-FEBRUARY IS PEACE & CONFLICT PREVENTION/RESOLUTION MONTH-.
Here is the NEAR TERM meeting schedule; Mar 11th, Mar 25th & April 8th
-PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUT NEXT MEETING ON FEBRUARY 26th-
Our next LUNCH meeting is Monday February 26th at the Highland Country Club located at 1922 Highland Heights, London, Ontario. Price of this meeting is $30 per person. The meeting room will be open from 11:30 AM for fellowship. So.... please plan on arriving no later than 11:45 AM so that you have time to serve yourself and find a table to sit at. Our business meeting will start at NOON but no later than 12:15 PM. We will endeavor to end the meeting by 1:00 PM. As usual we need you to register for this meeting. The Registration Link will close at 2:00 PM Friday Feb 23rd so that we can advise Highland CC regarding numbers. Please register as soon as possible but be sure to register before 2 PM Friday. After you have registered 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 guest speaker will be Mark Climie-Elliott-CFRE. Mark is the CEO and Chief Smile Officer of Operation Smile Canada Foundation. Operation Smile is one of the world’s largest volunteer-delivered global medical charities serving children born with cleft conditions living in low- and middle-income countries. Prior to joining Operation Smile, Mark has enjoyed more than 35+ years serving in a variety of global leadership roles in the non-profit sector, children’s rehabilitation, and international hospital start-ups in the Middle East. Born in Tillsonburg, Mark’s passion for community work came early in life as a student leader crediting many of his global experiences to the early leadership development opportunities he received at school through the Life Saving Society, and of course, Rotary. Mark will be sharing Beyond the Smile - how more than 6,000+ global volunteers are changing the world in more than 35 low- and middle-income countries so together, we will care for a million more patients during Operation Smile’s Next Decade of Love & Leadership.
--COMMITTEE UPDATES--
FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE:During 2023-24 the Committee has completed the funding of a new X Ray machine at TVCC, assisted the Salvation Army to provide 135 meals at Christmas time, supported London South with a purchase of a second fridge at their community kitchen, sponsored the Westminster High School Robotics Team and financially supported the "Song Lines Project" which promotes London as the UNESCO Canadian "City of Music". For the balance of the year the Committee is working on financially supporting Literacy through the Dolly Parton Imagination Project which mails a book a month to children between the ages of 1 to 5, working with the other London Rotary Clubs on the Habitat for Humanity project to build Rotary House, hosting a tree planting morning on April 27 and planning another Christmas project with the Salvation Army. Opportunities for Rotarians to be directly involved with our projects will include a tour of the TVCC ( Thames Valley Children's Center) and our annual Tree Planting which will happen the morning of Saturday April 27, 2024 at Pincombe Pond (Wonderland Rd south of Southdale)
FROM THE WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE: The Committee reports approval of a $5,000.00 school supplies project to be shipped with the next container load (Global Literacy Project) to R/C in Durban, South Africa. Committee Chair Keith Morrow has on two occasions described during Club meetings some 200 +/- high quality laptop computer bags coming into the hands of the R/C Grand Bend. They will set 50 aside for packing with elementary school supplies. Timing is June 2024 and members will be requested to assist with individual bag packing. Danielle Bork has just returned from Mexico and was in contact with our R/C partner in the Paul Harris School desk & chairs replacement project (completed last year). Our partner R/C continues to work with the school administration on projects centered on upgrading the school security gate and the establishment of a tech library. The Committee received a Club members proposal to expand a Teacher Mentoring programme in the Dominican Republic. Additional information is required in order to move the project forward further, all communicated to the member proposers.
--PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD--
The purpose of the Paul Harris Fellowship Community Service Award is to recognize Non-Rotarian Londoners who have been highly involved in providing the Rotary value of “Service Above Self” locally, nationally, or internationally. The recipient(s) will be recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow and will received their Paul Harris Fellowship Pin at the Club’s April 22nd meeting in recognition of Paul Harris’ birthdate, April 19th. Each “active” member of the Rotary Club of London is invited to make nominations for this prestigious Award. Anyone is eligible to receive this award with the exception of current members of a Rotary club and past recipients a Paul Harris Fellowship presented by our Club. All nominations will be reviewed by the Paul Harris Fellowship Community Service Award Committee (Committee) with a recommendation to be forwarded to the Club’s Board of Directors for their March 20th meeting. Last year’s recipients were Andy and Helen Spriet. A list of former non Rotarian Paul Harris Fellow recipients is attached. The Nomination Form is also attached. Please complete it and submit your nomination to me at jimbelton@rogers.com by Friday, February 23rd. I will forward all nominations received to the Committee. If you have any questions please get back to me. Thank you very much. Jim Belton, Secretary
--NEW MEMBER NOTICE TO MEMBERSHIP--
Terry Peters-Scientist / Professor Western University & Roberts Research Institute.
--R0TARIAN OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION--
Jim Swan's name has been added to the Honorable Ray Lawson Rotarian of the Year plaque for for the 2022-23 year of the Club. Presentation made by past president Rick Coates.
--2024/25 EXCHANGE STUDENT GETS SOME GOOD NEWS--
Georgie Street learned that she is heading to France from Randy Harden. Georgie was thrilled and both mom and dad shed a few tears. Very proud of their daughter.
Weekly Coffee Klatch
Weekly ZOOM “Coffee Klatch” each Thursday from 10:30 to 11:15 am. Bring your own coffee of course.
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Our guest speaker will be Mark Climie-Elliott-CFRE. Mark is the CEO and Chief Smile Officer of Operation Smile Canada Foundation. Operation Smile is one of the world’s largest volunteer-delivered global medical charities serving children born with cleft conditions living in low- and middle-income countries. Prior to joining Operation Smile, Mark has enjoyed more than 35+ years serving in a variety of global leadership roles in the non-profit sector, children’s rehabilitation, and international hospital start-ups in the Middle East. Born in Tillsonburg, Mark’s passion for community work came early in life as a student leader crediting many of his global experiences to the early leadership development opportunities he received at school through the Life Saving Society, and of course, Rotary. Mark will be sharing Beyond the Smile - how more than 6,000+ global volunteers are changing the world in more than 35 low- and middle-income countries so together, we will care for a million more patients during Operation Smile’s Next Decade of Love & Leadership. 
Georgie Street learned that she is heading to France from Randy Harden. Georgie was thrilled and both mom and dad shed a few tears. Very proud of their daughter.