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Rotary Club of Kitimat

Rotary Scholarships winners

An impressive evening. These students were recognized as outstanding scholars at Mount Elizabeth Secondary School recently. (photo credit Jerry Leibel)

Rotarian Linda Campbell presented our two Rotary scholarships To Cedrick Verreault and Amy Lane. They both have been honor roll students through all their years at MEMSS.

Lynda Hammerstrom Rocha Scholarship

Cedrick is the Prime MInister of the Student Council. A young member of the NDP for three years, he founded the MEMSS Social Justice Group. He will be returning to his hometown in Quebec City to study political science at Universite Laval in the fall. He chose to use a quote to begin his application for the scholarship, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for."

Kitimat Rotary Scholarship

Amy is the artist, winner of the Innovative Design Bridge Building Award, the Art Award, on the Principal's List, awards in metal work and social studies. She is an active volunteer at her church, at the food bank, and a Girl Guide. While she would love to pursue further studies in art, her primary focus will be becoming a pilot. Her career goal is to become a Rotary wing commercial pilot.

Each scholarship is for $1000.00.

5040's new executive installed

A big day for those of us in Rotary District 5040. Here you see our own Dean Rohrs (Langley) , right, installing the 2018-19 Governor of our 51 Rotary clubs in District 5040, from Greater Vancouver up the coast to Prince Rupert. Next to her, our new leader, 2018-19 Governor Darcy Long (Sechelt), and (l to r) Governor Elect Bala Naidoo (Burnaby), Governor Nominee Dave Hamilton (Delta) and Governor 2017-18 Don Evans (Vancouver). The ceremony took place in Gibsons, BC, on June 16, 2018.

Foundation Dinner

Always a night to remember, this year's Foundation Dinner was no exception! We rocked the night away, cheered on by Skeena Valley's president Kristen Riley. So much fun in the room, enthusiastic bidding during the auction and the dinner was exceptional. Here are a couple of pictures that certainly show we were in the mood!

District Assembly April 7, 2018

Our incoming District Governor, Darcy Long, walked us through District 5040's vision for 2018-19, some interesting, inspiring and enthusiastic directions for us to use in our clubs. All clubs in our area were represented at the assembly. Darcy did an excellent job sharing the many topics presented, bringing us all into the activity. We will be in good hands under her leadership.

Here we are busy at work during the day.

Later, many of us had to leave quickly. Here are a few of us on the steps outside the school board office as we were leaving. You'll see Jo and Eleanor in this picture, attending for our Rotary Club of Kitimat

DG Don Evans joined us at our April 3rd meeting

We were pleased to embrace changing times by having our District Governor Don Evans come and join our club in a healthy dialogue on moving forward. We look forward to growing our club and continuing to do Rotary service in Kitimat and the world.

Through the Cracks

A trio of our Rotary Club's members headed to Mount Elizabeth Middle Secondary School last week with a $1,000 cheque for use by the Through the Cracks program. The money will be used to provide support for some the schools less fortunate students. Principal Geraldine Lawlor snapped the photo above sharing her enthusiasm for the work being done by LINK worker Debbie Dilg. Art work done by the students was up on the walk along with their own "Words of Wisdom". An inviting bowl of fresh fruit sat on a table, a fine example - how the funds will be used. Principal Geraldine Lawlor smiled as we talked saying the funds will be used for food, bus passes, recreation passes, clothing. Above, Eleanor Kendell, Debbie Dilg (community LINK worker), Gareen Ball and Jo Ann Hildebrandt.

Nechako PAC (Parent Advisory Council) fundraising for a new playground

Erika Loucks, chairperson of Nechako Elementary School's PAC joined us at our March 6th meeting to share their fundraising story for a new playground at the school. Looking at photos of the planned playground surface, brightly colored, a product made from recycled tires and playground equipment designed to accommodate students with mobility challenges, one could appreciate how much this will be appreciated. The project has already received significant financial support from industry and business in Kitimat. Students are also doing their bit, each class collecting different coins for the days of the week, nickels, dimes, loonies and toonies. It's a contest! David Mill, principal, was on hand to introduce Erika. Wondering what the surface could look like? This picture will give you an idea.

Later in the evening we heard from Brian Downie, our area governor--all about the Presidential Environmental Sustainability and Peace Conference in Vancouver. Ian Riesley, 2017-18 President, Rotary International brought this year's Make a Difference theme home. Building peace through environmentally sustainable effort at home and around the world was showcased in a fashion those attending will remember. Speakers, the House of Friendship participants, organizations from the world beyond Rotary and those from within, left motivated and inspired.

Brian also brought along Rotary's upcoming year's club banner--an impressive theme for Rotarians to follow Be The Inspiration.

Northwest Regional Human Resource Strategy

The results of the study based on data and statistics developed from April 2017 to October 2017, were presented to our club on February 20th by the chair of the steering committee, Devrie Sanghera, Kitimat Valley Institute. the summary report is 23 pages in length: available soon on the KVI website at www.kves.ca. Those involved looked at key economic drivers, labour demands, skills and training requirements, addressing future shortages of qualified workers in the region. Presentations have been made at Chamber of Commerce luncheons, Rotary club meetings and other regularly scheduled events.

Rotary Clubs are shown as Implementers Action 1.4, a pilot employee recruitment and customer service excellence "Starter Pack" program for small service industry businesses. Action 2.1, Action 2.2, a leadership training program, training for new and existing businesses with Volution Canada.

Devrie's colleague Ramona Materi was also a guest at this meeting. She added facts--how different aspects of their research were explored. Certainly, her input was appreciated. Our sincere thanks go to them for bringing this research to us.

Peacebuilding support from District 5040

FLASH NEWS At the Presidential Environmental Sustainability and Peace Conference

Loud applause from the audience on Friday evening – 800+ of us!

From this year’s Rotary Foundation District Designated Funds, our District 5040 have allocated a $25,000 US donation to support the Peace Centers.

WE ARE NOW A PEACEBUILDER DISTRICT.

Although we don’t often think about it, that’s your club and the club beside you. It’s our investment in Peace.

On February 9th, our Rotary Foundation Chair Paul Netzel, presented a certificate to our DG Don marking District 5040 as a Rotary Peacebuilder District.

And there is more news to celebrate!

Coming out of the Conference, a legacy.

The opportunity was presented by Rotary International at a different breakout session, a new an exciting approach to building peace in a region where a major peace agreement has recently been reached. After a war of 52 years, the Government of Columbia and the Marxist let Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia reached the understanding in 2016.

The challenge now is building a lasting sustainable peace.

We are taking action, from the lower mainland up to coast to those of us in northern BC Rotarians are taking action by investing $15.000US of unused DDF funds in a new and exciting project – Positive Peace Workshop – Columbia.

A new approach to building peace.- Positive Peace workshops were developed by Rotary and the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Rotarians will help shape the Colombian peace process by leveraging its networks and engaging key stakeholders, especially young Colombian peacmakers.

Eleanor back from the Presidential Peace Conference

Any Rotary International Presidential event has always been exceptional. This year's Presidential Environmental Sustainability and Peace Conference was no exception. Rotarian Eleanor Kendell, a member of our club and our District 5040 Peace Committee, headed down to Vancouver to attend. District 5100 and 5040 showcased Rotary Peacebuilder Clubs at a shared table in the House of Friendship. Here they are together for lunch.

The table showcased literature from both District. If you look at the sign, propped against the bottom right hand corner, you will see the certificate that will be presented to those clubs in our District that have met the Peacebuilder Club criteria this year. This will take place at the Conference in Squamish.

Eleanor recalls the weekend as thought provoking, a call to action for environmental stewardship, a coming together of Rotary friends, topped off with Rotary fun.