1) Mute your microphone if you aren't already muted. Background noise is distracting.
2) If you are not engaged in the presentation, turn off your camera.
3) Chat function should only be used to address the speaker, not for Club member remarks during the presentation
4) Unmute when harassing the Sergeant at Arms or taking your turn during Sergeant at Arms.
5)Buy Canadian
Please direct any questions to the President or a board member of yourchoosing and we will discuss any and all questions or concerns during our board meeting. Also please refer anyone who may be interested in attending a meeting or joining the club.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
From Sam “The three Cs in life are Choice Chance and Change. You must make the choice to take a chance if you want to make a change.
VISITORS
You know who? The man with the power. The power of hoodoo!
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
CLUB BUSINESS
Thanks for the Trivia game, Sam! Such a lot of work and so appreciated! The Avengers won with the Transcribers being voted the most classy.
Speaker
Debbie gave us a summary of her PETS (PELearningS) ‘drinking from a firehose’ experience. It will no longer be in Seattle, which is shocking, because some people can’t cross the border easily, the costs are prohibitive, younger presidents-elect cannot take 4 days off. District 5040 will have their PELS in B.C. Several mini conferences will also be planned, as well as a dinner fundraiser. There was discussion about a peace park, projects in the community, expanding our reach, staying resilient and increasing our ability to adapt. She attended sessions on successful clubs, on navigating challenging relationships, effective governance, plans for growing clubs, maintaining membership and hands-on projects. On the other hand, Rotarians should be proud of their work, celebrate their successes and promote themselves in their communities. Revisiting the constitution is important. AI was discussed, as well as taking minutes with AI. They touched on goal setting and envisioning and tapping into our own skills and talents and experiences. A month-by-month calendar would be useful to keep on top of the to do list. There were lots of creative ideas for fundraisers. Debbie learned about a YouTube four-way test song for Canada – should check that out. We could share Rotary moments, when Rotary became real for us. Bunko is an idea for fundraising or a social event! There was talk about the 5 core values and the importance of looking after your health (especially the president). See the Secret Marathon video online. International conversations were positive.
SERGEANT At Arms Tidbits
Sandra is going to Mexico for 2 weeks. Let her and Debbie M. know about 12 seat tables if needed.
Michael has been running around with a flashlight, not sure why, hasn’t heard from Bobby, until he gets part 2 – Chewy will have to pick up on that one as I missed it! [ED: this is how I remember it] Michael was at home, minding his own business and likely doing very important and meaningful things for the club, when out of nowhere he gets a call from Bobby. “Michael, have you looked outside? The cops are swarming the neighbourhood.” After hurriedly turning out all the lamps, Michael, leaning out of sight against his living room wall, slowly pushes in the edge of the front curtain and peeks out with one eye, red and blue flashing against the exposed sliver of his face. Cops everywhere. Still on the phone, Bobby urgently tells him to stay in place. “Don’t move. Don’t leave the house. I’ll call you back when the coast is clear.” Unrelated, Michael disappears into the bathroom and can be heard flushing the toilet repeatedly.
Bobby doesn’t call Michael back for 3 days. At which point Michael and his family, presumably, finally emerge from their new home’s freshly installed emergency underground bunker having survived on cereal and canned soup.
He’ll be working hard as Bobby is headed to England.
Bobby [ED: Part two, as I remember it] Minding his own business in his guest room, likely doing important and meaningful things for the club, Bobby suddenly heard BOOM BOOM BOOM! He knew the sound of gunshots when he heard them. Almost out of reflex, he grabbed his phone and called Michael to warn him. There was no telling what – or who – the police might be looking for. With the lights off and his heart racing, Bobby quietly watched the night vision feed from his Ring Camera on his phone, his eyes darting and scanning the screen. Suddenly a rush of officers filled the camera view. He could hear the footsteps out his front door and looked up from his phone just in time to watch his door explosively kicked through and fly off its hinges landing with a massive crash. Faces masked in riot gear and armed with AR-15s muscled through the dust and debris, storming his living room. The sound of boots thundered up his stairs with yelling and radios cracking throughout his home.
And as the last of the team of officers filtered into his house, he stared blankly in disbelief out the space where his front door used to be. His stare slowly focused across the street. He squinted. And that’s when saw the old woman, smiling at him wryly from her basement window, clearly still on the phone with the police. Who was she? And why did she frame him?
Bobby will be away as he is going to London for sad news, his sister-in-law’s brother passed away.
Pat will be away for 2 weeks in Palm Springs. A hummingbird flew into her house, and she thought it was the floaters in her eye. The poor thing was smacking into the windows and finally fell down. She picked it up and took it outside where, sadly, it died.
Peachy was in Seattle, visiting family. Yesterday she escorted a client from the New West hospital where he had knee surgery, to his house downtown.
Maryam’s basketball team did well! Today is the last of the season and she’s happy with the girls who only lost one game, and the tournament is next week.
Moe has been busy with his uncle from Montreal, who arrives unannounced, but they got to experience the earthquake on Friday, so might not (ED: hopefully) come so often. His son is coaching hockey, and his team is in the playoffs.
Debbie T. received message from Ken Chow, Rotaract, and they are having The Great Exchange, swapping clothing, so need donations, gently used clothing, swap for new finds. Unclaimed clothing will be donated to support wildfire relief. Debbie will send out the information.
Susan is still recovering at home and doing well.
Amanda guessed correctly on all of the trivia questions. Please reply about coming to the gala meeting this week, so she has the numbers. She’s busy with work as is leaving on the 9th for a week.
Blair got a thank you letter from the Rotaract club - we donated to their wine by design event. He went to his first Rugby 7s game, where they play without pads and make the American football guys look like… (ED: the self-aware pause Blair takes here is both impressive and appreciated) “wussies”.
Sam was in Palm Springs on the weekend for a hockey tournament, with lots of partying and hockey. We should see the movie The Substance, to understand his reference to being back to being Demi Moore: old, creakier and craving an entire chicken.
Debbie M. had dinner with friends and said that Samia is going out this weekend so making a positive shift. Dragon boat team meeting and will be on the water next week. Her granddaughter was in emergency on Friday, as she fell at preschool, hit her head on a table, and had 9 stitches, but was a real trooper, saying “What was that?” when a kid in the hospital burped, then told another to be quiet so the nurses could work.
Judy was at a Saturday 7:15 am game, then a 9 am game, then soccer in Burnaby later in the morning. Last Sunday she had everyone for dinner and will have them this Sunday too for Warren’s birthday. It will also be the Oscars party so she will need to make up the questionnaire for voting. Her good friend is in a coma in the hospital, with cancer and won’t come out. She is only 71, very active, and had travelled a lot with Judy and Ralph.
Chris B. says welcome to Maryam whom she has known many years.
Chris P.’s mom was at emergency for an ingrown toenail, and had half of it cut out. It is sad to hear PETS will no longer be multi-district, as it makes it a richer experience. She saw Heather Harrison, whose husband Chris has Parkinson’s, but they’re still building a house on Pender Island and plan to move and retire there.
Joyce says please continue to bring the PJs next week [ED: for the Heartwood Centre for Women; for those who weren’t at that meeting, the need is for women entering addiction recovery and giving them fresh sleepwear]. Some PJ purchases have already been made.
Chris M. built a house on her mom’s extra lot 12 years ago and has been worrying about what would happen to her mom’s old house for all that time. In the beginning of January, she learned that the current owners (who are renting out the house), were planning to build a 6-plex on the property, according to the new provincial densification laws. Panic! She was about to be the only single detached house on the block. Rod, her partner, was able, after much negotiation, to buy the next-door property. So, they are saved, and will have a double lot, a huge back yard and enough pruning and repairing projects to last for the rest of their lives.
Gordon thinks it’s so sad to hear that PETS will no longer be multi-district, but not sad to not be going to Seattle which is so expensive. He is sad about the loss of USAID and knows the impact it can have on a community. PETS District 5040 will be good here and maybe could open it up to other districts. One guy going to Seattle needed months for visa.
John was on the ramp going to Mexico and saw Mark Philips an ex member of our club, who was also talking to Nadine who used to work for John! He is moving his sister to long term care this afternoon.
Chewy was at the Fan Expo at the Convention Centre, saw plenty of people all dressed up, and couldn’t tell the difference between them and the Rugby 7 fans.
Brian has a gold sequin costume for Rugby 7s. [ED: previously worn at the Fan Expo, Concom and Rotary Gala – who knew!]
Garth says Jean’s son is coming from Montréal and he is a ski instructor, so they are going to Whistler.
Peter likes Marg’s dill pickles - they’re the best, so don’t buy them as Peter wants to buy them all.
MEANDERINGS
February 28th is rare diseases day.
Rare Disease Day is a globally coordinated movement dedicated to rare diseases, striving for equity in social opportunities, healthcare, and access to diagnosis and therapies for people living with a rare disease.
Since its creation in 2008, Rare Disease Day has played a crucial role in building an international rare disease community—multi-disease, global, and diverse, yet united in purpose.
Rare Disease Day is observed every year on 28 February (or 29 February in leap years—the rarest day of the year). It was established and is coordinated by EURORDIS in partnership with over 70 national alliance patient organisations. The day serves as a powerful focal point, driving advocacy efforts at local, national, and international levels.
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