Two of our members who were away at the time of Former MLA and Honorary Rotarian Dave Hayer's Visit earlier in the year were presented with their Certificates of Appreciation from the Province of BC for our contributions to Surrey and BC.

Here President John Riley presents Bill Burnett and Deane Gurney and a sample of the certificate.

Our club continues to attack bright young and energetic new ROTARIAN's. Last tuesday 2 more were inducted as members of the Surrey Rotary Club.

Our District Assistant Governor for Area E ..Pat Bond conducted the formal induction of 

Jacqueline Marti - Financial Planner with Investors Group

Monty Josan - Residential Realtor with Remax Colonial Pacific Realty.

Exciting times as our average club member age continues to drop... Welcome we look forward to working with you to give back to our community.

 This disease is ravenging the emerging Nations in Africa and the and has done a number on the Western World over the past decade or two. On Tuesday April 30th we had the distinct pleasure in hearing a presentation from the foremost AIDS/HIV Research Doctor in BC. Dr Julio Montaner.

One would guess that a top level research doctor would present a boring fact laden talk that would be a few thousand feet over our layman heads but not Dr. Julio Montaner for sure he gave us lots of numbers showing how the Aids/HIV epidemic had reached super high levels in Vancouver by 1996. But then he showed and told us about HAART which was presented at the Aids conference in Vancouver in 1996. This protocol was launched in Vancouver and in the years since the reduction in new cases of AIDS/HIV in Vancouver has dropped to an astounding low level. Incidence rate dropped 80% Death rate dropped 90% and provided one is on the plan their life and life expectancy in Normal.  In BC they have the backing of the Health Authority and the treatment is available free to any one who needs it. Like Polio this is the initial beach-head they now aspire to spread it across the country and around the world. The Objective is to rid the world of HIV/Aids in the next generation.

A tremendous presentation from one of the worlds top Doctors. We now have to seriously look at where ROTARY can help.. We are nearly complete with Polio and this is probably the most life threatening disease along with Sanitation and clean water that is needed to improve life and life expectency PERIOD.

For more in depth information just Google HAART or start at the WHO(World Health Organization) http://www.who.int/topics/antiretroviral_therapy/en/

Ed Landry presents Dr Julio Montaner with a token of our appreciation for taking the time to be with us.

Past President Roy Holman borrrowed from Martin Luther King's most memorable speech to introduce our featured speaker for the first Area E joint club meeting. 

Past Lieutenant Governor Steven Point told us of his DREAM. In a magical presentation he wove a narrative that covered his personal history , the time at Government House and his DREAM of providing Libraries to Isolated First Nations communities in BC. He explained how starting with boxes of books delivered as he travelled the Province to the culmination of a first class library being constructed in one of the communities how his DREAM is becoming a reality.

These communities have many needs and Money helps but is not the answer Education is key to breaking the cycle of despair that many inhabitants of these communities feel.  In reflection after that evening I thoought we as Rotarians spend time and funds in helping groups in Third World Countries thousands of Miles away when we have an equally compelling need in our own backyard. 

Now is the time to look inward .. How can we help.. Well the key to many Rotary projects of international scope is to get multilevel grants and leverage our initial investment. But BC is not International ...Hmm! But we are 5050 so a Washington based club could lead and we could join.. We could also reciprocate since I am sure there are equally needed Service projects below the 49th Parallel.  

Thank you Steven for starting the ideas percolating. We may be able to assist in achieving your DREAM..

The evening was a great success Kudo's to Pat Bond and her Cloverdale Club members. We have many Photo's from the event but space limits me to two...We will post more to our website (send me yours) 

Pat Bond and her Cloverdale Cohorts.

President Elect John Edwards with Steven Point and two prospective Rotarians for Surrey.

Cases reported in Endemic Countries

Afghanistan     1 compared to 5 in 2012

Nigeria            10 compared to 13 in 2012

Pakistan         5 compared to 15 in 2012

Cases reported in Importation Countries

Remains at Zero.

Rotary Is "This Close" to Achieving Its Goal of a Polio-free World

Our Featured presenter Ed Landry - President of Penny & Keenleyside Appraisals

Ed specializes in Commercial property appraisals but has a finger on the Real Estate pulse in our city.

He indicated that strong residential growth tended to spur on Commercial growth and with the steady influx of new residents to Surrey our Commercial has stayed strong. Lower Interest rates which are forecast to continue has kept the market strong the emphasis on diversification and attracting businesses to Surrey has enabled growth in what is generally aslow market nationally.Even with the actions taken by the government with tighter mortgage rules & the HST transition rule which dampened demand and the ability for many to qualify, prices have continued to rise in our area.

Detached residences up 1%:Townhomes up 0.6%  and Apartments up 2%

He went on to explain the benefits of the new Perimeter Road and the access it will provide for Commercial development. Further improving the market in Surrey and North Delta.

The floor was opened to questions and there were many which Ed handled with detailed & knowledgeable answers.                      

New Member Garry Thind presents Ed with a token of our appreciation

Our April 9th. Keynote Speaker was Dr.Nigel Murray CEO of  Fraser Health. He provided us with an overview of the issues that affect health delivery in our Region and the Philosophy of the Fraser Health Authority in meeting the needs and making the changes to handle our fast growing population and the two large segments of our demographic which are at each end of the age spectrum Babies and Seniors. He went on to explain how they were focusing on people and partnerships to produce the best Healthcare outcomes. He noted that hospital care is the most expensive part of delivering services and not always the best.. They are working on a "Home is Best" program that will provide the services,improve the outcomes and reduce the costs. Fraser Health has invested and will continue to invest in new more efficient & effective facilities. To name a few :- The Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery centre , Quibble Creek Heath and Pheonix Transition Housing Centre and the Surrey Memorial Critical Care Tower and new Emergency Centre. Dr Murray indicated that Surrey Memorial Hospital is evolving from the local hospital opened in 1959 to serve 75,000 people to becoming a Regional Hospital serving of over 600,000 today. This is just a small sliver of the details of the presentation of Dr Murray the underlying theme is that Fraser Health is a forward looking Authority that is focused on improving delivery and outcomes of HeathCare in our Region. 

On April 9th.2013 our Honorary Member and MLA Dave Hayer presented members of the Rotary Club of Surrey for their contributions to the wellbeing of citizens of Surrey.Here are some photos supplied from the evening showing Dave Hayer presenting President John Riley and a group photo of some of the recipients present.

The Rotary club of Surrey is the oldest and so has a long-standing tradition of service above ourselves. Yes we continue to honour our past but more than that, we now cherish the present and will continue to build for the future. The Rotary club that I joined  over a year ago is now dramatically different as we respond to challenges of our changing dynamic society. We benefited from the skills, energy and enthusiasm of many new members who have recently joined our organization and now taken on leadership roles in our club and the community.

In the words of Rotary International President, Mr. Sakuji Tanaka,“… Putting Service Above Self allows us to focus our energies on what is truly important. We put the common good above our own. We value the needs of others over our own desires. We think less about ourselves and more about what is best for everyone. And in this way, we help to build the foundation for a more peaceful community at home in Surrey and around the world.

We focus on this service by having community leaders speak to us about their goals and vision of how their organizations relate to the needs of the citizens of Surrey. Recently, we had Dr. Nigel Murray from Fraser Health speak to our largest audience of Rotarians and guests about mission of Fraser Health. He illustrated how they respond to the challenge of serving the needs of our dynamic rapidly growing community, and how organizations such as the Surrey Rotary Club can work with them to promote mutual community goals.

In the weeks to come, we will  have more strong community leaders speak to our Rotary club such as mayor Dianne Watts. It is through good speakers who present interesting and invigorating challenges that we, as Rotarians are challenged and rise to their challenge  to find creative ways to contribute to the community. Yes we are known for fundraising raising contributing thousand dollars annually to charities at home in Surrey and abroad. We are also   now known as a dynamic  organization who answers  community needs with actions to meet those needs with initiatives such as:

·      Sponsor EPAD ( Emergency Preparedness Awareness Day) on June 15 this event  will show the residents of Surrey how they can prepare for any disaster such as an earthquake.     

Where there is a will to make it happen, the wheels of the our Rotary club of Surrey will be there to make it happen. We invite you to check out our website but more important find out for yourself how you can contribute to the good of your community of Surrey through the Rotary club of Surrey.

On tuesday April 2nd. we had the pleasure of hearing from Chief Jim Cessford of the Delta Police sharing with us over 27  years of policing experience and giving us the pros and cons of the Regional Policing Model as espoused by many in the press and other interested parties. He showed us how a community based policing model provides better outcomes for the community as a whole. The Delta model is "No call to Small". While this may appear wasting of resources Chief Jim indicated that on many occasions these seemingly nothing calls have uncovered either Criminal activity at is beginnings or people in physical harm.He indicated the community gained trust in their police force and became part of the solution making policing a total community activity.

He went on the explain that in some cases a Region wide special unit is required and this could be layered on top of the community model giving the best of both worlds. Local community centric policing where the police Officers have a commitment to the local Community in which they live and work and Specialized groups (Example Major Crimes,Gang Issues) could be formed with participants from all Communities supported by community funding but giving a expert dedicated unit to best tackle these Area Wide Issues thus solving the "Lack" of communication cited in such cases as the Missing Women from the Downtown Eastside or the Gang turf wars.

Once again our Speaker Co-Ordinator John Edwards had found us a tremendous speaker who provided us with knowledge of our Community it is great to know we have people of the stature of Chief Jim Cessford looking out for our well being.  Duane Buchanan thanked Chief Jim Cessford for his enlightening presentation.

Wilma King-Bennett & Franklyn Francis

Wilma returned to give us an update on the business opportunities and vacation ideas in the Island of Jaimaica.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/jamaica is a good link for details. A real fun day can be spent at Dunn’s River Falls( I can vouch for that) . From a business viewpoint Expanasion of financial and Insurance services,Tourism are high on priorities but also is the increase in Agriculture production. The Jamaican government has focused on infrastructure with good highway links and the establishment of freeZones to encourage investment.

Franklyn Francis

The Highpoint of the evening was the presentation by Franklin Francis a recent immigrant from Jamaica who has a project called ReTool Jamaica his plan to give back and give Graduates of the trade school graduates in carpentry and Mechanics. His passionate presentation showed how one man can make a difference. This looks like a program we can get on board with in our international programs. Check out

http://www.retooljamaica.com

Roy Holman gave us a quick update on Help for Haiti project.

Great progress is being made in the Jeremie. 28 Communities now have akamil flour mills in full operation.

The Bee Project being led by John Gibeau President of Honeybee Centre in Langley also member of Langley Sunrise Rotary Club is on track with 200 hives expected to be created this year. Close to $8,000 in beekeeping equipment has been shipped, and two training sessions held for over 30 farmers.  

Here is John with some of the prospective bee keepers.

.

Our featured speaker on March 5th.2013 was an inspiration to all showing the meaning of an Open Heart.

George Garrett told us the story of his challenges in becoming the caregiver to his wife of 56 years who has now been stricken with Altzeimers disease. He mentioned of all the struggles and tough situations he met when out on the front lines reporting historical moments in Canada and the US. Such as the time he was mugged while covering the Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles and other tough situations nothing compared with his current position as a caregiver to his wife as she becomes more incapacitated by the ravages of Altzeimers.

George displayed the strength of character that is an example to all of us.

Here is his brief BIO

George Garrett is a retired  Investigative Reporter who worked for Radio Station CKNW for 43 years.During the course of his career he received a number of awards including Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Jack Webster Foundation and the Radio/Television News Directors Association of Canada.As well, George was twice named Broadcaster of the Year by the BC Association of Broadcasters.He has been married to his wife Joan for 56 years.  They have two daughters, Linda & Lorrie and four grandchildren.  Their son Ken died in a canoeing accident 26 years ag

o.

Last Sunday the Sun appeared again!. So did our Street Cleaning Crew doing our regular clean up of our Adopted street.

100th Avenue from 140th street to 152nd Street.

 John Campbell,John Edwards,John Koropatnisky and Walt Johnson

Spent their Sunday Morning picking up trash and beautifying our neighborhood. Thanks Guys.

  Surrrey Rotary is on the move in 2013... We are adding new younger members to our roster. This tuesday saw Garry (Gurpreet) Thind join our ranks. Gary is General Manager of Rahul Glass Ltd. #104-8655-130th.Street. They specialize in Interior Glass projects check them out at www.rahulglass.com.  Garry will giving us a more detailed Bio at our meeting march 12th. when he along with our other new member Sylvia Kahlon with Present their classification talks.  Welcome Gary we look forward to working with you to make a difference in Surrey. President John officially inducting Gary into The Rotary Club of Surrey.

Tuesday’s keynote speaker was Amelia Foster from Sunshine First Aid. Amelia is an authorized provider with the  Canadian Red Cross and instructs in First Aid.During her presentation she gave us some insight into her background as a paramedic in South Africa and teaching of First Aid for the Red Cross.She reiterated the common refrain that we are hearing from first responders be prepared and have a kit. She recommended a backpack containing water, prescription medicines, a Space blanket and first aid supplies and provisions for 72 hours.

 Amelia mentioned that Surrey is one of the better equipped first aid cities with many Defibrillators in civic buildings and Malls.

 Another key is to be able to do basic first aid (cuts and breaks etc) knowing CPR is a must and also how to deal with someone choking her phrase ”if it does’t pop they will drop”

If choking is occurring, the Red Cross recommends a "five-and-five" approach to delivering first aid:Give 5 back blows. First, deliver five back blows between the person's shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.Give 5 abdominal thrusts. Perform five abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver) Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.

Here is a good link with details  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-choking/FA00025

Amelia took many questions from the group again another great presenter and topic for our club.

If you are interested in furthering your First Aid proficiency Amelia runs classes and can be reached at 604-782-1351  or email fosda@hotmail.com

Pictures include the portable Defibrillator Cost $1500-$2000. President John Riley presenting a token of our appreciation.

That was the underlying message in tuesday nights presentation by Deane Gurney,Who when not doing Rotary Business is a Trustee in Bankruptcy with Sands and Associates. 

In his presentation Deane brought together details of all the key economic forces around the world that affect life in Canada. The European Union has not solved its problems.China,owns major resource assets and reduced imports(Canada an Exporter of Natural resources). Russia is stable. The US has a slow economy and high debt reducing imports from Canada. Japan has its first trade deficit. He compared Canada to Sweden high household debt 173% of GDP and Canada is now at 164%.  All of these factors add to the increases in Bankruptcy filings. 

Surprising demographic that has shown the greatest increase are the over 55 year olds. Factors involved are lack of Pension plans.Shrinking economy with job loss and retirement forced earlier than anticipated.People have been living on credit and not setting aside funds to cover their retirement needs.

A good discussion of the subject followed with many questions being handled by Deane.An interesting and depressing program for us oldsters watching our investments shrink as the World economy stalls.

Sylvia Kahlon thanks Deane for his presentation.

This is the Creed of the Amarok Society founded by our guest speaker for the evening Gem Munro and his wife Tanyss. When you look at the Rotary’s Creed. “Service above Self. This family lives it.  They create schools in the slums of Bangladesh where they teach mothers who then in turn can teach their children. Being the poorest of the poor in the poorest country in the world. Normal schooling is not an option for these families.

The Munro’s through their Society fund these schools and actually live in the Slum amongst the mothers they teach. They have been doing this for 7 years and now 14 schools.

Gem detailed how they develop their program and showed us video of the students (mothers) and their progress from total illiteracy (some had never before even held a pencil) to being functional in basic English. They also teach them how to read and write in their local language, teach them English (necessary in South Asia for economic advancement) and teach them math. They also teach them life skills such as health, nutrition, childcare and conflict resolution.

Neighborhood houses (rooms) are used as schools. The mothers are then trained to become teachers of their own and their neighbors’ children. The small schoolrooms, when not being used for mothers’ classes, are used by the women to discuss issues of importance, as determined by them, and as a place for cottage industry work to increase family income.

 Their operating costs are low (They opened their first school with an initial cost of $60!) It costs about $9500 per year for each school to operate. Their classrooms are Spartan the women sit on Grass mats on the dirt floors but they achieve results that improved the situation of the women and their families.

A truly moving presentation showing how the world can be changed one mother at a time. For more information.To donate and to order Gem's Book Log onto their website. http://amaroksociety.org

 Photo's Gem telling us their story. PR Director Susan with Gem and Alistair Munro

Wow! Another great informational speaker. Deputy Chief Dan Barnscher gave us a great overview of the Emergency Programs in Surrey. Dan has 34 years experience in the Fire Service 29 years as an active fireman and the last six as Deputy Firechief. He is the Emergency Planner and oversees  Electrical Fire Safety(Read Grow ops-my interpretation).

He explained the various sub groups that fall under the Emergency Preparedness umbrella. Don't you love those acronyms.

SEP (Surrey Emergency Program) this includes:

 ESS (Emergency Social Services) This is the group that arranges accommodation and food vouchers for people displaced as a result of fire or other events. If it is a major disaster they arrange for reception centers to ensure all are accounted for and assisted.There  are also many NGO (Non-Government Organizations) such as The Salvation Army & Red Cross who jump in to assist  
 S&R (Search and Rescue) Surrey Search and Rescue responds to call-outs for missing, lost or injured persons. Call-outs are initiated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the municipal police force with jurisdiction in the search area. If you wish to report a missing person, please contact your local police department
 SEPAR (Surrey Emergency Program Amateur Radio) SEPAR volunteers are trained radio operators willing to take direction and help out when needed in an event.In the event of a natural disaster, it is very probable that existing communications would be severely degradated, or even knocked out entirely. As a part of Surrey's Emergency Plan, SEPAR has been developed to be the "link" between the responding agencies, government department and support teams. 

Another Program is NEP(Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program) The purpose of this program is to take Emergency Preparedness into the areas it will be most effective – Surrey's neighbourhoods and homes. We accomplish this by helping neighbourhoods identify the skills and resources which can be of use in a disaster. Every participating neighbourhood is organized into a team of seven Response Units that are trained to handle situations caused by a disaster. The goal is to prepare your neighbourhood to be self sufficient for at least 72 hours after disaster strikes.call 604-543-6795 for details and to set up a group in your area. 

Personal Preparedness. Have a Kit actually have 3. One at home,One in the Car and one in the Office. Obviously they will have different contents.Log on to www.GetPrepared.ca to download the handbook and details of the suggested Kit contents.

As the BOY SCOUTS say BE PREPARED...

Duane Buchanan thanking Deputy Chief Dan for taking the time to come and provide this very useful information.

We wander through life taking care of today but without a financial plan and no compass to keep one on course.

Yes! this was the focus of the presentation by Brad Girard Senior National Sales Director with Primerica.

Brad provided a lively and thought provoking presentation on Wealth Management. He pointed out that when most people are asked what is their Greatest Financial asset . They respond "my House" but although this is a major Asset their real greatest Asset is their Income and ability to create Income and make it work for them.

Brad went on to explain that many people have no idea of where their Money goes and how the system works so that they can maximize their return on this Prime Asset (INCOME) . His company provides a training programs that enable you to take control over your finances and understand the financial system to avoid costly mistakes and ensure that you have the funds to retire the way you desire.

 The nature of the presentation does not lend itself to a brief Bulletin story . So to get the "meat and potatoes" of it give Geraldine Anne Zaharko a call and get a one on one relative to your own desires and situation. 604-518-807

Sylvia Kahlon presents Brad with a token of appreciation for his presentation.

8

Tuesday's presentation by Marilyn Moseley Honorary Consul to Barbados really brought us to those warm sandy shores with members watching the slides and I am sure many thinking "wish we were there."

Barbados weather is generally warm and sunny all year round with an average daytime high of 75 - 85 F. The nights are usually slightly cooler.The prevailing northeast trade winds blow steadily so that although it is bright and sunny, it is not unbearably hot.

Marilyn told us about the history of Barbados and its transition from a producer and exporter of Sugar Cane to an economy based on Tourism and the provision of financial services .Barbados is fast becoming a preferred low tax destination for international businesses and has attracted several such businesses, particularly in the areas of Information Technology, Manufacturing and Financial Services. These businesses have found the legal, financial and accounting services offered by local Barbadian companies to be world-class.

She also acquainted us with details of many Barbadian citizens who have made a difference in Canada and Vancouver.

This is the beginning of a New Year and we met in our new spot at EagleQuest "THE DEN" on the lower level.. This will be our permanent spot until we outgrow it. Our speaker for the evening was Pat Hahn from the Rotary Club of South Surrey(Previously called WhiteRock Millennium)

He gave us an overview on the history and results of their Donate a Car Program which provided them with major funds at inception but now with all the competition for Scrap cars has dwindled to less than John would raise from his weekend Strawberry sales. We are considering various fundraisers and the Scrap a car program is one that is in the mix. The committee will be re evaluating how we can run this program with better results than South Surrey stay tuned John will have more on this and other fundraising initiatives. 

We were pleased to see another prospective member at our meeting and we encourage you to bring prospects out so we can grow our club and deliver more benefits to our community.

Here are some Photos of our gathering and the new table arrangement . John Riley is thanking Pat for his insight into Car Salvage programs.

Another Xmas season over and our club under the guidance of John Campbell completed our volunteering covering the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle at the Guildford Mall each wednesday until Christmas. We are awaiting final numbers from Major Les Burrows but I know when I was on we had more paper money than previous years so I hope that means the $ were up.

Members manning the Kettle (2hours shifts) were as follows:

5 shifts -Dick Wareham,Bryce McElroy.  4 shifts -  John Campbell,Walt Johnson,Duane Buchanan,Dave Hayer. 2 shifts - Isabelle Hayer,Raj Sekhon and 1 shift - Roy Holman (snow precluded another one) John Edwards, Pat Bond,John Koropatnisky,Ajay Caleb.

Unfortunately we were unable to get photos of all but here is one crew Ringing the Bell for the less fortunate.

Our last meeting of 2012 on December was our annual Christmas meeting with spouses and significant others. Deane Gurney arranged the entertainment for the evening.His two daughters Elsa and Charlotte provided us with a selection of Christmas Carols. Elsa on the computer providing the music and charlotte singing. A nice touch to the evening enjoyed by all. We also had a spirited live Auction that raised $177 for the Foodbank.

A Nice ending to 2012 and I have confirmation that Raj Sekhon will be returning to Rotary in January so our membership is also on an upturn.

Our wind up meeting for 2012 saw the addition of a new member to our club. Suchita (Sylvia) Kahlon. Sylvia was proposed by John Riley and many of you have seen her at our meetings as she tested the waters before finally becoming a member.

Sylvia is a realtor with Century 21 Coastal Realty Ltd in Surrey. We will have her provide a full vocation talk at an early January meeting so we can all find out in more detail what Sylvia's expertise is and more about her. She has been assigned to assist Susan Thomas in the PR committee.

Welcome aboard Sylvia .. We wish you many productive ROTARY years.

On Tuesday December 11th. 2012  the nominations committee presented their slate for the 2013-14 Executive committee of the Rotary Club of Surrey.

Additional nominations were invited from the floor but their were none so a vote was taken on the slate as presented and the following were acclaimed.

President                       John Edwards.

Past President                John Riley

President Elect               Susan Thomas

Treasurer                      Lal Baniya

Secretary                      Dick Wareham

Directors

Club Administration        Duane Buchanan

Club PR                         Susan Thomas

Service Projects             Nancy Clark

Chairpersons

Rotary Foundation          Bryce McElroy

Membership                   Ajay Caleb

Fundraising                    John Koropatnisky

Very interesting topic at last tuesday's meeting.

Jennifer Desloges CEO of JADE enlightened us on the world of electrolysis and the process in starting a franchise.

She gave us the history of Jade and how it developed from one outlet in 1982 to a growing number of franchises in 2012. Her emphasis was that women entrepreneurs are increasing and have particular traits compared to their male counterparts.

What electrolysis provides is the benefit of helping people feel good in their own skin. Both male and female in fact men are a growing cliental of the hair removal business.

She elaborated on the keys to setting up a solid franchise business.                          It must be a win-win for both parties and they set up one franchise and perfected the process over one year and then set the model for more units. Their methods are of the highest quality both in outcome and medically and this is what sets them apart from the majority of operators in this industry.

We learned a lot at this peek into the Electrolysis business and franchising. If you want more information Jennifer check web www.hairfreeforlife.com

Our Speaker on Tuesday December 4th. was Andrea Coogan - Development Officer at the BC Cancer Foundation. She provided us with an update on recent happenings with the Cancer Foundation and in particular the results from our donation to create a new vibrant Resource Centre at the Cancer Clinic in Surrey.

She indicated that the Centre was in constant use in fact the usuage has increased in leaps and bounds since the centre was created replacing the old out of date and uninviting Reference section.

Loans of material has increased from 264 a year ago to 380 current year. Requests for help and information 25 a year ago this year 114. The volunteers are constantly interacting with clients and families and the location in the entrance lobby makes it inviting for clients and families . The materials are current and constantly in use.

A lively Q & A followed her presentation.

She thanked the Rotary Club of Surrey for the $50,000 donation that made this Centre a reality.    Photo President Elect John Edwards with Andrea Coogan.

Zig Ziglar died Nov 29th 2012 at age 86. A World War II veteran, Zig Ziglar became the top sales person in several organizations before striking out on his own as a motivational speaker and trainer. With a Southern charm and lessons grounded in Christianity, Ziglar wrote over two dozen books and amassed a following of millions who were encouraged by his lessons for success.
Below are 10 quotes from Zig Ziglar that have the power to completely change the direction of one’s life.

10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”

9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”

7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”

6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”

5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

Growth is continual in Surrey so management of this is a Prime concern.

Last five years average 73,000 additional residents per year.Surrey is the 12^th Largest City in Canada with population of 500,000

Land uses is another key factor to management 1/3 ALR and 2/3 is developable.Surrey is broken into 6 Communities. Cloverdale,Fleetwood,Guildford,Newton,South Surrey and North Surrey. http://surrey.ca/plans-strategies/6798.aspx

Economic Development is Key to a healthy and vibrant community. Need to increase local jobs to reduce commuting and improve quality of life for residents. Encourage companies to locate to Surrey (jobs and increase the tax base).

Another component of managing the city is in creation of facilities to support the residents and the creation of the city Centre to tie it all together.

There are many avenues to achieve connecting with the city, Council committees and community associations are just two.

For extensive details re Surrey here is the website. http://surrey.ca

A vibrant Q & A followed and Roy Holman thanked Murray for providing us with the overview of City Planning and management.

Our Gaming Dollars at work in the community. This weekend LMDSS(LowerMainland Down Syndrome Society) has their annual Xmas gathering and networking event which we support from gaming funds. This year they moved from the church annex out to Castle Fun park in Abbotsford. The kids really enjoyed the food and games. It was a nice sunny day and the park was in all its splendor. We were acknowledged for our support and received many thank you’s.

It’s that time again!  Only one month the Christmas day.

We are covering Kettles for the Salvation Army each Wednesday until Dec 19^th. John Campbell is our go to guy for this project. On Tuesday we had Major Les Burrows and his wife Cathy attend our meeting to explain the importance of the Kettle campaign.

If you are on the list great (Schedule will be sent out this week to remind you of your dates).If not on the list  and you are available the next 4 Wednesdays call John at 604-575-3856

Yes! we are talking Gaming.. (remember we get about $40,000 a year to distribute) . Last week we had Tanya Gabara - Marketing Manager from the Cascades Casino in Langley came to tell us about the proposed new entertainment complex for South Surrey assisted by James Chen General counsel for Gateway Casino’s they provided an overview of the proposal.
Wow! What a facility. Proposed location is 10^th Avenue at 168^th street. It will have 27,000 sq ft of conference centre. Two 800 plus seat theatres a 4-star,200 room Hotel.Four restaurants,Three Lounges and 60,000 sq ft of gaming floor.

During construction it will create 1200 jobs and when complete have 500 full time jobs. It will add $3.1 million a year to city tax coffers. At the completion of the formal presentation Tanya and James  engaged in an lively Q & A providing additional information for Club members.

For more detailed information here are links you can access. 

http://southsurreyentertainment.com

Couldn't resist sharing this one.. Let's encourage everyone to think outside the box.  (Especially when fundraising!)

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die? * His last battle

Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? * At the bottom of the page

Q3. River Ravi flows in which state? * Liquid

Q4. What is the main reason for divorce? * Marriage

Q5. What is the main reason for failure? * Exams

Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast? * Lunch & dinner

Q7. What looks like half an apple? * The other half

Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea, what it will become? * It will simply become wet

Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ? * No problem; he sleeps at night.

Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand? * You will never find an elephant that has only one hand.

Q11.
If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples 
and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ? * Very large 
hands

Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how 
long would it take four men to build it? * No time at all. The wall is 
already built.

Q13. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete 
floor without cracking it? * Any way you want. Concrete floors are very 
hard to crack.

Last tuesday we had the pleasure of hearing from Staff Sergeant Major Dave Woods RCMP who stepped in at the last minute to cover for  our scheduled speaker.Chief Superintendent Bill Fordy who could not attend due to a tragic Officer death earlier in the day. 

 We were updated on what has happened in Surrey with the implementation of the Crime Reduction Strategy Conceived with the City of Surrey and the benefits of the addition of Crime Analysts which have been added to the Staffing for the District.  With the addition of the Crime analysts to each division they were able to plot criminal events based on the three focus points.

 Auto Theft. Break in's of Businesses and Residences and Theft from Auto's. 

There are 5 District offices in Surrey. City Centre; Guildford; Newton; Cloverdale and South Surrey. Each district focus’s on it’s hot spots of Criminal Activity. 

This is broken down to People, Places and Situations. Analysing these factors leads them to people that they can look at in regards to these activities from their database. Places where the bulk of criminal activity is happening and the nature of the activity (Situation). With surveillance and Street level info they can then get to the root of the problem. The application of these principals has enabled them to to rid the City of the label "Auto Theft Capital of Canada" by reducing Auto Theft by 60% since the implementation of this Strategy. 

A lengthly Q & A followed  .. well handled by Staff Sergeant Major Dave Woods.

We were provided an excellent look into the Strategies and functioning of the RCMP in Surrey and the sense that our Policing $ are well spent. 

Bryce McElroy presented Staff Sergeant Major Dave Woods with a token of our appreciation for his presentation.

Invasive species and alien plants sounds like the working title for a Stephen King novel. Prickly Blackberries grow 7 metres a season in few years you could be trapped in your house surrounded by blackberries, snakehead fish and Bullfrogs. Scary stuff.
A great presentation by Nancy Clark alerted us to the abundance of Invasive Species of plants and alien plants and creatures we should be aware of in our Gardens. That gorgeous hanging basket could be full of invasive plants waiting to overcome your garden.
Now we know why we have those Big GREEN BINS courtesy of the city of Surrey so we can rid our gardens of these plants.
But as Nancy pointed out they are relentless in their growth and you have to be vigilant in assessing of all the products you introduce to your garden or fish pond. (play music from JAWS)
Leps BC (Langley Envirommental Partners Society)have brochures available www.leps.bc.ca
President Elect John Edwards presents Nancy with a token of our appreciation for a well presented program on a expansive topic.

On thursday November 1st. President John Riley attended the 24th.Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner at Kwantlen 

Polytechnic Unitversity to present two awards from our club. 

The Rotary Club of Surrey Endowed Bursary  $2,000

The award is presented to a Student who is a graduate of a Surrey Secondary School and has demonstrated 

involvement in community or volunteer activities.

This years recipients were Muhjah Abousaleh and Jennifer Bramley. Congratulations to both recipients who 

we will invite to speak to us at a future meeting. Sorry no photos provided.

This week we ventured out from the Golf Club to find out how beer is made at Central City Brewing the home of Red Racer Beer.
A great turnout of members and guests enjoyed the great food prepared in the restaurant then one of the assistant brew masters took us on our own personal tour and explained how from the Barley and Hops they produce their award wining brews. They were named the best Brewery in Canada in 2010.
Their awards are too numerous to list so just log onto their web page
http://www.redracerbeer.com/brewery/awards/
Here are some photos taken during the tour First the Kettle where the brewing starts next the Original Casks that each took one Kettle of beer.
Then the Larger Casks that they use that hold 4 times as much fluid and their Award winning Pale Ale.
They have outgrown the facilities and are constructing a larger state of the art Brewery on Scott Road when it comes on line next summer. They will just make very special blends on the current site which will be piped up and served in the restaurant.

On October 23rd. we held our introduction to Rotary Night. Membership Chairman Duane Buchanan had spent the past months putting together a list of Prospects that we felt would make great Rotarians and sent invites our for this Dessert and Coffee meeting. With the help of President John Riley,Past president Ajay Caleb and Current District Governor Sean Hogan and Past District Governor Gary Hollick. The attendees were introduced to the benefits of Rotary and how they could make a difference.

At this time we do not have any photos  ( I tried to get a picture of the Desserts but some one got there first and they were all gone! ) 

However it was a successful night and we certainly told the Rotary story and look forward to some worthy additions to our membership in the coming weeks.

At our meeting October 23rd. President John Riley presented John Koropatnisky for a special Cub Service Award for his dedicated work in establishing our Garden projects and his tireless work in raising funds and devising fund raising programs

Well deserved . Thank you John.

Year two another resounding success.  In July work began as we got the approval of the Surrey School District to repeat the program and obtained initial enrollment numbers. Dictionaries were ordered and on October 23rd and 24th. we presented the

Grade 3 students at Bridgeview, Forsythe Road, Old Yale Road, KB Woodwood and James Ardiel their very own dictionary.

We distributed 250 dictionaries and with the help of the teachers had the students complete an excercise in looking up a word.

Here are some photos of the presentations. We are most appreciative of the assistance of the Principals and teachers in delivering this program. (note more pictures in our photo album)

Featured Speaker:   Tracy Goodrich  by SKYPE

The link worked well a little throttling when internet got super busy but overall connection worked well. The Audience really appreciated the knowledge imparted by Tracy. She gave us the background on the Rotary First Harvest in Seattle and Klamath Falls. Started in 2004 and in 2010 they distributed 250,000   of fresh vegetables in Oregon .. Seattle distributed 1 million pounds.

Tracy mentioned there are many programs that can be undertaken and then provided a list of programs that had been undertaken

in Oregon.

A Meat Program- Producers Donating an Animal at Auction funds raised can then be used to buy Meat or Groceries or the purchaser gifts the Animal for butchering and the food bank.

Food Recovery Program – In Lincoln City they get excess food from restaurants – Freeze it and distribute.

Community Garden – Create in empty lot,Park,School Rent boxes and/or share the harvest.

Gleaning – Getting excess food from community encourage home gardeners to add a row for the food bank.

A Lively Q & A followed. With everyone getting many ideas for potential projects going forward.'

 Here is a Link showing projects at varying stages of completion: https://picasaweb.google.com/rotaryfirstharvest

I thought it would be timely to have our President Elect for 2013-14 tell you a little about himself in his own words.
So with only a month to go to Pre PETS Here he is..

John Edwards

Biography

Born in Barbados, John studied nursing and social and economic history in the UK. Moved to Canada from England in 1974 and worked in mental health for 4 years. John studied business administration and general management and was a volunteer board member with the Canadian Institute of Management rising to the position of Regional President.

From 1978 to 2002, John held several positions of increasing responsibility in the pharmaceutical/medical industry including sales, sales management, training and government and external relations. John was responsible for the admission of several drugs to the formularies of all provincial drug plans in Canada.

In 2003, John moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he held the position of Chief Operating Officer for the Association of Black Cardiologists. The ABC provides health education to disadvantaged communities across the USA and the Caribbean in an effort to reduce diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

From 2005 to 2012, John worked for Primex Wireless where he held several positions of increasing responsibility including the position of Senior Director of International Business Development in Europe, The Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

John currently holds the position of Regional Manager for Austco, a Melbourne, Australia-based company which manufactures and markets nurse call systems in 50 countries around the world. John’s region is Western Canada and the USA.

In 1990, John collaborated with specialists at UBC and VGH to develop an educational series of videotapes for AIDS/HIV treatment. He also lobbied the pharmaceutical industry for funds to help launch the B. C. Aids Centre of Excellence. In 2004, John led a volunteer delegation to Cuba to meet with officials from the Cuban Ministry of Health to study the Cuban model of treating AIDS/HIV.

John has been a member of several organizations and sat on the board of some of these agencies including:

CIM - The Canadian Institute of Management – past board member

CHES - The Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society

ASHE - American Society for Healthcare Engineering

ACHE - American College of Healthcare Executives

NAHSE - National Association of Health Services Executives

IHEA - Institute of Hospital Engineering, Australia

IHEEM - The Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management in the UK

IFHE - International Federation of Healthcare Engineering

CEFPI - Council of Educational Facility Planners International

ASHRM - American Society for Healthcare Risk Management                             

HIMSS - Health Information and Management Systems Society

John has published articles in the IHEEM and IHEA Journals and hosted a webinar for the Health Trends Quarterly Magazine.

The visit to the Surrey Food Bank by the Rotary Club of Surrey, was “the first visit by a Service Club” while Executive Director Marilyn Hermann has been at the helm for 11 years.

The SFB serves many people in Surrey, and there are more people who need help every month – usually due to a variety of financial constraints.  To prove the point, Marilyn asked us to do a brief role play to understand just how difficult it is to live in Surrey with known constraints.

The Food Bank does excellent work with least 40 volunteers every day.  Their programs include:
(note Blue words are live links click for more detail)

• Gleaning
• Tiny Bundles
• Layettes & Grad Gifts
• Toddler Totes
• Hamper To Your Home
• Thrifty Kitchen Cookbook (3^rd Edition) 

Julie gave us an overview of the Youth programs and mentioned our early support of

The Junior Police Academy has been instrumental in its success.
Initially it has less than 100 6-10 year old participants this year will be 500 for the one week event.

The two students present Amy Saran and Baldeep Sahota told us about the Step Beyond and SPURS programs
which started last year.They explained the benefits of a close working relationship with the RCMP and how
they were able to provide good information to their peers when they returned to school to present their experiences.

Julie gave us the costing of the Programs : Step Beyond $4000:SPURS $20,000 and Junior Police Academy $6000.
At this time they need $7,000 for the SPURS  PROGRAM and  $3000 for the Academy. We advised we will look at
what we can do to assist when our Board meets on May 17th.

Here John Riley presents Julie and the Students with tokens of our appreciation for their presentation.

Fabian gave us some insight into the conditions in the Trenchtown area of Kingston. Fabian grew up in Ocho Rios (Spanish for eight Rivers)

vastly different to Trenchtown.His home area is a Tourist resort area. Trenchtown is a run down crime ridden area of Kingston. Highlited in Bob Marleys song Trenchtown Rock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iakVCvPzcvI&feature=related.

It is like a war zone controlled by Dons. Our prospective project is to support a Reading Centre http://www.trenchtownreadingcentre.com/ that was founded in 1993 to give the children a chance to learn and a way out of the poverty and violence. Fabian said it is very needed that we get behind this project.

Our second speaker was :
Joseph Muchali from Namibia.  Joseph is familiar with the Windhoek area and went to school there
He outlined just like Jamaica there are Wealthy areas and extremely poor areas and as a result of many
Governing countries the Education system has become a real Hodge Podge with some kids having all the
tools and many others with nothing. Our Dictionary project would be a great step forward for many poor students who have nothing this will assist inr learning,  here is a link to add to the details. http://hopepreserves.org/
President Ajay thanks Fabian Ricketts  and Joseph Muchali for their presentations with a token of our appreciation.

The Rotary club of Surrey took their weekly meeting to Luke 15 House (luke15house.com) on April 17^th.

We met “on location” to allow our club members to discover ways to help residents in the recovery program in the home, which has the highest success rate in the Lower Mainland.

The other reason was to encourage the residents of Luke 15 House by allowing them to meet a few Rotarians – a sampling of Rotarians around the world who care for others.  Since Rotarians adhere to the motto or “Service Above Self”, it was an opportunity to plant seeds of goodwill.

During our visit we were served a wonderful meal – prepared by one of the residents – and after a brief explanation of Rotary, four of the residents shared their stories.

We were touched to hear of how, often through a series of bad decisions, their lives spiraled ever downward.  Each of the residents recalled reaching a point of complete helplessness.  It was then that they finally admitted they needed help.

After paying their debt to society, each resident is ready to face challenges ahead of them.  Their path will not be easy, and we stand ready to help in some small way.

Ajay 

President 2011 - 2012

Family / Residency Support

a. Try to keep spouses together even if care levels are different
b. Our chaplaincy seeks to provide encouragement, compassion and support in spiritual care. We value the sanctity and dignity of life at all stages. We value the whole person, body, mind and spirit. We value networking with the health-care team and faith communities.
c. A variety of nutritionally balanced meals and snacks are prepared fresh on site for our residents and tenants.

We offer a seasonal 4 week cycle menu with special menus set for holidays and special occasions. Menus are determined by a licensed Dietitian and are based upon Canada’s Food Guide standards. Residents and tenants are encouraged to provide input regarding food and menu preferences for implementation wherever possible.
Each building has its own dining room where the residents gather to share meals together. Our main meal is served at noon with a  lighter meal in the evening.

Guests and family members are invited to purchase meal tickets in advance to enjoy a meal with a loved one. Guest meals tickets  are sold at the reception desk prior to 10 am each day.

d.     Guest Suites: Evergreen is pleased to offer two one-bedroom guest suites at a competitive rate for families of residents living within our campus of care. The units are equipped with full kitchens. Meals can be purchased in advance at the reception area.

John Edwards presents Stephen Bennett with a token of our appreciation. 

From the front are Betty Ann - manager of the golf resort, LG Stephen Pointe, Don McKinnon - retired educator, John Koropatnisky, Paul Rust architect, Mary Ann Brown, Roy Holman, and Bob Blacker PDG 5040.

Since year 2001, they have taught  people basic and advance beekeeping, and for the past decade, they have ‘wrangled’ honeybees, wasps, and bumblebees for the film industry. I am not sure if I could handle a Bee Beard...

 
In year 2010 they started the Bee World Project, a not-for-profit organization that teaches commercial beekeeping to farmers in underdeveloped regions of the world.  Truly a fantastic program providing people with the ability to provide food and income to their families where little opportunities are available.


Here is John Gibeau (Now would we call him the KING Bee?) receiving a thank you from President Ajay.

On tuesday night we had the pleasure to greet PDG Dick Drew to our Club. Dick provided a presentation on Club in a Club (a membership acquisition program that he introduced to Canada from its concept in Australia. It has been a tremendous success in gaining new members. 
Dick also brought Shelter Box to Canada.Dick went through the steps in setting up the Club in a Club program and encouraged us to go for it. President Ajay took a straw vote and has the blessings of our members prsent to proceed further. 

 Our January 31st. Meeting featured 4 Students who are showing that they are future leaders.

We had our two participants Balpreet Sekhon and Nolan Buchanan who attended  YAIL (YOUTH ADVENTURES in LEADERSHIP) tell us about their weekend at the YAIL Camp. Both learned a lot and mentioned it was life changing.They found the speakers to be excellent and were very grateful for the opportunity to attend. There presentations showed the confidence that the Camp had given them.

 Our second Presentation was from Niyanta Baniya and Nivedia Badhan students from Queen Elizabeth Secondary who had taken on Roots & Rhythms a Mutlicultural Event to raise funds for the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation-They are aiming their funds at the NeoNatal unit.

The presentation was good both ladies knew what they wanted to achieve and they have taken on a large project which normally was a school run project (but due to teacher job action was going to not be run this year). They have rented the Surrey Arts Centre  for March 9th.6:30-9:00pm for the event and expect 400+ attendees. The event will have ethnic Foods and Dance from many of the smaller eastern nations. A great opportunity to learn about and meet our neighbours.

 Superintendent Wayne Sutherland provided us with  the history of E division and its departments,currently located in 25 buildings spread across the metro area. Getting them all together in one building (Size of 2 football fields).will improve their performance and communication and efficiency.

 At last weeks meeting Jane Adams provided us with an Update on the New Wing and Tower being constructed at the Hospital that will provide a state of the art Emergency Department that will have separate sections to better serve incoming patients and allow faster intake. The adjoining tower will also provide the latest in facilities and equipment and should be a magnet to leading edge health professionals who want to work and learn in the best of environments. A lively Q & A followed the presentation wherein Jane completed our knowledge of the great new facilities we now have in Surrey with the recent opening of the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre.

 Once again the Give a Kid a Muffin program completed another successful year. This Program runs on fridays 10 am at City Centre Libarary.Young children in the Whalley area attend a reading program with their parents. They get a muffin and juice and are entertained by the Terrific Librarians at City Centre. Each child gets a book which is theirs to keep as part of the program.

Our Club has Sponsored this program since 2004 .It is a cornerstone of our Literacy programs.

Which we now have  expanded to include Young Adult Writing Contest and this year our delivery of Dictionaries to all the Grade 3 students in the Elementary schools that feed into Kwantlen Park Secondary.

The room was festive, and the mood was enhanced bydecorations and excellent fellowship. (see more photos in Photo Album)

 The excellent co-ordination of three clubs and Three Districts and Rotary International by Lal Baniya has resulted in the District of Pokhara in Nepal receiving a much needed Ambulance to serve their populace.

 Last night Ajay and myself had the pleasure of presenting the  first prizes to the winners of the 2011 Young Adult writing Contest at the New Surrey Public Library. All of the Winners  read their submission to the audience . Wow we have some heavy duty writers in the 12-18 years age groups.

 October 27th.2011 was the first Area E Club group meeting.Our club's Highlight of the night was the presentation of a Pure Gold pin for perfect attendance to our Walt Johnson.In achieving this tremendous accomplishment 40 years (over 1900 meetings) of perfect attendance.  The key point here is it was just not the attendance record but the years of unselfish service over those years.There is a project Walt is always involved. Well done Walt a truly deserving award and an example to all of what it is to be a Rotarian. 

 We had a great evening on October 18th. When Cst.Julie Bion made a presentation to the club on the current RCMP initiatives to involve youth and provide guidance to children through fun and educational programs presented by RCMP members volunteering their time to help children and Youth.

Our first Grade 3 Dictionary project got off to a great start we delivered dictionaries to Bridgeview and Forsythe Road schools on Thursday. The kids were really thrilled to get their own personal dictionary. The schools and the Grade 3 teachers were very welcoming and helped us with the distribution and introduction of the use of a Dictionary. Special thanks to Duane Buchanan who assisted at Bridgeview. and John Edwards who helped out at Forsythe Road. Friday we delivered to Old Yale Road and K.B.Woodwood ,Thanks to Ajay Caleb and John Riley who assisted at Old Yale Road and Deane Gurney,John Campbell and Judy Holland who helped out at KB Woodwood. We have one school left  to deliver (James Ardiel -Next wednesday) and we will have presented 237 dictionaries to students in Grade 3 at 5 inner city schools.The feedback from the kids and teachers has been tremendous we hit a home run with this one.

The first photo is from Bridgeview, The next is from Forsythe Road  the two teachers and Chelsea who was the first student to find the word Literacy in her new Dictionary. 

Picture # 3 is from Old Yale Road and #4  is KB Woodwood  Two of the Grade 3 teachers,Principal Morelli and student.The final picture is from our last school for this years project is James Ardiel.

Walt and Duane assisted me in  presenting The Grade three with their dictionaries we also had great help from the librarian and the two Grade three teachers.

 ON August 9th.2011 we had the pleasure of the attendance of Patty Klassen ,District 5050 RYLA Chair and Amit Sohdi -Head Facilitator for 2012. To tell us all about RYLA

Amit told us of his starting as a participant and now progressing up to Facilitator and the impact RYLA has had on his life. This is truly a ROTARY program that changes lives. 

Marilyn Herrmann ,Executive Director of The Surrey Food Bank gave us an update on the Food Bank.

They serve  between 250-300 Families a day and distribute about 4 milion pounds of food ayear. 41% of the supplies go to children and babies.  All funding is by     donations they receive no direct govt.  support. The food bank started in 1983 it was planned to be a short term fix and they have been  trying to close it since but the need keeps increasing rather than decreasing as originally contemplated. Marilyn showed us a map  of where all the clients come from and they are all over  Surrey not just in the  expected low income areas. At the conclusion of her presentation and a lively Q & A .   President Elect Ajay Caleb presented  a check for $2500 from our BC Gaming funds.

Presentation by Sgt,Tony Farahbakhchian RCMP and Farid Saiji from the Bank of Canada.

A very fact filled and useful presentation that has provided us with information to improve our ability to prevent credit card Fraud and prevent identity theft also how to make sure our Canadian paper money is REAL

She presented a powerpoint showing the scope of the programsthat they are completing with Schools .They are a Non Profit but have space in the Local Government Offices. Work extensively with many Produce marketing Boards and associations. “Move over Jamie Oliver” There were somany farms and farm groups providing good BC food to Students and they were welcomed into the schools.  A truly eye opening presentation.

For more information on the programs click this link.http://www.aitc.ca/bc/

Our speakers on March 29th 2011 . Melanie Holden and Cyndy Hill from the Surrey Public Library were presented with checks totalling $2,000 following their presentation showing us the new library in Whalley and providing an update on the two literacy programs we have supported since 1998. "Give the kids a Muffin" and the Young Adult Contest writing workshop.The funding comes from our Gaming Grant from the Province of British Columbia.

 

Here are TO DO's Recommended by Renata Elias - Emergency Planning Officer for the North Shore Emergency Management Office.

Be prepared for a minimum of 72 hrs it is recommended better be ready for a week.You must be self sufficient as in the case of a major 

earthquake or catastrophe most things will not be operating and roads could be impassable.

You need to create a plan and have an out of province contact that you can check in with in the event you are not together at the time of the Event.

Emergency Kits can be obtained from the following: 

 The  Canadian Red Cross  www.redcross.ca : St.John Ambulance - www.sja.ca or retailers list at  www.GetPrepared.ca 

Click on next page for detailed list and further advice from Renata

 What do these items have in common?

This will become a regular way to communicate to our membership so if you have ideas and articles for inclusion please pass them along to me so that I can include at the earliest opportunity.