA. Looks like we will be sponsoring 7 atendees.
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
    • The District 5040 Conference, May 4 – 7, in Whistler, provides a great opportunity for sponsorship to profile your company and support Rotary. Please review the sponsorship package and take one of the options, or join with others in a joint sponsorship. More information here: https://goo.gl/xJPtlP
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was Nate Toevs from the Neil Squire Society.
     
    The Neil Squire Society is a Canadian national not-for-profit organization that empowers Canadians with disabilities through advocacy, computer-based assistive technology, research and development, and various employment programs. It has five locations across Canada.
     
    The Neil Squire Society began as a result of Bill Cameron's efforts with his relative Neil Squire. When Neil was paralyzed from the neck down in a car accident in 1980, Bill created a “sip-and-puff” machine to allow Neil to communicate using Morse code. 
     
    Check out their website for more information: https://www.neilsquire.ca/ 
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the day:
     
    "If you fell down yesterday, stand up today." - H. G. Wells
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    Feb 15 - Business Meeting
    Feb 22 - King George Interact Club
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
    February 8 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-02-08 08:00:00Z 0

    February 1st 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present as well as one guest, James Fox, District chair of RYLA south and son of Peter Fox.

    We all recited the 4-way test.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    Frances will be doing The Rotary moment this month. Today she reminded us that women have only been allowed in Rotary for the past 30 years. It was not an easy transition from being a men-only organization. Clubs from Canada and California played a key role in this change.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Fellowship Feb 8th Frankie's Jazz Bar. 4-6pm. Please let Peter Fox know if you are coming.
    • Hoopathon 2017 - We are in the process of confirming the Global TV sponsorship. The event will take place on June 3rd. 
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
    • The District 5040 Conference, May 4 – 7, in Whistler, provides a great opportunity for sponsorship to profile your company and support Rotary. Please review the sponsorship package and take one of the options, or join with others in a joint sponsorship. More information here: https://goo.gl/xJPtlP
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was James Fox, chair of RYLA south. 
     
    The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is Rotary’s leadership training and personal development program for young people. Youth leaders from across the province are sponsored by a participating Rotary club to attend a RYLA camp as an “award” for their demonstrated leadership and service to their community.
     
    RYLA South is for grade 10-­12 students looking for an intensive leadership and personal development training program. RYLA South’s goal is to provide participants with the skills they need to navigate their way through the challenges teens encounter in their formative years.
     
    The 4­-day camp consists of interactive workshops, team­building exercises, presentations from professional speakers, hands ­on service projects and many other fun activities.
     
    Our club is sponsoring 8 attendees this year, 6 from King George and 2 from Strathcona. 
     
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    Feb 8 - Nate Toevs - Neil Squire Soc - Emp Outreach
    Feb 15 - Business Meeting
    Feb 22 - King George Interact Club
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
    February 1st 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-02-01 08:00:00Z 0

    January 25 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 16 members present as well as 2 visiting Rotarians: Ehud Falkovitz from Israel and Karin Egedekaderkova from Denmark.

    We all recited the Four Way Test.  We had 20 members in attendance and no guests today.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    The Rotary moment today was to celebrate Lawrence Bicknell who today received his Paul Harris plus 3 medal, congratulations!
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Hoopathon 2017 - We are in the process of confirming the Global TV sponsorship. The event will take place on June 3rd. 
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today we had our Annual Robbie Burns party, with haggis and scotch!
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    Feb 1 - Jason Bowman - BC Ferries
    Feb 8 - Nate Toevs - Neil Squire Soc - Emp Outreach
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
    January 25 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-01-25 08:00:00Z 0

    January 18th 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon
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    Today we celebrated our clubs 30th anniversary. We had a full house with many former members in attendance as well as guests such as: Davinder Grewal, our ADG. Ana Fernandez our financial guru, David Pasin from the West End community centre association. John Bathurst president of the Rotary club of Vancouver, our sponsor. Lokton Au, president of the King George Interact and many other guests.

     

    Since today we had a party, there is not a whole lot to report other than sharing some pics from the event:

     

    You can see all the pictures in this album: https://goo.gl/ka80IU

     

    The thought of the Day: 
     

    Rotary vision: Observance of the Golden Rule of service — Real Happiness Is Helping Others

    “The search for individual joy, satisfaction, and happiness is universal, and I strongly believe it is a goal that can best be fulfilled by helping others....Some of the most rewarding moments in our lives occur when we are helping, serving, and caring for others.”

    — A Chat with President Cliff, THE ROTARIAN, August 1992

     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    Jan 25 - Robbie Burns Day
    Feb 1 - Jason Bowman - BC Ferries
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    January 18th 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-01-18 08:00:00Z 0

    January 11 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jan 11, 2017
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we all recited the Four Way Test.  We had 20 members in attendance and no guests today.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    The Rotary moment today was about our guiding principles:
     
    The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideals of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster the following:
     
    FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

    SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

    THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;

    FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Abigail was inducted as a Paul Harris Fellow, you become a PHF when $US1000 is contributed to The Rotary Foundation. Congratulations!
    • Hoopathon 2017 - The first meeting will be on January 17th at 5 pm. The event will take place on June 3rd. 
    • Our club will be celebrating our 30th anniversary this next January 18th. Make sure you attend the meeting!
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today we had our Annual General Meeting. 
     
     
    The thought of the Day: 
     
    “If we train our youth properly, we need not have any fear as to the future of the world.” — Inaugural Address, 1949 Rotary Convention, New York, New York, USA
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    18 - Jan - Club's 30th Anniversary
    25 Jan - Robbie Burns Day
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    January 11 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-01-11 08:00:00Z 0

    January 4 2017

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jan 04, 2017
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, Frances led us in the Four Way Test.  We had 14 members in attendance and no guests today.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    The Rotary moment today was a reminder about the importance of membership.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Hoopathon 2017 - The first meeting will be on January 17th at 5 pm. The event will take place on June 3rd. 
    • Our club will be celebrating our 30th anniversary this next January 18th. Make sure you attend the meeting!
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was Ron Suzuki giving us his classification talk.
     
    These are some of the highlights of his presentation about his fascinating and inspiring life:
     
    • His Grand Father arrived in Canada from Japan in 1905.
    • He was born in Delta, BC and had a 41-year career as a community centre operator. 16 of those years in the Strathcona community centre.
    • He was able to put himself through school by working full time and learning the 4 hours of sleep method.
    • He was an avid runner and he was the top Canadian running in the Seattle marathon in 1978.
    • In 1982 he became the national coach for the Cerebral Palsy Association.
    • He is a licensed Sushi instructor and was hired by Jim Pattison to teach at the World Fair.
    • He has taught sushi making to over 50K people.
     
     
    The thought of the Day: 
     
    “Man has affinity for his fellowman, regardless of race, creed, or politics, and the
    greater the variety, the more the zest. All friendliness needs is a sporting chance;
    it will take care of itself in any company.”

    — A Road I Have Travelled, THE ROTARIAN, February 1934
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    11 - Jan - Business meeting
    18 - Jan - Club's 30th Anniversary
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    January 4 2017 Carlos Obregon 2017-01-04 08:00:00Z 0

    December 21st 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Dec 21, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, Cleo led us in the Four Way Test.  We had 12 members in attendance, Rotarian Gordon Cormack from Calgary and our guest speaker, Nick Parker.

     

    Rotary Moment:

    “Rotary is Fellowship. Real Fellowship is frank, spontaneous, full of warmth, and if
    you want to gauge its depth you will find that it is the difference between “Mister”
    and “Bill” — “Reverend” and “Jack.”

    — Call Him “Bill,” THE ROTARIAN, May 1915
     
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • There is no meeting next week, December 28th. 
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
    • Sheila will be visiting Project Amigo in Mexico. She is requesting children and teens clothing donations. She leaves on January 6th, please make sure you bring your donations before that.
     
    Meeting -   Today our guest speaker was Rev. Nick Parker. He is currently the rector of St. Stephen's in West Vancouver. A former Canadian Naval Officer, he attended Royal Military College, Trent University, and Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. 

    Nick is a keen sailor, cyclist and boat builder with a love of the outdoors. His musical claim to fame is that he was once introduced by his Cathedral Organist as playing the bagpipes and the banjo.
     
    He spoke about the global network of Mission to Seafarers centres (www.missiontoseafarers.org). These places offer a warm and hospitable “home away from home,” for those who visit the worlds ports.  Vancouver and Roberts Bank are no exception, as the Chaplains, Staff and Volunteers offer their best to ensure that the needs of the seafarers are met.
     
    The thought of the Day: 
     
    "This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!"
     
    D.M. Dellinger
     
    Pic from our meeting:
     
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
      4- Jan - Ron Suzuki Classification Talk
    11 - Jan - Business meeting
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    December 21st 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-12-21 08:00:00Z 0

    December 14 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Dec 14, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, Cleo led us in the Four Way Test.  We had no speaker today, no visitors today AND only 9 members today.  We have a speaker next week, so it would be good if we had better attendance for that meeting on Dec.21. NOTE-  There is no meeting planned for Dec 28.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    “Man has affinity for his fellow man, regardless of race, creed, or politics, and the greater the variety, the more the zest. All friendliness needs is a sporting chance; it will take care of itself in any company.” 
     
    — A Road I Have Travelled, THE ROTARIAN, February 1934—
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • WEST END SENIORS CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON- After 30 years of our involvement in the Seniors Christmas Lunch, the format has changed somewhat. It has been organized by the Seniors Board, but 8-9 volunteers from our club attended the luncheon at the Coast Hotel and helped serve the Egg Nog and drinks as well as help with the coat check room.
    • ANNUAL ROTARY DISTRICT 5040 CONFERENCE 2016
       Please make a point of opening the website for the District Conference which will take place in Whistler from May 4th to the 7th, 2017. There are discounts for the conference if you follow up sooner than later. The website is: http://celebraterotary.ca/
     
    Meeting -   Today was a Club Meeting. 

    Financials for the year 2015 -2016 were presented by Peter Fox.   Rather than summarize it here, Peter will make sure that a copy is sent to all members of our club. 

    Our President then reviewed that progression of our Action Plans for the remainder of the year. Again, Cleo will ensure that each member will receive a copy of the latest update (December 13, 2016) on the email. 

    The board mentioned that the EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) donation of 100 dollars US needed to be reviewed. If you are not sure how to arrange monthly, quarterly or annual payments, check with Peter or Sheila.
     
    Remember that we have a very special meeting on January 18 to celebrate our 30th anniversary of our inception into Rotary. We will be inviting as many of our past members as will be able to come to that meeting, to join us in our celebration. 
     
    MEMBERSHIP-   A while back, we all received a request from the membership committee (Vic) to list a few names of people who would be potential members for the future. Only a small number were turned in to Vic. Please try to get these in to Vic. If you need a copy of the memo, please let him  know.
     
    The thought of the Day: 
     
      “Man has affinity for his fellow man, regardless of race, creed, or politics, and the greater the variety, the more the zest. All friendliness needs is a sporting chance; it will take care of itself in any company.” 
     
    — A Road I Have Travelled, THE ROTARIAN, February 1934—
     
    Next 2 Speakers:
     
    21-Dec - Nick Parker "The holiday season"
    4- Jan - Ron Suzuki Classification Talk
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    December 14 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-12-14 08:00:00Z 0

    December 7 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Dec 07, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 15 members present. We had three guests, Alan Reynolds, who is a charter member of our club and Anthony Kupferschmidt, who is the Executive Director of the West End Seniors Network and our guest speaker Jordan Bateman, from the Canadian Taxpayer Federation.

    The 4-way test was read by all members in perfect sync ;)

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Matthew Lynam will be doing the Rotary moment this month. Today he told us about a program called Smile, from Amazon. With this program, you choose a charity of your choice, such as the Rotary Foundation, and Amazon will donate a portion of your purchases to that charity. For more details visit: https://smile.amazon.com/
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Lawrence and Bev hosted a wonderful Christmas party for all members. Those who attended report having had a blast and having enjoyed incredible food!
    • We will be providing Eggnog and punch for the west end seniors on Sunday at 10am at the Coast hotel on Comox Street.   1763 Comox St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1P5
    • Sheila will be travelling to Mexico next month to visit "Project Amigo". She requests that we donate children and young adult clothes that she can take there.
    • We are celebrating our clubs' 30th anniversary next month. Our celebration party will be on Wednesday January 18th 2017. Stay tuned for more details!
     
    Meeting -  Our guest speakers today was Jordan Bateman, from the BC chapter of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. This is a citizens advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government. They are a federally incorporated, non-profit organization that has 30,156 donors across the country and is governed by a five-person board of directors. 
     
    He spoke about the Teddy Awards. The "Teddies" are awarded to government entities and politicians wasteful spending or high taxes. Founded in 1999, The Teddies are named after Ted Weatherill, a former Chairman of the Canada Labour Relations Board who was terminated in 1998 for expenses incompatible with his position. The expenses included $150,000 in meals over eight years and over $700 for a lunch in Paris.
     
    This year the Federal Government Teddy went to Canada’s delegation to the 2014 conference numbered 69 people – but the new Trudeau government quadrupled that figure to 283 for the 2015 event. The total bill for taxpayers has yet to be tallied, but the costs from one Ministerial office alone ran to $282,000.
     
    The Provincial Government Teddy went to Prince Edward Island’s Department of Tourism and Culture. They printed 180,000 copies of their 2015 tourism guide. The cover features a man and a woman relaxing on a sandy PEI beach, with the woman reading a book and the man in shorts laying back and relaxing. Unfortunately, the department clearly failed to notice a significant “bulge” in his shorts that appears to be an erection.
     
    The Municipal Teddy went to The City of Calgary spent an extra $246,000 on a project to embed LED lights on its new Forest Lawn Lift Station that change colour depending on how fast the station is pumping waste water.
     
    The positive side of all of these awards is that they are almost never any repeat winners. Which would indicate that the wasteful entities actually change their ways after "winning" one of these awards.
     
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    The thought of the Day: 
     
    The best things in life are tax-free.
     
    Anonymous
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    14-Dec - Business Meeting
    21-Dec - Nick Parker "The holiday season"
    4- Jan - Ron Suzuki Classification Talk
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    December 7 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-12-07 08:00:00Z 0

    November 30 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Nov 30, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 14 members present and our guest speakers: Craig and William Veroni and Shelina Dilgir.

     

    The 4-way test was read by all members in perfect sync ;)

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Ron Suzuki will be doing the Rotary moment this month. Today he told us the story of the Rotary wheel logo:  The first design was made in 1905 by Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel, with a few lines to show dust and motion. The wheel was said to illustrate "Civilization and Movement."
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Lawrence will be hosting our Christmas party. Make sure you email him if you plan to go.
    • We are participating in the West End Seniors Network Christmas lunch this year,  in a different capacity. This time we will be serving the punch and eggnog. The event is on December 11th. Please contact Matthew Lynam for details.
     
    Meeting -  Our guest speakers today talked about Type 1 diabetes and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). For over 40 years, JDRF has been a global leader in the search for an end to type 1 diabetes (T1D), through both research funding and advocacy.
     
    Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce any insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body to control the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Without insulin, glucose builds up in your blood instead of being used for energy. Your body produces glucose and also gets glucose from foods like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, milk and fruit.

    The cause of type 1 diabetes remains unknown. It is not caused by eating too much sugar, and is not preventable. The current thought is that type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells that make insulin.
     
    People with T1D have to test their blood sugar level up to 10 times a day, including nighttime. Families of children diagnosed with T1D receive support and guidance through JDRF.
     
    Please check out their website for more details: http://www.jdrf.ca/
     
     
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the Day: 
     
    Once you learn to read, you will be forever free
     
    Frederic Douglass
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    7-Dec - Jordan Bateman "Canadian Taxpayers Federation"
    14-Dec - Business Meeting
    21-Dec - Nick Parker "The holiday season".
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    November 30 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-11-30 08:00:00Z 0

    November 23 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Nov 23, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 13 members present and our 2 guest speakers: Manion Broadbent and Sally Boschung.

     

    The 4-way test was read by John Haley.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Ron Suzuki will be doing the Rotary moment this month. Today he told us the names of some celebrities who actively support and endorse Rotary:
     
    • Jackie Chan
    • Desmond Tutu
    • Archie Panjabi
    • Henry Winkler
    • Buzz Aldrin and many more.
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Lawrence will be hosting our Christmas party, but he has not received confirmation from most members on whether we are attending or not. Make sure you email him if you plan to go.
    • The district conference will be on May 4-7 2017 in Whistler. Please take the time to check out the video below:
     
    • We're confirmed for our Club Beer Night this Tuesday at the Red Truck Beer Company, 295 E 1st Ave in Vancouver. Please let Cam Scott know if you are coming.
     
     
    Meeting -  Our guest speakers today gave us a very interesting presentation about New Zealand's balanced literacy approach.
     
    • Reading Recovery is an effective early literacy intervention designed to significantly reduce the number of children with literacy difficulties in schools. Reading Recovery provides daily one to one teaching with a specially trained teacher for children making the slowest progress in literacy learning after a year at school. It is supplementary to classroom instruction.
    • Manion, Sally and other teachers went to New Zealand in 2014 to learn about how to implement this program in the Vancouver School Board.
    • They have since founded a non-profit to promote this program in the Lower Mainland.
    • They are looking for a Rotary partner club to apply for a matching grant from the Rotary Foundation.
     
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the Day: 
     
    Once you learn to read, you will be forever free
     
    Frederic Douglass
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    30-Nov - Mystery Speaker "Type 1 Diabetes"
    7-Dec - Jordan Bateman "Canadian Taxpayers Federation"
    14-Dec - Business Meeting
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
    November 23 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-11-23 08:00:00Z 0

    November 16 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Nov 09, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 15 members present and 1 visiting Rotarian, Terry Miller from the Vancouver Rotary.

     

    The 4-way test was read by Carlos.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Ron Suzuki will be doing the Rotary moment this month. Today he touched on a few interesting facts about RYLA:
     
    • When did it start? A:1959
    • Where did it start? A: Queensland, Australia
    • For more details check their website: http://ryla5050.org/
     
    Announcements:
     
    • Terry Miller from the Vancouver club stopped by our meeting to invite us to the Million Dollar Dinner for the Rotary foundation. It will take place on January 9th. District 5040 and 5040 will celebrate 100 Years of The Rotary Foundation doing good in the world on Monday, January 9, 2017. Keynote speaker is RI President John Germ. - See more at: http://rotary5040.org/event/million-dollar-dinner/
     
     
    Meeting -  Today we had a business meeting to discuss, plan and set goals for our club's future.
     
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Thought of the Day: 
     
    Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success. ~Author unknown
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    23-Nov - Marion Broadbent "New Zealand School Exchange"
    30-Nov - Mystery Speaker "Type 1 Diabetes"
    7-Dec - Jordan Bateman "Canadian Taxpayers Federation"
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
    November 16 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-11-09 08:00:00Z 0

    November 9th 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Nov 09, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 15 members present, 1 visiting Rotarian, Brian Kerr who was also our guest speaker. And 5 guests from the Strathcona community centre who visited us to receive the cheque for the funds raised in the Hoopathon: Sally Chang, Mitra Tan, Christina Hong, Harvey Eng and Stephanie Chow.

     

    The 4-way test was read by all.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Ron Suzuki will be doing the Rotary moment this month. Today he had a couple of quiz questions about the Hoopathon:
     
    • When did it start? A:2006
    • How much has it raised? A:$225K!!
     
    Announcements:
     
    Today we presented the Strathcona community centre with a cheque with the funds raised in this years Hoopathon:
     
     
     
    Meeting -  Our guest Speaker today was Brian J Kerr. He joined Rotary in 2005 and is currently a member of the West Vancouver Sunrise club, where he was president in 2011.
     
    His presentation was on Canada's achievements during the Great War. Canada's sacrifices and contributions to the Great War changed its history and enabled it to become more independent, while opening a deep rift between the French and English speaking populations.
     
    For the first time in Canadian military history, Canadian forces fought as a distinct unit, first under a British commander but ultimately under a Canadian-born commander. The highpoints of Canadian military achievement during the Great War came during the Somme, Vimy, and Passchendaele battles and what later became known as "Canada's Hundred Days". 
     
    Canada's total casualties stood at the end of the war at 67,000 killed and 250,000 wounded, out of an expeditionary force of 620,000 people mobilized (39% of mobilized were casualties).
     
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     

     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    16-Nov - Business Meeting
    23-Nov - Marion Broadbent "New Zealand School Exchange"
    30-Nov - King George Interact Club 
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
    November 9th 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-11-09 08:00:00Z 0

    November 2nd 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Nov 02, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 16 members present as well as 3 visiting Rotarians, 2 from Dallas, Texas. Matt Michel and David Heimer. And Don Evans, our guest speaker.

    The 4-way test was read by John Haley.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Ron Suzuki will be doing the Rotary moment this month. Today he commented on all the good things about Rotary. Among those:
     
    • The Rotary foundation
    • The social networking aspect of belonging to a club
    • Giving back
    • Supports peace
    • Youth programs such as Rotaract and RYLA.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) The “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.”  Was a huge success, 8 Rotarians attended and it was a very hands on and insightful course.
     
     
    Meeting -  Our guest Speaker today was Don Evans, has been a Rotarian for more than 29 years. He is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Vancouver (2002-2003) and has held many different positions with the club. He is also active with District 5040 as Strategic Planning Chair, a member of the District Foundation Committee and is a PETS Trainer.
     
    Don is also President Emeritus of the West Coast Railway Association, and has been active with the group for 40 years - it would be fair to say that railroading is one of don's passions .  Don also serves on the boards of both businesses and other non profits .He was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 for his active community involvement and was named 2005 Business Person of the Year by the Squamish Chamber of Commerce for his work with the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. 
     
    His presentation today was to tell us about the Rotary foundation's 100 years and some of the amazing achievements it has had in this time period. The Rotary Foundation is a non-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.

    The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary "to do good in the world." It has grown from an initial contribution of US$26.50 to more than US$1billion. It has one of the largest and most prestigious international fellowship programs in the world.
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
     
    Charles M. Schulz
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    9-Nov -   Brian Kerr "Remembrance Day"
    16-Nov - Business Meeting
    23-Nov - Marion Broadbent "New Zealand School Exchange"
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
    November 2nd 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-11-02 07:00:00Z 0

    October 26 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Oct 19, 2016
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    At this Wednesday's meeting, we had 16 members present as well as 3 guests, the Piñon family from Spain.

    The 4-way test was read by all the members in perfect unison.

     

    Rotary Moment:

     
    Peter Browne had some Rotary trivia questions for us today:
     
    1) How long did it take for Rotary to have 1,000 clubs? A: 11 years!
     
    2) What is the furthest distance that a Rotary banner has travelled? A: A Rotary banner was onboard the Apolo 8!
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Sheila gave us an update about our International project, there are multiple fund-raising ideas for the Project Amigo, she will keep us posted with the best options.
     
    Meeting -  Today we had a business meeting to discuss the goals for our club and how to achieve them. Exciting times ahead!
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
     
    Charles M. Schulz
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    2-Nov -   Don Evans "Foundation Month"
    9-Nov -   Brian Kerr "Remembrance Day"
    16-Nov - Business Meeting
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

     
     
     
    October 26 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-10-19 07:00:00Z 0

    October 19 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Oct 19, 2016
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    The meeting took place at the Vancouver Food Bank, where we learned about how it is run, how it helps today and the plans for the future. As our special guest, we had Hanne Hoistra, our exchange student from 5 years ago.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Peter Browne had 3 Rotary trivia questions for us today:
     
    1) When was the first Rotary meeting? A: February 1905
     
    2) When was the first meeting outside of the US? A: Winnipeg!
     
    3) When was the first meeting outside North America? A: Dublin
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Sheila gave us an update about our International project, there are multiple fund-raising ideas for the Project Amigo, she will keep us posted with the best options.
     
    Meeting -  Our host at the Vancouver food bank was Aart Schuurman Hess, who is also a Rotarian. He gave us a presentation and a tour of the facilities.
     
    Some of the highlights of his presentation were:
     
    • The food bank was founded in 1982
    • Initially, it served 200 individuals per month. This has grown to 26,500 per week!
    • It serves Vancouver, North and West Van and Burnaby.
    • 20% of the clients are children and 19% are seniors.
    • 56% of their clients have a household monthly income of $1,200
    • 46% of the food they distribute comes directly from farmers.
    • They have 13 distribution locations and the food gets distributed with the help of 100 community agencies.
    • Visit their website for more information: https://www.foodbank.bc.ca/
    Pics from our visit:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
     
    Charles M. Schulz
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    26-Oct - Business Meeting
    2-Nov - Don Evans "Foundation Month"
    9-Nov - Brian Kerr "Remembrance Day"
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

     
     
    October 19 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-10-19 07:00:00Z 0

    October 12 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Oct 12, 2016
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    At last Wednesday's meeting, we had 18 Members one guest, Fabiola Sanchez and 2 Rotarian guests, our District Governor Lyn Stroshin and our Assistant District Governor Davinder Grewal . The 4-way test was read by Ron Suzuki.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Peter Browne told us that at the 1917 convention, outgoing Rotary President Arch Klumph proposed to set up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    3) Lawrence asked us to express our support for the youth exchange program, we are in need of another family to host an exchange student for 2 months. We may have to partner with another club to be able to host a student. If you are able to host please get in touch with Lawrence.
     
    4) For our club's Christmas party we are planning to have it on December 4th and this year it may be a brunch rather than a dinner. Stay tuned for more on this later!
     
    5) Matthew Lynam was awarded a Paul Harris medal today for his huge contributions to our club, congrats!!
     
    Meeting -  Our guest speaker today was Lyn Stroshin who is the District 5040 Governor. She looks after 48 Rotary clubs. These are some of the highlights of her presentation:
     
    • Rotary is now focusing on youth as this is the future of Rotary
    • Business networking is being encouraged, this was a big part of how Rotary was founded and it remains a legitimate interest for our members.
    • The Rotary Foundation has received the highest possible score from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.
    • The Rotary Foundation today is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world. From its humble beginnings of $26.50 the TRF now has a billion in assets which is an incredible testament to the generosity of Rotarians worldwide.
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
     
    Robert Louis Stevenson
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    19-Oct - Meeting at the food bank.
    26-Oct - Business Meeting
    2-Nov - Don Evans "Foundation Month"
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

     
    October 12 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-10-12 07:00:00Z 0

    October 5 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Oct 05, 2016
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    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and no guests. The 4 way test was read by Bill.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Today the Rotary moment was a trivia question: Do you know what Rotarian Bill Gates' largest holding is?
     
    CN Rail, believe it or not!
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on October 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    3) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    4) Membership. You should have received an email with a form that you need to fill out. Make sure you send it over to Ron and Vicente.
     
    Meeting -  We did not have a guest speaker today. We talked about people who have influenced us in a positive way.
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
     
    Robert Louis Stevenson
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    12-Oct - Business Meeting with Lyn Stroshin, District Governor.
    19-Oct - Meeting at the food bank.
    26-Oct - Business Meeting
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

    October 5 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-10-05 07:00:00Z 0

    September 28 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Sep 28, 2016
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    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 18 Members and no guests. The 4 way test was read by Carlos.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail gave us a quiz to test our Rotary knowledge with these 3 questions:
     
    1) Do you know which are the 6 areas of focus of the Rotary foundation? Here they are:
     
    • Peace and conflict prevention/resolution.
    • Disease prevention and treatment.
    • Water and sanitation.
    • Maternal and child health.
    • Basic education and literacy.
    • Economic and community development.
    2) How many countries have Rotary clubs? 200!
     
    3) What is the Rotary Foundation's mission? The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on October 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    3) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    4) During the meeting we also reviewed our club's 3 year strategic plan.
     
    Guest Speaker -  Our guest speaker today was our member Peter Browne who gave us his classification talk.
     
    Some of the many interesting points he mentioned were:
     
    1) He was born in Vancouver, went to school here.
     
    2) He had an industrial insulation business.
     
    3) He has 2 boys
     
    4) His wife owns an art gallery in Deep Cove
     
    5) He enjoys fishing, wood working and traveling.
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.
     
    John Dewey
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    5 - Oct         Denise Walker         Kindness
    12-Oct         Bus Mtg                  Lyn Stroshin District Governor
    19-Oct         Meeting at the food bank.
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 16 Members and a guest, Brian Silzer who is a friend of Bill Sheddy. The 4 way test was read by Cam Scott.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail tested our knowledge of Rotary's history with these 2 questions:
     
    1) What month was Rotary founded on? hint, 2nd month of the year
     
    2) What were the names and professions of the co-founders, other than Paul Harris? Gustavus Loehr (mining engineer), Silvester Schiele (coal dealer), and Hiram E. Shorey (merchant tailor).
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On September 17 there is an invitation from the Arbutus club to our club for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/kits-beach-cleanup-volunteer-bbq-free-tickets-20747851382
     
    2) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    3) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on october 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    4) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    Business Meeting -  Today we had our monthly business meeting to discuss our club's 3 year plan. Thank you to all board members for their hard work!
     
    We also saw a video about "Project Amigo" which is our International project. Please watch the video below:
     
     
    Click here to learn more about Project Amigo: http://www.projectamigo.org/
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    "A plan without a goal is just a wish"
     
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
     
    21-Sept       Cheryl Borgmann     Junior Achievement
    28 -Sept      Peter Browne           Classification Talk
    5 - Oct         Denise Walker         Kindness
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and a guest, Nancy Lee. The 4 way test was read by Frances.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail reminded us that this Wednesday was the international day of peace. Each year, Rotary selects up to 100 individuals from around the world to receive fully funded academic fellowships at one of our peace centres. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. 

    In just over a decade, the Rotary Peace Centres have trained more than 900 fellows for careers in peace building. Many of them go on to serve as leaders in national governments, NGOs, the military, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and World Bank.
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on October 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    3) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    4) Project Amigo is our chosen International Project to sponsor over the next 3 years. Project Amigo ( formerly Rotary Project Amigo)  has been in operation for 30 years helping the poor rural kids of the State of Colima, Mexico  to get an education and help themselves and their families out of systemic poverty. 
     
    It has been and continues to be a huge success and our contribution will help it to continue to grow and service the underprivileged children in the area. Please check out the website at: www.projectamigo.org.
     
    Guest Speaker -  Our guest speaker today was Sheryl Borgmann. She is the regional manager for the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley region for Junior Achievement of BC. 
     
    JA is the world’s largest NGO dedicated to educating young people about business. With over 120 member organizations worldwide, JA brings a global view of business to local communities.
     
    Since 1955, British Columbia schools have relied on JA to inspire and prepare youth to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. In 2016, over 38,000 BC students benefited from JABC programs delivered free of charge by volunteers from local business communities, who bring their real-life experience into the classroom. JABC programs focus on work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, giving students the confidence and skills they need to become the next generation of business and community leaders.
     
    Visit their website to learn more: http://jabc.ca/
     
     
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    'You give but little when you give of your possessions.It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.'
     
    Kahlil Gibran
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    28 -Sept      Peter Browne           Classification Talk
    5 - Oct         Denise Walker         Kindness
    12-Oct         Bus Mtg                  Lyn Stroshin District Governor
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and a guest, Nancy Lee. The 4 way test was read by Frances.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail reminded us that this Wednesday was the international day of peace. Each year, Rotary selects up to 100 individuals from around the world to receive fully funded academic fellowships at one of our peace centres. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. 

    In just over a decade, the Rotary Peace Centres have trained more than 900 fellows for careers in peace building. Many of them go on to serve as leaders in national governments, NGOs, the military, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and World Bank.
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on October 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    3) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    4) Project Amigo is our chosen International Project to sponsor over the next 3 years. Project Amigo ( formerly Rotary Project Amigo)  has been in operation for 30 years helping the poor rural kids of the State of Colima, Mexico  to get an education and help themselves and their families out of systemic poverty. 
     
    It has been and continues to be a huge success and our contribution will help it to continue to grow and service the underprivileged children in the area. Please check out the website at: www.projectamigo.org.
     
    Guest Speaker -  Our guest speaker today was Sheryl Borgmann. She is the regional manager for the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley region for Junior Achievement of BC. 
     
    JA is the world’s largest NGO dedicated to educating young people about business. With over 120 member organizations worldwide, JA brings a global view of business to local communities.
     
    Since 1955, British Columbia schools have relied on JA to inspire and prepare youth to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. In 2016, over 38,000 BC students benefited from JABC programs delivered free of charge by volunteers from local business communities, who bring their real-life experience into the classroom. JABC programs focus on work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, giving students the confidence and skills they need to become the next generation of business and community leaders.
     
    Visit their website to learn more: http://jabc.ca/
     
     
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    'You give but little when you give of your possessions.It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.'
     
    Kahlil Gibran
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    28 -Sept      Peter Browne           Classification Talk
    5 - Oct         Denise Walker         Kindness
    12-Oct         Bus Mtg                  Lyn Stroshin District Governor
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    September 28 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-09-28 07:00:00Z 0

    September 21 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Sep 21, 2016
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    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and a guest, Nancy Lee. The 4 way test was read by Frances.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail reminded us that this Wednesday was the international day of peace. Each year, Rotary selects up to 100 individuals from around the world to receive fully funded academic fellowships at one of our peace centres. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. 

    In just over a decade, the Rotary Peace Centres have trained more than 900 fellows for careers in peace building. Many of them go on to serve as leaders in national governments, NGOs, the military, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and World Bank.
     
    Announcements:
     
     
    1) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    2) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on October 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    3) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    4) Project Amigo is our chosen International Project to sponsor over the next 3 years. Project Amigo ( formerly Rotary Project Amigo)  has been in operation for 30 years helping the poor rural kids of the State of Colima, Mexico  to get an education and help themselves and their families out of systemic poverty. 
     
    It has been and continues to be a huge success and our contribution will help it to continue to grow and service the underprivileged children in the area. Please check out the website at: www.projectamigo.org.
     
    Guest Speaker -  Our guest speaker today was Sheryl Borgmann. She is the regional manager for the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley region for Junior Achievement of BC. 
     
    JA is the world’s largest NGO dedicated to educating young people about business. With over 120 member organizations worldwide, JA brings a global view of business to local communities.
     
    Since 1955, British Columbia schools have relied on JA to inspire and prepare youth to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. In 2016, over 38,000 BC students benefited from JABC programs delivered free of charge by volunteers from local business communities, who bring their real-life experience into the classroom. JABC programs focus on work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, giving students the confidence and skills they need to become the next generation of business and community leaders.
     
    Visit their website to learn more: http://jabc.ca/
     
     
     
     
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    'You give but little when you give of your possessions.It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.'
     
    Kahlil Gibran
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    28 -Sept      Peter Browne           Classification Talk
    5 - Oct         Denise Walker         Kindness
    12-Oct         Bus Mtg                  Lyn Stroshin District Governor
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    September 21 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-09-21 07:00:00Z 0

    September 14 2016

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Sep 14, 2016
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    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 16 Members and a guest, Brian Silzer who is a friend of Bill Sheddy. The 4 way test was read by Cam Scott.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail tested our knowledge of Rotary's history with these 2 questions:
     
    1) What month was Rotary founded on? hint, 2nd month of the year
     
    2) What were the names and professions of the co-founders, other than Paul Harris? Gustavus Loehr (mining engineer), Silvester Schiele (coal dealer), and Hiram E. Shorey (merchant tailor).
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On September 17 there is an invitation from the Arbutus club to our club for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/kits-beach-cleanup-volunteer-bbq-free-tickets-20747851382
     
    2) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 29 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    3) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on october 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    4) Our meeting on October 19th will be at the Food Bank, make sure you make a note of this.
     
    Business Meeting -  Today we had our monthly business meeting to discuss our club's 3 year plan. Thank you to all board members for their hard work!
     
    We also saw a video about "Project Amigo" which is our International project. Please watch the video below:
     
     
    Click here to learn more about Project Amigo: http://www.projectamigo.org/
     
    Pics from our meeting:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    "A plan without a goal is just a wish"
     
     
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
     
    21-Sept       Cheryl Borgmann     Junior Achievement
    28 -Sept      Peter Browne           Classification Talk
    5 - Oct         Denise Walker         Kindness
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    September 14 2016 Carlos Obregon 2016-09-14 07:00:00Z 0

    September 7th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Sep 07, 2016
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    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members 2 visiting Rotarians, Brad Reminek and Bill Jones. And our guest speaker John Chalkias. 

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Abigail gave us a very encouraging update about the fight to end Polio:
     
    Rotary has committed an additional $35 million in grants to support the global effort to end polio – donating a total of $70 million in 2016 alone. The announcement comes on the heels of significant strides made against the paralyzing disease, leaving just two polio-endemic countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan. If current progress continues, 2016 may mark the last case of wild poliovirus.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On September 17 there is an invitation from the Arbutus club to our club for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. More info here: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/778/Stories/cleaning-our-beaches
     
    2) Sunday September 11th is our annual outing to Hastings Park. Please note that this is an afternoon outing. Friends and Family are welcome. To find out the costs and info regarding the buffet go to : http://www.hastingsracecourse.com/silks/ Racing starts at 1.30 p.m.
     
    3) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 22 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    4) Our District Governor will be visiting our club on october 12th, make sure to attend that meeting.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was John Chalkias, founder of Seeds of Hope Children's Ministry™ started in 1995 after hearing about the plight of children orphaned because of AIDS. In 1996 Seeds of Hope Children's Ministry™ opened the first home for HIV/AIDS children in Thailand. Since that time, they have been involved in bringing aid to children in several countries. Our biggest projects are in Ndola, Zambia.
     
    Some of the highlights of his presentation were:
     
    • 93% of all donations go directly to children, distributed through food, education, housing, and other programming.
    • Seeds of Hope receives no government funding
    • The Buseko Children's Home is the first and currently the only Home in Zambia specifically for HIV/AIDS affected or infected children.
    • Since 2005 they have been able to provide antiretroviral (ARV's) therapy for all our HIV positive children.
    • More info on their website: http://www.seedsofhopecm.com/
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    "Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going."
     
    Sam Levenson
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    14-Sept       Business meeting
    21-Sept       Cheryl Borgmann     Junior Achievement
    28 -Sept      Peter Browne           Classification Talk
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    September 7th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-09-07 07:00:00Z 0

    August 31 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Aug 31, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and our guest speaker Tom Smith, Membership District Chair. The 4 Way Test was read by John Haley.

     

    Rotary Moment:
     
    Larry Belsito told us  some very interesting facts about Rotary:
     
    • There are more than 1.2 Million Rotarians all over the world in more than 33,000 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries in all geographic areas.
    • The Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships is the world’s largest, privately funded scholarship program.
    • Providing vitamin A supplements during polio National Immunization Days has averted an estimated 1.5 million childhood deaths since 1998 – testimony to the “plus” in PolioPlus.
    • The first service project of the first Rotary club of Chicago was installation of public toilets in the city.
    • The first Rotaract Club was formed in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
    • The first women joined Rotary in 1987. Today, more than 196,000 woman are members of Rotary International.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On September 17 there is an invitation from the Arbutus club to our club for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. More info here: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/778/Stories/cleaning-our-beaches
     
    2) Sunday September 11th is our annual outing to Hastings Park. Please note that this is an afternoon outing. Friends and Family are welcome. To find out the costs and info regarding the buffet go to : http://www.hastingsracecourse.com/silks/ Racing starts at 1.30 p.m.
     
    3) Ron Suzuki made an announcement about how 12 schools are facing closure in Vancouver due to not meeting the required number of students signed up. He is fighting to keep Britannia school open since it provides many social services to the community. 
     
    4) Ted is promoting the “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 15 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please get in touch with Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Tom Smith, our Membership Chair for District 5040. He presented us the latest ideas about how to sell Rotary to attract and retain members.
     
    Some of the highlights of his presentation were:
     
    • There is now a lead generation program in the Rotary International website.
    • There will soon be a professionally produced video that we can all show to prospective members.
    • There are 4 areas where we need to work to find new members: ethnic diversity, women, baby boomers and young professionals.
    • When hosting fireside chats we need to cover the following topics: dues, attendance and mentoring.
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    "Alone we can do little, together we can do much"
     
    Helen Keller
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    7-Sept         Brad Reminek          Solar Panels for an orphanage in Zambia
    14-Sept       Business meeting
    21-Sept       Cheryl Borgmann     Junior Achievement
     
    Pics from the meeting and from the recent trip to Whistler:
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    August 31 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-08-31 07:00:00Z 0

    August 24 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Aug 24, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and no guests today.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Vicente.
     
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Larry Belsito told us about the history of the Rotary Bell. Most clubs ring a bell to call the meeting to order and to adjournment. The use of a bell and gavel was taken from the Roberts Rules of Order. The use of the Rotary bell has never been mandated, but it has become a custom with most Rotary Clubs. The first bell was used in 1915 at a Ladies Night Meeting in Kansas City. A sign was on display which commanded all attendees to sit down when the bell was rang.

    On the 100th anniversary of Rotary, in 2003, Rotary celebrated with five bells. One travelled to the first 100 clubs to join Rotary International. The other four went to the first Rotary club formed in each country in the world.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On August 27th we will have the trip to Abigail's chalet in Whistler, please make sure that you confirm with her is you will be going.
     
    2) On September 17 there is an invitation from the Arbutus club to our club for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. More info here: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/778/Stories/cleaning-our-beaches
     
    3) Elena Agala has invited our club members to a dinner on Thursday September 1st at 5pm. The dinner is a recognition and celebration of what The Rotary Foundation has done for the Philippines – and the world – especially in the eradication of Polio. 
     
    4) Sunday September 11th is our annual outing to Hastings Park. Please note that this is an afternoon outing. Friends and Family are welcome. To find out the costs and info regarding the buffet go to : http://www.hastingsracecourse.com/silks/ Racing starts at 1.30 p.m.
     
    5) T Shirts are in. Invoices will be sent to each person. There were three types and three different prices.
     
    6) Ted will send an email regarding “ Rotarian save live-CPR/AED training and certification.” The session will be on October 15 near the Seabus terminal in North Vancouver. Please reply to Ted if you would be interested in attending.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Michael Alty, who presented the second part of his classification talk. Michael gave us a very comprehensive report on the history the Treaty Laws, beginning with the first treaty in 1763 as proclaimed by George 3rd in England. James Douglas in 1849, BC ‘s second governor, was the first person to buy land from the Aboriginals.

    There is a duty to consult and where appropriate, accommodate. The aboriginal groups which occupied land at the time of European Sovereignty, never ceded or lost their right to the land. If there is interest in reading more, please touch base with Michael for interesting books on the subject.
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    If there is to be reconciliation first, there must be truth. 
     
    Timothy Tyson
     
    Next 3 Speakers:

    31-Aug        Tom Smith              Membership
    7-Sept         Brad Reminek          Solar Panels for an orphanage in Zambia
    14-Sept       Business meeting
     
    Pics:
    A famous Rotarian, note the Rotary pin in his lapel
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    August 24 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-08-24 07:00:00Z 0

    August 17 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Aug 17, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 12 Members and 3 visiting Rotarians: Viktor Grinewitsehus from Germany and Chris and Tamara Stilwell from Australia.

    The 4 Way Test was read in German by Viktor.
     
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Larry Belsito told us about the large number of famous people and historical figures that have been Rotarians. The list includes: Churchill, Walt Disney, Prince Phillip, Thomas Edison, Ted Turner, George Bush, Hillary Clinton and many more. In case you are curious you can find a very long list here: http://www.rotaractorwiki.org/wiki/Famous_Rotarians
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On August 27th we will have the trip to Abigail's chalet in Whistler, please make sure that you confirm with her is you will be going.
     
    2) On September 17 there is an invitation from the Arbutus club to our club for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. More info here: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/778/Stories/cleaning-our-beaches
     
    3) Elena Agala has invited our club members to a dinner on Thursday September 1st at 5pm. The dinner is a recognition and celebration of what The Rotary Foundation has done for the Philippines – and the world – especially in the eradication of Polio. 
     
    4) Sunday September 11th is our annual outing to Hastings Park. Please note that this is an afternoon outing. Friends and Family are welcome. To find out the costs and info regarding the buffet go to : http://www.hastingsracecourse.com/silks/ Racing starts at 1.30 p.m.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Lauryn Oates who spoke about an organization called Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. Lauryn is a consultant in International Development specializing in Women's Rights Education and Literacy. In 1996 at the age of fourteen, she heard about Afghani Taliban regime's treatment of women and girls and was inspired to do something about their oppression. She founded Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, an all volunteer organization with 13 chapters in Canada.
     
    Some of the many highlights of her presentation:
     
    1) CW4WA has 2 main projects, and "out of school" literacy and life skills program and to strengthen and equip the public school system.
     
    2) 8,000 teachers have been trained since 2008
     
    3) There are now 8-10 million girls in school, up from near 0 under the Taliban regime.
     
    4) Part of their fundraising is done via potluck dinners, where guest pay $75 each. More info here: http://www.cw4wafghan.ca/support/breaking-bread
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world
     
    Malala Yousafzai 
     
    Next 3 Speakers:

    24-Aug        Michael Alty      Classification Part 2
    31-Aug        Tom Smith        Membership
     
    Pics:
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    August 17 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-08-17 07:00:00Z 0

    August 10 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Aug 10, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 16 Members. Our only guest was Millie Taing who used to be with our club.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Gary.
     
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Larry Belsito told us about how the Catholic church was initially suspicious of Rotary, considering it a secret society with dubious motives. But this has changes and even Pope Francis is an honorary Rotarian with a club in Buenos Aires!
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On August 27th we will have the trip to Abigail's chalet in Whistler, please make sure that you confirm with her is you will be going.
     
    Business Meeting
     
    Today we had a brief business meeting. Where the board reported some impressive achievements. Our club is in good hands and in good shape financially as well as in terms of membership.
     
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Millie Taing who spoke about artificial intelligence.
     
    Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence exhibited by machines. In computer science, an ideal "intelligent" machine is a flexible rational agent that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of success at some goal.
     
    Millie's company is using AI for project management. AI helps process very large amounts of information, something that would be impossible for humans. The information is then processed via rules that determine what kind of decisions are made with the processed information.
     
    For more information check out their website: http://lili.ai/
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.
     
    Eleanor Roosevelt
     
    Next 3 Speakers:

    17-Aug        Lauryn Oates    Teaching young girls in Afghanistan
    24-Aug        Michael Alty      Classification Part 2
    31-Aug        Tom Smith        Membership
     
    Pics:
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    August 10 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-08-10 07:00:00Z 0

    August 3rd 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Aug 03, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 17 Members. We had our Assistant District Governor, Davinder Grewal, visiting us as well as our guest speaker Michael Lowry.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Iozsef.
     
    Presentation by ADG Davinder Grewal
     
    Davinder talked about the 3 focus areas for this new Rotary year:
     
    Focus 1: Membership, we need to focus on attracting and retaining younger members. New legislation was passed to allow Rotaractors to also be Rotarians at the same time.
     
    Focus 2: Polio. This is a high priority, the goal for each club is to raise $2,650.
     
    Focus 3: Business networking. This will be encouraged again as this was part of the original Rotary clubs in the beginning.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Larry Belsito told us about how recent it was the women were accepted as Rotarians. Seattle was the first club to do so in 1986! Nowadays women represent 15% of the total membership worldwide.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) On August 27th we will have the trip to Abigail's chalet in Whistler, please make sure that you confirm with her is you will be going.
     
    2) Matthew will be placing the order for the "Rotarians at Work" T-shirts, make sure you let him know if you need yours.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Ron Suzuki introduced our guest speaker today, Michael Lowry represents Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC). It's mandate is to ensure there is a state of preparedness in place and to mitigate the impact when an oil spill occurs. This includes the protection of wildlife, economic and environmental sensitivities, and the safety of both the responders and the public.
     
    WCMRC is a private company certified as a Response Organization by Transport Canada – Marine Safety.  They work, train and exercise closely with a number of government departments including municipalities, port and harbour authorities, Canadian Coast Guard, Environment Canada, BC Ministry of Environment and Coastal First Nations.
     
    For more information check out their website: http://wcmrc.com/
     
    Next 3 Speakers:
     
    10-Aug        Business Mtg    Milie Taing    Artificial Intelligence
    17-Aug        Lauryn Oates    Teaching young girls in Afghanistan
    24-Aug        Michael Alty    Classification Part 2
     
    Pics:
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    August 3rd 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-08-03 07:00:00Z 0

    July 27th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jul 27, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members. We had one visiting Rotarian, our guest speaker Elena Agala from the Richmond sunrise club.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Gary.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Gary Chomyn asked us some trivia questions, such as Do you know how many countries in the world have Rotary clubs? The answer is over 200!!
     
    What are the areas of focus for the Rotary Foundation? 6:
     
    1. Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
    2. Disease prevention and treatment
    3. Water and sanitation
    4. Maternal and child health
    5. Basic education and literacy
    6. Economic and community development.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Our new district governor, Lyn Stroshin, will be visiting our club on August 3rd. Please try to attend that meeting.
     
    2) We are going to be scanning all the club banners from Rotarians who have visited our club in the past several years. We will be creating a photo album that we will share with everyone.
     
    3) On August 27th we will have the trip to Abigail's chalet in Whistler, please make sure that you confirm with her is you will be going.
     
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Elena Agala, she spoke about Rotary World Help program. Elena graduated with a bachelors degree in Education, she owned her own business for 20 years and she joined Rotary in 2000.
     
    In 1997, a group of dedicated Rotarians from the Province of British Columbia, Canada established Rotary World Help (RWH), a non-profit, registered charitable organization that coordinates the shipment of used and donated educational, humanitarian and medical supplies to countries in need throughout the world. Elena is past director of RWH.
     
     
    Some of the highlights of her presentation were:
    • Each container shipped touches the lives of 30,000 people.
    • The average container value is $350,000
    • She was featured in the Notaries Public of BC magazine. The issue can be seen here: http://www.notaries.bc.ca/resources/scrivener/Summer2016/pdf/Scriv%20Summer16-online.pdf
    • The official website of the Rotary Help Network is: http://rotaryworldhelp.com/
     
     
     
    Pics:
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    July 27th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-07-27 07:00:00Z 0

    July 20th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jul 20, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members. As well as 1 guest, Mariella Begemann. Lawrence presided the meeting as Cleo is out of town.

    The 4 Way Test was read in fluent Spanish by Sheila Anderson.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Gary Chomyn asked us some trivia questions, such as Do you know how many Rotary clubs there are worldwide? The answer is 35,000!!
     
    Also, did you know that Buzz Aldrin the astronaut actually put a 4 way test pin on the moon?
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Our new district governor, Lyn Stroshin, will be visiting our club on August 3rd. Please try to attend that meeting.
     
    2) Ted MacCormac told us the the guest speakers roster is fully booked until December.
     
    3) On August 27th we will have the trip to Abigail's chalet in Whistler, please make sure that you confirm with her is you will be going.
     
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Kathy Nyoni, from the North Shore Disability Resource Centre. They run a program called STAGE, which stands for Supportive Transition Adult Group Education. 
     
    The program is is a weekday service for transitioning adults with disabilities who have completed high school. Participants can access educational, vocational and social recreational activities in the community or at the program site. 
     
    STAGE offers a varied schedule based on the goals of the participants:
     
        -Functional academics (Smart Readers, Math 2 Go, Money Skills )
        -Skill development (bus skills, office skills, basic computer skills)
        -Work skill training through community volunteering
        -Employment exploration through Informational interviews and tours with local businesses and services
     
     
    Some of the highlights of her presentation were:
    • They currently have 200 participants.
    • They build and sell some beautiful birdhouses with images from the city and places close by. They are sold for $45 at several locations.
    • Make sure you check out their website: http://www.nsdrc.org/programs/
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes.
     
    R. Buckminster Fuller
     
    Pics:
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    July 20th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-07-20 07:00:00Z 0

    july 13th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jul 13, 2016

    At Wednesday’s meeting, our newest member, Peter Browne reactivated the position of official Greeter for the month of July. Sheila stood in as acting president for this meeting. The Four Way test carried out by Peter Fox. Sixteen members were present today.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Gary had a quiz prepared about Rotary.

    1. Our new International President- Answer- John
    Germ

    2. Where is he from- Answer Chattanooga, Tennessee

    3. The theme for 2016-2017- Answer-Rotary Serving
    Humanity

    4. Who old is Rotary Foundation- Answer- 100 years

    5. What was the first donation to Foundation-
    Answer- $26.50 made by the Rotary Club of Kansas
    City

    6. How cases of polio last year. Answer -74 cases

    A second Rotary moment from Bill was the launching of a sail-boat sponsored by our club for handicapped sailors. Sam Sullivan, mayor at that time, accepted to the Jericho Sailing Club.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1. T Shirts- “ Rotary At Work”- If you do not have one, contact Matthew with your size.

    2. Odlum– our foundation account now has a market value of $81,004.82.

    3. Luminosity- Diana and Gary discussed the events that we will hold this year. A summary will be forwarded to all members.
     
    Guest Speaker-  
    Cam introduced Ted MacCormac. Ted was one of original founders of our club in 1986, rejoining our club after some years in a North Vancouver club. Ted has been President twice in our club, and twice in other clubs. He has been a Rotarian earlier in the 70’s and 80’s in three other cities. We are so happy to have Ted back in the club. Ted introduced the thought for the day in our club.
     
    Pics:
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    "We don’t grow when things are easy. We grow when
    we face challenges."
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    july 13th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-07-13 07:00:00Z 0

    July 6th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jul 06, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had the pleasure of welcoming not one but two new members!. Ted MacCormac and Peter Brown are our newest members, congrats!

    The 4 Way Test was read by Vicente.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    On Tuesday July 5, Diana and gary attended the City of Vancouver, Awards of Excellence Ceremony at Van Dusen Gardens… where Mayor Gregor Robertson, presented our fellow Rotarian Ron Suzuki, with a CIVIC Merit Award.  Ron was chosen after a unanimous decision by Vancouver City Council to receive the award, which is one of the highest honors bestowed on an individual in Vancouver. The Civic Merit Award was established by the City in 1942 to recognize individuals for outstanding performance in sports, science, arts or culture – or in recognition of a specific service.  Ron received the Civic Merit Award for his tireless work as an advocate for children in Vancouver’s low income communities and for strong leadership in developing a successful basketball program exclusively for girls and young women at Strathcona CC. 
    Ron’s work over the years - supports Rotary’s mandate of Service above Self.  Congrats Ron on receiving the City of Vancouver Civic Merit Awards.  You make all Rotarians proud!
     
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) These are the upcoming luminosity social events for our club:
     
    •  July: Historic walk, tbd.
    • August 27: Whistler trip to Abigail's cabin.
    • September: Day at the races.
    • October: Possible event at the food bank, details to come later.
    • November: Pub night
    New Members-   Today we welcomed Ted and Peter as new members, pics below:
     
     
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
     
    Mahatma Gandhi
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    July 6th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-07-06 07:00:00Z 0

    June 22nd 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jun 22, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 17 Members. As well as 1 visiting Rotarian, Ted MacCormac and 2 guests, Susanna Clarke and Jason Blank.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Ted.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Vicente told us that Europe has been polio free since 2002, but last year there were 2 cases in Ukraine and they also found polio viruses in the sewage system in Brazil. For this reason the polio plus program has 124 labs all over the world to monitor for polio virus.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) last reminder to collect any outstanding hoopathon pledges.
     
    2) No meeting next Wednesday.
     
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Tim Readman, he is the executive director of the Stroke Recovery Association of BC. He graduated from the University of Northumbria, England, as an occupational therapist. Tim is also a professional musician, singer, producer and music journalist.
     
    The Stroke Recovery Association of BC (SRABC) is a non-profit organization. They have been offering information and programs for stroke survivors, after they leave hospital since 1979.
     
    Some of the highlights of his presentation were:
    • They currently have 29 branches across BC.
    • There has been a spike in strokes for the 30 to 50 age group. Possibly due to a sedentary lifestyle.
    • Make sure you check out their website: http://strokerecoverybc.ca/
     
    Thought of the Day:
     
    It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
     
    Mahatma Gandhi
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    June 22nd 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-06-22 07:00:00Z 0

    June 15th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jun 15, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 13 Members. As well as 4 visiting Rotarians, Steve and Dawn Rutledge, Mike Storey from the Ladner Rotary club, Prakashchandra Shetty Chithur, president of the Kundapura Rotary club in India as well as Robert Ronald Fernandes from India as well.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Carlos.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Vicente told us that the Polio Plus foundation has donated 30M dollars to the Polio eradication efforts taking place in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Peter Fox is looking at an option for our outdoor exercise equipment project, stay tuned for more information in the next few weeks.
     
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Steve Rutledge, he grew up in Georgetown Ontario and spent his career as co-owner of a mid sized computer company in Toronto. Since retirement he has narrowed his focus on community support locally and internationally. For the last several years he has been serving the rural villagers of Laos with the most basic needs including water for villages.
     
    His biggest accomplishment is the provision of water filtration for over 12,500 rural villagers, along with hygiene training for each family.
     
    Some of the highlights of his presentation were:
    • Each water filter is only CAD$110 and lasts for years.
    • You can donate a filter and have a label with the name of the donor, makes a great gift for a loved one.
    • Make sure you check out their website: https://adoptavillageinlaos.wordpress.com/
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    June 15th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-06-15 07:00:00Z 0

    June 8th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jun 08, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had a full house with 19 Members. We also had 2 guests, Peter Brown and our guest speaker. As well as 2 visiting Rotarians, Ted MacCormac who will soon join our club and Ranjana Mutsuddi from the Rotary Club of Kabitirtha, Calcutta in India.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Diana
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Vicente reminded us about Rotary fellowships, which are international, independently organized groups of Rotarians, Rotarian spouses, and Rotaractors who share a common vocation or recreational interest. Rotary Fellowships give their members the opportunity to have fun, make new friends around the world, and enhance their experience in Rotary.
     
    There are fellowships for yachting, wine collecting, and dozens of other interests. The full list can be found here: 
     
    https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/rotary-fellowships
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Hoop a Thon. Gary brought us some excellent news, not only did we meet the goal or raising $15K but we actually raised around $17,000!!!
     
    2) Don't forget to put our changeover dinner in your calendars, it will be this Sunday at 3pm.
     
    3) Peter Fox asked us to please pay our latest invoices. Our club needs the funds.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Tru Van Trieu, founder of Human Wellness, a company that helps individuals and employers to holistically address workplace stress and conflicts. 
     
    Some of the highlights of her presentation were:
    • She had us all count our breaths in a minute, and then showed us how to relax our minds and bodies by focusing on where we all felt tension in our bodies. Amazingly, the number of breaths we all took in a minute decreased dramatically!
    • She taught us how to breath focusing on the belly, watching it inflate and deflate with our breathing.
    • Her vision is to help build world peace, one person at a time, inside out.
    Thought of the day: 
     
    Raise your thoughts, not your fists
     
    Matshona Dhliwayo
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    June 8th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-06-08 07:00:00Z 0

    June 1st 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Jun 01, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members. We also had 2 guests, Jason Blank and a visiting Rotarian, Lindsay Lam from the Rotary E-Club in Edmonton.

    The 4 Way Test was read by Diana
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Vicente told us some great news about the Polio Plus program, Nigeria is no longer on the list of countries with Polio, only Pakistan and Afghanistan remain on that dreaded list.
     
    He also told us how back home in the Philippines he remembers how devastating Polio was for the children who became ill.
     
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Hoop a Thon. It is this Saturday, make sure you get all your pledges in.  Click Hoopathon.ca to go to our page.
     
    2) Don't forget to put our changeover dinner in your calendars, it will be on June 12th.
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was our member Michael Alty giving us his classification talk.
     
    Some of the points he mentioned were:
    • He is originally from Winnipeg
    • He was a Rotary exchange student in South Africa and he was also an ambassadorial scholar in New Zealand, talk about total Rotary immersion!
    • He specializes in corporate and aboriginal law.
    Thought of the day: 
     
    Tell me and I'll forget
    Show me and I'll remember
    Involve me and I'll understand
     
    Anonymous
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    June 1st 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-06-01 07:00:00Z 0

    May 25 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on May 25, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 13 Members. Our guest today was Ted McCormac.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Matthew told us a very inspiring quote:
     
    “Man has affinity for his fellowman, regardless of race, creed, or politics, and the
    greater the variety, the more the zest. All friendliness needs is a sporting chance;
    it will take care of itself in any company.”

    — A Road I Have Travelled, THE ROTARIAN, February 1934
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Hoop a Thon.  Gary Chomyn urged us to send our the emails, we are seriously behind in our fund raising goals.  Click Hoopathon.ca to go to our page.
     
    2) Global TV created a TV spot promoting the Hoopathon, check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CSY9u0XehA
     
     
     
    3) Don't forget to put our changeover dinner in your calendars, it will be on June 12th.
     
    Guest Speakers -   Our guest speakers today were from Vector International Academy (http://www.vectorinternational.ca/). Mary Kato, the founder, brought 4 of her students to practice their public speaking English skills. They had a very interesting presentation about the differences in culture and language between Japan and Canada. 
     
    Some of the points they mentioned were:
     
    • Japanese has 5 times more onomatopoeia than English. Onomatopoeia is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the source of the sound that it describes.
    • There are over 300 cat cafes in Japan. Since only 7% of buildings allow pets, Japanese people come to these cafes to pet and play with cats.
    • These cat cafes adopt cats from shelters.
    • There are not just cat cafes but also places where people can pet amphibians, goats and birds.
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    May 25 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-05-25 07:00:00Z 0

    May 18 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on May 18, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members. Our guests were William Chen and Ron Suzuki as a guest for the last time as he became the newest member of our club today!

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Alfredo told us about the latest cover in the "Rotarian" magazine, which features U2's guitarist "The Edge" and his father, who was a Rotarian for decades.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Hoop a Thon.  Gary Chomyn urged us to send our the emails, we are seriously behind in our fund raising goals.  Click Hoopathon.ca to go to our page.
     
    2) The Vancouver Olive Oil Company donated $50 to the hoopathon.
     
    3) Don't forget to put our changeover dinner in your calendars, it will be on June 12th.
     
    Guest Speakers -   Today we did not have a guest speaker.
     
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    May 18 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-05-18 07:00:00Z 0

    May 11 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on May 11, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 16 Members, 2 guests: Ron Suzuki and Ted McCormac as well as a group of Rotaractors.

    Frances recited the 4 way test.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    The Rotary moment today was about the breakfast at the Strathcona community centre and what a great sense of community and solidarity it provides.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Hoop a Thon.  Gary Chomyn already sent each of us the first pledge email, make sure you send it to your friends, coworkers, etc.  Click Hoopathon.ca to go to our page.
     
    2) Hoops & Hops - Practice shooting for Hoop-a-thon Basketball teams on Wed, May 18, 7:30 pm at Strathcona Community Centre followed by Beer at the Union Pub. Everyone welcome!
     
    Guest Speakers -   Today we had a group of Rotaractors who attended the RYLA program in the Sunshine Coast recently. 
     
    The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is Rotary’s leadership training and personal development program for young people. Youth leaders from across the province are sponsored by a participating Rotary club to attend a RYLA camp as an “award” for their demonstrated leadership and service to their community.
     
    Those who are selected to attend RYLA will learn valuable leadership and career skills, build self-confidence, discuss current ethical and social issues and meet active community leaders – all while having a ton of fun!  
     
    Rotary International District 5040 (British Columbia, Canada) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards have become one of the most impactful and enriching programs of Rotary service for young people. Over 150 youth leaders from communities across the province attend the annual RYLA camps.
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    May 11 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-05-11 07:00:00Z 0

    May 4 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on May 04, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members and 2 guests: Ron Suzuki and Ted McCormac.

    Vicente recited the 4 way test.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    The Rotary moment today was about membership and the importance of including and involving the new members.
     
    Announcements:

    1) Olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting coming up on May 11th. There are still a few spots available, please contact Frances to book your spot.
     
    2) Hoop a Thon.  Gary Chomyn already sent each of us the first pledge email, make sure you send it to your friends, coworkers, etc.  Click Hoopathon.ca to go to our page.
     
    3) Hoops & Hops - Practice shooting for Hoop-a-thon Basketball teams on Wed, May 18, 7:30 pm at Strathcona Community Centre followed by Beer at the Union Pub. Everyone welcome!
     
    4) The Rotary Foundation will be having an online webinar on 12 May from 10:00-11:00 CST, join Rotary staff as they share volunteer tips for fundraising, helping your club to do more good around the world in the coming year. Register here: 
     
    https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5241320626464911105
     
    Guest Speaker -   Today we had a business meeting to discuss our club's plans and current and future projects.
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    May 4 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-05-04 07:00:00Z 0

    April 27th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Apr 27, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members and 1 guest: Ron Suzuki.

    Vicente recited the 4 way test.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    The Rotary moment today was a reminder to please share the hoopathon on your social media profiles, all you have to do is go to our Facebook page, linked at the bottom of this bulletin, and click "share".
     
    Announcements:

    1) Olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting coming up on May 11th. There are still a few spots available, please contact Frances to book your spot.
     
    2) Hoop a Thon.  Gary Chomyn already sent each of us the first pledge email, make sure you send it to your friends, coworkers, etc.  Click Hoopathon.ca to go to our page.
     
    3) On Friday May 6 we are invited for  breakfast at the Strathcona Community Centre. Please arrive by 8am. Coffee, tea and breakfast are available by donation.
     
    4) The Rotary Foundation will be having an online webinar on 12 May from 10:00-11:00 CST, join Rotary staff as they share volunteer tips for fundraising, helping your club to do more good around the world in the coming year. Register here: 
     
    https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5241320626464911105
     
    5) This weekend is the Rotary District 5040 conference. Several of our members are attending, have fun!
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Ramona Materi. She is the author of a book called "British Columbia's New North". Some of the points she mentioned were:
     
    • There are 3 main types of opportunities in BC's north: tourism, infrastructure projects and business opportunities.
    • Some of the high profile projects are: Site C dam, the Brucejack gold project and blue fuel energy.
    • Among the business opportunities she mentioned were: construction projects, retail, restaurant. 
    • There is even a website to encourage people to move to prince George. http://moveupprincegeorge.ca/
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    April 27th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-04-27 07:00:00Z 0

    April 20th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Apr 20, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 19 Members and 3 guests: Ron Suzuki, Jason Blank and Todd Talbot, a guest of Jim Clarke.

     

    Matthew recited the 4 way test.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Michael Alty told us about his experience as a Rotary exchange student when he lived in South Africa in 2003. He is still reaping benefits from that experience.
     
    Announcements:

    1) Olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting coming up on May 11th. There are still a few spots available, please contact Frances to book your spot.
     
    2) Hoop a Thon.  Gary Chomyn kick started our 6 week hoopathon fund raising campaign. He will be sending all of us 3 emails for us to just copy and paste and send to our contacts. The goal is to have 100% participation from our club, you can make a pledge, shoot hoops and gather pledges from friends and family.
    We now have a dedicated URL and webpage for the Hoopathon: Click Hoopathon.ca to go to view our page.
     
    Here is the video promoting the hoopathon:
     
    Here is the link if you would like to share it: https://youtu.be/tN95B72FAoY
     
    3) On Friday May 6 we are invited for  breakfast at the Strathcona Community Centre. Please arrive by 8am. Coffee, tea and breakfast are available by donation.
     
    4) The Rotary Foundation will be having an online webinar on 12 May from 10:00-11:00 CST, join Rotary staff as they share volunteer tips for fundraising, helping your club to do more good around the world in the coming year. Register here: 
     
    https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5241320626464911105
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker today was Ron Suzuki to help us kick off the hoopathon fundraising. Some of the points he mentioned were:
     
    • Since 2006, our club has raised over 225K for the basketball program.
    • the goal for this years' hoopathon is 15K, Strathcona is aiming to raise an additional 10K
    • The annual cost of the program is 75K
    • We have received a 2K Rotary District Grant which will be used for scholarships and bursaries.
     
    Pic from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    April 20th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-04-20 07:00:00Z 0

    April 13th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Apr 13, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 Members and no guests today.

     

    John Haley recited the 4 way test.

     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Michael Alty provided us with some very powerful and very interesting stats for the Rotary Foundation. Last year the foundation received 123M in donations. The Polio Plus fund raised 23M, which grew to 98M once matched by the Gates Foundation. 
     
    Announcements:

    1) Olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting coming up on May 11th. Sounds like a great event!
     
    2) Hoop a Thon-  Gary Chomyn has organized a Hoopathon kickoff meeting for April 20th. Please make sure you attend our meeting next Wednesday.
     
    3) Another upcoming social event will be a breakfast at the Strathcona Community Centre. More information will be provided at a later date.
     
    4) Our changeover this year will be hosted by John Haley, the tentative date is June 12.
     
     
    Guest Speaker -   Today we had a business meeting to discuss internal club affairs.
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    April 13th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-04-13 07:00:00Z 0

    April 6th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Apr 06, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 14 Members and 3 Guests- Paul Hamilton, our  guest auctioneer,  Brian Silzer, guest of Bill Sheddy and Jason Blank, Cleo's guest.​

    Vicente Asuncion recited the 4 way test.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Michael Alty told us a story about a Rotary club in Pakistan that teamed up with Coca Cola to set up water filtration systems in a village. As the population came to fetch clean water they would offer to give the Polio vaccine to the children who came with their parents. What a great way to promote vaccination!
     
    Announcements:

    1) Seniors Christmas Luncheon. Matthew is still exploring options for the WESN Christmas Lunch.
     
    2) Hoop a Thon-  Gary Chomyn has organized a Hoopathon kickoff meeting for April 20th. Please make sure you attend our meeting that day.
     
    3) Peter Fox told us that the UBC Rotaractors are having a Fundraiser Dinner at the Regal Beagle Bar and Grill (2281 West Broadway, - $45 p.h.) in support of MOSAIC (Programs and Services to immigrants and refugees) on 9th April.
     
    Website as follows:
    http://www.rotaract5040.org/vanubc/
     
    Guest Speaker -   Today we had our hockey pool, all members present - and non present -  are now in the pool! keep an eye on those games!
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    April 6th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-04-06 07:00:00Z 0

    March 30th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Mar 30, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 16 Members and 3 Guests- David J. Greer, our  guest speaker,  Mayor Ron Toyota from the Creston Valley Rotary and David Savage from the Cranbrook Sunrise Rotary.

    Peter Fox recited the 4 way test.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    President Cleo told us about a moment of inspiration she had last weekend. She noted how the work that Rotary does can have far reaching positive consequences, such as the RYLA program helping young people find their calling and avoid falling for the empty promises of crime, violence and other negative life paths.
     
    Announcements:

    1) Seniors Christmas Luncheon. Matthew updated us on the status of the event. In a nutshell, we ned to find a way to raise 17K for the event. One of the options would be to sale water bottles at farmers markets during the summer.
     
    2) Hoop a Thon-  Gary invited each of us to contact 20 friends/acquaintances and start the pledging process now. 
     
    Guest Speaker -   Our guest speaker was Coach David J. Greer, a entrepreneurial coach.
     
    The title of his presentation was "Slow Down to Speed Up".
     
    Some of the highlights from the presentation were:
     
    • They are four daily vital actions: start, plan, connect and finish.
    • Four critical questions to ask yourself everyday:
      • Your intention today?
      • The #1 way you connect with other people?
      • What do you commit to change?
      • Who can help you?
    • Visit his website for more information: http://coachdjgreer.com/
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    March 30th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-03-30 07:00:00Z 0

    March 23rd 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Mar 23, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 11 Members and 4 Guests- our 3 guest speakers and Jason Blank, a guest of Cleo. Our guest speakers were: Tanya Colledge, Elizabeth Edward and Peggy John.

    Lawrence recited the 4 way test.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Bill S. gave us a couple of ideas to change up our Sergeant at Arms program: defamation dollars, which will allow members to poke fun at other member for a fee and incremental dollars to allow the next member to announce something for an incremental fee. Sounds like fun!
     
    Announcements:

    1) Seniors Christmas Luncheon. Matthew is still looking for options for venues and to raise the necessary funds for this event.
     
    2) Guess Who is Coming for Dinner- It wa a success, Diana and Matthew report having had a great time at Abigail's. All other participants also reported having had a blast.
     
    3) Lawrence invited us to consider attending a container loading, keep an eye on your inbox for future opportunities.
     
    4) Hoop a Thon-  Gary announced that Global TV is onboard and will be participating in the event and giving it TV coverage! 
     
    Guest Speakers -   Our guest speakers were from the BC transplant society.
     
    It was a very interesting and a very moving presentation, one of our speakers, Elizabeth, is actually a heart transplant recipient. Some of the highlights from the presentation were:
     
    • They are part of the Provincial Health Services Authority.
    • They manage organ donations from end to end.
    • There are 3 transplant centres in BC. Saint Pauls, VGH and BC Childrens.
    • There are 2 donation formats: living and deceased.
    • There is no age limit to be a donor.
    • A heart can live outside the body for 6-8 hours.
    • To become a donor all you need it to have your personal health number and register here:
    http://www.transplant.bc.ca/
     
    Pics from the meeting:
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    March 23rd 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-03-23 07:00:00Z 0

    March 16th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Mar 09, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 13 Members and Two Guests-Michael Alty for the last time as a guest and Jane Mitchell, a guest of Sheila Anderson.

    Can Scott recited the 4 way test.
     
    Rotary Moment:
     
    Bill S. with reminisces from his former Club (Rotary Casino Nights). Michael Alty will present the Rotary moments in April.
     
    Announcements:

    1) Seniors Christmas Luncheon. Matt has checked out our present location and the West End Rec Centre, and they are not suitable. Alfredo has mentioned that the Round House Rec Centre in Yaletown might be an option. Further investigation will be done. We would be responsible for food for the event . ( probably about 200 seniors)
     
    2) Guess Who is Coming for Dinner- On this Saturday at the locations advised to each member attending. 6 PM    Have a great time.
     
    3) RYLA is taking place on March 26 in the Sunshine Coast. This event is open to Rotarians as well.
     
    4) Hoop a Thon-  Gary is finalizing an arrangement with a local TV network to be announced when it is final, for inclusive coverage, and media coverage of the Hoop-a-thon. More on this when the arrangements are finalized. There will be a meeting on March 22 at 5 PM at Strathcona who those interested in being there. 
     
    Induction to Our Club -   President Cleo presented our newest member, Michael Alty to the club. Everyone congratulated him personally on becoming a  part of our family. Welcome to Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise, Michael.  Start working on your classification talk to the club  to be presented at some stage in the near future. 
     
     
    Discussion on our meeting formats 

        Some of the Objectives: 
     
    • Hands on projects       - Team building
    • Learning, Education     -Mentoring
    • Good will                       -Fun
    • Peace                              -Retention
    • Service
    • Fundraising

         Some of the Activities

        - Interact-                                            -  Abigail
       - Pub Night                                           - Bill
       - Meeting at Strathcona Breakfast   - Diana
       - Fireside Chats                                    - Sheila
       - Bike Rides and Runs Seawall           - Cam
       - Container Loading ( World Help)  - Lawrence

    Other Suggestions- Movie nights,Day at the Races, Community Days, Popcorn sales,
                                       Theatre Under the Stars, Cleanup projects, Olive Oil Lecture, Scotch or Wine Tastings

    Next Week Speaker - Regarding Organ Transplants and a survival’s story
     
     
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    March 16th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-03-09 08:00:00Z 0

    March 9th 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Mar 09, 2016

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 15 members and one guest, Michael Alty, who will become a member very soon.

    Vic recited the 4 way test.
     
    Announcements:

    1) Next week Michael Alty will be inducted as the newest member of our club.
     
    2) We are in discussions to evaluate and decide on the Seniors Christmas lunch. A committee headed by Matthew will be looking at all the options.
     
    3) RYLA is taking place on March 26 in the Sunshine Coast. This event is open to Rotarians as well.
     
    Guest Speaker
     

    Our session today was dedicated to do some brainstorming as to what social activities are of interest to the club. You may recall that we are changing from 4 weekly meetings a month to having 3 meetings and a social event.

    Pics from our meeting
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    March 9th 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-03-09 08:00:00Z 0

    March 2nd 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Mar 02, 2016

    Remember that our meetings are at the new location at Coal Harbour Community Centre.

     

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 11 members and one guest, Michael Alty, who will become a member very soon.
    Vic recited the 4 way test.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Our 2016 Hoop-A-Thon will be held on Saturday,  June 4, 2016. This year’s fund raising will again go towards the Strathcona Rotary Youth Leadership Program.
     
    2) If you have interest in attending Ron Suzuki’s retirement party, it will be on April 16 at the Pink Pearl Restaurant. Let Peter Fox know as he has arranged for a table. Tickets are 45 dollars etc.
     
    3) Guess who is coming to dinner will take place on march 19, please contact Abigail and let her know if you would like to host or attend this event.
     
    4) On May 13th the Steveston Rotary club will be hosting it's "Grapes, Hops and Bites" event, More info here: 
     
    http://portal.clubrunner.ca/772/Stories/grapes-hops-bites-2015-is-back
     
     
    Guest Speaker
     

    Today we had a business meeting.

    Pics from our meeting
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    March 2nd 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-03-02 08:00:00Z 0

    February 24 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Feb 24, 2016

    Remember that our meetings will now be at the new location at Coal Harbour Community Centre.

     

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 11 members and one guest, Michael Alty.
    Vic recited the 4 way test.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Our 2016 Hoop-A-Thon will be held on Saturday,  June 4, 2016. This year’s fund raising will again go towards the Strathcona Rotary Youth Leadership Program.
     
    2) If you have interest in attending Ron Suzuki’s retirement party, it will be on April 16 at the Pink Pearl Restaurant. Let Peter Fox know as he has arranged for a table. Tickets are 45 dollars etc.
     
    3) Guess who is coming to dinner will take place on march 19, please contact Abigail and let her know if you would like to host or attend this event.
     
    4) Garry Shearer presented the club with a grant from the District of $2,000.00 to be used in conjunction with the Hoop-a-thon towards expenses and scholarships for the event taking place in June.
     
    5) On May 13th the Steveston Rotary club will be hosting it's "Grapes, Hops and Bites" event, More info here: 
     
    http://portal.clubrunner.ca/772/Stories/grapes-hops-bites-2015-is-back
     
    6) Garry also mentioned that there is a Japanese Student coming to Vancouver who is studying Forestry. Several members seemed keen on being involved with him during his stay. More details later.
     
    Guest Speaker
     

    Our Guest Speaker today was Francis Kolotyluk. She continued her very interesting classification talk from last week.

     
    Pics from our meeting
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    February 24 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-02-24 08:00:00Z 0

    February 17 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Feb 17, 2016

    Remember our last meeting at the Law Courts Restaurant will be next week. A memo will be sent to everybody with the directions to our new location at Coal Harbour.

     

    At last Wednesday's meeting we had 11 members and four guests  Rotarian District 5040 Grants administrator Garry Shearer. Guest of Sheila- June Mitchell, return visit of potential member, Michael Alty and Katharina Wagner, Ambassadorial Student from Munich, Germany
    Lawrence recited the 4 way test.
     
    Rotary Moment: 
     
    John H. had to do with the purpose of the Fireside Chats, especially with new members. We should reinstate these in the near future. The evening would promote fellowship and increase knowledge about Rotary Programs, including Rotary Foundation.   By the way, the 111th Anniversary is coming up on February 23. Tuesdays tend to be a good day to carry out these get-togethers.
     
    Announcements:
     
    1) Our 2016 Hoop-A-Thon will be held on Saturday,  June 4, 2016. This year’s fund raising will again go towards the Strathcona Rotary Youth Leadership Program.
     
    2) If you have interest in attending Ron Suzuki’s retirement party, it will be on April 16 at the Pink Pearl Restaurant. Let Peter Fox know as he has arranged for a table. Tickets are 45 dollars etc.
     
    3) Guess who is coming to dinner will take place on march 19, please contact Abigail and let her know if you would like to host or attend this event.
     
    4) Garry Shearer presented the club with a grant from the District of $2,000.00 to be used in conjunction with the Hoop-a-thon towards expenses and scholarships for the event taking place in June.
     
    5) On May 13th the Steveston Rotary club will be hosting it's "Grapes, Hops and Bites" event, More info here: 
     
    http://portal.clubrunner.ca/772/Stories/grapes-hops-bites-2015-is-back
     
    6) Garry also mentioned that there is a Japanese Student coming to Vancouver who is studying Forestry. Several members seemed keen on being involved with him during his stay. More details later.
     
    7) Katharina Wagner spoke on her vast experiences such as the Paris Volunteer camp, volunteering also in Australia, New Zealand and Samoa. While here at UBC, she is very active with the UBC Rotaract Club.
     
    Guest Speaker
     

    Our Guest Speaker today was Francis Kolotyluk. She was from a military family, living in Alberta. She also at 10 years of age, attended Grammar School in UK, where Drama was her passion. Back in Calgary, while in High School, she was one of five students selected to attend Adventures in Citizenship with Rotary. 17 and 18 were very active years for Francis, at that time , meeting her husband  amongst other highlights. Part Two of her classification talk will take place next week at the meeting   Don’t miss it. 

     
     
    Pics from our meeting
     
     
    Important Links:
     
     
    Set up your Rotary foundation donation via credit card: Just click here
     
    We now have a proper website under our own domain name: rotaryvancouversunrise.ca
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    February 17 2016 Meeting Carlos Obregon 2016-02-17 08:00:00Z 0

    February 10 2016 Meeting

    Posted by Carlos Obregon on Feb 10, 2016
    At last Wednesday's meeting we had one guest: Millie Tang, former club member and a good friend of us. She is moving back to Paris to start her own company!
    Sheila recited the 4 way test.
     
    Rotary Moment: 
     
    We skipped this today to have our yearly Valentine's day auction.