President-Elect: Prince Kumar Vice-President: Jayson Phelps
Treasurer: Rick Goldsmith
Executive Director: Carol Hutchinson
RI President
Holger Knaack, Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany
District Governor
Mark Chipman, Whitby Sunrise
Editor of the week: Maureen Bird
Friday October 2, 2020 Rotary Virtual Meeting Guest Speaker: Mark Chipman - District Governor 7070
Topic: Mark's Vision for 2020/21
Host: Iosif Ciosa - AG District 7070 & DGN 2022/2023
Time: 12:00 Noon to 1:30 PM
It is with great pleasure that we say welcome to Mark Chipman from the Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise as our new District Governor for the Rotary year 2020-21. District Governor Mark Chipman has been a passionate and engaged Rotarian since 2006 with a wide range of experience at both the Club and District levels. With Whitby Sunrise he served as Club President in 2012, and as Director on several committees including Fundraising and the Whitby Ribfest. He feels privileged to have participated in humanitarian service for club projects in Laos, Thailand and Dominican Republic.
Mark served as Chair of the 2013 District 7070 Conference, Rotaract Chair, Assistant District Governor and Chaired the 2017 District Foundation Walk prior to joining the District Governor team. He has facilitated workshops and breakout sessions related to Public Image, Fundraising and Membership/Grow Rotary at several District Assembly and President Elect Training events. Mark has also been invited to speak at external events about the good work of Rotary and was honored to have the opportunity to be a Rotary Ambassador.
Mark has also been very active in his community having served on the Durham Environmental Advisory Committee, the Brooklin Downtown Development Steering Committee, Durham Big Brothers, 100 Men of Whitby and has been a champion of the RBC Run for the Kids annual event raising funds to help families navigate the mental health system.
Mark started his career in urban/environment planning, however for the past 25 years has been in the Information Technology field including 19 years at RBC. He is currently a Director in the RBC Technology & Operations group in Toronto. Mark is passionate about sports (and his beloved Leafs) and travel having had the opportunity to hike and explore all 7 continents, notably climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with his wife Leslie on their honeymoon many moons ago. He is also a firm believer in Rotarians engaging in community and environmental initiatives, as well as leadership development with an eye on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Mark and his wife Leslie have been married for 24 years and currently live in Whitby. Leslie has also taken a very active role in Rotary sweat equity projects, fundraisers and fellowship events as well as in the community as part of Big Brothers organization and a former board member at Whitby Station Gallery.
LIMITED TO 30 MEMBERS 0NLY AND YOU MUST RSVP - SEE DETAILS IN EMAIL FROM CAROL OCTOBER 1
OTHERS CAN JOIN BY ZOOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84019154286
GUEST SPEAKER: BILL MORARI, GM AND COO, THE NATIONAL CLUB
LOCATION: THE NATIONAL CLUB, MAIN DINING ROOM
303 BAY STREET (BAY AND WELLINGTON), TORONTO
TOPIC: THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL CLUB
HOST: ROHIT TAMHANE
World Polio Day is October 24, 2020
The Rotaract Club of Toronto, in partnership with Sweet Maee Bakery is selling packages of purple pinky sugar cookies in support of Polio vaccinations.
Each package of delicious cookies sold will provide vaccination to a child around the world through the Rotary Foundation.
Pack of 6 cookies - $20
Orders will be available October 1-19, with pick up date being October 24.
Today’s meeting opened with serenading by Brigitte Bogar, Glenn Davis and little Victoria in the background, President John engaging in conversation with
members of the Club remotely and announcing that our beloved Carol Hutchinson just celebrated on September 23 the 10th Anniversary of her joining our Club as Executive Director. Many thanks to Carol for her dedication and commitment to the Club particularly during the pandemic.
President John also announced the prospect of a live meeting at the National Club with a maximum capacity of 30 with social distancing and masks at a future WERM. More details to follow.
President-Elect Prince Kumar appealed for help to join the Marketing and
Communications Committee which has a major role to play during COVID. Past
President Pat Neuman announced exciting Fellowship plans including “Happy
Hours” with other clubs starting next Thursday.
Brian Westlake invited our special guest speaker Ellin Bessner, author of Double Threat: Canadian Jews, the Military and World War II. 81 years ago this month on September 11, 1939 Canada entered World War II.
Ellin shared the personal stories of what this War meant for the 18,800 Canadian Jews including 270 Jewish women who volunteered (some of whom changed their names) in the fight against Hitler including Monty Hall, Wayne and Shuster, Ben Dunkelman, Barney Danson, Senator David Croll an Flin Flon Rotarian Phil (Fenster) Foster who was a squadron leader and war hero.
These were dark days: She told us about Hitler’s Book recording the number of Jews residing in each city across Canada targeted for elimination. Ellin spoke about the tragedy of the 900 Jews aboard the MS St Louis turned away from Canadian shores in May 1939, the Christie Pits riots between Canadian racists wearing Swastikas and Jews in Toronto and the quiet systemic racism in Canadian society at the time.
She ended with the liberation of Bergen Belsen by the Canadians in April 1945.
Today’s address was a powerful and inspiring reminder in these times of
pandemic about even greater sufferings that Canadians have endured and
ultimately prevailed over in the past.
There is a partnership between The Rotary Club of Toronto IndSC, the Robin Hood Army, The Rotary Club of Eglinton and HIP for DFC (Dennis Franklin Cromarty School) in Thunder Bay. DFC is the gathering school for students attending high school from 23 remote fly-in indigenous communities that have no high schools. Students are billeted often with strangers, often lack basic necessities and face ongoing racial tension in Thunder Bay.
10,118 items were delivered to Gardewine Wednesday (Orange Shirt Day) to ship to DFC. There are 432 backpacks (Indigenous Sports and Wellness Ontario will be picking up ½ to distribute to the communities they serve).
There are also school supplies (pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, binders, calculators, markers, highlighters, etc), and personal hygiene items include toothbrushes, tooth paste, soap, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, menstrual products, and hand sanitizer.
These items are meant to make their pursuit of education a little easier by providing items identified by the school that students require and can often not afford to purchase for themselves.
It is with mixed feelings that I announce my transfer to the Mississauga West Rotary Club. Having moved from downtown out to Mississauga with the birth of our son, Maksim, it just seems to make more sense.
Since joining your club 3 plus years ago, you have each made me feel so welcome and have provided me opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and lead initiatives which had a direct impact on our community as well as some amazing fellowship times spent getting covered in paint at Camp Scugog or donning my Christmas hat and cheer at the children’s Christmas party. I will miss spending time with you all, but am excited to get to know my new club.
I look forward to our paths crossing again at some future Rotary event, or even just to catch up.
Take care,
Mary, Vlad and Maks
Fellowship & Entertainment Activities
Pat Neuman, Chair
We are here for the long term so please join in. All events are listed on our Google Calendar accessible through your @rotarytoronto.com account or find the emails sent out in advance. Contact Maureen Bird to set up your access. 416-804-3726.
