We Have Moved
We Have Moved
 
On Monday, February 4th, 2019, The Rotary Club of Simcoe will meet at 12:00 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 79), 200 West Street, Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 4K3. Please use the Metcalfe Street Clubrooms entrance. Metcalfe Street is one way from West to Chapel Streets. Also this Legion along with many others requests that anyone entering remove their headwear in respect to fallen comrades.
Long Point Basin Land Trust
Posted by C. Richard Campbell on Mar 20, 2019
Kristyn Richardson, LPBLT, and Rotarian Dolf Wynia
 
Kristyn Richardson, LPBLT and Rotarian Dolf Wynia
 
On March 11th, 2019, Kristyn Richardson, Program Manager of the Long Point Basin Land Trust presented an overview of the trust and its projects. The LPBLT which is based in Port Rowan, Ontario is a non-profit charitable organization that focuses on land acquisition and easements for the purpose of conservation. The majority of Land Trusts concentrate on “conserving the biological values of land, but some have been established to protect scenic, historical, agricultural and recreational lands…”
 
Long Point Basin Land Trust
 
 
The Long Point Basin Land Trust
 
All of the nine properties that the LPBLT own or managed are in Norfolk County. The acquisition strategy of the LPBLT concentrates on watersheds with priority given to wetlands, Carolinian forests, sand barrens and oak savannas. One of these properties acquired in 2018 is named the Ken McMullen and Joan Shirlow Spring Arbour Farm Nature Reserve. Joan is a member of Simcoe Rotary.
 
This Norfolk County of ours is a special place. Most local school children are learning about the Carolinian forest that is growing here and the species of animals and birds which are dependent on the wooded areas to live. Remove the living area and the dependent species dies. Unfortunately, there are a number of species such as the Monarch Butterfly which are threatened. Ms. Richardson tells us of the efforts to learn more about the Monarch Butterfly by “tagging” them with a sticker. Even the 4,000 km fall migration from Canada and other areas to Mexico is threatened by insecticides and the lack of areas for their “food”.
 
Wikipedia defines Carolinian forest as… “a life zone in eastern North America characterized primarily by a predominance of deciduous (broad-leaf) trees. The term "Carolinian forest",is used primarily in Canada, and therefore often refers only to the northernmost portion of the overall region, in Southern Ontario”. Within the southern Ontario "Carolinian forest", you find a diversity of trees such as ash, beech, American Chestnut, oak, hickory as well as hard and soft maple, butternut, black gum, sassafras, tulip and walnut. For generations, the forest has been home to various animal and plant species. Conservationists believe that the Carolinian forest contains among the most beautiful and rare trees in Ontario and Canada.
 
 
Read more...
Corrine Barba Thank You Simcoe Rotary
Some individuals drink energy drinks to boost their energy levels. When you are a Rotary Club and receive a Thank You note like the one from Corrine Barba, it renews our purpose, energizes and reminds us of the slogan Service Above Self.

July 9, 2018

Dear Rotary Club of Simcoe,

I am sincerely thankful and honoured to have received your scholarship. Your generous support means so much to both my family and I. There are many financial challenges that university inflicts but your support will release some of that difficulty. I value my education greatly and I am fortunate enough to be the first in my family to attend university in Canada!

Once again, I thank you greatly for serving as a substantial support in my educational pursuit. It is scholarship donors such as your organization that gives students this opportunity.

 

Thank you very much & God bless!

Sincerely,

Corrine Barba

Rotary Curlers, January 14, 2019
Rotary Curlers, January 14, 2019
 
There are three main sports that come to mind that our Rotarians are good, even very good at playing - Curling, Golf and Sailing. I was reminded that I couldn't add a fourth - visiting local craft breweries since it is yet to be considered a sport. On January 14, 2019, the Club met at the Simcoe Curling Club and upon adjournment some Rotarians retired to the locker rooms to change into their colorful costumes. Costumes is probably not a fitting word to describe what many were wearing. Apart from the color, you could hear the barking issuing of orders from the skip or vice-skip to team mates who are all very competitive and take the game very seriously. You might have noticed the weeks that have gone by between the event and the publishing of the story and the photographs. The delay was due in part to the heavy use of Photoshop to render the photographs. smiley This is the link to the full photo album(slideshow).
Rotary Builds Friendships
Tom Pidduck, George Renshaw,Jim Jackson, Harold Shantz
 
January, 2019. Rotarian Tom Pidduck, Honorary Rotarian George Renshaw, Rotarians Jim Jackson and Harold Shantz
 
When you become a Rotarian, you build friendships. Some last for decades. George Renshaw was an active member of the Rotary Club of Simcoe for over 63 years. The 102 year old Honorary Rotarian now lives in a nearby nursing home where the Rotarians in the photograph visit him frequently (but not before dining out a Simcoe restaurant).
 
Photograph: Courtesy of Harold Shantz
Cruising In The Caribbean
Rotarian Thor Olsen
 
It is must be the Viking heritage that drew Rotarian Thor Olsen and his wife Elizabeth to the warm waters of the Caribbean. On second thought, -20 degree Celsius Ontario temperatures and cold blowing snow may have stimulated the Olsen's cruising in the Caribbean in January. Thor presented his slides of the trip at the rotary meeting on January 28th, 2019. One of the highlights was the visit to the Panama Canal. If you are going to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary, this is the way to do it. Cruising in the Caribbean!
Horizons of Friendship
Rotarian Rick Honcharsky, Debbie Morales and Raul Scorza
 
Rotarian Rick Honcharsky, Debbie Morales, Resource Development Coordinator and Raul Scorza, Community Outreach/Communications Coordinator of Horizons of Friendship, Cobourg, Ontario.
 
In 1972, Father Tim Coughan, David and Christine Stewart founded the Horizons of Friendship.
Last year, the Club donated money to the organization for The Newborn and Child Health project in Guatemala. The Club learned that a $ 1,000.00 donation becomes $ 4,000.00 when adding federal money.
 
One of the six areas of focus of Rotary international is:
Maternal & Child Health

Maternal & Child Health

 In Guatemala, The Newborn and Child Health project has reached 70,000 women and children with improved health services, training and life-saving equipment. If this is something you wish to contribute to, visit the website.
 
 
 
 
Major Rick
Major Rick Honcharsky
 
January 7, 2019. Major Rick Honcharsky, Salvation Army and Rotarian reported to the club on the 2018 Christmas fundraising campaigns. There are two campaigns such as the general one and the more visible one of the kettles. Both targets were exceeded. The Major attributed the success in part to the many volunteers. The more volunteers, the more contributions filling the kettles. Simcoe Rotary and the Norfolk Sunrise clubs had a healthy competition to see which club would volunteer the most hours. Our Club set a new record and I believe Norfolk Sunrise did also.
Guess Who Came to Dinner?
Mussorie, Dehradun District, (Northern) India
 
While Rotarian Harold Shantz and his son (Doctor) Jessie were about to eat they had a surprise and uninvited guest. In the early 1960's, Harold was the administrator of the local hospital in Mussorie, Dehradun District, (Northern) India. Last year the two them visited India and Harold renewed acquittances and former colleagues.
 
Selfie, Mussorie, Dehradun District, (Northern) India
 
Selfie? Jessie and Harold Shantz, India 2018.
Let's Go Skiing
Posted by Timothy FitzGerald on Feb 15, 2019
 
Luis Portillo is the Rotary Exchange Student from Mexico with the morning club. When our Exchange Student Coordinator, Garry McMillan, asked if anyone would take Luis to the Ellicottville (NY) Rotary Club Ski Day, I said "I'm in".
 
I picked Luis up from his Rotary host family (the Pecks) at 6:30 AM. We had spoken the day before and rehearsed that he had never skied before; but plays soccer and rides a road bike. "OK you're athletic and you understand what balance is" - I can work with that!
 
During the drive to Holimont Ski Resort, we spoke about aspects of skis and what makes them turn, families and travel. An objective of his is to hone his fluency in English. At the end of his year, Luis said he plans to take the eastern Canada tour (Ontario, Quebec, and Maritime cities) option with fellow Exchange Student's to experience more of Canada's cultures. Luis starts University in August - studying international commerce.
 
But - today skiing! We're going to advance from "pizza" (the "snow plough" - a beginner stance with skis in a wedge to control speed or stop), to "airplane" (no ski poles, arms out stretched just like kids running around the house - to initiate turns), to "french fries"  (skiing with both skis in parallel).
 
Luis learned quickly. After three "pizza" runs on the beginner slope, Luis was ready to advance to the main hill. Up the Exhibition Express Lift - introductions and conversation with two other skiers riding up on the same chair proposed  some "green" (easiest) runs over to the right. A few more "greens" and now we're skiing the "blues" (intermediate slopes) under the Meadows Lift.
 
High noon - into the lodge with Rotary friends, old and new, fantastic hot lunch, fundraiser 50/50 draw and mind testing quiz - all thanks to organization by John Weismantel and members of Ellicottville Rotary. After lunch and more good directions from table-mate Mike , we skied over to the Sunset Lift - a wide open slope. Bringing it all together, Luis was free-skiing "french fries" (pic below) in control and skied "blue" runs back to the lodge to end our day.
 
 
Service Above Self and fun at the same time!
Healing Hearts on Valentines Day
Posted by Timothy FitzGerald on Feb 11, 2019
Our Ron Baker (soon to be stepping up to President Elect) has a big heart.
Valerie Bailey-Phillips from the Rotary Club of Caledonia visited us today to fill our compassion with a "Gift of Life" (valentines day chocolate hearts). Our donations are healing little hearts around the world. 
Rotary does amazing work and fundraising. Due to volunteers like Valerie, 98% of the funds raised by Gift of Life are spent on direct care of children from developing countries around the world delivering sustainable cardiac surgery.
"Tumaini" Hope Around the World
Posted by Timothy FitzGerald on Feb 11, 2019
In the Swahili (Tanzania) dialect, Tumaini means "hope".
 
Lauren Fulton, being thanked for speaking to us today by Past President Dave Ferris, introduced that she grew up in Simcoe and now lives in Port Ryerse. She teaches swimming lessons and life saving at the Simcoe Recreation Centre. We know that life's path has many twists, turns and opportunities.
 
In 2013, at her high school, SCS,  Lauren met another local resident - Cherie Szucs, founder and director of the Tumaini Children’s Foundation (located in Tanzania).
 
In 2015, Lauren took a leap of faith, boarded a plane for Amsterdam - with Tanzania as the final destination. 
So what does the Tumaini Children’s Foundation do"? Simple answer - "its an orphanage and a school" - but, that is where simple answers end and the humanitarian need and miracles begin.
 
In Canada, many of us take for granted that children will attend primary and secondary grade schools; then phase into the work force or post secondary education. In contrast, Lauren told us that in Tanzania if one does not have schooling there is no opportunity to advance. If you don't have a family to pay for your schooling and uniforms, then you don't go to school. 
 
That's where the Tumaini orphanage miracle starts. Orphans now have a "family". They can go to school. Some arrive as toddlers; some perhaps aged 10-12. However, advancement is not guaranteed. An orphan, aged 12, who has never been to school starts in grade 1. If they fail they repeat grade 1. They must pass before advancing to grade 2.
 
The Foundation's work is supported by ongoing fundraising in Canada, Europe and the United States. Also hands on volunteers bring their skills. Lauren teaches swimming, so it was natural to bring children back to her hotel pool and teach them how to swim. Being skilled at teaching (but not at mathematics), she set up a fun map of the world so the children could move their players around the world and calculate how many were in each country (another volunteer was skilled at mathematics and lead the mathematical game - a win/win).
 
Last year Lauren returned to Tumaini. One of our Rotarians asked what happens when a child leaves the orphanage? She said Tumaini is a family. To those of you who have families, your adult children are still your "children" even when the're 45. Tumaini has supported some students through university. Some members of the Tumaini family have now "advanced" as safari guide, an anthropologist and a teacher - the miracle realized..
Holistic Nutrition and Technology ??
Posted by Timothy FitzGerald on Feb 04, 2019
Barbara Anstead, NNCP (Canadian Association of Natural Nutrition Practitioners) comes from a well established working/advisory "wellness" history with local businesses such as Simcoe Health Foods, Clark Pharmacy and the Dover Apothecary.
 
 
Today Barbara operates her business from her home in Simcoe (and was brought to us by our Rotarian Jill Taylor - her next door neighbour - luck is with us).
 
As the reporter today, I looked up the definition of the word "holistic". Of two dictionary definitions, I found
 
"characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease".
 
Barbara was asked how her work is coordinated with the medical community.? Barb advised that her work is neither practicing medicine nor pharmacology, but at the same time so much more than just nutrition.
 
Whether clients are referred to her from the medical community or word of mouth, the holistic approach recognizes that simply buying and eating "health food" may not make you healthy.  Many diseases or physical conditions have triggers. So if the "health foods" you buy have those triggers - well you get the picture!
 
Barbara can recommend what diets and heath foods may either compliment or may exacerbate a condition.
 
So what is the reference to "technology" about?
 
Well there are also physical triggers. Barbara has seen amazing balance and wellness improvements with "thinsole" socks/tech inserts (by Neuro Tech). The technology works on wellness by creating balance/homeostasis (the reasoning for this is actually very sound) - especially in seniors where with age reflexes seem to slow or perhaps get lazy which can be the precursors to a fall. These specially designed socks/tech inserts change or stimulate sensory points just enough for faster response or perhaps use pathways that have long been dormant.
 
When it came to shake a leg, four of our Rotarians pulled up their pant leg to show off their stylish Neuro Tech socks procured from Barb.
 
To contact Barb:
 
Phone 519-410-3544
2018 Murder Mystery & Christmas Party
2018 Murder Mystery & Christmas Party
 
December 11, 2018, Port Dover, Ontario
 
It was a murder of mystery and a Christmas party at the Lighthouse Theater. Present was a good crowd of Simcoe Rotarians and guests. They were joined by the usual suspects. The suspects from the 1950's had names like Johnny Angel, Donna, Peggy, Coach and the Chaperone. At times, it was difficult to identify the suspects from Rotarians as various members and their guests were drawn into the mystery of the murder by the suspects. Everyone had an enjoyable time. The food was plentiful and tasty.
Kenzie Green-Johnson, 2017-2018 Exchange Student
Kenzie Green-Johnson Exchange Student 2017-2018 France
 
On December 17, 2018, "Kenzie" Green-Johnson, 2017-2018 Exchange Student to France told the Club about her year in France and her European travels. Sometimes you can get a feeling about a person's strength when they have to adapt to adversity. In this case, the slide presentation on the laptop computer failed to appear. However she recovered and presented her story with humour and a willingness to interact with her audience. There was a "joie de vivre" in the delivery of her story. Bienvenue "Kenzie".
Reverend Stan Cox Classification Talk
Reverend Stan cox
 
Some our best speakers are Rotary members. After the "divine association" issue was resolved, Reverend and Doctor Cox is indeed a Presbyterian minister. He presented his classification talk with humour and wit for the second time in his lifespan. Each time,  a man or woman of the "cloth" speaks to the Club, there is the realization among the humour of balanced individuals with a purpose and strong mission in life.
Rotarian Mike Cobb Testing His Medal
Mike Cobb Testing His Medal
 
Our Mike Cobb is a lawyer who possesses a healthy amount of skepticism. When presented his medal for bowling (there was a delay while records were reviewed), he has "a taste for gold". 
Jill Taylor Classification Talk
president King and Our Newest Rotarian Jill Taylor
 
This lady is no stranger to a microphone and an alarm clock. On December 3rd, 2018, Jill Taylor, Broadcast Meteorologist presented her classification talk without a weather map or a laser pointer. The Broadcast Meteorologist is often the face and personality that delivers weather information to us. She works for Rogers communications in Toronto and prepares radio reports starting at 3:00 am, Eastern Standard and Daylight time. Hence the need for a reliable alarm clock.
 
 
Highlights
2019 Rotary Charity Golf Tournament
 
 
Let's Do Lunch Monday
norfolk Rotary Tabloid June 19, 2018
 
Click on image to download pdf.
 
Canada End Polio How Stamp
 
 
Rotary Youth Exchange
Tumaini Children's Foundation
Dr. Gord Watts Scholarship
Our Resident Speaker Critic

Our Resident Speaker Critic!

Service Above Self
Follow Us On Facebook--New Link
 
 
Speakers
Rotarian Hadley Jackson
Mar 25, 2019
Memories of Growing Up In Simcoe
Kevin Kavanaugh, South Coast Gardens
Apr 01, 2019
Dr. Sandy Watts
Apr 08, 2019
Epidemiology
94th Anniversary (Happy Birthday)
Apr 09, 2019
Chartered April 9th, 2015
Her Worship, Mayor Krystal Chopp
Apr 15, 2019
County of Norfolk
Meeting Canceled, Easter Monday Holiday
Apr 22, 2019
Tracy Rodrigues
Apr 29, 2019
TBA
May 06, 2019
TBA
May 13, 2019
Meeting Canceled, Victoria Day Holiday
May 20, 2019
View entire list...
 
Links