Lambton Shores 8th Annual Volunteer Recognition BBQ

Rotarians are invited and encouraged to register ...

This free barbeque is hosted by Lambton Shores Council in honour of the hard work and dedication of our community volunteers.  The dinner will be served around 6:00pm, but guests are asked to come at 5:30pm to register.

The Volunteer Recognition Barbeque is open to individuals who actively volunteer their time with a Lambton Shores community group or service club. Spouses of volunteers may attend only if he or she is an active volunteer within your organization, or another Lambton Shores community group or service club. 

Please send RSVPs with your first and last name, along with the Lambton Shores community group(s) you are representing by Friday, August 22, 2014 by email to events@lambtonshores.ca or phone 519-243-1400 / 1-866-943-1400. 

Full details available on the Lambton Shores website.

The Grand Bend club's Global Literacy Project is described in this video.

At the District 6330 conference in Walkerton this weekend Grand Bend Rotarian Peter Twynstra was honoured with Rotary International's Service Above Self Award for his tireless community work including the club's project to ship surplus school supplies from Ontario to South Africa.  The award was presented by Past RI Director and long life friend, John Eberhard. John spoke about the service that Peter has provided to his community over the past 20 years, continuing with the outstanding project he initiated and continues to make a huge impact.

On Peter's initiative, the project began approximately 6 years ago. To date 40 ocean container shipments have been made with co-operation from various Rotary Clubs. More than 30 of these shipments were bound for South Africa while the others went to Ghana and Haiti. The project has been expanded and named the "Global Literacy Project" by the club. It continues to grow providing incredible benefit to children in southern Africa with support from many sources including other Rotary clubs in District 6330 and neighbouring districts.

The Service Above Self Award is Rotary International’s highest honor. The award recognizes up to 150 Rotarians worldwide (from a membership of 1.2 million) each year who demonstrate their commitment to helping others by volunteering their time and talents.

The recent community forum on Climate Change held at the Huron Country Playhouse was a very informative, and well-attended, event.  Almost 300 people attended the event and learned about the climate change reality and about what we can do locally to slow the pace of change and adapt to the new reality.

One way you can help is to support environmental initiatives through the Grand Bend Community Foundation - donate here.

The Rotary Club of Grand Bend will be hosting a Rotary Global Literacy Celebration at the Lambton Heritage Museum on June 17, 2014 at 6 p.m. - 9;00 pm.

To order a ticket click on TICKET ORDERING

On April 8th Bob Down from the Exeter area joined the club to bring the total membership to 49.

THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IN THE LOCAL PRESS IN FEBRUARY

As I begin the second article in ‘Rotary Corner’, I can only look back in awe as to what the Club has accomplished so since July and what it has planned for the next six months.  Our Autumn Indulgence Gala was the most successful in the ten-year history of the event. Thanks to the sponsors, the participants and the donors, over $70,000 was raised in one night (with six months of preparation, that is).

In another area, one of our keenest members (Brian Hall) suggested that we go directly to the community for a unique drive – it should be declared up front that we seldom go directly to the community to solicit funds. The drive would continue our thrust to eradicate polio within the next four years and give members of the community an opportunity to donate personally to this great cause. We set a target of $5,000, a reasonable number we thought, considering that we were looking at Grand Bend, Exeter and all points in between; and the Club would match the money raised with funds coming from Autumn Indulgence. The community was so generous that almost $10,000 was raised! With matching funding coming from other sources including the Gates Foundation and almost $15,000 from the Club, this small community generated about $70,000 in the fight against polio!

As well, on another happy footnote, we’ve gained three new members this year with more ready to join in the near future. (If you are interested in attending a meeting, just drop into the Colonial any Tuesday around 6.00.)

For the rest of the year, we will take our discussions with the municipality of South Huron to the next level as we attempt to extend the ‘Blue Flag’ area north to include Port Blake. This Rotary Club, for years, has aided the Grand Bend community by taking water samples from the beach regularly and supporting all clean water initiatives and proposals that the Ausable Conservation Authority and others have recommended. As a result, the club looks forward to this new partnership with South Huron to ensure our water is clean and our beaches are pristine.

Another member, Max Morden, is spear-heading a conference to be held in the Bend that will focus on climate change – the date is Friday, May 23 at the Playhouse. Guests will include scientists and experts on how communities can adapt to and reduce the impact of what’s happening around us and in the rest of the world.  Stay tuned for more details.

Last, we anticipate loading and sending our thirtieth container of school supplies to South Africa this spring. School supplies, desks, chairs, sports equipment, thousands of books and literally tons of other material that would normally have been scrapped or sent to landfill sites in our communities are now going to desperate educators in Africa who are waiting to show excited kids their first book, their first soccer ball, their first piano (if you can believe that). Peter Twynstra also of our Club initiated this program just a few short years ago, and it has taken off like a rocket as other clubs, school boards and ordinary citizens are contributing to our efforts and truly are making a difference.

In spite of the worst weather I’ve ever seen, it is a good year!

For those who did not see this interview live, I have included a video of the TV interview with Brian Hall and Peter Twynstra which aired Thursday, February 20th on CTV London's news. Just click on the following Links for Video or Story.

 Video: http://london.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=294846

Story: http://london.ctvnews.ca/supplies-from-shuttered-ontario-schools-helping-students-in-africa-1.1696227

Rotarian Brian Hall (above) is the Polio coordinator with the Grand Bend Rotary Club. Rotary International has almost achieved their objective of eradicating polio in the world. However, it will still take millions of dollars more to inoculate the remaining children in the countries where Polio still exists.

In a local funding appeal that starting last November, the Rotary Club of Grand Bend asked the community to help and the Rotary Club would match these donation dollar for dollar. They are thrilled to report that over $9,300 in donations were received from the community and with the matching funds from the Grand Bend club, the local donation reach almost $20,000! In addition, the club has donated 5,000 more to this cause. After more generous matching of funds through a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, these total donations to fight polio increase to over $70,000.

 Although Polio has not existed in North America since 1994, it must be totally eradicated worldwide before everyone is safe from a recurrence. It is the only way to protect our children forever. There are only 3 countries left where Polio has never been stopped. 

In 1985 there were 1000 cases of Polio a day – last year there have been only 385 cases worldwide. This $70,000 will certainly help in the final effort.

The Grand Bend Rotary Club wishes to thank the generous Grand Bend and area citizens for your continued support for Rotary projects.

On January 7th, the club members gave Kevin Williams, the new CAO for Lambton Shores a cordial welcome and their best wishes.  Kevin , in his address to the Club, outlined his extensive background experience and his wish to form future partnerships on projects between the municipality and our club.

Last September Grand Bend Rotarians asked the community for pianos that were not being used so they could send them to South African schools along with school supplies from educational facilities that were closing. This is part of the Grand Bend club's GLOBAL LITERACY program. Photo above shows Rotarians Jim Southcott, John Patterson & Brian Hall taking a break from that activity.

The Grand Bend Rotary Club is fortunate to have Bob Kennedy join the club. Bob has lived in Grand Bend for the past 2 years and is active in the community. Previously, he had a prominent business career in the Toronto area.  This brings our current club membership to 48.

And Fun Was Had By All!  Who has the biggest smile - President Edgar Bergen or Charlie McCarthy? Also featured the  Village Idiot People.

Craig Scott, Chair of Rotary's Allocations Committee is seen in this photo presenting a cheque to Grand Bend Chamber of Commerce President Glen Baillie & other people from that organization.

GOOD-BYE, POLIO: THANKS, ROTARY

Grand Bend Club helps turn each Community Donation Dollar into $6

The world is on the verge of eliminating one of the most dreaded diseases of the 20th century -- poliomyelitis. During the first half of the 20th century, polio crippled over half a million people every year. Even today, children in some developing countries continue to fall victim to the disease. But thanks in large part to Rotary International and to the 1.2 million Rotary members worldwide, the disease will soon be just a memory. In fact, there were less than 250 cases worldwide in 2012! 

Before celebrating this public health milestone, the spread of the poliovirus must be interrupted in the poorest and most populous regions of the world, and surveillance must continue for several years to be sure the virus is completely wiped out. This is no easy task. Only 3 countries have yet to stop the spread of polio – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. (In 1988 there were 125 countries with polio) 

To date, Rotary has contributed more than US$1.2 billion to immunize more than 2 billion children against polio. But much more is needed. More than twenty five years of steady progress is at stake, and polio -- now on the ropes -- stands to stage a dangerous comeback unless the funding gap is bridged. Learn more ways to help at: endpolionow.org.

 In addition to raising money for polio eradication, Rotary members offer their time and expertise in the field to fight polio by providing support at clinics, transporting vaccine, contributing medical supplies, and mobilizing their communities for immunization and other polio eradication activities. Gord Britton, a member of the Rotary Club of Grand Bend, is one of many Rotary volunteers who travelled to India to help eradicate the disease. “It’s difficult to imagine what polio does to children,” he says. “These children are so poor and disadvantaged to start with, and polio robs them of any chance they might have for a decent life.”

The final push to a polio free world is an expensive proposition. The remaining polio endemic areas are hard to reach, war torn and with an increasingly migrant population. The Grand Bend Club has raised over $40,000 for the effort.

The Club has agreed to match all community donations to the project up to $5000. This matched donation will be again matched 2 for 1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to create a $6 donation for every $1 from the community.

Once eradicated, polio will join smallpox as one of only two diseases ever eliminated. 

Please make your cheque payable to The Rotary Foundation (Canada) and send it to The Rotary Club of Grand Bend Box 1261 or drop it off at Waypoint Financial 45 Ontario St.N. Grand Bend.

Tax receipts will be issued. For more information please contact Rotarian Brian Hall at 238-8892

Recently the Grand Bend Rotary Club donated $500 to the Make-A-Wish fund to benefit children from Southwestern Ontario. Above Craig Scott, Chair of Rotary's Allocations committee presents a cheque to Stephanie Field.

What does the Rotary Foundation mean to Rotary?

Simply put, the Rotary Foundation allows any and all Rotary clubs to do good in the world - locally and internationally.
Without our gifts to the Rotary Foundation, Rotary International would not exist as we know it.

Still not sure what the Rotary Foundation does?   Take a look at this 2 minute video 

On the Labour Day weekend, Rotary again held it’s Charity Toll Road at the intersection of Highways 21 and 81. Over $8,300 was collected thanks to the generous public and all of this money will be spent locally to meet community needs mainly involving Youth and Literacy projects. Over 30 Rotarians and community volunteers helped with this year’s collection.

The Rotary Club of Grand Bend says a big thank you to the community for all its support in helping the Club achieve $1,000,000 in donations. In picture Past Presidents Craig Scott, Randi Ivey, Roger Wallis and current President Bruce Shaw recently acknowledged this occasion. Since it was formed in 1991, the Club has raised $1,041,239 for a wide range of good causes both at home and in the world. Among them are the Rotary trail, the beachfront enhancements, the Clean Water Now initiative, the Grand Bend Community Health Centre, the Grand Bend Public School, Goderich tornado relief, global literacy, and the eradication of polio. Overall, 34 percent of the total funds have gone to community and local projects, 28 percent environmental initiatives, 12 percent to community health, 8 percent to youth and literacy, and 18 percent to international needs.

“This achievement has been a real collaborative effort,” says Club president Bruce Shaw. “A lot of people have worked hard to make this happen - not just Rotarians but many generous people and organizations in this community.”

Most of these funds have been raised through Autumn Indulgence, the Rotary Club’s gala charitable fundraiser held each fall at the Huron Country Playhouse.

The Grand Bend Rotary Club is fortunate to have an existing Rotarian from the St. Mary’s club transfer in. Here President Bruce Shaw officially welcomes her to the club.

The Grand Bend Rotary is very pleased to welcome back Peter Challen to its membership (seen in picture on the left with President Bruce Shaw).   Peter was a former member of Rotary  but other commitments forced him to step down a number of year ago. Now Peter has decided to rejoin the ranks of this Club and Rotary welcomes him back. 

 Last Tuesday Grand Bend Rotarians visited Christopher Wallis, Lakeview Studios just north of Grand Bend.

Christopher Wallis is probably Canada’s pre-eminent stained glass artist. Over the past 35 years, Christopher has designed, produced and supervised the installation of numerous stained glass windows in cathedrals and churches from coast to coast, as well as many iconic buildings such as Ottawa’s Rideau Hall. Following a short presentation, Rotarians, partners and guests were able to view an exhibition of Christopher’s designs, drawings and samples of his work from throughout his distinguished career, ask questions and meet his wife, Geri Binks, who is Christopher’s collaborator and a renowned artist in her own right.

On July 10th, the new Historical Plaques were unveiled in Grand Bend. This resulted because of the efforts of Rotarian Jim Southcott to preserve the significance of certain land sites in Grand Bend. It began with Jim's vision and then his efforts to get the necessary financing for this project from the Municipality of Lambton Shores, the Grand Bend Community Foundation and our own Rotary Club. Pictured in this photo is Bill Weber, Mayor of Lambton Shores and Jim. 

In June of this year George Shaw amazingly celebrated 55 years of Absence Free Service with Rotary. In attached photo local Grand Bend Club President  Craig Scott congratulates him on reaching this incredible milestone.

 June 25th, the Rotary Club of Grand Bend had their end of fiscal year meeting which about 50 members and their partners attended. At the event, the Presidency of the club was passed from Craig Scott to Bruce Shaw.

The attached tribute to Don was posted on the 17th hole at the District Rotary Golf tournament held at Sawmill Creek on June 6th. Don was well known as past district governor and he will be greatly missed in future district activities.

Photos supplied thanks to Randi. 

In February Liz Place became the newest Rotarian to join the Grand Bend Club. She lives in Port Franks and is very active in the community volunteer programs. In photo congratulating Liz is acting President Peter Phillips and Paul Turnbull.

Our Rotary Club is proud to announce that Martin Ward has been chosen for the position of Assistant District Governor for Rotary District 6330 starting July, 2013. Martin now moves from his current position as Secretary at Club level to lending his many years of Rotary experience to helping neighbouring Clubs achieve their goals. We wish him well in his new undertaking.

Above: Grand Bend Rotary President Craig Scott (left) presents exceptional service awards to Jacqui Krech and Bryan Beattie. At the Rotary Christmas party on December 11^th, prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship awards were presented to non-Rotarian Jacqui Krech and 2 Rotarians - Bryan Beattie and George Shaw (missing from photo). Jacqui was being recognized for her dedicated work for most of the past 9 years as the chair and coordinator of the successful Autumn Indulgence Decorating Committee. Bryan for his varied community volunteer work involvement as well as the many duties he performs within the club and George for his planning and leadership regarding the Autumn Indulgence fundraiser events since 2004. Each Paul Harris award helps fund the Rotary Foundation which benefits worldwide projects.

On August 21st a double header was scored for membership with the induction of 2 new members Paul Wilson and Chuck Heipel. Above - President Craig Scott congratulates Paul and Chuck

WHAT A WONDERFUL SUMMER FOR SWIMMING IN GRAND BEND

If you go down to the main Grand Bend beach between 8:00 and 9:00 am most weekday mornings you will see people in blue t-shirts out in the water near shore with long poles and bottles. What are they doing?

They are volunteers doing water sampling in order to make the beach safer for your swimming pleasure. Also in order to keep the prestigious Blue Flag accreditation, the water quality must meet the Ontario safe swimming standard which is less than 100 units of E.coli (Escherichia coli) per 100 millilitres of water on at least 80 percent of the tests taken.

For the past 5 years, as part of a partnership effort between Rotary’s Clean Water Now committee and the municipality of Lambton Shores, the main Grand Bend Beach is tested most weekdays by one of the 15 volunteers shown below. The testers must wade into the lake at 5 locations on the Grand Bend beach to take water samples - rain or shine. These are then sent by Lambton Shores to a lab in London for E.coli testing. The Lambton County Department of Health does this function normally on Mondays but the local volunteers do this procedure the other weekdays during the main swimming season from June until Labour day in order to permit the beach to stay open for more swimming days. Although this program is coordinated by the Rotary’s Grand Bend Clean Water Now committee, about half the volunteers are non-Rotarians.

Rotary member, Dr. Hugh Barr was inducted in to the club on August 7^th and congratulated by District Governor Tom Robitaille. Pictured above DG Tom, Dr. Hugh Barr and club President Craig Scott.

Of the 42 local Rotary members, three were honoured recently by being named recipients of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals for distinguishing themselves as leaders and for making outstanding community contributions and achievements. These medals were created to mark the 60^th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne as the Queen of Canada and were accompanied by letters from the Governor General. Shown from left to right – Jim Southcott, Bruce Shaw and Peter Twynstra.

On June 12th, local MPP - Monte McNaughton addressed the Rotary Club of Grand Bend and gave the club members an update on events from Queens Park. Monte is the Official Opposition critic for Economics, Development and Innovation.

On May 22nd, the Rotary Club of Grand Bend hosted an informational meeting at the Colonial Hotel for 17 community members in order to find out more about Rotary. The guest speaker was Neil Aitchison, who everyone knows from Drayton Entertainment. Neil who is a longstanding Rotarian from Waterloo talked in his normal humorous manner about volunteerism in the community.Rotarian, John Patterson who organized the event was pleased with the outcome. If anyone wants more information about joining Rotary, call John at 519 238-2392

On September 20^th , Rotary’s District Governor made his annual visit to the Grand Bend club and assisted with the induction of a new member - Chuck Reid. Chuck was previously the Director of Education with the Avon Maitland District School Board. Pictured from left to right – District Governor, Joe Reynolds, Chuck Reid and Randi Ivey, Club President.

You see the Blue Flag flying but do you ever think about the quality of the swimming conditions at the Grand Bend beach?

These volunteer testers do!

As part of the "Clean Water Now" project initiated by Rotary 6 years ago, this group consisting of 16 volunteers assist Lambton Shores with the daily lake water sampling for Grand Bend? Most mornings at about 8 am volunteer testers wade into the lake at 5 different locations on the Grand Bend beach to take water samples - rain or shine. These are then sent by LambtonShores to a lab in London for e-coli testing. The Lambton County Department of Health does this function on Mondays but these local volunteers do this the other 6 days during the main swimming season from mid-June to Labour day. Also the Grand Bend Rotary club  contributed $5,000 to this project  as well as receiving a grant from the Grand Bend Community Foundtion for an additional $5,000 to help with this year's project. 

Another local resident joined the Rotary Club of Grand Bend recently. Cam Taylor (right) who is the President of the Men’s Probus Club is being welcomed by Rotary Club President Hank Krech.

As of the end of June, the Rotary Club of Grand Bend changed it’s executive and incoming President Hank Krech  on the right is seen in the attached photo accepting the gavel from past President – Roger Wallis

Interested in Rotary?

Want to find out more about what Rotary is?

Spend 4 minutes - take a look at this short video presentation - an introduction to the world wide work of Rotary International.

Autumn Indulgence returned to Grand Bend on Saturday, September 17, 2011 and it was a great success.

The 8th annual Autumn Indulgence was a "Royal" event.  Details are available on the autumn indulgence web site.

THANK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR IT'S CONTINUED SUPPORT 

Recently, Bob Hosford from Grandpa Jimmy’s Scottish Bakery in Grand Bend and Tom McCann from Huron Tractor in Exeter were inducted into the Grand Bend Rotary Club by President Roger Wallis (centre)

The Rotary Club of Grand Bend  hosted an extremely interesting  "Evening with Stephen Lewis" at the Huron Country Playhouse on June 24, 2011. There will be more upcoming speakers that Rotary plans to sponsor in the future. Stay tuned!

More details are available - click on "More..." below, 
view the poster here 

Want to Find Out More About the Global Literacy Project - Click HERE

At the June 21st meeting, Rotarian Peter Twynstra was presented with a Special Service Award by the District Governor for his outstanding work with the overseas surplus school supplies project. Also present at that meeting was Charles Deiner, President of the Rotary Club of Middelberg in South Africa whose club helps distribute the supplies to needy schools. 

Log on each week for an update to the ebulletin or send me an email and I will add you to the distribution list. If you would like to attend one of our meetings come out any Tuesday at 6:00 pm

You are on the Grand Bend Rotary website http://www.grandbendrotary.com . Please    logon to this website regularly in order to keep posted on various local Rotary activities.