Today was the last Club Assembly of the Rotary year, and how better to mark the occasion than with the induction of the Club’s fourth new member in 2016-17, Edie Delanghe. Edie was sponsored by Adriana Balderas who told us how she had first met Edie when their sons were playing hockey. Their acquaintance was renewed at the Home and Garden Show where they and Trudy Kanellis fell to talking about Rotary and Interact and, what do you know, today there’s a new Rotarian and a new Interactor! There’s Adriana in the picture at left pointing to the Rotary pin she planted on Edie.

 

President Nancy conducted the short induction ceremony, mentioning the Four-Way Test and Service Above Self, and then everyone came forward to shake Edie’s hand and congratulate her as she took on the distinction of being “the newest Rotarian in the world.” Welcome, Edie!

 

As we are closing in on the end of the Rotary year, reports from Club directors were brief. International Service director Pat Martyn recapped how her $2000 budget had been spent: $500 for an avoidable blindness project in Mexico; $750 to send 15 children to school in the Philippines; $500 for clean water under the Help Haiti project; and $250 for clean water in Cameroon under the Rotary Hand-Up Program.

 

Youth director Trudy Kanellis reported that the Interact Club’s recent Pony Poopin’ Bingo had raised $4100. Using some of their own funds, the Club
wound up making a donation of $4500 to The Children’s Hospital of London. A car wash is planned for this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lube Clinic, with proceeds going towards the purchase of teddy bears. $100 is being donated to Animal Aide. Before knocking off for the summer, the Interactors will be camping out in Trudy’s basement for a Fun Night.

 

Club Service director Ron Somerville was pleased to remind us that the annual Changeover Meeting would be at Merriview this year. The return to the former Sandam property is a return to a happy tradition in the Club’s history. He was also glad to note that the Club is maintaining a remarkable 80% or better average attendance at its weekly meetings. President Elect Trish Shouldice circulated Food Trailer signup sheets for Canada Day and Thomas the Tank Engine. Help at the latter event is being sought from other Rotary Clubs who will be appropriately compensated. Rotaserver Editor Paul Blower thanked Trudy Kanellis and Malcolm Rust and all those who had assisted in the preparation of the Rotaserver in the past year.

 

As this was her last Club Assembly as President this year, Nancy took advantage of the opportunity to thank everyone for their support. She read a letter from District Governor Diane Chantler thanking her for her work in organizing the Teddy Bear Auction at May’s District Conference. The sale of the bears raised an estimated $8000 for polio eradication. The three bears that Nancy had purchased in the Auction were on display, as were the Highest Conference Attendance and Gold Literacy awards the Club had won. Diane thanked the Club for nominating her to be District Governor this past year. The DG Changeover is June 27 in Grand Bend.

 

JUNE JAUNTS & JOLLITIES….President Nancy welcomed guest Maggie Horn, wife of Bill, to this week’s meeting and welcomed back Jennifer Babcock and Edie Delanghe….Next week (June 12), the new chair of the Rotary Music Festival, Gerald Vreman, will give his classification talk….The meeting that would normally take place on June 19 is cancelled in order that we may convene on Tuesday, June 20 at the CASO Station for our annual Volunteer Recognition Evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is no cost, but there will be light refreshments and entertainment (“The Ukes of Hazzard,” a group of musicians who play ukeleles) and an opportunity to thank the many volunteers who assist the Club in its many activities during the year. Please contact President Nancy if you are coming and if you are bringing guests.

 

The Club’s annual Changeover Meeting will take place on June 26 at Merriview, home of Brenda and Mike Merrifield. Brenda and Mike have graciously opened the grounds of their property (the former Sandam) for this event. Time is 5:30 p.m. (social) for 6 p.m. (dinner). Price is the same as last year, $25. While steak is preferred by most diners, if you would like a chicken or vegetarian dinner, please let Trudy know (the price is the same). Let Trudy know if you are coming and if you are bringing guests. We are usually joined by the Aylmer Rotary Club and the St. Thomas Interact Club.

 

President Nancy passed on a request from Nancy Watts, Program Coordinator at the STEAM Centre, who is in need of volunteers for some upcoming special events. Contact Nancy if you would like to help: nancy@steameducation.ca.…Sean Dyke is looking for volunteers for the Railway City Big Top. There are music events from August to October as well as the Circus in August. There are more details at: www.railwaycitybigtop.com.... Nancy passed on word from Sandy Westaway of a Foundation (Family and Children's Services), Inn Out of the Cold and YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin Youth Homelessness Project which will provide assistance for 260 people. [At the Community Foundation's “150 People Who Care” event at CASO on June 6, the coalition behind the project (which includes the St. Thomas, Aylmer and Railway City Rotary Clubs) received $10,000 in funding for Kits For Kids, Inn out of the Cold and Youth Move-In bins.]

 

Malcolm Rust advised the Club of the reworking of the Chapel on the main floor of the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital. The space is currently being refurbished as a multi-faith environment and will be called a Prayer Room. Many years ago, the Club had contributed funds to furnish the original chapel.

 

Maggie Horn was winner of the 50/50 draw. Fine Master Stew Shouldice highlighted Rotary projects reported on in the “World Roundup” section of this month’s The Rotarian magazine. These included an early childhood development centre in South Africa; an invasive plant eradication project in Hawaii; the installation of three portable defibrillators in public buildings in Scotland; and farming projects in Nepal and Bahrain.

 

 

Last month’s District Conference was not the first to be hosted by a St. Thomas Rotary Club. The Rotary Club of St. Thomas was host of two: one in 1956, just six years after it received its charter, and one in 1978, the year Bert Thacker (seen at left with his wife, Margaret) was Governor of District 633. While the Club was host for the April 7-9, 1978 event, the Conference itself was held in London at the Holiday Inn. In those primeval days of Rotary, before women were admitted to membership, the partners of the (male) Rotarians were referred to as Rotary-Annes. Margaret organized a bus trip to St. Thomas for the partners to visit the Pioneer Museum and Art Gallery and to lunch at the Golf Club (with a fashion show). Years later, she was instrumental in getting the Club’s popular Tour of Homes underway.

Margaret was not the only Rotary partner taking an active part in the Conference. A perusal of the extensive file kept by Bill Horn, who was Club President that year, shows Faye Ferguson, June Barrett and Shirley Smith joining their partners at reception, welcoming over 400 Rotarians and their partners to the Conference. Bill, Ken Ferguson, Lee Smith and Frank Sanders, among others, were on the Conference planning committee which met for about two years. Bill Bate and Allan Harrington were in charge of the music. Dr. Dick Wylie was Conference Chairman. Bill Horn notes that the Club’s Rotarians wore moustaches, black vests and top hats so that they would be visible to Conference-goers in need of direction. One of the top hats is currently seeing service in the weekly 50/50 draws at club meetings.

 

There was extensive coverage of the Conference in the St. Thomas Times-Journal. Keynote speaker Aubrey Oldham, formerly of Elgin but then in Bracebridge and World Community Service Chairman for District 701, spoke on “Highlights of Rotary’s First Twinning Mission from Canada to India.” Dr. H.S. Rodney, minister of Knox Presbyterian Church in St. Thomas, took on “Service Above Self” at Saturday’s luncheon. Also on the program were information sessions on Rotary Youth Exchange, World Community Service, club bulletins and club activities. An “ecumenical memorial church service” on Sunday at the Holiday Inn was followed by the District Governor’s banquet at which Milton C. Mathews of Rochester, New York, the representative of Rotary International, was guest speaker. At the banquet, DG Bert was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship medal (which he is wearing on his lapel in the picture above) and Margaret a bouquet of roses for her work in Rotary. Reported the T-J: “The 430 people in attendance gave Mr. Thacker a standing ovation when the award was presented.” Bert and Margaret were verklempt.

 

At the opening ceremonies on Friday, Rotary exchange students carried flags from several countries into the assembly. At right, three students are shown with their flags. Pekka Rautionmaa from Finland (centre) was hosted by the St. Thomas Rotary Club. Also on Friday, attendees enjoyed a Polynesian Party poolside at the Holiday Inn. On Saturday, a number of Rotarians in the St. Thomas and London area opened their homes to delegates from outside the region to hospitality dinners prior to the Governor’s Ball at Wonderland Gardens where dancers enjoyed the music of the Larry Dennis Orchestra. In Bill’s file are letters of praise for Rotary from MPP Ron McNeil, MP John Wise, Ontario Premier Bill Davis, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and President Jimmy Carter. For his part, DG Bert thanked the Club for its support, the Committee’s “great organization and planning”– and the Rotary-Annes.

 

 

Maggie Horn (5) – For winning the 50/50; two grandsons have graduated; for Bill’s birthday; for her mother who has rallied from her recent illness and who will shortly celebrate her 101st birthday.
Suzanne Ferguson (1) – For the latest addition to the Sanders clan: Finn, born in Melbourne, Australia. Quipped President Nancy, “It’s a happy Finn!”
Bill Horn (3) – For his birthday; for having driven 3300 km in the last ten days to visit members of Maggie’s family, an enjoyable time; to welcome Edie, Rotary’s and the Club’s newest member.
Ron Somerville (2) – It’s great to see the high attendance at Club meetings and how well the Club is represented at District events; he has discovered that koi (Japanese carp) can live a long time: he read of one who inhabited a pond in Japan for 226 years!
Malcolm Rust (2) – To thank President Nancy for two excellent years of leadership as President of the Club; to welcome Edie to Rotary.
Edie Delanghe (1) – Thanks for the warm welcome extended to her by the Club; for a successful yard sale on the weekend. Bill Horn noted that Edie had already become familiar with the customs of the place with her Wayne McKinnon stretchable Happy Fin.
Adriana Balderas (2) – To thank Nancy for being President the last two years; she has had an enjoyable time working with her; to thank Edie for joining Rotary. Both Adriana and Edie have practiced law.
Pat Martyn (2) – To thank Edie for joining Rotary; she enjoyed the closing performance of “Oh Canada, We Sing for Thee” at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre on Saturday: it was “phenomenal”
Jennifer Babcock (4) – She is thankful to be back; her son got an award at school for describing how rototillers worked; she has relocated, hopefully for only a couple months, to administer the Seeley’s Bay (near Kingston) Retirement Home. The Home has recently experienced fire damage and financial mismanagement. Jennifer felt glad, however, to be back in the environment of a retirement home.
Nancy Lovelock (2) – To welcome Edie to Rotary; she went to the Lovelock cottage on the weekend and there were no blackflies!
Trudy Kanellis (2) – To welcome Edie to Rotary and to the Club; for the Rotaserver.
Gerry Janssen (2) – To welcome Edie; for Trish as she organizes the Food Trailer for another season; the best of luck to Jennifer as she tackles her new responsibilities.
Brenda Merrifield (4) – For her oldest daughter who is visiting from Texas for two weeks; for a trip to Kingston on the weekend so that her daughter could see her new niece; she was interested to learn that the man who wrote the lyrics to “Save the Last Dance for Me” was Doc Pomus who had had polio. He was unable to join his wife on the dance floor but was there to take her home afterwards.