April 2013 Fran's Feature

Rotary International District 5360 Newsletter

Official Newsletter of District Governor Fran Leggett April 2013 April is Magazine month in our Ro- tary world. Do you take time to read the Rotarian or to look at the Cana- dian Insert? These publications and others are a great way to learn more about Rotary, to become INSIDE THIS ISSUE: inspired and to see what Fran’s Feature clubs around the world 2 Fran’s Feature— continued are doing. 2013 RI Convention—Lisbon, Portugal

Rotary Canada emphasizes the message that Martha gave us last 3 Discon 2013 month; the need for kidney donors. There is a great article about Rotary Leadership Institute—New Grads! the US citizen who donated a kidney to Canadian from BC. There is

also an article about Microcredit highlighting the conference in our 4 Four-Way Test Multi-Media Competition District in October and showcasing Wally Gardiner, President of Our Newest Interact Club—Way to go Sylvan High River Rotary club. Lake!

There are many other publications that you can subscribe to as 5 High River Times Rotary Report: well. I receive one; called Peace Net that highlights the Peace Cen- April 2013 ters and their graduates. There are many others and the list is on

the RI web site. You can learn about Polio, Future vision, New Gen- 6 Martha’s Corner erations, Alumni and many more. http://www.rotary.org/en/

mediaandnews/newsletters/MoreNewsletters/Pages/ 7-8 Wheelchairs for Hualtalco—Rotary in Motion ridefault.aspx .

9 Thanks from TRF (Canada) I also receive newsletters from Action groups that I am interested

in such as WASRAG (Water and Sanitation Rotary Action group) or 10 February 2013 Attendance RAGM (Rotary Action Group for Microcredit). In the most recent

WASRAG newsletter I was dismayed to learn that “Official United

Nations figures claim that 2.5 billion people lack access to ade-

quate sanitation. But new research from the University of North

Carolina puts the total at more than 4.1 billion people”. This cer-

tainly emphasizes our need to continue all the water and sanitation projects that we do. All of these newsletters keep me informed about what is happening and the amazing projects that are occur-

(Continued on page 2) Fran’s Feature (continued)

(Continued from page 1) ring throughout the world.

Recently Rotary International established two new tools for clubs. One is Rotary Showcase and the other is Rotary Cen- tral, both of these are accessed through member access. Rotary Showcase is an online tool that allows you to showcase your projects, connect with other Rotarians, and to share your images and successes. Rotary Club Central allows clubs to track and set their goals for the year and to compare these with subsequent years. This is described on the RI site at this address; http://www.rotary.org/en/members/runningaclub/rotaryclubcentral/pages/ridefault.aspx. I encourage you to explore these and make use of them.

DG Fran

Come and Join us in Lisbon for the 104th Rotary Interna- tional Convention

To register use the following link http://www.riconvention.org/en/2013/Pages/ridefault.aspx

Back to 2 Well, here they are, the most recent grads from the Rotary leadership Institute part III. All on Rotary's 108th birthday. Graduates are Bob Sugarman from Red Deer Centennial, Valerie Odell from Stettler, Mi- chelle MacDonald, John Newsham and Eric Moe all from Innisfail. Missing from the picture is Gwen Lee from Stettler. Facilitators for the day were Rod Bradshaw from Innisfail, Al and Shirley Bergsma from Rocky Mountain House. And yes we are this close to eradicating polio from the face of the earth. Join the worlds biggest commercial.

Back to 3 Home Page Four-Way-Test Multi-Media Competition: 'Fifth – FINAL - Announcement':

Judging has been completed! -

Sincerest thanks to our committee consisting of Cyndi Starzyk-Frey of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge Ur- ban Spirits, George Gallant, Communication Arts Instructor and film producer at Lethbridge College. I was the third on the judging team.

While not very many students participated: we will present the top three at the District Conference in Lethbridge.

Hope to see you there at the Sunday 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. session!

Prizes and prize-winners will be announced after the showing of the presentations. Let’s help to ‘grow this’ in future years!

Hans-Henning Mündel ([email protected] ) (Chair, Rotary District 5360, Four-Way Test Multi-Media Competition 2012-2013)

Members of the new Interact Club from H. J. Cody High School gathered around their banner during Charter Night last Thurs- day. The banner was donated by the Ro- tary Club of Sylvan Lake which is affiliated with the Interact Club. Charter members included, in the back row, Liam O’Cal- laghan, Breanna Tait, Jessica Beckwith, Bennett Hreherchuk, Annika Vetter, Wyatt Bossé, and teacher Alana Routhier; in the middle row, Ivanaka Tucker, Alexis Koster, Kara Canning and Shiori Takeshita; and in the front row, Amber Carson, Bobbi Cerin, Ann Duffy, Bethany Mulholland and Brooklyn Soley. Absent from the ceremony were Michael Campbell, Chais Avery, Lauren Arp, Hailey DeClercke and teacher Megan Buyks.

Steve Dills, Editor Sylvan Lake News Back to Home Page 4 3 Rotary Report by Maureen McManus

Headline: Rotary Club welcomes 100th member Kelly Fifield, a lieutenant in the Salvation Army, has been inducted as the 100th member of the Rotary Club of High River. She was born in northern British Columbia to Salvation Army officers. Fifield graduated from high school in Ontario and returned to B.C. where she met Cory and married him in 2008. Kelly and Cory moved to Winnipeg in 2010 to train as Sal- vation Army officers. They are now based in High River.

Resourceful speaker Chris Koch has come from difficult beginnings, and he has overcome immense obstacles since he was born without arms or legs. Now he challenges himself to experience all life has to offer. Koch gave an inspiring presentation at the Rotary club on March 7. He comes from a Nanton family, and he related how his grandmother set the tone for how he would be raised with his disability. "It couldn't have been a better approach," Koch said. "I was stubborn and determined. I grew up in a phenomenal community with fantastic friends and family." He said the War Amps organization is his second family. This gives him a tremendous support group. Koch does work for them to give back. Koch has held jobs that people would not expect of him, such as working for Westjet at Calgary airport to help passengers in wheel chairs and driving agricultural equipment in Nanton. "I have to think outside the box and be resourceful," Koch said. He loves to travel and recommends this to high school and university students. "You find out about your strengths," Koch said. To prove his point, Koch related how he travelled alone in Europe for three months, using a skateboard. One of his fa- vourite sayings is "The core of man's spirit comes from new experiences." "I'm game to do anything...kayaking, sky diving... You become a more interesting person when you step outside your comfort zone," said Koch. Now he aspires to be in the reality TV show Amazing Race Canada. Following Koch's presentation, Rotarian Emile Blokland, in his role as Sergeant At Arms, encouraged Rotarians to donate to Koch's wish list. Koch was appreciative, and he donated a portion of the collection to War Amputations of Canada.

Antique furniture restorer Master woodworking restorer and craftsman Ken Farley spoke to the Rotary club on March 14. He studied his craft in southern Germany from 1981 to 1986. Upon his return to Canada, he founded Athlone Restorations Ltd. in Calgary in 1986. Farley specializes in restoring 18th, 19th and 20th century pieces. On display at the Rotary meeting was a cattle brands railing Farley restored from the Harry Hayes ranch. He showed a photo of a larger brands railing, an Italian travel trunk and a grain scale. Farley bought the antique scale at a garage sale. It was in such bad condition that his wife did not want it in their house. Now beautifully restored, the piece is used as a coffee table in the Farleys' home. "The satisfaction I get from my work is preserving history," Farley said. Asked what his biggest project was, Farley said this was four mirrors from the 1700s that came from Venice, Italy via To- ronto to Calgary. This restoration needed great care because the wood frames were crumbling.

100 per cent attendance An honorary members' night will be held at the Rotary Club of High River on May 16. The goal is to have 100 per cent attendance by members in person, at other Rotary clubs, or through the Rotary eclub web site at www.rotaryeclubone.org

Back to 5 Home Page Martha’s Corner by Martha McManus A PAIR OF DUCKS

I know it is Spring!

The mallard couple have returned.

I have a body of water, right on the route of my morning and evening walk with Ivy, (black lab), and Mickey (golden retriever). Both dogs hunt pheasants with one of my sons, and so they are attentive to birds, and wait eagerly for me to send them to re- trieve these two ducks.

These Mallards have been coming to the water for years, and that is not so notewor- thy, except that the body of water is a melting ice rink. The ducks arrive and then stay put as the area of water shrinks from a large rink to a puddle. Eventually, the pair will move to the Elbow River and take up residence with a community of ducks and geese there.

As a conflict resolution specialist, I watch the negotiation I imagine is occurring. Within a couple of days, as warm weather shrinks the increasingly shallow water home, the female begins going to the Elbow river. She may awaken some historical memory, ‘Elbow river, better place’ or just watch her community of ducks taking up residence at the river, and she looks for community. She begins her back and forth, as her male partner stays put in his own water kingdom. (Those of you who do not know different species of ducks, the male mallard has a green head and the female mallard’s head is the same colour as her body.)

Our male duck, maintains his home in what amounts to less than a 2 x 2 meter area. His female companion has left now, not return- ing for 3- 4 days. Eventually, (and I imagine, a bit begrudgingly) our male makes his move to the Elbow to join his mate. He has a very distinct quack, so it is easy to identify the two of them.

Sometimes I look at my own life and wonder how often I return to the shrinking water patterns of my life. Back in the 70s, I washed and saved plastic bags, (yes, the purchased ones, and also the fruit and shopping bags from grocery stores). I have carrier bags now, which I strive to remember when I head for the store, but I still save plastic bags of all sorts. I have started to return old plastic bags to the store recycling containers. I hope to use up my collection of bags before I get turned in to a hoarders show, or my sons must deal with my stash 40 years from now.

In conflict situations, my first response is, ‘this is a teachable moment, we must talk this through’. In my own life, family and work, this tendency to be intrigued by conflict has helped me in many ways….HOWEVER not in shrinking pond times. I have had to learn the hard way, to be still. My first response is to open my mouth, and I would say in my defense, I am active listening to confirm I un- derstand what the other is saying. Yet, I am still opening my mouth. I remember a saying that we have two ears and only one mouth, to listen twice as often as we speak.

I remember when two Shia lawyers working with our justice program in Iraq began yelling at each other. I sat in a still peace between then, (I do not speak Arabic, and I felt confident that these two had the skills and commitment to handle this conflict). The community of fellow peacebuilders showed up to help their colleagues find a common interest that worked for all involved.

I still initially want to speak, when conflict occurs; however I am becoming more comfortable with creating a space of peace and still- ness, with the possibility I may be invited in to help, or I can speak from a place of 2 to 1 listening.

Perhaps next year, my pair of ducks will head straight to the Elbow River, and perhaps enjoy a nostalgic visit to the ice rink/puddle at their leisure.

Back to 10 6 Home Page WHEELCHAIRS FOR HUALTALCO— Rotary in Motion Submitted by Peg Ainsley

Unbelievable need, proud preparation and every recipient was neatly dressed, clean and ready to accept their gift – most with at least one family member. Patiently waiting their turn. Accepting with grace – some with open joy, others re- served – sometimes nervous, sometimes fearful, curious ad shy. Grateful. A tear rolls down the cheek of Francisca Martinez. She is blind and with the interpretive help of a member of the Huatalco Rotary Club, we have introduced ourselves and I have shown her the banderol of Canada – our flag. I pin it on and show her again where it is on her sweater.

We exchange ages and hold hands. She is only five years my senior but seems older. She has not had my pampered life. Still, on this day she has freshly done grey pigtails. I tell her congratulations in her own language – a word I learned yester- day.

Before this she walked one short, painful step at a time with a wooden cane. She is happy, she is grateful and she is moved by this gift.

Another lady, 80 years old, has travelled by bus four hours to get here. She has been having increasing difficulty walking and the chair will help her remain living independently. Her daughter lives in Mexico City and she prefers to be in her home town of St. Baltizar in the province of Loxicha.

One man whose wife has passed away has four children and all but the eldest receive a chair today. He can now see his children, all in their 20s, gain some independence and he is suddenly free from physically carrying them.

Here, a child born with a defect, there a foot lost to diabetes, all manner of reasons, from one year old to 102.

Rotary has been running the project annually in different parts of the world for 10 years. This year marks the largest num- ber of Rotarian volunteers, with 28 from Alberta, one from Ontario and one from Chicago. Whether assembling wheelchairs, transferring recipients or working registration, all play a part in making it happen. They receive the gifts and some people give a token – a bracelet, and one young man has created a beautiful sailboat out of nature’s craft shop. The boat goes to Bonnie Ganske for she and her husband Dale to enjoy for years to come. Ganske is a Sylvan Lake/Huatalco Rotarian, and as project lead, has worked toward these delivery days for 15 months. It hasn’t been without its challenges. Establishing the cooperation required between various levels of government, the Ca- nadian Wheelchair Foundation, and the shipping agents as well as customs and border personnel in two countries is no small task.

In fact, to the last day before deliveries were to begin, the wheelchairs were held at the border creating drama and ten- sion for organizers. There could have been more than 30 volunteers without any wheelchairs to deliver.

In the end, there are 500 wheelchairs available for distribution to those who need them. Without the Rotary project these people, these hospitals, these children may not be able to enjoy their new freedom.

Please enjoy some photos on the next page...

11 7 Back to Back to 12 Home Page from TRF (Canada) President Richard Clarke advis- ing we have significantly exceeded the initial $1 mil- lion threshold: Hi Folks,

Well our fellow Rotarians certainly did it - our final tally is $2,270,000 - fantastic! With the matches from CIDA and Gates Foundation - a total of $6.8m towards ending polio!

A huge thank you to everyone - for a great team effort.

Richard Clarke

Back to 9 Home Page February 2013 Attendance—District 5360 Member Member Gain/ YTD Mtngs. Count Count Loss Gain/ YTD Gain/ Last Year Feb. YTD Feb. YTD Held Club Name NR Last Year Feb. Feb. Loss Loss % Attndnc. % Attndnc. % Attndnc. % Rank Rank Feb. Airdrie 39 36 1 -3 -7.69% 78.00% 72.03% 66.85% 7 16 4 Banff NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Brooks NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Calgary 258 239 -3 -19 -7.36% 44.19% 42.42% 43.39% 28 40 4 Calgary Centennial 45 47 1 2 4.44% 76.48% 69.40% 75.08% 10 7 4 Calgary Chinook 90 89 0 -1 -1.11% 66.02% 58.24% 64.64% 19 21 4 Calgary Crowchild 19 20 0 1 5.26% 52.17% 41.25% 46.15% 29 38 4 Calgary East 39 40 1 1 2.56% 71.43% 70.63% 64.47% 8 22 4 Calgary Fish Creek NR 22 0 0 -22 -100.00% 77.85% 0.00% 57.13% 31 29 0 Calgary Heritage Park 54 51 0 -3 -5.56% 79.77% 78.06% 78.28% 6 4 4 Calgary Millennium 17 16 0 -1 -5.88% 62.83% 80.00% 70.91% 3 12 4 Calgary North NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 54.51% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Calgary Olympic 0 20 0 20 0.00% 23.20% 50.00% 53.98% 26 32 4 Calgary Sarcee NR 34 0 0 -34 -100.00% 60.06% 0.00% 51.59% 31 34 0 Calgary South 170 170 -1 0 0.00% 74.90% 70.54% 75.30% 9 6 4 Calgary West 75 72 0 -3 -4.00% 61.55% 70.63% 67.03% 8 15 4 Canmore 84 77 -2 -7 -8.33% 66.28% 55.84% 62.66% 23 27 4 Cardston NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 14.42% 0.00% 46.50% 31 37 0 Coaldale NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Cochrane 28 31 0 3 10.71% 69.98% 65.74% 72.98% 14 9 4 Drumheller NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Fort Macleod NR 16 0 0 -16 -100.00% 48.17% 0.00% 48.38% 31 36 0 High River 93 100 0 7 7.53% 57.28% 43.29% 51.57% 27 35 4 Innisfail NR 47 0 0 -47 -100.00% 77.25% 0.00% 65.86% 31 18 0 Kindersley 28 30 0 2 7.14% 65.50% 37.78% 53.62% 30 33 3 Lacombe 49 44 0 -5 -10.20% 70.57% 79.01% 75.51% 5 5 4 Lacombe Daybreak 22 17 0 -5 -22.73% 71.92% 79.41% 79.50% 4 3 4 Lethbridge 113 102 2 -11 -9.73% 58.34% 57.10% 54.76% 21 31 3 Lethbridge East NR 29 0 0 -29 -100.00% 98.42% 0.00% 63.37% 31 23 0 Lethbridge Sunrise 36 33 0 -3 -8.33% 77.88% 60.16% 66.55% 16 17 4 Lethbridge Urban Spirits 44 41 0 -3 -6.82% 69.29% 65.83% 64.79% 13 19 3 Medicine Hat 76 74 0 -2 -2.63% 71.74% 58.60% 79.63% 18 2 3 Medicine Hat - PACE NR 17 0 0 -17 -100.00% 50.82% 0.00% 43.92% 31 39 0 Medicine Hat (Saamis) 26 25 -3 -1 -3.85% 69.68% 55.84% 71.74% 23 10 3 Medicine Hat Sun- rise 38 35 -1 -3 -7.89% 69.85% 59.54% 71.48% 17 11 4 Olds 40 44 1 4 10.00% 62.79% 52.35% 62.20% 25 28 4 Pincher Creek 30 29 1 -1 -3.33% 66.16% 58.18% 69.16% 20 13 4 Ponoka 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Raymond NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Red Deer 96 95 1 -1 -1.04% 60.02% 55.36% 63.14% 24 24 3 Red Deer Centennial 19 17 0 -2 -10.53% 68.87% 65.63% 62.68% 15 26 4 Red Deer East 41 39 0 -2 -4.88% 85.83% 89.70% 86.42% 2 1 4 Red Deer Sunrise 49 44 0 -5 -10.20% 61.73% 56.25% 55.41% 22 30 4 Rocky Rotary NR 14 0 0 -14 -100.00% 59.06% 0.00% 62.72% 31 25 0 Rotary Club of Oko- toks 44 48 0 4 9.09% 65.37% 66.28% 68.81% 12 14 4 Stettler 38 38 0 0 0.00% 62.83% 68.00% 64.75% 11 20 3 Swift Current NR 0 0 0 0 0.00% 4.17% 0.00% 0.00% 31 41 0 Sylvan Lake 23 27 0 4 17.39% 70.20% 92.59% 73.81% 1 8 4 Totals 2002 1790 -2 -212 -16.00% 55.36% 42.20% 53.27% 10 Back to Home Page