Submitted by Will Arscott

 

 

This is always one of our key social events of the Rotary year. It is a chance for our members to get together and share the season with family and guests. As usual there was a good turn-out of members and family. President Paul Gauthier presided but the meeting was largely handled by Gary Rusu. The club thanks Gary for the extra planning and effort that went into this meeting.

Cashier: Wayne Storozuk

Greeter: Members of the Club

Set-up: Al Morton & Wayne McGillivray

Grace was sung

Visitors and Guests: Gary Kerr

 

With Wayne McGillivray having to be away in Australia, O Canada was led by Jim Gillis with Betty Ann at the piano. Without Wayne’s leadership too many of our members slipped back into the old familiar lyric. Grace was also sung by the assembly. It is too bad we do not have the piano on a regular basis.

 

Visitors and Guests   presented by Gary Kerr. The following Rotary Guests were present:

 These three prospective members became regular members later in the program.

Guest of the club was Salvation Army Representative Marc Cheriyan. Marc is the Director of Residential Services for Saskatoon. Later he would receive our annual donation to Bethany Homes.

 

Assistant District Governor Asit Sarkar was present. Asit is a member of the Nutana Club and brought us a special award later in the program.

Finally we had two special Rotary musical guests: Betty Ann Arscott who played the piano and Jim Gillis who was enlisted as a song leader. Like Asit both Betty and Jim are members of that other Rotary Club that meets on Tuesday at noon at the Parktown.

 

The meeting began with Gary Kerr going to each table and asking a member to introduce the members and guests at that table. Your editor will not try to record all who were present as some would certainly be missed. Again this year, it was clear that the Giesbrecht/Byers clan set the attendance record among the Rotary Families. It was particularly great to see so many children present.

 

The first order of business was the presentation of the cheque to Bethany Homes. Bethany homes is a home for unwed mothers sponsored by the Salvation Army. It would now be more correct to say that Bethany homes began as a home for unwed mothers but now serves a larger female clientele. It has been our practice for many years to give a donation to Bethany Homes to thank our speakers.This gift is given once per year at the Christmas Luncheon.This year President Paul presented a cheque for $500 to Marc Cheriyan.

 

Marc spoke very briefly. He was a Rotarian himself being a member of the Lloydminister morning club. He stressed that Bethany homes helps women in trouble and provides love and support to get them through. Bethany Homes is part of the Salvation Army’s larger residential program which provides about 140 beds in Saskatoon on any given night. This time of year the men’s shelter on Avenue C is particularly busy and is actually over-booked. Marc brought thanks to the club from the Salvation Army and their clients.

 

Marc not only received our cheque but many members brought gifts of personal care items for distribution to the clients of Bethany Homes. Many thanks to the members who brought these gifts.

 

Next, Assistant District Governor Asit Sarkar brought us an award from the Rotary Foundation.   Our club was cited for its commitment to the Polio Plus program. Asit did not go into the details of our contribution but it has been considerable. This editor cannot pass without mentioning the matching grants undertaken by member Jack Brodsky. Our club is proud of Jack and his giving to help so many. Gifts from our club leverage money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and our own government. The polio program brings vaccinations and other measures that greatly reduce needless suffering in our world. Christmas is the perfect time to receive this citation.

 

There were no regular announcements at this meeting.

 

The next item on our agenda was the induction of three new members to our club:

Wendy Cooper, Freedom 55 Financial, sponsored by Gary Rusu

Linda Petrow, Ixtapa Travel, also sponsored by Gary Rusu

Prem Sharma ,City of Saskatoon Water Department, sponsored by Wayne Storozuk (For some reason Wayne had gone missing from the meeting so Vic Dubois capably stepped in). The new members took their pledge to foster and encourage Rotary.They were presented with their pins and certificates by their sponsors. Due to it being a Christmas meeting there was no time to hear the biographies of these members but I am sure the programing people will schedule a Rotary vocation talk for each of them in the New Year.

 

The whole club recited the ‘Four Way Test.’ It was good to do the test with so many family members present.

 

Ahead of the caroling led by Jim and Betty Ann, Gary Rusu read some Art Linkletter stories.   I I am not sure but, in a couple of cases, Gary came perilously close to earning himself a coal delivery Christmas Eve!