--NEW MEETING LOCATIONS--THE GROVE--
Welcome to 2025 and our first meeting of the new year at a new location. Our meetings will continue to be on the second and fourth Monday of the month at the same time. We will meet at the Western Fairgrounds in the GROVE MEETING ROOM #1. The new meeting costs $25.00 per person and will be a self-serve light buffet. The meeting room will be open from 11:30 AM for fellowship, and the buffet will also be available. So, please plan on arriving no later than 11:45 AM so you have time to serve yourself and find a table. Our business meeting will start at noon. We will endeavor to end the meeting by 1:00 PM. As usual, we were hoping you could register for this meeting. The Registration Link will close at NOON Friday 10th of January so we can advise The Western Fair regarding numbers. Please register as soon as possible but be sure to register before noon Friday. If you are registering yourself or any guests. Please make sure you pay for the lunch, as the Club will get charged for the meal by The Grove regardless of your attendance. After registering, please arrange to e-transfer your payment to The Rotary Club of London at sronson55@gmail.com. Also, be sure to put who you are paying for in your memo section on the e-transfer so that Sandy Ronson can track payments. Looking forward to 2025 and our first meeting.
Our speaker for the first meeting of the new year is Peter Bergmanis, the founder and longest serving Co-chair of the London Health Coalition. The London Health Coalition is a chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition, a 750,000 member strong non-partisan public healthcare advocacy organization. It is at the forefront of the battle to halt for- profit healthcare within the province. With strong ties to the community and organized labour, Peter has served with the United Way, Neighbourhood Legal Services of London and Middlesex and is a former Vice President of Healthcare at Unifor Local 27. As primary spokesperson for the London Health Coalition, Peter brings to bear over 35 years of experience in the London healthcare system to his analysis of the current crisis facing Ontario. He currently sits on the Community Advocacy Committee of London Health Sciences Centre as the hospital network struggles with gross government underfunding and weak governance.
--HALF YEARLY MEMBERSHIP DUES--
Thanks to all who have remitted payment of the dues invoices sent via Clubrunner. If you have not remitted payment yet please do so-Thanks
--YOUTH EXCHANGE LETTTER--
December Newsletter Bonjour de France!--Happy new year! Four months into my exchange already, it’s been great! During the month of December, I have celebrated Christmas in France, changed families, and even visited Belgium. I'm so happy to be in France and happy it's Christmas vacation. Christmas is very different here, some culture differences like opening presents on Christmas eve, lighting candles every Sunday in December before Christmas, not having funny hats or ugly Christmas sweaters, but the biggest one for me was the food. There is so much food! The food here is amazing, but I will admit the dinner on Christmas Eve was long for me, starting around 7:30 pm and ending around 2:00 am and this was just the smaller meal before Christmas. However, it was all enjoyable, great food and a big family (18 people were there). I’m happy to be in France for this, I loved it all. During this month I was able to visit Belgium! While I wasn't there for long, I had the amazing food (and of course the fries) I think I also had the greatest hot chocolate in the entire world. It's crazy to me we have the exact same brands of chocolate, but it somehow tastes way better over here, and honestly, I’m a little jealous because of this. I was a little nervous to change families, but I did and luckily, I don’t have any issues. I am happy with my new family. They have many cats including a very cute new kitten who loves me. In this family I have a seven-year-old host sister who talks to me a lot, which has been nice. She likes to talk to me about cats and how difficult learning French is. Overall, France is great, and my French improves a lot each month. Currently I have little difficulty talking and living in France. School is still crazy difficult and people my age still want to speak English with me. However, on vacation I only speak French and that has helped a lot. I’m fortunate to be here and to have this amazing opportunity to learn and discover more every day. Georgie Street
--YOUTH EXCHANGE NEED STUDENT BILLET VOLUMTEER FAMILIES--
The Rotary Club of London Youth Exchange Program is in need of a third host family for our Inbound Student Sho Fujimoto. I am reaching out to everyone to hear if you are aware of anyone who may be interested. The time frame would be Mid-April to Late-June. Sho is attending H B Beal and doing very well. Hosting is a wonderful opportunity for a family, as much as the exchange is for our student. There is no ‘perfect’ host family… young, old, children, no children, married, divorced, widows, same-sex—they can all make wonderful host families for our Inbounds. Also, host families do not have to be Rotarians or Rotaractors, and they do not have to have children (living at home or otherwise). Older Rotarians who may be living alone might enjoy having Sho's company for a few months! Please Contact Randy Harden if you are able to help randy.harden@gmail.com
--LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES MAKE CHEQUE PRESENTATION TO 519PURSUIT--
(left to right-Don Stevens-Chair of LCS, Kirk Patterson-president of RCL & 519Pursiut volunteers before the start of their daily outreach runs.Weekly Coffee Klatch
Weekly ZOOM “Coffee Klatch” each Thursday from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Bring your own coffee of course.
Join ZOOM meeting
Meeting ID: 814 3038 7672
Passcode: 125083
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London, ON N5W 5K3
Canada