Miscellaneous
Unless you attended the last meeting.
Repeat from last week:
Meeting Rules
Let's all keep each other safe by following the protocols below when attending our morning meetings:
1. Use hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting the meeting
2. Maximum of 3 people per table
3. Maintain physical distancing of 2 meters at all times (including when at the buffet)
4. No singing of O'Canada
5. No passing around of sign up sheets, cards, etc
6. No money will be accepted during Sergeant at Arms
(The Board strongly encourages members to annually e-transfer a minimum of $102/Rotarian to cover S@A contributions for the year)
Presidents Report
As a result of the efforts of the Rotarians of District 5040, over 5,000 eyeglasses were donated and have been shipped to Africa for children. Special thanks to Belinda for her efforts at collecting glasses from Richmond General Hospital.
Please direct any questions to me or a board member of your choosing 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.
Be kind and be calm...
Announcements
You will have received your invoice from Carolyn by email this last week. If you have any questions about your dues, please give her a call at 604-369-5234 or email at cprobertson55@gmail.com.
Bob Shoker is channeling his membership through his daughter Zara who has offered as follows:
"Hello rotary members! I’m Zara (Bob’s daughter) and I’ll be taking over the social media posts for this club. I will be posting weekly on club runner, facebook, and instagram. I strongly encourage everyone to email or forward me weekly photos, stories, speakers, and content we would like to be posted to keep our social media up to date. I look forward to seeing all the great pictures, thank you!
Thankyou Zara. Members send in photos and reports.
Visitors
8 zoomers and our speaker Barbara Tomasic in person.
Sergeant At Arms Tidbits
After numerous technical difficulties solved by our wonderful guest Barbara, we had an amazing rendition of the national anthem(or at least reported as such) mercifully cut short by another technical glitch. Followed by another fun filled Sergeant at Arms.
Mary Lou was heading to the cabin early. Still working on the blue prints for a baby proof plan at the cabin. Good thing Allan is a capable handyman. Make a PacKNPlaY
Susan was in the Costco parking lot again showing us how much of angel she was with the sunshine halo behind her head.
Kathy recommended we go on a White Rock Sea Adventure and enjoy seeing the ocean animals.
Chris M. says she feels like she is in a 24/7 chess and bridge game trying to implement a back to school plan and trying to keep a positive attitude. Thanked Susan for 108 donated costco bags.
Your editor passed his Covid test by getting a negative result. Go figure?
Dick went golfing last week for his one and only time arranged by Barb. It was too long a walk so this week he walked to the Rotary Zoom meeting.
Melinda was short and as always sweet.
Debbie T. as a school trustee is taking all the flack and said there will be more changes next week to hopefully a safe return to school. And for her next trick Debbie is going to make everyone happy????? Or at least as many as possible. And Debbie try to get some sleep.
Joyce is golfing a lot and wonders why that does not seem to make a difference in her score. Known traditionally as the golfers dilemma. GD was observed and documented starting in about 1756 in Scotland. Heard often in sand traps near water hazards and on the putting green. "GD" There are of course many variations developed over the years. The most common variation that can trace it's genetic tree back to GD is WTF. Which my sources tell me stands for "Where's the fairway."
Kal was correctly identified this week by the S of A who received a free pen as a reward.
Peter had a slight pain not cured by home remedy so off he went for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. His gall bladder was removed through a hole in his stomach. Apparently woke from surgery to discover they had strapped him to the bed. Myth - he was struggling with the procedure. Truth - ask Kal who has also promised to provide Peter with bile. Carolyn gave him a chocolate horseshoe for being the first person to etransfer his fees. Peter will sell it back to Carol for $5.
Sandra has the new Covid App and when it beeped nearly jumped out of her skin. Turned out the App was beeping excited because there had been zero contacts for the week.
Dalbir volunteered at the CPA exams as an invigilator. One student per hotel room and four students per invigilator. Held right across Canada at the same time. Work out the math.
Bill ran a 10k and won the silver medal. The other entrant won a participation ribbon.
Sam is feeling wistful for the end of summer and a craving to wear a cardigan sweater again as school is starting. He said something about being a member of the illuminati and for further information go to illuminatiofficial.org
Larry took a time management course offered by Harvard to fulfill his educational requirements for his job? May go back for Harvard Law!
Ron, who could easily be our next national anthem singer, wants to earn the next chocolate horseshoe by sending his cheque in the mail.
Gordon loves his friends and sees why Steveston is voted the best neighbourhood. Mist rising over the fields this morning.
Pat had a very special evening baby sitting her grand son.
Carolyn had to replace her short shorts so she could golf. Not touching that one.
Debbie S. - --- --- ----- ---- nothing. Sorry - Ed.
speaKER
Our speaker is the Director of Artistic Programs at Gateway Theatre, Barbara Tomasic. She has worked in theatre at all levels from acting to directing to administration. As the daughter of in an immigrant family the theatre was not supposed to be an option for her but she pursued her dream and we are all the richer for it. Gateway was founded in 1984 by a group of Richmond residents as a gift of the performing arts to their community. Sadly only half of Richmond residents actually knew where the theatre was located.(brief geography lesson followed) The main stage seats 522 and Studio B seats 89. Apparently, for theatres only 30% of the budget is covered by ticket sales the rest by grants and donations. Live theatre tells our story and makes people feel emotions in a magical way. The purpose of Gateway is to enrich the lives of Richmond residents. It fulfills this purpose by providing professional live theatre, theatre education and renting out the theatre space. Professional theatre hires only professional actors as opposed to community theatre which is completely or mostly volunteer performers. Gateway normally performs 6 shows a season on main stage and 2 in Studio B. I believe Barb said there have been over 400 performances and in the big holiday shows they will have community involvement usually with young performers. Gateway is one of the most ethnically divers theatres and has showcased performances in the Chinese languages. Theatre education teaches communication, confidence and empathy among other skills while having a good time. They will have 250 students a session who find they fit into theatre when they may not have fit into other offered activities such as sports or dance. The school helps to build a stronger community by exposing young people to theatre. By renting out the theatre it gives opportunity to community theatre groups to perform and also gives other community groups a meeting place. Gateway realizes it needs to adapt to a changing world and had taken steps before the onset of Covid and in particular to engage families, young audiences and the Chinese Canadian community. Gateway retained an advisor and came up with two extremely successful events. The spook event at Halloween attracted over 800 people and a Chinese Heritage event attracted over 300 people. The theatre and arts in general have been devastated by Covid 19. Gateway needs to go in a new direction both from and for the community. Arts and Culture in any form is what is getting us through these times. Traditional theatre is obviously out for now and Gateway has come up with pandemic offerings which are being kept a secret for now but Barbara shared some hints with us. They will be offering interactive kits to families with an activity book at Halloween. In December they will release a digital retrospective on past shows on line. In February 2021 Gateway will host a Lunar New Years festival where participants will be able to hang lanterns in the park. In April Gateway is planning a full theatre show with seating for 50 at one time but perhaps scheduling more performances. The play is called Certified and it is a one actor play about a woman with mental health issues. A very well written comedy that allows the audience to vote at the end of the play as to whether or not the character should be certified. Please participate in and help our local theatre treasure by signing up for the news letter, telling friends, donate, volunteer or seat dedication. The website where you can do all of this is gatewaytheatre.com. Comments from gallery included how interesting a back stage tour is, how great an open bar is for the members, and Michael Ghirra described how his family and friends had participated and been involved. I could not hear the details but Barbara thanked him and said how important it was to make people feel they are celebrating together.
At that moment Kathy achieved a screen coup d'etat. We then discovered that even now volunteers are needed for administration and with the lunar festival and very likely with the play in April 2021. Gordon was on the board at Gateway even before I was born and thanked Barbara particularly because if you volunteer you can see everything for free.
Meanderings
Speaking of corrections, Garth Edwards, Esquire advises, once again, for my benefit that the music on Youtube is from Voces8. Give them a listen.
Speaking of students returning to school William Butler Yeats said, "Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire."
Your intrepid editor interviewed our own Marg Dixon who is doing great post surgery. Out of surgery the day after. Physio is proceeding well Now four weeks post surgery and hopes to be walking and driving next week and attend our meeting. Hurray!
Upcoming Events.
August meetings will be at 14431 Knox Way behind the Grand Ballroom or by Zoom.
Planning is proceeding for an on line auction we hope.
Planning also proceeding for a social event.
Committee (and other) Updates
Social committee now has your input and is planning an event based on your input. Amanda thanks you all for your replies.
We have no applications for projects so if you know of an organization that can use some funding ask them to apply to our projects committee.
It is necessary to have a consistent physical address for the bank, cheques, tax receipts and the CRA. Garth has agreed that we use his firm’s address as it is the one provided on our registration:
Cohen Buchan Edwards LLP
290 – 13777 Commerce Parkway
Richmond, BC V6V 2X3
Our accounts are being moved from Coast Capital to Vancity.
TODAYS CHUCKLE
Mark Twain defined a classic as "A book that everyone praises but no one reads."
Ed: How many have read War and Peace?
I thought I was always positive about everything. But when tested I was found to be Covid negative!
