Beacon for June 22, 2026
Co-President Ken O’Neill, filling in for Co-President Kevin Moore, started the meeting with the introduction of our guests: our speaker, Caleb Carisse, Chair on the Board of Rose Quest, our second peaker, our Inbound Youth Exchange Student from Czechia, Julie Koutkova, along with her friends, Anita Lenaron, Claire Kerswell and Ciara Lennon. We also welcomed a potential new member, Troy Sandler and former Rotarians and now members of the Rotary Club of Northumberland Sunrise, Steve, Drina and Aldona Tallo who were Julie’s second host family.
After a delicious meal from Lisa’s Catering, Co-President Ken gave a Toast and the Land Acknowledgement.
Announcements
Ken O’Neill asked for volunteers to work at the Canada Day BBQ in Memorial Park. We work with the Knights of Columbus. Here are the two shifts of workers
From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. - Ron, Bob Wallace, Kathy, Bree & friend, Chris, Ken
From 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. – Olga, Jana, Ian, Paul, Bruce, John Ken
Jana MacNeil gave a report from the Surf & Turf Dinner on June 20. She thanked all of the volunteers who helped to cook the lobster and hand out the meals at the United Church. Jana will have final numbers to report at our next meeting.
Program
Ken O’Neill introduced Caleb Carisse. Caleb has been very active in our community. Caleb was involved with Greenwood Coalition serving on their board for nearly a decade. He was as Board Chair for 4 years. He now sits on The Rose Quest board of directors as Chair. Beyond that he supports local organizations like Critical Mass, Movember and the Hospital holding summertime lemon-aid stands to raise money. Northumberland Sunrise Rotary Club recognized Caleb for his community service with a Paul Harris Fellowship. Here is Aimee Tedford presenting Caleb with the Paul Harris Fellowship in 2024.
Caleb Carisse accepting his Paul Harris Fellowship from Northumberland Sunrise Rotarian Aimee Tedford
Here is the mission statement of Rose Quest. “Our quest is to improve the health, wellbeing, and dignity of residents in crisis, in need, at risk, or who are experiencing homelessness by providing hygiene products through social service agencies, charities, schools, and directly to the street.”
Donations from our club have helped support the school support program. Principals are asked how many kits they need for students with low income or other difficulties. So far, our club has donated $5,000 to provide hygiene kits for 183 students in 11 schools. Each kit contains $44.38 worth of hygiene products.
Other programs include the Direct to Street Personal Care Community Cupboard in downtown Port Hope and Crisis Relief where hygiene kits are provided to individuals or families who have experienced a fire, flood or a health crisis.
Currently, the Rose Quest board is looking to set up a permanent facility in Port Hope or Cobourg for the Rose Quest Hygiene Centre to prepare and distribute kits and provide hygiene education. They are looking for a lead donor to provide a $200,000 donation to get this project started.
Here is their website if you want more information or to make a donation.
The second part of our program featured our Inbound Youth Exchange Student, Julie Koutkova, from Czechia who told us some of the highlights of her year in Port Hope and Cobourg. Julie lived with three host families – Rhonda and Dave Cunninghamm from eth Rotary Club of Northumberland Sunrise, Steve, Drina and Aldona Tallo form the Rotary Club of Port Hope and Alina and Dmytro Husar from the Rotary Club of Cobourg. Laurie McKeen from Cobourg Rotary was her Youth Exchange Counsellor, and Ron Tuttle from Port Hope Rotary was her Youth Exchange Officer.
Julie said that she has grown in so many ways during her exchange. Some of the highlights were: how friendly Canadians are always saying please and thank you, all the close friends that she has made at school, making a movie as a school project that won 1st place, the Semi-Formal Dance in the winter and the Prom in the spring, going on The Edge Walk at the CN Tower with Petra Burke, Camping with her friends at Sandbanks Provincial Park and enjoying an early 18th birthday party last weekend with all of her Canadian friends. She loved having sisters for the first time with her last host family. Julie liked visiting Toronto with all of the skyscrapers when she saw a Leaf’s game and visiting Montreal with Steve and Drina to see a Canadiens hockey game. Julie enjoyed going skiing with Shelley and Trevor Hagerman and also trying dog sledding with YE Students from Districts 7080 and 7010. She skated at Toronto City Hall and went to Ottawa in May for the Inbounds and Outbounds spring orientation trip. She did find it hard at Christmas to be away from her family, but her host families helped her to experience a Canadian Christmas.
The world seems so small now that she has friends in so many countries. Julie feels that Rotary has changed her life.
Julie thanked all three Rotary Clubs and her host families for making her exchange year so wonderful!
Club Business
Incoming Co-President Bruce Coleman reported that a committee of past presidents, our treasurer and Bob Gibson reviewed our club dues which are currently $300 per year. Most of those funds pay our District 7070 and Rotary International dues along with our insurance costs. Ther is not enough money left over to pay the cost of the hall rental - $100 per night.
Before COVID, we would pay the hall rental costs on a quarterly or biannual basis. The committee recommends that we add a $100 levy for the hall rental costs onto the $300 dues fee for a total of $400 per year – July 1 to June 30. The $400 could be paid in one lump sum or in two installments – in June and in December.
Members discussed the proposal, but no decision was made.
Reminders
Celebration of Life for Susan Rafuse – Sunday, July 12 – 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall
Next Rotary Meeting - Monday, July 13 – Ian Jarvis will give his Life Talk
Door Duty: Bruce Coleman, Introduce Speaker: John Davidson, Happy Bucks: John Mowat, Thank Speaker: Ron Tuttle, Scribe: Lisa Graham, Beacon Editor: Ron Tuttle
Rotary Car Rally organized by Bob and Kathy Wallace – Monday, July 27
Club Meeting - Monday August 10 – Program TBA
Brighton Rotary Corn Roast – Monday, August 17 at Proctor Park
Corn Roast & BBQ at Tuttle’s House – Monday, August 24
Maybe you can relate to this sign with the recent heatwave.
