BULLETIN - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018
Today’s Program – September 21, 2018
Aldo Villanovich gave his classification talk today. While he still fairly new to Guelph and the Rotary Club of Guelph, he has been a Rotarian for some 14 years and recently transferred from the Rotary Club of Bolton, after relocating to live in Guelph. Aldo currently serves as Director of International Service Committees in our Rotary District 7080.
Scroll down for more on this talk.
Next Week's Program – September 28, 2018
Not to be missed is the visit and presentation of this year’s District 7080 Governor General, Dr. John Gilvesy.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, September 29 at 6pm– Lobsterfest
Wednesday, October 24 at 8:30am– End Polio Flag Day at Guelph City Hall. We’re hoping for a good turnout of Guelph Rotarians. Mark your calendars.
Today’s Guests
Greeter Barb Holmes welcomed 6 guests today:
Hectorin Villanovich – wife of Aldo
Doug Prince– President, Rotary Club of Bolton
Murray Stewart– Rotary Club of Bolton (50 years in Rotary)
Aggie Mlynarz – mayoral candidate
Rob Millman– guest of Brett Reichert
George and Norma Trillia – visiting from El Cerrito, California for a UoG reunion
Head Table
Mahmud Hassain– introduced in 2001 by Carolyn Weatherson, with the classification Menswear Retailing
Paul Taylor– introduced in 1992 by Bill Parker, with the classification Cemetery Administration
Paul Truex– past president, past district governor, introduced in 1979 by John Babcok, with the classification Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Aldo Villanovich– today’s guest speaker doing his classification talk, Rotarian for 14 years
Sue Ricketts– introduced in 2001 by Chandra Khotari, with the classification Insurance and Investments
Paul Dredge– club president, introduced by Don Parr in 1996, with the classification Real Estate-Commercial
Announcements
Club Budget announcement
Paul Dredge read aloud the following email he had sent to Committee Chairs in the past week.
On September 17th our Board of Directors met for our regular monthly meeting. As the club is aware, the primary agenda item was the committee budgets. Prior to the meeting, our treasurer asked for time to present the tally on the fundraising efforts of the prior Rotary year (the proceeds are used to fund the current year’s projects).
Trevor alerted us that there were invoices either in dispute and in one case a significant invoice that Trevor was unable to attribute to a particular fund raising committee.
We believe we may have figured out the validity of the missing invoice but it needs to be confirmed.
As a result of the impact of these outstanding expenses the board had no alternative but to postpone the review of the committee requests. We understand the disappointment and possible inconvenience but it would be irresponsible of the board to take any other position. We all want the best for the Rotary Club of Guelph and at this time, this is what is best.
Thanks for your understanding and patience.
Rotarians for Life:
The Board has accepted with regret the resignations of Ken Hammil and Don Parr, but because of their many years of outstanding dedication to the Rotary Club of Guelph, our club has named them Rotarians for Life.
Board Minutes:
The minutes from the July Board meeting are already posted on ClubRunner
here (then look under Documents). Minutes from the August Board meeting will be posted soon.
Centennial Committee Update:
Jim Mackenzie and the Centennial Committee have several exciting ideas being developed. A special fundraising subcommittee is being formed now. If you would like to help out, please get in touch with Jim Mackenzie or Carolyn Weatherson.
India Project:
Sue Ricketts reported that the Dairy Project in Dindigal has progressed, and that the recipients have now taken ownership of their cows.
Music & Dinner Event:
Ron Hearnden mentioned an upcoming event at Village By The Arboretum on October 26, with a portion of ticket prices being donated to Rotary. Details will follow in an email to members.
Happy Bucks
Justin Funk’s daughter Isabelle is doing very well at golf. As a newcomer to St. James high school, she was happy to qualify for the school’s golf team, and has since gone on to earn the title of District Champion in the girls’ D10 tournament, and will next week play in the Central West Ontario tournament in Listowel.
Tracey McGrath qualified as an “Officiant” last April and has since conducted five weddings, and is booked to conduct six more. She makes a free offer to officiate for Rotarians who want to get married or perhaps renew their marriage vows in a ceremony.
Brian Martin was happy to have had the recent opportunity of training with a top martial artist.
Richard Broadwith reported that Rotary Local Lager recently earned a Gold Medal at the Ontario Brewers’ Convention.
Sue Ricketts and her family are justifiably proud of her oldest granddaughter’s top results from the College of Osteopathy.
Paul Dredge is pleased for his son Justin who plays on the Alumnae Softball Team for Laurier, and they just won the championship.
Rotary Anniversaries
Andrea Groenewald – September 19 - 10 years
Rotary Birthdays
Fred Ramprashad – September 15
Bonnie Evans – September 15
Bob Ireland – September 17
Bill Winegard – September 17
Today’s Presentation:
Aldo Villanovich – Classification Talk
Sue Ricketts introduced Aldo and his extensive Rotary bio from the last 14 years spent with the Rotary Club of Bolton. Aldo and his wife Hectorin relocated to Guelph in mid-2018 and we are delighted that Aldo is continuing his Rotary involvement with our club. A few of his Rotary involvements include:
- Rotary Club President in Bolton twice, in 2009-09 and 2016-17
- A Paul Harris Fellow
- Currently District 7080’s Director of International Service Committees
- Member of WASRAG (Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group) for 11 years
- WASRAG Convener for Guatemala District 4250 and WASGRAG Ambassador for District 7080
- Chaired and assisted with several WASH Projects (Water And Sanitation Hygiene) in Central America
- Attended several International Conventions, District Conferences, Water Summits, WASRAG meetings, Rotary at the UN, and the Jubilee of Rotarians at the Vatican
- Along the way has visited over 30 Rotary Clubs in 6 different countries
Aldo shared some of his family’s history, starting with his own birth in Istria in January 1945, towards the end of WWII. Istria is a large peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, south of Trieste, Italy, and it today adjoins both Slovenia and Croatia. Istria’s earliest known history starts with being captured by the Romans in 178 BC, but over the millennium, it has changed hands 10 times, often involuntarily after threats and war. One of these changes was in the early 1950s when Tito of Yugoslavia launched a takeover of the territory. Aldo’s family fled to Trieste as refugees in 1955 where they stayed in barracks for two years, having lost everything. Aldo was fortunate to attend good schooling there. When he was 11, his family was welcomed as immigrants to Canada, and they arrived through the famous Pier 21 in Halifax. They settled in Chatham, Ontario. Aldo later attended Ryerson in Toronto where he studied civil engineering.
He often reflects on how grateful we should all feel for our lives in Canada, and his personal life experience makes him very empathetic towards others in the world who are struggling to survive. That is what draws him to supporting International Services through Rotary.
In 1991, Aldo and his son formed a construction company which they still own and operate. It specializes in the building of memorials and monuments, which is where his Rotary classification of “Cemetery Memorials” comes from.
Also and his wife Hectorin have a son and a daughter and four grandchildren.
Of the many Rotary projects he has been part of, he is particularly proud of extensive fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis research, which led to the finding of a CF gene and treatments that now allow CF patients to live long lives and become grandparents.
Aldo paid special tribute to his early mentorship in Rotary from Paul Truex, someone he is still learning from (as are most of us, Aldo!).
Mahmud Hassain warmly thanked Aldo and welcomed him officially to our club. We look forward to Aldo's participation and leadership in many areas.
50/50 Draw
Won by Luisa del Rosario.