GUEST SPEAKER: DISTRICT GOVERNOR NEIL PHILLIPS
Assistant Governor Beth Selby introduced our District Governor Neil Phillips. Neil joined Rotary in 1998, when he was asked to become a member of The Rotary Club of Toronto (RCT) by his CEO, a fellow Rotarian. In his Rotary career, Neil has had the opportunity to serve in many different capacities and at several levels. In 2012-13 Neil was honoured to be President during RCT’s Centennial year. He is a past member of the Rotary Club of Toronto Foundation, a Sustaining Member of The Rotary Foundation and a member of the Bequest Society. Within RCT he has been awarded the Club Builder and William Peace Award, with multiple Paul Harris Fellow designations, and the Distinguished Service Award. On the heels of completing his term as Club President, Neil took on the positions of Assistant Governor and District Chair for Rotaract – roles in which he held until moving into the role of District Governor Elect.
In the community, Neil has held volunteer roles outside of Rotary, including board member positions with his tennis club and World Literacy Canada.
He has worked in the marketing logistics, uniforms/branded merchandise and product co-packing and third party logistics industries for three decades. He has been with DGN Marketing Services for more than 25 years and has been President of the company since 2007.
Neil is of British heritage, his parents emigrating from England directly after having both served in World War II. He has lived in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario; and while sometimes conflicted about referring to himself as a Torontonian, calls Toronto his home today.
An inveterate traveler, Neil has explored all seven continents (with an eccentric definition of “off the beaten path”), and has a passion for literature and music. He enjoys all foods, and can often be found with his nose in a glass of wine. He lives with his partner, Mardi Michels, who by coincidence was a Rotary Exchange Student (Australia to Belgium) in her youth. Mardi is a French teacher, cooking instructor and food writer/author. In the past three years Neil & Mardi have become French landowners, busy learning phrases like “tout a l'égout” as they restore their historic home as a rental property. They are bossed around by Cleo, their opinionated Burmese cat.
DG Neil's Remarks:
DG Neil is very excited that District 7070 is hosting this year's RotaryInternational Convention in Toronto which will put a lot more work and effort on everyone's plate. So he resisted a push for separate, specific goals around membership and fundraising. Clubs know that in order to stay an active and relevant part of our communities, we need to bring in new members. To help with this, Rotary has really ramped up their referral program, called Membershi Leads. Over the next year, the District Membership Committee will fine tune ways to coordinate these referrals. Please help to capitalize on this initiative if you are contacted. Recently, though, the President of the Rotaract Club of Berlin made a very impactful presentation at the convention in Atlanta. With so many clubs focused on attracting younger members, something she said really resonated. "We don't need young Rotary Clubs, we don't need old Rotary clubs; we just need RotaryClubs". Simply put, we need clubs where all that matters is Service Above Self.
He talked about the new Public Image campaign called People of Action and asked all Rotarians to start using the materials in the Rotary Brand Center to help boost Rotary's public image.
Neil asked everyone here tonight to keep doing and continue to do the great work you do and let us (the District) know when, and if you need help. The best projects are initiated by Rotarians and their Rotary Clubs. If you need help, ask the District and we will help simplify some of the “red tape”.
There's a chance this Rotary year may well be the first year of no reported cases of polio worldwide. Dr. Bob Scott may say it's a touch too soon to say that, but maintaining a focus on polio will be key in the year. RotaryInternational has launched their "Countdown to History" campaign. To help us maximize the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's challenge funds, the District is looking for every Club to raise $2,000 towards the End Polio Now campaign this year.
In addition, the District will be looking for support to make the June 2018 Rotary International Convention, a party in our backyard a memorable one. An opportunity to show the world who we are, what we are made of and that we are a diverse, vibrant and flourishing district. He also said that we are all invited to attend the Rotaract pre-contention. Get involved in Rotaract's 50th Anniversary. And there will also be an Interact pre-convention, the second of its kind.
As well, our own district conference at White Oaks Convention Center on November 3rd and 4th will be exciting with great breakout sessions, covering each of the Six Areas of Focus. And speakers have been announced. Here is the agenda.
To quote Rotary International President Ian Riseley "our service will be guided, as it should be, by three strategic priorities":
to support and strengthen our clubs
to focus and increase our humanitarian service
and to enhance Rotary's public image and awareness
Two things have been asked of each Club to make these priorities a reality. One is to document your volunteer hours. Another is to plant a tree for every Rotarian in our district, between July 1st and April 22, 2018 - Earth Day. He talked briefly about the Highway of Heros Tribute Campaign and Rotary's tree planting family day on April 22, 2017 and a special deal for Rotarians to donate and contribute to the campaign.
To remain the vibrant District that we are, we would benefit by more people getting involved at the District level. It doesn't matter what club you are in, where it's located, how big or small, how new or established it is -- you have the opportunity to get involved. It's important more people raise their hands and put their hat in the ring and it's an even bigger win if those people will be a part of our infrastructure for many years to come.
If we can help move that needle a bit this year, Neil will consider that a personal success.
At the same time to maintain a balance between family, work and Rotary and to give everyone a purpose through Rotary. Neil is looking forward to getting to know every Club better, to attending some of our events, participating in our projects and celebrating successes with us. And remember "we do make a difference".
President Ted (Oshawa-Parkwood) thanked District Governor Neil for his presentation
Meeting Adjourned by President Ted Morrison
L to R: L to R; Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood President and Past District Governor Ted Morrison, Rotary Club of Oshawa President Ron Dick, Assistant Governor Beth Selby, Rotary club of Bowmanville president Reg Freethy, District Governor Neil Phillips— at Oshawa Golf and Curling Club
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For more photos, be sure to go to : www.rotary7070.org , in the photo albums for more photos.
http://www.rotary7070.org/PhotoAlbums/dg-neil-visits-3-clubs-in-oshawa
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, MAKE UP : Go online at www.rotary.org go to the club locator and find a club or clubs near your destination. Or you can add the free App Rotary Club Locator to your phone for instant look up of any club in the world. Please mail or fax your make-ups to Secretary Robbie Larocque, or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officer at the next club meeting.
HERE’S A LIST OF SOME ROTARY CLUBS CLOSE TO YOU.
Please check the club website to make sure their location and time has not changed:
MONDAY:
Belleville – Ramada Inn – 11 Bay Ridges at Hwy 2 - 12:00 noon
Oshawa – Jubilee Pavillion Banquet Centre, 55 Lakeview Park Ave, Oshawa – 12:10 pm
Markham-Unionville – Al Dente Ristorante, 39 Main St.N., - 6:30 pm
Port Hope – Knights of Columbus Hall, 1 Elias St., – 6:00 pm
Richmond Hill – Sheraton Parkway Hotel, 600 Hwy 7 East, – 6:00 pm
Trenton – Holiday Inn – 99 Glen Miller Rd. at 401 - 6:00 pm
TUESDAY:
Whitby – Whitby Central Library, 405 Dundas St W - 7:00 am
Pickering – Bollocks, 736 Kingston Rd, Pickering – 7:00 am
Bowmanville – Trinity Church Hall, 116 Church St. – 7:15 am
Picton – Royal Canadian Legion, 347 Main St., - 12:15 pm
Scarborough Bluffs – Loblaw’s Superstore (upstairs) – 1775 Brimley at Progress – 7:15 am
Scarborough – Scarborough Golf Club – Golf Club Rd. – 12:30
Scarborough Twilight – The Olde Stone Cottage – 3750 Kingston Rd. - 5:30 pm
WEDNESDAY:
Whitby-Sunrise – Royal Oak Pub, Whitby Shores, 617 Victoria St W – 7:00 am
Markham Sunrise – Delta Markham Hotel – 50 East Valhala Dr., Hwy 7 east of 404 – 7:00 am
Northumberland Sunrise – Ashbrook Golf Club – 7215 Dale Rd, Port Hope - 7:00 am
North Scarborough – Delta Toronto East – 2035 Kennedy Rd, Scarborough – 12:30 pm
Port Perry – Sunnybrae Golf Club, 1430 King Street, Port Perry, ON , – 6:15 pm
THURSDAY:
Ajax – (First Thursday of the month) at Public Library, 55 Harwood Ave S., – 12:15 pm
Ajax – rest of the month - McEachnie Family Centre, 20 Church Street North, NorthWest Corner Hwy 2 & Church - 7:30am
Agincourt – 6:30 pm at Rotating locations. Please contact Ron - rdhinchliff@gmail.com to verify location.
Quinte Sunrise – Bay of Quinte Golf Club, 1830 Old Hwy 2, – 7:00 am
Uxbridge – Wooden Sticks Golf & Country Club, 40 Elgin Park Drive off Concession 7 South of Uxbridge. – 7:00 am
FRIDAY:
Toronto – Royal York Hotel, 100 Front St, – 12:15
Cobourg – Best Western Cobourg Motor Inn, 930 Burnham Rd. at Hwy 2 – 12:15
Courtice – White Cliffe Terrace, 1460 Hwy 2 – 7:15 am
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