Port Hope Rotary Beacon for October 30, 2023

Co-President Drina Tallo welcomed all to this Hallowe’en meeting.  The hall was decorated for the occasion in orange and black with lots of pumpkins.  Many Rotarians were dressed in costume.

 

 

We were joined by several guests on this occasion: Dan Clark, vice-president of Cameco's Fuel Services Division, potential new member Missy Halford from Roseglen Retirement Village, Lori Moore, Paul Binkley, new member Kathy Wallace, returned Youth Exchange Student Valentina Nagy-Davoli, her husband, Andy Nagy, and their two children, Felix and Gregor and Julie and David Stewart, one of Valentina’s host parents when she lived in Port Hope.

Valentina Nagy-Davoli talked to our members about her experiences as a Youth Exchange Student with our club in 2006 – 07.  She has fond memories of her time with her four host families – Jan and Rob Boycott, Paul Laing and Faye Langmead, Julie and David Stewart and the Tukendorfs, whose daughter, Kate, went on exchange to the Netherlands the year before.  Ken O’Neill was her counsellor, and Ron Tuttle was the Youth Exchange Program Chair.

 

Valentina and Andy live in Dusseldorf, Germany.  Valentina is a gynecologist and Andy is a dentist. She has visited Canada four times since her exchange, most recently in 2017 with Andy when they attended her Port Hope friend’s wedding.  They are staying at Paul Laing and Faye Langmead’s house on Bloomsgrove while they are here visiting host families and friends.  Paul and Faye are in Europe for a vacation, and they will meet up with Valentina’s family in Dusseldorf after they return to Germany.

 

 

David & Julie Stewart

 

He saw Laura on the subway so he sent her a message on LinkedIn asking her to meet for coffee.  Now, they are happily married with a young daughter, Leila, and they are expecting another daughter on November 24.  They moved to Port Hope in 2021.

 

Graeme is an avid reader having read 63 books already this year.  He has a vast knowledge of movie trivia and loved going to concerts before they had a family.  He is a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Fare Share Food Bank.

 

Graeme joined Rotary because he wants to give back to our community.  He thanked everyone for making him feel welcome.

 

Ken O’Neill thanked Graeme for his interesting presentation.

Susan Rafuse reported that plans for the Christmas Market were proceeding well. Fran McIlmoyle showed us the online web store for the Christmas market where people can order any of the 9 items for sale.  Here is the link.

 

 

Susan thanked Fran for all her work setting up the web store.  She encouraged members to send the link to family and friends.  Monday, November 20^th is the cut-off for orders.  Pick-up will be at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Monday, November 27^th.

 

Ron Tuttle reported on service projects.  Once again this year, our Club will sponsor the ROLLS Bus for the month of December for anyone with mobility issues. The Christmas Light Tour for retirement homes will again be sponsored by the Club.  Mayor Olena commented how appreciative the town and citizens are for our sponsorship of the bus.  The latest development at the Rotary Centennial Riverview Park is the installation of 3 new benches. 

 

Ken O’Neill reported that the Rotary Social Curling Bonspiel will be on Sunday, December 10 for curlers from Port Hope, Northumberland Sunrise and Cobourg Rotary clubs.  Ken will be looking for 8 curlers for this fun event.  No curling experience is necessary.

 

Fran McIlmoyle reported that Ben Currelly will lay a wreath on behalf of our club at the ceremony in canton on Remembrance Day.  Fran and Sandra Hicks will represent our club at the ceremony downtown on November 11.

 

 

 

Director of Service Projects Ron Tuttle gave an update on the Walk-in Clinic.  Mayor Olena Hankivsky and Councillor Les Andrews are heading up the project.  The organizing committee has members of our Rotary Club – Co-Presidents Steve and Drina Tallo, Past President Jim Millington, Trust Funds Chair Bob Gibson, Public Image Director Bob Wallace and Service Projects Director Ron Tuttle.  There are also representatives from health care organizations, the Port Hope Health Care Foundation and the West Northumberland Recruitment Committee.

 

The clinic will be located on the second floor at he north end of the Community Health Centre of Northumberland on Toronto Road.  A lease is being negotiated.

Ten doctors have agreed to work at the clinic.  The plan is to open the clinic on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.  A nurse will triage the patients.

 

A budget of $120, 000 to $140,000 per year has been established with funds coming from the pharmacy in the building, the doctors and the Port Hope Health Care Foundation.

 

A request for a donation of $25,000 was submitted to the Trust Funds Committee chaired by Bob Gibson.  The committee approved the request subject to Board and Club approval.  The Board of Directors approved the donation at the last board meeting subject to club approval.

 

Service Projects Director Ron Tuttle made the following motion to support the re-opening of the Port Hope Walk in Clinic.

 

The Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Port Hope recommends that club members approve the donation of Trust Funds in the amount of $25,000 to the Town of Port Hope to be used in the re-opening of the Port Hope Walk in Clinic.

 

Funds will be distributed subject to the Town of Port Hope satisfying the following conditions.

The distribution of funds will be made as follows:

Ken O'Neill seconded the motion.  Club members voted to approve the donation of $25,000 from the Burton and Helen Philp Trust Funds as outlined in the motion.

 

Foundation Director Paul Tait showed the club a compelling video reminder about the impact of polio.  Paul Alexander is an American who contacted polio at age 7, and he has spent his life since then in an iron lung to help him breathe.  Despite being paralyzed from the neck down, Paul finished his education as a lawyer and worked for many years.

You can see the video on YouTube – The Man in an Iron Lung – A Polio Survivor’s Story- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5DOre3MFlw

 

Paul reported that Rotary started the End Polio Now campaign in 1985 when there were 1,000 new cases of polio per day.  This year there have been 10 new cases of polio in the world, only in Afghanistan and Pakistan thanks to Rotary’s worldwide vaccination program.  Since 1985, twenty million children are alive today due to our Rotarian efforts. 

 

Paul encouraged members and spouses or partners to attend our Rotary Foundation Dinner at Dalewood Golf and Country Club on Saturday, November 18.  We will join together with members from the Rotary Club of Northumberland Sunrise to honour new Paul Harris Fellows recognizing worthy members of the community or Rotary members.  Contact Paul Tait at paultaitph@gmail.com to register for the dinner.

 

District Foundation Chair Bob Wallace explained that Rotary Foundation has three funds.  The Annual Fund is spent on district and global grants.  The Endowment Fund comes from people who leave a bequest in their will.  These funds go to water, peace and conflict projects.  Donations to the Polio Eradication Fund are only spent on polio eradication.  Donors can direct their donation to any of these three funds.

 

Please consider making a donation to our Rotary Foundation.

 

Co-Presidents Steve and Drina presented prizes to many Rotarians for their creative Hallowe’en costumes.

 

The meeting concluded with the singing of O’ Canada.

Our next club meeting will be on November 13 at the Knights of Columbus Hall.  District Governor John Burns will be our speaker.  MPP David Piccini will join us for the meeting.

 

Social Time: 5:30 with dinner at 6:00.  Ken O’Neill will share his Rotary Moment.  Susan Rafuse is on door duty.  Riley Coleman will introduce the speaker.  Graeme Bakker will thank the speaker.  Lisa Graham will be the Sargeant-at-Arms.  Kevin Moore is the scribe.  Ron Tuttle is the Beacon editor.

 

 

Did you recognize Bruce Coleman?