Guest Speaker: Andrew Phillips, Editorial Page Editor, The Toronto Star
Topic: Donald Trump is about to leave the White House.
How much damage has been done?
Can it be fixed? And have we heard the last of him?
Host: Past President Neil Phillips
Andrew Phillips has been editor of the Star’s editorial pages since January 2011. Previously he was editor of the Victoria Times Colonist and The Gazette in Montreal. He has also been a writer and editor at The Gazette, CBC Television News, and Maclean’s, as well as business editor of the Star. He holds a degree in history and economics from McGill University and taught journalism at Concordia University.
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After the speaker portion of the meeting ends we ask the members to stay on Google Meet for our next 10 minute Transitions update from Richard White on Supporting Groups.
Yes we are gathering virtually again but with good company! Dauna Jones-Simmonds is doing her usual great organization.
President John is ready - check out his Facebook!
Dauna has arranged some great music again to get us in the mood. Choose a special lunch to eat during lunch.
And the Christmas celebrations! Dauna is seeking out pictures and videos to show during lunch. Club parties from the past. Your family last year and this year.
Community Service Committee - Helping those in Need - Lori Brazier
We are so blessed in our lives. So many others are facing a tough Christmas.
Please help Community Services Committee (CSC) help a family in need over the holiday season.
We will be buying gifts to bring some holiday cheer to a family that cannot afford much at Christmas time.
Especially important this year when many are suffering hardship as a result of the current economic conditions caused by the pandemic.
How to help: from the comfort and safety of your home, please go to the link below to donate any amount toward the purchase of gifts. CSC will match all donations up to $1,000.
Choose "Holiday Helpers" to designate your donation toward this initiative.
Please also share this link with family, friends and neighbours who may wish to help.
Pine River Institute for Struggling Teens
Our club, led by Michael Morgan and Don Hillhouse was instrumental in getting this very special residence started. Our donation of $100,000 which Foundation President Susan Howson presented to CEO Vaughan Dowie will help increase their capacity for residents from 36 to 60 teens. This was done during our November 27th meeting.
Foundation COVID Assistance
Recently our Foundation’s Covid Grant Review Committee approved a $10,000 grant to: Victim Services Toronto, for their emergency high risk domestic violence response project and another $10,000 was approved for: The Christie Refugee Centre to help cover the cost of additional cleaning staff. The Covid committees are still at work assessing more. An additional $34,000 was contributed by members and matched by the Foundation.
A complete list of the COVID projects which we have supported - over $200,000 - is available here:
Today we were treated to the Debating Team from the University of Toronto. Four very passionate young persons debated on whether violent or non-violent protests would get the best actions.
It may be the nature of Rotarians but the non-violent team was determined by us to be the better way!
Chris Snyder gave his Let's Be Personal chat - posted below.
After the regular meeting the members heard a major report from Prince Kumar on our club's transition plans set for July 1, 2021.
Club Assembly November 25, 2020
Vice-President Jayson Phelps and his very active team made sure that one of the highlights of our club year was not going to lost in our isolation.
We were moved to five breakout groups where we had a chance to socialize and discuss our favourite cocktail. As well we were asked two questions - What have you learned in this crisis and what do you miss the most? Lori Brazier reported that her group reported the following:
Learnings: important to get out and move, realize that connections are more important than ever, really understand what all those apocalypse novels were about (we are living it).
Breaking free of the pandemic: We are looking forward to dining out again, travel and HUGS.
The transition team them rotated around the five groups to expand on the transition teams. The Strategic Plan is in the shared Drive: All Members/Strategic Plan/
All of this information from our Friday after lunch sessions and the Club Assembly is in the Shared Drive:All Members/Transition Talks/
What You Missed, November 27, 2020
Friday's meeting had a very different vibe with no special speaker, We continue to enjoy the musical entertainment from Brigitte Bogar and Glenn Davis followed by President John chatting with a few members online.
President John sent a shoutout to Sergio Amatller whose family has been struggling with Covid. emails of cheer are appreciated.
Past President Bill Moraro spoke on behalf of the Fundraising committee. It has been tough with our Steam Whistle event cancelled for 2020 and uncertain for 2021. They are looking at doing an online event in this new world.
We had a Let's be Personal by our very active 95-year-old Jack Robertson. Geoffrey Johnson was our The Week That Was speaker. He still has concerns about accessing all this techie stuff. We laughed about the Danish minks that won't stay buried and the Czech hunter whose rifle is now somewhere on a deer's antlers. Watch out there!
President John gave an excellent summary of our club projects going back a century to the start of the United Way. Care Canada, Easter Seals, Laughlen Centre, YES, Casey House, our Health Buses, St. Michael's Transition Centre, Seaton House and Gateway, among so many others. We need to get this information more accessible on our website - we have done so much.
Susan Howson, Foundation President, spoke about the $200,000 which has gone to Covid projects and highlighted the new latest donations. She then presented a Foundation cheque for $100,000 to the CEO of Pine River Institute, Vaughan Dowie.
The meeting ended with a Transitions presentation by Past President Jeff Dobson on Service and Governance.
Let's Be Personal - Jack Robertson
I am presently enjoying retirement, despite the pandemic. I did work until I was 86 and decided then to hand over my business to son Robert with a new name “ Hospitality Uniforms and Supplies”.
I joined the RCAF on my 18th birthday in 1943 and left the Air Force as pilot officer/navigator in 1945. No overseas experience.
I entered the University of Toronto in September 1945 and was graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Commerce. I joined a company, Cassidys Ltd in Montreal, the principal importer of chinaware for household and the food serving industry. As the principal buyer in the 50s and 60s I travelled to England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and China, often twice a year. China in the 60s under Mao Tse-Tung was a different China from today. Many memories. These were 4 to 6 week trips. Not a happy situation for my wife.
I left Cassidys in 1971, a vice-president, and returned to Toronto where I incorporated Jack Robertson Sales Ltd, initially representing manufacturers of chinaware and glassware in Europe and USA.
In 1976 I met Alf Ecclestone, a member of The Rotary Club of Toronto and he invited me to a Rotary lunch. I was impressed by the Four Way Test. Here was the opportunity to help those less fortunate.
I was accepted as a member and in these 44 years I have made some wonderful friends and have provided service locally and internationally.
In the early years I was in a number of committees and then found the Seniors Committee where there was great satisfaction organizing the delivery of Easter and Thanksgiving meals to disadvantaged seniors with the help of volunteer drivers and helpers. This included summer picnics and a wonderful Christmas party.
Another great Rotary event is Camp Scugog where members maintain the camp, painting and carpentry for needy children. Who could imagine Maureen Bird as a carpenter. Such an opportunity to be helpful and to make good friends.
My work overseas included two sweat equity trips to Malawi in Africa and Cambodia organized by Chris Snyder. This was physical work, building schools and improving teachers’ homes. A great experience.
Rotary has added greatly to my life and I look forward the return of lunches at the Royal York and the great fellowship.
Let's Be Personal - Chris Snyder
Chris grew up in Collingwood then attended Ridley College and University of Toronto. After an ill-fated year at law school he worked for Noranda Sales Corp and hated it.
Realizing he needed control over his working life he went into the Insurance business in part so he could continue with his volunteering. This evolved into the ECC Group, one of Canada’s first broad-based financial planning firms providing financial advice to a wide range of people.
ECC had 6 offices across Canada. In the process he wrote 5 books on personal finance. In September 2020 after 55 years Chris sold the last of his business interests.
One day in 1984 a client named Stewart Robertson came into his office 30 minutes late. To assuage his guilt he invited Chris to a Rotary lunch. The speakers were Timmy and Tammy from Easter Seals.
Chris said he was interested in joining but he would have to think about it as he and Pat had 3 young children. That summer while hiking in Glacier National Park he came upon a plaque indicating they were in an International Peace Park created by Rotarians from Alberta and Montana. He was so impressed by this he joined our club in October 1984.
Immediately he joined the International Service Committee and is still on it. Much of his Rotary energy was focused on major International projects and events most of which he visited. They included:
Installing water wells in Indonesia, partnering with Care Canada,
Starting Project Mainstream in Mumbai which has provided over 70,000 Street Kids with vocational training - PM is still going,
Coordinating 35 sweat equity trips to 8 countries primarily to build schools involving 250 Rotarians and friends,
Leading a task force which ended up becoming our Indigenous Service Committee.
This lead to the creation of HIP (Honouring Indigenous Peoples) a cross-Canada partnership with Indigenous Peoples. HIP now involves over 300 clubs focusing on education, awareness and building of relationships.
Other involvement is Chair of Membership, Healthy Beginnings, Indigenous Services, International Services and on the Board of Directors.
Chris has received several Paul Harris fellowships, Rotary’s Service Above Self Award, Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee awards and Governor General's Sovereign Award for Volunteering.
Chris has also been involved in many other volunteer activities which have been chronicled in his book ‘Creating Opportunities: a Volunteer’s Memoir’.
Rotary and the RCT in particular have given him many experiences and opportunities to do good things for which he is very thankful and have made a huge impact on his life. His second career of volunteering is one in which he still puts in a full work week.
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.
Virtual Cooking Class - December 5, 6:00 pm Contact
nphillips@dgn-marketing.com or check the calendar
Online Euchre - December 5, 5:00 pm contact jay.llave@rotarytoronto.com
Our Traditional Christmas Lunch - December 18, 12:00 pm see above
There will be more activities in the new year!!
Happy Birthday!
3 Fabio Ventolini
5 Randy Gunn
5 Peter Simmie
5 Joseph Tubbs
6 James Barnett
8 James Braithwaite
13 Ed Ryder
16 Mary Lach
17 Eckhart Mehler
18 Alex Brown
22 Bill Empey
23 Hedley Hunter
24 Peter Love
30 Darcy Higgins
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
The Rotary Club of Toronto, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, H Level
