Rotary Club of Kitchener

e-Newsletter

November 23, 2020

Meeting Recording

For a recording of the meeting, please click here
 

President's Comments

President Louise let members and guests know that November is the RI Rotary Foundation Month. Our club is a Member Sustaining club which means all members support the Every Rotarian Every Year Campaign and provide $100 US annually to The Rotary Foundation (TRF).  We also have our own club Foundation – the Kitchener Rotary Club Charitable Foundation (KRCCF).

Guests

Erin Way, Guest of Al Way
Kelly Miller, Guest of Hubert Singh
Kingsley Madu, Guest of Paul Rostrup
Sean Hubberstey and Faye Patterson, Guest of Erin Way
Linda Wagner, Guest of Kelly Miller
Judy Proctor, Guest of Bill Proctor
Guests of Kingsley Madu:
  • Bimie Shittu
  • Peju Ogunpelu
  • Kingsley Ojumoola, Secretary of Kitchener Lions Club
  • Obianuju Akujobi
  • Funso Akkano
  • Omobolanle Madu
  • Sam Omose
  • Samuel Academe 
  • ChefBae
  • Grace Ogor

Happy Jar

Martin Jones is happy that a ZOOM meeting has been set up with some of our Rotary African Women’s Education Fund recipients in Africa for this coming weekend.  It will be the first time that we will have the opportunity to speak directly to several of these young ladies.
 
Neil Swayze is happy that our Online Auction has ended and early reports are indicating that it will be very successful.  See below.
 
Mandy Kwasnica is pleased to be able to be with us today and to see her friend Kelly be inducted into our club.
 
President Louise, although disappointed that her daughter’s wedding has been postponed due to COVID-19, is happy that they were able to have a virtual shower on the weekend with many friends and relatives attending.
 

Club Announcements

The following update on our Online Auction was provided by committee Chair, Neil Swayze:
 
Just an update on the ending of the Online Auction with a BIG thank-you to all members who participated in getting the 151 donations for the auction and the 10+ sponsorships.  We didn't reach our target of 200 items but the retail value was greater than last year.  It looks like we may reach our financial target of $18,000 but expenses still have to be tallied.  Most members [82%] were able to reach their target of $500. Well done, everyone!
I and my committee ask members who placed lawn signs out to collect them up this week and return them to the warehouse either on Friday, Nov. 27 from 2 to 5 pm [exclusive member pick up date] or Sat. Nov. 28 from 9 to 4 pm when you collect your winning items. This will help reduce our expenses as each sign and wire stand costs approximately $10 to replace.
 
Finally, we request your help to assist in the distribution of the items to winning bidders or members by signing up for a 3 hour shift on Friday or Saturday. Bill Proctor has sent out the sign up email already.
 
President Louise thanked Neil for his leadership with the event, the committee for all of their efforts and all of the members for their support in soliciting items.
 

Catch the Ace: A new video has been added to the club website with instructions on how to play Catch the Ace. The Jackpot is now over $5,200. 

Special Recognitions / Presentations

We are very pleased today to induct three new members into our club – Kelly Miller, Kingsley Madu and Erin Way.
 
Madu was introduced by his sponsor Paul Rostrup:
 
Kingsley Madu, popularly called Mr. Madu or Madu, is a Project Manager and Certified Scrum Master who has spent the last twelve years working with the biggest three companies in the Oil & Gas Servicing industry, helping clients manage complex and remote projects around the world. As a firm believer in serving others, he believes that the helping hand is the hand that can bring lasting positive change to the whole world. This makes him identify with local charities and organizations in most of the 120 cities and 22 countries he has visited around the world.
 
In additional to his problem-solving skills through Projects Management, he is an accomplished member of Toastmasters International and a budding public speaker, inspiring the world through his dedicated Facebook page, “Mr. Madu” which has over 2,000 members.
 
Recently, Madu has become the Co-Founder of two businesses in the Waterloo Region that is disrupting the Fintech and Foodtech industry.
 
Madu is a father to two lovely kids and husband to the most adorable woman in the world.
 
Kelly Miller was introduced by her sponsor and our Chair of membership Hubert Singh:
 
Kelly is a lifetime Kitchener Waterloo resident.  She is the youngest of a large family of 7 children and her father ran a successful local business which was established in 1959 - Phillips Bros Radiator.  She has many fond memories of growing up in Kitchener-Waterloo.
 
Kelly has worked in the financial services industry for many years and now is with Manulife Bank in mortgages, in a 100% work from home role.
 
In her spare time Kelly loves spending time with her 15 year old son (when he will put up with it) and her favorite things to do are anything outdoors no matter the season - hiking, camping, fishing, boating, kayaking, skiing and especially mushroom foraging. When forced to be inside you would find her cooking, reading, playing cards or games and sprucing up her home with DIY projects.
 
Kelly loves to help people and to be of service, she is looking for a way to give back, to meet new people and to have fun while doing it - Rotary seems like the perfect fit!
 
Erin Way, who is being inducted as a Corporate member was introduced by Al Way, her corporate partner, who is also her sponsor, who is also her father, who is also a member of the club:
 
As I have been a Rotarian for almost 30 years, Erin has been involved in Rotary since she was a small child. She has accompanied me to meetings, car draws, and international conventions, and I am proud she is now making her relationship to Rotary official. Erin grew up in Waterloo and has returned to the city after spending years in Halifax, Europe, and Windsor, Ontario. Experiences in all of these places taught her the importance of community, in the big picture, and in her own life.
 
In Windsor she turned her attention to the struggling downtown, and worked with restaurant and business owners, politicians and local trailblazers to bring competing business owners into a collective of like-minded people with shared goals for the greater good of the city.
 
In Kitchener, she has joined the family development business with a mind to make the company one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. Erin moved back to Waterloo just in time for the pandemic which threw a wrench in her plans to integrate into the local community. Nevertheless, she is keen and hopeful about the opportunities Rotary presents to herself and others who are looking for a community

Program Highlights

Our program today was the visit by our District Governor – Mike Lawrie, who was introduced by ADG Hubert Singh.
 
Michael Lawrie began his Rotary journey in 1987 and describes it as a great and continuing trip.  A member of the Rotary Club of Cambridge Sunrise, he has served as club president three times and has done 2 international service trips to the Dominican Republic.
 
As a Family Physician, Michael served his patients and the Cambridge Community for 40 years before retiring in 2018.  Michael served on the Medical Executive Team at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, including four years as Chief of Staff.  One of his highest honours was being awarded by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario as Physician of the Year Award, in 2006.
 
Other volunteer and leadership positions include United Way, The Bridges Homeless Shelter, the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and Leader in his Church.
 
His proudest accomplishments are his 48 year marriage to Louise, 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren.  Fitness has been a passion for Michael and he did the 2019 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, travelling from Toronto to Niagara Falls over 2 days.
 
His first Rotary project was as a member of the Cambridge Rotary Superhero Run in 1987 to benefit the Rotary Centre, which became KidsAbility.  As many is the case with many Rotarians, Michael has derived a substantial return on his Rotary investment, receiving much more than he gave.
 
Here are the highlights from Mike’s PowerPoint presentation
 
  • Governor journey started in September 2017
  • Thankful for the Rotarian who sponsored me and my club for nominating me
  • Rotary Club of Cambridge Sunrise
  • Summary of my Rotary and Governor journey
  • Opportunities throughout our organization
 
Rotary International Has A Different Theme Every Year
  • Rotary’s International Theme for 2020-2021
  • Three Doors – Three Colours – All Are Open
  • Rotary Opens Opportunities
 
Making a Difference with Rotary . . .
  • Rotarians will ALWAYS make a difference
  • How? By Being the INSPIRATION
  • And in SPITE of COVID-19, we WILL +CONECT the World!
  • And THAT is why Rotary Opens Opportunities!
 
What is an Opportunity?
  • A favourable combination of circumstances
  • Opportune adj, opportunist – one who takes advantage
  • Elite athletes don’t say “Good Luck” they use other terms
  • Performers have their own mantra----
  • Where preparation and opportunity intersect
 
Quotation from Sir Winston Churchill
  • A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity,
  • an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
 
Opportunities Can Arise At Anytime
  • Someone thought enough of you to ask you to join Rotary
  • Perhaps you have reciprocated.
  • You can observe a lot just by looking - Yogi Berra
  • Opportunities for fellowship, fundraising, service or just plain FUN
 
Rotary International President Elect - Holger Knaack - GERMANY
  • Home Club:  Herzogtum Lauenburg- Mölln
  • Priorities from RIP Holger
  • Adaptability, new models of membership and Clubs
  • Grow Rotary Sustainably
  • Annual Club Strategy Meeting
  •  
Rotary’s Vision Statement
TOGETHER we see a world where PEOPLE unite and take Action to CREATE lasting CHAGE across the globe in our communities and in ourselves.
 
Rotary Needs to Adapt and Change
  • RI SHAPING ROTARY’S FUTURE COMMITTEE
  • Putting its money on the line
  • 2020-21 Operating Budget:
    •  Revenues $123,482,000 USD
    •  Expenses  $120,694,000 USD
    •  Surplus.        $2,789,000 USD
 
The Rotary Foundation
  • $93,265,00 USD for 2020-21
  • Rotary Foundation Disaster Response Fund largely depleted
  • District Foundation Committee supporting many clubs with Covid 19 related grants
  • Support your Rotary Foundation- PHF, EREY
 
Unique Challenges for Our Year
  • Rotary has been adaptable, responsive and innovative
  • Disaster Relief Fund managed by DRFC,  Access to to Zoom and other technologies
  • Now in week 35 of the Pandemic
  • Some clubs meeting in-person, new opportunities for fundraising and service
  • Club and Clusters exploring new projects and fundraising ventures
  • Some Rotarians under-employed or laid off
  • Support for clubs to continue service projects through District COVID Relief Fund and other support
  • Looking to new opportunities for fundraising – on line, RI RAISE
  • District is her to be a resource and support and our raison d’etre is to ask clubs
  • WHAT DO YOU NEED?
 
Reputable Sources of Information
  • Our Polio Plus Partners- WHO, CDC, Unicef
  • Public Health Alliance of Canada, Health Canada, Local Public Health Departments
  • Academic Institutions and leading hospitals- Mayo Clinic,  Johns Hopkins
  • Beware of hard to believe claims or products that don’t have a lot of data and good trials behind them
  • Publications like the Lancet, NEJM and even the CMAJ are peer reviewed and have high editorial standards
 
My Personal Theme as District Governor
  • TAKING CARE OF SELF, EACH OTHER…AND THE PLANET
 
As Rotarians and Rotaractors another opportunity
  • Building and strengthening connections
  • At the club, cluster, District level and beyond
  • We are social animals and meant to live in community
  • Rotary through common values and the 4 Way Test have an ideal structure
  • Rotary Fellowships
 
Rotary Doing Good In The World
  • 6 Areas of Focus,
  • know them, live them
  • Basic education and Literacy
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Peace and Conflict resolution
  • Disease Prevention and Treatment
  • Water and sanitation
  • Economics and Community development
 
IT’S NOW OFFICIAL - A NEW 7th AREA OF FOCUS
  • Supporting the Environment
 
District Environment Committee
  • Inaugural meeting October 28
  • To be a resource and support to clubs and their EC
  • Speaker Series
  • Waterside Clean Up April 24, 2021- MULTI-DISTRICT
  • Disseminate “reliable” information
 
OUR NEW Reality (Normal)
  • Pandemic
  • Recession
  • Racism
  • Isolation and Loneliness
 
Emerging Social Problems
  • A clash of individual rights vs public good
  • An erosion of civility and respect
  • A challenge to fundamental core values
  • DIVERSITY, INCLUSION and EQUITY
  • Another opportunity for Rotary
 
A milestone for Rotary and the GPEI - August 28, 2020
Africa Declared Polio Free
 
Onboarding Rotaract leaders
  • District Rotaract Director - Nagwa Abou El-Naga (RC Mississauga)
  • District Rotaract Representative (DRR) Shalavi Sivbalan Rotaract UTM
  • Anum Nazir Rotaract Halton on the District Training Committee, was Promotional Chair for Honolulu Convention
  • Hope to place Rotaractors on each of the 10 Committees
  • New Area of Focus- The Environment - will want significant R’actor Involvement

Closing Remarks & Reminders

President Louise reminded everyone that our meeting next week, Monday, November 30 at 12:00 noon will feature Ben Fanelli, and will serve as a cluster meeting with members of other clubs joining us.
 
A full list of upcoming meetings is provided on our website.
 
 
Speakers
Nov 30, 2020 12:00 PM
Heroic Minds
Dec 07, 2020 12:00 PM
Members only please
Dec 14, 2020 7:00 PM
Friends and Family welcomed
Dec 21, 2020
Holiday Break
View entire list
Birthdays & Membership Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Jess Perucho
November 6
 
Rohit Kumar
November 11
 
Dave Martindale
November 23
 
Ed Fowler
November 24
 
Mike Ellis
November 25
 
Join Date
James Brown
November 3, 2014
6 years
 
Jess Perucho
November 4, 2019
1 year
 
Darren Sweeney
November 28, 2011
9 years
 
Sponsors