ROTARY CLUB OF SASKATOON
August 14, 2023
Meeting was at the Saskatoon Club with a ZOOM alternative.
Members sang ‘O’Canada. Steve Wilson gave the blessing.
President Wendy Cooper chaired the meeting.
Donna Gauthier was the greeter and introduced the visitors and guests. Cashier was Wayne Palmer. Paul Gauthier was on technology.
HAPPY AND SAD DOLLARS
- Mark Gryba, $10. Is happy with the performance and prospects of the Saskatoon Hilltops
- Avis Hardy, for $10. Had a fun and interesting trip to on the Ogema historical train excursion with her daughter and other friends. Also thoroughly enjoyed touring Regina’s castle.
- Steve Wilson, for $10. Is happy that Sask Lotteries has provided additional funds for the Master’s golf pool after he had completed reports for them.
- Graham Pearson, for $100. Has had a great summer, including family experiences, and a night of watching shooting stars - they counted 25 of them.
- Jack Brodsky, for $100. Is happy to contribute, following Graham’s lead, and he is just happy.
- Paul Gauthier, for $10. Is happy to have had approximately 120 people at the 50th anniversary event for him and Donna held at the Forestry Farm.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
President Wendy announced our board meeting is Wednesday August 16.
Gary Rusu announced that he has several ‘Just in Case’ binders that can be picked up for $20 each.
Donna has ordered the grocery cards but is not sure when they will arrive.
ROTARY MOMENT
Mark Gryba spoke about the Victoria Park project, which is really our centenary project. We have retained funds for a project following our 100-year celebration in 2017. We have committed $ 40,000, which has been paid to the City. The project is near completion, and we will have signs promoting Rotary in and outside the building. It is 800 sq. ft. Mark showed pictures of the demolition of the old structure, then the foundation and the new structure being built, with some finishing to be completed. There is a large garden space adjacent to the building and the plan is to use the kitchen in the building to process some of this produce. We can use the building for a meeting and there will be a grand opening at some point.
Presentation
Will Arscott introduced the guest speaker. Brynn Campbell has been involved with food culture and photojournalism. She has had exhibits and spent time in Morocco and has been involved there in immigration issues.
Brynn says that Morocco, being closest to the mainland of Europe, is a conduit for people fleeing other nations in Africa and trying to get to Europe. Brynn was there in 2014 for four years. She worked with youth and women in food security and skill development here which is in the extreme north-west of Africa.
The undocumented refugees are despised and often assaulted. Many live a bare subsistence life by begging on the streets daily.
Brynn is involved with a group called Aidez-Nous-a-Aider or Help us to Help. They have other locations in Cameroon, Tunisia, Columbia, and Congo as well as Sydney and Paris. Soon there will also be chapters in England and Brazil. They are working on mentorship and digital skills as well as hands on skills. Donated laptops are used for training and using skills to edit videos. There is a clothing line to grow the brand and there is on-line shipping used as a platform.
Using scrap paper and a machine, scrap paper is converted to jewellery, mostly necklaces and bracelets, to help raise funds.
The group does not yet have political clout, but they are building momentum.
NEXT MEETING:
August 28. Presentation is on the Zoological Society.
Reported by Steve Wilson