Newsletter April 2024 - Rotary Club of D6330 Passport

Rotary International President, Gordon McInally (Scotland) District 6330 Governor, Sonja Glass (Meaford, Ontario) Club President, Sue Storie (2023-24)

District website: https://rotary6330.org/

The Calendar below shows Rotary’s new 2023-24 monthly themes.

ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES

Month

Theme

July Maternal and Child Health

August Membership and New Club Development

September Basic Education and Literacy

October Economic and Community Development

November Rotary Foundation

December Disease Prevention and Treatment

January Vocational Service

February Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution

March Water and Sanitation

April Environment

May Youth Service

June Rotary Fellowships

ComingEvents

THE ENVIRONMENT

Month of April

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING ONLINE

Wednesday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time

PAULHARRIS’BIRTHDAY

Paul Harris was born on 19 April 1868, in Racine, Wisconsin, USA.

HAPPY CHATS ONLINE – JOIN US!

Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time

EARTH DAY – APRIL 22

Click here to take a short CLIMATE QUIZ.

DISTRICT 6330 CONFERENCE

June 21-23, 2024 – Owen Sound, Ontario

CLUB CHANGEOVER EVENT

July 6, 2024

Rotary Anthem

Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem!

Click here for We are the World.

IMPORTANT ROTARY INFORMATION

2023-24 RI PRESIDENTIAL THEME

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, 2023-24

Gordon R. McInally Scotland

Rotary International President, 2023-24

The change within

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT APRIL 2024 MESSAGE

These are times that cry out for peace. The Middle East is in its most volatile condition in years. The war in Ukraine is the largest in Europe since World War II, and there are armed conflicts in Sudan and parts of Central Africa. Nearly every continent is experiencing a major armed conflict.

Rotary has a vital role to play in advancing the cause of peace – I often say Rotary needs to work toward peace as aggressivel as those who wish to wage war. It’s the spirit found in our vision statement: “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”

We must never lose track of that last call – that to bring about change in the world, we need to foster change within

It is up to us to mode peacebuioding behaviour among each other. We can o better than questioning the motives of one another and jumping to the harshest possible explanation. After hearing words that might strain or offend us, we have an opportunity to ask, with compassion and curiosity, the intent of those offending words. And then we have another opportunity to repair the breach.

If we wish to be a beacon to the worl, let us start by being so to one another Let’s help each other find greater understanding and productive alternatives to words that cause hurt and distrust. And let’s stick to our principles, but never doubt the sincerity of each other to end conflics, not inflame them.

I’m reminded of a speech that U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy made on 4 April 1968, that dreadful day when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Kennedy was in Indianapolis speaking to an audience in a predominantly African Anerican neighbourhood where people had yet to learn that Dr. King had been killed.

He shared the terrible news. He honoured Dr. King for all he had done for the cause of justice and peace. An then he conneted with the fuming, grieving crowd by saying: “For those of you who are Black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and distrust at the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I can only say that I feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed.” It was the first time he had spoken publicly about President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. And while many American cities exploded in violence that night, Indianapolis did not.

It is in times of crisis and despair that we need empathy most of all. Empathy is the most powerful tool of peace, and it is vital if we are to take the first brave, humble steps to Create Hope in the World.

R. Gordon R. McInally President, Rotary International

PLAN TO DONATE TODAY TO The Rotary Foundation (TRF) – the engine that runs Rotary!

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR

APRIL 2024 - MESSAGE

To make change, just get started

For many, the Bahamas is a place to escape colder climes, relax on white-sand beaches, and snorkel in clear, turquoise waters. For me, it’s hom. I grew up sailing on these waters and to this day, anytime I can, I am out on the water with family and friends. It’s where my heart is.

The environmental threats my country is facing are real. Our coral reefs, vital for biodiversity, are in danger due to warming seas and pollution. Hurricanes and tropical storms seem to get more intense with each passing year Rising sea leels pose an existential threat to the Bahamas, eroding our beautiful coastlines as saltwater intrudes on our precious and limited freshwater resources.

Late last year, I was fortunate to represent Rotary at COP28, the United Nations climate change convention in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The consensus coming out of the meeting was that progress on addressing climate change has been too slow. Participants said the world needs to pick up the pace to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help communities become more resilient to climate change, and better support countries that are most vulnerable to it.

Rotary can be part of the solution.

As you know, protecting the environment is one of Rotary’s areas of focus. Many clubs are active in their communities with projects such as beach and roadside cleanups. With The Rotary Foundation, you can increase your impact by pooling resources with clubs and disricts around the world. Foundation grants let you put the generous contributions of your fellow Rotary members to work to make the world better.

Imagine the possibilities. Perhaps Rotary districts in Canada and Australia could protect wetlands in New South Wales in Australia. Rotary leaders from Brazil, India, and Taiwan could lead grant projects to train farmers in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in sustainable agriculture. Rotary and Rotaract clubs from the Bahamas, South Africa, and New York could work with their districts to help my country restore its natural resources, one reef or mangrove at a time.

The problems our environment faces seem overwhelming until you realize that many are fixable. There are so many ways to help through Rotary. Even if we don’t lead a grant or volunteer on the project, we can all help protect the environment through our giving to the Foundation.

Rotary can’t save the planet all by itself. But as our progress in ending polio proves, Rotary’s impact is treat when we put our vision for a better world in motion, and just get started.

BARRY RASSIN Foundation Trustee Chair

SERVICE ABOVE SELF – THE OBJECT OF ROTARY

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

FIRST – The developmenbt of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.

SECOND – High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society.

THIRD – The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life.

FOURTH – The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.

How do you want to get involved in the causes you’re most passionate about?

FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT MONTH OF APRIL

We are committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment.

7TH AREA OF FOCUS

In June of 2020, Rotary International announced a new area of focus. Protecting the Environment

THE ENVIRONMENT: ROTARY’S NEWEST AREA OF FOCUS

In June 2020 The Rotary Foundation Trustees and the Rotary International Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the Environment as the seventh Area of Focus. In January, 2021, they finalized the policy detailing the kinds of projects that will now become eligible for Global Grants. The Rotary Foundation began accepting grant proposals in July, 2021. As the Foundation prepares to support the new Area of Focus, you can read an overview here.

Eligible projects cover an array of fields:

• Protecting and restoring land, coastal, marine, and freshwater resources

• Enhancing the capacity of communities and local governments to support natural resource management and conservation

• Supporting agroecology and sustainable agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture practices to improve ecological health

• Addressing the causes of climate change and climate disruption and supporting solutions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases

• Strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and communities affected by climate change and climate disruption

• Supporting education to promote behaviors that protect the environment

• Advocating for the sustainable consumption of products and the environmentally sound management of byproducts to build a more resource-efficient economy

• Addressing environmental justice issues and environmental public health concerns

The Foundation has published Global Grant Policy guidelines, for the Area of the Focus for the Environment, which you can download the new policy here.

Rotary Past President Ian Riseley posted this picture on his Facebook page June 26, 2020, with this joyful news:

“The Trustees and Directors have unanimously accepted our recommendation to create a 7th Area of Focus of our Rotary Foundation, being the Environment. As Chair of the Task Force that put together and argued for this decision, I’m enormously proud today. This photo is of the four Trustees, one Director, and one Rotaracter who comprised the Task Force, plus the outstanding and dedicated staff who assisted us in arriving at our recommendation. Congratulations, team, we just made Rotary history!”

ESRAG supported the creation of a new and unique Area of Focus for the Environment, and our directors and members are thrilled by this decision.

ESRAG and its regional chapters are providing an array of online webinars to share lore from sustainability work all around the world. Many include talks from internationally renowned scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, and journalists. In addition, ESRAG’s task forces and teams are available for technical assistance to members of the Rotary family on projects such as renewable energy, carbon offsets, and Project Drawdowninformed solutions.

Click here to read more about how ESRAG and Rotary’s Environment Area of Focus is evolving.

LAKE HURON AND THE LIFE-GIVING GIFTOF WATER

Allan McKeown*

We live in the Great Lakes Basin, an ecological area that contains an astonishing 20% or more of all the surface fresh water on the planet. All that water allows many millions of people on both sides of the border to live and prosper and it supports millions of species of plants, fish, insects and animals.

When my wife and I left N. Ireland in 1972 to come to Sarnia we were apprehensive about coming to an area that had a reputation for poor air and water quality. We had heard reports a few years earlier that Lake Erie was a biological dead zone.

Since then, however, Lake Erie’s water quality has rebounded and Sarnia’s air quality has improved along with an impressive reduction in pollution of the St. Clair River.

One of the greatest attractions for people moving to Sarnia is magnificent Lake Huron, the second largest of the Great Lakes. I have always been drawn to water. My father taught me to swim in the Irish Sea and swimming in the Lake brings me great joy during the summer.

As well as their natural beauty, Lake Huron and the St. Clair River provide the drinking water for a great many communities and they sustain many industries, including fishing and tourism.

* Allan McKeown is a member of Climate Action Sarnia-Lambton.

The Vikingbank of Delfzijl is anchored on Lake Huron off Canatara Park in this Journal file photo. (Glenn Ogilvie)

We tend to take all that water for granted. Unlike Western Canada, which is experiencing a severe drought with no relief in sight, we often don’t think twice about watering our lawns and washing our vehicles. These activities could be banned in some areas in the future as they are in Australia.

Climate change is contributing to the West’s water woes as glaciers melt and rivers and groundwater levels recede. What about here? How is climate change impacting Lake Huron?

One obvious impact is the lack of winter ice. Winter storms now have free reign to batter the shoreline, speeding up shoreline erosion and driving up the costs to property owners and taxpayers to mitigate the destruction. What actions should we be considering?

Ice cover protects the lake and the shoreline. With ice cover the Sun’s radiant heat is reflected back into the atmosphere. The unprotected lake now is able to absorb the sun’s heat. Rising water temperatures lead to more evaporation and hence Winter and Spring have become wetter. Warmer water can also disrupt the biological balance of the lake. One example is the decline in whitefish populations as they require cold water and ice cover to successfully spawn.

Rising water temperatures also increase the risk of algal overgrowth which can make water undrinkable and lead to mass fish deaths. This problem has occurred in the recent past in Lake Erie and prompted the citizens of Toledo to pass the Lake Erie Bill of Rights which grants the lake legal rights and protections. In some other countries, rivers and lakes have been granted “legal personhood” allowing lawsuits to be brought against polluters on behalf of the river or lake.

We must become informed of the risks of climate change and pollution to Lake Huron. That is why Climate Action Sarnia Lambton has invited Pat Donnelly of the Lake Huron Coastal Centre to present “Tackling Climate Change on Lake Huron.” This presentation was held on Tuesday March 12 at 7:00 p m at the downtown Sarnia library theatre.

To read and learn more, click here.

Click here to view a short video of Sarnia-Lambton.

GRANT INFORMATION 2024/2025 - DISTRICT 6330

It is time to start thinking about your club’s District Grant Project for the next Rotary Year. District Grants can provide up to $3000 USD and can support projects such as:

• Local or international service projects

• Scholarships for any educational level

• Rotary Youth Exchange, RYLA, Rotary Friendship Exchange, Rotaract, Interact, and New Generations Service Exchange programs

• Microcredit activities when working with a registered microfinance institution that has operated for at least three years to administer loan programs.

YES! You can apply for a District Grant to help fund your club’s participation in Youth Exchange.

• OR you can apply for a District Grant to provide some leadership training to your Interactors.

• OR you can apply for a District Grant to help support students graduating from high school and entering a post-secondary program.

In fact, you could combine all three activities and do a District Grant Application to support youth in your community.

If your club is qualified and your District Grant Application is approved, you could receive $3000 back in grant funds on a $9000 USD project!

Pool resources. You can work together with other Rotary Clubs in District 6330 and pool your resources to complete larger scale projects.

• If you are submitting a grant request on behalf of multiple clubs, you only need to submit the application form once, and there must be one main sponsoring club.

• The main sponsoring club must be qualified to complete the application.

• Each participating Rotary Club is eligible for the $3 000 USD grant on a $9 000 USD project.

• So, if 5 clubs work together, you could complete a $45 000 project at a cost of only $6 000 to each club.

Get ideas! Start talking! So, start some conversations with your club members. Get ideas! What do YOU want to do this coming Rotary year in your local or international community?

• At least 2 club members must be qualified before a District Grant application can be submitted.

• To qualify they must complete a course and successfully pass a short quiz.

• Get full details here: https://rotary6330.org/page/district-grant-management-course-(2024-2025)

• Full Applications must be submitted by May 30, 2024.

If you have any questions please contact:

Pat Cavan, District Grants Committee Chair 2024/2025 patriciacavan@gmail.com

The Rotary Foundation Canada

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Raise for Rotary is a platform that allows individuals, clubs, and districts to create online fundraisers that benefit The Rotary Foundation. It is a great way to celebrate personal events and special occasions. Organizers can share their fundraisers through social media, email, and text, so family, friends, colleagues, and supporters can donate online.

The Raise for Rotary site will notify you immediately when a donation is made. You can send a note of thanks to the individual. The Foundation sends the official thank you donation notification and tax receipt.

The site can easily be updated with thank you notes, flyers, photos and videos, or just about any information you’d like to include. It’s so easy to keep the site updated with new information. Adding major gifts is a breeze.

External non-Rotary fundraising platforms charge fees and donors do not receive Paul Harris recognition points. By using our own platform, the funds you raise go directly toward Doing Good in the World.

For further information visit https://raise.rotary.org/ FAQs

https://raise.rotary.org/faq #trfCanada #rotary #raiseforrotary

U.N. INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

World Autism Awareness Day

Tuesday, April 2

International Day of Conscience

Friday, April 5

World Health Day

Sunday, April 7

International Mother Earth Day

Monday, April 22

World Immunization Week

Wednesday, 24 April – Tuesday, 30 April

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace

Wednesday, April 24

International Girls in ICT Day (Information, Communication, and Technology)

Thursday, April 25

Click here to view a short video.

World Malaria Day

Thursday, April 25

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Sunday, April 28

International Jazz Day

Monday, April 30

Click here for a sample of fascinating rhythm

Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates:

• Pakistan: two WPV1 cases and 21 positive environmental samples

• Burkina Faso: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample

• DR Congo: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample

• Guinea: one cVDPV2 case and 11 cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

• Mali: one cVDPV2 case

• Mauritania: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample

• Nigeria: three cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

• Somalia: one cVDPV2 case

• Yemen: two cVDPV2 cases

• Zimbabwe: four cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

For more information, click here - http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/

Click here to learn the difference between Wild Polio Virus (WPV) and Vaccine-derived Polio Virus. (VDPV)

SUDAN - Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) will launch a polio vaccination campaign in April 2024 in response to a new emergence of variant poliovirus type 2 reported in January 2024.

It was detected in six wastewater samples collected from September 2023 to January 2024 in the Port Sudan locality, Red Sea State.

Read more

In Pakistan - Two Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases were reported from Dera Bugti and Chaman districts of Balochistan, Pakistan. The cases had onset of paralysis on 22 February 2024 and 29 February 2024. The virus isolated from the cases are linked to the YB3A cluster that was detected in environmental samples in Quetta and Chaman in 2023. Outbreak response to the detected cases in Balochistan and recent environmental detections from other districts are ongoing with a polio vaccination campaign taking place from 25-28 March in polio-affected districts in Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab. Eradication efforts, particularly surveillance in the endemic areas where no cases linked to YB3C cluster have been reported since September 2023, continue to be intensified, particularly as the country is currently in the ‘low transmission season’ for poliovirus.

PAUL ALEXANDER, OLDEST IRON LUNG AND POLIO SURVIVOR DIES AT 78

Polio survivor and eradication advocate, Paul Alexander has passed away at the age of 78, after living in an iron lung for over 70 years. Paul contracted polio in 1952 when he was six and the disease left him unable to breathe independently leading to his placement in an iron lung.

Watch this short video

Despite his physical constraints, Paul obtained a law degree, wrote a memoir, and was a strong advocate for polio eradication.

Click here to read and learn more.

Click here to view a short video – Paul’s brother is “honoured” to be his brother.

Click here for another short review of Paul’s life.

Source – Gates Notes

Make Polio History

We have a historic opportunity to get to zero cases, but if we don’t keep working, polio could quickly make a comeback, paralyzing hundreds of thousands of children again in our lifetime. The GPEI has the knowledge and tools to end polio for good, but we need your help to finish the job.

Join the Make Polio History campaign by raising your voice in support of polio eradication to tell donors, polio-affected country governments and other global partners that eradication is possible and urgently needed now.

Click here or the graphic at right to view a short inspiring video -

The WASH Rotary Action Group was formed in 2007 by a group of Rotarians, recognized by Rotary International, and focused on WASH projects. Since then, it has facilitated many hundreds of projects – helping clubs find partners, ensuring sustainability, stressing the importance of a needs-driven approach, and developing best practices.

We encourage a holistic, integrated approach in which water is not the end in itself but is rather the means to a better life and livelihood in the community.

Most importantly, WASH Rotary Action Group links water and sanitation to improved hygiene, better health, and empowerment of the community – especially women, irrigation and agriculture, education and literacy and, ultimately, child mortality.

Click here to read how the Environmental Action Group deepens one woman’s interest in Rotary. ESRAG isn’t the reason she joined Rotary, but it’s the reason she stayed.

ENVIRONMENT

Areas of Focus Policy Statements (October 2020)

Rotary supports activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance environmental sustainability, and foster harmony between people and the environment.

Area of Focus Statement of Purpose, Goals, and Parameters for Eligibility

The Rotary Foundation enables Rotary members to protect, preserve, and conserve the environment by:

1. Protecting and restoring land, coastal, marine, and freshwater resources

a. Protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems and improving their resiliency through initiatives such as promoting reforestation, preventing deforestation, planting native vegetation, restoring habitats, and removing invasive plant and animal species

b. Preserving biodiversity by protecting and restoring habitats, conserving native species, removing invasive plant and animal species, conserving and protecting endangered species, and preventing poaching and the illegal wildlife trade

c. Supporting strategies and targeted initiatives to improve aquifer and groundwater recharging, water conservation, water quality, sanitation, and watershed management (adhering to the policy statements and guidelines for the water, sanitation, and hygiene area of focus)

d. Protecting and restoring coastal, marine, and freshwater ecosystems through initiatives such as habitat restoration, protecting and propagating native plant and animal species, removing invasive plant and animal species, addressing overfishing, pollution, coastal erosion and ocean acidification

2. Enhancing the capacity of communities and local governments to support natural resource management and conservation

a. Developing peacebuilding and conflict prevention initiatives related to the management and use of natural resources (adhering to the policy statements and guidelines for the peacebuilding and conflict prevention area of focus)

b. Mitigating human-wildlife conflict through ecologically sound and peaceful resolutions c. Training and educating communities in conservation and resource management to preserve, protect, and sustainably use natural resources

3. Supporting agroecology and sustainable agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture practices to improve ecological health

a. Creating awareness of and supporting ecologically viable agriculture through activities such as regenerative agriculture, conservation agriculture, managed grazing, silvopasture, and tree intercropping

b. Supporting sustainable fisheries and ecologically sound aquaculture (adhering to the policy statements and guidelines for the community economic development area of focus)

c. Promoting the use of traditional and Indigenous knowledge in agricultural, land, ocean, and natural resource management practices

d. Improving food security through sustainable agricultural, aquacultural, and fishing methods, enhanced local food production and consumption, reduction of food waste, and equitable access to high-quality food

4. Addressing the causes of climate change and climate disruption and supporting solutions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases

a. Providing access to locally sourced, renewable energy, including solar, methane-capture, and small-scale wind and hydropower systems, as part of holistic interventions to mitigate climate change and disruption

b. Providing clean-cooking technologies as part of a holistic approach to reduce or eliminate the burning of biomass and fossil fuels that results in deforestation, degraded land, or increased air pollution

c. Supporting the transition to sustainable, energy-efficient transportation modes through holistic urban and regional planning, education, or infrastructure changes

5. Strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and communities affected by climate change and climate disruption

a. Supporting adaptation and resiliency strategies for ecosystems and communities affected by climate-related events, with an emphasis on vulnerable segments of the population

6. Supporting education to promote behaviors that protect the environment

a. Supporting environmental education programming in schools that aligns with local government curriculum (adhering to the policy statements and guidelines for the basic education and literacy area of focus)

b. Promoting community-based environmental education, environmental awareness and advocacy initiatives, and strategies to facilitate engagement and behavior change to support environmentally sustainable living, environmental protection, and sustainable development

7. Advocating for the sustainable consumption of products and the environmentally sound management of byproducts to build a more resource-efficient economy

a. Supporting community planning efforts to strengthen circular economies through composting, recycling, upcycling, and repurposing programs (for solid waste management projects, adhering to the policy statements and guidelines for the water, sanitation, and hygiene area of focus)

b. Promoting efficient food consumption by reducing food waste by local businesses and households

8. Addressing environmental justice issues and environmental public health concerns

a. Addressing adverse environmental public health impacts in communities through education, outreach, and advocacy

b. Eliminating and reducing exposure to environmental toxins in homes, schools, and communities within vulnerable and marginalized populations

c. Increasing equitable access to organic, healthy, and nutritious food for vulnerable and marginalized populations

Projects that do not seek to achieve a positive, measurable, and sustainable impact on the environment would not be eligible for global grant funding within the protecting the environment area of focus.

A successful global grant project requires a comprehensive and holistic approach to resolving specific issues that have a harmful effect on the environment.

The Rotary Foundation considers the following standalone activities to be outside the scope of the area of focus and not eligible for global grant funding:

1. Community beautification projects

2. Single-event training or education sessions

3. Single-event river, beach, or habitat clean-ups

4. Tree plantings that are not part of a larger ecological framework and strategy

5. Crematories as a stand-alone equipment and infrastructure purchase or installation without a holistic project design that aims to achieve specific and measurable positive environmental impacts

6. Nature therapy

7. Food distribution programs

8. Outdoor recreational activities

9. Projects that involve only building infrastructure, purchasing equipment, or training in how to use that equipment

Note: This list is not a complete list of ineligible activities.

For more information on project design requirements, refer to the Environment Guidelines for Global Grant Funding.

ROTARY’S CORE VALUES

WHAT IS ROTARY?

Do you need a make-up? missed meetings? To learn about other Rotary clubs?

The Passport Club members are encouraged to join local (and other) clubs to learn more about Rotary, get to know other Rotarians, gain a new perspective and appreciation for Rotary and Rotarians. Here is a list of online clubs where you can earn a make-up along with learning a whole lot more about Rotary! Why not visit them all?

• Rotary E-Club of Canada One – Rotary On Demand, Where you want, When you want!

• Rotary Club of One World

• Rotary E-Club of World Peace

Click here to attend this week’s posted meeting of E-Club of Canada One. These meetings are posted online and available 24/7!

Club President for 2023-24 – Sue Storie

Continue to stay tuned, engaged, and plan to participate!

OUR CLUB PROJECTS

HELPING MIGRANT WORKERS

The Passport Club of District 6330 is happy to be continuing our successful service project, Backpacks for Migrant Workers. More information to follow.

North Lambton Community Health Care created the Migrant Worker Project to support the 700 migrant workers working in Sarnia and Lambton County Our club is working with the Project Coordinator, Andrea Jones-Peper, by providing backpacks for newly arriving workers.

We will fill the backpacks with items requested by workers, such as toiletries. Our club will request a district grant to increase our impact.

A GREAT SUCCESS – CUP OF KINDNESS

We also are continuing our successful club project – a Cup of Kindness. The club chose to make a substantial impact on reducing food insecurity with a project aimed at raising funds for Food Banks in our individual communities.

Each member will “fill a Cup of Kindness" by filling a cup or two cups (or more) with coins, hopefully loonies and toonies, then donating the funds to their local food bank. Or choose to make donations directly to those in need. Donations should be rewarded with a tax receipt. The results will be tallied regularly. With the success of this project, we are planning to keep it going.

Rotarians, friends, and relatives are encouraged to help members fill the cups in support of this excellent project!

Some useful links

London Food Bank

Strathroy

Sarnia – Inn of the Good Shepherd Stratford

For last month’s meeting, focusing on Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, Rotarian Bev presented information on the value of Biosand filters to help individuals and families in vulnerable communities to have clean, potable water. Thank you, Bev!

For those unfamiliar with what a biosand filter is, click here to view a short video that will help explain.

BIOSAND FILTER AND LAYERS

An overview†

Biosand filters are a type of point-of-use water treatment system designed to remove pathogens, suspended solids, and other contaminants from water. They are typically made of concrete or plastic and contain layers of sand and gravel through which water passes. Here's a brief overview of biosand filters and their usage:

1. Principle of Operation: Water is poured into the top of the filter and percolates through the sand and gravel layers. Physical, biological, and chemical processes occur within the filter media, which remove impurities from the water. Pathogens are trapped and die off due to predation, competition, and other mechanisms.

2. Removal Mechanisms: Biosand filters primarily remove pathogens through mechanisms such as mechanical trapping, predation by microorganisms living in the filter, adsorption, and natural die-off. Additionally, suspended solids are filtered out as water passes through the sand and gravel layers.

3. Effectiveness: When properly constructed and maintained, biosand filters can significantly improve the microbiological quality of water, making it safer for drinking and other household uses. They are particularly effective at removing common waterborne pathogens like bacteria, protozoa, and some viruses.

† Information on biosand filters provided by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. For further details, consult reliable sources on biosand filters and water treatment technologies.

4. Applicability: Biosand filters are suitable for use in areas where access to clean water is limited, such as rural communities in developing countries or in emergency situations following natural disasters. They are cost-effective, low-maintenance, and do not require electricity, making them ideal for resource-constrained settings.

5. Maintenance: Regular maintenance is essential to ensure the continued effectiveness of biosand filters. This includes periodic cleaning of the filter media, removal of accumulated sediments, and replacement of worn-out components. Proper training and community engagement are often necessary to promote sustained use and maintenance of the filters.

6. Community Impact: Biosand filters can have significant positive impacts on public health by reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases. Access to clean water can also improve overall well-being, educational outcomes, and economic productivity within communities.

In summary, biosand filters are simple yet effective devices for treating water at the household level. They provide a sustainable solution for improving access to clean water in resource-constrained environments, helping to alleviate waterborne diseases and improve overall quality of life.

Also, in honour of International Women’s Day, March 8, a short video was presented – INFORM WOMEN, TRANSFORM LIVES.

Click here to view the video again

A question was raised regarding a comparison between the biosand filters and AquaBox. Here is a summary:

Aquabox provides safe drinking water and humanitarian aid to people affected by natural disasters, extreme weather, and conflicts.

Millions of people around the world don’t have access to clean water for drinking, cooking or washing. A single Aquabox family filter can convert up to half a million litres of polluted water into safe, clean water – and give some of those desperate people the hope of a better life.

Aquabox: clean water in a crisis.

Click here to learn and read more about Aquabox.

For your information - Rotary Club of Stratford gets involved in support of Aquabox -

“The AQUABOX project was adopted in 2006. Since then, we have built and shipped over 12,000 units, enough to provide more than 62 million litres of clean drinking water!”

Click here to learn more about their involvement

4 Questions about water and sanitation in Haiti with Jeremy Hurst

Jeremy Hurst HANWASH initiative chair

Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

1. What is HANWASH?

HANWASH stands for Haiti National Clean Water, Sanitation, and Health Strategy. It’s an initiative by Rotary District 7020 and DINEPA, Haiti’s water and sanitation agency. Our goal is that by 2030, every person in Haiti will have access to clean water and adequate sanitation, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

2. How did the initiative come about?

As a district, we’ve always felt responsible for taking the challenges of Haiti head on. I’m in one of the wealthiest places in the world the Cayman Islands. It’s stable socially and politically. Other countries in our district, like the Bahamas, are also quite wealthy. But then there’s Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. Our Rotarian friends are in the middle of that.

Rotary President Barry Rassin is from our district. We’ve got real credibility in Haiti, especially because of our work in response to the 2010 earthquake. When I was district governor in 2013-14, we did a lot of great projects in a lot of different locations. But it wasn’t coordinated. It struck me that we could be more successful if we worked together on a national scale.

We had a meeting in summer 2017 to bring groups to the table and open discussion. Thankfully, the planets aligned Robert Léger, then-governor of District 7020, was a well-respected Rotarian from Haiti, and the immediate past president of the Rotary Club of Petion-Ville, Jack Guy Lafontant, had just become prime minister of Haiti. Unfortunately, he’s no longer in office, but that’s part of the reason we need HANWASH, for continuity and stability.

3. What have you accomplished so far?

We held a two-day workshop in January in the business district of Port-au-Prince. We knew the uphill task we had. Our game plan was to use this event to seriously engage all stakeholders, but especially DINEPA. It was the one party we knew we had to catch if we were going to make this work. By the second day, we had signed a memorandum of agreement to significantly increase areas with drinking water. We talked about how we would need all of our financial investment to be measurable and transparent. We would require partner nongovernmental organizations to sign the framework agreement. It was important to DINEPA, because they felt a lot of NGOs go and do their own thing, which undermines effective coordination.

We also established a subcommittee of HANWASH to build trust and relationships with the individual members of DINEPA. It was quite difficult for them to get their heads around what Rotary was. It was a learning experience for us, as well. We, and they, too, realized how unique Rotary is.

4. What’s next for HANWASH?

We picked four pilot communes [municipalities], and we have just received project proposals for each from DINEPA. The total value is $3 million. They’re primarily focused on urban water systems that are greatly in need of repair, replacement, or expansion. Global grants are likely to be our main funding mechanism, so we’re going to evaluate these using The Rotary Foundation’s best practices. And we’ll make sure WASRAG, the Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group, looks at them.

We also have seed funds in our district accounts and a Haiti donor advised fund. We recently signed funding for our partner NGO, Haiti Outreach, to map each of these four communes for existing water resources so we know which are functional and potable, and which are not.

We’ll start with four, and we want to show we can provide water and sanitation to everyone. That in itself is a massive project. As time goes on and we get the systems and organizational structure in place, we’ll scale up from four to six to 18 and eventually all 145 communes in the country.

Read more stories from The Rotarian

DISTRICT 6330 CONFERENCE

June 21-23, 2024

Plant a Seed

https://d6330conference.org/

DISTRICT 6330 CONFERENCE

June 21-23, 2024

Owen Sound

Cobble Beach is Georgian Bay’s Extraordinary Waterfront Gold Resort Community, with an awardwinning 18-hole links-style golf course designed by Doug Carrick and a Nantucket-style clubhouse home to the Inn, Spa, Pro Shop and renowned Sweetwater Restaurant.

July 6, 2024

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR OUR CHANGEOVER IN JULY

This summer social will be held to celebrate the change-over of our Presidents – from current President Sue to upcoming President, Mariann.

Details to be announced, but the gettogether will be set for the afternoon so that members can arrive and depart well within the daylight hours.

SENDING A PASSPORT HUG

To Rotarian Jessica who manages her busy life with grace and charm.

Recently married to Charles, mother to how many? Lovely family!

And turning a MILESTONE age! Four decades?

All members of the Rotary Club share in sending you a Passport Hug to brighten your day!

with best wishes from All of us!

Party – Party – Party

CLUB OFFICERS

President Sue Storie

Secretary (President-elect) Mariann Timmers

Treasurer

Membership Chair

Project Chair

Directors

Lynn Coates

Deb Beaupré

Bev Andersen

Rick Storie

Kitty Bucsko

MEMBERSHIP LIST BELOW –CLUB MEMBERS LIST WITH EMAIL ADDRESSES

A.C. Alrey acalrey@gmail.com

Bev Andersen bandersen181@gmail.com

Deb Beaupré Debmarjean@gmail.com

Terry Bennett terbenn@gmail.com

Rich Bouchard rbouchard@racetoerase.com

Kitty Bucsko ladykitt@gmail.com

Marilyn Buttery marilyn@buttery.com

Lynn Coates lynn.coates.1@outlook.com

Brittany Elliott Brittany.Lyn.Elliott@Hotmail.com

Sue Elliott Susan@sutherlandelliott.ca

Wendy Jennings wendy.jennings@bell.net

Heather Macdonald heathermac@BMTS.com

Jessica Morrow jessicacmorrow@gmail.com

George Ottewell george.ottewell@gmail.com

Nancy Ottewell nottewell@gmail.com

Nancy Powers nancypowers607@hotmail.com

Rick Storie rick.storie@sympatico.ca

Sue Storie sue.storie@sympatico.ca

Lynne Ternosky lynneternosky@gmail.com

Mariann Timmers GTimmers@aol.com

John Wade john@askthedogguy.com

Why should someone join Rotary? Click here for a short, important video.

Remember our Happy Chats – get to know our club members!

Join the Happy Chats – get to know our club members!

Happy Chats are online now only on Wednesdays

Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. -ish – Join us!

Join your Rotary friends for an informal 30 minute get together.

Chat about “stuff” – and what’s important to you. Let’s get to know our members!

Plan to join our Zoom Meetings! Click here.

LISTEN TO THIS STUDENT’S FOUR-WAY TEST SPEECH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPi9bwT0dHk

Right click the 4-way test above to open and listen to the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

2023-24 Rotary Theme

WHY ROTARY?

Rotarian Sir

Nicholas Winton saved hundreds of children

at risk of being killed by the Nazis in the lead up to World War II

By Dave King

“If something is not impossible, there must be a way to do it,” Rotarian Sir Nicholas Winton once said. Known to his friends as “Nicky,” the British stockbroker rescued hundreds of predominantly Jewish children from the Holocaust in the months leading up to World War II. Winton, who died in 2015 at the age of 106, is now the subject of a new film, “One Life,” starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham Carter. It was released in January 2024 in the United Kingdom.

The film tells the true story of how Winton rescued 669 children from the Nazi advance and found homes for them in the United Kingdom. During a visit to Prague, Czechoslovakia, in December 1938, Winton saw numerous families who had fled the spread of Nazism in Germany and Austria. The refugees were living in desperate conditions, with little or no shelter or food, as the German invasion of Czechoslovakia loomed. Winton immediately realized it was a race against time: How many children could he rescue before the borders closed?

Producers Emile Sherman and Iain Canning first contemplated telling Winton’s story when they co-founded SeeSaw Films more than 15 years ago.

“We were very lucky to have had the opportunity to meet Nicholas Winton before he passed away,” Canning says. “He was the most modest, generous human being. [He] felt the film should not glorify him, but celebrate how the most ordinary of people can make a huge impact.”

Click here to read the full article.

Sixty Minutes story

Sir Nicholas Winton – Why Rotary?

A VISUAL OF ROTARY D6330

A Summary of D6330 Areas and AGs

1 North Bruce Peninsula, including Wiarton, Paisley, Southampton, Port Elgin, Saugeen Shores Colin Macdonald

2

3

Western northern Bruce Peninsula, including Clifford, Kincardine, Walkerton, Hanover, Goderich, Mildmay, Goderich Rotaract

Mid-southwestern Ontario, including Drayton, St. Marys, Stratford, Stratford Festival City, Stratford Rotaract, Mitchell,

4 London

London, London East, London Hyde Park, London North, London South, London Lambeth, UWO Rotaract

5

6

Dawn Kennedy

Paul Roulston

Howard Shears

Mike Hurry

Andy Conroy

9

10

https://www.facebook.com/rotary6330passport/

Below, I’m sharing a couple of short videos here – and I hope they will make you smile!

Enjoy! (I think they’re hilarious!) …a seagull incident –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXusaBNctC8 and an explanation -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80I6jBrsRcw

PLEASE CONSIDER BECOMING ONE OF OUR SPONSORS!

REFERENCES

Adams, Randal. Speaking of Rotary. USA: E.J. Press

Dochterman, Cliff. The ABCs of Rotary Evanston, Illinois: Rotary International. (363-EN)

Forward, David C. A Century of Service. The Story of Rotary International. (912-EN)

Rotary Club of Hobart The Rotary Book of Readings. Inspiration to Change the World.

Rotary International. Honoring Our Past: The Words and Wisdom of Paul Harris. Evanston, Illinois: 1996. (925-EN)

Rotary International. Rotary Basics Evanston, Illinois. (595-EN)

Rotary International News. Online.

Rotary Global History Fellowship <https://www.facebook.com/RotaryGlobalHistoryFellowship/ >

Submissions from Club members and social media

Please send Club News and photos (with appropriate IDs) to Editor Kitty at ladykitt@gmail.com