Submitted by Steve Wilson 

 

Our meeting was held at the Saskatoon Club. Dave Sundby was our MC. We sat around a long table so our Greeter, Gary Emde, mainly welcomed us by walking around the table and shaking our hands where we sat. We ordered off the menu so we didn’t need a cashier. Al Morton and Wayne McGillivray were on set-up and made sure our badges were brought over.

 

 Members sang ‘O Canada’ and Rotary Grace with the assistance of Wayne McGillivray.

 

 

Paul Jasper, our guest speaker was our only guest.

 

 

Gary Emde shared that his third son and his wife just had a baby, and this is his 5th grandchild.

 

Avis just had a birthday which was a milestone birthday, according to her niece, Joanne Fisher.

 

Peter Whitenect shared about a surprise 70th birthday for Mike Leclaire, at which about 70 people attended.

 

Wayne McGillivray is happy ski season is well underway at North Battleford and he is thrilled that he will be seeing his two young granddaughters in a few days, all the way from Australia.

 

Claire shared he was glad to see Paul Jasper, with whom he had worked many years ago.

 

Avis and Peter spoke about the Hope for Malawi Brunch, where 140 people attended and the Lieutenant Governor also attended.

 

 

Grocery cards are available from Donna

 

President Vic is away with many tasks to fulfil before Christmas.

 

Paul Gauthier shared that we have collected $1,890.00 of the $ 2,000.00 to qualify for district grants. December is also Polio Plus month.

 

Peter Voldeng announced that he and Jim Weber are trying to collect as many lap tops (goal of 30 - 40) to send to the school in Mexico. Even laptops 8 or 9 years old can be wiped and then used as they are still more modern than what the school is using now. They can be brought to Wine for U - where Peter's wife works. People going to Puerto Vallarta for vacation time are encouraged to take one or two of these laptops with them.

 

Joanne say that there are enough volunteers for the Christmas Market at King George but we can still use more donations, especially those for the Dads.

 

Sign- up sheets were going around for those attending the Christmas Party to sign up as well as for any children, grandchildren (or nieces and nephews) and their ages so that appropriate gifts can be bought for them. Those members who did not attend the meeting please contact Wendy Cooper or Linda Petrow if you are going to attend and gave names of children who will visit Santa. 

 

Wayne McGillivray mentioned that, along with other donations we are making, we should consider that each year we collect some gifts for the young women at the Bethany Home. Grooming products are especially needed.

 

 

Peter Zakreski introduced Paul Jasper. Paul has been part of the Judge's Commission, the City Hall Commission, and of course, was a major planner of the Jeux Canada Games held in Saskatoon in the summer of 1989. He has been awarded the B'nai Brith medal and the Volunteer's Medal awarded by the City of Saskatoon.

 

He was part of the bid process back in 1985 which awarded the games to Saskatoon. Fund- raising started right away and $4.7 million was raised locally. Along with donations from the three levels of government enough was raised so that it could be invested well ahead of the games and there were enough funds to pay for the budgeted $22.7 million and still yields a surplus of $1.3 Million.

 

The Games had 2800 athletes, 600 coaches and managers, and 8000 volunteers. The City was able to build a sporting infrastructure which we still benefit from today.

 

The surplus of $1.3 million formed the basis of a foundation which continues today. Three point two million dollars has been given out in grants up to now and there is still $ 2.2 million in the fund. The goal is to continue giving grants and never have the fund drop below 1.3 million.

 

The leading lights and dreamers for the games were Cliff Wright, Peter Zakreski, and Tony Dagnone.

 

 

 

Adjournment