The Rotary Club of Toronto
Club 55 -  Founded 1912
June 2, 2023     Volume 110     Issue 34
 
 
 
Rotary Toronto Meeting Friday, June 2nd, 2023 
Lunch at George Brown College, in-person only
Keynote Speaker:  Luigi Ferrara
 
Dean, George Brown College, CEO Brookfield Sustainability Institute
 
Topic: George Brown College
 
Host: Mark McQuitty
 
In-Person Only - Reservations are closed
Luigi Ferrara, Dean, Centre for Arts, Design and Information Technology, leads program development, partnerships and innovation centres that provide students with challenging and exciting real-world learning opportunities and position George Brown College as a key player on the global stage.
 
Luigi has also served as the Director of the Institute Without Boundaries, an academic program and studio aimed at solving real-world problems through design research and strategy with goals of social, ecological, and economic innovation. This has now been transformed into the Brookfield Sustainability Institute.
 
Luigi is the inaugural Chair and CEO of the Brookfield Sustainability Institute, a centre of excellence that will be housed at Limberlost Place, George Brown College’s net-zero carbon emissions mass-timber building that is set to open at Waterfront Campus in 2024. The Institute will focus on aligning the processes of digital transformation and sustainability for the benefit of communities everywhere, becoming a beacon for ‘smart sustainability’.
Rotary Club of Toronto Executive Retreat
Camp Scugog June 9-11
Kirste Spenser's Newbie Experience 2022
“What do you mean you are going to camp? For the whole weekend?” My sister was incredulous. “You haven’t slept in a bunk bed for 30 years! Are you crazy?”
I’d gulped and nodded back at her, determined to put on a brave face. When I’d been inducted into Rotary nine days earlier, it had seemed like a great idea to volunteer to go to Camp Scugog the next week.
 
Now, I wasn’t quite so sure. I was standing in a small, dark cabin, rain slapping the roof, and clutching an old sleeping bag that seemed to be missing a zipper. There was a big spider on the ceiling, not far above the bed. 
Maybe I had been a bit over-hasty in my enthusiasm. Fortunately, my fears faded significantly as the evening wore on. Dinner had been excellent, chords were being strummed on a guitar, and the members of this new club were embracing me in a warm welcome.
Saturday started with a clatter at 7:00, but the sun was shining brightly and I quickly fell into the rhythm of scraping and painting cabins, and exchanging laughs and banter with the other volunteers on my team.
Several hours later, I was seated under a Ukrainian flag, wrapped in a sari, enjoying a multi-course, multicultural meal. The evening ended in a conga line, which highlighted the talents of dancers many years younger than I, as well as a few very limber limbo-ers who remembered my grandfather from his days at Toronto Rotary!
By the end of the weekend, I was exhausted – and energized – by the work, the fellowship and the deep sense of accomplishment we all felt when we surveyed the results of our efforts.
 
“You’re a trooper,” my sister pronounced when I returned.
“No,” I responded. “I’m a camper.”
 
And yes, she's coming back!
 
All this for the great price of $160.  Meals and accomodation.
 
Any further questions contact Susan Howson by email showson@researchcapital.com
 
New Member Natalie Lewin
Natalie graduated from the University of Windsor with a BA in sociology. She is a licensed real estate agent with Keller Williams Portfolio Realty, and has been selling homes in Toronto for over 2 decades.
 
This past December, she organized a Blessing Basket initiative for 4 TDSB  schools during Christmas. 
She wanted to become a Rotarian because of the spirit of giving that is present with the work they do in the community.
 
Natalie has many loves, hiking, the outdoors and travel. She has traveled to over 25 countries and is drawn to culture, food and people. She lives in Mid-Town Toronto with her daughter Kaila and her poodle Bentley.
Mardi Michels recovering - from Neil Phillips
As some heard, three weeks ago Mardi underwent emergency surgery for a brain tumour.  Am happy to say the surgery went well, everything removed, and pathology confirmed as benign. 
 
She is currently back home on the mend, recovering nicely.  Thanks to all who have reached out with messages and cards – they’ve put a bigger smile on her face than even the shocking shade of orange hospital mac & cheese. 

 
June Birthdays!
 
1          Kaitlynn Almeida
2          Serge Sourou
3          Bert Steenburgh
5          Lori Brazier
6          Jim Norwood
9          Tatenda          Mudzinganayama
9          Agnes Walkinshaw
10         Frank Jordan
17         John Ghobrial
20         Shannon Talbot
21         Tatiana Naimounchine
23         Takuya Sasayama
28         Mitra Goodarzi
29         Mauricio Sagaon Martinez
Upcoming Meetings and Events
 
 
Wednesday, June 7th, Dinner
Kristyn Ferguson, National Conservancy
In-person only
 
Camp Scugog Member Retreat
June 9-11
 
Thursday, June 15th, Lunch
Tabatha Bull, National Indigenous Day
 
Friday, June 23rd, Lunch
Club Changeover
 
Wednesday, June 28th
Jayson Phelps' Farewell Party
 
Officers:
President: Jayson Phelps
 
President-Elect: Anny-Sandra Hamel
Vice-President: Binoy Luckoo
Treasurer: Kurt Kroesen
 
Executive Director: Carol Hutchinson
 
Editor of the week: Maureen Bird
 
www.rotarytoronto.com    416-363-0604
 
Charitable Foundation President:
Rick Goldsmith
Vice-President: Richard White
 
RI President: Jennifer Jones,
Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
 
 
District Governor
Iosif Ciosa, Rotary Club of Etobicoke
Please add mailservice@clubrunner.ca to your safe sender list or address book.
To view our privacy policy, click here.
 
ClubRunner
102-2060 Winston Park Drive, Oakville, ON, L6H 5R7