The Rotary Club of Toronto
Club 55 -  Founded 1912
April 16, 2021     Volume 108     Issue 29
 
 
Officers:
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
 
 
 
Friday, April 16, 2021 - Time: 12:00 Noon to 1:15 PM
Guest Speaker:  The Honourable Roy Cullen,  Former Liberal MP
Topic:  Money laundering in British Columbia and across Canada
– How did we get here and what can be done?  
Host:  William (Bill) Empey
See more on Topic here
 
 
Roy Cullen was initially elected to the House of Commons in a by-election in 1996 and was then re-elected in the 1997, 2000, 2004, and 2006 general elections. He retired from the House of Commons in 2008. As a member of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s government, and later under Prime Minister Paul Martin, he served as chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, as parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance, as parliamentary secretary to the deputy prime minister and the minister for public safety and emergency preparedness. In 2008 his book, The Poverty of Corrupt Nations, was also published.
 
During his tenure as parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance, Mr. Cullen was actively involved in designing and implementing Canada’s anti-money-laundering regime. Mr. Cullen has also been very active with the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption in the international fight against corruption and money laundering. He has spoken out on these scourges and has played a leadership role at several anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering workshops and conferences.
 
 
Join YouTube here at 12:15
 
What you Missed, April 9, 2021
by Maureen Bird
 
President John started the meeting with a tribute to Prince Philip who had passed away that morning at age 99.
 
April is Diversity Month.  Sylvia Geist read the first of several Diversity statements.  One of our committees under the new system is Events. Emre Yurga, Don Bell and Steve Smith laid out the terms and asked for ideas - no matter how wild. Honourary member Alan Ely gave his Let's Be Personal from entry to Scugog.
 
Harold Hetherington introduced our guest speaker Dr. Carolyn Snider, taking a short break with us from her position as Head of Emergency Services at St. Michael's Hospital.
 
Dr. Snider's original plan was to talk to us about homelessness but under the conditions expanded to how Covid is affecting everyone including the  homeless. She is delighted that they have been able to expand usage of the Rotary Transition Centre which they just call "Rotary". One of the staff is Indigenous and testing is available right across the street. But the Centre is allowing for some isolation.
 
With Covid increasingly being Variants Of Concern and younger patients, the third wave is getting problematic. It is becoming a problem of human capacity as opposed to space. Transfers to other hospitals across the province are increasing. They are ramping down non-essential surgeries. But she is excited about getting more vaccines over the next two months.
 
They will continue to serve the homeless and will be including a new Rotary Centre in the rebuild, with more private spaces.  They are reaching out to other community groups to address the needs for housing for the homeless.
 
They are reaching a point of exhaustion and no group will be more pleased to reach the end of this pandemic. We were grateful that she found the time to bring us up to date.  Thank you.
 
 
Full Past Meetings available here!
Our Health Bus Responding to Covid
The Rotary Health Bus is now part of our vaccine rollout! As well as vaccine pop-ups in the community, the Health Bus is now providing vaccines.
It's been all hands-on deck as we receive vaccines weekly at Wellesley Community Centre pop-up... so we've been unbelievably busy. The Rotary Health Bus is continuing to make a difference in our community!
DONATE HERE TO OUR FOUNDATION
 
Ideas Wanted
 
Your new Events Committee is looking for some fresh ideas to fundraise for our Club..ideas that might appeal to a younger age demographic. Over the next two years (post covid!) we want to launch at least 2 major events a year … events that will generate a net funding result of $50,000 … to begin with! We would like to hear your thoughts and ideas as we put together some fun and fundworthy plans.  All ideas will be considered and there are no strings attached. Please put your creative thinking caps on and email your ideas to us. It's time to plan some parties!
 
Co Chairs: Steve Smith and Don Bell
 
Earth Day, April 21, 2021

On Wednesday April 21, 7:00 to 8:30 pm, leading up to Earth Day and the Rotary Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup, Rotary District 7070 , here in southern Ontario, Canada, will be holding a virtual “Earth Day 2021 Virtual Celebration!”. This is open to all Rotarians and guests everywhere. Register here:
great-lakes-watershed-cleanup

COME AND HEAR:

Importance of the Great Lakes – Mark Fisher, CEO, Council of the Great Lakes. The health and vitality of the Great Lakes to Ontario and neighbouring states and multi-jurisdictional cooperation in managing this shared resource

AND COME AND HEAR:

Sam Demma, PickWaste. An entrepreneur and youth coach, Sam has a compelling and inspirational story delivered at several TED Talks. Sam started PickWaste, a community cleanup initiative that has caught widespread attention; check out Sam at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LahCkbpWhp8&t=71sc
Let’s Be Personal: Alan Ely
The saga of a 42 year journey from The Imperial Room to Camp Scugog…
 
Early in 1979, a friend asked if I was interested in joining Rotary…my response was… “what is Rotary?” He replied “Has the community served you well?”
I replied in the affirmative to which he said simply “It’s time to put something back”.
 
On December 9th that year 6 of us became new Rotarians in the Imperial Room and my sponsor, said…“2 things Alan…learn to say yes and then learn to say no!”…  I did the first.
In no precise order I worked with The Classification and Membership Committee when the club agreed to fine tune our membership rules to allow for more than just 1 banker, 1 barrister and 1 broker … well you get the idea!...to become members in our club.
In 1981 I went to Blue Mountain Camp and after a year of painting, I joined the kitchen crew and over time, graduated from floor scrubbing to dishwashing…2 new camps and 38 years later I’m proud to still be in the kitchen…working for kids, and singing and playing cards with friends.
While hosting the Subscription Dinner one year I was removed from the podium…seems I held one of last 10 tickets in the drum…seems I was actually the winner of the car!
I was Pauline Hill’s mentor when she became our first female member…and she was a gem!
For many years I donned Santa’s suit at both of our Christmas parties…kids and seniors and I participated in Colin Powell’s mentorship programme…
I had a hoot in my most active years of giving back while making many friends…too many to name…but they remain friends today!
If you’ll allow me to name but one…John Spragge…I remember him fondly and miss him often but I can still hear him give this advice to city wide grade 12 kids at Camp Enterprise…
“You can see your birthdate on your birth certificate but what can’t you see?”…you can imagine the variety of cheeky answers he got before he finally taught them this…
“It’s your expiry date…during our time here together and forever, when confronted with an opportunity to pitch in…remember, you have an expiry date!”
Fellow Rotarians…I leave you today with that instruction which continues to serve me well…may it do the same for you!...Paul Harris sought friends and a way to help others…Mission accomplished!
Thank you all for hearing me out.
 
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 Club, Saturday April 24 - 7:00
This week Mardi and Neil will be having us do a baked risotto - far less stirring! 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
 
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.
 
Happy Birthday beautiful people!
On behalf of The Rotary Club of Toronto family, join us as we celebrate: 
April 02- Andrea Tirone
April 03- Heather Hetherington
April 04- Geoffrey Cobham and Chad Mitchell
April 06- Lloyd Barbara 
April 07- Susan Hunter
April 18- Pat Neuman
April 25- Carol Hutchinson
Wishing you many more amazing years ahead!
How are Rotary clubs helping dispel misinformation on the vaccine in countries?
Rotary has given $35 million in grant funding to provide medical equipment and personal protective equipment to health care workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read full article:
Have you ever had a chance to visit Rotary One?
Join General Secretary John Hewko for a virtual tour of One Rotary Center to explore our history and visit Room 711, the location of the first Rotary meeting.
Virtual Tour to the Rotary HQ from the comfort of your chair:
 
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
The Rotary Club of Toronto, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, H Level
100 Front St. W., Toronto ON, M5J 1E4
Tel. 416-363-0604  office@rotarytoronto.com 
 
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