Bruno De Sando and Madalyn Brochu informed our club members today on the General Insurance OmbudService (GIO) which is a free, independent and impartial service that helps with property and casualty insurance disputes (such as home, car and business insurance). Many Canadians have questions about their insurance with the growing number of natural disasters across the country, such as wildfires, floods and hurricanes. GIO’s helpful and knowledgeable consumer service officers will answer any insurance questions and provide a guide on what help is available should they come into a dispute with their insurer.
Former Rotarian, Dr. Clyde Hillier, shown here with SAA David Kirwin, presented a proposal for a donation of $2,000 or more to the Operation Smile Cleft Surgical Programs in Columbia. Through their outreach, and annual support from Rotary Clubs in Canada, Operation Smile Canada Foundation has earmarked gifts received from Rotary to their Short-Term Cleft Surgical Programs in Colombia: • Boyacá: June 7 – 8, 2024 • Barranquilla: June 20 – 22, 2024 • Cali: June 28 – 29, 2024
Elisa Yaquin and Kathleen Murphy receive The Rotary Wheel from SAA David Kirwin in recognition for leading us as we worked through our Club's Visioning Action Plan at the first official club meeting held at our new venue - Fanshawe College South Campus!
Seventeen members of London South took time out of their busy schedules on Saturday to participate in a 'Vision to Success' exercise led by DG Sonja Glass and Nurdon Tokoz of Rotary Hyde Park, Our outbound Youth Exchange student, Kate Witford, attended as a scribe.
Although our visioning work is not yet complete on what the Club could look like and where we'd like to be in a few years, we now have great ideas, suggestions and the tools to plan next steps to make our club the ONE others want to join!.
Thanks to Elisa and Kathleen for organizing this great event!
Natalie and Crystal from The Thames Valley Communication Access Program (TVCAP) confirmed their dedication in supporting adults in the Thames Valley Region who have acquired communication impairments (speech and language difficulties post-stroke, brain injury or progressive disease). They ensure consistent access to ongoing support for recovery, ultimately optimizing their communication capabilities and quality of life. Our mission is to empower these adults with communication impairments by delivering accessible and impactful communication services through group speech therapy.
info.tvcap@gmail.com www.tv-cap.ca
Allyson Watson told us about Roots of Empathy, a school-based program that decreases bullying and aggression in students as well as increases pro social behaviors. A volunteer parent and infant are the heart of the program visiting a classroom 9 times in one school year along with an instructor who attends 2 additional classes for each family visit.
The baby becomes the centre for learning empathy and emotional attachment allowing children to explore what they think and how they feel. This interaction increases positive social behaviour and decreases aggression and depression. They develop empathy for others, both cognitive empathy, understanding the perspective of other people, and affirmative empathy, the emotional perspective.
www.rootsofempathy.org https://www.youtube.com/watch?
| In 1998, Rotarian Stephen (Steve) Fine, PhD, and his wife Gail from Peabody, MA lost their 26-year-old son Daniel to late-stage melanoma. Steve gave up his successful career in the semiconductor industry to create an educational program that is saving the lives of other young people. He created a website that began as a tribute to his son and evolved into a complete guide to early self-detection and prevention of melanoma, which is curable in its early stages. |
Steve didn’t stop there. He founded the nonprofit Melanoma Education Foundation and created its SkinCheck® curriculum, a class with a lesson plan, video and student handouts that informs students how to self-detect and prevent melanoma. He then developed a seminar to train high school and middle school teachers in how to conduct the class. See attached links for more information...
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Following up on the research evaluation by Fanshawe college, and the generosity of the Rotary District 6330 Grant, the Community Fridge shoppers have purchased snacks for children. These will be put in our pantry daily by our volunteers for families with school-age children to pick up. Our research confirmed that the cost for snacks is very difficult to afford for many families. | |
Dr Jim Weese, a retired University Dean, spoke on the theory & process behind the Writing of his first children's book "The Grandpa Rules: Essential Lessons for Success in Life"
On Sunday, 8 RCLS members and 5 Friends of Rotary gathered at St. John Divine Church and assembled 200 packages to help keep London's most vulnerable warm this winter. The packages included a warm hat, neck gaiter, gloves, socks, hand warmers, thermal sheet, toothbrush, soap, comb, granola bars and wipes. These packages will be distributed through Ark Aid.
Our Youth Exchange Officer Akhil Antony shared the exciting news with Kate Witford of Ingersoll, that she will be going to Taiwan on Rotary Youth Exchange in September 2024. Kate was so excited to learn she would be going to the country that was her first choice and looks forward to learning Mandarin.
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| SAA David K and assistant Anette did a great job today raising a total of $600 with the Worst Christmas Gift event. Members who were not successful bidders of a Christmas gift or were not in attendance, were assigned a 'Christmas sweaters rental fee of $20' meaning they won a 'one-time rental’ of the Christmas sweaters for an occasion next holiday season. See Joan Fisher to book your rental date! |
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| The Rotary Elves are hard at work delivering last minute ornament orders. London South got some great publicity on CBCL-FM Radio Afternoon Drive show when Joan and Brenda were interviewed today. |
Lorraine Jardine shared her volunteer experience at Hekima Place in Kiserian, Kenya. Lorraine went there initially in 2007 and she has been involved with them ever since and now serves on their Board of Directors. Hekima Place has been thriving to educate and empower young girls. For more information, please see their website at www.hekimaplace.org.
Several current and past members tended the Salvation Army at Loblaws on Wonderland South on Thursday, November 16. Pictured here are Vic Danyla and Al Hardy. |  |
Sergeant at Arms, David Kirwin's interview with one of our newest members, revealed that Akhil was born and raised in India and worked as a Design Engineer there before coming to Canada where he is pursuing a career as an Insurance Broker. He hopes to be able to reunite his family by bringing them to London in the future. Akhil has enjoyed his exposure to Rotary to date volunteering at Rotary Community Service activities and is looking forward to his role as Youth Exchange Officer to support the development of outbound and inbound exchange students.
Kate Traill, Professor & Program Coordinator at Fanshawe College provided a very informative synopsis from the data collected for the utilization analysis of the London Community Fridge last summer. Her research team found that the majority of respondents live within a 5km radius of the Community Fridge; nevertheless, a sizable percentage travel significant distances. Most live in 1 or 2 person households, although 21% report living with 5+ people and 65% of respondents report that they access the Community Fridge at least once a week. See the complete report attached.
Rotary celebrates World Polio Day on October 24th. Nadia Troisi from the March of Dimes introduced polio survivor, Sanjeev from Pickering. Sanjeev shared his journey of living with Polio and Post Polio Syndrome. Listen to Sanjeev's Polio Story here
Contact davidknoppert@sympatico.ca to join us for a traditional Cuban Dinner on November 19 and/or donate at
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London, ON N6E 1M3
Canada