Warm greetings, fellow Rotarians, and welcome to the start of Rotary year 2021-2022. I am excited about the year ahead with this great club. Thank you for the excellent turnout at my first meeting as club president, including many special guests who were also in attendance. I appreciate each and everyone, and the many good wishes sent my way!
Our Land Acknowledgement and O Canada both have great significance in recognizing our country's past as well as the present. Rick's music choice this week of a newcomer family proudly singing our national anthem in Urdu reflects their absolute joy and pride, and mine too, in being part of this great country. Let us all appreciate the many positives in our nation as well as committing to improving the future by focusing on PEACE & GOODWILL. In a nutshell, that is my personal theme for this year.
Past president Tracey warmly introduced and congratulated Mahmud on becoming our club president for 2021-2022. While we are often reminded about his passions for Chess and Winnipeg, we also know Mahmud for his positive attitude, energy and compassion that he brings to our club and everything he does. In fact, when he became our club's Sergeant At Arms, instead of fining people for wrongdoings (real or imagined), he switched things around and fined them for being "Too Good To Be True" thereby highlighting their strengths and contributions to Rotary and the community. Now he will bring his inspiring positivity and enthusiasm to our club as president, and we are looking forward to a wonderful year under his leadership.
Mahmud is delighted to become the 102nd president of the Rotary Club of Guelph, a role he never imagined for himself when he joined our club 8 years ago, introduced by Carolyn Weatherson in July 2013. Joining Rotary was the perfect step for him to meet like-minded members who want to help others and make the world a better place.
In his first official act, president Mahmud expressed a HUGE thank you to our immediate past president, Tracey Curtis, and presented a special gift to her of a Paul Harris Foundation medallion and a plaque to remember her year of leading our club. He also applauded her for becoming our new Assistant District Governor for the Guelph Wellington Cluster for the next three years.
Mahmud was happy to announce that our club will have TWO Sergeants At Arms in 2021-22 to catch us for fun plus the extra little donations that go toward Rotary International's End Polio campaign. Watch out for the Two Pauls: Paul Dredge and Paul Taylor, both past presidents who will be coordinating a Pincer Movement with their scrutiny but they promise to be Kind and Generous!
Mahmud named and thanked our club's board members and officers for their service (listed on our club's home page), and expressed appreciation for every member who volunteers their time, talent and support in various ways.
He went on to remind us how he had personally learned to know and love Canada from its centre ... Winnipeg ... where he arrived to attend university. In the world of Rotary, Winnipeg is sometimes referred to as Chicago of the North, because it was the first city outside of the United States to establish a Rotary Club thereby making Rotary an international organization. (The real city of Chicago is where Rotary has its main head office, in Evanston specifically, which is part of the Chicagoland area and a little north of the main city.)
Keeping his speech fairly short, Mahmud touched on these points:
Our own club's illustrious 101+ years of history and contributions to local and distant communities (since 1920), and its many significant members and leaders over the years, to be remembered with awe and appreciation. Rotary is all about PEOPLE, he said.
He recalled some of the historical and current impacts of our own club, ranging from KidsAbility to IYSN, Food4Kids and many other local and distant projects to improve people's lives.
He noted that our current club membership collectively represents almost 2,000 years of Rotary service, and has members representing 17 different languages showing how diverse we are.
With many challenges in today's world, our Rotary club can and will continue to make a positive difference. Mahmud wonders what will be said about our efforts when future generations look back at us and our club's second 100 years of service? Mahmud hopes they will say that Rotary is still a fine and glorious institution.
Our new Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta from India, has chosen the theme of SERVE TO CHANGE LIVES for this 2021-22 Rotary year, a theme that fits perfectly with Mahmud's life goals.
Mahmud also shares Shekhar's ambition of getting Rotary the recognition it deserves for its contributions, including the global eradication of polio (almost achieved!) during the past 42 years of continuous Rotary effort since 1979, and also for being a founding member of the United Nations in 1945, an institution where Rotary still holds a seat. (A Nobel Peace Prize for Rotary, maybe?)
On a local level, too, Mahmud thinks we should do more to let people know what Rotary does and has achieved over the years. In this effort, he is firmly behind our new Rotary District 7080 Governor, Rudy Habesch, whose theme for the year is "Together, we are Rotary".
Mahmud is particularly proud that our club has established a Rotary Peace Building Committee and would like every single activity of our club to be viewed through the lens of PEACE & GOODWILL.
On a more personal note, Mahmud believes that leadership is given, not taken, and he deeply appreciates the opportunity given to him to serve as our club president, while also asking for our support. (Members had already filled the Zoom Chat Box with warm praise, encouragement and gratitude, grateful to Mahmud for undertaking this big and important role!)
Mahmud thanked the special guests in attendance at this meeting. Here are some of them:
Finally, he expressed his personal thanks to his Rotary sponsor, Carolyn Weatherson, who warmly described Mahmud as being the right leader at the right time for our club just as Rotary and our community begins to emerge from under the Covid cloud. She also praised his vision of creating a new focus of PEACE BUILDING within our club.
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Many happy returns to:
Gary Stewart - July 3
Faz Ashkar - July 4
Paul Taylor - July 4
Randy Seager - July 5
Sharon Rice - July 6
Dave Iacocca - July 10
Kerry Johnson - July 11
Dennis Weiler - July 15
Congratulations on these Rotary anniversaries:
Felix Arndt - 1 year (July 2, 2020)
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If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages here. There are four topics to choose from.
Committee Signups for 2021-22: Randy Seager says to watch for an email coming soon with summary lists of committee sign-ups. Please review and respond by July 16 if changes are required. The final lists will be submitted for printing in our Members' Handbook.
David Van Veen spoke eloquently about our members needing to regard the Rotary International Foundation as OUR foundation as it enables life-changing projects around the world. He also mentioned our club's goal of becoming a 100% PHF (Paul Harris Fellowship) club and how the extra Rotary Foundation Points (RFPs) of Paul Harris Society members in our club (members who quietly donate at least US$1,000 per year to the Rotary Foundation, earning one RFP for each US$) will be used to help different members on their way towards becoming Paul Harris Fellows. The late Charlie Whittaker's points were recently put to good use in helping 14 club members reach PHF status, and more news will be coming soon. Ab Moore is working hard to facilitate new and innovative PHF opportunities in our club.
Terrie Jarvis would like to share two things:
She is seeking volunteer editors to help with the weekly bulletin, especially to summarize the main speaker's presentation. Email Terrie if you can help.
An interesting development amongst Rotary clubs is for members to join existing committees of interest in other Rotary clubs. For example, Darlene Carpenter from the Trillium club has joined our club's Indigenous Awareness Committee because it doesn't make sense to start a separate, competing committee on Indigenous Awareness within in her own club. In similar vein, the Guelph South Club has taken up the cause to Eradicate Human Trafficking, and welcomes members from other clubs to join their committee by emailing Deb Allen at the Rotary Club of Guelph South. What a great way for Rotarians to be Stronger Together!
Michele Richardson commented on two things today:
The Shelldale Fun-Raiser launched on July 1. Our Rotary Club is a gold sponsor of this event to involve neighbouring communities and individuals right across Guelph to get involved with a fun, unique, exciting and physically active time for all.
Michele and Scott are delighted to report that all three of their daughters have now completed grad school and each one will be gainfully employed as of August 3, 2021. What a great family milestone!
Judith Martin's 'little girl' CJ is celebrating her 15th birthday.
Anne Mackay was delighted to have caught up with Peter Moore, who is familiar to many of us.
Marva Wisdom is celebrating her youngest granddaughter's first birthday and is excited about a planned family get-together for that. She also indicated she will be stepping back from attending our weekly club meetings to spend more time on her extensive work in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Of course, she will continue to follow and cheer our club activities from a distance, and will be no further away than an email or phone call.
Lynne McCurdy recognized several milestones for Canada's Indigenous community:
Mary Simon being announced as the next Governor General of Canada, and the first ever Indigenous person to be appointed to this role. Mary is Inuk, and will bring greater visibility to the smallest segment of Indigenous peoples comprising First Nations, Métis and Inuit.
RoseAnne Archibald becoming the first female chief of the AFN (Assembly of First Nations).
In another milestone, a young 27 year old Inuit Member of Parliament, Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, recently gave a powerful farewell speech explaining why she would not be standing for re-election. It is an important and illuminating speech to watch here. https://youtu.be/-vQnzQIQn48
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Upcoming Programs
Friday, July 16, 2021 @ 12:15pm - Lucy Mutharia, Up Close - Personal Introduction. Another of our favourite meetings with the opportunity of learning more about a newish club member.
Tuesday, July 27, 2021 @ 7pm - Bob Burnside and Sherri Moir from the CRY NOT coalition on Eradicating Human Trafficking (See more detail here. This is #1 in a 5-part Rotary Speaker Series). Register here: https://bit.ly/3xXKx7S
Friday, July 30, 2021 @ 12:15pm - Updates from three Rotary-supported agencies: IYSN, Wally's Place and Shelldale Family Gateway
Messages this week from 
In his first official act, president Mahmud expressed a HUGE thank you to our immediate past president, Tracey Curtis, and presented a special gift to her of a Paul Harris Foundation medallion and a plaque to remember her year of leading our club. He also applauded her for becoming our new Assistant District Governor for the 
Mahmud was happy to announce that our club will have TWO Sergeants At Arms in 2021-22 to catch us for fun plus the extra little donations that go toward Rotary International's 
He went on to remind us how he had personally learned to know and love Canada from its centre ... Winnipeg ... where he arrived to attend university. In the world of Rotary, Winnipeg is sometimes referred to as Chicago of the North, because it was the first city outside of the United States to establish a Rotary Club thereby making Rotary an international organization. (The real city of Chicago is where Rotary has its main head office, in Evanston specifically, which is part of the Chicagoland area and a little north of the main city.)
Our new Rotary International President, 
Finally, he expressed his personal thanks to his Rotary sponsor, Carolyn Weatherson, who warmly described Mahmud as being the right leader at the right time for our club just as Rotary and our community begins to emerge from under the Covid cloud. She also praised his vision of creating a new focus of PEACE BUILDING within our club.
If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages 
David Van Veen spoke eloquently about our members needing to regard the 
