Messages this week from our Club President, Tracey Curtis
We made it through another week, Rotarians, and it's chilly but sunshiney out there. Reach out to others. Everything's easier when we care for each other.
Rick's fabulous find of O Canadathis week was sung by Martina Ortiz Luis, the official anthem singer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with an amazing arrangement and backing by the Sole Power Gospel Choir and Kibwe Thomas, performed on January 18, 2021 on MLK Day. Watch and listen again here. We really love these weekly treats that you find for us, Rick. It has become "a thing" at our club!
Members in our special thoughts:
With immense sadness, we learned that our club member Brian McCulloch passed away on Monday, January 25, 2021 at the Guelph General Hospital. He was in his 67th year. As a proud Rotarian, Brian lived the philosophy of Service Above Self, always going above and beyond. He did the same in his 42 year career as an architect, always eager to solve problems and help others. Our fondest thoughts are with his wife Julia and their daughter Catherine.
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Many happy returns to:
Crista Renner - January 30
Joanna Penfold - January 30
Ab Moore - February 2 - Happy 90th birthday!
Congratulations on these Rotary anniversaries:
Matt Webster - February 2 - 3 years
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Other Announcements:
Election results for our 2021-2022 board
After our online voting last week, results were announced today about the three members elected to serve on our club's board from July 1, 2021. They are Andrew Johnson, Anita Mohan and David Van Veen. Congratulations!
We are grateful to Sean Yo for organizing the electronic voting process. It was so smooth and efficient that we are likely to use this online voting method every year - an excellent innovation for our club. The hardest part in voting was whose name to pick because we had ten wonderful members who'd agreed to be on the ballot. We are very appreciative that so many of our Rotarians are ready to offer their Service Above Self to our club ... and they all do, whether on the board or not. Thank you, good Rotarians, one and all.
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Paint Night - Monday, February 15:
Spread the word about this fun and free online event. Details are on our club website. Register in advance on EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/paint-night-tickets-137997892411
Participants will each paint their own version of this lovely winter scene, following Ben McCarl's gentle, step-by-step instructions, and using their own materials that can be purchased from many different stores. Or ... for $40, Ben will make up a complete painting "kit" and deliver the required materials ahead of Paint Night! Email Ben at ben.mccarl@gmail.com
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Supporting the ICC - our Rotary Club's home base
We all long for the day when we can hold our weekly club meetings in person again at the Italian Canadian Club, where we always feel like family. During the COVID closures, the ICC is offering wonderful takeout meals (that can be delivered, too) and they'd certainly appreciate our support. Check their weekly menu and specials on their website here:
Our club website has a lot of interesting information. We encourage you to read, learn, be amazed and proud of our club, past and present. Check these site pages:
Ab Moore will be sending his usual "birthday gift" to The Rotary Foundation. Of course!
Mahmud Hassain is delighted that the club's board of directors is now set up for his year as president, beginning July 1, 2021.
Hal Jackson commented that they receive a foot and a half of snow out his way this week, just north of London, ON. Not sure that much snow is really a HAPPY buck, Hal, but it must look like a Winter Wonderland.
Brian Martin, our resident Black Belt, is impressed that his karate dojo successfully switched to online training sessions during COVID, and will even hold an online karate camp this weekend in which both Brian and his daughter will be participating.
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Program this week - January 29, 2021 - Chef Pam Fanjoy
The story shared by this week's guest speaker was absolutely remarkable and inspiring. And it's a story still in the making!
Chef Pam Fanjoy (her last name is, indeed, Fanjoy) spent over 20 years working as a fulltime clinical social worker in southern Ontario. As a self-described Type A personality, she always gives 'everything' to whatever she does. After a couple of decades, while still passionate about her work, she sensed signs of personal burnout and decided to do something for herself by learning a skill that she felt she'd never really developed. She signed up for cooking classes at George Brown College, and one might say the rest is history.
Pam didn't just become a COOK. Within three years, she became a TOP CHEF, and to her own amazement, she won the 2016 series of CHOPPED CANADA on the Food Network, winning $10,000. This helped her to act on her vision of starting a social enterprise to connect innovative cooking with counselling programs that improve the physical and mental health of youth aged 14-26 and their families.
Chef Pam now delivers unique Jr. Chef Life Skills Programs (watch this short video) while serving up her latest line of delicious Gourmet to Go frozen meals (order here) available for online ordering and home delivery, from her business in Hillsburgh, ON near Erin. And you can purchase gift cards for these services for others, such as a treat for an at-home senior. And yes, she delivers to the Guelph area! And she has so many wonderful ideas that there are seldom enough hours in the day, although she claims she is more disciplined these days at managing her hours, and separating work time from home time.
And yes, she is already in discussion with Cyndy Forsyth regarding possibilities to work with the Integrated Youth Services Network in Guelph Wellington.
There are so many "Ands..." about Chef Pam Fanjoy, that we recommend you visiting her website (ChefPamFanjoy.com) to learn more, and WATCH THIS SPACE because Chef Pam's story is far from over.
Our thanks to Crista Renner for introducing Pam today, and Matt Webster for thanking her. We were all absolutely WOWED.
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Upcoming programs
Check our home page for upcoming speakers. Invite friends!
February 5 - Rich Peverley, former NHL hockey player speaking on heart health (from a guy whose heart stopped for 2 minutes at one of his hockey games)
February 12 - Dr. Lawrie Jones, a member of our club for 48 years, in a Rotary Rewind interview. Learn more about Lawrie and also our club history.
With immense sadness, we learned that our club member Brian McCulloch passed away on Monday, January 25, 2021 at the Guelph General Hospital. He was in his 67th year. As a proud Rotarian, Brian lived the philosophy of Service Above Self, always going above and beyond. He did the same in his 42 year career as an architect, always eager to solve problems and help others. Our fondest thoughts are with his wife Julia and their daughter Catherine. 
We all long for the day when we can hold our weekly club meetings in person again at the Italian Canadian Club, where we always feel like family. During the COVID closures, the ICC is offering wonderful takeout meals (that can be delivered, too) and they'd certainly appreciate our support. Check their weekly menu and specials on their website 
If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages 
Chef Pam Fanjoy (her last name is, indeed, Fanjoy) spent over 20 years working as a fulltime clinical social worker in southern Ontario. As a self-described Type A personality, she always gives 'everything' to whatever she does. After a couple of decades, while still passionate about her work, she sensed signs of personal burnout and decided to do something for herself by learning a skill that she felt she'd never really developed. She signed up for cooking classes at George Brown College, and one might say the rest is history. 
Pam didn't just become a COOK. Within three years, she became a TOP CHEF, and to her own amazement, she won the 2016 series of CHOPPED CANADA on the Food Network, winning $10,000. This helped her to act on her vision of starting a social enterprise to connect innovative cooking with counselling programs that improve the physical and mental health of youth aged 14-26 and their families. 
