• Mayor Ken Melamed:  'The chairs are a wonderful addition to the plaza'.
• Mike Kirkegaard:  'Just wanted to say a Big Thank-you for the great Adirondack chairs. What a hit! They are beautifully crafted and bring lots of color and comfort to the plaza. I am looking forward to taking one over one afternoon for a nice little nap in the sun.'
   

Work progresses on the Adirondack/Muskoka chairs.  Once the plans were set and the prototype was approved Rotarians started work on the 16 chairs for the Celebration Plaza. Ot this time Gord Leidal reports that Rotarians have made good progress on this Community Project. Individual pieces for all of the chairs have been cut out and 4 of the chairs have been completed.  Sanding and finishing work plus painting is still to be completed on the remaining chairs.  Our plans are to complete the project and deliver the chairs before the Celebration Plaza officially opens in late August.

The chairs  will be set up will be set up on the terraces around the Great Lawn at Celebration Plaza.  They are brightly colored: seaport blue, sunflower yellow, and bold eye red and will be very visable. Every chair will include a small ‘Rotary Wheel’, and there will be a small plaque centrally located on one of the chairs in memory of Dr. Ken Nickerson. Due to the central location and colorful paint scheme we expect that the chairs will be well used.

This community project is dedicated in part to the memory of Dr. Ken Nickerson, a good friend and long term member of our club, who passed away at the age of 85 in March 2010. Ken was a long time resident of Whister and was a member of the Whistler Ski Patrol and was a Mountain Host. Funding for the chairs was provided through donations made by friends, family and Rotary. 

Thanks to Gord Leidal and Bob Calladine for organizing the project.  Special thanks to Bob Calladine for all of the work and for providing the storage and workshop facilities.  Rotarians we need your help to complete this project. Work continues on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If you are interested please contact Gord Leidal or Bob Calladine.

April 8th was a special day for 10-15 students and 5 parents from the Head of the Lakes School in Skatin.  It was the annual visit to Whistler to sample some of our great recreational facilities.  The trip was coordinated by the Rotary Club of Whistler and we are told that the students had a great time.

The visit started with a brunch, provided by Buns on the Run, at Meadow Park.  After everyone was fed it was off to Whistler Blackcomb’s Tube Park for some fun on the snow.  As the pictures show, Mother Nature cooperated with a nice sunny day.

The next activity was swimming at the pool at Meadow Park.  Many students consider this the highlight of the trip!

After drying off and changing everyone boarded the bus for the return trip to Skatin.  We also sent some additional sewing machines and supplies for the Head of the Lakes School sewing room, books from the Whistler Library and a supply of hot chocolate from the Rotary Club of Whistler.

This is an annual event that the students really look forward to and really appreciate.  Consequently Rotarians look forward to providing this wonderful experience. 

Thanks to all who helped make it happen: Whistler Blackcomb for the Tube Park arrangements, the Resort Municipality of Whistler for the swimming arrangements and Buns on the Run for the brunch.  Also thanks to the Rotarians who helped out (Bernie Lalor-Morton, Jay McKenzie, Audrey Mitterndorfer and Jessie Pendygrasse).  Special Thanks to our Skatin Liasons, Doug and Joan Deeks, for organizing the event.

We must also thank the 5 Skatin parents and Abou Bai-Sheka, Head of the Lakes School, for their supervision and chaperone assistance.  Spending 4 hours on a school bus with 10—15 excited school students is certainly yeoman’s work!

The Rotary Club of Whistler looks forward to presenting this trip again next year!

Recently, members of the Rotary Club of Whistler presented a brand new  all terain tracked vehicle to Whistler Search and Rescue (SAR). This vehicle was purchased with funds donated by the Club. With the new ATV SAR can respond, more rapidly, to incidents in Whistler's back country. 

Incoming President Jim Miller is shown above with the ATV.   Following a brief presentation members of SAR demonstrated the new vehicle and it's capabilities. Members were impressed by the responsiveness of the ATV.

Plans are being made for a more formal presentation.  More details to come when information is available.

During our Mar 29th meeting.  Anne Shirley Goodell and Alison MacLean joined us to provide another perspective about events in Afghanistan. In 2010 Alison  was embedded with the Canadian Forces to film a documentary in Afghanistan.  "Outside the Wire" shows the work of Canadian and American military women in both front line and support positions as they fight and provide peacekeeping support to the community.  It was shown on November 11, 2010 in Canada and will be shown in May, during Memorial Day week in the USA.

They also told us about Alison's plans to return to Afganistan for another film about the women who are training to be policewomen.

Alison hoped to show us an excerpt from her documentary.  Unfortunately the technology gods were not on our side and we were unable to view the video.  We look forward to a return visit.  Until then more information may be found on Alison's Production company website, Tomboy Productions.

March 8th was the Rotary Club of Whistler's annual Fresh Tracks Breakfast meeting.  Each year, after a hiatus for the Olympics, Whistler Rotarians devote one meeting for Fresh Tracks Breakfast followed by a group ski day.  About 30 - 40 Rotarians attended and it was a great opportunity for fellowship. Even better, Mother Nature co-operated with a fine accumulation of fresh powder.  The group included some of our colleagues from the Rotary Club of Whistler Mellinium, Rotary Club of Pemberton Centennial and the Rotary Club of Squamish.

Here a group of Rotarians are enjoying their breakfast while making their plans for a day of skiing.

Sorry, no pictures of the skiing.  We were having too much fun!

Special Thanks to Whistler Blackcomb for the Fresh Tracks Breakfast arrangements and to Gord Leidal for organizing the event.  Of course Thanks to all who attended and we look forward to another Fresh Tracks Breakfast next year.

During the weekend of Jan 21st to 23rd Whistler Rotary members showed our resort to 17 Rotary Exchange Students and 4 Rotex members (former Rotary Exchange Students) from around the world.  It was the annual visit by Rotary Exchange students.  Rotary Exchange students are stay in Canada for approximately a year with host Rotarian families. Each year Whistler Rotarians invite the Rotary Exchange Students staying in BC homes for a weekend at Whistler.

Friday evening featured a visit to the Whistler Sliding Centre to see the 2011 FIBT International Cup.  The students did their best to create that Olympic atmosphere for the skeleton athletes.  Perhaps it worked.  Two of our Exchange Students, Carina and Sara, witnessed their countrymen win medals at the event. Following the awards ceremony they had a chance to meet their heroes. 

The students visited Whistler/Blackcomb on Saturday for a day of skiing and boarding.  This was a treat since some students had not seen snow before.  Thanks to Whistler/Blackcomb for providing lift tickets and equipment rentals.  On Saturday evening everyone met for a pot luck dinner.  Dinner was followed by a series of skits presented by the students.  On Sunday after a tour of the village and lunch at Gone Bakery the visit concluded.

The Rotary Exchange Student Weekend is a fun weekend that Rotarians from both the Rotary Club of Whistler and the Rotary Club of Whistler Mellinnium look forward to.  We enjoy the student's enthusiasm and energy.  Plus it’s an opportunity to showcase Whistler for a world wide audience.

Thanks to everyone who helped out;   Bridget and Lyn for organizing the event, the families who hosted students, everyone who brought items to the pot luck dinner and to all who helped out at the events.