Meeting: March 17, 2026 Happy St Patrick's Day!
Only 13 members present - I guess the Budget was not important or interesting enough!
Don led us in O Canada and Barney gave the invocation.
Rotary Minute: as Colin is recuperating from surgery Sheila gave the Minute:
World Rotaract Week was celebrated this past week.
The idea for Rotaract emerged in the mid-1960s, building on the success of Interact, which was founded in 1962. Rotary members were looking for a way to promote Rotary to college students and other young adults who were over the Interact age limit. The answer was Rotaract: a service program for men and women ages 17-25 that would be sponsored by local Rotary clubs. (The age requirement later changed.)
The idea became reality in January 1968 when Rotary approved the Rotaract proposal. Members of the Rotary Club of Charlotte-North, North Carolina, USA, had worked with local university students, and they seized the opportunity to sponsor a Rotaract club. The first Rotaract club was certified by Rotary on 13 March 1968 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
In the weeks that followed, more Rotaract clubs were started in the United States, Mexico, Italy, and India. About a year later, Rotaract boasted more than 200 clubs in over 25 countries and geographic areas.
Early in its second year, Rotaract was featured in a special presentation at the 1969 Rotary International Convention. In a mock courtroom trial designed to explore the question “Is Rotary serving the needs of youth today?” George Lee acted as a witness, giving testimony based on his personal experience as a member of a Rotaract club in the Philippines.
Lee explained to the mock jury that Rotaract clubs serve the community and promote international understanding and goodwill. And that they work with Rotary clubs, but they plan and finance their own service activities. (This remains true of Rotaract today.) Lee’s club was working to reduce juvenile delinquency by mentoring local students at risk of dropping out of school. The club members also corresponded with Rotaract members in India, which fostered an international friendship. Rotaract, Lee felt, was accomplishing something worthwhile by providing young people with the experience and training to become leaders.
- The name “Rotaract” is a blend of the words “Rotary” and “action.”
- The unofficial Rotaract motto is Fellowship Through Service.
- The first Rotaract Preconvention was held in conjunction with the 1989 Rotary International Convention in Seoul, Korea.
- World Rotaract Week was first observed in March 1993.
- Rotary’s 2019 Council on Legislation amended the RI Constitution to recognize Rotaract as a membership type in Rotary.
Reports:
Fundraising - Beer and Burger coming up soon. Jim needs more donations of auction items and gift certificates. He also needs volunteers to help with set up, payments etc. BUY YOUR TICKEST SOON - AND SELL TO FRIENDS.
Cinco de Mayo is a GO. We have the main room at the Legion, tacos for dinner, a DJ with Mexican music, maybe competition involving tasting hot spices? and prizes for best dressed. Also a pinata. May 5th ( for those who don't speak Spanish )
Garage Sale is on May 23rd - Jim is now accepting items to store until then.
Don reported on the Area 40 Partnership meeting on March 16:
Rotary Club of Nanaimo Book Sale is March 20 - 29
Lantzville is holding a Shredding at Woodgrove on March 21.
Interact is showing "A Week in Sudan"at the Rugby Club with an International meal on May 2.
Earth Day Garbage Pick Up is April 18 - details are on "Rotary in Nanaimo" website. Volunteers must preregister through Eventbrite and sign the waiver.
Tod Mafflin's 2nd Nanaimo Infusion event is at Maffeo Sutton Park April 24-26. Volunteers needed.
Larry reminded us that our sorting night at Loaves and Fishes is next Tuesday ( March 24) Sign up online.
Birthdays: Rob Waine - serenaded in the usual fashion.
Membership Anniversaries: 1 year for Peter Siemens
Program:
We welcomed our Treasurer Ed to review and discuss the Budget for next year ( July 1 2026 - June 30 2027)
Ed gave a very good review of the budget but expressed his concerns about the club administation costs which should be covered by Club revenue - do we have to have an increase in dues?
Questions were askd about the allocation of our gaming funds and why ceratin charities were included. That brought considerable discussion and Ed is sending out an email to all members asking for input before the budget is approved. So check your emails and respond to Moin, (as incoming president it is his budget).
