President: John Fortney President-Elect: Prince Kumar Vice-President: Jayson Phelps
Treasurer: Kurt Kroesen
Executive Director: Carol Hutchinson
Editor of the week: Maureen Bird and Natali Soroka
Charitable Foundation President:
Rick Goldsmith
Foundation Vice-President: Barbara Thomson
RI President
Holger Knaack, Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany
District Governor
Mark Chipman, Whitby Sunrise
Rotary Meeting, Friday April 9, 2021 12:00 pm
Guest Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Snider
Chief of Emergency Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital
Topic: How St. Michael's Managed Through Covid and Used the Rotary Toronto Transition Centre
Host: Harold Hetherington
Rotary Virtual Meeting via Google Meet and YouTube Live
Rotarian and Guests: RSVP to office@rotarytoronto.com
if using Google Meet to be admitted to the meeting.
Dr. Snider is the Chief of Emergency Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital. Unlike other major hospitals in Ontario, St. Michael’s serves many of Toronto’s more disadvantaged citizens who reside in the downtown core of the city. In addition to having medical needs met, this population requires other short-term assistance. People arrive at the hospital with an issue, that on its face, may not be an emergency. They may just need a prescription refilled. Dr. Snider has estimated that 40% of her clinical time is taken-up dealing with issues that are actually social and not medical in nature. It is with this background Carolyn brings a perspective that most people would not have had.
With this understanding, the hospital is able to connect the individual in need with a social worker who can then help find a place to stay or arrange a meal which may very well be the first meal in over one day. This is part of St. Michael’s ambitious long-term plan to make its catchment area, and indeed the City of Toronto, ‘the world’s healthiest city’.
Carolyn has the goal of using the business community in her attempt to close the gap between a standard of care, which she feels is basic, to a level of care that meets both basic needs and health care needs. To do this, Carolyn has had to learn of the unique needs of a significant portion of the population who live in downtown Toronto. It is her experience that much of the help required can be found at this hospital. No person is turned away.
Carolyn states that while she came from the same advantaged background that most Rotarians have enjoyed, it was not until she commenced working in the emergency department and saw what ‘disadvantage’ truly means, that she began to understand and appreciate how there are barriers to being able to obtain the kind of care we assume every Canadian enjoys.
Many members of this club may be aware of the assistance our Club has been able to give to St Michael’s emergency department. One such major gift has been St. Michael’s ‘Rotary Center’. This is the unique place within the hospital where individuals, who have been served in the emergency department and are ready for discharge, may go. Here they are able to stay for a very short period of time until other arrangements are made.
Jennifer will be speaking to the Eglinton Rotary Club at 12:15, Wednesday April 14th.
It will be a large group. In order to be admitted to the meeting the Eglinton Club will need your name for admission.
Email maureen.bird@rotarytoronto.com and she will be able to send you the link early next week.
President John Fortney's 60th Birthday Rocked!
At least 75 of us + partners gathered for a great Zoom party on Wednesday March 31. John and Garren celebrated with two nights at the National Club - well isolated - and were treated to the chef's best.
There were great pictures and speeches from friends Jayson, Michele and others.
Thank you Garren for some pictures which decorated his fabulous Cake. We split into zoom rooms and had an opportunity to chat with John's family and non-Rotarian guests. Quite a group. John also shared his birthday present - his new apartment should be large enough!
We also celebrated other birthdays - our own president-elect Prince Kumar shares the same date.
What you Missed , March 26, 2021 - Marcy Berg
For those who were not able to join us on March 26th you missed a lovely Friday of fellowship and connections worthy of a pandemic. President John’s welcome was warm, and we joined in the singing of the National Anthem, toast to the Queen and then we all listened intently to the Asparagus report from Geoffrey Johnson. Welcome spring!
President John introduced our Let’s Be Personal speaker, Mark McQuitty who was our first new member to join in the pandemic, and our newest member who is Denise Inglis.
Visiting Rotarians were welcomed, and the warning went out to turn off your video if do not want to be forever encapsulated on our YouTube video. No denying your attendance from this moment forward. President John acknowledged Passover and extended the club’s best wishes to all celebrating.
Past President Bill Morari brought a message from the district. We can all be proud that our district is thriving during the pandemic and not better way to engage with the success than join the next New Member’s get together on April 8th from 7-8pm online. This will be the fourth new member get together and you can register on the district web site.
Past President Robert O’Brien introduced the guest speaker, Mark Garner, Chief Executive of the Downtown BIA. Mark reviewed the “Forever Yonge” campaign to help the downtown core recover from the Pandemic. If you missed the meeting, or if you were there and want a review, you are encouraged to watch the video of his presentation. The future of Yonge St is an overly exciting plan and is already being put into action. Interesting fact, 180,000 people live within a 10-minute walk from Yonge St and a further 14,000 will be moving into the area in the next 5 years. Lots of new potential members for the club? President John thanked the speaker after he graciously took our questions. Please take a moment to watch in detail all the plans for the city core. Yonge St will back better than ever.
Next time we meet it will be President John’s 60th birthday!! Then a Happy Easter weekend with no Friday meeting.
Denise Inglis was born in Kingston Jamaica. She came to Toronto in the 1970’s with her then young husband who was completing his post-graduate studies in Medicine. It was in Toronto, while raising a family (Denise has three grown children) that she pursued her love of art- studying at the Ontario College of Art.
Now, 30 years later, Denise is an award winning artist, art teacher, and entrepreneur who has the honour of having one of her pieces hanging in the National Gallery of Jamaica.
For Denise, art, and the mind body connection are inextricably linked. So in addition to her love of art, her second passion is studying the ‘Body Mind relationship’ and how it affects healing. This interest led her to become a certified Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist teaching for many years at the Kripalu Yoga Center, one of the first yoga centres opened in Toronto.
Over the years, in her pursuit to learn more about mind body healing, she came to meet and personally study with outstanding teachers like Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, and Marion Woodman. Denise has dedicated many years of her life volunteering for a wide variety of charities. For example, she taught yoga for many years at Wellspring Cancer Foundation in Toronto which had just opened its doors at that time. Many remember her welcoming classes, her open heartedness, and her laughter.
Most recently, after retiring to spend winters in Jamaica, she was asked to help with the National Youth Orchestra, a charity that aids underprivileged children to build self-esteem and career opportunities through music. It was there, with the recommendation of Fay Campbell, that Denise met and helped the Rotarians with their annual art auction. To support their charity drive Denise donated pieces from her “Violins Restored” series. These pieces received the highest bids at the Rotary’s auction that year. Denise thanks both Chris, Dauna, and John for their warm encouragement and welcome to the Toronto Club.
Remembering Those We Have Lost
Past President Robert Thomas Rutherford had passed away on Feb. 25, 2021. Bob’s warm heart led to endless charitable works, including a term as President of The Rotary Club of Toronto, where he introduced Habitat for Humanity to Toronto and oversaw the launch of the Health Bus.
Paul Harold Murphy, a former member of our club passed away peacefully on March 9, 2021. As an active member of The Rotary Club of Toronto, Paul always looked forward to the Friday meetings at the Royal York Hotel and taking the children with special needs to the Rotary's Toronto’s annual Christmas party.
Edna Cartwright Bell – wife of our honourary member Jim Bell, passed away recently on March 26th. She was an Inner Wheel member of The Rotary Club of Toronto which was the opportunity for women to serve, before the RI constitution opened up to include women joining Rotary in 1988.
Our condolences go out to all their family and friends….
Scotch Rocks - by Marcy Berg
The pandemic has finally come to day drinking for some of us. On March 27th a few Rotarians and some guests zoomed in for a trip around Scotland. Hosted by Past President Neil it was done in fine style with a special appearance from a Scottish, Scotch tasting, aficionado. He had his job cut out for him because our club is not without our own connoisseurs of the golden nectar.
President Elect Prince and Rotarian Brent were very impressive with their contributions to the selection of samples. We learned about the 7 areas of Scotland and how to rate based on Delicate, Light, Smoky and Rich and everything in between.
If you were confused about Scotch before this certainly was a remarkably interesting way to spend a Saturday afternoon. It was so successful another round is well in the planning stages. Signing up also comes with a little Charcuterie competition. Good luck doing better than President John. “Slainte”.
Then some of this hardy crew skipped a nap and went right into Neil and Mardi's Virtual Cooking Class. Tonight was fish cakes. Yes, some were very successful but there was a discussion about the difference between a blender and a food processor. Some results were not quite as expected! But we learn and enjoy the company.
What Is your Rotary Club doing to focus on Maternal and Child Health in April 2021 ?
Every day mothers risk their lives giving birth and millions of children die each year from treatable, preventable causes.At least 7 million children under the age of five die each year due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, we provide immunizations and antibiotics to babies, improve access to essential medical services, and support trained health care providers for mothers and their children. Your Rotary projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs.
Your International Service Committee Supporting Maternal and Child Health
ISC has supported several projects this year. A donation of $3,486 has gone to District 7070's massive Global Grant of US$391,406 towards re-equiping the Neonatal Surgical Unit in Katrina Hospital, Beirut Lebanon, which was destroyed in an explosion last summer
We funded $2,520 of a Global Grant led by the Rotary Club of Sydney-Sunrise NS for expansion of the maternity ward in Serbia.
We supported Rotary Club of Etobicoke with $1,500 for a Global Grant providing breast cancer screening equipment in a hospital in Armenia.
Each of these grants involve many clubs, funds from the district as well as matching funds from The Rotary Foundation.
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.
Gardening Club will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 4 pm...
Next date is April 20, 2021 4 pm.
To Join...
Contact Co-ordinator June Brown
Spring really is just around the corner.
Commemorate the 109th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with co-author of Last Dinner on the Titanic, Dana McCauley $25.12
This is an eventbrite event - join in, enjoy the conversation and food
This week Mardi and Neil will be having us do a baked risotto. You don't have to cook - it is an opportunity to just chat. Contact Neil if you are not on his list.
nphillips@dgn-marketing.com
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
The Rotary Club of Toronto, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, H Level
