HOME BODIES  
Tour Committee Needs Your Participation   
President Nancy touts the Tour                  
The Tour of Homes is the St. Thomas Rotary Club’s major fundraiser, clearing $23,000 in 2015.  A lot of people, some coming from a distance, enjoy the tour, and many local businesses benefit from the Tour.  Last year, 114 folks from London and 84 from over 100 miles away took in the three-day event.  And a lot of people, Rotarians and others, work year round to make sure it’s a success.      Some of the people so important to that success have found it necessary to step down from their Committee responsibilities.  That has presented an opportunity for others to step up to take their places.  Most notably, the important job of Committee Chair is now open (and Vice-Chair too, for that matter).  Perhaps there are two people who will be willing to act as cochairs.  But there are many committees within the large TOH Committee where help is needed.  See the chart, originally devised by Past Chair Bill Horn, on the next page to find a place where you can lend your assistance. 
It was gratifying to see so many people come forward to fill spots on the Home Selection committee at today’s meeting.  They will get to work soon to get a short list of homes put together, if not by the end of April, then as soon thereafter as possible.  This is clearly the priority right now. 
President Nancy urged all members to talk to their contacts about how they can get involved.  There are small tasks that need to be done as well as large and some new tasks (such as social media) as well.   Newcomers can work with experienced committee members to develop skills and knowledge.   Citing words spoken in a recent episode of Downton Abbey, President Nancy noted that we must be “flexible and adaptable.” From the lively discussion and expressed willingness to serve, success seems likely.  
2016 Tour of Homes Committees  
If you are interested in serving on ANY committee, please contact President Nancy.  
Chair  To attend all the major committee meetings, if possible 
Needed 
Vice-Chair To attend all the major committee meetings, if possible 
Needed 
Secretary Record, develop, distribute Committee minutes 
Ron Somerville 
Treasurer Report on finances 
Mike Moore 
Home Selection Committee Selection of homes, communicate/coordinate with homeowners, PR, etc. 
Trudy Kanellis, Pat Martyn, Nancy Lovelock, Suzanne Ferguson, Adriana Balderas, Pat Baker, Trish Shouldice  
Decorators Committee Selection, placement, coordination, etc. 
Pat Martyn, Nancy Lovelock; Assistance from Home Selection Committee  
Sponsors Committee Home & corporate sponsors, etc. 
Need 2 (including a Chair) 
Auction/Draw Event Committee Subcte: Auction/Draw & Door Prize items, Tree balls 
Need 3 
Printing Committee Photos, home write-ups, posters, homeowner’s pictures, etc.; Sponsor & Decorator plaques 
Need 2  
Advertising Place ads, distribute posters, radio, TV, etc. Social Media 
Faye Ferguson  
Need 1  
Volunteers Committee Select & assign all volunteers & head hosts for weekend (except those doing the Auction/Draw event; Approx. 250-350 people needed depending on houses 
Melody McKinnon 
Music Committee Arrange for music, live or recorded in each home, Saturday & Sunday; Approximately 40 groups or individuals needed 
Elaine Catchpole, Alma Roberts 
Ticket Distribution Ticket distribution to outlets & individuals, sales records, sorting stubs, setting up float-boxes for each home, etc. 
Ed & Kathy Willson 
Volunteer Goodies  
Carrie Norman, Alma Roberts, Nancy Lovelock  
Support Materials  Signs, boxes, bags, mats, etc. 
Ron Somerville, Ed Willson; Need 1  
Recognition Dinner To recognize homeowners, decorators, sponsors, others Invitations, program, etc.  
Need 3 
BRAKING NEWS….President Nancy welcomed Kathy Willson, guest of Ed; Faye Ferguson, guest of Ken; Maggie Horn, guest of Bill; Melody McKinnon; Alma Roberts; and visiting Rotarian, Paul Farrow, from the London East Rotary Club….Andrew Gillmore will be guest speaker at next week’s meeting.  Andrew has written a book about living abroad.  Interactors have been invited; why not bring a guest yourself?  March 21 will be a joint meeting with the Interact Club at the Wayside (5:30 p.m., social; 6:00 p.m., dinner; price TBA).  President Nancy tells us it will be a “mystery” evening.  Please let Trudy know if you are coming and if you are bringing a guest….There is no meeting March 28 (Easter Monday)…Looking ahead to April 25, MP Karen Vecchio is guest speaker: another opportunity to bring guests to a Rotary meeting.    
The Music Festival`s wrap-up event, the Keynotes Concert and Awards Night, takes place at the Salvation Army Citadel on Friday, April 8 at 7 p.m.  It was Standing Room Only last year; Ron and his Committee are hoping for the same this year….The Tour of Homes Dinner honouring homeowners and decorators and other Tour notables takes place at the Wayside on Friday, April 22.  Details TBA.  
Total Team Training (taking the place of the District Assembly) will take place on Saturday, April 2 at the Holiday Day in Sarnia.  President Nancy and Trish Shouldice will be attending but wouldn’t mind company from among other Club members…. The Interact Club will be at the Home Show on April 8 and 9.  A Rotary Club presence is encouraged.  Contact Trudy if you would like to help….Pat Martyn was winner of the 50-50 draw.  Sergeant-at-Arms Ed Willson fined Suzanne for arriving late and depriving the assembly of her input into the Tour of Homes discussion.  In the absence of the Fine Master, a Dr. Seuss quotation was read from The Rotarian magazine: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.”    
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 Darwin Lowe, a member of the club.  
Pat Martyn (2) – For winning the 50/50; her youngest grandson’s birthday is this Wednesday.  Suzanne Ferguson (1) – Her office has moved from London to St. Thomas (in the CASO Station).   Ron Somerville (1) – Glad to see all the Tour of Homes committee people here today.    Maggie Horn (1) – Her oldest granddaughter has been inducted into a business honorary society (similar to Phi Beta Kappa).   Stew Shouldice (1) – He has almost finished adapting ClubRunner to the Club’s website and is looking for information to put into it (Piper continues to administer the site).   Trish Shouldice (1) – For Nancy’s leadership today.