Minutes of meeting of October 17, 2007

Posted by Wim Duizer 
 

Presiding: President Mike Sheehan

Team#2 was responsible for this evening

Introduction: Rama Murthi

Thanks: Erik Tremblay

Attendance/Greetings: Wim Duizer, Steve Halyk

Sergeant at Arms: Erik Tremblay

Guests: Our exchange student Flor Mejia Lopez and guest speaker Jeffery Van Haeren

 

Present: Rama Murthi, Erik Tremblay, Doug Vincent, Jantine Stam, Tim Koetsier, Tracey Hillier, Mike Sheehan, Rick Kiers, Norm Narancsik, Steve Halyk, Keith Sherman, Wim Duizer, Peter VanWees, Gibby Bernath and Peter Stam.

 

 

Sergeant at Arms Erik Tremblay was in a mild mood this evening. He explained the extra efforts from his team for the organization of this evening. Table seating was selected randomly and there was a special draw for rotary foundation. Also they provided info from another Rotary club. This week special was from Rotary Club of Edmonton (club from Erik's father). Team#2 set the tone for a well organized evening !

Norm informed us about the dictionaries. He sign up sheet was passed around where members could sign up to visit a school nearby to hand out a dictionary to the grade 3 students. All the rotary clubs of Oxford accept the Tavistock Club are handing out dictionaries to all the grade 3 students in our county. Press needs to be informed. Norm and Pieter will look after that.

Rama introduces guest speaker Jeff Van Haeren. He excused his father Bill van Haeren who had to fly to Montreal for the day.

Friends of the Orphans(FOTO)-Canada is dedicated to seeking and providing
support for the needs of orphaned and abandoned children in the Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua on
behalf of Nuestros Pequeos Hermanos, which means "Our Little Brothers and
Sisters."

Many of the estimated 100 million orphaned or abandoned children of Latin
America live on urban streets foraging food from garbage dumps and living
lives of street violence. They are plagued by disease, starvation, drug
addiction and abusive relationships.

For 50 years Nuestros Pequeos Hermanos (NPH) has provided an extended family
environment with homes, care, love and futures for over 15,000 orphaned and
abandoned children without relatives capable of caring for them. Most of
them have been able to break out of the cycle of poverty and are now
providing for their own families.

NPH is based on a unique philosophy: provide a stable home where value is
placed on education, work, and responsibility and the children will grow to
become productive members of their communities -- breaking the chain of
poverty. All NPH homes are self-sufficient providing primary and secondary
schools, medical facilities, technical programs, and agriculture
necessities. They are able to maintain these environments through the kind
and loving generosity of donors throughout Europe, the United States and
Canada.

After the presentation several questions were asked. EriK Tremblay thanked Jeff for his presentation.

President Mike mentioned that Anne McArthur wants to become a new member after she is married at the end of this month.

Monday evening October 22 there is an executive meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8.00 pm.