Rotary Meeting July 7th, 2020
Guests: None
Visiting Rotarians:Patrick Maguire
Rotary Minute: Colin's minute was about the anniversary of the dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima. The Rotary Club of Hiroshima South remembered the anniversary by planting saplings with 2 second generation survivors. They are the sister club of Pearl Harbor and recently donated $20,000 to the Rotary Club of Hilo to support the relief efforts after the Kiauea volcano eruption.
His talk was followed by a Zoom recital of the 4 Way Test!
Announcements:
- Sue - No correspondence.
- Ian talked about the installation. It was our first 'live' event since Covid got underway and the first group for the golf club. There was some discussion of what might happen in the fall including having a hybrid meeting with some attending at the golf course and others attending via Zoom.
- Don – PI group. The Daybreak club have added an 8 am ‘good food box program’. They take some time to run through a Covid health questionnaire and then deliver food boxes to various locations.
Anniversaries:
Don and Nancy on the 16th
Membership Anniversaries
- Larry - 36
- Ian Thompson - 6
- Ian Thorpe - 12
- Doug - 12
Questions:
Does anyone know which page of the bible explains how to turn water into wine?
Asking for a friend.
Induction of a New Member:
Larry inducted a new member. Bill McKinney is our newest member. He worked for RBC for a number of years and has been in Rotary in Creston, Parksville and Qualicum. He is a Paul Harris fellow and benefactor. Welcome Bill!
Bill McKinney
Program:
Rod introduced our speaker Patrick Mcguire. Patrick joined Rotary in 1991 in Sherwood Park, AB and ended up at the Daybreak club here in Nanaimo.
Patrick Mcguire
His presentation was about the work being done in Guatemala. The are a number of clubs involved in one way or another including Ladysmith, Daybreak, Mid-Island Group, Nanaimo North and Nanaimo.
Guatemala is about 3 times the size of Vancouver Island with a population of about 14 million. There are a number of Guatemalans that live out of the country but send money home to help support their families. They have a low literacy rate and rank 125/186 on the UN Human Development Index.
Over the years, Patrick and others have done numerous projects both large and small with the goal of either directly helping or helping others improve the lives of the local people. Supplies for stairs, sewing machines, wheel barrows, small gas cooking ranges, latrines, dental clinics, gardening, English teaching and school supplies are among just a few of the projects they have undertaken.
Local scenery!
Locals welcoming the Rotary visitors
New cook stoves to reduce the use of indoor open fires.
Industrial sewing machines that now produce clothing and bags.
