Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

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!

After hugs and warm welcomes back from the Holiday break we started our meeting. 

Bob went around the room getting updates from attendees on their Holiday break. 

Erin went home to Whitehorse for Christmas, the first time in a few years and brought her boyfriend to experience the northern experience.  They had a blast and took up dog sledding as a new skill.

Barb moved back into her place after a flood this past fall, and soon found that rewiring was in need for her dryer, but nonetheless was thankful to be back in her home.

Caitlyn, a soon to be member, went home to Windsor, ON, bordering with Detroit.  She was able to attend a Red Wings NHL game and I think may be winning points with a few Red Wing fans in the club.

Michael, who has been working in Alberta recently, was able to get a few days off during a long cycle to fly home for a quick Christmas with family, nothing better.

In regards to New Years Resolutions – Bonnie has given them up, and Barb is getting rid of excess stuff.  Gerry said that was his plan too, but somehow acquired another vehicle; if it’s in pieces does it really count?

Updates for the week;

Valerie will be hosting a fellowship evening, Ukrainian New Year, this Saturday, January 14^th at 6pm (corner of Robie & Cunard).  BYOB, food will be provided, peirogi’s anyone?

Membership event, MINGLE WITH ROTARY, our first networking event of the year will be this Wednesday, January 18^th at the Waterfront Warehouse from 5-7:30pm.   Go to Facebook, search Mingle with Rotary, click Share, and then invite your friends!  Paul requires volunteers for the event, so please let him know if you can help out.  

Youth Exchange, we need a third host family for our wonderful student Natalia from Brazil.  The third host family is required in mid-March.  This is a fantastic experience to learn and experience a new culture, if you haven’t hosted an exchange student before, prepare to be wowed!  After hosting 1 student when I was growing up, we loved it so much we had 4 more students consecutively!

Louisa presented Gerry and Paulette with a cheque in donation to help with work they will do while volunteering in the Dominican Republic.  This is Paulette's first year going with the Rotary Club and this will be an another annual visit for Gerry!  Well done you two!   

Reminders;

No meeting this Friday, as we are meeting this Wednesday, our one Wednesday a month.

We have an assembly meeting next week, Wednesday January 11^th, 5:30pm at Smitty’s in Lacewood.

Friday January 13^th, we will have a regular morning meeting with Speaker Paul Besant from the New World Merchant Bank. We will be bidding Bon Voyage to Gerry and Paulette as they head off to Dominican Republic for volunteering!  AND we have inductions of three new members!

January 18^th we have a Board Meeting at 7:30am at the Redwood Grill.  And don’t forget we have our MINGLE WITH ROTARY event that evening at 5:30pm.

January 20^th – Regular meeting at the Westin at 7:15am

January 21^st is the Charter Club Meeting for Lower Sackville, our club is invited and keynote speaker will be District Governor Bob Moffatt.

Louisa reminded us that Evelina has left to go back to Dubai for work; she will be missed but will be joining a Rotary club in Dubai!  Also want to thank Hilary for taking over Secretary position from Evelina. 

Now onto our main event, fellow Rotarian, Bonnie Skinner’s classification speech.

Bonnie is pursuing her Masters Degree in Counseling, although if you had asked her when she was 17 she would have been a Dr. in Neuroscience.

Bonnie’s parents, originally from Nova Scotia, were living in Toronto, Ontario when Bonnie was born.  She spent a few years in central Canada until moving back out East, to Guysborough, Nova Scotia.  Bonnie was a good student, excelling in all areas, academic and community based.  When deciding where to go to university she purposely decided against St. FX, (Attn Valerie Bobyk) yearning to be further away from home.  Bonnie and her parents negotiated on Acadia University, where she later transferred to Dalhousie University.

When it came time for Med School Bonnie had a realization that her commitment level was not near ready.  She spent some time traveling in Australia, which was fun but made her realize how great home was.  After returning home Bonnie wasn’t sure what area she wanted to pursue for her career. 

 Around the same time Bonnie was working for an agency when she saw a posting for a Student Support Worker come up with the Halifax School Board.  She applied and was accepted and found the role immensely rewarding in both a professional and personal level. Bonnie excelled in her role and moved from the Valley, to Lower Sackville, then later on to Halifax. 

Bonnie has given and yet received so much from her time as a Student Support Worker, and I cannot give justice to her speech.  Bonnie’s speech was a good reminder that we all take so much for granted and how assumptions are made without thinking in advance.  

Bonnie’s wish for the New Year that more attention be paid to learning differences due to social disparity. 

The 50/50 draw has been given more time to grow, thank you for not picking the Ace!