Repeat from last week or until no longer relevant or until I delete it or it bears repeating:
The next Board Meeting is July 23 at Debbie T’s. house.
There is a RWHN loading Aug 2 at the RWHN warehouse.
Brian Cole is chairperson (in a stretch) of the speakers committee and is looking for ideas for speakers.
If you have not signed up for any committees yet it is not too late. Well maybe.
Third Thursday of every month will be the projects meeting and every fourth Thursday will be the board meeting to approve the projects. That is unless you hear otherwise.
OUR THURSDAY BREAKFAST MEETING IS ACCESSED THROUGH THE LINK BELOW.
Rotary Club of Richmond Sunrise is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
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)Make hay while the sun shines.
Please direct any questions or concerns to the President or a board member of yourchoosing and the board will discuss any and all questions or concerns during a board meeting. Also please refer to the members committee anyone who may be interested in attending a meeting or joining the club.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters. From Melinda.
VISITORS
Eric Africa from the Philippines. (Or was it Eric Philippines from Africa? Or hmmmm did I get the last name wrong altogether.)
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
CLUB BUSINESS
Signup sheet for SAA + inspiration. Good until December. Reach out if you haven’t got a date. (Melinda)
Auction Update. Fred Lee available May 8. (John) There is a need for the committee to discuss available dates.
Speaker
When Brian Cole first joined the club, it was thanks to Kal, who brought him along — and probably had no idea what stories would follow.
Brian grew up in Tsawwassen with what he calls great parents — still married today, partly, he jokes, because neither of them wanted to keep the kids. Childhood was full of camping trips, water skiing (thanks to his dad splurging on a boat), and regular beatdowns from his older brother, who bodychecked him into walls and stole the spotlight. That dynamic, Brian says, taught him to thrive as a great Number Two — supporting others at the top.
He found his own passion early, though: public speaking. It started in Grade 7, continued through student council runs (he was so nervous the first time he didn’t even vote for himself), and carried on for 20 years in Toastmasters, where he honed his craft and delivered speeches that pushed him to improve.
After high school, the plan was military college — he joined the reserves and shipped off to Camp Borden. Turns out the Canadian military has little appreciation for sarcasm; within an hour he’d done 150 pushups. He resigned, honourably, three weeks later — no Veterans plates.
Plan B? Apply to UNBC, thanks to a helpful nudge from his high school girlfriend’s dad. The “campus” was a patchwork of portables and random rental spaces, sometimes next to preschool classrooms. He started as a calculus major, graduated with a BA, and learned a valuable life lesson: don’t take 6 hours of Saturday classes when you can’t pass the morning one.
His early career started in Calgary, working for his godfather in insurance. Just two months in, his mother was in a devastating head-on car accident back home. Brian saw firsthand how insurance can either work well or fail people miserably — and that cemented his passion for the industry. His mom, a true trooper, still lives with limited mobility, and the family never misses a chance to camp together and make the most of now.
After two years in Calgary, he came home to work in the family benefits business with his dad — the consummate salesperson who truly cared about people. Brian’s analytical nature and his dad’s style sometimes clashed; after 8 years they split, and Brian ran his own firm for about a decade before selling it.
Family life, meanwhile, took its own twists. Despite a not-so-athletic childhood (he grew too fast for his own knees), Brian got into ultimate frisbee at university — which is how he met Allison. Their courtship was awkward but memorable: he invited her to a Thanksgiving dinner thinking it was just the two of them; she thought the whole team was coming. Eventually she asked him out, and he showed up to a Halloween bar night wearing fleece pants, a Hawaiian shirt, and a clown wig — commando. His brother pantsed him on the dance floor, and somehow, that sealed the deal.
They married on August 31st, and by October they were expecting their first child.
Meredith was a natural runner — more about sportsmanship than sports — but fell in love with curling and crushed it, competing in 5 national championships. Macey came along 2.5 years later, with a challenging hemangioma on her nose that could have required surgery — but she chose to let it fade naturally. She’s an avid dancer and can hold a plank longer than anyone in the family. Adam, their “happy accident” five years later, arrived just before Brian’s self-imposed “old dad” deadline — and he’s a jack of all trades: skiing, soccer, breakdancing, musical theatre.
Rotary became another big chapter for Brian. Two weeks after joining, someone asked if he’d be president — why not? He went through PETS and RLI, even came back as a trainer. He once showed up to PETS with two black eyes from a botched dive but still delivered his presentation. Another memorable Rotary related gaffe, while meeting with the President Dinner’s venue staff, he mistook someone’s injury for his own — only to have her reply, “Oh, you’re also an amputee?”
Then came a big personal shift: after 20 years, Allison asked for a divorce. Brian wasn’t shocked — marriages don’t break down overnight — and they handled it amicably. They even found a way to split the cost of Halloween candy at the price of expensive therapy bills. He renovated his house with a suite, embraced dating without desperation, and found himself feeling like he could pivot and do anything again.
Work was no different. He realized his previous firm wasn’t the right fit, spent a tough year under a narcissistic boss, and then found his home at HUB International — a place where his technical expertise met a supportive, client-focused culture.
These days, Brian is happiest camping — aiming for 50 nights with Adam this year — enjoying dating at his own pace, and looking forward to whatever comes next. After all, he says, after 20 years on one path, he’s learned he can pivot — and have a lot of fun finding out where he’ll end up.
SERGEANT At Arms Tidbits
John – Off to the Okanagan for two weeks of family time. Enjoyed the north breeze so much he skipped wearing a shirt.
Lawrence – Happy to have Hayley home after two weeks away, but also really enjoyed quality time with the kids.
Mary Lou – Told the story of “one of Brian’s best pranks” — putting his clothes back on as he came downstairs in the dark while everyone arrived at a board meeting at Judy’s. Visited grandson Oscar in Parksville, caught up with childhood friends at a 70th birthday in Richmond, and spent a day at a car event in Ladysmith.
Debbie S. – Loved reconnecting with her kids’ friends at a wedding and seeing them all grown up. Proud grandma moment: granddaughter Avery is already walking at 10 months. (When's her first marathon GMa? 🏃🏽♀️➡️
Chris P. – Dealing with a family crisis but was drawn back today by the guest speaker. (Not tall enough to be David Eby.)
Larry – Loving his new Birch Bay spot with glamping, dinners, and 30 pots of flowers to tend. Staying ahead of his cancer with painful treatments (this time he even screamed). Bugged Steve about hating birthdays, which just makes Larry want to plan something bigger.
Dalbir – Hosted 45 kids at a birthday party in Pitt Meadows (with no alcohol — as Debbie reminded, that’s okay for kids). Managing his grandson Jacob full-time while his siblings remain in foster care. Won a court order to get Jacob’s mom to sign papers so he can get a status card and passport.
Chris M. – Finally free to mingle and “rate” tables. (No Kal your table is NOT the highest rated.) Spent the weekend putting a roof on a gazebo and installing new windows. Her granddaughter Eleanor, visiting family in Ireland, loved meeting cows. Meanwhile, she’s dog-sitting Moss, a golden retriever who ate a full bag of treats… and passed it.
Brian – Noted that while Larry has the bigger RV, Brian actually drives his.
Kal – Tip of the day: if you want to chat with President Debbie, arrive early.
Bill – Just keeping the clock moving.
Blair – Tried to cool the house but forgot to secure the AC hose — ended up blowing hot air back inside. (Saved some of it for us - hot air that is!)
Jeanette – Welcomed guest Eric to the club.
Maryam – Teaching a summer school class of rambunctious kids. Counting down three weeks until her 15-day trip to Scotland and 4 days in Amsterdam.
Michael – His son Armand asked him to “just look good and don’t talk” at a meeting with his new fiancée’s family. He complied and stayed quiet. Later, when asked how her family felt about the meeting, they said: “The dad’s a pretty quiet guy,” which got big laughs.
Peachy – Loving her new car and the drive to Crescent Beach before hitting the gym.
Elena – Introduced visitor Erick and mentioned he paid $70 for a Vancouver Rotary meeting buffet. Called in neighbors to help with her bumper crop of plums. Organizing a big city event for the Victoria Drive Business Improvement Association, with lots of officials attending.
Erick Africa (guest from the Philippines - maybe!) – First time at a morning meeting. Shared that of the 155 clubs in his district, only one meets at sunrise. Dinner starts at 6pm, meeting at 7pm, ends at 8:30pm — but fellowship goes until 2am. His oldest just graduated as a mechanical engineer from VCC, and his advice to his kids: travel first, see the world.
Garth – Preparing for a two-week trial trying to convince a client that “100% is good enough.” Picked up $5 golfing in Point Roberts. (fake news)
Sandra – Hosting 20 guests in Whistler.
Melinda – Welcoming friends from Arizona and a friend she’s known since grade 2. Bracing herself for three grumpy granddaughters. Thanked Brian for being the reason she joined Rotary.
Bobby – Also thanked Brian and raved about the Okanagan scenery on his trip.
Pat – As a new member, took a leadership course where Brian was one of the session leaders. Just back from Tahiti, where she stayed in a Hilton overwater bungalow with a glass-bottom view. Returned home with a cold and long-overdue tree trimming.
Debbie T. – Floors are finally finished, but she lost her Air Canada passes somewhere “too safe.” Bought her granddaughter several vehicles she’s too small to use yet, prompting her son to tell her to stop buying things that are too big.
MEANDERINGS
Who knew a list like this even existed? Contronyms. Go figure!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, May 1st, 2026; Rotary Gala or maybe not! TBD
TODAY'S CHUCKLEs
What does "idk" stand for? Everyone I ask says, "I don't know."
Why was the pig covered in ink? Because it lived in a pen.
Did you hear about the guy who stole 50 cartons of hand sanitizer? They couldn't prosecute—his hands were clean.
