There is the Rotary International Foundation and then there is the St. Thomas Rotary Club Foundation. Every year in November, the Club Foundation conducts its Annual General Meeting. All members of the Club are members of the Club Foundation and are entitled to participate in the AGM’s business which is generally concluded with little loss of time. This year’s meeting was no exception.

 

But because the business of the AGM is dispatched with little loss of time does not mean that the Club Foundation does little. Far from it. Under the Foundation umbrella you will find the longstanding and much admired Rotary Music Festival, the Dictionary project (which brings dictionaries to Grade 3 students in local schools), and the student Service Above Self Awards. Happy Fins and Memorial Donations are recorded on the Foundation ledger. President Trudy noted in her report that a decision was made to keep the Rotary Food Trailer for now and that the Club would pay the Foundation 10% of revenue generated by it. The Foundation is also looking into having a professional evaluation of the trailer to determine its financial value. She also reported that an Investment Statement had been drafted and that interviews were currently underway to identify an Investment Advisor.

 

Also in her report, Trudy acknowledged the work done by Kelly Ryan, the Foundation’s bookkeeper, and Piper McKinnon who updates the Foundation website as needed. Many more people are involved in Foundation activities, not least Trudy herself, who, along with Trish Shouldice, will deliver dictionaries to Mitchell Hepburn school this Wednesday). Pat Baker visited eight schools on behalf of the Rotary Music Festival this morning. Financial statements for 2015- 16 prepared by Mark Wales were approved. Elected officers and members of the Board are: Trudy Kanellis, President; Malcolm Rust, Vice-President; Ron Somerville, Secretary; Pat Martyn, Treasurer; Paul Blower and Stewart Shouldice, Directors. Club President Nancy Lovelock is an ex officio member.

 

A NICE NOVEMBER DAY…TODAY….On a beautiful November day with a sunny sky and an above-normal temperature, President Nancy welcomed Jennifer Babcock, Kelly Ryan, Club Foundation bookkeeper, and Maggie Horn, wife of Bill, to the meeting. Ron Somerville brought a guest to whom he has become very fond – Hope Bear, the first teddy bear that was the focus of Club fundraising efforts many years ago….Next week (November 14), it`s the Fall edition of the presentation of Service Above Self awards to four St. Thomas high school students. Guests are welcome every week and they will certainly be welcome at this meeting.

 

On November 21, the guest speaker will be former MP Joe Preston speaking about Farmtown Canada and on November 28, the long-awaited breakfast with members of local service clubs takes place at the Wayside from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. There is a program so be sure to be at the Wayside at 7:30. The Wayside on the evening of December 5 will be the place and time for the Club’s annual Christmas party. Some plans are still in the works so more details will be forthcoming. President Nancy urged members to once again to bring socks, hats or mitts to the Party for donation to the Talbot Teen Centre.

 

The 2016 “Christmas in the Country” Tour of Homes begins this Friday (November 11) and continues Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13. It’s the 21st Tour and the Club’s largest fundraiser, with four homes outside the city and the CASO Station included. Ed Willson noted that ticket sales are moving well at the outlets, but that there is still time for club members to sell, sell, sell; members should bring money from ticket sales to him when the Tour is over. Ron Somerville noted that tickets will be available for sale at the door ($20 for regular customers and $10 for volunteers). He also had some reminders for door volunteers, namely, to draw the attention of Tour goers to the tear-off draw entry stubs and questionnaire on the back of the ticket, and to remind them to carry their shoes in a bag as they walk through the houses.

 

Trish Shouldice would like those working in the homes to wear their poppies on the evening of November 11. If you have cookies for volunteers that have not yet been delivered, please bring them to her home no later than 10 a.m. on Friday. If Suzanne Ferguson receives the new member name badges prior to Friday, she will leave them at RV World for pick-up. Pat Martyn reported that decorators are starting work in most houses today; another decorator has been added for the CASO Station. Finally, after the Tour, Club members and volunteers are invited to come to the Wayside between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday for dinner and fellowship.

 

Ron would like some assistance with setting up and taking down furniture and equipment used in our weekly meetings, particularly the toting of heavy objects to and from their storage location. If you are able to assist by arriving a little earlier and staying a little later, please let Ron know….An invitation is extended by Trudy and Nick Kanellis to an 80th anniversary celebration of the Wayside at the Wayside on Tuesday, November 15 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m….An Area 4 meeting takes place the same day at St. Hilda’s-St. Luke’s Church….Suzanne’s business is one of the featured businesses at the Business After 5 event at the CASO Station November 16.

 

The 28th annual Rotary Auction sponsored by the Rotary Club of London South continues to November 14. “Set up an account and let your fingers do the shopping! Bid often or proxy bid so you don’t have to continually monitor your item to succeed.” Funds raised support local and international children’s charities and the eradication of polio globally. Email general inquiries to RotaryCharityAuction@gmail.com or visit their website: www.LondonRotaryAuction.com.

 

President Nancy was winner of today’s 50/50 draw. Suzanne was Fine Master, standing in for Mike Moore who was unable to attend. Suzanne recounted the story of how Ed Willson had, many years ago, hired the first woman employed by the St. Thomas Ambulance Service. Ed added that Suzanne’s father, Frank Sanders, had encouraged him to do what he thought best when Ed’s decision was challenged.

 

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.

 

Bill Horn (2) – He and Maggie have received an email from Citizenship and Immigration Canada approving Maggie’s being allowed to stay in Canada as a permanent resident (though more bureaucratic paperwork is in the offing); they enjoyed attending the 65th wedding anniversary reception given by Ed and Kathy Willson.
Maggie Horn (2) – She, like Bill, is happy to have received that good news from Citizenship and Immigration Canada; her youngest grandson is 13.
Ed Willson (1) – He and Kathy enjoyed the reception they gave to mark their 65th anniversary.
Ron Somerville (2) – Circumstances forbade his attending Ed and Kathy’s reception but he wanted to be sure to offer his congratulations to them. He and Ed met back in 1955 and have been good friends ever since.
Trish Shouldice (1) – A happy fin for Suzanne whom she woke from a nap with a telephone call.
Nancy Lovelock (3) -- For winning the 50/50; for Trudy and all the things she does for Rotary, but especially today for her role as Club Foundation President; her church bazaar is over at last.
Ken Ferguson (1) – For Ed and Kathy on their 65th anniversary.
Pat Martyn (3) – For Ed and Kathy (Kathy sang at Pat and George’s wedding); for the Club Foundation, especially noting the work of its President, Trudy, and its bookkeeper, Kelly; for her three grandchildren who had fun playing in the leaves at her home yesterday.
Trudy Kanellis (3) – For Ed and Kathy’s celebration; to thank Kelly for her work and to express her thanks that the AGM is now over; to congratulate Maggie on her good news.

 

 

	ASAA	Greeter	Fine Master
Monday, November 14	Ron Somerville	Trudy Kanellis	Ken Ferguson
Monday, November 21	Stew Shouldice	Pat Baker	Adriana Balderas
Monday, November 28	Ron Somerville	Ken Ferguson