The meeting was held at the Teen Centre by Oak Bay High School and we were treated to pizza, green munchies, cookies and coffee, thanks to the pizza delivery guys and help from the Oak Bay Recreation Centre. Thanks very much.

President Neil’s Rotary Quote was from Past R.I. President Glenn Estes Sr., when he opened a plenary session at the Chicago Convention in 2005: “One of the most wonderful things about Rotary is that it allows you to be part of something so much bigger than yourself.” His second quote was from marketing author Dr. Joe Vitale who said: "Be aroung people who can keep your energy and inspiration high. While you can make progress alone, it’s so much easier when you have support”.

O Canada was sung a cappella and Carol Toal said grace.

Health of the Club: Barbara Bristol-Price, who suffered three broken vertebrae in her neck while gardening, is now home with a collar brace. Gardening proved dangerous for Barbara on a previous occasion.

A Rotary Dontation: A cheque from the Thrifty Smile Card fund for $1696.00 was given to Quadra Elementary School on June 16. It will be used to buy dictionaries for grades 3 and 4 in the Fall, an extension of our Read Program from George Jay School. Seen below at the presentation with a group of kids from QES are: Giles Bixler, Peter Lawrie (standing on the spot where the house he grew up in once stood!), Administration Director Joan Peggs, incoming President Vicky Pitt, Principal Elaine McVie, CS Director Heather Aked & President Neil Rawnsley.

Two outstanding Interactors recognized for true Rotary Acts:
Oak Bay Interact Club’s co-chairs for 2008-2009, Tookie Graham and Sara McLaughlin were made Paul Harris Fellows “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.”

Neil with new Paul Harris (and mug) recipients, Tookie and Sara.

In making the award President Neil made reference to Tookie and Sara’s outstanding work in Interact, and their indefatigable energy and enthusiasm in leading a team of 25 other Oak Bay Interactors. Their main project this year was supporting the Malawi Girls’ School through fund-raising activities which netted over $4,000. Other projects were a Youth Night Out and individual Interactors volunteering at Our Place. President Neil also thanked Neil Madsen for enabling our Club to make these two awards through his generous donation of US$2,000 to the Rotary Foundation. (Ed’s Note; I hate to contradict the S@A but in fact these were credits from past P.H. donations and Pres. Neil deserves the credit for suggesting this use of them, not this other Neil). Tookie and Sara thanked the Rotary Club of Oak Bay for this unique honour and for the support and encouragement that the Interact Club had received. Next Rotary year the Interact Club will continue their work with APU Malawi Girls School by establishing a Pen Pal Project and welcome the students in the new scholastic year with “welcome care packages”. They also want to support the Shelter Box project.

Guest Speaker

Sara McLauglin was introduced by Bob Beauvais. She spoke of her recent trip to Ottawa courtesy the Club-sponsored Adventures in Citizenship.

Even before the official program began, Sara had made friends with Chantal, the daughter of her host, Rocco Dissipio, as well as Hilary from St, Catharines. Both Sarah and Chantal plan to attend McGill and take Poli Sci. Watch out, McGill! Among her higlights were:
(1) The coach tour of Ottawa.
(2) The French Canadian Dinner, which was delicious and was followed by authentic French Canadian dancing in which everyone participated. As she said, it was a great way to make friends.
(3) The House of Commons, hosted by the Speaker, in which they could sit in Members’ chairs and were briefed on the work of the House.
(4) The Citizenship Ceremony on the last day was the most memorable part of the trip. 40 “amazing” people became new Canadians, and we were all so proud. Before the ceremony ended we all stood up to say the Oath of Citizenship and to belt out a rousing O Canada. Sarah thanked us all for this opportunity to get a real look of the true multicultural nature of Canada.

Mark Bedford thanked Sara and said it was obvious why we sponsor this program. He also said he was glad she could talk of her adventures ... he couldn’t talk of his at that age!

Sergeant-at-Arms:

“Never underestimate the power of the Sergeant at Arms” and Perry Bamji proved this when President Neil gave a choice to the members – either to play games – pool, table tennis or soccer (available in the Oak Bay Teen Center where the club met this week) or, suffer Perry Bamji and his efforts to raise the financial health of the Club’s coffers in the remaining weeks of this Rotary year. The members vociferously and enthusiastically voted in favour of the Sergeant at Arms to do his duty! Perry started with last week’s bulletin reporter John Snively for incorrectly reporting that “Perry Bamji was seeking to secure sufficient funds to purchase a new car”. He corrected this error saying that the collection was not for a car but a helicopter that he was hoping to purchase. John would be his first guest! Jack Petrie was fined for having his picture in two places in last week’s bulletin. What is not clear is whether it is the psychedelic bush-shirts that Jack sports during summer, or just his photogenic personality that prompts the bulletin editor to include multiple pictures of one person! {Jack, for your information a “Bush Shirt” is a hip-length, shirt-like jacket adapted from the hunting coat customarily worn in the African bush. Ed.} All Rotarians including the Sgt.-at-Arms were fined for not wearing Rotary pins. People were fined for not shaking hands with the “Phantom Hand Shaker” (alias Giles Bixler). {Yes folks, as Rotarians we are supposed to greet one another with a handshake! The Sgt-At-Arms has noticed that more and more people are giving and receiving handshakes. The message is sinking in!}.
The Teen Center was recently painted by a team of Rotarians. Those who did not volunteer were asked to pay a buck. Lori McLeod and John Snively were asked to demonstrate their newly-invented “Rotary Mop”. Onlookers were asked for a small donation! {Those who missed the demo are urged to contact Lori and John }.

Installation Dinner, Uplands Golf Course, 6:30 for 7:30, on June 30. $45. Steak, Chicken or Vegetarian: sign up next week.

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