From Boyle Street to Belize, Edmonton West Rotary 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!
Attendance/Guests: 26 including Maio Tsai, Rotary Club of Ottawa; Brian Torrance, speaker
Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron 395: Al Holmes and Ingrid attended the annual Griffen Coin Parade. Ingrid advised that Al received accolades for all his personal help given to the cadets
District Leadership and Development Sessions: several members attended last week. President Ingrid was appointed to a presidents' panel in recognition for her bold approach in guiding our Rotary Club this year.
Eyes for Huehue Guatemala: fundraiser for our eye program in Huehuetenango to be held on May13 at 6:15 p m; ticket from Ben $65; slient auction and dinner; please attend; please bring guests; locale is Chateau Louis Conference Centre.
Congratulation Rotary District 5370 and Rotary Club of Edmonton West: of all the Rotary districts in Canada, our District 5370 is the only one that has shown an increase in membership; of the 41 member increase in the district, 7 came from our Rotary Club
Paul Harris Fellowship times 3: Doug MacDougall received his updated Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship Pin from President Ingrid
50/50: David Gibbens & Darrel Ripley did not match cards; $134 carried over
Guest Speaker: Joe introduced Brian Torrance, transplanted from Vancouver, who is a cross country runner and a fellow bike rider. Brian is Director of Ever Active Schools. His education includes a BPE and MSc(Medicine) from University of Alberta. Ever Active Schools, funded by the Government of Alberta, is dedicated to provide leadership to promote healthy active school communities and is a provincial leader in providing professional development to achieve this end.
Brian demonstrated (by asking our club members what our best school memories were) that they involve out doors and/or physical activity and/or social interaction. On smart phones play is now using the computer. But research shows that day dreaming (a form of play) lowers blood pressure and that healthy students are better learners. Also there is tremendous stress on new Canadians to perform and forget about activities that promote good health. After grade 10 there is no mandate for any student except those in a university phys ed program to take a phys ed course. Taking phys ed would enhance the mental, social, emotional and physical environment for students. Teachers also leave the teaching profession because of pressure and physical inactivity. Ever Active Schools follows an international framework to develop comprehensive school health.
This program tries to find a balance between the social and physical environment, engagement with teaching and learning, activities guided and supported by school policy with interaction between different partnerships and services (community groups such as Alberta medical proponents and police departments). As the school environment looses the black and white approach, "nudges" are used to give hard wired but undesirable activities a time to change. Examples from other walks of life are developing a pedestrian friendly downtown by learning to use mass transit or weaning an alcoholic off alcohol or building glass walled stairways on outside of buildings to make using stairs more appealing. Further, water bottles are now allowed in schools to promote drinking water rather than soft drinks loaded with sugar.
Ever Active Schools priorities are collaborative partnerships, support wellness education and comprehensive school health, communicate a knowledge exchange, develop a capacity to build through innovative projects and provide competency based learning opportunities. For example, installing different coloured tiles in school hallways encouraged students to hop down the hall which is a form of exercise which made the students feel better. Further, in addressing local problems, school student performance can be increased. Brian mentioned a community called Kainai where addressing school avoidance through addressing the local indigenous values meant a great increase in graduation of grade 12 students ( year one 1 graduate, year two 9 graduates, this year [year three] 18 graduates). For more information on this initiative, goto: www.everactive.org
The Edmonton West Rotary Club will be holding another Club Social Event as per the details outlined below:
Guest Speaker: Joe introduced Brian Torrance, transplanted from Vancouver, who is a cross country runner and a fellow bike rider. Brian is Director of Ever Active Schools. His education includes a BPE and MSc(Medicine) from University of Alberta. Ever Active Schools, funded by the Government of Alberta, is dedicated to provide leadership to promote healthy active school communities and is a provincial leader in providing professional development to achieve this end.
