President Neil's Opening Remarks:
President Neil drew our attention to an article in the June Rotarian magazine entitled ‘Sylvan Barnet, Rotary’s man at the UN’. Rotary has had a presence at the United Nations since it was formed back in 1945. He quoted from an article written by past RI President Thomas A Warren some sixty year’s ago: “There is significance in the fact that seven chairmen of national delegations at the San Francisco conference to charter the United Nations, and a score more members of the delegations, were Rotarians. Such facts and figures are but an outward and visible sign that the world is hungry for our simple mission. Rotary’s growth and its practices and its potentials go far beyond any numerical assessment.”

Mr. Versatility (Tom Lidkea):

Our genial pianist, when called upon for grace, intoned “Boruch ato adonoi elo-hainu melech ha’olom hamotzi lechem min ha’oretz”. You will have to refer to Perry Bamji’s useful booklet for the English interpretation of this Hebrew Grace. Perry tells me that he still has a few copies of ‘Giving Thanks’ that he will release at a bargain price of $10. each or three for $30.

Future Meeting Venues: Please let Joan Peggs know if you will be attending these meetings so she can advise the caterers.

June  2 Monterey Centre: Vocational meeting and tour of the premises. The meeting will be held in the Garry Oak room at Monterey Recreation Centre next to the Oak Bay Library, 1442 Monterey Avenue 250-370-7300.
June  9 Windsor Park: BBQ for members, family and guests.
June 16 Teen centre: Casual meeting with pizza and other assorted delicacies.

VIRCS is looking for new board members.  If anybody has an interest in immigrants and refugees and is interested in becoming involved, please contact Carlos Gaete, Executive Director, VIRCS, 3rd Floor, 637 Bay Street, Victoria BC V8T 5L2. Phone 250-361-9433 extension 215 

On a similar topic, Joan Peggs has suggested that some club members may wish to invite members from VIRCS for their Christmas festivities if they (Club members) find they will be otherwise on their own at that time.

Oak Bay Rotarians were well-represented at last Monday's dinner at the Blue Crab to help Oak Bay High School students raise money to build homes for the homeless in Mexico. Seen here with organizer and Interact Club co-president, Sara McLaughlin, are left to right, Tricia Timmermans, Don O'Coffey, Lynne Murray, Tim Doherty and president-elect, Vicky Pitt

The Enable Program
Wolf Schopper introduced our guest speaker, Negin Naraghi from VIRCS, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society. Negin is the Coordinator of the Society’s Enable Program. She will be speaking about this program which provides services for newcomer children and youth. Her background is in Psychology and Intercultural education and training. She immigrated to Canada from Israel when she was fifteen years old and has done a lot of work with children, youth and counselling-based organizations.

Negin Naraghi and Danny Tess of VIRCS

The Enable Program assists in the settlement of young newcomers to Canada. Enable has four primary activities designed to address emotional, academic and social adjustment needs of newcomer children and youth.

SPARKS – Project Sparks is a fun weekly activity that includes art, crafts, recreation, games and visitations to local attractions.

HOMEWORK CLUBS AND TUTORING – Homework Clubs help students to integrate into their new school environment by providing individual tutoring and homework help.

ADJUSMENT SUPPORT GROUP – professional therapists are provided to support children and youth who have lived through extreme experiences such as war, repression and familial loss.

YOUTH ACTIVITY NIGHT – a weekly night to provide safe venues for youth to meet socially and to make new friends.

In addition to these four core activities, there is YOUTH STRIDES, a week-long summer training project held at Camp Barnard in Sooke. This immersion program assists the newcomer to explore what it means to be an immigrant and refugee youth in Canada. A relatively new program is BYOB, an acronym that raised a few eyebrows until we learned it stood for ‘Break Your Own Barriers”. This program includes seminars on Anti-Racism, Anti-Hate and the celebration of Multiculturalism. In closing, Negin referred to two new projects, ENABLE THEATRE, which puts on skits designed to instill confidence and self-awareness through the arts and DVD LEARNING, a short learning tool featuring focus groups, interviews and resources.

Vicki Pitt thanked Negin and her assistant Danny Tess for their presentation and provided the treasured Rotary Mug for their enjoyment. For more information check out: VIRCS web site.

Banner presentations from Daljit Singh (Visalia, CA) and Hefeng Dong (Trondheim, Norway)

Introduced by Don O’Coffey:

Hefeng Dong, Ph.D., Trondheim, Norway, Acoustician;
Daljit Singh, Visalia, California, Mediation;
May Ellen Morris, Brockville, Ontario, Accounting. Christopher Oakes (Ireland) was the guest of Jim Force;
Peggy Frank was the guest of May Ellen Morris;
Our two guest speakers, Negin Naraghi and Danny Tess were guests of the Club.

Banner Exchanges (photo below/centre): Hefeng Dong (Trondheim, Norway) and Daljit Singh (Visalia, California) presented banners from their clubs. Hefeng is finishing up a nine month work exchange program in Victoria.

Report from the May 25 meeting of our Board of Directors:

1) $600 to the Interact Club for materials to build homes for the homeless in Mexico
2) funding provided for a third Shelterbox
3) work resumed on the Malawi grant which was delayed pending reporting needs
4) cancellation of the golf tournament due to the uncertain economic climate and concern over sponsorship support
5) outgoing GSE teams for 2010 will be to Norway and Germany. The deadline to apply to be a group leader is July 15, 2009.

Sergeant-at-Arms:
Perry's Reign.
Our Sergeant-at-Arms introduced his secret handshaker, John Snively. If you did not shake John’s hand then you incurred a fine. Double fines were levied on Peter Lawrie and Anne Sims for leaving their name badge at home and for not wearing their badge at the meeting. Anyone taking more than one shrimp bob was fined a dollar per extra bob taken. Perry also conducted a quiz involving the composition of a rhino’s tusk, the name of the Beatle’s last album and Tiger Woods' connection with Ireland. Unfortunately his audience was unruly and the answers were lost to this reporter in a sea of raucous banter. A Happy and a Sad dollar was received from Tav Macpherson for his participation in the Swiftsure Race, a sad dollar because of the cold weather and a happy dollar for finishing the race as number seven out of fifteen entrants. Congratulations were extended, and an anniversary card presented, to Jim and Colleen Force in recognition of their nineteenth wedding anniversary.

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