TOPIC: ‘Covid-19: The impact of a global pandemic on the world’s most vulnerable’.
Location: Virtual meetings
Host: Saleem Kassum
Time 12:00
Tess Widdifield is the Acting Executive Director at ShelterBox Canada. Tess started her journey into the non-profit world at Brescia University College at Western University, earning a degree in international community development.
Tess has been a member of the ShelterBox team since 2014, working to promote the Rotary Project Partnership and fundraising campaigns in Canada. Tess is currently the Foundation chair at the Rotary Club of Toronto Twilight and in her spare time can be found doing something creative or cheering for the Raptors.
Today we had our first Virtual meeting featuring a guest speaker. We believe we had over 80 members between the two online groups.
President Kevin presided in his COVID facial camouflage. Nice look! Lorna Johnson updated us on our Fellowship & Entertainment activities – see full info below.
Our first donation for COVID-19 was awarded to the Indigenous Service Committee – see below. Brian Westlake commented that his online dinner club has chosen to donate to our club.
Suzanne Seaquist gave her Let’s Be Personal from Stirling and Geoffrey Johnson gave our TWTWTW chat. Both of these were of course done remotely. Naughty Geoffrey! The video is now on FaceBook (accessible at link below) with better sound quality. You can see Geoffrey starting at 32:50.
Our Speaker Peter Ewins explained the concept of InTheZone gardening. In order to protect our planet and our specific area we must create gardens that help native species thrive in our Carolinian Zone. The alien introduced species do not help this and proper plants are needed for pollination. 30 years ago his backyard was a parking platform for six cars. No More! He complimented Loblaw for labeling Carolinian plants – pay attention to them. He gave focus to Eva’s Place where students have changed the landscape.
Don Bell won last meeting’s gift basket – he will have to wait to collect. Thank you to those who logged in to Live Stream as the better place to watch our meetings.
The Rotary Club of Toronto Charitable Foundation met last March 26th. The Foundation approved $300,000 to be spent towards COVID-19 relief.
$100,000 of this amount has been given to The Rotary Club of Toronto Philanthropic Fund to disperse for immediate needs arising from COVID-19. The committees are submitting requests to the COVID team for approval.
$100,000 of this amount will be dispersed by the Foundation for immediate needs arising from COVID-19.
At this point the Foundation has granted $5,000 to Lake Scugog United Church Camp for their Mental Health Initiative. $10,000 has been donated to Street Health for PPEs and $10,000 is going to ShelterBox Canada.
The remaining $100,000 is for longer term needs arising from COVID-19. This $100,000 is matching funds. Donations to the Rotary Club of Toronto Charitable Foundation COVID-19 fund will be matched by the Foundation up to $100,000.
The Indigenous Service Committee was able to move quickly to assist families and students at the Wandering Spirit School (TDSB formerly First Nations School). Our committee has worked with the school for years with Career Days, lunch program supports and other ways. When the school closed, students and their families lost access to breakfast, lunch and two snacks provided by the food and nutrition program.
In the past Rotary has filled this gap during the summer. We were aware of the immediate need and our new member Darcy Higgins had a contact with Elise Twyford the Vice Principle. Quick access to $50.00 food cards was facilitated by the Metro at Bayview and Eglinton – who had 182 cards on hand. We had money left in the committee budget so all this came together with a committee meeting on April 2 and delivery of the cards on April 6 to Elise Twyford. This direct channel for delivering the cards into the hands of the family was crucial. Cards were mailed to parents later that week. We moved on to seek help for COVID programs at the Anishnawbe Health Center and the Toronto Aboriginal Support Service Council.
Bill Empey, Chair
Robin Hood Army at Work
Check Facebook for their regular postings.
For everyone's safety, all RHA Canada in-person drives remain suspended till further notice. In the meantime, in partnership with The Rotary Club of Toronto, RHA Canada with its Rapid Response team is in direct contact with the shelters we serve to assess the immediate need of food. We are looking for your help to share this post and donate to provide the much needed "Food & hygiene items" to the homeless.
Help us get these items to the homeless by donating to The Rotary Club of Toronto here.
On April 15th we held our second cocktail party with a Spring Bonnet theme. For some isolating up north spring meant a toque!
Our next one is Wednesday April 29th. RSVP to Pat Neuman
Virtual Cooking Class
Last Saturday was the third of four successive Saturday Virtual dinner parties organized by Neil Phillips and Mardi Michels and we have concluded this must extend beyond four! Tonight's gastronomic treat was a Haitian soup traditionally served at New Year's. La Soupe Joumou. A very fragrant and flavourful dish with beef marinated in lemon and lime juice, clove powder, parsley and garlic then added to stock, squash, leeks, Carrots, onions, cabbage, macaroni and spaghetti noodles. Delicious. The various wine/beer pairings were equally interesting.
Here is one of the participants, Suzanne Seaquist's take on the recipe.
I have to say we all LOVED it; it was our favourite dish yet. We have always been a “hearty soup for a meal” kind of family, and will be adding this one to the roster. We used cheap steak + stewing meat (whatever we could find in our tiny country grocery store), and after lots of simmering, it was delicious and tender. The jalapeno peppers added just the right amount of kick, without being too spicy for the young ones (including Jay). And of course, I forgot to mention, we used an entire bulb of garlic. Mmmmmmm.
The only thing I would change next time is that I don’t think I’d bother with the pasta, I’d maybe add a bit of extra meat instead. There are so many wonderful things going on in this soup, in my mind, the pasta isn’t needed. I’m not a big pasta eater, so happy to forgo that ingredient.
The leftover bones from the steak and the remaining mashed sweet potato went to Lucy (our four-legged friend), who was thus also very pleased with this dinner. The only vegetable she will eat is sweet potato, and for some strange reason she just loves it.
Next meal - This Saturday - 3 courses - contact Neil
More Activities from your Fellowship & Entertainment Committee
For both register with Jackie Davies
Book Club - Thursday April 30th - 2-3.
Discuss a book that you have read recently.
Gardening - Thursday May 5th - 2-3
Jackie expects to have a special guest.
And Once Again - Our Fitness Routines
Many thanks to Lori Brazier (who in one of her many lives is a fitness instructor) we present a list of links for exercise, yoga, Tai Chi and other activities.
To help our Club members keep active, she has sourced a few interesting options for keeping fit while staying at home.
Please log in and try these out, then write a brief report and email to Maureen so she can put your story into our Rotary Club of Toronto e-Bulletin.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN ACTIVE LATELY & BEGINNERS:
