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IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR
Rotary Foundation, Rotarians Note Anniversaries
 
With the Spring has come the welcome return of Nature in glorious technicolor, a spectacle that brings new growth and hope for better things every year. The marking of the 100th anniversary of The Rotary Foundation is cause for celebration, too. Rotarians from District 6330 gathered at Museum London last Saturday to hear RI Vice President Jennifer Jones describe how TRF is making good things happen throughout the world.
 
Trudy Kanellis, seen with Jennifer Jones (above) and Wilf Wilkinson (below right), represented the Club at the black tie optional affair. There were other anniversaries celebrated in the past week. President Nancy Lovelock (below left) celebrated a milestone birthday on Saturday at a surprize party arranged for her in her church’s meeting room. Members of the Club were invited. In the course of today’s Happy Fins, Dave Moffatt (below centre) announced that it was his birthday that very day. Other Rotarians were moved to announce birthdays and wedding anniversaries of their own or of those near to them. Next week, we will be celebrating the anniversaries of the years members of the Club joined Rotary. A lot of years and a lot of good work.
 
The birthday girl, PresidentNancy Lovelock, cuts cake. The birthday boy, Dave Moffatt, cracks smile. RI Past President Wilf Wilkinson, Mrs. W & Trudy
 
COMING ATTRACTIONS….Club President Nancy welcomed Maggie Horn, wife of Bill, to today’s meeting on a glorious spring day. She also welcomed back Malcolm Rust who has returned from the disabled list following a nasty fall, and expressed how glad she was to see Brenda Merrifield once again….Next week (May 1) is a Rotary Birthday Celebration in which the Rotary membership anniversary dates of every member of the St. Thomas Rotary Club are cause for festivity. On May 8, we will hear from John Van Laar from the Rotary Club of Collingwood/South Georgian Bay about the Rotary Back to School project in the Philippines. On May 15, we will be meeting in the bar area of the Wayside for the Spring edition of the student Service Above Self awards. Guests are most welcome to attend (as they are every week). There is no meeting on May 22 (Victoria Day), but on May 29, Serge Lavoie will be on hand to speak about the new elevated park.
 
There are only a few days left to sell Pony Poopin’ Bingo tickets. Trudy asks that you bring money and tickets to her by next Monday so that there will be sufficient time for organizers to map the grid on the farm field where the pony is to work his magic…or his…you know what I mean. The number of squares in the grid will correspond to the number of tickets sold. Ticket buyers must be at least 18 years of age and can be Rotarians. Funds raised are in aid of the Children’s Hospital of London. The big event takes place May 6 at From Away Farms, 43 Sunset Drive in St. Thomas.
 
The H20 4 Every! Water event took place last Saturday morning at the Timken Centre and raised $515 from pledges, with another $300 (after expenses) from donations to be added to that. Lynn Rock was winner of a draw for a children’s book about water. Proceeds of the Saturday event will be directed to Pikangikum, a First Nations community in Northwestern Ontario where 90% of the community’s 450 homes have no water. The Anglican Church of Canada and the Rotary Club of Toronto are also involved in raising funds for this project….The Railway City Rotary Club Fish Fry is set for May 6. Contact Trudy or President Nancy if you would like to buy tickets. They are $25 per person.
 
The Rotary Leadership Institute seminar Parts 1, II and III takes place Saturday, May 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at King’s College in London. To pre-register, contact PDG Al Hardy at al@allanhardy.ca by April 28. The District will subsidize the registration of two new members from each club. In our Club’s case, the two are Brenda Merrifield and Gerry Janssen. But our club will pay the $75 registration fee for any member wishing to attend. Contact President Nancy if you would like to attend so that payment arrangements can be made. She also has a copy of the course outline.
 
To register for the District Conference (May26-28), visit the District’s website (www.rotary6330.org).
There is no registration fee but you do need to pay for meals. Guests can be brought. This year’s Conference is hosted by the Railway City Rotary Club, with most of the events taking place at St. Anne’s Centre in St. Thomas. President Nancy noted that our Club will be looking after the Teddy Bears while the Aylmer Rotary Club will be putting on a murder mystery on Friday night. Malcolm Rust showed the display board that the Club would be putting up at the Conference. Six large photos highlighted the Club’s contribution to the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital; the Rotary Music Festival; the Tour of Homes; the Food Trailer; World Polio Day; and the student Service Above Self awards. A seventh photo is to be added for Happy Fins. Three or four Interact Club members are expected to attend the Conference and to set up their own display board.
 
A Food Trailer meeting will be held on Wednesday (April 26) at 7 p.m. at the Wayside. Trish Shouldice says the Food Trailer is going well and invites anyone interested in its operation to attend the meeting….The Tour of Homes Committee is looking for input regarding potential homes to be included in the 2017 Tour. The Committee would like to have all the homes decided upon by mid-May….Ken Ferguson was winner of the 50/50 draw. Assistant Sergeant at Arms Ed Willson imposed an extra loonie fine on those who did not walk for water on Saturday and proudly turned over $12 to President Nancy for the Pikangikum project.
 
Trudy Kanellis was recognized by the City of St. Thomas for her many contributions to the community at the municipality’s annual Honours and Awards Presentation evening April 20. At left, Trudy is shown receiving the award from Councilor Linda Stevenson, and, next to it, the handsome award in close-up praises Trudy’s “outstanding dedication and support to the Community.” Of course, we all know the stellar job Trudy has been doing with the Interact Club. She notes that the Interactors have donated more money this year than in any other year, and they’re not done yet: a car wash is coming up in June! Well done, all!
Club Assembly Highlights
President Nancy reported that she had attended Total Team Training on Saturday, April 1 in Sarnia and learned much about membership, branding and using the Internet to assist with Rotary objectives…. Community Service Director Dave Payler announced that the Club had made a $200 donation to the Veterans Memorial Garden (the new war memorial site on Moore Street, between Talbot and Centre Streets) and that it would be giving $200 to students from St. Joseph’s Catholic High School to assist with travel expenses to St. Louis where they will take part in an international robotics competition.
 
Gerry Janssen will be helping Youth Director Trudy Kanellis with the Adventure in Citizenship and Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders programs. He has also agreed to serve as Secretary of the Club Foundation Board, taking the place of Ron Somerville who has retired after many years of valued service….Club Foundation Board President Trudy Kanellis stated that Ellen Luft has been appointed as the Foundation’s Investment Advisor.

International Service Director Pat Martyn said that the Club had made a $500 contribution to the Help Haiti project and that $250 would be donated to an international water project as yet to be determined….Club Service Director Ron Somerville announced that the Club now has 23 members, the highest total in years. Plans for the “Changeover” (change of office) meeting are in the works and details will be forthcoming when known. Where has the time gone?
 
“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
--Hal Borland
“Spring is nature‟s way of saying, „Let‟s party!‟”
--Robin Williams
HAPPY FINS- Donations of $5 to The Rotary Foundation – Annual Programs Fund – credited to the donor in celebration of something good in our lives. This practice was started in this club in 1985 to raise funds for polio eradication at the suggestion of Darwen Lowe, a member of the club.
 
Malcolm Rust (4) – Celebrated his 79th birthday last week when he received a $100 voucher for swimming lessons; he and Donna celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary; thankful for ribs that heal; for Ron who served with distinction as Club Foundation Board Secretary for many years before stepping down recently.
Bill Horn (5) – For a nice Easter weekend last week; for the birthdays of two people dear to him; for daughter Linda’s survival of a fall; for Trudy for her civic award; for Ron for his service on the Club Foundation Board.
Gerry Janssen (4) – Recently heard Mozart’s Requiem; for the Walk for Water; for Nancy’s birthday celebration; for missing the last two named events.
Maggie Horn (1) – She finally has her Ontario driver’s license!
Ron Somerville (4) – It’s his middle son’s birthday this week; for Nancy’s birthday; a northern highway initiated by the Harper government is scheduled to open this year; thanks to Gerry for taking his place as Secretary on the Club Foundation Board.
Pat Martyn (4) – For Ron for his “faithful duty” on the Club Foundation Board; for an enjoyable family Easter weekend; she and George leave for Paris (not Ontario) this Thursday, made possible in part by George’s doing less farming these days.
Ken Ferguson (2) – For Ron for his work on the Foundation Board; for Nancy’s birthday.
Dave Moffatt (2) – For Nancy’s birthday; for his own birthday today (Yes, “Happy Birthday” was sung in his honour by the available members of the St. Thomas Rotary Club Choir, who did the best they could.)
Nancy Lovelock (4) – For Ron for his work on the Club Foundation Board; for Easter; for a birthday last Wednesday and a wonderful surprise party; for all the April birthdays being celebrated.
Trudy Kanellis (5) – For Ron and all the work he has done for the Club Foundation; for Gerry who has agreed to take Ron’s place as Foundation Secretary and to assist her with the Adventure in Citizenship and Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders programs; to thank Stew Shouldice for the “dream [debit] machine” which has recently come in handy; on Saturday, she was happy to attend the Rotary Foundation 100th anniversary dinner in London where she was pleased to meet Rotary International Vice President Jennifer Jones.
Brenda Merrifield (1) – She is happy that her husband’s pain has gone following surgery in Texas.
 
Monday, May 1 – Rotary Birthday Celebration
Club Board Meeting to follow
At the Wayside, 12:15 p.m.
 
 

ASAA

Greeter

Fine Master

Monday, May 1

Stew Shouldice

Ed Willson

Suzanne Ferguson

Monday, May 8

Ron Somerville

Pat Martyn

Mike Moore

Monday, May 15

Ron Somerville

Malcolm Rust

Paul Blower

Monday, May 22

No Meeting (Victoria Day)

Monday, May 29

Dave Moffatt

Ron Somerville

Bill Horn

 
 
Photos: Trudy Kanellis & Malcolm Rust

PEB
 
 
 
Upcoming Events
Fund Raiser-Gay Lea-Hamburger sales
Gay Lea Heritage Museum
Jun 17, 2017
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
 
Regular meeting CANCELLED re Volunteer night
Jun 19, 2017
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
 
Evening volunteer recognition event, CASO station
Jun 20, 2017
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
 
Evening Changeover-Merriview(Sandham)
6331 Fairview Rd
Jun 26, 2017
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
 
Holiday-No Regular meeting
Jul 03, 2017
 
Social- Regular Meeting
Wayside Dining Lounge
Jul 10, 2017 12:15 PM
 
Regular Meeting-Cancelled re Thomas Tank Event
Jul 17, 2017
 
Regular Meeting-Cancelled re Thomas Tank Event
Jul 24, 2017
 
? Social - Regular Meeting
Jul 31, 2017
 
Holiday-No Regular meeting
Aug 07, 2017
 
Club Information
Service Above Self
Changes to regular meetings see "Upcoming Events"
We meet Mondays at 12:15 PM
Wayside Dining Lounge
10680 Sunset Road
Talbotville, ON  N0L 2K0
Canada
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Rotary Club of St. Thomas
P.O. Box 20042-RPO Edward
St. Thomas ON
N5P 4H4
Club #: 2887
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