Monday, September 30, 2002
Shirley Davies (former Community Coordinator for the Early Years Fund);
Windsor-Essex Early Years Fund
The main objective of the fund is to mobilize communities to
develop local early years and parenting opportunities so that all families in
Ontario can help their children reach their full potential.
This initiative brings together diverse sectors at the local level to
develop proposals to the fund. These community-based proposals, which include
financial and in-kind contributions from the business, charitable and
volunteer sectors, are matched dollar-for-dollar through the government's
Early Years Challenge Fund. Communities are required to come forward with
proposals to be funded 50 percent through the Challenge Fund and 50 percent
through financial and in-kind contributions from community partners.
Other pictures from the meeting
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Monday, September 23, 2002
Foundation Meeting
Norm Wheeler
This meeting served as a Foundation Fund Meeting. The major item of business was the presentation of a proposal to provide $700,000.00 of bridge financing from Foundation investment reserves toward the construction of the Children's Safety Village. After a period of discussion, the proposal was ratified by the attending members.
Long time Rotary (1918) members, Murray Elder and Roy Lancaster, were honoured by our Club for their significant contributions to the Rotary International Foundation. They each received a Major Donor Award.
The 8th Annual Rotary Children's Fest took place on September 21st and 22nd at the Civic Terrace on Windsor's Waterfront.
Seven thousand visitors enjoyed the stage shows, clowns, inflatables, miniature car rides, tumbling displays, tent activities, fire and police safety demonstrations and food.
Other pictures from the meeting
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Greg was president of the Essex Law Association, 2001-2002 and also Ontario representative, national ethics & professional committee, Canadian Bar Association, Windsor. He is active in many community groups.
Greg taught forensic science and criminal investigation for 14 years and is presently an instructor in criminal law and procedure at the Ontario Bar Admission course. Criminal Defense work still constitutes a major part of his practice after more that two decades before the courts.
Greg Goulin spoke to us about the work of the Windsor residence for Young Men. He gave examples of the types of young men who receive support from this service. Typically they are
age sixteen and over who are homeless for a variety of reason and ineligible for service from local agencies. Mr. Goulin noted the critical needs of these young people for a structured residence in which they can be supported.
The Governor's Men .......... Our new generation of Rotarians
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Today's program focused on the fund raising activities underway for the Children's Safety Village. The Audience was brought up to date on the building schedule and introduced to several of our partners on the project.
Other pictures from the meeting
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Monday, September 2, 2002
Labour Day Holiday
Labour Day Holiday
Labour Day today is more of an American holiday than a Canadian one although the Canadian labour movement can justly claim the title of
originator of the idea of a Labour Day Holiday.
Its motivation, however, is rooted in the turmoil of the early
American Labour movement
Labour Day is one of eight annual Canadian holidays when retailers were at one time forced to close their doors and offer no goods or services for sale. It has been celebrated in Canada since 1872. At that time the celebration took place in May.
In 1894, the federal parliament, recognizing that Canadians needed a long
weekend at the end of the summer and before the onset of the cold weather,
moved Labour Day to the first Monday in September. Canada and the United
States are among the few countries to celebrate at that time, according to
experts at the Toronto Reference Library.
Current Ontario Legislation concerning Labour Day
Canada's Labour Day
The History of Labor Day
LABOR DAY: HOW IT CAME ABOUT; WHAT IT MEANS
Monday, August 26, 2002
Jonathan Callegher
Young Motivational Speaker
Jon, despite his youth, is an accomplished speaker with an extensive background in performing before audiences of all ages. He uses techniques that enhance audience involvement. His topic today was on goal setting.
Our Club Welcomed our latest Exchange Student, Yuhi Nishi, from Kyoto, Japan. Yuhi participated in a banner exchange ceremony with our President and then was immediately put to work as a collector in our weekly "Happy Bucks" event.
Monday, August 19, 2002
This Is Your Life
Monday, August 12, 2002
Blake Roberts, Nancy Pillsworth
Group Study Exchange Team
This educational activity promotes international understanding through an exchange between paired districts in different countries - of study teams composed of five young business and professional men and four young business and professional women between the ages of 25 and 40. Each team is accompanied by a representative of the district governor and is hosted for a four to six week period by the Rotary clubs of the receiving district.
This team travelled to the Philippines visiting 11 Rotary Clubs during their tour.
The Philippine Islands are an archipelago of over 7,000 islands lying about 500 mi (805 km) off the southeast coast of Asia. The islands are of volcanic origin, with the larger ones crossed by mountain ranges.
In 1542 a Spanish exploration party named the group of islands in honour of Prince Philip, who was later to become Philip II of Spain. Spain retained possession of the islands for the next 350 years when after the Spanish American war, the land was ceded to the USA. The USA has tried to institute democratic processes into the country but a succession of corrupt governments have left the populace in a state of unrest.
Blake Roberts, a local news person and one of the GSE team, told
us it was a vocational exchange for him, and Rotary
gave him the opportunity to bring back stories and a more knowledgeable outlook
on life in the Philippines. The areas where the team visited were very poor, and because the islands are volcanic, the land is very unsuitable for farming. The local Rotary Clubs place emphasis on distributing vitamin A to help people maintain their eyesight.
A small percentage of the population are wealthy and those people are well schooled and technologically advanced. They make extensive use of cellular phones.
In general, Philippinos have very little faith in their legal systems and in their
democratic process and they don't trust their police. Yet, surprisingly, they seem relatively happy.
Nancy Pillsworth, a Rotarian from the Windsor-St. Clair Club talked to us about the GSE Group Study Exchange to the Philippines. Nancy told us that many children in that part of the country are very sick (80% of them have worms). The GSE team had the opportunity to go into Muslim areas, but a few of the members stayed behind because they were afraid for their own safety. The team stayed with 11 different families on 5 different islands.
Bev Lounsbury and Norm Wheeler presented a Paul Harris Fellow to Bev's granddaughter Tara
Lounsbury.
Monday, August 5, 2002
Civic Holiday (Simcoe Day) - No Meeting
The first Monday in August is a holiday in Canada except in Québec, Newfoundland and the Yukon. Every other province and territory has their own name for it, depending on heritage and the political will at the time the holiday was created.
Canadian ceremonies and holidays such as Boxing Day and the August Civic Holiday (a "bank holiday") are derived from our British roots.
This national holiday gives everyone a break from work.
The Canadian Civic Holiday here in Ontario is observed on the first Monday in August each year.
Canadian Holidays
U.S. and Canadian Holidays
Monday, July 29, 2002
Julia Saurazas
Women in the Middle East
Julia talked on a topic that could be somewhat sensitive to those who have origins in the Middle East. But for those who chose to listen to her, and to the lively question period that followed, there was much to learn.
Her presentation on the role of Women in the Middle East was brought forward in a scholarly, insightful fashion, bolstered with personal reflections based on her observations during her extensive stay in the United Arab Emirates.
UAE Flag and Map
REFERENCES:
Monday, July 22, 2002
Steve Salmons
Early Years Advocates for Libraries
"New research now tells us that early brain development in the
preschool years is even more important than we originally thought. Parents need to know
this so they can do what needs to be done. Talking, reading, and singing to babies is an
integral part of successful parenting.
"The Kiwanis video, Precious Minds: Nurturing Literacy in the Early Years, elegantly provides the
background and outlines practical steps for parents. Thanks to Kiwanis, public health
nurses and libraries in Ottawa, as well as new parents, are receiving the video in our
city. The intervention is part of a multi-partnered program called Success by 6, which is
designed to ensure children in our community arrive at school well-prepared for grade
one."—Robert Cushman, MD, medical officer of health, Ottawa
Association of Early Childhood Educators, Ontario
Monday, July 15, 2002
Terry Finn's Investiture
After the formal exchange of the Rotary chain of office and introduction of the new Board, an emotional tape produced by Rotary International was shown.
Terry then spoke to the audience about Rotary's influence on health, peace and understanding programs throughout the world. He said that our club alone had donated substantially to the Polio Plus program which is well on its way to eliminating this scourge. He pledged his efforts this year would be directed toward the completion of the fundraising and building of the Children's Safety Village.
Monday, July 8, 2002
Marty Gervais
Columnist, Windsor Star
C.H. (Marty) Gervais was born in Windsor in 1946. He received his B.A. from the University of Guelph and his M.A. from the University of Windsor where he studied writing under Morley Callaghan. He is a poet, playwright, historian, editor, journalist, and publisher. As a journalist he writes a weekly column on books for the Windsor Star where he is Book Page Editor.
Marty told the
audience of the many interesting experiences he has
had being a writer. He mentioned that his curiosity
often gets the best of him, and gets to the bottom of
the stories that he tells. His superb listening skills aid
him in his quest for storytelling, and everywhere he
goes someone walks up to him to tell him their personal
story. One of his stories sent him off on a hunt for the
best apple pie in Essex County. That search left him
empty handed, however, many pies were dropped off
at his home and at the Windsor Star office. One
woman even gave him one in the parking garage
downtown, which Marty in turn gave to Gord
Henderson!
In his "Our Town" columns, Marty features "people stories" of Windsor's present and past. He can be reached by e-mail at mgervais@win.southam.ca
Marty Gervais is a University of Windsor lecturer in the Department of English and founder and president of Black Moss Press.
REFERENCES:
Youth Exchange Students, Barbara, Corinne and Daniel are heading back to their home countries next week. Each of them gave us a little goodbye talk today. We will miss them all, but find comfort in the opportunity we had to take part in the maturing process of these great kids. They participated in many of our projects during their stay bringing a youthful enthusiasm and renewing our determination to continue our support for the International Youth Exchange Program.
Monday, July 1, 2000
Meeting cancelled in honour of
the Canada Day
Holiday
Canada's national celebration is always observed on July 1, unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case it is observed the following day.
The name "Canada" originated from a mistaken hearing, by early explorers, of the Huron-Iroquois native word "Kanata" which means "village" or
"settlement".
Several of our Rotary Club members carried a banner promoting the Childrens' Safety Village along the entire Canada Day parade route on a very hot day.
The British North America Act, 1867 united the Provinces of Canada (Quebec and Ontario), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into the "Dominion of
Canada".
Manitoba was admitted as a province in 1870;
British Columbia, in 1871;
Prince Edward Island, in 1873;
all remaining provinces and territories except Newfoundland in 1880;
Newfoundland was admitted as a province in 1949.
The Right Honourable Pierre Elliot Trudeau embodied Canadian patriotism. He had the courage to say what needed to be said and do what was necessary. He was a great
statesman with leadership and vision, and always represented his country with pride and dignity. It was fitting then that he was Prime Minister on April 17, 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Canada and, in a ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, signed the CONSTITUTION ACT of 1982, which gave Canada complete independence.
Canada Day Checklist
Canada Day Links
Canadian Constitutional Documents
Last Revised: October 6, 2002
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