Program: WDG Public Health Vaccine Communications -
Danny Williamson and Anna Vanderlaan
Messages this week from our Club President, Tracey Curtis
THIS WEEK, WE DID NOT HAVE TIME FOR USUAL ANNOUNCEMENTS, SO PLEASE REVIEW THEM BELOW.
Hello Rotarians. This week's meeting departed from our usual agenda in order to focus on two topics of historical importance in looking at the past, the present, and how we need to work together towards a better future. The two topics are:
THE LOST INDIGENOUS CHILDREN, and
COVID-19 IN OUR COMMUNITY (today's program)
THE LOST INDIGENOUS CHILDREN.
In the past week, the nation (and the world) received tragic news about a discovery believed to be the remains of 215 children buried in unmarked graves at the site of a former Residential School in Kamloops, BC. The Indigenous children attending this school were sent there by government decree, some of whom never came back home, and whose families never learned what became of them. The Canadian government's harsh residential school system (1870s - 1996) created multi-generational harm still felt by Indigenous survivors and families today, so this confirmation of buried children is a deeply painful reminder. And there is also a strong prediction of similar burial sites existing at other former residential school properties as well. Residential school survivors have been saying so for many, many years.
This reported discovery of buried children is traumatic and has rocked Indigenous peoples to the core, bringing deep, deep hurt to the surface. It is also making a lot of non-Indigenous people more starkly aware of Canada's Indian Residential School system being a "dark and shameful chapter of our country's history" that we can no longer ignore.
Please be sure to read this information booklet aboutTHE INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.And also read more about residential schools on our club website RotaryGuelph.ca under Committee Info > Indigenous Awareness Committee.
Three of our club members were asked to comment today: Dianne Dance (as chair of our club's Indigenous Awareness Committee), Liz Sandals, and Rick Le Feuvre.
Dianne spoke of the roller-coaster of emotions this past week, from anger to sadness and then to the remarkable resilience she has witnessed from some Indigenous people. Dianne agrees that more must be done than just using sorrowful words. Our club's Indigenous Awareness Committee will continue taking Action in its mission of LEARNING, SHARING and SUPPORTING with practical programs, wherever possible.
Liz reminded us that there is a former Indian Residential School in our area, the Mohawk Institute near Brantford, since renamed as the Woodland Cultural Centre. The local Indigenous community wants this old residential school building to be shored up with essential structural repairs in a campaign called "Save The Evidence" as a historical reminder, lest we forget. It's also widely thought that these grounds may have unmarked graves of children.
Rick spoke of the multi-generational impact of how Canada has treated the First Peoples of this land (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), and the resulting PTSD experienced by so many today. It is now a time we should be coming together to build a better future that we can collectively be a part of and proud of.
Marva Wisdom added an impassioned plea for the government to take action on its numerous commissions and to do what it has previously promised to do.
Our MPP Mike Schreiner was a welcome addition to our meeting today - he joins us whenever he possibly can with his busy schedule. He, too, supports concrete Indigenous actions beyond words, and is supporting whatever he can in this direction.
As parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, many of us are thinking "What if these children were from MY family?" and the thought is unbearable. That's why we're encouraging donations of $215 to the Rotary Club of Guelph's Indigenous Awareness Committee to support Indigenous reconciliation efforts, because Actions speak louder than Words.
Donate here. Please use the Drop Down menu to select INDIGENOUS AWARENESS.
Rick's O Canadapick this week was appropriate and beautiful, sung in Ojibwe' with a written Cree version and sub-text translations. Thank you, Rick, as always.
Thank you for your service, Rotarians! We truly appreciate you.
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Rotary Events & Fundraisers:
July 1 Reimagined.
Tracey said that in light of the news about the 215 children, our Canada Day Committee is meeting urgently to review our club's planned (but not yet publicized) events for July 1, 2021. Whenever difficult decisions need to be made, we will turn to our Rotary 4 Way Test for guidance, and that is exactly what we are doing now. Details to follow.
Another Rotary Virtual Paint Night "Summer Sunrise" will be held this Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 6pm. Ben McCarl will gently guide online participants in the step by step painting of this scene. This pay-what-you-can event is organized by Gisella Gazzola. Details and registration are on our club website here.
Duck Race Tickets are on sale right now. Read more on our club home page here. Or go straight to GotDuck.cato purchase tickets.
The final Early Bird Draw is on June 15, with $500 in vouchers to local restaurants
The Grand Prize of $500 per month for a year of food from Zehr's will be drawn on Canada Day (that's a total of $6,000!)
Net proceeds from the Duck Race will go to Food4Kids Guelph to help feed local children living in severely food-insecure families.
The 8th annual Tour de Guelph is now under way, running from June 4 to June 27. Tour de Guelph is a cycling event in support of Guelph General Hospital and local Rotary projects through the Rotary Clubs of Guelph South and Guelph Trillium. But wait ... there's more! This year, there is also a fantastic online auction in support of Tour de Guelph 2021. Check it out here.
If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages here. There are four different topics you can donate to.
givesome.org/rotaryclubguelph/
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Program this week - June 4, 2021
DANNY WILLIAMSON & ANNA VANDERLAAN
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) Public Health
THE LOCAL VACCINE EFFORT NEEDS CHAMPIONS - LIKE YOU!
Go HERE for information on COVID-19 vaccination questions
Marva Wisdom gave a warm welcome and introduction to our speakers, Danny and Anna, from WDG Public Health.
Anna is manager for Health Promotion, and currently supporting the communications campaign around Covid-19 vaccines, especially with regard to getting the facts out there and myth-busting.
She started with good news about the vaccine support rate in our WDG Public Health area, with data pulled this very day. Of the 202,000 people identified for vaccines, around 199,500 have either had their first dose or already have an appointment for a vaccine, leaving only about 2,500 community members 'missing'. However, there are definitely pockets of resistance, both within our health district and in others, and it is up to each of us to help encourage EVERYONE to get vaccinated when it is their turn, for the public good.
Anna went on to talk about some of the COVID-19 vaccination FAQs, reminding us that the answers are on their WDG website. For example:
Was the vaccine development rushed?
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
Can I just get one dose of vaccine?
Can I choose which COVID-19 vaccine I get?
What if I got AstraZeneca vaccine for my first dose - what about the second one?
Danny continued the conversation. He is the media contact for WDG Public Health, and well known to many of us for his expertise in public communications. He spoke of the support role we can each play when we come across vaccine hesitancy or anti-vaxxers. The underlying principle is that its not about reaching a vaccination target, but about strengthening our community's protection so that we can ALL get our lives back.
He reinforced the importance of directing hesitators or nay-sayers to credible, verifiable sources of FACT to dispel the many myths that are in circulation.
Anne MacKay thanked Danny and Anna for their fact-filled and inspiring talk, and for taking the time to talk to us. They both said they are on a mission to spread the word about COVID-19 vaccines and are willing to take their presentation to "Anyone, Anywhere". Just contact them!
They were especially touched to receive our certificate of thanks noting that our club will vaccinate 100 children against polio in each of their names. Very fitting.
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Upcoming programs
Check our home page for upcoming speakers. Invite guests!
Friday, June 11, 2021 at 12:15pm - Faz Ashkar - Up Close (a personal introduction)
Marva Wisdom added an impassioned plea for the government to take action on its numerous commissions and to do what it has previously promised to do.
Our MPP Mike Schreiner was a welcome addition to our meeting today - he joins us whenever he possibly can with his busy schedule. He, too, supports concrete Indigenous actions beyond words, and is supporting whatever he can in this direction. 
Tracey said that in light of the news about the 215 children, our Canada Day Committee is meeting urgently to review our club's planned (but not yet publicized) events for July 1, 2021. Whenever difficult decisions need to be made, we will turn to our Rotary 4 Way Test for guidance, and that is exactly what we are doing now. 
Another Rotary Virtual Paint Night "Summer Sunrise" 
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If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages 
He reinforced the importance of directing hesitators or nay-sayers to credible, verifiable sources of FACT to dispel the many myths that are in circulation.
