Please join us at Odd Fellows Hall, 218 Concession Street, Kingston ON.
The Rotary Four Way Test
Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned
Rotary Reflection
For food in a world where many walk in hunger
For peace in a world where many walk in fear
For friends in a world where many walk alone
And for the opportunity to serve others through Rotary,
May we be truly thankful!
The Loyal Toast
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Canada!
Acknowledgement of Territory
We are gathered on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. we are grateful to be able to join together in Rotary Fellowship on these lands.
The meeting opened with the singing of the National Anthem – thank you John Farrow for leading us in song. We miss you, Terry!
Ed Thompson read the Acknowledgement of Territory
Guests: Karenna Chen, Youth Exchange Rebound and our speaker today!
Mark Chen, Karenna’s Dad; Maya Bergensen, leaving us tomorrow! :(
Dani Lakatos, Youth Exchange Alumnus, Hungary
Visiting Rotarians: Sherry Agnew - Kingston
Makeups: Heather Kembel, Howard Lee, Hakim Subair - Bingo
Member Sharing
Fun Master - Elizabeth Cohoe
How well do you actually know our President, Ana Sutherland?
If you haven’t been to Denmark (like Karenna) – pay a buck!
No badges or pins – pay a buck!
Rick Fiedorec – we don’t want your head like you suggested in your email – pay a buck!
Robert Reid – for shirking your responsibility on letting me know who was last in; and for sneaking in late – pay a buck!
Ron – I’ll put some bucks in ‘cause I’ve been absent!
Happy/Sad Bucks
Rick Fiedorec – Terry was sound asleep this morning :) They tried to wake him twice!
Dani Lakatos (former exchange CK student)– Happy to be back in Kingston (Dani has just finished 1st year med school)
Heather Kembel – wife of a former member, Peggy Hallett, has written and directing a play at the Domino this week.
Bernie Allard – We can go to Nova Scotia!
Terri Hodges – Thanks for the good wishes on the passing of my mom - she lived a good long life.
John Farrow – Great night Saturday at the Cirque – on ice! Rick said we could start to use the 100 years of Rotary logo, so I dug out an old pin from Rotary's 100th anniversary from 2005! I'll wear it all this year (if I remember)
Other Communication
Elizabeth Cohoe
Please contact me if you’re interested in participating in the following service activities:
July 13th Frontenac Rotary Club donating blood at the Kingston Blood Services Clinic on Gardiner’s Road
Sunday, Sept 15th the Kingston Club is trying to get all 4 Rotary Clubs together to hold a bbq for the Terry Fox Run volunteers and runners. 9:30am-1:00pm.
Rick Fiedorec, Treasurer:
Presenting preliminary budget for 2019-2020 year, which was distributed previously via email.
We expect a small surplus to carry over from last year in the general account.
A question: how do we pay for breakfast for grant recipients? There can be 10-12 extra guests on those presentation days. Rick recommends that the Board review and decide which funds these breakfasts should be paid from.
Murray Cotton – our current policy is that no funds raised by fundraising will be used to cover admin expenses – like breakfasts.
We should have our finished year end docs from the accountant by the end of July and we can post them on ClubRunner.
We have set aside $6,000 for expenses around the friendship exchange coming to visit from India – those of us who went to India donated $500 each to cover this. It did not come out of Club funds.
Please note: International funds subject to currency exchange.
Questions regarding the budget are always welcome and should be directed to Rick Fiedorec
Bernie Allard:
Please nominate Paul Harris Award candidates by end of September!
2 more cases of polio this year than last year – ended the year at 39. Pakistan has been the challenge.
Greta DuBois:
Friendship exchange meeting tonight. Organizing to host a gaggle of New Zealanders and Australians (how much is a gaggle?).
Elizabeth Cohoe:
Friend of Rotary Roger Romero is going to co-ordinate our Terry Fox Run bbq! Thanks Roger.
Let me know if you’d like to participate in the Nut Drive! Routes will be assigned soon!
President's Announcement
President, Ana Sutherland:
Ashra Wilson hasn’t been well, as you know, but she has improved slightly. She told her husband what to do - a sure sign of improvement! We have a card to sign today.
CKWS is collecting used batteries and they turn them into snow suits for kids. Please bring yours, we have a jar at every meeting at the desk.
Next meeting will have guests from India visiting and speaking. Evening of 15th will be a welcome bbq at the swamp - 5pm. Email will go out. Guests are vegan.
Camp Merryweather having a bbq on August 1st hosted by Rotary Club of Brockville.
Come say goodbye to Maya tomorrow at the airport at 1:30pm
Please give a warm welcome to Karenna Chen – just back from a year in Denmark!
Karenna was in Copenhagen, an old European city with tight, cobblestone streets, the capital of Denmark. While old, it is still a very modern city with modern conveniences. Denmark has been designated one of the happiest countries in the world, and the combination of city, nature, joy and urban life was very appealing to Karenna.
The first thing she saw when she landed was the windmills and she was welcomed by a giant sign and 100 Danish flags by her host families. She knew this was the place for her! Karenna was also welcomed by a Danish birthday party – cakes in the shapes of men – you cut off the head first, and everyone screams!
Karenna's first activity was an Intro Camp and lots of "touristing". She discovered Danes are not as impressed by the Little Mermaid statue as we North Americans are! The photo op was a quick run from the car and then back in and on to the next thing.
Karenna went to a ‘music profile’ school, what we would call an arts school – with lots of practice rooms and instruments. They really encourage learning through experience. She rode her bike to school every day, and even took it on the train, which is par for the course in Denmark.
It’s a challenge to get used to living without your own parents and with hosts. Her 3 families were all awesome. They were all families whose own children were doing exchanges. That's the way it is in Denmark. About 30 other exchange students were in Copenhagen – this was very helpful, especially in the beginning when being on exchange can be very challenging. Karenna said she now has friends in all corners of the world.
Christmas was one of Karenna's highlights. It starts around mid-October and lasts till the middle of January! There is not much for Hallowe’en, so they start early. There are 100s of traditions, including extensive Christmas food…… Karenna also got to go to Sweden and see how they do Christmas there.
Being part of a Choir – was a huge part of Krenna's exchange experience. She did A LOT of singing there – it was special to focus more on the arts, than on traditional studies. And there were performances a number of times. Karenna also loves baking, so she learned a lot of traditional Danish baking and shared some Canadian favourites like butter tarts and Nanaimo bars. She also commented that the Danes were a bit tough to warm up to, but once she did, they became great friends.
There were trips around Europe including a trip to Barcelona with her class. A week in Dresden with the choir. Legoland! Then a 3 week trip around Europe at the end: Berlin, Prague….. so many places. Winter bathing was quite the experience! Karenna came to love it and did it often (hard no from your editor!). The down side - is was very hard to leave her families when it was time to switch – especially the first family, because they have to help you so much with everything when you are getting settled.
10 months went by in a flash – but Karenna took every opportunity she could: horseback riding, rowing, choir, Opera, Tivoli Gardens, handball and football matches (2 national sports of Denmark), searching out new experiences and the city itself. Karenna is very grateful.
Tusind Tak – Thank you SO much. This would not have been possible without Rotary!
Elizabeth Cohoe – How much of the language did you know before you went? Karenna -Very little. They speak mostly English there, so it wasn’t that tough. Rotary helped by giving weekly Danish lessons. I have a pretty good handle on the language now.
President, Ana Sutherland thanked Karenna for her presentation and commented on all the pins, etc. on her jacket. Karenna was presented with thank you ‘butter tarts’, rather than bread! Karenna brought a banner from her host Rotary club! Karenna is a wonderful young woman, and we could not have made a better selection for Rotary Exchange.
