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)Pay your tariffs.
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 Rosa Parks via Sam “To bring about change you must not be afraid to take that first step.”
VISITORS
Ali Safdari and Ken Choi from Richmond Rotaract Club
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
CLUB BUSINESS
Pay for your table tickets by the 24th. If your guests are paying by Shopify, please let Sandra know. If you have any spots at your table, let Sandra know as she has some singles currently buying tickets.
Gift Certificates to Debbie S. as soon as you can.
Speaker
Ali is a first responder, 19 years old, and it was his birthday! Debbie T., in her introduction commended Ali for his support of Debbie’s push to include naloxone kits in the schools. Ali has been interested in politics and is heading towards an illustrious political career! Ali is one of the most active members of the club, is a student at Langara, and does lots of volunteering.
Ken choi (in his 30s) comes from Hong Kong with lots of committee experience and is a marketing specialist and mission adviser for health care and office training. He joined Rotaract last June and is already the president. He is studying at Langara.
Rotaract is sponsored by the four Richmond Rotary clubs. It is a community-based club, not limited to any secondary school, with young professionals, recruited from Richmond interact clubs, word of mouth and friends of Rotarians who recognize their potential and encourage them to join Rotaract. Last year they were only 5 members, when Ken joined, but they now have 22 members and are aiming for more. Projects this year include Shoreline Cleanup, Street Saviours, celebrating Moon Cake festival, the District Foundation dinner in November 2024, and a fashion show (as they now have some good-looking members). They did a Salvation Army toy sorting in December, and held a Wine and Design in January, fundraising for women victims of domestic violence. They had live music, a cash bar (Ali couldn’t drink at that time), an artist display, silent auction, had fun and fundraised over $3000 with over 80 attendees. It was a turning point in the club’s culture. The Great Exchange organized by Lillian Jane Murphy was a clothes drive where they raised $1700 for St. James Music Academy. They did the Steveston parade and are presenting at Interact clubs in schools.
We are invited to their AGM on May 11 5-5:30 p.m. at the institute where Ken works, on Akroyd. It will be his first AGM, and he is still learning the rules. Ken explained that their increased engagement depends on the leadership, and Ken will be co-presidenting with Jason next year and has a vision, keeping care of each part of the functioning, focusing on service help with Ali, and tapping into members’ passions. Ken, as head of the operation, saw the club differently, and realized that young people don’t want to spend time in leadership courses, but do want personal development – so he’s selling Rotaract as a low-cost, interactive course in leadership, which will push them to build their leadership skills. He is trying to get the team to be self-sufficient, so invites members to do presentations with him. He keeps most of the members busy so they will continue.
SERGEANT At Arms Tidbits
John went to see “Burning Mom” last night, an amazing one-woman show about a woman who was planning to go to Burning Man with her husband. After losing her husband unexpectedly, she still manages to go on her own with their 26ft trailer. If you have heard of Burning Man and would like to learn about it - go. It is at the Arts Club on Granville Island and it is hilarious.
Chewy sees three generations of Rotaract here. He joined Rotaract after the first generation had folded and was part of the group that resurrected the club. On the weekend, he went to see the Minecraft movie and walked into a perplexing celebration and had no idea what they were celebrating, people cheering about the small zombie landing on a chicken. Why were they all so happy? His son’s birthday was Tuesday and he’s having a birthday month.
Debbie T. loves what Ali and Ken are doing, especially the Street Saviours. Ali was in Victoria when Debbie was there for the presentation on the legislature steps – the 9th anniversary of the toxic drug declaration, with lots of judgmental comments and promises and decisions by government. There were also doctors for safe policies, speakers from the Aboriginal community, and Mom’s Stop the Harm. Debbie had her purple flag, there were pictures of loved ones, singing and talking. The Minister of Health Josie Osborne was there and created awareness. It was an excellent event. Unfortunately, Curtis’ car wasn’t there as it wasn’t behaving. Trevor spilled coffee on himself, so Curtis was there in spirit.
Ken Choi went to Hugh Boyd for a presentation this week as he wanted to catch some leaders in Interact, went to Steveston London the week prior and finished exams last Monday so he can focus on Rotary planning, helping to plan the End Polio event on May 24th. He is trying to get the Burnett music department involved and is also organizing the End Polio Walk next week.
Ali went to Victoria for the first time since Linda Reid was Speaker of the House. He went with his dad, who found it boring, but Ali recognized lots of people, including the ministers by name, and his dad thought he was so weird being excited to point them out. He was invited by Kelly Green for his birthday. When they were door knocking, she was good at identifying plants, so he gave her a Lego plant to build, and hopes she’ll find time to build it.
Amanda dropped her phone on Saturday and smashed the screen. She thought she could bring it to a shop to switch it out, and was asked if it was an iPhone, was told it was weirdly old and had to order a screen. She realized it was 8 years old and now knows why she has to charge it 4X a day. So, she couldn’t get into emails, etc., and it’s still at the Apple store. It was a great week with no phone calls and emails.
Maryam has rats in her front yard, (which turned into our second theme of the morning), and coming home later saw the whole family. She wants to get rid of them, as they got into her car and ate the wires, costing $2000 to fix and she was over that, and doesn’t want to kill the rat family. Garth offered his cat. Some advised using sonar repellent found at Canadian tire. Larry says moth balls work, too. (ED: This is where the meeting really took off / went off the rails)
Danny watched the news about the earthquake in Thailand, where he had just visited three weeks ago, staying on the 13th floor. He had some friends who died. PSA: Fake news is real, and a friend was a victim. He learned that Journey’s lead singer, Arnel Pinada, was sentenced to lifetime prison in SanFrancisco. Danny uses an AI search engine called Co-Pilot to check fake news. He called Arnel (ED: who it turns out his Danny’s personal friend? How do we get them as the guest band at the next Auction!) to ask him if he was in jail – but no! He was on the beach enjoying the sun.
Pat also has an old cell phone (I think it's a rotary), and her son says she should get a new one. She was in Palm Springs for the week, where they had a small earthquake. The airport flight was delayed an hour and that happens all the time, but the problem was with the air traffic controllers’ staffing level at YVR. Danny and his wife brought her a Rotary jacket from the Philippines. Her late husband’s brother used Maid to end his life, a big decision. He had been very athletic but had pulmonary fibrosis and other health problems.
Larry deals with Maid all the time. A family might meet with Larry, telling him that they will die “at 11 am Friday”. People might get up, have a shower and breakfast, then the team comes in and you’re gone by 12:15. It feels very strange. Larry loves Easter and is having a big family dinner and gifts. His mom was even more anal about her house than Larry is and his father would put flour on the floor and bunny prints in it (cute), but mom would be livid. He does baskets for the grandkids who always say he’s their favourite grandfather, knowing there might be $50 bills in their pocket, but they can’t tell their parents. His son and daughter-in-law are most frugal, and would make them put money in the bank, so he has to give them gift certificates. Steve leaves for Vegas for a week and the house will be cleaner.
Micheal was playing Sherlock Holmes this week when he was driving his 1996 Chevy Impala (which he’s owned since he was 21 years old). He babied the car and if started to rain, he would stop and just drive it home. He wanted to take it for a spin last week, was on Knight St., pulling out, when a BMW truck in front of him backed up and hit him. They exchanged info, and when Micheal called ICBC he learned the other driver had reported that Micheal had rearended him!! So Sherlock went back that evening, looked at the houses on the street, saw a house with a camera, waited until the kids were done school, went to the house with the kids (ED: well done playing the honest family man card!), talked to the house owner who said he’d help, and got his number. He called the other driver the next day, saying his claim was faulty, and that he had surveillance footage. The guy called two hours later, but Micheal wanted to talk in person. At the meeting, he put his phone recorder on and started the conversation saying, “you hit me, you’d better tell me the truth as I have a camera footage of the accident” and the guy finally admitted it. Micheal then showed he had recorded the conversation on the phone, they guy started to get worried, said he’d pay for the repairs, but Micheal wanted to go through ICBC, he admitted to a false claim and all is good.
Blair was a guest of Dalbir for the hockey game which was terrible but dinner before was good. Great - no more suffering through the playoffs.
Brian says Macey got back home from Queen’s last night. Brian lives in the permanent doghouse below his ex’s house. Adam still comes down to sleep in bed with him and, in his sleep, managed to punch Brian in the face three times while migrating all over the bed. Says Brian, “Adam, you know you punched me three times in the face in your sleep.” Adam’s reply: “I wasn’t asleep.” (ED: With great pride, the apple has landed close to the tree.)
Kal went to Italian Days, where Frederico was singing along with his 95-year-old dad. He says Amanda was here at 6:05 to be the greeter. (ED: I assume she got to greet Kal, which seems inconceivable.)
Chris B. has stories to match the stories. Contrary to Larry, when Chris leaves, Malcolm says the house is clean. She was cruising to Mexico last week, with Gr 2 and 7 friends, who’ve known each other since they were 12. (ED: There was some age discussion, but we’re pretty sure Chris wasn’t 12 in grade 2). She was 5’9” in junior high and her friend was 4’10”, with a haircut called the brush up – a reverse duck tail (ED:I had to look this up). Chris had a long neck and was self-conscious of it, and was smeared in California in Gr 7, (from elementary to junior high you get smeared with lipstick). She remembered the good humour man was the drug dealer. We guess all that came out of the Mexican friend’s cruise. She is going to Cancun with her daughter and 15-year-old granddaughter tomorrow. She was at the hockey game last night and it was terrible, so they left early. The boys are in another swim meet in California.
Marg has lived in her house for 26 years, doesn’t have rats, but has the smartest mice in town. Every plug has the alarms, there are snap traps and peanut butter. The mice run past while doing the laundry( At least the mice do their own laundry). The exterminator comes every week, but the mice are still there. She went to spin class last week and they were one bike short, so she volunteered to look after a 2-year-old. She was at the Monday night hockey game – 30 shots ‘on goal’, that didn’t make it. She is celebrating she doesn’t have to pay for playoff tickets. She is giving the eulogy for a good friend who slipped and died when on vacation in Mexico.
Debbie S. brought the gala sign made by Justine. It’s beautiful. Her daughter sent her an Easter reel saying, “my mother doesn’t love me anymore”. Mom replies, “I didn’t say that -- what I said is you’re too old for an Easter basket.” Which apparently means the same thing. Her daughter still gets an Easter basket. She’s 28. Shout out to Richmond City who gave the largest grant given to any organization to Richmond Addiction Services Society. City council Alexa Loo or Michael Wolf come to every meeting. Michael gave an update on what the city is doing to combat drug addiction.
Joyce is getting stuff done, getting ready to move, but looking for a place to move to.
Dalbir is celebrating that in April 1968 they arrived in Canada. He still has his 1966 Mustang, and everything leaks in the rain.
Chris M. continues to clear the land at her new old house, and was pruning branches, looked up to see a huge raccoon looking down at her. The next day he was there again, but with his furry bum hanging down. Very cute. (It's called a "Racoon Moon!") She has lots of rat stories but wonders where to get those black box snap traps, as they work best and are safe for cats and dogs. But don’t forget to empty them, as she waited too long and found the rat very decomposed. Ugh. She has a visiting Cooper’s Hawk who is helping with the rat problem, but left a carcass in her watering can, which she discovered when the water wouldn’t come out of the spout and she poured the water, rat and all, into her garden. Double ugh!
Gordon only has bird stories about his cat in Edenborough who would roam and bring home a dead bird. He thanks the Rotaract guys and invites them to come again. He encourages them to get involved, as it’s the “nursery for Rotary.”
Sandra is having Easter dinner on Sunday, with a real Easter egg hunt with Miller. It’s a good excuse for her own kids to do it, too.
Peter always has rats in the nursery, with the seedlings, the rats eat them all. The greenhouses are full of seedlings and a rat haven. He used to use poison, but then the owls ate the poisoned rats, and were sick. So, then they used a system with a box with a hammer inside, and the hammer gets them and reloads itself. The latest method is three new barn owl houses, owls which are native to BC, and eat rats like crazy. So, they are spread around the nursery and the owls are making homes and raising chicks. They are now getting rid of rats without poison or hammers.
MEANDERINGS
From Bing Copilot:
Rats are surprisingly intelligent! While they don't match human cognitive abilities, they excel in problem-solving, social behaviors, and even emotional intelligence. Studies have shown that rats can recognize patterns, learn complex tasks, and demonstrate empathy by helping fellow rats in distress.
In terms of memory, rats can navigate mazes efficiently and remember routes for long periods—some researchers compare their spatial memory skills to those of humans. They also show decision-making abilities, using past experiences to guide future choices.
Of course, their intelligence is more instinct-driven, whereas human intelligence includes abstract thought, language, and creativity. But when it comes to adaptability, learning, and emotional connections, rats punch above their weight!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday May 2, 2025 Sunrise Rotary Gala Auction
Saturday June 14, 2025; Presidents Dinner
6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Richmond Country Club,
Buffet Dinner
Approximately $90.00 per person;
TODAY'S CHUCKLEs
He said that he just wanted a job that put food on the table, so I suggested that he become a waiter.
I spoke to my lawyer, my doctor and a rabbi about it, but everyone agreed that we probably need to find a plumber.
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