Welcome to 2025 & the 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 meeting costs are $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 May 9th 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.
Our meeting on the 12th is a special General meeting, and your club secretary has sent out the notice for all to read. Please give your attention to this meeting and make an effort to attend, so please read the following on why this meeting is important for all of us:
The Local Services Committee, your Board of Directors and your Club Foundation Board have approved funding of three major projects that will be completed during 2025. As per the bylaws, any Club project over $5,000 must be approved by a simple majority of the Club's Active Members who participate. At our regular luncheon meeting on Monday May 12, a “Club” Special General Meeting will be held. At that time the three proposed projects will be presented to the membership, including a spokesperson representing each project giving a short summary of each project. They will be available to answer your questions. The Three projects are 1) London Public Library (spokesperson-Christine Walker) upgrading the Rotary Reading Garden. Our funding of a grant in the amount not to exceed $25,000 will pay for outside musical instruments to be permanently installed to the children's area of the Reading Garden. 2) TVCC (spokesperson-Paul Wowath) purchasing a new Digital Intraoral Scanner to support treatment of patients with Cleft Lip and, or Palate or other Craniofacial differences. Our funding of up to $25,000 will enhance the Cleft Lip and /or Palate program that received funding 2 years ago to purchase the Panoramic-Cephalometric Radiograph. 3) Oneida Nation of the Thames, Imagine Build project (spokesperson-Mandi Fields)to fund the "reusable temporary Family Shelter" currently being constructed as part of this multi home development. The proposed funding for each project is up to $25,000 ($10,000 from the Club, $15,000 from the Club Foundation). Each project is a stand-alone project. “Active Members” will be asked to vote for each project. Approval of a project is not dependent on approval of another project. As this meeting is a Club Special Meeting, Active Members are being asked to support the Club's portion of the funding for each project – up to $10,000. And yes, the funds are available. Those Active Members who are unable to attend the meeting will receive a ballot on Tuesday, May 13 and will be asked to return their ballot by 5:00pm on Friday May 16, 2025. |
--FOR THE ENVIRONMENT-RECENT TREE PLANTING DAY--
--ENVIRONMENTAL--
Reducing Plastic Use--Single-use plastics, like bags, bottles, and packaging, are designed for convenience but leave a legacy of pollution – we all know that. They take centuries to degrade, and harm wildlife. Plastics make a significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions throughout their lifecycle. Reducing plastic use is both a personal responsibility and a community effort. So there are some things we can do.
Individuals
1. Carry reusable bags, bottles, and utensils—ditch single-use items for durable alternatives.
2. Choose products with minimal or plastic-free packaging—support businesses that prioritize sustainability.
3. Refuse plastic straws and utensils when dining out and encourage others to do the same.
4. Repurpose and reuse plastic items that you already have to extend their life and reduce waste.
Community Actions
1. Organize community clean-ups to remove plastic waste from local parks, beaches, and streets.
2. Work with local businesses to reduce plastic packaging and encourage reusable alternatives.
3. Promote education campaigns in schools, clubs, and neighborhoods about the impact of plastic pollution and how to minimize it.
4. Advocate for local policies that ban or limit single-use plastics, such as plastic bags or straws. By taking responsibility for our personal habits and engaging our communities in solutions, we can drastically reduce plastic waste and its harmful effects. As Rotarians, we can lead by example, showing that even small, consistent actions can drive significant change. Together, we can create a cleaner, more sustainable world.
--YOUTH EXCHANGE LETTTER--
April Newsletter Bonjour de France! What an amazing month! It felt like the fastest yet, the bus trip felt like only four days and I’m having tons of fun here. Everything is happening very quickly! It goes without saying it was incredible! The bus trip was insanely awesome; we went with two other districts and had just under seventy people (the bus was packed!!) I was lucky enough to meet plenty of new people and hear their stories about exchange. We visited Paris, Strasbourg, Munich, Linderhof, Innsbruck, Verona, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Monaco, Marseille, Cassis, and Lyon. I can't express how grateful I am to have seen this much in so little time, especially because I was able to spend it all with my best friends. It was interesting being in non-French speaking countries. I haven’t felt like a tourist since my first month and it was awkward going back to it. At the same time, it was cool being able to speak a language that other countries couldn’t understand, and it felt great to be back in French speaking places at the end. This month my Rotary even took us to Parc Astérix! I had never heard of Astérix before my exchange, but now I will admit I am a fan, I have been reading the comics and watched the film with my host family. The amusement park was amazing too, having some of the best rollercoasters in France, including one with seven loops, and the fastest in France! I did go on almost all the rides and I even purchased a horrible photo of me on a rollercoaster. I celebrated Easter in France this year. Here it isn’t a bunny it’s a bell that brings the eggs; kids find out a lot earlier here that it’s the parents who hide the chocolate, and people search for eggs much older than I did in Canada (no complaints, I like the chocolate). Much like Christmas it is very family oriented, with the big meals and bigger families coming together, it’s something I don't often do back home, but I do enjoy the holidays and find it a great way to meet people here. The year is close to being over, I don’t have much more to do, but I still enjoy every moment. If it's going out to lunch with some friends, going to an art exhibit, having brunch with my family or even just a quiet day with not much to do, I've loved it so far and plan to continue enjoying the rest of my time. Georgie Street
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
