Visiting Rotarians and Guests introduced by Tom Croft:

David Stocks, Sooke, Management Consultant
Bill Burns, Royal Oak, Education Administration (Retired).
Geraldine Glattstein, Guest Speaker, was guest of the Club.

Announcements:
After calling the meeting to order, President Jack Petrie announced that the Oak Bay Rotary Club has received a district Matching Grant for a project to provide dictionaries for all grade three students at George Jay Elementary School in Victoria. Approximately 35 students will receive the dictionaries and assistance from Oak Bay club members who want to help the teachers show the children how to use them. Many of the children have reading difficulties, and the teachers are very enthused about the project. Contact literacy chair, Giles Bixler, if you want to help. Jack congratulated Giles on taking the initiative in finding a school that really needs our help and getting the grant process underway.

Heather Aked announced that the ShelterBox donations from our club and members has been sent to Kenya to help those displaced by the troubles there.

Guest Speaker
Our guest speaker was Geraldine Glattstein, the new Executive Director of Greater Victoria Police Victim Services, who brought us a plea to influence legislators, in particular Solicitor– General John West, to provide adequate funding for her agency. Currently, provincial funding is provided for her position and two part-time assistants. They coordinate the volunteers who provide services to 13 municipalities from the ferry to the western communities,
500 square kilometres in all. Ms. Glattstein termed this level of funding a “bad joke.” Gerladine explained that her agency’s volunteers provide emotional and practical support that police cannot, because their role is to get information and take action. Volunteers assist not just family members of victims but witnesses and others, for example, the chambermaid who finds a dead body. “We are there at what could be the worst time in a person’s life, whether a crime or accident," said Ms. Glattstein. In a Break and Enter case, “our people go through the house in teams of two who work together with the victim to take inventory of what happened.” The agency also provides counselling for those who have to go to court in a criminal proceeding. Pablo Diemecke thanked Geraldine for a very informative talk. President Jack then presented the speaker with a check for $2,500, representing funds raised by members who use Smile Cards at Thrifty’s to take advantage of the latter’s generous contribution of a portion of the amounts spent.

PROGRAMS FOR MEETINGS 2008

DUTY ROSTER January/February 2008

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