Meeting Minutes

Call to Order

• Time: 12:15PM

4-Way Test

• Led by: Rot. Scott

Moment of Reflection

Rotary Minute

• Presented by: Rot. Scott talked about his great experience at the Rotary Symposium in Alaska 'Life on the Land'.  Rot. Scott got to meet RI President Gordon McInally at the sumposium.  Rot. Scott was impressed with how humble of a man he was, and that he attended all four days of the event. 

Introduction of Visiting Rotarians

• Rot. Everett Reid

Introduction of Guests

• John White from the Christmas Crew

Next Meeting

• Chair will be Pres. Hoyles
• Host will be Rot. Tharanee

Breakfast Program

• Rot. Scott and Rot. Alfred

Review Action Register (Separate document, maintained by Club Administration Director)

• NA

Committee Reports

• Curling for a Cause - Pres. Hoyles confirmed that Festival of the Greens is the same date as we originally set for Curling for a Cause (Nov. 25th).  Luckily, we haven't sent out invites yet.  We are looking at the week prior and will be confirmed soon.  Pres. Hoyles added a 3rd page to the invite letter, which allows buisnesses to donate to the cause without having to put a team in.  Pres. Hoyles put out an ask to the club for someone to take on collecting door prizes for the event.  Generally we spend a team's registration ($800) on door prizes.

• Interact - Rot. Bob attended the first Interact meeting at Riverview.  They have a great group of students this year.  They have already volunteered at Caleb's Courage, The Lumineer, and are signing up to help with the Fiddler's Run.  They currently have 71 students signed up for the club which is lead by Ryan Walker, a teacher at the school that Bob has spoken very highly of.

Guest Speaker / Special Program 

• John White who is the MLA for Glace Bay-Dominion, a school teacher at GB High, and along with his wife started the group now known as the Christmas Crew.  John and his wife, after one of their several Christmas dinners about 30 years ago, decided they would donate a turkey dinner for a family.  They continued to do this for about 15 years without anyone knowing about it.  Then one year, John's friend Troy wanted to take part and gave John and his wife $100 to buy a grocery order.  The word started getting around, with more people taking part each year.  Last Christmas they donated 400 turkeys, 415 lbs of potatoes, and all the fixings.  A full order is 4 full grocery bags that they do through Sobeys in Glace Bay.  And about 5 years ago they started also including toys/gifts in the order, with every gift wrapped.  The Crew gets together the Sunday before Christmas at 9 am.  They get help from youth groups, teams, students, etc to pack up the grocery orders.  They start delivering the orders around 1 pm that day.  This project takes several hundred people to pull off.
• John told several heartfelt stories of dropping off groceries to families and how appreciative they were.
• In 2011 the Chistmas Crew became a registered charity.
• Last year they spent about $25,000 in food and $8000 in gifts.  This is above and beyond the stuff they get donated.

Round Table

• Rot. Bob informed the club that the golf tournament raised about $16,000 that we will split with the Sunrise club.  A very successful event.
• Rot. Scott spoke briefly on his recent trip accross the country that spanned roughly 6 weeks.  He was impressed that he arrived home after covering all of those kms without chipping his windsheild.

Meeting Host (Happy/Sad Fines, Ticket Draw, Distribution of Meeting Fines)

• Darren selected the 5 of diamonds.

Secretary's Report (Birthdays, Anniversaries, Correspondence)

• No report provided

President's Remarks (Directors' Meetings, District News, Special Reports)

• Pres. Hoyles thanked our guest for his inpiring presentation.  Pres. Hoyles informed the club that he took part in the Christmas Crew event last year, he will be again this year, and he encouraged our club to do so.  This will be discussed at the board level next meeting.

Toast to RI