MINUTES OF MEETING OF
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Editor: Past President Bob Koski
Meeting Called to Order at 6:30 PM: by Vice President David Mankiewicz
Grace: led by Rob Koski
“Oh Lord, The Giver of All Good,
We Thank Thee for our Daily Food,
May Rotary friends and Rotary ways
Help us to Serve Thee
All our Days”
Toast to the KING : Bill Creamer
Land Acknowledgement: by Vice President David Mankiewicz
We respectfully acknowledge that the Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood is meeting on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nations, within the jurisdiction of the Williams Treaties. We are committed to our responsibility of stewardship, in these relationships and for this land on which we learn, share and live.
Toast to Canada: Linda Porritt
Visiting Rotarians and Guests :
Welcome to our guest speaker Debbie Dawson – Hearth Place and welcome to Kevin Gorrell
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES:
Happy Birthday to Larry Hurren on February 27
ANNOUNCEMENTS / REMINDERS:
REMINDERS from Lennis Trotter:
Kids Safety Village Board and Committee Meeting Mar. 17 – 1:00 pm;
Kids Safety Village and Rotary and Partners Annual joint meeting with our club Apr. 8 at Oshawa Golf Club
Kids Safety Village Easter Eggstravaganza – April 18 and 19 – 9:30 am to 2 pm - please sign up with Lennis if you can assist
Lennis volunteered at Delta Bingo in Pickering and witnessed 30 something bingos for one prize (very unusual, to say the least).
Dave Andrews has Reverse Draw Tickets for you to sell.
Dave has a number of silent auction items but we need more. Send Dave a photo of the item and description and a Value and Dave will post to our Facebook page. Members should start thinking about who they sold tickets to last year. Members were encouraged to think about possible sponsors for this event too. The more the merrier. Dave has supplied everyone with the silent auction items and ticket sales lists from last year, and sample “ask” letters, and promo posters for this year.
Ted reminded members that they should be on the lookout for silent auction items. May 8 will be here before we know it.
Dave Andrews announced: MAR 6 – International Women’s Day – LIVE at Rotary Global Classroom at Durham College - 7 to 9 PM. Come embrace women and equity in the district as we celebrate the women of Rotary District 7070! We gather March 6th @ 6pm in the Rotary Global Classroom at Durham College in a hybrid setting (In person and online) to celebrate fellowship and hear from female leaders of Rotary District 7070.
Broadcast starts at 7 pm. IN PERSON Registration fee of $17.00 payable ON LINE WHEN YOU REGISTER in advance. To register: AND TO CONFIRM ATTENDANCE , PLEASE REGISTER IN THE EVENT CALENDAR ON THE DISTRICT 7070 WEBSITE. Parking will be in Founders Lot 2 @ Durham College . Parking will be $3.00 Parking map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BxKBqPJyHQpXacNG8. Guest speakers include Sonam Choeden, Deb Murray and Lynda Ryder! . Please join us for an evening where we embrace equity to forget and harmony and unity, driving success for all.
Please register for the IN PERSON event right here: AND TO CONFIRM ATTENDANCE , PLEASE REGISTER IN THE EVENT CALENDAR ON THE DISTRICT 7070 WEBSITE.
If you cannot make the live in-person event The NEW link for the on line broadcast will be announced: . If you have any questions, please contact Shauna Moore, Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise at shaunamoore@gmail.com
Dave Andrews announced: MAR 12 – Night of A Thousand Dinners –NEW DATE - MARCH 12, 2025 - Proceeds to the Canadian Landmine Foundation , Officers' Mess, Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Armoury , 53 Simcoe Street North. SAVE THE DATE : TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE: If you and/or anyone you know might like to participate in this soiree a spot can be saved by E-TRANSFERRING $135 per person to oshawarotaryclub@rogers.com and put one's
name followed by NKD so the treasurer (Ron Dick) will know what the money is for. Bar opens at 6 pm. Dinner at 7 pm. Fundraiser for Canadian Landmine Foundation by the Oshawa Rotary Club. Call Gordon Dowsley for tickets, when we have more info available at 905-576-3636 and at gdowsley@yahoo.com . Many Rotary Clubs in Canada support Canadian Landmine Foundation. Join us. See: https://canadianlandmine.org/ ......
REMINDER: Ted Morrison announced… Maple Syrup Sales Fundraiser: Everyone should start taking their orders now. Delivery will be April 3 at Bill Creamer’s. Bottles are One litre for $25. Tess suggested that you could buy a case and donate it to the food bank (and get a tax receipt).
Hilda Finnigan via David Mankiewicz advised our club of the good news that Al’s son has reached the significant milestone of 100 days with his bone marrow transplant.
SGT AT ARMS: Don Igbokwe
ACE OF SPADES: The draw was won by Dave Andrews. He drew the Jack of Clubs. Only 14 cards left, for next meeting. The pot grows even bigger
HAPPY BUCKS: Thank you to Don for collecting our Happy Bucks
Ted Morrison leaves for sunny Spain in one week for their one month vacation.
Bill Creamer off to Windsor Casino and then Mexico for a family vacation.
Kevin Gorrell – was pleased to be at our meeting.
Bob Stewart – B of M stock up yesterday.
Tess Pierce – surgery scheduled for Monday, March 3.
(Our thoughts and best wishes are with her.)
Dave A – Welcome Debbie Dawson
Dale Duke (Sad Note) – his brother-in-law died as a result of a tree cutting accident.
SPEAKER: Debbie Dawson – Hearth Place
Introduced by Linda Porritt , Debbie Dawson grew up in Toronto and moved to Durham in 1983 to raise her family. Debbie was a successful realtor for more than 25 years where she was a co-owner of Century 21 Infinity here in Oshawa. She was President of the Durham Region Association of Realtors and Governor on the Realtor Care Foundation. She retired from Real Estate in 2017.
Presently, Debbie is working with Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre as a Fundraising and Community Engagement Officer. Her primary role is the stewardship of major sponsors and to provide professional expertise and leadership in fundraising strategies and public awareness.
In her spare time Debbie has been a community champion for more than 40 years as part of the Lions Club International. In July 2025 Debbie will be installed as the International Director representing the more than 33,000 Lions from across Canada all over the world.
Debbie very professionally explained the purpose of Hearth Place.
She mentioned that no one is turned away from receiving services and no one is charged for any of the provided services
Hearth Place receives no government funding. They rely on donations from the general public and they do a fundraising spaghetti dinner and a golf tournament.
She distributed a Hearth Place pamphlet, a March and April calendar illustrating various activities taking place at Hearth Place and their quarterly newspaper outlining their activities and sponsors.
Debbie was thanked by Tess Pierce.
For more information on Hearth Place, go to: https://hearthplace.org/
David Mankiewicz adjourned the meeting shortly after 8:03 pm.
MORE INFORMATION IN THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Be sure to check out our Calendar for details.!!
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, YOU CAN 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 Janice Coupland, or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officer at the next club meeting.