1) Mute your microphone if you aren't already muted. Background noise is distracting.
2) If you are not engaged in the presentation, turn off your camera.
3) Chat function should only be used to address the speaker, not for Club member remarks during the presentation
4) Unmute when harassing the Sergeant at Arms or taking your turn during Sergeant at Arms.
5) Leave cookies for Santa
Please direct any questions to the President or a board member of yourchoosing and we will discuss any and all questions or concerns during our board meeting. Also please refer anyone who may be interested in attending a meeting or joining the club.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
Via Sandra:
When we remember a special Christmas it is not the presents that made it special, but the laughter, the feeling of love, and the togetherness of friends and family that made that Christmas special.
VISITORS
Well, I didn't invite anybody!
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
CLUB BUSINESS
Sam explained our very complex route for S at As, which we understood once we got going. Thank you, Sam, for organizing this activity, which motivated almost all of our members to come out this morning.
SERGEANT At Arms Tidbits
Kal reminisces that it was one year ago that he was on the operating table with three possible outcomes: dead, paralyzed, or alive. We are thankful he won door #3. He thanks all of those who trenched through the snow to support him last year. Big thanks to Pat, who came to see him,(can I come visit you) softly. No canes today.
Dalbir thinks today’s attendance was so positive and that we should continue to do our best to make the club look like this every week We’re only missing a couple of members.
Danny is going to spend Christmas in Vancouver this year. Last weekend was exciting as he went to the Explore Space Infinite (https://theinfiniteexperience.world/vancouver), a virtual experience visiting the ISS (International Space Station), where you can feel like you’re in space.
Susan is here and won’t make anyone sick. She has had acute bronchitis. It has been a good year, with lots of ups and downs, but more ups. 😀
Joyce had a great week, with Chor Leoni last week, supper at The Post, and then Saturday she’ll be with kids in California. On Tuesday night in the rain, she was sideswiped by a merging vehicle and spun around. This is her 2nd accident this month, her 6th in 20 years. She wasn’t the driver in either of them.
Elena has parties almost every day and is occupied with setting up for leaving in January. 🥳
Debbie M’s. mom is staying with her for the month of December, although she lives in Abbotsford – it’s just easier. They have been doing lots of family stuff, seeing lights, Stanley Park train, the Christmas market, a cookie exchange, etc. Amalia doesn’t eat sugar, so when they were decorating cookies, they told her it was paint. But she touched the green icing and remarked that it didn’t taste like regular paint. Smart cookie!
John’s son-in-law, Richard, has superpowers. First, he is a teacher – that’s enough! He was an Olympic swimmer and now coaches the South Delta swim team and they won the provincials! He is the health emergency contact at his school and when one of his colleagues was suffering a heart attack, he gave him CPR and saved his life. Superpowers indeed! 🏊♀️
Henry was at the Burnett Secondary concert with over 100 students playing music! It made him wish his parents had kept encouraging him to keep up his saxophone playing.
Bill will be picking up Jake tonight at the airport at 9 p.m. The family has a running bet on at what time Shelley will be upset with him, likely while he’s still on the plane!😡
Chris P. has a solution for older men who can’t touch their toenails. She picked up Dad at hospital and saw the state of his toenails. Thinking she didn’t want to take on that project, she invited him for a pedicure with her, introduced him to paraffin wax and he was well looked after, as it was his first time. So, guys, go have a pedicure and you can ask Chris to come with you.
Debbie T. spent last Thursday all day in Minoru Park, handing out naloxone kits, thanks us for the rotary tents and to all those who came by to be with Trevor. The car was partially wrapped, and more wrapping is happening. She will send us photos as it is starting to look amazing. She saw Chor Leoni Friday. She is getting ready for the trip to Africa, and as the ship goes to Rio, she found out that, as of January 10, Canadians will need a visa to get into Brazil. It is a nightmare and exercise in frustration trying to get one and she may have to go to the consulate, which is only open in morning - no phone, and an online service that is available but doesn’t work.
Debbie S. is rewatching The Bodyguard, which came out during Covid, but she can’t remember it (been there!). Thankfully it comes back to her as she watches it. John remembers it and is having a hard time not being a spoiler.
Bobby is spending time with the family, as his daughter is back from Toronto. He was at a Kidsplay awards ceremony in Surrey where they are talking about mental health, and the growing number of issues everywhere. There are so many sad situations where young kids are suffering, but it is encouraging to discover the platforms and community and government programs which are doing something about it. He is taking it easy at the Hall. He feels fortunate to have rotary members here since 2019. 🥰
Chris M. feels that, with the dark days and doom and gloom on the news, we all need some mental health support and there is nothing better than spending time with little kids and animals. Her late partner’s children (3 of them) each have two children (11 months to 9 years), and she spent time yesterday with the ones who are visiting from Hong Kong and with the others during the week. She’s looking forward to Olivia’s baby in February. 👼🏼
Jeannette has been going to lots of parties and shopping and was late this morning as she was coming from the airport in the dark rain, panicking, and took a wrong turn and ended up heading for Ikea. Thanks to the Ghirras for the Christmas lunch yesterday. 🥳
Micheal feels fortunate to be with Bobby and happy to be a Rotarian. After the Christmas party last week, they are winding down, then will be on to New Year’s events. A little story: 20 years ago in a previous marriage, there was a girl working here who used to work for the Cutco knife company and came to demonstrate at the house. She left a knife set as a gift, Micheal wrapped it up, forgot about it, and got married to his second wife, then opened the package, and has been using the knives for the last 5 years – an excellent knife. Last year at the Home Show he saw the Cutco booth, which had lots of stuff, and he thought about buying some, but they cost hundreds of dollars each. He explained that he had a block at home with knives and was told it was worth at least $1500. Then last week he was at Costco and he told the guy in the Cutco booth that he had a set from 20 years ago, upon which Micheal was told he could get a replacement after 10 years. So, he got the vendor’s card, and is going to see him today with a gift of wine, because when he went online, he saw it was true and he can get a brand-new knife set.
Larry went to see the surgeon last weekend and has decided he is not going to do the plate in his head but will reshape his head to look more normal. It is an exciting time of year, and Larry loves Christmas. He has been back to work and is tired already, as it is very busy right now, and he is working 12+ hours/day. But he will soon be on holidays for 10 days. He has 6 dinners in 3 days, which is not good for the diet. Steve is back from Vegas but is returning next week, before starting his new job.
Marg was sick last week, and missed a bunch of activities, but got better enough to go to Chor Leoni then to a Holiday jam quartet. She remembers when Cutco would phone, and we all bought knives. You can send the away to be sharpened for free - good quality.
Mary Lou is happy for the Winter Solstice, and she doesn’t need to leave early today as Oscar is going to a party at preschool with his parents. Chor Leoni was great, and she is now going to matinees so her friends don’t have to drive at night in the rain. She had lunch at the Boulevard and saw Ron Schuss. It will be a good turnout at next week’s breakfast.
Sandra’s sister came from Victoria, so she was with her family for the weekend, and it was great seeing the next generation, the two granddaughters and Miller. They thought he was a doll and carried him around. They went to see the lights at Van Dusen. Tomorrow is the family Christmas dinner because the kids are all going away - to Capetown, Sechelt and work. So, just Sandra and Brian for Christmas morning.
Garth thanks the Ghirras for lunch yesterday. He managed to do 5 of the 6 concerts, and they sold over 4000 tickets. We can watch it on YouTube between Dec. 23 and Jan 2. He is having all the kids over on Saturday, then they are going to Whistler.
Pat saw the Gateway production of Cinderella in which her tennis friend is the wicked stepmother. On Sunday she went with her cousin and husband to the Sandbar. She drove to Port Coquitlam for her grandson’s hockey game.
Amanda’s work schedule has changed, so she’ll be able to make the morning meetings. Yay! She has been trying to get a cat adopted, a surprise for Graham for Christmas. She has submitted applications, had video calls, has paid, and theoretically will pick up Graham from work and go to the SPCA to give their annual donation but will pick up their new little kitten. If that doesn’t work out, they could get two little Mexican cats. She is going to Saskatchewan for 36 hours and leaving Graham to bond with the new cat. (Dick provided a weather report – it is -5 which is 8 degrees warmer than normal. He claims it is climate change – must be methane from all the cows.)
Blair won’t see the grandchildren in December, and the other grandparents bought presents with the money he sent – but he’d like to see what they get. This Christmas he is with a friend who was his best man, and whom he has known for 30 years, who usually does an “orphan Christmas Eve” for guys without family. But this year they aren’t orphans as they will join Dalbir’s family for dinner.
Judy’s grandkids have been her saving grace these past years. She’s been to the Stanley Park train twice, and it was even fun in the pouring rain. On Sunday the Cruickshank family had their annual dinner, annual since her mom died when Warren was only 2. Since then, they have grown to be 42 of them, with grandchildren from 4 to 20 years old. For Christmas everyone will be at Judy’s, then for dinner Christmas Day at Spencer’s.
Melinda won’t see us until the end of February (unless we come in to the store, which many of us will do), as they are going to Australia for 7 weeks. This is the busiest time of the year. The Stanley Park train was their first time and the kids loved it. They went to the Seahawk game on Monday (that Melinda won), had the brunch and ‘Meet and Greet’ with Michael Bennett, and wonderful seats. There were Philadelphia fans, of course, and ‘someone threw someone’ on top of John! He is going to the doctor tomorrow as he may have bruised or cracked ribs and possibly an injury on his head. She let the Seahawks’ office know what happened, but because the person came from behind, so they didn’t actually see what happened. As they were staying at the Embassy Suite, John went right to bed. It was a bit of a damper on their trip. Then, the Seahawks lady phoned and offered them tickets to the next season. Yes!
Chris B. left on Thursday, to see Matthew in a swim meet in Edmonton. He is only 12 years old but is such a strong swimmer and will be going to the provincials in the summer at ‘champs’ level. She has been packing for the big move, but they are not moving until Jan 18. She packed the wine then had to find a special bottle. All the cooking stuff is packed, so they had to use donations. For Christmas Eve, Stephanie and the kids will be there for a few hours, on their way to California. 🏊♀️
Peachy is taking care of her mom in the Philippines, who can’t walk, eat or cook. Poor mom! She is looking after paying the property taxes in the Philippines – it’s all on Peachy’s shoulders. Thanks to the Ghirras for lunch yesterday.
Peter was at his granddaughter’s elementary school concert last night, with lots of chaotic horn blowing. But his granddaughter was spectacular. He checked his VISA statement and noticed something he didn’t recognize - GMMG acronym for $55 in Sun Valley calif. He phoned the company; said he didn’t order anything, and they credited his account. So, he advises us to check our statements carefully and regularly.
Sam thanks us for participating – we applaud him for having organized this fun gift event. Please note that the well-wrapped presents were done by Justin. Sam tried to get a wide variety of different presents – and he succeeded – they were really fantastic.
Bob thanks Sam again for setting up this activity. Sam always has an idea and Bob is always happy to support! He went to Glowbal last week for brunch, with Zara’s friends and their parents. They used to have Santa breakfast at Burnett. Just this minute, he spent $1300 ordering Cutco knives online. The Christmas family dinner will be on Sunday. He made the mistake of asking what they’d like to eat – answers included Thai, Greek, etc. - so he won’t ever ask again.
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