The Members Bulletin
 
Chartered 1920
May 6th, 2024
IN THIS BULLETIN... 
 
Our program last Friday, May 3rd, began with announcements from the club. Carolyn thanked the club for another successful tree planting day. Despite the weather, everything went without a hitch and there were lots of volunteers out from all over the community! 
 
Helmuth made an announcement about a news article that was in the Wellington Advertisor about the tree planting day. However, there was not mention of Rotary in the article. Helmuth challenged a member from our club to write a letter to the editor to educate the paper about Rotary's critical involvement in the project. If the letter is written, Helmuth will contribute $50 to the Rotary Foundation. Margaret Trainor took up the call!
 
Margaret made an announcement about her grandson and Rotarian, Aidan Harris heading to Ottawa for his 2 month placement. She sais that she's proud of him, but also glad that he'll only be away 2 months. 
 
Aidan Harris made an announcement about the start of the Eradicating Human Trafficking Lawn Sign Campaign. The campaign will go for the entire month of May. If you're interested in getting a sign, please contact either Aidan or Margaret Trainor. Each sign costs $10. 
 
Marva made the last announcement. She discussed the start of the Artseverywhere festival and how happy she was with the opening night!
 
After lunch, Marva introduced our guest speakers Dr. Adriana Alvarez and Mabel Weber, two of the four members of the What Remains Collective. Mabel began the presentation by discussing each member of the group. She then introduced Adriana. 
 
Adriana explained how the group, What Remains Collective, came together. Each member of the group shared a common background and was working in similar fields. “What Remains” was born from a desire to rescue the untold stories of immigrant families speaking about their personal experience through the very objects that travelled with them or that represent their journey before, during and after crossing the many geographical, political, and invisible borders.
 
This work culminated in the La Trenza (The Braid), which is comprised of rescued objects in the border desert that hold unknown stories, braided with donated objects representing stories from families from immigrant backgrounds that have already crossed. The goal of this collaborative work of art is to rescue those objects of unknown and forgotten stories of real humans.
 
By telling this story, this piece invites viewers to reflect on the connection that compassion can create, and how it can serve as a bridge that transcends and unites all types of borders. It is a project that aims to keep growing by braiding and joining more communities around the world. Before stopping in Guelph, What Remains Collective was in Northern Ireland. When they were there, Irish people were able to weave objects that had significance to them into the braid. 
 
While the braid and exhibit is in Guelph (from May to August), individuals from the city have the opportunity to add to the braid. Adriana explained that everyone has their own border and that it's important for each of us to be able to contribute something that represents this experience into the braid. 
 
When discussing the work that What Remains Collective does, Adriana provided recountings of the experiences migrants have had. She talked about a girl and a mother that made the crossing between the US and Mexico and how all they had was a blanket, a stuffed animal, and a backpack. The girl was forced to leave the stuffed animal in the desert (something that commonly happens to migrants when crossing the border). The blanket the mother gave to the group to weave into the braid. Adriana had refused at first because the blanket held so much meaning to the mother, but she insisted, saying, "I give you my blanket, my best friend. He carries all of my tears. He carries all of the struggle on our way. It is a blanket that I used to cover my child from the cold and I want to give it to you for this project." 
 
Adriana also discussed the city that she lived in, El Paso, and the border wall that divided the city in half. Families could not see each other and could only visit through the medal bars of the wall. Adriana saw weddings take place, families visiting each other, and so many more human connections. This was where her first inspiration came from. The wall was an object that dehumanized her city, but somehow, despite the wall, human connection found a way to circumvent it. 
 
By the end of the presentation, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Crista Renner thanked the Adriana and Mabel for their presentation and for sharing their art and stories with us. 
 
Notes taken by Otter.ai and edited by Aidan Harris. 
Stories
Smile Cookies 2024 - Service Above Self opportunity
 
Rotarians and friends - could you perhaps volunteer for an hour or two next week, May 1-7, 2023, decorating a few dozen Smile Cookies to help the Children's Foundation raise much-needed funds? Details are below, and the sign-up sheet can be accessed HERE.
 
Smile Cookie Week at Tim Hortons will return this spring from April 29-May 5, 2024! The iconic chocolate chunk cookies topped with pink and blue icing will be available at every participating Tim Hortons restaurant across the country.
 
🍪 About Smile Cookie Week in Guelph and Wellington
  • 100% of local Smile Cookie proceeds are donated to the Children's Foundation Food & Friends Program which provides nutritious food for local students through breakfast, snack and lunch programs. The Children’s Foundation is partnered with Tim’s locations in Arthur, Elora, Fergus, Guelph, Harriston, Mount Forest, and Puslinch. Food & Friends has been a proud recipient of Smile Cookie funds for over 20 years and has received over $1,317,000 from local Tim Hortons locations over these years!
  • Make sure to stop by participating locations between April 29 and May 5, grab a cookie, and spread some smiles! 
Without volunteers, some locations would not be able to keep up with the demand and sell out of Smile Cookies. Volunteers are needed to help decorate cookies during Smile Cookie Week April 29-May 5. There are numerous shifts available throughout Smile Cookie Week at different Tim's locations through Guelph and Wellington. If you’re interested in volunteering:
 
🍪 Smile Cookie Decorating Sign-Up Link
 
·       Volunteers must be a minimum of 16 years old.
·       If you have any questions, please email Jodi Carreiro, Volunteer & Events Coordinator, jodi@childrensfoundation.org
 
Feel free to share info with family, friends, or co-workers.
 
 
 
 
Read more...
Volunteers needed for KidsAbility McHappy Day
McHappy Day is on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 and a portion of all store proceeds from that day will benefit the wonderful programs run by our friends at KidsAbility.
Volunteers and customers alike are encouraged to help out on the day. 
 
VOLUNTEERS:
Please let Taryn Power: tpower@kidsability.ca know if you are able to support this initiative as an ambassador of KidsAbility.
 
Locations that are looking for volunteers:
Volunteer Shifts: 
  • volunteers to visit over breakfast or lunch
  • Approx 8-10am or 11:30am-1:30pm. Shift flexibility exists.
  • From 1-5 people is optimal.
 
Volunteer Tasks:
  • Volunteers greeting guests (your logo shirts or other identifiers are great) 
  • Selling McHappy Day socks; in the dining room, at the entrances, or even in the drive thru
  • Adventurous volunteers are welcome to support behind the front counter
  • FYI: Each restaurant will have a point person that the volunteers can report to on arrival.
 
Read more...
Bulletin Editor
Aidan Harris
Speakers
May 10, 2024
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Children & Youth Committee Meeting 9AM
On Zoom
May 10, 2024
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
 
View entire list
Birthdays & Rotary Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Matt Webster
May 5
 
Roger Garriock
May 6
 
Bob Richardson
May 10
 
Claire Davies
May 11
 
Paul Dredge
May 16
 
Luisa Del Rosario
May 21
 
Marguerite Campbell
May 24
 
Marty Fairbairn
June 2
 
Carl Webster
June 8
 
David Worthen
June 8
 
Mike Schreiner
June 9
 
Rasa Levstein
June 16
 
Chris Willard
June 24
 
Randy Wilson
June 30
 
Join Date
Gisella Gazzola
May 8, 2020
4 years
 
Rosemary Clark
May 13, 1994
30 years
 
Irene Szabo
May 17, 2019
5 years
 
Dianne Dance
May 19, 2017
7 years
 
Faz Ashkar
May 22, 2020
4 years
 
Eleni Bakopoulos
May 29, 2020
4 years
 
Robert Eilers
June 9, 2002
22 years
 
Ben McCarl
June 10, 2011
13 years
 
Noma Vales
June 16, 2006
18 years
 
Lynne McCurdy
June 20, 2014
10 years
 
Dave Latreille
June 22, 2007
17 years
 
Domingo Bernal
June 29, 2018
6 years
 
Tim Mau
June 30, 2000
24 years
 
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