President John Lark called the meeting to order at 12:15 and followed with the invocation.   

VISITORS: Glenn Campbell introduced three visitors who were given our usual warm welcome. Our exchange student Kokoro Nakayana was also in attendance.

 

New Generations – Tuesday April 11, at Lisgar, 5:30 PM

Adventure in Citizenship – Thursday, April 20, 6:00 PM 610 Bronson

Community Service Committee, Monday, April 24, the Mess 11:15 AM

Adventure in Citizenship – Thursday, April 27, 6:00 PM, 610 Bronson (LAST MEETING)

 

Adventure in Citizenship is almost here – April 29 to May 3. As usual we are short of beds.

Please contact your friends, family and neighbors and let Margo know by the end of this week. There are also many other opportunities for volunteers.

 

The Rotary Home Foundation is holding its annual Golf-a-Thon on June 12 at Emerald Links. If you and some of your friends are looking for a fun day, look up the event on the Rotary Home web site. As a minimum, I suggest you sponsor Andre Bourdon, one of the Club’s premier golfers, as he attempts to set a new fund raising record for our members.

 

On June 23, our Club’s All that Jazz tournament will take place also at Emerald Links. This is our Club’s main fund raising event. (held in September in past years). We need sponsors, volunteers, prizes and lots of golfers. You will be hearing more at our meetings as the event takes shape.

 

Our speaker, Ms. Hilary Clauson, from the Aga Kahn Foundation was introduced by Glenn Campbell. Hilary opened by noting that the Aga Kahn Foundation shares many values with Rotary.

The Foundation is a not for profit, non-denominational organization that works primarily in Africa, Asia and South Asia.

 

Hilary first worked in Kenya with a group of Foundation volunteers in building a Primary School. She was excited when she saw how excited the children were about going to school. The local community was very supportive of the project. The locals came in each night and fixed the errors in the construction that the volunteers had made during the day.

 

Her second posting was in Bangladesh. She was amazed at how crowded the country was but also how proud the people were of it. The two big employers were the garment factories and the tea gardens. We have all heard the stories about how the owners of these facilities took advantage of their employees. They were not interested in the education of the next generation.

 

Although the government was doing a good job in providing decent schools, there was no support for the millions of women, who had children not yet eligible for the school system. The Aga Khan Foundation initiated a program in partnership with community organizations to help these women by establishing a pre-school structure.  

 

The Foundation works though community owned and led organizations and helps these groups develop sustainable projects. Overall they focus on healthy families, education, feeding the bodies and the minds, and new opportunities.  Projects are selected based on community identified needs.

 

The prize was not awarded this week as a winner did not present themselves. Alan Acton’s prize will be added to the next meeting.

 

Kateri Clark was happy that she attended the District Training Conference this past weekend in Cornwall. Along with Julie Cugalj and Glenn Campbell she learned a lot about Rotary and enjoyed the fellowship.

 

Andre Bourdon has registered and looks forward to golfing in the Rotary Home Foundation Golf-a Thon on June 12. He hopes other Club members may join him. If not show your support by sponsoring him for this great event. He will circulate a sheet at the next meeting.

 

Colin Rousseaux is happy to be back. After two recent falls, one off his bike and the most recent one on ice while visiting his daughter, he appears to be back to his usual enthusiastic self. This is great to see considering the number of fractures, pins and supports he has endured to get his bones back in shape.

 

Rich Fisher was happy he had recently visited with Colin and was amazed at his resilience and constant enthusiasm.

 

Eva Hammond was impressed with the ceremony covered on Sunday by CBC marking the 100^th anniversary of the World War I battle at Vimy Ridge in France. It was very moving. She also attended an event at the War Museum that night put on by the Friends of the War Museum.

 

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 1:15 PM.

 

No meeting on April 17. (Easter Monday)

Next meeting April 24

 

Note: Reminder that all upcoming lunches and speakers are listed on our website. www.rotaryottawa.com . If in doubt check there.