Photographer: Sandy Harper
 
 
White-haired chairman Wayne spoke on behalf of those who survived the 1930s, ‘40s and 50s.  Their mothers may have smoked/drank while pregnant; they slept in cribs with lead-based paint; they rode bikes with baseball caps not helmets; they rode in cars with no car seats, seat belts, air bags and sometimes no brakes; they drank water from a garden hose not a bottle; they had no video games, 150 channel cable TV, DVDs, CDs, cell phones, personal computers, internet; they would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as they were back when the streetlights came on; they fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth but no law suits ensued; they were spanked with ping-pong paddles or bare hands but no one called child services to report abuse. Yet these generations produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.  If you are one of those born between 1925 and 1955 – CONGRATULATIONS !
 
Pin-Pal Story:  Dianne went to Coles in Amherst to buy a book and ended up having a long conversation with the lady in the shop whose daughter went on a RYE exchange in Australia.
 
 
Birthday:  Dale was a year older.  He’s now counting backwards.
 
50-50 Draw:   Sandy’s number was drawn but she failed to pick the 9 of Clubs. The pot of $282 carries forward to next week.
 
Happy Dollars:  Sue F will be happy when she finally empties the freezer of Rotaract chilli.   Gayle thanked Sandy and Charlie for the photo of Tony’s induction which appeared in this week’s Tribune-Post.   Bill said thanks for last week’s bulletin; he was visiting his son and wife in Ottawa.  Come May Bill will have a granddaughter – join the club !   He and Heather visited Quebec City on the way home and were impressed.  Edna’s daughter ended up staying an extra four days thanks to Porter Airlines.  She was also happy to be off to Cuba tomorrow.  John identified with the generation of Wayne’s opening remarks.   Louise wondered how two accountants could have such a risk-taking daughter; fortunately in the latest incident the front teeth stayed intact.
 
 
Gold Mine Cheque Presentations:  Ryan Suter was on hand to accept a $574 cheque from Josh for Struts Gallery.
 
 
Matt Litvak collected a $581 cheque from Gayle for Sackville Minor Hockey.
 
Next Week 9 March 2017:   Chair: Ove (standing in for Wynn);   Greeter: Marita;   Introducer: Dianne;   Thanker: Joyce;  Speaker: Rotaract Club members.
 
 
Rotary Foundation:  David displayed two awards won by the club – one for 100% membership participation in average giving of $100US to the Foundation in 2015-16, the other a certificate of appreciation for our support of the “End Polio Now: Make History Today” campaign.
 
President’s Time:  Josh delivered a rant on the NB taxation system where everybody’s property taxes go up but the Irving LNG plant pays $5.5 million less. Perhaps we need another Sir Albert Smith to get us a better deal.  A reminder of dates:  the next breakfast is on 1 April, and the Wine/Beer Tasting will be on 6 May.
 
 
Speaker:  David introduced Christopher Falconer, Principal of Dorchester Consolidated School who filled in his own bio info.  His talk was well-called “Dorchester School: Beyond Classroom Education” for he went on to give a comprehensive and moving account of the challenges faced in the school beyond the area of academic instruction. 
 
 
Of the school’s 60 pupils some 20% struggle with just basic needs.  Sometimes the teacher has almost to take on the role of a parent.  They have a breakfast program and also provide some hot lunches, milk and fresh fruit and vegetables.  The school even has a washer and dryer which get well used.  There’s also a vegetable garden (apple trees and raspberries to come) which helps with the teaching of cooking and kitchen skills.  There are field trips but the funding of these can be a problem.  The school’s Heritage Fair is a highlight and pupils have won numerous awards. Active living is encouraged with snowshoeing and hockey on a parking lot ice surface.  Other activities include choir, music, chess, maths completion, and a wide range of sports.  Costs are an ongoing problem and the Gold Mine donations are a godsend to the school.  Chris paid tribute to the school staff – the best ever, he says. Question period touched on the sensitive question of possible school closure.  The talk made clear what a devastating blow that would be to the community.  
 
 
Josh himself a graduate of the school gave a heartfelt vote of thanks to the speaker.      
                                                    
The meeting closed with the Four-Way Test.
 
 
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