Once again, our Sergeant-at-Arms proved that you never quite know what you’re going to hear when Rotarians are asked, “So, what did you do this week?” This week’s edition featured international travel, family celebrations, babies, weddings, injuries, ferries, motorcycles, otters, Lego, PNE adventures—and, naturally, a little Rotary community spirit thrown in for good measure. And it is anybody's guess if the names are really attached to the narrative.
Dalbir kicked things off on a note of gratitude. Fresh home from a trip through three African countries, he was reminded just how fortunate we are to live in Canada. While Africa offered an incredible experience, he was struck by the enormous need he witnessed and the importance of organizations like Rotary taking action. His message was simple: we have a lot to be thankful for, and there is plenty of work for us to do.
Sandra had a busy week and was looking forward to something that has apparently become a rare luxury—a genuine day off! After roughly 20 consecutive days without one, Sunday was finally going to be hers. She was also off to the hospital for a meeting with Amanda and Bobby, complete with a memorable little “tooth mark” incident involving her hand. Apparently, even healthcare meetings can have their hazards!
Bobby was busy with upcoming community events. He reminded everyone about the upcoming Cops for Cancer fundraiser, where he has organized a Rotary table and still had three seats available. He encouraged members to join him and Margaret for what promises to be a great Richmond community event. He is also organizing another fundraiser for October and welcomed ideas from members. And, in a moment of honesty, he apologized for not pulling his hair that morning. We appreciate the effort! Hey Bobby we don't mind you not pulling your hair or whatever it was you said or maybe this info was actually where Larry started. Only the Shadow knows!
Larry returned from a fantastic trip to Utah, where temperatures hovered around a toasty 95°F and he attended a wedding. He also continues to work his way through his medical schedule, having completed two more cancer surgeries and preparing for another one this week. On the family front, he celebrated his son and daughter-in-law’s birthdays with brunch and some quality time with the kids at the Steve Nash playground. A busy week, but clearly one filled with plenty of family fun.
Debbie T. had lots to celebrate, beginning with a three-month-old baby who is now smiling and laughing—a stage that apparently melts hearts on contact. She also toured a dramatically renovated school in Richmond. What was once a rather dilapidated building has been transformed into a beautiful learning space, complete with a stunning library and, remarkably, air conditioning. Even with airplanes flying overhead, the insulation is so good that they couldn’t hear a thing. Debbie is thrilled to see the school ready to welcome its students.
Jeannette had a week that sounded like a combination of cultural celebration, chauffeur service and senior field trip. After participating in a Lady of the Nativity celebration back home in the Philippines, she found herself taking her mother—and unexpectedly two of her mother’s friends—out for the day. After helping the seniors navigate her vehicle, she took them shopping and eventually to River Rock Casino. The group finally arrived home around 9 p.m. Jeannette may want to consider adding “Senior Tour Bus Operator” to her résumé!
Peachy was happy to be back after spending much of July and August in the Philippines. She and her son rushed home when her father became seriously ill and wouldn’t wake up one morning. Thankfully, by the time Peachy arrived, her father was already smiling at her. With some strict encouragement from her nurse son—including getting Dad out of bed and making sure he ate properly—his recovery has been remarkably quick. Peachy is now back at work and back to making a living… apparently an important requirement when it comes to paying the bills!
Danny enjoyed a much quieter week. He stayed home, exercised, meditated and watched movies, including Taken Parts One through Three. He also enjoyed a spectacular 360-degree cosmic experience at the dome, exploring the universe through immersive music and imagery. His next trip is planned for later this month, so apparently the quiet period may be coming to an end.
Elena shared a great example of what can happen when someone decides not simply to complain about a problem, but actually do something about it. When she first opened her business on Victoria Drive, she was shocked by the condition of the area. Rather than give up, she helped form the Victoria Drive Business Association. Eighteen years later, the area has been transformed, with cleaner streets, flowers, banners and a much stronger business community. Elena may no longer have a business there, but apparently they still won’t let her quit!
Idunno was finally back after being away for some time—and apparently spending a little too much time getting injured. This was his first day driving in two weeks, albeit for a short trip. He was also looking forward to getting his new class on Friday. After all the setbacks, simply getting back into the routine felt like a major accomplishment. Dunno is our newest member but may no longer be around after next week.
Maryam thought she was going to have a quiet summer at home after not getting away anywhere. Then a friend came to visit, suggested a “little” road trip, and somehow the two ended up travelling all the way to Calgary and Jasper. The trip was fantastic, although they quickly discovered that the drive to Jasper comes with one significant drawback: absolutely no cell reception. Fortunately, two teachers trapped in a car together for three hours can always find something to talk about—or listen to. They ended up sharing podcasts produced by their students, covering everything from nuclear energy to natural resources and social media. Educational road trips: who knew?
Peggy reflected on why she joined Rotary in the first place: to meet people and connect with the community. Her own long weekend was considerably less philanthropic—but considerably more domestic. She is organizing her niece’s wedding, taking on decorating, shopping, baking and cooking duties. Fortunately, there are only 40 guests! She also enjoyed a wonderful weekend aboard her former business partner’s 45-foot yacht. Her friend, a diminutive 5-foot-tall captain, has lived aboard the boat for 15 years and even travelled to Alaska. The yacht club’s safari-themed party featured Peggy in full leopard attire and a giraffe mounted on the back of the yacht. Just another ordinary Rotary weekend!
Sam returned from Europe with plenty of stories. Frankfurt was good, but Barcelona was the highlight—eventually. A ground crew strike resulted in not one but two cancelled flights. The eventual solution involved routing the group through Amsterdam and Paris before finally reaching Barcelona, turning the trip into an 18-hour adventure. Once there, however, it was worth it. The group enjoyed wide sidewalks, excellent local fish cuisine and a very unusual restaurant experience designed to feel like dining inside an aquarium. Sam’s biggest challenge may now be explaining the travel itinerary without needing a map.
Kal had a busy week, including what he described as the classic Punjabi wedding experience: five days of “go, go, go,” loud music, dancing and more go! He also mentioned that several people had temporarily moved into his house, creating what sounds like a rather energetic household. And, most importantly, his Seahawks remain undefeated—at least according to Kal!
Mary Lou took the family to the hologram zoo and enthusiastically recommended it to anyone with grandchildren. They saw both the underwater and dinosaur shows, and apparently even Miles managed to scream a couple of times. That sounds like a strong endorsement!
Debbie M. reported that Amaya thinks everything is “amazing”—which is apparently a new favourite expression. She also started school on Tuesday, bringing that familiar mixture of excitement and bittersweet realization that the little ones are growing up far too quickly. Debbie is also looking forward to paddling in the Ducks and Glory Regatta, having previously tackled the 2,000-metre race. Clearly, sitting still is not on her agenda.
Judy enjoyed a relatively quiet weekend, hosting dinner for her daughter’s partner’s 50th birthday and getting both families together. Unfortunately, the weekend took a much more serious turn for Warren and the kids in Birch Bay. While they were near the beach, a motorcycle gang incident outside a nearby restaurant resulted in gunfire. Warren quickly got the children inside and into safety while police responded and arrested two suspects. Thankfully, everyone was physically safe, although the experience was understandably frightening. On a happier note, Judy’s own weekend was otherwise a good one.
Marg had a ferry adventure that deserves its own chapter. She and her companions arrived at the ferry terminal an hour and 15 minutes early—only to discover a very long lineup and very questionable odds of getting on. When it came time to convince the ferry staff to squeeze them in, Marg apparently deployed the ultimate weapon: homemade cookies. After considering brownies, chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal and ginger cookies, the ferry gods finally smiled upon them. They were the last car on board! The weekend also included a four-year-old’s birthday party and, most importantly, a visit with Pat, who is recovering from a stroke. Pat is working hard at GF Strong five days a week and, while her mobility is affected, she remains sharp, engaged and wonderfully herself. Marg was delighted to finally spend some time with her.
Chris M. spent much of the week enjoying the company of a two-year-old and a four-month-old—which she described, quite reasonably, as one of the most delightful things in the world. A birthday dinner brought together two young grandchildren with birthdays just one day apart, and they immediately became the evening’s entertainment. In their playroom restaurant, one was the chef, another the sous chef, and Eleanor quickly made it clear that she was not the sous chef. Chris also offered an important Rotary seating tip: if you want an up-close musical experience during “O Canada,” sit behind Garth. Apparently, Garth is a one-man choir!
Oopsy or Whoever? enjoyed a fascinating trip to the IMAX in Victoria to see a documentary about otters. The film highlighted how the disappearance of sea otters led to an explosion in sea urchin populations, which devastated kelp beds. Reintroducing otters helped restore the balance and revive the kelp ecosystem—a remarkable example of successful ecological intervention. The otters were adorable, the scenery was spectacular, and Oopsy learned something new. The other adventure of the week was navigating Aberdeen Square Mall for travel vaccines. Finding the clinic was challenging. Finding the car afterward may have been even harder. Aberdeen Square: apparently the ultimate test of spatial awareness. Oopsy or Whoever may also not be with us next week. Another new member blown away in with the dust.
Someone Perhaps Chew, Lawrence? enjoyed the long weekend with family at the PNE. Despite some rain, the kids had a great time on the rides and watching the Super Dogs. The return to school brought a whole new adventure as well, with a daughter starting Grade 9 and the inevitable high-school drama. He also continues to meet with his former improv group for dinner and creative brainstorming. Their latest challenge? Recasting an old movie with modern actors. This week’s project: Ghostbusters. We await the casting decisions!
Joyce finally returned after two months away and had been “everywhere.” She spent three wonderful weeks with her granddaughters and apparently accumulated enough stories to fill a book. After such a long absence, she was clearly happy to be back with the club—and the club was happy to have her back.
Micheal described this period as a reset now that the kids are back at school. The mornings are a little earlier, work starts a little sooner, and life is settling back into a routine after a very busy summer. He also managed to make his fourth trip to the PNE this year—continuing a tradition that has apparently lasted more than 15 years. One of his biggest discoveries this year was the incredible Lego exhibition, including a life-sized polar bear made from approximately 200,000 Lego pieces, along with bison, butterflies and cheetahs. Clearly, Lego has come a long way since most of us were building little houses and losing pieces under the couch.
And with that, another Sergeant-at-Arms came to a close. From Africa to Barcelona, from ferry-line negotiations to Lego wildlife, from babies and birthdays to community projects and family adventures, it was another reminder that one of the best things about Rotary is getting to know the people behind the names on the roster.
And, as always, there was never a dull moment!
