Strategy in Action Update - April 2024At our last assembly, we began our Strategy to Action activities. An outcome of the assembly was a list of 30-day action items to help us focus on. These bite-sized action items developed by the membership help guide our actions month by month. Here is an update on our progress. If there is an area of interest that you think you can help with, please reach out. You can get a recap of the assembly and more information here.
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Our Projects UpdateAs part of our April 2024 Action Items, we have compiled a list of all the projects the club is undertaking. This is part of the Strategy in Action Update April 2024.
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Tracking Our AlumniAs part of our April 2024 Action Items, we have developed a process for tracking our alumni. This is part of the Strategy in Action Update April 2024.
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Unlock Your Tax Treasure: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Rotary Receipts
Ah, tax season: that magical time of year when the thrill of sorting through piles of paperwork could rival the excitement of finding a forgotten $20 in your pocket! For those who get a buzz from balancing the books, it's a joyous time of year. And for those among us who contributed to the Rotary Foundation in 2023, here's a perk: those donations are as tax-deductible as a business lunch with a client who orders the lobster! |
Adventures in Citizenship Applications OPEN NOW
We are excited to open applications to send a student to Adventures in Citizenship in Ottawa this May. This is an amazing program, and there's more info about it below. Please share the information below with any students you know aged 16-18 - including your own kids; no Rotary affiliation is required! |
Celebrate Rotary's Anniversary With a Donation
Today marks Rotary's 119th anniversary! If you want to honour our global Rotary history and help us do more good in the world, please consider giving to the Rotary Foundation or the Rotary Club of Halifax Charitable Trust. A donation to either is tax deductible. But what is the difference between the two?
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SailGP Halifax Internship OpportunitiesThird-party, non-Rotary opportunity. As many of you know, Halifax will host SailGP this spring on the Halifax Waterfront. While the event will be held over two days, the event organization will have a presence in the city for nearly a month to prepare. With that comes the opportunity for youth to take part in an internship program that they have created where students and young professionals (18+) work alongside the permanent staff that travel the world putting on the event. Attached is information that may highlight opportunities for someone personally close to you, or within your work.
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Harbourside RibFest is BACK!Harbourside RibFest is BACK! June 28 - July 1 at Alderney Landing. Want to help? It's simple - share, like, follow, and share again! Find Harbourside RibFest on social media and share the news!  |
Our 1st Rotary Paint PartyPlease join us at the Westin Hotel for our first Paint Party. Just bring your joy and inner artist, and everything else will be supplied, including non-alcoholic beverages. $50 per person all inclusive. To register, please email rotaryfunds@rotaryhalifaxharbour.ca. You can request to have your funds placed on your account or e-Transfer your registration funds to info@rotaryhalifaxharbour.ca
We have room for 20 folks, so don't delay. Thank you for your support! |
Jennifer Gillivan - IWK FoundationWe're excited that Jennifer Gillivam of the IWK Foundation came to talk to our club! You can see her talk here: https://youtu.be/1xxI82Pu3U8?si=YUrMsVNuZ5933YRD&t=1375  |
Joanne Bull - Ecology Action CentreWe're excited that Joanne Bull of the Ecology Action Centre came to talk to our club! You can see her talk here: https://youtu.be/bAnLI8z2lgQ?si=J9rwZb77JZwnHPv0&t=1513  |
Celebrating a Legacy, Embracing Renewal: Logo Transition Ahead
As we reflect on the past year, we've had the privilege of celebrating a significant milestone: our club's 110th anniversary. Throughout this memorable journey, we proudly showcased our commitment and dedication through a special anniversary logo. As we approach our 111th anniversary, it's time to bid farewell to our anniversary logo. While this transition may take some time, we are excited to embark on this new chapter with our traditional club logo. |
Lisa Harrison - Brunswick Street MissionWe're excited that Lisa Harrison of Brunswick Street Mission came to talk to our club! You can see her talk here: https://youtu.be/pksFdggTwKQ?si=k8sWhyegpheYfZOv&t=1375  |
Putting the FUN back in FUNdraising!David Penney, chair of the Fundraising Committee, shares some thoughts about fundraising and its importance. As he says, every member is a member of the Fundraising Committee. Please watch this important update. If you have ANY fundraising ideas, please submit them HERE or email rotaryfunds@rotaryhalifaxharbour.ca.  |
Jenny Benson & Enoch Magala - The Aninga ProjectWe're excited that Jenny Benson & Enoch Magala of The Aninga Project came to talk to our club! We have supported The Aninga Project for many years, and it is always a pleasure to hear about the value of this project. You can see his talk here: https://youtu.be/OYsLsaIWWAE?si=YcQl0SWsKC7JyBHv&t=1487  |
Embracing Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention This February
As we welcome February, we also embrace a theme at the heart of our mission as Rotarians: Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention. This month is more than just a theme; it's a call to action, reflecting Rotary International's dedication to creating a more peaceful world.
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Second Quarter Update with President GodfredAs we pass the halfway mark in the Rotary year, President Godfred shares some reflections on the last three months and what to look forward to in the next three. Click Read more to see more important links.  |
Aninga Project Speakers This Friday
This Friday (February 2nd), we’re thrilled to have Jenny Benson and Enoch Magala from the Aninga Project join us as our speakers. Jenny is the boots on the ground here in Canada, raising funds to educate girls in East Africa. Enoch is boots on the ground as a key volunteer in Uganda, AND he’s a Rotarian. Jenny and Enoch will provide an update about the project, which our club has supported for six years. Please be sure to join us on Friday.
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PALS Volunteers
PALS is looking for volunteer reading tutors and breakfast/lunchtime monitors. Keep reading to learn more.
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RibFest Update
We're excited that our RibFest Committee spoke to the club about our most important fundraiser! You can see his talk here: https://youtu.be/KgrSIpPLj6M?si=BmzyFPzECbm9CTpz&t=1204
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Rotary Exchange Students in Halifax
This week we were excited to host many current inbound and future outbound exchange students from our district! Lead by Alida Campbell, she spoke with the students and talked about the program at our Friday meeting. You can watch here: https://youtu.be/7lYCrOmpEB4?si=CbXdOiKzWnuoHLQ8&t=1297
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Don Sword - Rotary Foundation Endowments and Major GiftsWe're excited that Don Sword, past district governor, came to talk to our club! Don spoke about major gifts and endowments to the Rotary Foundation. You can see his talk here: https://youtu.be/T8R3oB7wVqw?si=pK_BJ-R1zQyhzkSh&t=1173
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Charting Alice's Canadian Adventure
Alice, our exchange student from Belgium, has already begun to leave her footprints in the vast, snow-covered terrains of Canada. Last Monday, she buckled her snowshoes, adjusted her skis, and set out to conquer the frosty challenges of our beloved winter. Her companions, Lauren, Ashley, and Alexis, guided her through the powdery paths.
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Exciting New Zoom AI Features to Enhance Our Meetings!
We're excited to announce that we're trialling two innovative AI features on Zoom during our Friday morning meetings and Board sessions. These tools promise to make our online gatherings more accessible, interactive, and efficient.
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President Godfred Discusses Mental Health
At our Friday morning meeting, our president, Godfred, talked about the RI President's awareness campaign around mental health. You can watch his presentation here: https://youtu.be/sR1lofZDLHo?si=GTmld84vOMCF7DdW&t=2565
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Sandwich Superheroes Wanted: Join the Rotary Halifax Harbour's Bread and Butter Mission!
Did you know that our dedicated club members volunteer every month to make sandwiches for Souls Harbour and Joseph Howe School? We have a significant goal of preparing about 250 sandwiches monthly for Souls Harbour and 100 sandwiches weekly for Joseph Howe School. This commitment is a massive undertaking, and it's vital to our community. Many students at Joseph Howe rely on these meals, coming to school hungry and depending on the food we provide. Unfortunately, we're currently facing a challenge: we urgently need more volunteers to help make these sandwiches. It's crucial that we meet this need to support these two important organizations. |
Embracing Diversity in Professions: Celebrating Rotary Vocational Service Month
Rotary Vocational Service Month shines a light on the profound impact of professional diversity in Rotary Clubs worldwide. Contrary to common myths, modern Rotary Clubs aren't limited to traditional professions or restricted to one representative per vocation. This post explores the essence of Vocational Service Month and how a diverse range of professions, from Actuarial Consulting to Transportation, enriches Rotary's mission.
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Celebrating Our Professions in Rotary
January is Vocational Service Month, a cornerstone of Rotary's Five Avenues of Service. This month is dedicated to celebrating the dignity and value of every profession and the critical role they play in fostering high ethical standards in business and society.
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Bringing Holiday Cheer to Halifax: Christmas Hamper StoryAs the festive season lights up our hearts, the Rotary Club, in collaboration with compassionate local businesses like Dylan's NOFRILLS in Spryfield, embarked on a mission to deliver hope and joy to families in need and individuals confined to their homes in the Halifax area.  |
'In the cold night' - A ShelterBox story with Imelda Staunton‘In The Cold Night’ is based on the real life stories of families ShelterBox supported in Syria and Türkiye after the devastating earthquakes in 2023. It’s not too late to give the gift of shelter this holiday season. Make a donation today to ShelterBox in someone’s name to give the gift of shelter to a family displaces by disaster, conflict, or the climate crisis. Give now.  |
President Godfred Chongatera
We're excited that Godfred, our president, took the opportunity of the last meeting of 2023 to share holiday traditions among members! You can see his talk here: https://youtu.be/wUPA0s_L5_A?si=AoByu2yW1pWZRXEM&t=1265
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Rotary’s Healthcare Heroes: Supporting Malaria Workers in Zambia
As the sun sets on the vast landscapes of Zambia's Central Province, a heartening scene unfolds that exemplifies global solidarity and local empowerment in the face of health challenges. In a candid photograph from 26 August 2022, we see Ruth, a community health worker with Partners for Malaria-Free Zambia, conducting a malaria test. This image captures more than a moment; it represents a triumph of collaborative effort, a snapshot of the ongoing fight against malaria led by a coalition of determined organizations, including Rotary.
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Honoring Commitment: Celebrating Stella's Fight Against Polio
This December, as we observe Disease Prevention and Treatment month, we spotlight the selfless service of Stella, District 7815 Polio Chair, Board Member of the Rotary Foundation Canada, and past district governor of the former District 7820.
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Grapes of Wrath: Verses from the Vineyard's Edge
As our wine survivors were banished from the tribe, an unusual thing happened. Spontaneous poetry erupted from the email chains. Here is a collection of poetry we are calling "Grapes of Wrath: Verses from the Vineyard's Edge". See the elimination video here.
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Alice - Inbound Exchange Student 2023/24
We're excited that Alice, our exchange student, came to talk to our club! Alice came to Halifax in September and will stay for a whole year. You can see her talk here: https://youtu.be/KI5tdgzYQ80?si=d7-xGZQPGveMuUOk&t=1684
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Volunteers Needed - Joe Howe School - December 19
Joseph Howe School is having a big breakfast for all the students on December 19, and they need some helpers! It's from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. They got a special grant to make this breakfast happen. If you want to help out or learn more, ask Adrienne!
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District 7815 Enviro Awards
Did you know that in the past year, the District 7815 Environment Committee introduced the Enviro Awards? These awards were established to encourage District 7815 clubs to enhance their environmental impact. In the 2022/2023 period, eight District 7815 Rotary Clubs received Bronze Enviro Awards.
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Do you have a great fundraising idea?
David Penney has agreed to chair the Fundraising Committee, but he needs your help. A "pitch night" is being planned for January, but ideas can be submitted now. Why not consider joining David in planning our club's fundraising? Submit ideas or questions to David Penney, rotaryfunds@rotaryhalifaxharbour.ca.
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Kathleen Novelia - Rotary Peace Scholar Finalist
We were happy to welcome Kathleen Novelia, Rotary Peace Scholar Finalist, to speak with our club. Each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of our peace centers. Learn more about the Peace Fellowships here. Watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/Is0Le8QL1TI?si=grJkzWs56bqdnmON&t=1472
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Rotary Fighting Disease
Welcome to Disease Prevention and Treatment Month. Rotarians are passionate about battling diseases because we believe every human has the right to basic health care. Unfortunately, more than 400 million people lack access to or cannot afford this essential care. Rotarians and their partners have a proven track record in the fight against diseases. |
Carrie Low - Survivors for Change and Empowerment
We were happy to welcome Carrie Low - Survivors for Change and Empowerment, to speak with our club. (Trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape) You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/WmCOGyooF6s?si=Ak2GYm-_MKri-qV6&t=1383 You can learn more here: https://www.s4ce.ca/
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Rotary Meeting Recap December 1, 2023
To help encourage engagement with members who cannot attend meetings, we have created quick links to quickly watch highlights of Rotary Meetings. Click "Read more" to see links.
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Holly-Day Shop - Joe Howe School
This Holiday Season, the Joe Howe School Advisory Council is creating a "Holly-Day Shop" in the gym for students to purchase gifts for someone they love. They are looking for donations of gently used or new items for the students to purchase between December 12 and 14. Find all the details here.
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ShelterBox - Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who got involved with Giving Tuesday for ShelterBox. Thank you to everyone who shared, liked and commented on the social media posts. Thank you to everyone who donated so generously.
From the start of the Giving Tuesday Campaign, $1885 was added to our Stock-the-Box total. That was doubled by a matching pledge from the Rotary Club of Calgary Fish Creek and the Rotary Club of Kenora, bringing our impact to $3770. That's the equivalent of 151 families now no longer in the dark. |
Giving Tuesday - ShelterBox Canada
November 28, 2023 is GivingTuesday! GivingTuesday is the world’s largest generosity movement. Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a stranger, or giving to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give. This year we are continuing our support of ShelterBox Canada and donations will be matched! Read on to learn more, to give, and see how you can help!
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Rotary Meeting Recap
To help encourage engagement with members who are unable to attend meetings, we have created quick links to quickly watch highlights of Rotary Meetings. Unfortunately we had a wifi issue for our most recent recording which caused some quality issues.
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Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign
We are coordinating opportunities to volunteer for the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign at the Halifax Shopping Center. Dates (options are Dec 11, 18 or 19) and times have not been confirmed. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Dav. Louisa Horne is modelling how to be a Kettle volunteer during last year's campaign.
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Christmas Hampers Donations and Volunteers
We are excited to share we will be delivering Christmas Hampers to needy families in the Halifax area. We need your help! If you are able to donate food items or volunteer to pack/deliver the hampers, please read more below.
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Yemi Olaniyi Classification Talk
We were very happy to learn more about our fellow member, Yemi. You can see his talk here: https://youtu.be/CPBPrhEauGY?si=HPdAHfTQMV69wCwg&t=2323
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ShelterBox Gifts - Make a Difference
Do you have a special someone that is IMPOSSIBLE to buy for (but they have a heart as big as yours?) Do you have a client that deserves something more meaningful than the usual gift basket? Well, we might just have an answer! A global gift brings dignity and shelter in a part of the world affected by disaster. You will get an e-card from ShelterBox can be filled in and sent to your giftee - sharing with them the impact you have made in the world on their behalf. |
Rotary Club of Boorowa November Newsletter
The Rotary Club of Boorowa in Australia has shared their November newsletter. Who is the Rotary Club of Boorowa? We have been in talks with them about establishing a formal relationship! Keep an eye out for more on this exciting topic.
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Tim Keizer - Souls Harbour Rescue MissionWe were happy to welcome Tim Keizer of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/N6n2wRruB54?si=lSm0xQJJduKgktED&t=1558
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Welcome Thevan
Thevan Samarasinghe has transferred into our Club from the Mud Creek Rotary Club. Welcome to the Halifax Harbour family, Thevan! Thevan is originally from Sri Lanka. He was an interact member in high school there. When he moved to Canada in 2021, he joined the Mud Creek Rotary Club. He moved to Halifax for work last year and wanted to keep up with Rotary activities here! This morning our Club President Godfred presented him with his membership certificate.
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Aninga Project UpdateSubaru have been a long-time supporter and sponsor of the club. And the Aninga Project has been a long-time beneficiary of the club. Isn't it wonderful that Rotary brought the two together! Now Subaru supports Aninga!!!
We LOVE spreading the joy of Service Above Self! |
RI Integration Update
We use ClubRunner to manage many areas of our Club. ClubRunner is connected to Rotary International's database. When you make an update to your ClubRunner profile (email address, phone number, etc.) this also updates RI's database... in theory. Until recently, this has been a one-direction process. If any changes were made in My.Rotary.org the changes would not be reflected in ClubRunner. We have turned on two-direction syncing. This means changes made on either ClubRunner or My.Rotary.org will reflect on the other.
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Hon. Wayne Easter - Razom Invest Canada in Ukraine
We were happy to welcome Wayne Easter of Razom Invest Canada, to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/NfXDiAX0d-4?si=xfk8_K_K9lFCd_xR&t=1696
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Rotary Youth Exchange Program
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour Programs Committee welcomes applications for the Rotary Youth Exchange Program! Students aged 15 to 19 are eligible to complete an application to be considered for either a short or long-term exchange starting in 2024. The application deadline is Wednesday, November 15th. To learn more about the programs, please visit this link (https://www.
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Welcome Three New Members
Please join us in welcoming Peter Skakum, David Penney, and Anne Pryde! Peter, David, and Anne were inducted as new members on October 20, 2023, at our Friday morning meeting by President Godfred Chongatera. Peter and Anne are returning members, and David is a transferring member from Lunenburg. You can watch the induction here: https://youtu.be/PCUIRW4g06o?si=94KuSykuZcdwDBSF&t=2716
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Bob Rae - Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations
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AGM and NominationsThe Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour's Annual General Meeting will happen on Friday, November 24, 2023, at 7:30 AM. The meeting will occur in person at the Westin Nova Scotian and online via Zoom. This meeting is open to all members and the general public.
The nomination committee will also speak to members shortly about nominations for Board positions. Find all the details here. |
Club First Quarter Update with President Godfred
It's hard to believe, but we are already one-quarter of the way into our Rotary Year! Our club is so diverse, and members contribute in so many ways that it's easy to get lost in everything our club does. |
Pints For Polio
Pints for Polio is happening on October 24! See all the details here or reach out to Ashley Butt. You can watch Ashley's update here: https://youtu.be/velQzFVceH8?si=v6X939A9_6Pj0hnA&t=871
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Ally Buck - ShelterBox
We were happy to welcome Sally Buck of ShelterBox Canada to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/velQzFVceH8?si=T8-OJL0AJ48MQp0w&t=1389
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Rotary Shirts (and Sweaters) Are HERE
Members are now able to order some Rotary swag! Member Mark MacInnis of Instant Imprints is taking orders now. Short and long-sleeved T-shirts and hoodies are available! A $3-5 donation will be made to the club for each order.
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Humans of Rotary - Veronica Dossah
Veronica joined the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour two years after immigrating to Canada from Ghana in 2019. |
Passing of Mary Lawley
With great sadness, we share the passing of Mary Lawley, wife of Honorary Member Gordon Lawley. Gordon was an active Member of the Rotary Club of Halifax since 1958 until becoming an Honorary member just before the merger. Mary was a member of the Women of Rotary. Mary's obituary can be found here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/halifax-ns/mary-lawley-11485802 A funeral service will be held at Bethany United Church on October 11, 2023 at 7 PM and live-streamed at https://youtube.com/live/j_Wu9J59ZUk. The burial will be in the East Lake Ainslie Cemetery the following day at 2pm.
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Dr. Tony Ryan - Visual Thinking StrategiesWe were happy to welcome Tony Ryan, a neonatologist, to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/jYb1xnslJIo?si=qb6knxgBEamFr_Na&t=1697
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Rotary Wine Survivor - Mike Gibson
We started with 16 thirsty survivors, and Mike Gibson is our champion, followed by Alex Russell and Bob Power. Thank you, everyone, for playing along and helping us raise over $400 for the club. See the elimination videos below...
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Halifax Ghost Walk
On October 4, our Club members were treated to terrible tales of Halifax's haunted past: stories of ghosts from graveyards, the Halifax Explosion, historic homes - tormented souls and tales of disease, despondence, and death. And all for a great cause! Funds raised from our ghost walk support our Club's projects, Ovarian Cancer Canada and End Polio Now. We were even joined by a mystery ghost at the Old Burial Ground - they helped serve as guide and host! A ghost from Rotary's past, perhaps? Thank you, Joanne Rivest, for serving as our interpreter and ghost historian! Check out our social media for more pictures and videos...
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ShelterBox HERO
Our Club has been a longtime supporter of and contributor to the ShelterBox campaign. ShelterBox is a global non-government organization that works with disaster-hit families worldwide, offering emergency shelter and other essential items to support them in rebuilding their lives. In 2022-23, the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour and its members raised $5,165 in support of ShelterBox - enough to receive Silver Hero status! Click here to learn more and give! |
Honourary Rotarian - Herman Ssebazzo
It is with great pleasure our Club has decided to make Herman Ssebazzo an Honourary Rotarian for his many years of service to Rotary. He was recognized at the 110-year Gala on September 21st by Past District Governor and Past Club President Stella Roy.
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Classification Talk - Steph Letemplier
This morning, we heard from fellow member Steph Letemplier about her life. You can watch Lauren's talk here: https://youtu.be/ys83OAjRWNo?si=G97MwZrNi9bCvOU-&t=1534
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Ways to Observe National Truth and Reconciliation Day in Halifax
September 30th is National Truth and Reconciliation Day. This day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. Learn more about this important day here. If you are looking for a way to observe this important day, check out these things happening in Halifax:
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Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour celebrates its 110th Anniversary
Rotary fully embraces the motto Service Above Self and that was evident at the Deca-Centennial Gala held at the Westin Nova Scotian on Thursday, September 21st. The evening opened with greetings from Rotary International President Gordon R. McInally, Mayor Mike Savage, current District Governor Richard Sevigny, and current Club President Godfred Chongatera.
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Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour Peacebuilder Award
Alex Handyside was awarded the inaugural Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour Peacebuilder Award by Past President Jillian Gibson. September 21st is not only the date of our 110-Year Gala, but also the International Day of Peace. Rotarians are Peacebuilders. It’s embedded right there in our mission statement: We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
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Hurricane Lee
You may have heard that Nova Scotia is awaiting the arrival of hurricane/tropical storm Lee. Please stay safe and follow guidance from the government. Here are some ways to connect with fellow members and other helpful links.
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"My Why" - Rotary Peace Scholar Applicant - Michaela Peters
We were happy to welcome Michaela Peters, a Rotary Peace Scholar Applicant, to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/xSGyHSRisHg?si=e_VUpVYkuLWhK8_0&t=1086
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Ghost Walk - Sign Up Today
Please mark your calendars for our first club ghost walk October 4. Don't delay signing up; there are limited spots! Find all the details on the club calendar here. If you have questions, who you gonna call?
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Women Unlimited at NSCC - Shelley Wallace
We were happy to welcome Shelley Wallace, Program Coordinator of Women Unlimited at NSCC, to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/3ZHct8Ksd94?si=GWBod1ew-cjdZRD-&t=1414
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Episode 3 - Intro to Stakeholders - September 6, 2023
Find us on your favourite podcast app!          This episode releases on all major podcast apps on September 6, 2023. Subscribe now, and never miss an episode. Understanding and working with stakeholders effectively is critical to a successful project. It could mean the difference between success and failure. Effective stakeholder engagement can make our projects more effective, take less time, and use fewer resources. In this episode, Rotarian Chris Hornberger talks about what stakeholders are, why they are important, and how to analyze them. Learn more about this episode and the Rotary Project Manager at www.rotarypm.ca #rotary #rotaryhalifaxharbour #rotaryprojectmanager #projectmanager #stakeholders Music by Evgeny_Bardyuzha from Pixabay
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My Rotary - Jillian Gibson
Immediate past president, Jillian Gibson, spoke to the club about the new My Rotary and club targets. You can watch her presentation here: https://youtu.be/_aL_37uSpKA?si=WmN7LXkklKaeRfjE&t=2039
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New Member Andrew Dickinson
Please join us in welcoming Andrew Dickinson as a new member. Andrew was inducted on September 1, 2023, at our Friday morning meeting by President Godfred Chongatera. Picture from the left, Godfred Chongatera, Andrew Dickinson, Thomas Paul. You can watch the induction here: https://youtu.be/_aL_37uSpKA?si=YfxQhEabkPEhzfES&t=1461
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The Great Halifax Hunt
The Halifax Rotaract Club is hosting a fundraiser, The Great Halifax Hunt, on September 9. For all the details and to sign-up click here.
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Rotary T-Shirts Are Coming!
The final touches are being made on Rotary T-shirts. Members can purchase the T-shirts in navy blue or goal directly from Mark MacInnis's business for $25. More details will be available soon. You can also email Mark at markm@instantimprints.com.
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Bem vindo ao Brasil!
Our outbound exchange student, Simon, has arrived in Brazil! Stay tuned for more updates!
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Welcome Alice!
Our exchange student, Alice, has arrived in Halifax from Belgium! She was met by members Alida and Nadera, plus her host family, Mareen, Otto, and Andrew! Welcome, Alice! Come out to Fort Needham Park on September 2 between 10:30 and noon to welcome Alice and the Dartmouth exchange student! It's supposed to be   . |
Peace Keeper Club - Godfred Chongatera
At our Friday morning our president, Godfred Chongatera, spoke to the club and drove a conversation about peace and what it means to be a peace keeper club. You can watch Godfred here: https://youtu.be/ICOXCO49WME?si=Sr0B4TJrMKnfXczI&t=1563
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PALS Help
Adrienne shared that the PALS coordinator and a teacher at Joseph Howell have spent a large amount of time this summer sorting and cataloging books as a teacher resource. If you are able to help, please email Adrienne. They will be there daily between August 28 and September 1st.
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110th Anniversary Gala - September 21, 2023
How often do you get an opportunity to celebrate anything that has lived for 110 years? The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour proudly celebrates its 110 Anniversary of service to the community and to the world on Thursday, September 21st, 2023. |
Meeting Our Exchange Students
We were thrilled to speak with our outbound exchange student, Simon, and our summer outbound exchange student, Rachel, and summer inbound exchange student, Zoe. Simon will be leaving for Brazil this week. Rachel has just returned from France with Zoe, who she stayed with while there. You can watch their remarks here: https://youtu.be/6eBzBj4H7Kw?t=1159
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Classification Talk - Lauren McLennan
This morning we heard from fellow member Lauren McLennan about her life. You can watch Lauren's talk here: https://youtu.be/6eBzBj4H7Kw?t=3100
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Visiting Rotarian Tour
A Rotarian is visiting Halifax on September 12 by cruise and is looking to “hire” a fellow Rotarian for a tour around Halifax. Interested? Tom has the details.
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Halifax Fringe Festival - Sara Graham
We were happy to welcome Sara Graham, Executive Director of the Halifax Fringe Festival, to speak with our club. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/FqpYfLL7Y6E?t=3269
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Shubie Park Rotary Fellowship Walk - August 19
We have another Rotary Fellowship Walk planned for Shubi Park on August 19th. See all the details here. Text Tom (902-817-0041) if you want to confirm we are going ahead.
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Rotary Friendship Exchange - Valerie Bobyk
This Friday we heard from Valerie Bobyk about Rotary Friendship Exchange and her trip to Oregon. You can watch the meeting here: https://youtu.be/ppjirMlB21c
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Exchange Student Events - Mark Your Calendar
We have two youth exchange events happening soon. Please click the links to learn more and mark your calendars!
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Why is Rotary important to you?
This week we sent a message to current and former members of our Club. We want to know why folks joined and why Rotary is important. We are looking for content for our 110 Year celebration. Check your email for details, or click here.
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Membership makeover: Invigorate your club
Member Louisa Horne spoke to Rotary Magazine about how clubs can become and remain irresistible. Louisa discussed Halifax Harbour's format, strategy, diversity, and fun! Check out page 29 of Rotary magazine's August issue or click here.
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Listen to Episode 2 - Strong Foundations for Your Project
Have you ever been on a project or committee without understanding its purpose? Were you the only one who was a bit lost? Chances are, if you were lost, so were others. Learn more...
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A + B + C + D = Irresistible
Mike Gibson and Louisa Horne were recently featured in a Zone video about membership. They discuss the A B C D of irresistible membership! See their discussion here.
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Venezuelan Scholarship Project
The Rotary Club of Dartmouth East, alongside Rafflebox, is excited to announce our Venezuelan Scholarship Project online 50/50 fundraiser! - Grab your tickets now!
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Zone 28 & 32 Learning to Lead Conference
Zone 28 and 32 is hosting a "Learning to Lead" conference in Toronto from September 27 to October 1, 2023. This conference is open to all members to attend at their own cost.
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Member Doug Harris
Member Doug took an opportunity to speak to the club about his life and work experience this morning. You can watch Swetha's presentation here: https://youtu.be/4p6qTwV4WsE?t=2280
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Member Swetha Priyanka
Member Swetha took an opportunity to speak to the club about her life and work experience this morning. You can watch Swetha's presentation here: https://youtu.be/4p6qTwV4WsE?t=1376
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Camp Tidnish Update
Member Chris Hornberger provided an update on Camp Tidnish. Early this year, Joanne Bernard of Easter Seals Nova Scotia shared how the physical camp needed some TLC. While the camp is run by Easter Seals, the camp is owned by the Amherst Rotary Club. Apparently, the former Rotary Club of Halifax had been involved with the construction of the pool at the camp. We will update members on more details when they come available about our commitment to the pool.
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Episode 2 - Strong Foundations For Your Project - July 26, 2023
Find us on your favourite podcast app! This episode releases on all major podcast apps on July 26, 2023. Subscribe now, and never miss an episode. Have you ever been on a project or committee without understanding its purpose? Were you the only one who was a bit lost? Chances are, if you were lost, so were others. In this episode, we discuss three foundational assets to consider when starting your next project: project charters, team charters, and scope statements. Learn more about this episode and the Rotary Project Manager at www.rotarypm.ca #rotary #rotaryhalifaxharbour #rotaryprojectmanager #projectmanager #projectcharter #teamcharter #scopestatements Music by Evgeny_Bardyuzha from Pixabay
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Rotaractor Looking for Housing
**Updated** Shyamal Prajapati, a member of the Rotaract Club of Junagadh India, is starting a master's program at DAL in September. Like many students, Shyamal is struggling to find housing. He is looking for temporary housing from August 16th to September 16th.
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Rotary Halifax Harbour in Ghana
Our club president, Godfred Chongatera, is in Ghana and shared a picture of one of our Rotary projects.  |
Engagement Creates Impact
As an organization, Rotary International is embracing change and is willing to do things differently. The historic first female president of Rotary International and the organization’s work in diversity, equity and inclusion, among others, are prime examples. When you do things differently, it leads to change, and change can lead to hope. Our Rotary International President is Gordon R. McInally. The theme for the year is Create Hope in the World. The RI President urges us to make Membership the lifeblood of our organization. He encourages us to use the flexibility of technology to establish new style clubs that would appeal to a different demographic. He urges us to engage our members and implement Best Practices in retention, especially mentoring.
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End of Year Message
To my dear fellow Rotarians, As we approach the end of another Rotary year, I wanted to take a moment to express gratitude to each and every one of you for your own unique way of expressing Rotary’s vision: “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.” I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for Rotary in Halifax! At the Changeover event on Friday evening, I gave out a few special awards.
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2022/23 Annual Report
Updated December 11, 2023. Below is the annual report for the Rotary Year of 2022/2023. On June 23, 2023, members of the Board shared their final reports for the 2022/23 Rotary year. The recordings plus additional content are found below.
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Naan Curry Social May 10
That's an invitation from the proprietor of Naan & Curry and President Jillian to join them for dinner on Wednesday May 10th, at 6pm. Snazzy, eh? The event is open to Rotarians, family and non-Rotarian friends, so please do include them too. The restaurant, at 6386 Quinpool Rd, has pool tables and a foosball table in the basement. Clarke is organizing the initial batting order. |
110 Years of Service
Today marks the 110th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour, and 110 years of Rotary and #ServiceAboveSelf in our region. Formed on May 5th, 1913, our club has a long and proud history of advancing the mission and values of Rotary in the region. Today marks the start of a year of celebrations and recognition of the Rotarians who have served their community through Rotary. Check back often and follow us on social media for news, events, and fun facts about our history. #rotaryhalifaxharbour #rotary #halifax #peopleofaction #110years
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Paul Harris Fellow Night
On April 20, 2023, the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour held its annual Paul Harris Fellow night. This special night is about recognizing outstanding people in our community. This year we bestowed Paul Harris Fellowships upon Dr. Ardra L. Cole, John Paynter, Vicky Craig, Wadih Fares, and past president Ashley Butt. The club also honoured past president Doug McMillian with a special club citation. Please find us on social media for more pictures of this special night. Picture: President Jillian Gibson, Vicky Craig, John Paynter, Dr. Ardra L. Cole. Watch a recording of the evening here: https://fb.watch/kcRbvsTawF/     |
Humans of Rotary - Nick Kasteljanov
Nick Kasteljanov first joined Rotary in the Annapolis Valley in 2004, and several years ago made the switch to our Halifax Harbour Club when he moved to Halifax.
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Doug McMillian - Paul Harris Fellow
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to honour Doug McMillian with a Club Citation. |
Vicky Craig - Paul Harris Fellow
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to honour Vicky Craig with a Paul Harris Fellowship. |
Wadih Fares - Paul Harris Fellow
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to honour Wadih Fares with a Paul Harris Fellowship. |
Dr. Ardra L. Cole
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to honour Dr. Ardra L. Cole with a Paul Harris Fellowship. |
Ashley Butt - Paul Harris Fellow
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to honour Past President Ashley Butt with a Paul Harris Fellowship. |
John Paynter - Paul Harris Fellow
The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to honour John Paynter with a Paul Harris Fellowship.
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Paul Harris Fellowship Award Night
“Rotary changes us and those we serve. I believe we can change the world one life at a time.” - Paul Harris The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour is pleased to continue the tradition of recognizing outstanding local leaders by honouring them as Paul Harris Fellows. These Fellows exemplify Rotary’s motto, “service above self.” |
Rotary Babies Winner - Baby Ashley
We have just wrapped up our first Fun February Fundraiser - Rotary Babies. Participants submitted baby pictures, and members had a chance (for a small buy-in) to match the Rotary members to the correct baby pictures. The person who matches the most babies wins half the pot ($90). The winner is - Ashley Butt, matching six babies. Want to test yourself? Watch the video below and see if you can guess the Rotary Babies.
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Rotary Continues to Support Ukraine
Last week marked one year of war in #Ukraine. Rotary continues to respond to the #humanitariancrisis in Ukraine. This week, member Valerie Bobyk reflected on the War during our #RotaryMinute.
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Adventures in Citizenship: Applications Now Open
We are excited to open applications to send a student to Adventures in Citizenship in Ottawa this May. This is an amazing program, and there's more info about it below. Please share the information below with any students you know aged 16-18 - including your own kids! |
Humans of Rotary - Stella Roy
Stella is a physiotherapist, and she has been involved in Rotary for 27 years. “Rotary is great a way to give back internationally and locally. Professionally, it was a big help. It gave me opportunities to travel. It’s given me leadership skills. I learned how to run meetings, how to present at meetings. I presented at conferences. I got this confidence from Rotary.
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Humans of Rotary - Clarke Paynter
Clarke is a senior investment advisor with Manulife Securities and has been a member of Rotary for nearly 30 years. He has served as President of (the former) Rotary Club of Halifax Harbourside twice and has held many other leadership roles within the Rotary movement. He’s also a long-time rally car enthusiast! |
Humans of Rotary - Ansha Greene
Ansha has been a member of the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour for 13 months. She works as an insurance broker, supporting commercial small business. She joined Rotary shortly after beginning her professional journey in the corporate world.
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Humans of Rotary - Alida Campbell
Meet Alida Campbell, who has been involved with Rotary for 19 years. In the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to Halifax Harbour Rotarians like Alida. She first became involved as a youth exchange student in 2005, when she went to Germany.
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#Giving Tuesday Thank You
Thank you for your generosity this #GivingTuesday. In 2019 79.5 million people were forced from their homes due to violence and conflict. Additionally, millions more were displaced through floods, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions. Every ShelterBox brings hope and homes to families and communities. Your gift can make more of a difference than you will ever know. To learn more about ShelterBox, visit shelterboxcanada.org To learn more about GivingTuesday, visit givingtuesday.ca
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Beatles Fest Cancelled
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Beatles Fest fundraising concert scheduled for Friday November 18th at Paul O'Regan Hall has been cancelled. We want to thank our generous sponsors - HaliPad Real Estate, Patterson Law, Burnside Law and SimplyCast, as well as all those who bought tickets. Full refunds will be issued to all ticket purchasers.Nevertheless the work of Rotary continues. The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour will continue to raise funds and give of our time to critical programs in our community that make a difference every day. We will continue to find ways to provide much needed funds and resources to lift up those most in need in our community and beyond. If you would like to donate your ticket purchase to Rotary, a charitable tax receipt for the full amount paid will be issued with gratitude. Please reply to dance@rotarybeatlesfest.ca and indicate if you wish to have your purchase refunded, or if you are donating the funds in exchange for a charitable tax receipt. Either way, we thank you for your support. Yours in Rotary The Rotary Beatles Fest Committee
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ShelterBox Update - Pakistan
Our club has been a supporter of ShelterBox for many years. You can learn more and donate by visiting ShelterBoxCanada.org. ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and other essential items to families who have lost their homes to disasters or conflict. Please see the update below regarding Pakistan: Global disaster relief organization ShelterBox Canada announced today it is deploying an emergency team to Pakistan to respond to devastating flooding and determine what aid it will provide.
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District Designated Funds (DDFs)
Last week there was a question about the Rotary Foundation, District Designated Funds (DDFs) and how they work. When you donate to the Rotary Foundation, you can choose where your money goes. If choose Annual Fund-SHARE the funds are divided as follows:
Donations are invested in a three-year cycle. That means donations received this year will not be available for another three years. A district can ask for up to half of the DDF in district grants for local causes and programs. The remaining DDF may be used for global grants or donated to PolioPlus, the Rotary Peace Centers, or another district.
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Fringe Artist Les Kurkendaal-Barrett
This week were delighted to have Les Kurkendaal-Barrett speak to our club about being a fringe artist, actor, and storyteller. Based in Los Angeles, California, Les is in town for the Halifax Fringe Festival with his show, The Real Black Swann, Confessions of America's First Black Drag Queen. It is about a former slave, William Dorsey Swann, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, becoming the queen of drag in the US and the first queer activist on record. Les talked about how little is known about William and the making of the show. For more information on the Halifax Fringe Festival and tickets, visit: https://halifaxfringe.ca/ |
Club Assembly & Social - September 28 @ 6PMAssemblies are an important time to talk about the club, our vision, and brainstorm ideas for the future. Assemblies are less about day-to-day business and more about club strategy. Potential members may find assemblies valuable and are welcome. Our next club assembly will be on September 28 @ 6PM at the Westin Nova Scotian Lunenburg Room. Everyone is invited to the Seaport Social (hotel bar) for an informal social opportunity following the assembly. This meeting will be in-person and on Zoom. If you plan to attend the assembly, please register. You can register and find more information here: https://rotaryhalifaxharbour.ca/event/club-assembly-2/
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International Toast - Rotaract Club of Kabale Institute of Health Sciences
At our Friday morning breakfast meeting, we take the time to introduce and recognize Rotary Clubs from around the world.
This week we recognize the Rotaract Club of Kabale Institute of Health Sciences. Located in Southwestern Uganda, Kabale is a small city about the size of Thuro. What is interesting about Kabale is how they have one Rotary club but four Rotaract clubs. Rotaract clubs in Kabale are People of Action. |
Rotaract Club of Halifax Update
Our friends at the Rotaract Club of Halifax are hosting a few fundraisers.
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Oksana Tjupa, President, Rotary Club of Kyiv Int'l
At our Friday morning breakfast meeting, we watched a pre-recorded meeting between Oksana Tjupa, President, Rotary Club of Kyiv Int'l and our district governor Harvey Bass. Our President, Jillian Gibson, shared some details on the district disaster response grant. In the early stages, only clubs in Ukraine and clubs that border Ukraine were eligible to apply for the immediate disaster response fund. The grant is now open globally. Our district has an opportunity to apply for a USD 25,000 grant that can be used locally to help displaced Ukrainians in our area. This grant is for the district, not a specific club. We also have the option to send the entire grant to a Rotary club in Ukraine. After a review of needs, the district has decided the best use for the funds would be to send the money to Ukraine. However, we can re-apply for the grant if there is an urgent need in our district. For added simplicity, our district is looking to combine with other districts to send a single large grant. Jillian will keep the club updated.
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Rotary Bridge Club
There has been a Rotary Bridge Club in the Halifax/Dartmouth area for 40-plus years. While COVID put a pause on the club, Bob Power is now attempting to restart it. If you are interested in playing bridge, please contact Bob Power.
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We Nominate Doug Logan!At our Friday morning breakfast meeting, Louisa Horne made a motion that our club recommend our very own Doug Logan to be considered for this director role. This motion was overwhelmingly adopted!
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Rotaract Club of Halifax Fundraiser
The Rotaract Club of Halifax is hosting a fundraiser for Youth Exchange. It is a social media based fundraiser where the winner will walk away with $500! It only costs $10 to participate!
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BREW Fellowship
During this week’s Friday breakfast meeting we were joined by Kevin Duguay of the Rotary Club of Peterborough. Kevin talked about the Rotary BREW Fellowship. BREW stands for Beer Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide. The goal of BREW is to create the largest fellowship in Rotary. An international community of Rotarians who share a love of beer. They also strive to support efforts and projects to bring clean water to those in thirst since water is the primary ingredient in beer. To learn more or become a member visit their website: https://www.rotarybrew.org/ Or their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329069693938136/
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What is “Every Rotarian, Every Year” All About?
This initiative by the Board of Trustees of The Rotary Foundation encourages “every Rotarian, every year” to:
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Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia - RRANS
On August 5, 2022 the Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia - RRANS joined our breakfast meeting to speak about their group. RRANS makes possible LGBTQI+ refugee resettlement and supports safer communities of belonging through advocacy, education, and sponsorship. |
Calling All SpeakersDo you have a great speaker who might want to speak with our club? Please send all speaker requests to speakers@rotaryhalifaxharbour.ca.
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International Toast - Rotary Club of Mönchengladbach Gero
At our Friday morning breakfast meeting, we take the time to introduce and recognize Rotary Clubs from around the world.
This week we recognized the Rotary Club of Mönchengladbach Gero. Chartered in 2013, they are located in Mönchengladbach, Germany, 30 km west is the Dutch border and 30 km east of the North Rhine-Westphalian state capital of Düsseldorf. |
What is the Rotary Foundation's Annual Fund?
The Annual Fund is the primary source of unrestricted support for the programs of The Rotary Foundation. From digging clean water wells for villages in Africa to teaching basic literary skills to children in Latin America, during any given moment in a day, thousands of Rotarians volunteer their time and expertise to ensure that all contributions given to the Annual Fund are spent wisely on quality Rotary projects. |
Looking for Action!
We are Rotarians, and we are People of Action! This year we have grouped the different committees of our club into one of four "Action Teams". But what does this mean? We are using the Action Teams to organize the many things we do into distinct groupings for better clarity. One of the reasons we are doing this is to help members focus on areas of interest. For example, if you are a person who craves hands-on, on-the-ground volunteering, the "We Transform Communities" Action Team is for you! Within this Action Team, there are tons of opportunities to serve our local and international communities. Now it's time you join an Action Team!
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We Connect People
During our July 29th Rotary Breakfast, Mike Gibson and Alexandra Russell shared details on the Action Team, We Connect People. The presentation covered:
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International Toast - The Rotary Club of Rotonda
At our Friday morning breakfast meeting, we take the time to introduce and recognize Rotary Clubs from around the world.
This week we recognized the Rotary Club of Rotonda, Florida, District 6960. Located in Rotonda, Flordia, some of the things they do include collecting donated sneakers from the community for underprivileged kids for back-to-school, hosting Monopoly-style and Texas Holdem fundraisers, roadside clean-up, and helping clean local non-profit premises. |
Recycling for End Polio Now
Did you know your recycling can help end polio? Here's how:
It's that easy! All the money raised is sent to the Rotary Foundation End Polio Now Fund! |
Peter Yurkiw
It is with a heavy heart we share that Honorary Member Peter Yurkiw passed away on July 27, 2022. He was 102. Peter was an active member of the Rotary Club of Halifax for many years. His obituary can be seen here. Contributions in memory of Peter may be made to the Canadian Red Cross. https://www.redcross.ca/donate |
What are the objectives of the Rotary Foundation?
The Rotary Foundation's objectives were agreed upon by the 1945-1946 Rotary International Board and Foundation Trustees and included in the 1946 Manual of Procedures:
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We Fund Sustainable Projects
During our July 22nd Rotary Breakfast, Ashley Butt and Derek Brett shared details on the Action Team, We Fund Sustainable Projects. The presentation covered:
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International Toast - Rotary Club San Francisco
At our Friday morning breakfast meeting, we take the time to introduce and recognize Rotary Clubs from around the world.
This week we recognized the Rotary Club of San Francisco, district 5150. It is one of five clubs in the San Francisco area, and the second oldest club in the world. It was founded in 1908 to help the city after the great earthquake and fire of 1906. It has launched 4 clubs in its neighborhood and sponsored one of the first clubs overseas in Dublin. |
How did the Rotary Foundation get started?
The Rotary Foundation started by Rotary International in 1917 when Rotary International’s sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, suggested an endowment fund for Rotary “to do good in the world”.
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We Transform Communities
During our July 15th Rotary Breakfast, Jane Spurr and Godfred Chongatera shared details on the Action Team, We Transform Communities. The presentation covered:
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Fantasy Football Fundraiser
Do you like raising money for The Foundation Polio Fund? (I know you do!) Do you like a bit of friendly rivalry? ( I think you do!) Do you like football? -even if you call it soccer? 😊 The RC Preston Guild has run a private fantasy football league for many years , and as the English Premier League is about to start NOW is the chance for you to join the fun! |
Rotaract Club of Halifax Fundraisers
The Rotaract Club of Halifax is hosting two fundraisers for Youth Exchange and local underprivileged children. The first is social media based fundraiser where the winner will walk away with $500. The second is a book sale @ Alderney Market Saturday July 16.
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We Create Opportunities
During our July 8th Rotary Breakfast, our President, Jillian Gibson, shared details on the Action Team, We Create Opportunities. This team is make up of the club executive and will collaborate with Rotarians and community partners in:
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Halifax Newcomer Choir
Rachel Karoline of ISANS has formed a new singing group called the Halifax Newcomer Choir. They are looking for people, and you don't have to be a "singer"! If you like singing and like helping newcomers, this may be for you. This fun group spends its time both helping newcomers learn English and singing. They practice Tuesday evenings. If you are interested, please contact Louisa Horne for more information.
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Rotary Foundation Moment July 3, 2022
"Our Foundation is characterized by efficient, continuous, and dynamic action. Every day of the year there is not an hour that goes by without a hand being extended by The Rotary Foundation to efficiently help, aid, construct, vaccinate, and even save lives." -Paulo Costa, 1990-1991 Past President of Rotary International
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Day of Service Recognized
Past Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta, has recognized our club for hosting a Day of Service. On June 5 our club completed a litter clean-up around Halifax West High School as a service project. Thank you to Bob Power for leading this day of service project and Tripta Devichand for advocating for the clean-up needs of Halifax West High School.
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Happy New (Rotary) Year
This Rotary year, let’s imagine the possibilities in the change we can make to transform our communities. This is a special year… Our first female President of Rotary International – Jennifer Jones. Her theme for the year is Imagine Rotary and she urges us to dream big and harness our connections and the power of Rotary to turn those dreams into reality: “Imagine a world that deserves our best, where we get up each day knowing that we can make a difference.”
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Litter Clean-up - Rotary Day of Service
Celebrating Rotary's newest Area of Focus during a Rotary Day of Service and World Environment Day!
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Mom's Day Brunch is BACK!
Are you looking for a way to celebrate Mother's Day? We can solve your dilemma. Visit www.halifaxmothersdaybrunch.ca to order an amazing brunch, buy raffle tickets, and bid on many great auction items. |
Halifax Harbour honours the late Brian Burnell |
Halifax Harbour names five Paul Harris Fellows |
Bite Rotary for Youth March 31st |
2015 Mother's Day Brunch |
Disaster Assistance Response Team
What better time to hear from a member of our Canadian Forces, but on the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. Warrant Officer Chris Brown spoke to us about his experiences of being deployed with the Disaster Assistance Response Team (D.A.R.T.) in November 2013, in response to the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan (one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded) in the Philippines. It was an impressive and moving talk, which left us feeling proud and thankful to all the men and women of our Canadian Forces. |
Runners from Kenya share their story
This morning our President Barb presented fellow member Stella Roy with her 3rd Paul Harris! Stella is the incoming District Governor, taking on full position as District Governor come July 1st. We are so very proud of all the work she has done with Rotary, locally and internationally and wish her the best of luck in this coming year! Today we had special guests John Ewoi and Philip Biwott, professional runners from Kenya. |
Inspiration on the ground with Polio Immunization
Today's meeting our own Stella Roy, District Governor Elect, shared her experience of traveling to Nigeria in November of 2013 to immunize children against the Polio.
This was an eye opening and inspirational talk that Stella shared with us. Thank you for sharing Stella! For more information on the fight against polio, please click HERE |
Business Meeting
Today our committee chairs shared updates on their projects and how planning is coming for our upcoming Mother's Day Brunch. We also had the induction of our new member Brent Platt! We are so pleased to welcome Brent to the club, he truly lives the Service Above Self way and we are looking forward to the great things we will accomplish with Brent. It was an efficient and information filled meeting, thank you to all who were able to be present.
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Business Plans from a Running Man
Luke MacDonald joined our club just over 6 months ago and his drive and passion for local and international development has really blown us out of the water. Luke shared with us an inspiring, moving and down-right impressive classification speech! |
An Inspirational Talk from Jacob Deng on the Lost Boys of Sudan
Jacob Deng is a remarkable individual who has overcome more hardships than many could imagine. And from these experiences he is filled with compassion and respect for all humans, and persistence in providing education to those in similar situations, to better the world.
He created Wadeng Wings of Hope, a charitable organization to better the lives of those in South Sudan. His work has garnered national press, and he has had the opportunity to meet with fellow humanitarian George Clooney, also doing work in South Sudan. |
History Lesson at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel
We enjoyed a tour of The Westin Nova Scotian hotel with our very own Glenn Bowie.
This beautiful building was built in 1930, just 2 years after the train station. We enjoyed a view from the top suite, down to the inner workings with the fabulous staff! Thanks to Glenn and the staff for welcoming us this morning! |
Election Results are In!
This morning was the highly anticipated club elections for the 2014/2015 Board. We had a great turnout and strong candidates put forward for the roles. Please see further, for a note from our President, Barbara Fickes, with the results enclosed. |
International Committee shares the wealth.
Our fellow member Stella Roy, District Governor Elect and Chair of the International Committee, provided an update on what the International Committee has been working on this past year. On another note, Stella just returned from a trip to Nigeria to administer Polio vaccines, that story is to come at a later date!
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District Governor meets HRRC on Board the HMCS Sackville!
Today was the annual visit from the District Governor to our Club. DG Greg Coldwell and his wife Claudia joined us on board the HMCS Sackville where Greg shared his presentation with our Club Members.
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Conductor of Another Kind
This week's Special Guest Speaker was Beth Lynch, from March of Dimes. Beth is an Conductor of sorts, but not the kind you would usually know about.
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Engage Rotary, Change Lives!
The Rotary International Motto - Engage Rotary, Change Lives - could not have been more relevant that today, at our first Business Meeting of the new Rotary Year!
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Community with a Heart
Today's Guest Speaker was Bernie Smith, formerly the Director of both the Spring Garden Area Business Association and the North End Business Association.
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It Takes a Community to Raise a Child
Dr Linda Liebenberg, from the Resilience Research Centre was our Special Guest Speaker today.
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US Consul General visits Halifax Harbourside Rotary Club! |
HMCS Sackville, Soul of the Canadian Navy |
Learnings from Grand Prairie!
Today we had our business meeting, the minutes have been saved in clubrunner for club members. We also had a guest with us, Lorraine Gabriel, who shared with us the powerful force that Rotary is in Grand Prairie. We were impressed with their fundraising efforts and the size of membership for the city. It was really great hearing from Lorraine and we were so pleased she could join us! |
What can Rotary do for you?
Today we took time to go around the table and have each person talk about how Rotary has impacted their life and what Rotary can do for them moving forward. |
Happy Stories all Around!
Our scheduled Guest Speaker was unable to join us today so we shared Happy Stories from our Members.
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Melissa Mancini of Halifax, Recent Presenter at UN Alliance of Civiliaztions
Melissa Mancini, News Producer at News 95.7 radio, recently presented at the 5th Global Forum of the UNAOC in Vienna.
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NATURE: Respected and Protected
Jennifer West from the Ecology Action Centre reported to us about the recent Say Something Big Conference, which we proudly supported this past November.
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Laing House, a Stigma Stomper!
Today the Halifax Harbourside Rotary Club was joined by Cindy Wheeler, the Marketing Coordinator for Laing House.
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Business As Usual
Our Monthly Business Meeting was held today. As usual, there was lots of discussion, several great ideas and positive energy all around.
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Community Carrot Gains Ground in Healthy Food Fight!
Special Guest Speakers Cathy Carmody and Dr. Norman Greenberg shared their recent achievement in the search for funding for the Community Carrot Co-op.
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Immigration, Alive and Well in Nova Scotia
Our Special Guest Speaker today was Sherry Redden, Manager of Business and Workforce Integration with ISIS (Immigrant Settlement & Integration Services).
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Dine with a Legend!Phil Calvert, an inspiring and motivating local entrepreneur, presented on a few of the impressive events and speakers he's brought to Atlantic Canada and the exciting upcoming events! Check out the latest, Dine with a Legend ~ Arlene Dickinson, coming up in March. Click here Dine with a Legend
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Muungano - We Are All Together
Today's meeting was held at the Comfort Inn, Bayers Lake. Our Club inducted one new member, and our special guest spoke about a truly inspirational children's education project in Kiritu, Kenya. |
Outlook 2013 - The Financial Future is Looking Up!
This morning's Guest Speaker was David Baskin of Baskin Financial Services Inc. His presentation entitled "Climbing the Wall of Worry, and Looking Over the Top" was both fascinating and informative. He made understanding world economics a whole lot easier for us and gave some great direction on investment possibilities. |
Monthly Business Meeting Today!Our monthly business meeting was held today. The full minutes are available for our members when they log into our site and look at the Club Documents. Vivienne's ticket was picked for a chance to win our 50/50 draw, but it's still in the pot for next week. See you all then! |
Stop that Rapid Aging Process!
Meeting today was chaired by Paul Radford. Thank you Paul!
Our Special Guest Speaker today was Floria Aghdamimehr, Wellness Consultant & Coach. Floria spoke about the aging process and how we can actually slow it down. The three main areas that need work from most of us are:
For more information you can contact Floria at floria@RecognizeYourPotential.com |
Haitian Communities in the Dominican Republic
Wendy Keen, of the Darmouth East Rotary Club, led a team of four Rotarians from District 7820 for phase four of the project. They left on January 13th for a week in batey Vasca, a small impoversished sugarcane village. There they helped the community establish a community garden; helped paint the houses and refurbished the kitchen of the senior men's residence and school. The matching grant of $23,000.00 with the Rotary Club of San Pedro de Marcoris will help install better latrines, solar ovens and raised beds and shade for the garden. It was a great Rotary experience to see the growth and development taking place. We'll be back next year. Wendy is available to make presentations to clubs in the district of this very successful project.
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Impersonations!
Cold day outside but warm bodies inside. We were lucky enough to have an induction today as well as impersonations done by two members, that taught us a lot about their lives! |
Update from Dominican Republic!
Currently we have two members volunteering in a Haitian community in the Dominican Republic. For one member, Paulette, it is her first year going over. For our other member, Gerry, this is over his third time going! Here is a photo of Gerry and some locals on their traditional form of transportation (low on fuel)!
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Rotary Awareness Month
Today was not so great outside but fantastic inside at our meeting! We inducted 3 members, 2 new and 1 transfer, and had a great speech from Paul Besant from the New World Merchant Bank.
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Assembly Meeting
This Assembly meeting was to discuss our next signature project. Ideas were presented regarding potential opportunities. The ideas seem to mesh well, so now we will see if we can create a project that will incorporate all ideas and areas of concern. See power point for more information regarding the meeting.
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Happy New Year and Welcome Back!
A New Year is upon us; to Rotarians we know the New Year starts with ROTARY AWARENESS MONTH. So have we got a month for you! Ukrainian New Year, RAHs (Rotary After Hours), and our first networking event of the year (Mingle with Rotary), all happening in January!
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Neither wind, nor rain, nor dark of night
A dozen committed Rotarians and guests braved the awful traffic, wind and rain to come to the Sobeys Community Room, just as a storm was heading into town. What a night! The atmosphere inside however, was joyful and as usual, there were lots of laughs. We welcomed two guests and heard a Rotary minute about the Foundation. Adam saved the 50-50 day by quickly getting a new deck of cards at Sobeys to start a new round after Hilary’s big win last Friday. The pot today was low, and Clarke thought he might win, but no, the pot has started its path to double and triple digits again.
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Vocational Speech by Ken Geddes
Today we had the pleasure of hearing our fellow member, Ken Geddes, speak about his life, growing up in Dartmouth and getting into the Radio Industry.
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NEW Board ELECTED for 2012 -2013What a great morning at Rotary - Thank you again to our Nominating and Election Team of Valerie & Clarke and thank you to all those who allowed their names to go forward for leadership. |
Games Night! REPEAT REQUESTED! REPEAT REQUESTED!!
Another fun morning at Harbourside - we were delighted to have 29 people
present including seven guests. The Tuckers and Natalia were our
special guests, along with friends of Erin, Clarke and Evelina. Two of
the guests were "repeats" so we must be doing something right. We had
to add chairs which is a great problem to have.
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Halifax Harbourside Business Meeting
Another great way to start a Friday. O Canada, Rotary Minute, great breakfast buffet at the Westin. We heard about some happy moments, particularly relating to Zone training in Moncton last weekend and a New Members' Orientation at Louisa's, also last weekend.
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Board Meeting
November Board Meeting Minutes
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Harbourside Remembers at Bayers Lake
This is Remembrance Week and we paused to remember, reflect and give Thanks for the freedom of movement and expression , a debt of gratitude to Veterans who have paid the supreme sacrifice and others wounded in conflict both physically and mentally. He outlined his childhood experience in Scotland during the dark days of WWII., then in 1948 the creation of the United Nations, facilitated by Rotarians around the world (in line with our objective of Peace and goodwill to all). He led a Moment of Silence followed by a rousing National Anthem. |
Bullying. A Shocking Situation. Can we help?
We were delighted to welcome our exchange
student, Natalia, our District Governor Elect, Tom McCaughy and two other
guests, Donna’s son, Dan Warren, and a new faculty member at Dal, Maria Reyes,
to our meeting. In addition, we were honoured to have our speaker, Wayne
MacKay, QC, OC.
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Dinners... District Governor Nomination... and Destination Halifax!After the usual singing of the anthem, Rotary minute and breakfast, Sergeant at Arms Lanc facilitated the sharing of news, we heard numerous people comment on the fun they had at the Potlucks for Polio last week, these Dinners were great fun. Louisa and Evelina each hosted dinners and Adrienne’s family turned their usual family gathering into a Polio event as well. Louisa was pleased that Jim Axell from the Halifax Club and his wife attended the dinner at her house, it was great to have more inter-club activity. |
WOW! The DG, a TR, 4 PHFs, DRBs... the whole alphabet AND two new members... all in an hour!
It is not often that this much activity can take place
on a Friday morning before 8:30 a.m.! We had a very full agenda and a lot
of fun at the same time. The meeting started in the usual way, Barb gave
us a perfect “O” to start the anthem and Lanc, as Sargeant at Arms, shared a
Rotary Minute about our District Governor’s role in dropping the puck at a
hockey game to raise money for Polio, the story made the Rotarian Magazine.
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Harbourside Stops In At Bayers LakeHello Everyone Today was a great day in Rotary, some great guest and news about a new project! Hilary's Dad, Bruce Taylor, was in to visit our club today, he gave a Happy Buck for visiting his daughter. Also visiting was Erin Martin and Donna Clarke (who as of this writing are going to be new members! Yah!). Lots of Happy bucks to go around today, Michael was at the running challenge, Barb is going to Cape Breton this week, Vivienne had been visiting her daughter and son in law and Evelina had Thanksgiving weekend with her granddaughter.......... |
Our First Afternoon Meeting: An Experiment in Flexibility!
Valerie gave us a Rotary “elevator speech” for a Rotary Minute and we all enjoyed the buffet. Lanc collected some Happy Bucks, Louisa was happy that Alleyne, from the Halifax Club, joined us and that she was not injured in the fender bender on the bridge that she was involved in on the way to the meeting!
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Pole dancing... roses... flying hats...latex gloves on the head and spinning plates. Not just another meeting.
Vivienne facilitated the sharing of happiness – here are a few of the gems:
Murray was happy about the Car Rally last weekend (Harbourside’s three cars did not make it into the winner’s circle... even with a former winner navigating in one car, we lost!) – it was great fun. Paul Radford and Stella, Murray and Val, Louisa and her husband all enjoyed the event – Murray suggested that we might launch a class-action suit against the organizers for some very tricky instructions. A team from the new Sackville Club won the right to wear the winners’ vests for the next year and the New Minas Club took home the trophy, again............ |
Sunday, September 25th at Ready to Rumba
A dozen women from the Halifax, Halifax Harbourside and Dartmouth Clubs had a fun afternoon, learning the finer points of pole dancing! The laughs were many and were matched in number by the aches and pains that resulted the following day. Wow, that is tough work. Our instructor, Michelle, was such fun – she engaged us all in participating in the activities. We also enjoyed some tasty treats – and excellent conversation and fellowship. Everyone agreed that more opportunities for women of Rotary to get together would be welcomed – a sequel is in the works. |
Business Meeting Sept 23, 2011Rotary Club of Business Meeting Minutes Sep 23, 2011, 7:30 am - Westin Hotel, Why are we happy today? Gerry: sold the Miata Stella: gave Paul a surprise trip to Peter: pleasure of standing beside Barb while she led us and harmonized O Canada this morning!.......... |
A Very Entertaining And Productive Pseudo Business Meeting
Gayle chaired the meeting on this grey Friday
morning – it feels like fall! Vivienne was in the SAA hotseat again and
Lanc’s mentorship is working well! She roused the group to offer some
Happy Bucks – Paul Roy is a new member of the Burns Society (does this
mean we can expect to see him in a kilt?); Murray is happy to have moved
to a new apartment with a view (what exactly is he looking at with his
binoculars?);.........
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A Yak on Your Shoulder!
Friday September 9, 2011
Vivienne
had her debut as Sergeant at Arms, under Lanc’s careful mentoring. She
did a great job. We heard some happy news – school is back in session
and that is good news for many. Our Exchange Student, Natalia, has
arrived and has already started school at Citadel High – we are looking
forward to getting to know her better.......
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Rotary BrandingAnother fun day at Rotary for the first week of September. Good food, good fellowship and laughter were all plentiful!
After the usual musical start to the meeting, and the filling of plates at the yummy buffet, we heard some great happy moments such as that Bonnie did not have to get up early for the first day that teachers go back to school. Ian did not get a deserved speeding ticket. Clarke was having fun on his motorcycle and did not get to the RAH...
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Rotary Leadership InstituteGreetings The Rotary Leadership Institute will be holding it's annual Truro "learning" day on Oct 15 2011. Parts 1, 2, 3, and Group Discussion Leader courses will be held. It is urged that all clubs in Nova Scotia and PEI send at least two members to each RLI session. This is a wonderful opportunity for new Rotarians to learn more about our organization and for experienced Rotarians to learn what has changed in the past few years. This year participants may register online by going to the District 7820 website ( www.rotary7820.com) and clicking on the RLI feature in the center column. Please notify all your members of this opportunity to update their Rotary knowledge, meet Rotarians from different clubs and share fellowship. Treasurer & Registrar Rotary Leadership Institute Atlantic Division Atlantique |
Happy New Rotary Year!
Happy New Year! What a busy day to start the new Rotary year... we began with the Installation of the new officers – President Louisa and Treasurer Vivienne were installed by ADG Clarke. New Directors Andrew and Bonnie also received their pins. VP Adam, Secretary Sharon and Directors Adrienne and Gayle will receive their pins at a later time. Louisa’s first act as President was a very happy one – the induction of Hilary as a new member. |
June 24, 2011
Today we heard from Wendy Keen and the DR group. It was a great day as many of us have heard of the DR project, but did not understand the extent of what our club has been involved in. It was one of those days when you realize why you are in Rotary and feel proud. |
June 3rd, 2011-Tatiana Clarke Sings Her Award Winning SongToday was another fantastic day in Rotary. Lots of Happy Bucks, two awesome guest speakers, and a great song. Tatiana Clarke, a student at Joseph A. MacKay school was in to sing us a song that she wrote and won an award for. It was a very moving performance. |
Great Business Meeting And News From The ConventionToday we had a great business meeting. We heard reports from the District conference and news on a very busy June to come. Tripta kept us informed on St. Pats and there was a ton of Happy Bucks to go around. After last week's 50/50 win it sits at only $25 today. |
Barb Brings Down The HouseToday was a very busy and entertaining day in Rotary!. Last minute ticket sales were made and lots of Rotarians brought in Auction items. We were a full house today, some of us had to sit off to the side. Everybody has really come together last minute here, lots of tickets sold and lots of items! We had a really busy day with lots of Happy Bucks as well. both Adrienne and I commended Clarke on all his efforts with Salt Scapes the week before. Rotarians were out in full force and we were able to sell some tickets and interact with the community. |
Cathy Waite Inspires Youth And Our Rotary ClubToday was a day of planning in Rotary, only a week away until the brunch!
We started off the meeting getting signed up for jobs on May 8th. As usual, at this time of year, lots of people stepped up.
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Colin Mason Comes For A Visit And Mother's Day Job's Are Passed Out
Today our guess was Colin Mason who talked to us about how people are managing all of the new media and how the tradional media are affected. We also heard from Adrienne about the Mom's Day Brunch and some taks were assigned.
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Health And Wellness Is The Topic Of The Day
Today was a great day in Rotary. If we all follow what the speaker said, we just might live a little longer. There were lots of Happy Bucks today but surprisingly few April Fools. Our speaker today was Dr. Clayton Roach. Dr. Clayton Roach has been in professional chiropractic practice for over five years. During these years, Dr. Roach has made an effort to educate his community by providing lectures and engaging workshops for businesses, groups and clubs. |
Paul Radford Sure Does Play A Mean Guitar......Or Does He?
March 24, 2011 I was particularly excited today as my buddy was the guest speaker. He didn’t disappoint!
Paul started off by putting some music on to set the mood. He strummed his guitar for a bit and then told us that he didn't actually play the guitar. |
Business Meeting March 18, 2011
Today was a very busy day at Rotary. It was a great business meeting.
Louisa was the Sergeant of Arms and asked everyone what 3 days were celebrated this past week. Everyone knew St. Patrick's Day, some guessed The Ides of March......but how many knew that Monday had been PI Day? Well Louisa knew, and she soon told us about her regular gas station attendant who knows PI to 100 numbers. |
Luke MacDonald Speaks About KidsFest
Today was a fantastic day in Rotary!
Luke Macdonald came from Kidsfest to talk to us about how it works They are in three schools in metro The program is 2 hours every week after school and goes from Oct to May. The program begins with a run / walk exercise and moves on to discussing a word and then reading for the remainder of the 2 hours. The children are from under privileged homes and the goal is to run 5 km in the Blue Nose Marathon. |
Maurice From Moncton Comes To Town
Today was another great day at Rotary. Our guests were Maurice Leblanc from Moncton and Gonzalo Daniel Seises Garcia from Spain.
There were a few happy bucks to go around. The women of Rotary were very happy that they had a fabulous weekend at White Point Lodge. Stella was delighted to say she is going to Pets And Sets in Newfoundland. Murray was happy because he was watching a great program on PBS that was about Spain. Peter put in a Happy Buck because he was having a conversation (with me) that reminded him of the old days of telemarketing when nobody hung up on him. Andrew is happy because he is going to the World's largest Mining convention. |
Who is the Halifax Harbourside's Heartthrob?
Today we played a Valentine's Trivia Game. And boy was it every hard! We also had encouraging reports from both Sackville and the Dominican Republic. And out District Governor Elect paid us a visit and gave us some news
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Mark Brown Comes For a Visit
Today was a great day in Rotary. Kathleen received a Paul Harris fellow, Adrienne and Gerry received a True Rotarian award, and we were visited by our District Governor. Plus we added a new member and the 50/50 didn't go!
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Evelina's Day!
Today we were treated to a great Classification speech from Evelina. Tripta spoke about the reading challenge and we heard some news about Laura Tucker
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A Very Ukrainian ChristmasToday was a very interesting day at Rotary. We learned all about Ukrainian Christmas from our President. Val told us all about the traditions and experiences of a Ukrainian Christmas. Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated January 7 according to the Gregorian calendar as in most of other Orthodox Christian countries. |
It's Christmas!Ho Ho Ho Halifax Harbourside! Today was our last day before Christmas Break. Lots of members were excited to be able to spend the next few weeks with their families. Today was great as we had out Secret Santa. We all exchanged ornaments! There was lots Happy Bucks as everyone was in the Christmas Spirit (except for Paul Radford who was in a grinchy mood--Just kidding Paul!) The best part of the day off course was that we all spilt up in teams and sang Christmas Carols! All I can say is that when we sing O Canada there are a bunch of us in the club who's talents (or lack there-of) are disguised. Merry Christmas Everyone! |
Meeting November 26, 2010
Today our speaker was Jamie Baille, the leader of the progressive conservative party. Mr. Baille spoke fondly of the work being done by organizations such as ours. In fact, he mentioned that his dad was a Rotarian and was able to recite the 4 way test. Jamie has also had experience with organizations helping the community as he told us of his time with the United Way.
Jamie believes that there are many people who have turned their backs on the political system and that his number one job is to get these people back. Jamie hopes people can have faith in the political system. |
Tim Outhit-- NovaKnowledge
Friday, July 16, 2010-- At today's meeting we enjoyed a presentation by Tim Outhit, CEO of NovaKnowledge. NovaKnowledge is a 15 year-old economic development organization that advocates for a progressive and knowledge-driven economy for Nova Scotia.
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