Rotary Club of Sackville Bulletin November 24, 2016

 

Louise chaired the meeting and for her two minutes’ worth recounted her experience with a high school exchange program, “Island to Island” (P.E.I. – Vancouver Island), when she met Cindy who became a life-long friend.  They met up again 15 years later and have kept up ever since despite her friend having MS and driving a hand-controlled car.

 

 

Gold Mine winner Jacklyn Hicks came along to collect her winnings of $1,185.  She works at the York Street Day Care and knows Mariah !

 

 

Barb Kaye was also on hand to receive a cheque for $592.50 on behalf of Dorchester Consolidated School.

 

Pin-Pal Stories:  Dianne claimed a triple – two Rotarians in the accountant’s office, plus meeting P.D.G. Wayne Wornes.

 

50-50 Draw:    Guest Mariah’s number was drawn but she failed to pick the Nine of Clubs (below left).  The pot now stands at $186.

 

 

Susan F reported on cookie-decorating night with Rotaract and their subsequent success at Midnight Madness where they made $252 (which will be matched).  Proceeds go to the Food Bank. Five of their concoctions consisting of hot chocolate, candy cane and marshmallow (above right) were quickly sold off.  Rotaract will be in action again at the next Midnight Madness a week on Friday.

 

Happy Dollars:   A news item on the New Year Polar Bear dip prompted Susan F to contact Louis who is doing fine and would love to come.   John was happy to have met Ken Draper and Linda.   Pam showed a slide of Pushing for Education at River Hebert District School; with help from Scotia Bank over $10,000 was raised for the school.   Louise reminded members of the Nutcracker on Dec 10 at 7 p.m. and Dec 11^th at 2 p.m. in Con Hall; email Louise for tickets.   Trish was happy Bruce is home so she doesn’t have to walk the dog in the morning.

 

Next Week:   Chair: Josh;  Greeter: Dale;  Club Assembly.

 

 

Club Admin:  John reminded everyone of the Christmas Party on 8 December.  Full details will be emailed to everyone.  Please let him know who is coming and what they will be bringing for the Potluck.  And . . . remember to bring books (for donation to local libraries on behalf of visiting speakers). 

 

President’s Time:  Josh reported on being at the Hospital Foundation thank-you event on 17 November when Rotary was specially thanked for their Gold Mine donation. 

 

 

Speaker:  Susan F introduced guest speaker 2000-01 RYE student in Porsgrunn, Norway, Laura Reinsborough who spoke on her time in Toronto and of her return to her roots in 2015 (with her family she came back to Sackville and bought the Meldrums’ house on Weldon Street).  Her interest in the environment and in social justice can be traced back to her RYE experience.  She was inspired by the cascading garden, sloping down to the fjord, of one of her host mothers.

 

In the big city she founded the “Not Far From The Tree” movement.  Some 1.5 million pounds of fruit are grown in Toronto every year !   With the help of 3000 volunteers fruit was harvested and distributed: 1/3 to the owners, 1/3 to the volunteers and 1/3 to social agencies such as food banks.  Now the project is being copied in other Canadian cities (even Niagara !).

 

 

Moving on from that Laura is now focussing on “food security”.  Definition: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”  She was inspired by attending the great Terra Madre conference in Turin, Italy last September as part of the Canadian delegation (see above), one of 7000 delegates from 140 countries there to learn and celebrate the Slow Food movement (v. fast food).   In today’s world where so many still are not adequately fed we need to be caretakers of the land, of seed, and of food.  Laura is currently involved with a whole series of food security organizations, most of them right here in New Brunswick.

 

 

Charlie  thanked Laura for a fascinating talk noting how her experience with Rotary had shaped her current interests.

 

The meeting closed with the Four-Way Test.