Thank you to Darrel for organizing our networking event last Wednesday.
The Groat Road Bridge was closed in both directions that afternoon following an incident with a construction crane. The city said a crane wheel derailed, leading to the closure of the traffic lanes and sidewalk. So it was a small group of us who managed to get through the traffic.
Darrel spoke about Vocational Service which is one of Rotary’s Five Avenues of Service. Vocational Service calls on all Rotarians to aspire to high ethical standards in their occupation and to contribute their vocational talents to the problems and needs of society. There is also opportunity for mentorship of our Rotaractors and young leaders.
Enthusiastic curlers from District 5360 and District 5370 in the 58th Bonspiel hosted by RC of Lethbridge. Fellowship in action! Team Poirier including J.P., Darrel, Brian, Coleen and Fred represented Edmonton West. Ingrid was also in attendance and took the curling shoes we gave her along just in case she was needed as a spare.
Congratulations to the Winners!
Ken and I had our volunteer training at Alex Taylor School for Make Tax Time Pay on Saturday. For 13 years, e4c Make Tax Time Pay has been working with volunteers to provide free tax preparation and benefits navigation support to low-income individuals and families in the Edmonton area.
One of the most effective ways to boost the income of low-income individuals and families is through tax filing and connecting them to benefits. At the training I learned about a online program called YouCanBenefit which provides easy web access to information about a range of financial benefits and subsidies. The web tool provides individuals, families, and community workers with easy to access information on available municipal, provincial and federal benefits. YouCanBenefit is a made-in-Edmonton project that is a partnership between the City of Edmonton, e4c, and volunteers from BetaCityYEG. The tool has open source content and as such, it can be shared with other organizations and municipalities nationwide. YouCanBenefit does not collect or track your information. This Made in Edmonton tool has been nominated for an award.
The Erika Legacy Foundation that was created to fund and motivate breakthroughs in the way our communities think and talk about mental health and suicide.
There foundation is based on three pillars:
Inspiration & Action
Expanding the conversation through the sharing of information & using personal narratives to eliminate the stigma associated with suicide and suicidal thoughts.
Research
Investing in the science behind suicide and mental health.
Outreach
Providing the information and tools to educate the community in identifying and supporting both at risk persons and survivors.