We are pleased to announce that Rotary International has awarded Major Donor Recognition to our member Cijay Shah.
This award is granted to members who have contributed a minimum of US$10,000 to The Rotary Foundation.
The International Service Committee, through members Cijay and Maureen Bird, have been working with the Rotary Club of Bombay Airport on two Global Grants to provide new Toilets for Girls at Rural Mumbai schools. The first was for US$38,000 and updated facilities at four schools. Cijay and Maureen visited two of the schools in November 2018.
The second grant with a value of US$87,000 has just been approved for facilities at ten more schools.
These two grants involved financial contributions from 18 Rotary Clubs and many individuals. Cijay’s contributions to the grants totaled over US$10,000.
Cijay has also been active in co-ordinating and raising donations for a few projects in Kenya and Uganda with the support of the International Service Committee.
We are pleased to acknowledge Cijay’s commitment to Making a Difference.
Cijay and Ranjula with the awards.
To left, the crystal, 2 pins and pendant
Cijay and Maureen Bird at the official opening of new toilets in November 2018
What you Missed, January 15, 2020
President John opened the meeting with an invocation reminding us to keep children safe from harm so they have an opportunity to learn and grow in a safe and healthy environment.
Marg Stanowski gave a great Let’s Be personal address and President John had the honour of acknowledging a Major Donor Award received by Cijay Shah, one of our great International Service Committee members.
Sylvia Geist gave a summary of our upcoming series – three weeks of discussing Racism in Canada – Enough is Enough. First episode in January 22nd and Mayor John Tory will address the club.
Past President Neil Phillips had the honour of introducing our guest speaker, Amanda Pick, CEO, Missing Children's Society of Canada. For 34 years they have been working to find missing children – under 18s. You have heard the Amber Alerts but this is a small part. The crucial task is to find them faster, those who are lost, missing or abducted. In 2019 there were a total of 40,425 cases. 74% were runaways. Unless they are found quickly they run the risk of many challenges – sexual assaults, risky employment and forced into trafficking.
The police are the first line but there is a need for more sharing of information. MCSC is working on technology. They are developing an App which we can download to alert us to any missing child near our phone – like our COVID Alert App. It will be more focused than Amber Alert which applies only to children who have been abducted and goes to the whole province.
The website rescu.mcsc.ca is available with a lot of information – one question was about Indigenous – a group she said is over-represented among these children.
Let's Be Personal - Marg Stanowski
I grew up in Toronto and despite being accepted at University of Toronto, I attended Windsor University in 1970 for their acclaimed Social Work Program at the time. At 22 I became a Federal Parole Officer, a traditionally male dominated profession. No educational training could have prepared me for the realities of taking on a caseload of 45, mainly penitentiary men who had committed terrible crimes of violence, fraud and robbery.
I later became a Correctional Centre Superintendent and also completed specialized prison training to advance my career path. But I eventually opted for community work that could prevent youth from destructive and criminal lifestyles. Apart from teaching Law and Security and heading up Volunteer Ontario my best career years remain as Springboard’s Executive Director where I have contributed to influencing public policy and systemic reform in the criminal and social justice systems.
Bert Steenburgh, who I have known since 1982 from our respective correctional work, introduced me to this club and I joined in 2001. Since then I have witnessed the influence our club has had in such initiatives as the Pine River Institute for drug addicted teens, the completion of several international sweat equity projects, and the impact of St. Michael’s Hospital and the Sherburne Health Centre’s work with homeless populations. I’ve also been honoured to help establish our Women’s Initiative Committee 17 years ago whose work resulted in the opening of one of Toronto’s first transitional homes for girls who have been sexually trafficked.
My Rotary membership has truly enabled me to give back to our community in ways I did not think possible!
Training on ClubRunner and Google Suites
Maureen Bird will be running a series of training sessions starting Tuesday, January 26th. They will be limited to a maximum of 8 people at a time and if demand is high will be repeated. Email to let her know if interested and she will invite you to a Google Meet session.
Tuesday January 26th, 5:30- 6:00 pm - ClubRunner and access to our roster and Voice bulletins
Monday, February 1 - 5:30-6:30 pm - accessing your @rotarytoronto.com email and our calendar
Tuesday, February 2 - 5:30-6:30 pm - a repeat of the February 1st.
Monday, February 8- 5:30-6:30 pm - a fuller exploration of the power of Google Suites - personal calendar, committee information
Further sessions will be scheduled as needed. We hope this helps you understand how we can work together more efficiently in these lockdown and virtual times.
Reply to maureen.bird@rotarytoronto.com as to the sessions you wish to join.
Fellowship & Entertainment Activities
Pat Neuman, Chair
Rotary Club of Wakamow, Moose Jaw Sk
On Friday January 15th we shared cocktails with President Sonja Susut (Pat Neuman's sister), her club members and ours. Although we cannot touch each other we were able to raise our glasses in Fellowship. Zoom and Google Meet keeps us connected. Sonja is centre top.
Virtual Cooking Club – last Saturday of the month - January 30th.. we would love to have you join us.. contact Neil at nphillips@dgn-marketing.com
Euchre: Third Tuesday of the month in the evening contact Jay at
Book Club..to be revived seeing as we all have to stay home.. will look at later afternoon timing.
Virtual Dinner Club: NEW.. Several Hosts will invite 5 to 6 guests for Virtual Dinner on the third weekend of the month.. you may share the same dinner virtually, make your own recipe..or order from the same restaurant… up to the Host.. more info in Club Runner this week.. sign up!!
If anyone has any ideas the you would like us to work on, please contact Pat at pat.neuman@rotarytoronto.com
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
The Rotary Club of Toronto, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, H Level
