Meeting: Chair, Darrel Ripley; Music, David G.; Grace, Sherry C.; attendance 23 including guest speakers Matt Moreau & Kori Chillibeck.
Announcements:
Mardi Gras at CapitalCare Grandview: Ingrid let everyone know that Grandview will be putting on their first annual Mardi Gras "Fun" raiser where you will be able to enjoy New Orleans style food, Mardi Gras activities, cash bar, silent auction and live music of the south. The event is on February 6, 2016 beginning at 7:30pm. For more information and tickets clickhere.
Duart Berg: Duart had a skating accident over the holidays and is now receiving rehabilitation for a broken hip at CapitalCare Grandview. He is taking visitors if anyone wishes to visit him. We all wish him a speedy recovery.
Clean Scene Casino: Mike Ryan thanked the many rotarians who stepped forward to work at the Clean Scene casino last week. Mike and Clean Scene are extremely grateful.
Food Bank: Annie thanked all the people who worked at the Food Bank on the morning of Saturday, January 9th, 2016. 18 people were put to work by the food bank that day. Ingrid was one of the group that worked in the distribution warehouse and reiterated what a deserving charity this is as the demand for hampers has more than doubled in the last two years.
Oil Kings Hockey Game to Shut Out Polio: The tickets have all been ordered and we will all be sitting in a group. As soon as Annie receives the tickets for game, she will notify all the people who have requested them. The game is on january 17th @ 6pm.
Boyle McCauley Community Centre Lunch: Our club will be serving lunch on Saturday, February 13. There is only space for 8 people for this event, so if you are interested, contact Annie directly as soon as you can.
AGM Bylaw revision: David Gibbens moved the following proposed bylaw change on behalf of the board of directors that was originally submitted at the AGM:
The current clause 13 in the bylaw reads as: "This society shall hold an annual meeting on or before December 1 in each year of which notice in writing to the last know address of each member shall be delivered in the mail seven days prior to the date of the meeting."
The proposed changes read as: "This society shall hold an annual meeting on or before December 15 of each year, of which notice in writing to the last known email address of each member shall be delivered by email or other electronic means at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting."
The motion was seconded by Joe Lizotte and put to a vote. The bylaw change was passed unanimously.
Fine Master: After all the Good news and happenings, Bill Buckham was happy to be a Grinch and lighten everyone's pockets with a variety of fine topics.
50/50: 'Lucky' Dan Graham and Al Homes had their numbers drawn by our guests, but did not match playing cards so the pool of over $250 will be carried over to the next meeting.
Earth Water
Speakers Matt Moreau & Kori Chillibeck
Kori Chilibeck started Earth Water within months of graduating university. The idea came as an evolution, as Kori traveled to 32 different countries throughout the duration of his schooling. This extensive travel truly opened his eyes to the state the world was in. The defining moment came as Kori was trekking to base camp on Mount Everest. While at approximately 17,000 feet, his group passed an old man carrying a huge bundle on his back. He was in bare feet, torn pants, and a t-shirt. Through an interpreter, they spoke with this man and learnt that he was paid hardly 25 cents per day to carry his load up to the base of the mountain. When they asked the man what he was carrying, he said he wasn’t sure, but that he knew he could never afford whatever it was. Upon asking to look inside the bag, Kori discovered that it was cans and cans of Cola.
Kori realized that either directly or indirectly, the world’s largest companies were making enormous profits literally off the backs of the world’s poorest people. He thought to himself, why couldn’t a company compete against the biggest companies in the world, operate in an environmentally friendly way, have great products, pay their employees competitive wages, and at the end of the day give their profits back to those who need it most. Thus, the concept for Earth Water International was born.
Kori did some research and learned that the lack of food and clean water is the leading cause of death throughout the world, primarily among children under five years of age. It wasn’t that a cure needed to be found for something unknown; rather, the answer was to provide clean drinking water and food to poverty stricken people worldwide.
With this in mind, Kori approached the United Nations in hopes of securing a partnership. After months of sending emails, faxes and packages, and relentless phone calls, Kori was finally able to get a meeting with a Canadian office in Ottawa.
Kori cashed in his life savings, sold his bike, borrowed money from his parents and girlfriend, and used up the rest of his student loans in order to make Earth Water a reality. On October 29th, 2004, Kori sold his first bottle of water. He had one customer in Edmonton on the first day, with local media present for the launch. The next day the phone started to ring, and over the following three years, the company expanded throughout North America and Europe.
As the company grew and its offerings expanded beyond water, Earth Water began looking for a partner that fit its mandate to provide life essentials to some of the world’s poorest people. The organization that really fit this vision was the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), specifically their schools meals program whereby children are encouraged to attend school, during which they are provided nutritious meals. WFP’s school meals program ensures that children are given every reason to attend school and earn an education, while also being provided with food they would otherwise not have access to. The Earth Group of companies is proud to support WFP’s school meals program and the investment in education for children today, which ensures a brighter future for coming generations.
Today, the Earth Group of companies, comprised of Earth Water, Earth Coffee and Earth Tea is committed to helping end global hunger by providing 250,000 school meals annually through its global sales profits to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).
From Boyle Street to Belize, The Rotary Club of Edmonton West has a sixty year history of applying its members' unique skills and talents to the challenges that face our community, our city and our world. Join us!
Food Bank: Annie thanked all the people who worked at the Food Bank on the morning of Saturday, January 9th, 2016. 18 people were put to work by the food bank that day. Ingrid was one of the group that worked in the distribution warehouse and reiterated what a deserving charity this is as the demand for hampers has more than doubled in the last two years.
