Near termMEETING schedule at NEW Western Fair location- June 9th & 23rd & July14th. It costs nothing to send an eCOG to a friend/prospective member/neighbour. Please advise Keith of names/contact info.
Have a suggestion for an eCOG-Bulletin article/story, please let Keith know.
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 23rd 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. This is the ANNUAL JOINT meeting with FOREST CITY KIWANIS. Post the speaker presentationwe will have a demonstration from Westminster High School by the WildBOTS Robotics team. Our speaker for this meeting is Professor Martin Horak, a Political Science professor from UWO. His topic will be Rapid Transit in London: Moving Ahead or Falling Behind? Martin Horak is Professor of Political Science at Western University and Associate Director of the Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance. He is also the former Director of Western’s Local Government Program. His research focuses on various aspects of local and urban politics in Canada, including urban governance, local elections, and public transit and housing policy. He is a long-time observer of London politics and a frequent media commentator on urban politics and policy. His most recent publication is Governing Public Transit in Canada: A Primer (https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/urbancentre-reports/9/).
--Club approves three projects for a total of $75,000 in Community Project Grants--
At its May 12, 2025 meeting members approved funding for three meaningful projects with$75,000 in total funding, these projects reflect our deep commitment to health, education, and housing. Project Summaries: TVCC: A $25,000 grant will fund a MEDIT i900 scanner to improve dental diagnostics for children with craniofacial differences. London Public Library: Another $25,000 will install outdoor musical instruments in the new Rotary Reading Garden. Oneida Nation of the Thames: A final $25,000 will help build a temporary family shelter for a family awaiting their affordable home, in collaboration with the Imagine Build Committee and Fanshawe College. Club President Kirk Patterson said “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. I’d like to thank our Local Service Committee (LSC), under the leadership of Don Stevens, for guiding these three proposals to a magical conclusion. Thank you — and once again, congratulations to all of you for creating the Magic of Rotary in London.
--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.
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His topic will be Rapid Transit in London: Moving Ahead or Falling Behind? Martin Horak is Professor of Political Science at Western University and Associate Director of the Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance. He is also the former Director of Western’s Local Government Program. His research focuses on various aspects of local and urban politics in Canada, including urban governance, local elections, and public transit and housing policy. He is a long-time observer of London politics and a frequent media commentator on urban politics and policy. His most recent publication is Governing Public Transit in Canada: A Primer (
