The Westerner for January 24, 2011
Meeting: chair, Mike Ryan; music, Jerome; grace, Bill Buckham
Guests/Attendance : 33 including Mike Faber, guest of Kasey; Cam Dafoe; Allan Plesniarski; Duncan the piper
The Piper piped in the Haggis and then dressed the Haggis in a most unusual way. He concluded with 2 verses of the Robbie Burns poem followed by the slashing of the pudding cover.
Get Well Wishes: Jean Lang, wife of charter president Ben, had open heart surgery but is now back at home. We wish continued good recovery, Jean.
Rotary Day Dinner: details to come but please be prepared to attend this great District 5370 event and support our club.
Hockey Fundraiser: buy a ticket or 3 to the February 26 Oil Kings game for $25 each. $10 of that goes to PolioPlus and you will have a great evening with fellow Rotarians. See Bob Lamoureux
Thankyou : Mike Ryan thanked Bob Lamoureux for all his work to put on a fabulous Wine and Tappas evening at TU Gallery. Thanks to Alex for offering his gallery as a wonderful site for this event.
50/50: Al Sanderson and Bill Buckham did not match cards for $10
Hockey Pool Winners: Richard; Duane; Bill Buckham
Proposed Member - Biography
Fred A. Kraft
I was born in 1953 in Eston, Saskatchewan, a small town near Kindersley. I was raised and worked on a grain and livestock farm while attending elementary and high school in Eston. After graduation I enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. I received a Bachelor of Science (with Distinction) in Agricultural Engineering in 1975 at which time I was offered a position with Agriculture Canada. My engineering career was focused on soil and water conservation and development with a particular emphasis on sustainable irrigation practices. Much of my work was performed in Canadian overseas development projects (CIDA). As such I have spent much time in countries such as Ethiopia, Egypt, Inner Mongolia (China), Sri Lanka, Iran, Ukraine and South Africa. I retired in 2009. I am a volunteer driver with the Canadian Cancer Society several days each week. I spend the remainder of my time with family as well as farming, fishing, hunting, curling, motorcycling and cooking meals for my wife Susan, my daughter Andrea and my son Adam. My wife works part time for a professional organization, my daughter is completing her 4th year at the U of A in Nursing and Adam is in his first year at the U of A and is studying to be a Conservation Biologist.
I wish to become a Rotarian in order to expand my community service activities while at the same time meeting like minded, interesting people.
Guest Speaker : Doug MacDougall talked about Robbie Burns 252th birthday. Robbie wrote songs about drinking because drink was an integral part of Scottish life in the 18th century. Based on the humanity shown in his poetry, Robbie was a natural humanitarian. Doug recited several different types of poems to illustrate the variety of topics and moods that the Bard depicted.
Doug was thanked by Mike Ryan.
Gift Cards : Kasey has a stock of the Safeway and Save-on gift cards, so see her to replenish your supply