Program: Honourary PHFs - Joy Roberts and Gavin Armstrong
Messages this week from our Club President, Tracey Curtis
Tracey was literally on the move for today's meeting, Zooming in by phone from a vehicle while being driven to Niagara to enjoy a bike ride with friends in the day's beautiful weather, and setting a great example to "Seize the Day." Catch up on all our club news here.
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Announcement! Dan and Cynthia Vitale's twins were safely born yesterday, October 22 - Amelia and Xavier. We send the Vitale family our love and warmest congratulations! They'll be kept pretty busy with their four beautiful children. Email Dan Vitale.
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BREAKING NEWS!
The City is allowing "Sparkles in the Park" to go ahead as a drive-through event. No fireworks on New Year's Eve, and no carousel rides for kids, either, but we still want to give the community some Christmas joy with the lights and not miss our 22nd consecutive year of this iconic Guelph event! Opening night will be Saturday, December 19. "Sorting Of The Lights" will take place in Bob Ireland's workshop in early November - watch for the details. The Sparkles Committee is now moving into HIGH GEAR and the usual call for volunteers will soon go out with our usual theme of "Many hands make light work."
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BOARD MEETING FEEDBACK FROM MONTHLY MEETING ON OCT. 20, 2020
Tracey reported that:
Treasurer Trevor Lee presented a preliminary financial statement for 2019-2020; it will be presented to all club members soon.
Sean Yo has graciously stepped up to fill an open Director position on our club's Board.
Carolyn Weatherson and Jim MacKenzie gave the board an update on our Centennial Legacy Projects, also being shared with our club members today. More details here.
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World Polio Day is October 24, established by Rotary International more than 10 years ago. It is in honour of the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, who led the team that developed the first polio vaccine. Usually, our local Rotary clubs have a joint "End Polio Now" flag-raising ceremony with the mayor in front of Guelph City Hall, but obviously not this year. However, our polio flag has quietly been raised at City Hall and will stay up for a month. Watch for it if you are in the vicinity. Our Rotary District 7080 has a goal of collectively raising $10,000 for the Polio Plus campaign, that would be matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation. Rotarians are encouraged to donate $10 (or more) towards the goal of ending polio. Here's our club's link through Canada Helps. Tax receipts will be issued through Canada Helps.
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Poppy sales by the Royal Canadian Legion would normally be starting around this time but RCL has had to address COVID challenges. Self-serve poppy boxes will be found around town, and the RCL has also created gorgeous poppy face masks as a more functional way of raising funds for their important non-profit organization. These masks are a hot item and are just about SOLD OUT everywhere (hopefully more arriving soon)! Crista Renner managed to get hold of one and ran a spontaneous auction during our meeting as a fundraiser for Adopt-A-Family. In keen bidding, Marva Wisdom was the winner, raising $60! Here's the link for our local Legion office in Guelph to try and get your own poppy mask.
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Please save this date!
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 from 7pm-8pm.
November is Rotary Foundation Month and our Rotary Cluster of seven local clubs will have a special celebratory event that night on Zoom. Darlene Carpenter, our Assistant District Governor (for our Cluster) announced that guest speakers will be our own Dianne Dance speaking about the "Water First" project supported by a Rotary Global Grant, and Past District 7080 Governor Doug Vincent (2005-2006) who is often referred to as Rotary's "Roving Ambassador" for his global activities and international assignments. We're aiming for 100% attendance from our club! Zoom link will be shared closer to the time on our club's website calendar. Read more about The Rotary Foundation (TRF) here.
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Last call for our next Virtual Paint Night on October 25, via Zoom. Find more details on our website. Register here.
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Liz Sandals reported on the Winter Wear shopping already accomplished with our club's first $1,000 raised. Liz and Marguerite Campbell purchased and delivered to the Children's Foundation 11 new snowsuits, 11 hats and 15 pairs of snowboots. And we are now closing in on our goal of raising $2,000 to adopt at least two families for Christmas. THANK YOU, ROTARIANS! If we raise more, we can support more families. Here's the link to our donations page on Canada Helps.
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Tracey introduced two special guests from KidsAbility - CEO Linda Kenny, and Executive Director of the KidsAbility Foundation, Lisa Talbot - both well-known to many of our members. Earlier in the week, our club had presented a donation of $2,000 to KidsAbility, along with a plaque celebrating our club's centennial and our LONG involvement in supporting kids with special needs. Linda briefly updated us about KidsAbility's adaptations of service during COVID, with amazing innovation and results. Read more here about the Rotary plaque that will be proudly displayed in the KidsAbility Guelph location.
Tracey was literally on the move for today's meeting, Zooming in by phone from a vehicle while being driven to Niagara to enjoy a bike ride with friends in the day's beautiful weather, and setting a great example to "Seize the Day." Catch up on all our club news here.
World Polio Day is October 24, established by Rotary International more than 10 years ago. It is in honour of the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, who led the team that developed the first polio vaccine. Usually, our lo
Poppy sales by the Royal Canadian Legion would normally be starting around this time but RCL has had to address COVID challenges. Self-serve poppy boxes will be found around town, and the RCL has also created gorgeous poppy face masks as a more functional way of raising funds for their important non-profit organization. These masks are a hot item and are just about SOLD OUT everywhere (hopefully more 
Liz Sandals reported on the Winter Wear shopping already accomplished with our club's first $1,000 raised. Liz and Marguerite Campbell purchased and delivered to the Children's Foundation 11 new snowsuits, 11 hats and 15 pairs of snowboots. And we are now closing in on our goal of raising $2,000 to adopt at least two families for Christmas. THANK YOU, ROTARIANS! If we raise more, we can support more families. Here's the link to our 
Tracey introduced two special guests from KidsAbility - CEO Linda Kenny, and Executive Director of the KidsAbility Foundation, Lisa Talbot - both well-known to many of our members. Earlier in the week, our club had presented a donation of $2,000 to KidsAbility, along with a plaque celebrating our club's centennial and our LONG involvement in supporting kids with special needs. Linda briefly updated us about KidsAbility's adaptations of service during COVID, with amazing innovation and results. 
