Catch the Ace KW is into Week #4. Last week Wayne O. picked the 5 of Diamonds and took home $218 in the weekly draw.  The progressive jackpot is $9,999, thanks to the support of our prize sponsors, Freure Homes and Polocorp.  Tickets are on sale now!  The deadline as always is Wednesday at Midnight.  Don't forget that you have to purchase a ticket the week of the draw to qualify for both the weekly and progressive jackpot!

 

You can also help by following us and sharing on Facebook.

When you play Catch the Ace not only do you have a chance to win but you also know that the net proceeds will all be going to KidsAbility. A real win - win. 

 

 

 

Your program committee has been hard at work and will continue on with our Speaker Series and Club Speakers in 2022.  Meetings will continue over Zoom with additions of In-Person Events once or twice a month.  As always the third week of the month is kept open for committee meetings.

 

Our goal is to have 1 Zoom noon, 1 In-person evening, 1 open week and 1 other noon meeting that might be Zoom or In-person depending on the speaker.

 

Please note that all program information including speaker’s names, times and locations can be found here:

 

As voted on today - only the meals that you attend in-person will be billed and all In-person meetings will now require pre-registration - you will receive a separate email from Secretary Bill Proctor - please ensure you accept or decline this invite and hit “SAVE” to lock in your choice.

 

There will be several 100th celebrations as we enter into 2022 and we look forward to meeting all of you at these events that will celebrate our history and good works that we do in the KW community! We are #PeopleofActionKW

 

This is the time of year when people are being advised to start getting ready for Christmas and we are being cautioned that there may be a shortage of many of the items that make this season special. The reality for many residents of Kitchener is that the money to buy those special items is falling significantly short.

 

Our Club has received a specific request from an Indigenous group in Kitchener called The Healing of the Seven Generations, for support as they try to provide some money for food and gifts for Indigenous families who are facing challenging times. The number of families needing the support has increased from last year, but the donations received are significantly reduced from what was received last year.

 

Members of our Club’s Indigenous Peoples Relations Committee have previously met with members of this Indigenous community, who work at FACS caring for Indigenous families and children. They have been very encouraging and supportive of our Club’s efforts and have offered their assistance to us as we improve on understanding and work toward Reconciliation by building a partnership with them to support Indigenous children and families.

 

Because of Covid -19, our Club has not been able to raise the amount of funds as in earlier years, but has shown its support for this request by providing $1000 which was delivered on Monday to a grateful representative.  As has happened in the past, individual Rotarians as well as some friends of Rotary have asked if they can augment this amount and the answer is yes.  Very recently I have learned that most Indigenous groups have, by government regulation, been barred from applying for registering as a charitable organization and therefore are unable to issue receipts for income tax purposes even though they are obviously helping people in their community who need support.  Funds donated by members and friends of Rotary to Rotary are deposited into our Rotary Foundation Account and can be issued income tax receipts.  Rotary is also restricted to being able to donate from our Foundation Account to organizations only if they have a charity number.  This is complex and now I sense unfair as it adds to the lack of support and respect that our Indigenous neighbours deserve.

 

As a result, club members wanting to add to the $1000 our club has donated from our Rotary Club Fund, can send an email to me (ford.lew@gmail.com) indicating the amount of your donation and your request to have the amount charged to your Rotary Club account. I will compile a list of the names and the amounts and forward the list to our treasurer who will send a single cheque to The Healing of the Seven Generations.  Friends of Rotary wanting to contribute to this donation can send their donations directly to The Healing of the Seven Generations, at 300 Frederick St. Kitchener, ON, N2H2N5, or e-transfer to donnadubie@healingofthesevengenerations.ca.  No receipts can be issued for any of these generous donation supporting this community need.

 

Christmas is rapidly approaching and planning as well as distributing the extra support will take some time. Your prompt response will be appreciated by all involved in this extra but meaningful effort.

 

Yours in Rotary

Lew Ford - Chair Indigenous Peoples Relations Committee