Rotary President's February Rotary Corner

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!