Events

Club members and guests are all welcome to attend.  This Evening Meeting is a social event including an informal meeting where we will discuss some upcoming hands-on volunteer events and new fundraising opportunities.

Any questions or recommendations, please contact Chair at: darlenegaratrotary@gmail.com.

Short Program: Sally Wellman Memorial Garden Update

Louise Daviduck, Executive Director of Campbell River Hospice to present update on the construction of the memorial wall. 
 

Long Program: TV Auction Kickoff

David Heath and Greg Manzulenko to present upcoming November 2023 auction. 
 

All members welcome and encouraged to participate. 

For the upcoming year we plan to host a committees meeting every 6-8 weeks to allow members to learn more about club committee happenings and the various endeavours the Rotary noon club is up to.  

The following/directors/committee chairs will be hosting a table at the upcoming September 13th committee meeting:

• Major Capital Projects (David Tees) 
• Programming (Myriah Foort)
• Membership (John Doucette)
• International (Amy Stevenson)
• TV Auction (Graham Stewart, Greg Manzulenko)

Committee members sit at their respective table and or if part of multiple committees can choose their table to sit at. Members not on one of these committees can sit at any table they are interested to provide feedback to, learn more, or if they are considering joining that committee.

Format of meeting will be quick intro of meeting to intro by President, then overview of committee purpose and upcoming events/plans by Chair to membership group in attendance, 20-25 minute discussion at tables about committee agenda/topic to be discused, then Chair will proivde overview of discussion at table, and next steps for that committee to all attendees.

The purpose of these meetings is to provide awareness to members of the various committees and their purpose, get involved and provide feedback, and join a committee if interested. 

Committees can still continue on with other meetings as required, this one is an open forum for members to learn and get involved, create synergies and have some engaged discussions. 

Any directors or committee chairs who would like to host a table for November or January committee meeting please let the program committee know!

Doors open at 6:30pm and meeting starts at 7:00pm.  We are growing our membership so if there is a future Rotarian that simply cannot get away at lunch but is passionate about community service, please invite them to join us.  All are welcome as our meeting is informal and currently focused on hands on community service opporunities in Campbell River.

For more information contact DarleneGaratRotary@gmail.com

Insight to Action to include a discussion of the results of the 5 year Visioning exercise for our club, and review propsed 2023-2027 vision and strategic plan with a focus on 2023 key priorities of the club. 

See attached proposed 2023-2028 vision and strategic plan as compared to 2018-2023 vision and strategic plan. Some areas have been consolidated or included in vision and values. The 5 key priority areas identified for focus in 2023/24 as determined by club meeting in June 2023. 

President Dan Munroe and Myriah Foort will walk the group through the proposed update, provide time for discussion amongst the tables, and be looking for feedback to finalize the 2023-2027 vision and strategic plan to bring back to the club for approval at a future date. 

All members are invited to Club Board Meetings.

In person Maritime Heritage Centre - Board Room (Enter from the "Lighthouse' outside door), if door locked call or text Ian at 250 287 5952

Virtually on Zoom:

Presenters:

Eric Peterson, The Tula Foundation 

Rute Carvalho, Hakai Institute 

Introduced by:

Karen Johnson
 

Biodiversity of Northern Vancouver Island:

Modern Methods Let Us Look Back 1000s of Years

Summary:
* The northwest coast of Vancouver Island was one of the first areas on the coast to become inhabitable as the glaciers receded at the end of the last Ice Age--perhaps as early as 18,000 years ago.
* We now have a suite of fancy scientific tools to look very carefully at features of the land today which allows us to piece together this early history, including the activities of humans.
* This work--studying Climate and Biodiversity Change in the past--gives us insights into the changes happening today.

Bios:
 

Eric Peterson was born in Port Alberni, then raised and schooled in Saanich. After a varied career in science and technology, he founded the Tula Foundation in 2001 with his wife Christina Munck. Tula, now based in Campbell River, has a large and varied portfolio of programs, including:
* The Hakai Institute, which conducts coastal research based at ecological observatories on Quadra Island and on Calvert Island on the BC Central Coast.
* The Hakai Magazine, which offers compelling stories covering coastal science and societies.
* TulaSalud, which supports public health and community nursing in rural, remote, Indigenous regions of Guatemala.

Rute Carvalho was born and raised in Brazil, in Sao Paulo state. Before immigrating to Canada, she was a professor at the University of Vila Velha, and her research was focused on phylogenomics of frogs endemic to the Atlantic rainforest. In 2016 Rute moved to Ontario and started to work with population genomics on a variety of organisms ranging from protozoan to polar bears, developing new protocols for non-invasive sampling and population monitoring. Nowadays, Rute is the Genomics lab manager at Hakai Institute, and works mostly with environmental DNA (another kind of non-invasive sampling method) developing protocols, but also kept working with population genetics from organisms that inhabit the West Coast rainforest - black and brown bears, and hazelnut trees.

The Tula Foundation

Hakai Institute

Satellite Club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month.  Networking at 630 with the formal meeting starting at 7pm.  Social agenda with a focus on brainstorming hands-on community projects, unique and fun fundraisers, and growing 'Evening Club' membership.  If you know someone who is interested in Rotary but just can't do lunch, please invite them to join us and find out more about the 'Evening Club'.

Short Program: 1 Graham Stewart will be inducting two new members to our Rotary club, Rodger Martin and Donald Lloyd. 
Short Program: 2 Student of the Month

Long Program: Anne-Lise Loomer, MA, CFRE, Senior Development Officer, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Victoria will be presenting about "her life as a polio eradicator", providing a snap shot of her time with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and how working with Rotary inspired her to write her masters thesis on the importance of civil society groups like Rotary in the fight against global challenges like disease eradication.

Bio to be presented by President Dan Munroe: 

Originally from Victoria, BC, Anne-Lise completed her degree in political science and history at UVic in 1996; always motivated to one day work for the United Nations in the field of  International Development, Anne-Lise got her chance in August 2000, when she was started a new position at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland as the Interagency Coordinator for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Over her decade long career, she managed a diverse donor portfolio and worked with a broad array of partners and stakeholders to raise funds towards the programme's annual US$1 billion budget.

Anne-Lise specifically worked to identify country-level funding opportunities in polio priority countries and work with WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International regional and country representatives to mobilize support for outbreak response and polio immunization days. Her work with Rotary International inspired her to pursue her master’s degree in political science at UBC, writing about Rotary’s pivotal role in polio eradication in her thesis entitled: The growth in civil society involvement with the UN system: a study of disease eradication programmes in 2006.

Returning to Canada in 2012 for family reasons, Anne-Lise now leads the fundraising efforts for UVic’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, including the faculty’s $133 million expansion of its facilities.

Short Program: Don Buchner (Executive Director) of Wheels for Wellness Society to speak about organization and services offered. Wheels for Wellness is a non-profit registered charity run by donation that provides transportation for those who require it to attend medical specialist appointments outside the Comox Valley. 

Long Program: Kelly Petz, owner and operator of Jazzercise Campbell River, is a conistent donor to the Rotary TV Auction and has agreed to come speak to our club about her story in starting up her business, what keeps her going, testimonials from her clients, and the importance of keeping active and moving your body, stress management, and the social benefits of fitness activities.

Insight to Action to follow: discussion amongst our tables about how our members stay active, manage stress, and what fills their bucket. 

Long Program: Polio Eradication and Pumpkins for Polio Auction Kick off with Pieter Koeleman & Gary McLelan 

Short Program: N/A

Note: Vote to approve changing project funding from $7,500 to $10,000 for CR Beacon Club for Kitchen

Long Program: Annual Pumpkins for Polio Auction.

Auctioneer Todd Peachey.  

Auction items include decorated pumpkins and other pumpkin/fall art items. 

All funds raised matched by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Vote: $25,000 to RiverCity Inclusion Society for Renovations of a Space at 1153 Greenwood Street

Short Program: Rotary Student of the Month for October - Campbell River Christian School

Short Program 2: Christmas Giving program presented by Darlene Garat, Director of Community Services. Includes seniors gift cards and Christmas packages for youth at risk. 

Long program: Vietnam Education Initiative - Mark & Thanh Tazumi

Mark and Thanh Tazumi will present the ICO Vietnam Education Initiative, see link below for more information. Through this project Canadian sponsors and donors (including local Rotarians) provided scholarships for 31 post-secondary students last year. They overview their trip to Vietnam from July to September 2023 and activities with students, including graduation celebrations. They will highlight a couple of stories, to provide Rotarians a sense of students' backgrounds, where they are now and where they are headed.

Education Initiative - InnovativeCommunities.Org Foundation

Mark Tazumi - Initiative Assistant - Vietnam Education

Mark is a 3^rd generation Japanese-Canadian, born in BC and grew up in Tokyo, Japan before returning to BC for university. Mark has spent over 40 years working with young people as a youth worker, pastor, prison chaplain, and has been working at the John Howard Society of North Island in Campbell River for the last 25 years, currently as a youth counsellor.

Mark enjoys eating anything grilled, smoked, or barbecued and enjoys travelling in Asia with his wife, Thanh. He provides support for the Vietnam Education Initiative, with a focus on fundraising and connecting with potential sponsors.

Thanh Tazumi - Initiative Lead- Vietnam Education

Thanh was born in Vietnam and spent the first 9 years of her life there. She and her family immigrated to Canada as refugees in 1984. After completing her Bachelor in 1996, she married her husband Mark and together they have two daughters. Thanh

worked for a multicultural organization for 10 years coordinating various projects. She spent another 15 years working with youth and families involved with the justice system and foster care. Currently, Thanh works as an anti racism trainer.

Thanh has been a member of the CR Daybreak Rotary since 2014, and has been co-chair of the Wheelchair Project since 2017. Thanh and Mark started the Vietnam Education Initiative in 2018 with Innovative Communities.Org (ICO)

https://www.innovativecommunities.org/

Thanh enjoys walking in the forest and traveling to different parts of the world. She likes eating and cooking foods from different cultures. Thanh’s dream is to live part time in Asia for many different reasons, including more regular contacts with students and volunteers in the project.

Short Program: Remembrance day 

Long Program: Major Capital Projects update presented by David Tees

The Satellite Club is meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays in November.  Earlier time with networking at 530pm and meeting at 6pm.  New location for November as we will be upstairs at the Riptide Pub.  

Short Program 1: Member Thumnails presented by Graham Stewart

Short Program 2: Candied Salmon Fundraiser presented by Ian Baikie on behalf of Comox Rotary club

Long Program: Semi-annual Paul Harris Fellow presentation

Introduction by Todd Peachey, Chair Rotary Foundation Committee.

Assistance by Pieter Koeleman, Rotary Foundation Committee 

Paul Harris Fellow recognition | Rotary International

Short Program: President: Announcement of candidate slate for 2024/25 Rotary club board and ask for further nominations from the floor (with nominee having previously consented to stand).

Long Program: Club Committees Meeting

All members welcome and encouraged to participate. 

For the 2023/24 year the club will host a committees meeting approximately every 8 weeks to allow members to learn more about club committee happenings and the various endeavours the Rotary noon club is up to.  

The following/directors/committee chairs will be hosting a table at the November 22nd committee meeting:

• Christmas Giving committee hosted by Darlene Garat, Director of Community Services. Includes seniors gift cards and Christmas packages for youth at risk.

• Membership committee hosted by John Doucette, Director of Membership Services. 

• Youth Services committee hosted by Tara Jordan, Director of Youth Services 
• Environment committee hosted by Steve Nagle, Director of Environment

Committee members sit at their respective table and /or if part of multiple committees can choose their table to sit at for this meeting. Members not on one of the noted committees can sit at any table they are interested to provide feedback to, learn more, or if they are considering joining that committee.

Format of meeting will be quick intro of meeting to intro by President, then overview of committee purpose and upcoming events/plans by Chair to membership group in attendance, 20-25 minute discussion at tables about committee agenda/topic to be discused, then Chair will proivde overview of discussion at table, and next steps for that committee to all attendees.

The purpose of these meetings is to provide awareness to members of the various committees and their purpose, get involved and provide feedback, and join a committee if interested. 

Committees can still continue on with other meetings as required, this one is an open forum for members to learn and get involved, create synergies and have some engaged discussions. 

Any directors or committee chairs who would like to host a table for January committee meeting please let the program committee know! (Myriah, Kelsey, Kent)

Short Program: Rotary Student of the Month for November - Carihi Confirmed

Long Program: Brad McRae and Kindry Mercer to provide update on Western Forest Products Inc. 

Introductions by Gary McLelan 

BIO: Brad McRae, Director, Government Relations 

Brad McRae is the Director, Government Relations, for Western, where he works closely with both local and provincial elected officials to provide perspective on a wide range of forest policy matters. Brad comes from a 20+ year career in both local and provincial government in British Columbia. Brad holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice and has lectured extensively at both the Justice Institute of British Columbia and at Thompson Rivers University. Brad resides in Campbell River with his wife, Lori, and daughter.

BIO: Kindry Mercer, RPF, Indigenous Relations Project Manager 

Kindry Mercer has worked in the BC Coastal Forest Industry since 1997.  Kindry is the Indigenous Relationships Project Manager for Western Forest Products (Western), her role is to support the development of long term, mutually beneficial relationships and resource stewardship opportunities with Indigenous communities.  Kindry holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Forest Resources Management from the University of British Columbia and is a Registered Professional Forester with the Association of BC Forest Professionals. 

Western Forest Products - Defining a higher standard™

Please join us for a Joint Christmas Party with Daybreak Club. 72 tickets available for each Club.

Tickets are $60 each:  Buffet Salads, AAA Strip Loin and Vegetarian Lasagne. Seasonal Vegetables, dessert, tea, coffee.

We have engaged a band for after dinner, no host bar, door prize(s), Rotary Trivia. 

Contact Karen Johnson directly to arrange for ticket.  Tickets are mandatory to attend the event.  You can pay cash or charge your account.

Student of the Month for December:  Southgate Middle School confirmed.

Ugly Sweater Day

Networking at 5:30pm with meeting starting at 6:00pm. Join us for a very social meeting focused on brainstorming local service projects and FUNdraisers more even more local service projjects.  

Long Program:: New Member Induction

Short Program: Major Donor Presentation

Short Program: Member thumbnails with Graham Stewart 

Long Program: Yrjö Närhinen, 1986 inbound exchange student from Finland visiting 

Our 1986 inbound exchange student from Finland, Yrjö Närhinen, is be visiting Campbell River from Jan 15-17, 2024. He reached out to connect about joining us for a meeting and spending time with any members that might want to share some fellowship. He will be attending our January 17th meeting and doing a presentation during our meeting, sharing some picture.

He is an avid skier and plans to head up to Mt. Washington while here and is an outdoorsperson, and is open to connecting with our members for any fun activities or fellowship while he is here including a Campbell River tour. A lot has changes since 1986! Please email him directly at: yrjo.narhinen@gmail.com 

Ray Hughes and Mitch Lukinuk have been in contact with him and will be attending lunch with him, with Mitch coming in from Gold River for the weekly meeting.

The People of Action (Satellite Club) will be meeting at Big Rock Garage Restaurant to socialize and brainstorm new ideas for 'Service Above Self' in our local community.  All Rotarians are invited to bring their ideas and add input to others. See you there!  

Short Program: Robbie Burns Day 

Quay West will be cooking haggis. Brian Shaw and team to organize Pipers Ode to Robby Burns and short program presentation to celebrate this important day. Wear your best plaid! :)

Burns Night | Traditions and Robert Burns Information | Scotland.org

10 Robert Burns Poems Everyone Should Read – Interesting Literature

Long Program: Jeremy Maynard will be speaking on Salmon in 2023 

Jeremey Maynard is a well-known salmon expert in Campbell River. He was a well received speaker to our club last year, and he recently attended the Pacific Salmon Treaty talks in Seattle and we are excited he has agree to come and speak to our club again to provide an update on Salmon in 2023.

If time allows he will touch on an important initiative that will have major significance to the recreational fishery in this part of the world. And then look to come back to another meeting in 2024 to speak about this topic. 

Jeremy ran the salmon hatchery in Campbell River for many years, and he is on the Sports Fishing advisory board. He has a broad depth of knowledge and can speak to many topics in the world of salmon fishery. 

Short Program:

Long Program: Insight to Action (Vocation) - Laurel Cronk, Island Joy Rides

To support Rotary's theme of the month for January of vocation, Laurel Cronk, Rotary member and owner and operator of Island Joy Rides, will be speaking to our club about her journey to open her company and transition her career. She will tell us her vocation story and kick off our Insight to Action session. 

About - Island Joy Rides

Home - Island Joy Rides

Then members will get a chance at their tables to share their stories and experiences. Be ready to speak to your story of how you got into their vocation, and what you expected going in to your career, what you learned along the way, any final thoughts of how your vocation impacted your life over and above providing your livelihood.

What are you most grateful for from your vocation? 

Members will be encouraged to share highlights at the end of the insight to action session.
 

Back to 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.  Join us for networking, and brainstorming ideas on how can we impact our local community with 'boots on the ground' service projects.

Short Program: Tara Jordan - My Year in India 

Bio: Tara co-owner of Small Planet Energy Inc. with her husband Jarek, founded their company in September 2009. The renewable energy company specializes in solar installations and are passionate about supporting their clients to achieve energy independence by harnessing the energy of the sun with solar panels. Tara also founded the Caremongering Campbell  River group in March 2020, with 4,300 people involved and 74 screened volunteers to provide support to people in need groceries and necessities across the community with the $15,000 of annual donations received.

Presentation: Tara has spent time living in Japan through the Ishikari/Campbell River Senior Exchange, and one year and India, and will be speaking to her experience Southern India and her connection to here since she was 12 years old. She lived with her pen-pal and his family, in Kerala state in South India in a tiny village that has never had a foreigner live there before. She will speak to how much this experience changed her life. Her time in India and lessons learned there are some of the most beautiful parts of her entire life. 

smallplanetenergy.ca

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2574183796236834

Long Program: February Monthly Theme is Peace & Conflict Prevention/Resolution - Kevin Hilgers 

Keith Price to introduce Kevin. 

Kevin Hilgers (District Chair of Rotary Friendship Exchange Program and President of Victoria Rotary Club) to come and speak to our club about the Friendship Exchange program. 

Presentation: The Friendship Exchange Program's purpose is to allow Rotarians to visit other clubs in all parts of the world, have an adventure, make friends, learn about other cultures, and in turn have other clubs visit our District and get to know us. By making Rotary friends around the world, it should certainly help to stop prejudice and hate. Kevin has visited many countries, is a dynamic speaker, and has offered to come up from Victoria to speak to our club. The program was stalled out during COVID but is gaining momentum again. 

Bio: Kevin is President of the Rotary Club of Victoria Harbourside. He joined that club after 25 years of membership in a Rotary Club in Grande Prairie, Alberta. In Alberta, Kevin had many Rotary roles including District Governor in 2012, 2013 for District 5370 - 65 clubs in northern Alberta, parts of BC, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories. In 2001, Kevin and his wife Jan bought their first rental property in Victoria, and over the years bought more in James Bay. After their daughters finished schooling, they moved full time to Victoria. Kevin was Chair of Rotary Friendship Exchange in 5370 and took on the role here in 5020 a couple years before COVID. Professionally Kevin spent 15 years in radio broadcasting in western Canadian cities until he went full time as an entrepreneur with a marketing firm, a professional fundraiser, and properties. Kevin and Jan are retired for the most part outside of the rentals they have in Victoria. 

Mobile 250-893-0373

kev@yesforsure.ca

Short Program: Honour & Thank You to Rotary Auction Platinum Sponsors

Presented by Greg Manzulenko and Graham Stewart 

Long Program: Cleo Corbett and Lucas Schuller to present an update on Rotary sponsored Youth Open Mic Nights. 

Ian Baikie to introduce Cleo and Lucas. 

Bio - Cleo Corbett, MCIP, RPP - is an urban planner with 20 years experience in working for local government. She is currently a Senior Specialist with CMHC`s Municipal Relations team for BC and the Yukon to deliver programs, build capacity and improve the housing system. Cleo serves as a Board Member on the planning institute of BC and the Yukon, and is a former board member of Rivercity Players. Cleo also was a proud Rotarian with the Club in Golden BC in the 2000s. Cleo loves theatre and rock n roll … but doesn’t have much time for it these days given career and family obligations, so she just really enjoys being able to help others perform. 

Bio - Lucas Schuller - since settling in Campbell River in 2014, Lucas Schuller has served on the board of the Art Gallery and the Tidemark, and as assistant to Member of Parliament Rachel Blaney. He founded the Highway 19 concert series in 2019 and is the programmer and manager for Spirit Square under contract from the City. Lucas spent three years in Ottawa as a program officer for Canada Council for the Arts, and 15 years in the music business in Vancouver in artist management, CD distribution, and as a performing and recording drummer. Lucas has a BFA from the School for Contemporary Arts at SFU, and a music performance diploma from Vancouver Community College, and once had music he wrote performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He lives in Willow Point with two kids and his partner who teaches elementary school music, and spends as much time as possible on the soccer pitch playing with the masters club and coaching youth.
 

The Satellite Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.  Join us for networking, and brainstorming ideas on how can we impact our local community with 'boots on the ground' service projects.

Short Program: Student of the Month - Pinecrest School (Confirmed). 

Long Program: Club Committees Meeting 
 

We are using this club committee meeting to re-visit our strategic plan approved in the fall. To review from our work plan what has been achieved so far, what do we wish to accomplish by the end of this 2023/2024 year in June, what is to be deferred until next or the folloiwng year. 

This review will be based on the strat plan approved in fall 2023, with columns to update for status as of February 2024. The document will be sent closer to the meeting. 

This check in will ensure we as a club are working to achieving our strategic goals through varoius work plan items, and we are aligned in our focus and efforts across the club.