April 15, 2011

Today’s Program: Senator Anne Clare Cools Topic: Women’s Issues Location: The Imperial Room, The Fairmont Royal York

For years Anne Cools represented -Centre-York. Educated in Barbados and Montreal, Anne is the first black person appointed to the Senate of Canada and the first black female senator in North America. In 2004, in CBC’s The Greatest Canadian contest, Anne was chosen as one of the 100 greatest of all time. Prior to her responsibili- ties in the Senate, Anne was a social worker in innovative social services in Toronto. In 1974, as a pioneer in curbing domestic and family violence, she founded one of Canada’s first women’s shelters, Women in Transition Inc., serving as its Executive Director. She co-organized Canada’s first domestic violence conference called Couples in Conflict. Instrumental in the creation of the Special Senate-House of Commons Joint Committee on child custody and access after divorce, Anne has received awards including Woman of Excellence Leadership Award, Toronto Bob Marley Day Award, Person of the Year, Spiritual Mother of the Year and Outstanding Achievement Award in Politics.

Welcome New Member Russ Weir!

Russ was born in Hamilton and grew up in Caledonia. His father was a blacksmith with Stelco and his mother worked for the YWCA. He graduated with a B.A. in ntiful, tiful, bou Mathematics from the University of Waterloo in 1985 and received his Chartered ing, beau f the spr ersicles, Accountants designation in 1986. Russ joined what is now BDO Canada LLP as a co od, god o over of v Flower g the sky, l “ shield in -op student in 1981. He was made Partner in 1991 in the Kitchener-Waterloo office. old-dyed ril C er in Ap my Russ moved his family to Brantford when he took over as office managing Partner e I wand d still to the Her aded; an , Spring of the Brantford office in 1996. Russ recently moved to Toronto as he was ap- grey-he th a bound Cold, omes wi , Spring c nant; pointed the Chief Operating Officer for BDO Canada. Heart rally reso rer, ods, cho delive der in wo song-lea adows, No matter which office he worked at, Russ has always been involved in the com- Spring, nter in me ower-pla uses: munity. He has been involved with Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, pring, fl llowy and croc S uctor in wi daisies ild-cond h bloom, ternity: Alzheimer’s and the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Russ is a Past President of the Ch tted wit inks of e s deep do heart dr LIONS Club of Kitchener and a Melvin Jones Fellow. Russ joined Rotary in Field from his hat child en! 2001 as a member of the Rotary Club of Brantford Sunrise because of the work Here t re childr happy a ocence, O child, their inn olets, they did in the community. He was on the Board of Directors from 2002 to miles on tering vi he still s d, fos violins: 2008, President in 2006/2007, and is a two-time Paul Harris Fellow. Russ and S other in Go ices and , dear m cents, vo She l of her s his wife of 28 years, Patricia, have three children. Recently they found out that earth ful ic Fills ng in mus they will be first time grandparents this August. Russ enjoys most sports in- ne cunni emory: ances. Thus o in the m er perform cluding baseball, hockey and curling. ld chords leads h al akes o e Spring he virgin W arth in th ell of t us fair e e bow, sm Th uch of th more to my bosom One e, and - one mor tasy.” rt Louis Green th an ecs by Robe w life wi Spring” Feels ne od of the er God, G -- “Flow n Stevenso

THE ROTARY CLUB OF TORONTO Easter Dinner for Seniors – by Nick Larter CLUB 55

1912 Easter will soon be here. The Seniors Committee is once again looking for

The Fairmont Royal York Rotarian drivers and helpers to assist with delivering hot nutritious meals (Health Club Level) to shut in seniors. We will be delivering meals on Wednesday, April 20th. 100 Front St. West We meet at Kensington Gardens (45 Brunswick Avenue) at 11:45am. Toronto, M5J 1E4 Starting at noon, the time commitment is about 1½ hours. We are grateful Tel: (416) 363-0604 for any assistance provided. If you would like to assist in this most Fax: (416) 363-0686 Email: [email protected] worthwhile event please contact Jack Robertson. Web site: www.rotarytoronto.com Meets Fridays - 12:15 p.m. Trump AIDS Poker Walk – by Maureen Bird Officers: President : Peter A. Love The second annual Poker Walk for AIDS charities takes place Saturday, April President Elect: Sandy Boucher 30, 2011 starting at The Guvernment (Jarvis and Queen’s Quay) at 10:00 am. Vice President: Neil Phillips Treasurer: Harold Fisher Last year our Club raised almost $23,000 of the $75,000 which went to groups dealing directly with those most affected by HIV/AIDS. Help us out again: Directors Bill Bressmer Kimberly Curry Don Brooks Jane FitzGerald  Go to the website www.trumpaidstoronto.ca. Rick Goldsmith Demetra Layzell  If you know a walker, sponsor that person directly. David Libby Catherine Lloyd  If you want to donate but don’t know a walker, type in anybody (our Lorraine Nelson Jayson Phelps pseudo walker). Nancy Schaefer Ric Williams Immediate Past President: Support Trump AIDS Poker Walk and help Dignitas International with its Prevention of Mother-to Albert (Bert) Steenburgh -child Transmission program. For more information email [email protected]. Executive Director: Carol Bieser Accounts: Vivian Wang District Governor: Edward (Ted) Morrison Every year for over 80 years the Rotary Club of Toronto has Editor of the Week: Henry Sun gone to Camp! – by Susan Howson Send inquiries and articles to: [email protected] When? May 27-29, 2011 Where? Camp Scugog – near Port Perry just over an hour from Toronto. What is Camp Scugog? A fresh air camp for children, teens and Mothers so that they can gain new knowledge, attitudes and skills in a safe environment. Read more at http:// www.lakescugogcamp.org/. Why Camp Scugog? Because it is a non-profit camp focused on vulnerable children from the centre of Toronto. It has little funding and need us very much. Why should YOU come?  “A magnificent fence was erected, many cabins were painted and spiffed up, and the transformation was apparent to all. The Camp staff were there working alongside us, and their gratitude was palpable. I have left much out, but the important thing to know is this; in my INNER WHEEL NEWS opinion, the Camp Weekend is the best thing you can do all year, to fully experience the rewards of being a member of our great Club.” – Peter Love April 22 – Happy Birthday to Ann Bahen!  “All in all, I will remember the weekend as a time of feast, fellowship and fortitude. And although I quipped that ‘never again’ would I attend, of course next year I wouldn't miss it for April 28 – Plan to attend the ANNUAL the world.” – Shannon Lindquist BRIDGE LUNCHEON at the Toronto Golf What do I promise? I promise you there will be Club, 1305 Dixie Road, Mississauga. Ar- 1. Lots of hard work – painting, nailing, fixing etc. – and you will enjoy every minute. rive for coffee at 10 a.m.; Bridge 10:30 - 2. Lots of laughter, song and incredible food prepared by your fellow members. 12:30; followed by a social half hour before lunch at 1 p.m. Please send your cheque in If you have been to Camp you have probably already put the date in your calendar! If you have not, the amount of $30. to Denise Hewer, Ste. put it in now so you don’t miss out: May 27-29.2011. If you can’t come for the whole weekend, 902, 581 Avenue Road, Toronto, M4V 2K4 come for the day. Register through the link below. Once you have done so, I will send a survey to before April 20th. We look forward to see- you to confirm details. Don't leave it till the last minute as food and supplies need to be ordered. If ing you there. you have additional questions please contact me at [email protected]. To register go to: http://rtc.r-esourcecenter.com/event//index.asp?Event_Id=14 Maryan Tisdale, Recorder History of Rotary District 7070 Zone 24 – by Ric Williams Upcoming Speakers & Events Did you know that Toronto has hosted four Rotary International Conventions? 2011 Yep, 4 – count ‘em! And from the founding of the Rotary Club of Toronto, April 22 No meeting, Good Friday chartered in 1913, membership in Rotary has grown dramatically. 29 Curtis Barlow, Fort York Foundation, Rotary came to Ontario to what is now District 7070 when the Rotary Club of Toronto “Fort York Invigorated: Why It’s was chartered in 1913. No more clubs were formed until 1920, when clubs were Important to Toronto” chartered in Belleville, Guelph, and Oshawa. The number of clubs increased steadily and 30 Rotary Trump AIDS Walk by 1956, the District (then 247) had sixty clubs in an area that extended from Belleville May 6 David Hutton, and Picton on the east to Guelph and Alliston on the west, and north as far as La Sarre in “Federal Government Quebec. In 1957 District 247 was divided into District 707(0), with thirty-two clubs, and Whistle Blowers” District 701(0), with twenty-eight clubs. By 1986, the number of clubs in District 7070 13 Sylvia Milne, had increased to sixty-five and further redistricting was necessary. Seventeen clubs on Chair Centennial Committee, the west side were moved to a new District 7080. Today, District 7070 has fifty-three “Centennial Celebrations” clubs with twenty-three hundred members and extends from Picton west to Metropolitan 20 No meeting, Toronto. Four international conventions have been held in the District, all in Toronto. Victoria Day Weekend 27 Fellowship Meeting To learn more about our history, and the role the District plays in the support and growth 27-29 Camp Scugog of Rotary, check the District website at www.rotary7070.org. While you are at it, take a look at the District newsletter and learn about all the things Rotary is doing in your PROPOSE A SPEAKER neighbourhood. CONTACT—Harold Hetherington, Chair PROGRAMME COMMITTEE [email protected] This article was researched and written based on Under the Northern Lights, edited by Rotary Global History historian PDG James Angus, Honorary Member District 5580, 1992-93; RC of Orillia, D7010, 2000 co-recipient "Four Avenues of Service Citation for Individual Rotarians." See http://www.rotaryfirst100.org/clubs/canada/northerncredit.htm

The Women’s Initiatives Committee says a huge “Thank You!”

Our Women’s Business Attire and Accessories Drive has been exceptionally successful. Your donations assisted numerous women mak- ing the challenging transition from shelter to the workforce. Your gently used items gifted so much more than an outfit. To women who are so very much in need, you have given:

 Achievability  Determination  Courage  Accessibility  Empowerment  Encouragement

Working together we can, and we do, make a difference! Thank you. -- From Agnes Walkinshaw on behalf of the Women’s Initiative Committee and the women they serve.

Our New Marketing and Public Relations Committee – by Sandy Boucher

Over the past year, the Executive Committee and the Board have been working on a number of administrative and other changes designed to strengthen particular aspects of our Club. One of the most important of these efforts relates to our communications. In today's world, no organization can afford to hide its light under a bushel and Rotary, including our Club, has to act. The Board recently approved a new structure for this vital committee with a new chair, Past President John Lloyd taking the helm. John will be ably assisted in this endeavour by three sub-committee chairs: Print Media – Sylvia Geist Electronic Media – Ric Williams Marketing and PR – Craig Rennick With the new team in place, we are now actively recruiting members to start the work of making this real. We plan to revamp our communications strategy and practices. We will bring more involved Rotarians to the table to take our Club to a new place where we can strongly and effectively promote our brand, celebrate our successes, and establish our rightful place in the community. If you would like to get involved in these efforts, or believe that you have ideas or skills that can help we want to talk to you. Please contact me at [email protected] I will ensure you get plugged straight into the action! What You Missed on April 08, 2011 – by Shannon Lundquist

You missed our Club’s 8th Annual Youth Day! We were welcomed with painting, sculptures and concepts from Arts for Children and Youth, a grassroots organization engaging young people from Toronto's under-serviced communities. Chris Edmondson and Michael Wenkoff, from The Youth Jazz in the City project, delighted us with the sounds of the saxophone. The project provides exceptionally talented youth with opportunities to further their musical and artistic development overseen by leading professional Canadian jazz musicians. Our engaging hosts, Netila Demneri, Rotaract Club of Toronto and Andrea Tirone, Rotaract Club of UofT, kept the presentations on track, including two glee-filled performances by The Toronto Youth Music Theatre Company, a professional musical theatre training program for youth aged 11 to 17. Don’t miss their upcoming run of Oklahoma! Award winners, Rotarians and guests were honoured with the reflections of supporting dignitaries. Councillor Adam Vaughan spoke of the City of Toronto’s commitment to support youth leaders; not just to develop future leadership capabilities, but to nurture and assist youth today. Chief recognized the resiliency and motivation of youth leaders in our community; and acknowledged the Youth in Policing Initiative, an RCT Youth and Children’s committee-supported project and a collaboration between RCT, the Toronto Police and YES. TCHC executive Barry Thomas celebrated the leadership of Regent Park youth. Honourable Laurel Broten, Minister of Children and Youth Services and Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues, addressed the requirement to support and encourage youth now, and celebrated the achievements of our award winners, listed below. Camille Gordon, winner of the Rotaract Silver Youth Civic Leadership Award is an award-winning artist studying Illustration at the Ontario College of Art and Design University. Born in Curacao to Jamaican parents, Camille believes if we unite our strengths with a desire to invest in others we can be catalysts for change. Camille volunteers with “Youth Arts Against Violence” at the Eclypse Drop-in Centre and recently ran an art workshop for grade five students at Lord Roberts Public School. Camille aspires to continue working with others to recognize their gifts and tell their stories, and to fund youth drop-in centers around the world. Abubakar Sultan, winner of the Rotaract Gold Youth Civic Leadership Award, a 16 year-old Grade 11 student at Emery Collegiate Institute, is currently enrolled in Emery Cyber Science and the “STEPS to University” program. Abubakar led the subcommittee for the Assets Coming Together For Youth project which is a community-academic joint research project working to reframe the image of the Jane-Finch community. He is the Founder of Youth Speak, a branch of Free the Children, focused on raising funds to build a school in Kenya. Abubakar is an active and engaged student, a mentor, tutor, and emerging community youth leader! Mohsin Khan, winner of the Toronto Community Housing Corporate Leadership Award, is currently a second year engineering student at specializing in mechatronics. Outside school Mohsin is the director of Lead2Peace, an award winning youth-led organization whose programs enrol over 180 youth in Regent Park and Moss Park communities. He is a marital arts instructor for in school and community programs, teaching over 70 youth per week, and an aspiring Olympian. He facilitates and teaches and encourages students to create service learning projects in their communities; he takes a lead role in Women Beyond Homes, which will provide education and training to women in rural Pakistan. Araf Khaled, winner of the Rotary Club of Toronto Youth Civic Leadership Award, founded the Youth Sarcoma Initiative for sarcoma research at Hospital for Sick Children. A sarcoma survivor, Araf’s efforts were awarded the Identify and Impact Award. Araf’s devotion led him to Bangladesh and to the iEARN conference about barriers facing youth. Araf is part of the Youth Health Action Network with Toronto Public Health. A passionate artist, Araf won second place in a global competition with his painting “World Friendship Bridge,” which he donated to generate revenue for Left to right: Front – Councillor Adam Vaughan, a homeless youth shelter. Araf hopes to pursue a career in medicine, to serve one day at the hospital Araf Khaled, Minister Broten, Camille Gordon; Back – Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, Mohsin where he received treatment. Khan, Abubakar Sultan, President Peter Love Friday April 29th: Voice Editor is Ric Williams. “What you missed” Reporter is Vlad Kagramanov.

Looking Ahead: April 29, 2011 Speaker: Curtis Barlow, Fort York Foundation Topic: Fort York Invigorated: Why It’s Important to Toronto Location: The Albany Club, 91 King Street East

With a Master of Laws (University College London, U.K.,1976) Mr. Barlow began his professional career in the arts from 1977 to 1968 as Executive Director of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT). He has served with the Department of External Affairs as Cultural Counsellor to the U.K. at the Canadian High Commission in London (1986- 1990); at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. as Canadian Cultural Counsellor to the U.S. (1990-1996); as Executive Director and CEO of the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, P.E.I. (1996-2001); as Director, Arts and Cultural Industries Promotion Division, International Cultural Relations Bureau, at the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa (2001-2003); as Deputy Secretary (Policy, Program and Protocol) to the Governor General of Canada (2003-2007); and from 2007-2010 as CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, a Toronto-based national, non-profit organization founded by the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson. In August, 2010 he took up his appointment as Executive Director of the Fort York Foundation.