The Westerner for April 23, 2012
Posted by David J. Turner
on Apr 23, 2012
Meeting: chair, Sherry; music, Jerome; grace, Michael McLaughlin
Attendance/Guests: 33 including John Nypuik, Rotary Club of Edmonton Mayfield; Frank Armstrong, Rotary Club of Edmonton West 2012 Integrity Award Recipient
House of Friendship, Grandview Extended Care Centre: John received an email from former member Ralph Playdon which he read to the attendees "Recently my father-in-law became a resident at Grandview. It has brought home how big a difference the Rotary-Grandview House of Friendship makes to the residents. Not once have I seen it not being used, and is a wonderful relaxing place to take my father-in-law to visit or to play a game of crib. I want to personally thank you for coming up with the original idea and inititating the project in your presidency and also Doug Sollows, Brian Thompson and Dave Turner who were key project members. As well as a hugh thank you to ALL club members for work on the room, fundraising and support. Every day you should all have a feeling of satisfaction as you continue to make a difference to real people. Ralph Playdon"
Inner City Rink Project: John advised that Al Hamilton's project is making more progress. Wood has been delivered to allow construction of a deck. There is a possible hands-on work project for members of our club - paint the rink boards and other wood products - there was a hugh show of support to attend to give a hand in person.
Attendance/Guests: 33 including John Nypuik, Rotary Club of Edmonton Mayfield; Frank Armstrong, Rotary Club of Edmonton West 2012 Integrity Award Recipient
House of Friendship, Grandview Extended Care Centre: John received an email from former member Ralph Playdon which he read to the attendees "Recently my father-in-law became a resident at Grandview. It has brought home how big a difference the Rotary-Grandview House of Friendship makes to the residents. Not once have I seen it not being used, and is a wonderful relaxing place to take my father-in-law to visit or to play a game of crib. I want to personally thank you for coming up with the original idea and inititating the project in your presidency and also Doug Sollows, Brian Thompson and Dave Turner who were key project members. As well as a hugh thank you to ALL club members for work on the room, fundraising and support. Every day you should all have a feeling of satisfaction as you continue to make a difference to real people. Ralph Playdon"
Inner City Rink Project: John advised that Al Hamilton's project is making more progress. Wood has been delivered to allow construction of a deck. There is a possible hands-on work project for members of our club - paint the rink boards and other wood products - there was a hugh show of support to attend to give a hand in person.
50/50: Doug MacDougall held both tickets but could not draw 2 of the same cards.
Finemaster: Doug Sollows fined every one $1 for the good feeling of a well done project in the Grandview House of Friendship; every one $1 to honour Jim Johnston's birthday; Sandon and Bert $1 for comments about Doug's mode of transport (no indication whether the comments were negative or positive); Steve $1 for saying he had already done his good deeds for the day - what about the rest of the day?; Zen and Dave $1 for heckling Doug.
Integrity Award Winner: Steve introduced Frank Armstrong and gave a brief indication of why Frank was deserving of receipt of the award from our club. "Frank was born in Edmonton in 1926; owned a coffee shop on 105 Street from 1952 to 1955; then worked for oil patch firms in Redwater plus OIC Construction and Manix. His main occupation was safety supervisor for Lafarge Cement (36 years).
Frank was married to Marion Wilson for 44 years raising 2 daughters. After losing his wife in 1994, Frank met a former acqaintance from his coffee shop days, Min Strand. A close friendship evolved, then Min suffered a stroke in 2003. For 8 years Frank went every day to visit her in General Hospital and brought food in twice per week to vary her diet. Min died in 2011 but Frank continues to go to the General every day to comfort patients and to help with the tea and cake party every Friday." A deserving recipient. Congratulations.
Classification Talk: Joe introduced Don McDermid whose classification is protective services. Don was born in Edmonton and raised in Mayerthorpe. In 1965, there being no jobs in Mayerthorpe that Don wanted, he applied to RCMP and was accepted to Regina for training. He had to ride a horse everyday and clean stables 4 times per day. The training troup was 32 males, in for 9 months of training. This led to an interview for his first posting which was Vancouver, ultimately Richmond. He was there from fall, 1965, to spring, 1973, 2 years in uniform, then plain clothes investigation. Picked for special training in polygraph application he spent 6 weeks in New York and 1 month with Michigan State Police. From 1973 to 1979 he handled polygraph services for all of B C and the Yukon. Promotions brought him to sargeant during that period. 1979, he received promotion to the commission ranks and started new endeavours which meant detachment command in Gibson on the Sunshine Coast, then Sechelt. Promotion took him to Yellowknife (by that time he was married and he and Pat had a son and daugther). After 2 years he was sent to Grande Prairie in charge of the large detachment there followed by Calgary where he was in command of support services for southern Alberta (includes officers in plain clothes and on customs duty). Promotion to Superintendent made him commander of Calgary sub division for 1 year followed by transfer to K Division in Edmonton in command of criminal operations (3 years). Promotion to Assistant Commissioner put him in charge of K Division which covers the entire province. After 36 and 1/2 years in RCMP he retired.
He was the first Alberta born officer to head K Division. He approached his job with a positive attitude and became involved in each community, especially by coaching minor hockey. Dan Graham got Don into Rotary Club of Edmonton West in 1994, he took a leave of absence for several years when commanding K Div., then rejoined our club (editor's note - to our club's benefit). In retirement he has been busy consulting with the Government of Alberta. Projects include review of traffic safety (the Province accepted every recommendation), advisor to security for G20 summit in Kananaskis, advisor to traffic safety implementation, participation on sudden unexpected death review board and transportation safety board. He and Pat have 5 grand children, 4 from their dentist son and 1 from their chartered accountant daughter (both live in Calgary so many visits to that city).
Don was thanked by Doug Sollows.
Finemaster: Doug Sollows fined every one $1 for the good feeling of a well done project in the Grandview House of Friendship; every one $1 to honour Jim Johnston's birthday; Sandon and Bert $1 for comments about Doug's mode of transport (no indication whether the comments were negative or positive); Steve $1 for saying he had already done his good deeds for the day - what about the rest of the day?; Zen and Dave $1 for heckling Doug.
Integrity Award Winner: Steve introduced Frank Armstrong and gave a brief indication of why Frank was deserving of receipt of the award from our club. "Frank was born in Edmonton in 1926; owned a coffee shop on 105 Street from 1952 to 1955; then worked for oil patch firms in Redwater plus OIC Construction and Manix. His main occupation was safety supervisor for Lafarge Cement (36 years).
Frank was married to Marion Wilson for 44 years raising 2 daughters. After losing his wife in 1994, Frank met a former acqaintance from his coffee shop days, Min Strand. A close friendship evolved, then Min suffered a stroke in 2003. For 8 years Frank went every day to visit her in General Hospital and brought food in twice per week to vary her diet. Min died in 2011 but Frank continues to go to the General every day to comfort patients and to help with the tea and cake party every Friday." A deserving recipient. Congratulations.
Classification Talk: Joe introduced Don McDermid whose classification is protective services. Don was born in Edmonton and raised in Mayerthorpe. In 1965, there being no jobs in Mayerthorpe that Don wanted, he applied to RCMP and was accepted to Regina for training. He had to ride a horse everyday and clean stables 4 times per day. The training troup was 32 males, in for 9 months of training. This led to an interview for his first posting which was Vancouver, ultimately Richmond. He was there from fall, 1965, to spring, 1973, 2 years in uniform, then plain clothes investigation. Picked for special training in polygraph application he spent 6 weeks in New York and 1 month with Michigan State Police. From 1973 to 1979 he handled polygraph services for all of B C and the Yukon. Promotions brought him to sargeant during that period. 1979, he received promotion to the commission ranks and started new endeavours which meant detachment command in Gibson on the Sunshine Coast, then Sechelt. Promotion took him to Yellowknife (by that time he was married and he and Pat had a son and daugther). After 2 years he was sent to Grande Prairie in charge of the large detachment there followed by Calgary where he was in command of support services for southern Alberta (includes officers in plain clothes and on customs duty). Promotion to Superintendent made him commander of Calgary sub division for 1 year followed by transfer to K Division in Edmonton in command of criminal operations (3 years). Promotion to Assistant Commissioner put him in charge of K Division which covers the entire province. After 36 and 1/2 years in RCMP he retired.
He was the first Alberta born officer to head K Division. He approached his job with a positive attitude and became involved in each community, especially by coaching minor hockey. Dan Graham got Don into Rotary Club of Edmonton West in 1994, he took a leave of absence for several years when commanding K Div., then rejoined our club (editor's note - to our club's benefit). In retirement he has been busy consulting with the Government of Alberta. Projects include review of traffic safety (the Province accepted every recommendation), advisor to security for G20 summit in Kananaskis, advisor to traffic safety implementation, participation on sudden unexpected death review board and transportation safety board. He and Pat have 5 grand children, 4 from their dentist son and 1 from their chartered accountant daughter (both live in Calgary so many visits to that city).
Don was thanked by Doug Sollows.