THE PARKWOOD JOURNAL

OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF OSHAWA-PARKWOOD

Mailing Address: 200-481 Taunton Rd W., OSHAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA L1J 0G3

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO:

ROTARY – People of Action

Rotary is where neighbours, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change.

We're made up of local business, professional, and civic leaders. 

We meet regularly, get to know each other, form friendships and through that, we're able to get things done in our community. 

It's up to YOU.............Join leaders in our community

Be sure to share this with all of your friends and associates and ask them to get in touch with our Club President President Hilda Finnigan at 905-431-4258 or Club Past President Linda Porritt at 905-626-6386 

You are invited to our next Rotary meeting. You may wish to become a Rotarian. Dinner is on us. Isn't it time to give back to your community?.

THE OBJECT OF ROTARY

is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

FIRST The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

SECOND High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful

occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

THIRD The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;

FOURTH The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of

business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Rotary Code of Conduct provides a framework for ethical behaviour that all Rotarians can use, together with The Four-Way Test, in their business and professional activities.

ROTARY CODE OF CONDUCT

As a Rotarian, I will

1. Exemplify the core value of integrity in all behaviours and activities

2. Use my vocational experience and talents to serve in Rotary

3. Conduct all of my personal, business, and professional affairs ethically, encouraging and fostering high ethical standards as an example to others

4. Be fair in all dealings with others and treat them with the respect due to them as fellow human beings

5. Promote recognition and respect for all occupations which are useful to society

6. Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community

7. Honour the trust that Rotary and fellow Rotarians provide and not do anything that will bring disfavour or reflect adversely on Rotary or fellow Rotarians

8. Not seek from a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship

THE ROTARY FOUR-WAY TEST

of things we think, say and do:

1. Is it the truth

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

MINUTES OF MEETING:  Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Editor: Tess Pierce

Meeting Called to Order at 6:30 PM: President David Mankiewicz

Grace: Kim Tan

Toast to the KING: Donald Igbokwe

Land Acknowledgement: President David Mankiewicz

We respectfully acknowledge that the Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood is meeting on the traditional territory of the Mississauga 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: Bev Fiddler

Visiting Rotarians and Guests:

Joe Solway & Melanie Correia – Our speakers RE: Feed the Need

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES:

Ana Rejab Oct 3

Craig Porritt Oct 3

Hilda Finnigan Oct 4

Laura Carey Oct 4

Peter Hernandez Oct 8

Bill Fiddler Oct 8

Bev & Bill Fiddler Oct 4

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Dave M: REMEMBER AGM is Nov 18. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Executive for 2026-27, please let President Dave know.

Ulzaa: Tickets are still available to experience Ashit Nergut, Mongolian throat singer and musician, this week on October 9 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

Hilda: TULIPS! We still have a few packages of bulbs available. We will sell out. Hilda will take the remaining bulbs to the District Conference. Rotary shirts. We will be placing a second order for both T-shirts and Golf Shirts. Tees are $15 each, and Golf shirts are $45. There are 2 medium t-shirts still available from the initial order.

Ted M: It’s Cakes & Hams season. Prices are the same as last year. Boneless Black Forest hams are 30$ each, and Dark Christmas cakes are 25$. The only difference is the cake container. This year, cakes are packed in a very nice cardboard box. Orders must be placed by Nov 12. This is a fundraiser, so sell to your neighbours, friends, and family. Ted also updated us on how Canada is in the top 10 for countries contributing to the END POLIO CAMPAIGN. District 7070 is the top district fundraiser in Canada. Proud Canadians!

Donald Igbokwe: Foundation Walk - beautiful weather and great time. Please get your pledges in as soon as possible.

Dave A: Polio Event, October 16, is moving to 100% online. Great speaker lineup and plenty of time for questions. Space is limited to the first 100 participants, so you must pre-register to attend. Register HERE.

Lennis: Safety Village Halloween: Celebrations are on Oct 23, 24 & 25 at Safety Village. Volunteers for Friday and Saturday are still needed.

Joe Solway: Still a few spots left for the District Conference.

Robbie: Still needs Sgt-Arms for November. Thanks to Larry for stepping in tonight.

SGT AT ARMS: Lucky Larry Hurren is back!  

ACE OF SPADES: Tess had # 3211 but drew the 10 Hearts. The pot grows.

• Kim Tan: Happy to be in such a diverse club. We have at least 12 different nationalities.

• Dave A: Welcome to Joe Solway and Melanie for Feed the Need.

• Hilda: Happy that Al’s son is getting stronger. Sad that this means she and Al are again dog-less.

• Shashi: Happy her friend Joe Solway is here.

• AL: Hilda won the gift basket at Robbie’s open house.

• Robbie: That open house? Well, it also celebrated Robbie’s 37 years with Biddle & Associates and, as of November 1, 2025, Robbie is officially retired.

• Tess: Happy that people are stepping up to be part of the Executive.

• Larry: Happy to be back and happy that Tess has hair!

• Ted: Happy to help his niece, a postal worker. She came to do a bit of yard work for him. What usually took Ted all day to do, she completed in record time. He was glad to help her out, but not-so-happy feeling his age!

Rotary Moment

Tonight, Ted shared a beautiful history of the Rotary journey. From a group of 4 like-minded businessmen in 1905, pitching in to buy a horse for a preacher, the idea of a service club was born. They called their club ‘Rotary’ because the meeting place rotated every week. They quickly grew and began meeting in a hotel, and they added a meal. Paul Harris’ idea took off and, by 1911, the first club in Canada started in Winnipeg. Today, there are 35,000 Rotary clubs in 200 countries. We are 1.5 million Rotarians strong today. And Ted put it beautifully when he closed, saying we are “promoting goodwill and peace all over the world and are providing HOPE to the needy peoples of the world.”

Our Speakers: Welcome, Melanie Correia and Joe Solway for Feed The Need

Dave Andrews introduced Melanie & Joe. Melanie is the Director of Development and Communications with over two decades of proven success in brand growth using innovative strategies. Her current focus is food insecurity. Experience and passion help her to create meaningful partnerships to support communities and people facing access food challenges. Joe Solway is a familiar Rotarian working out of the Bowmanville club. He is Zone 28’s Assistant Rotary Director-Public Image. Joe is an active organizer at both the club and district levels. He is best known as the producer of A Concert to Feed the Need which supports food banks and shelters across the Durham region.

Feed the Need – The Numbers

Melanie started by sharing the increase in the numbers of people who frequent food banks and pantries in our area. Since 2023 the numbers of people visiting has stayed stable, but these same folks are accessing food banks and meal programs more frequently Total visits went from 702,839 in 2023-24 to almost 900,000 in 2024-25. They project that 2025-26 will be closer to 1 million.

Feed the Need – Current Successes & Future Projects

One success story is the creation of The Market Food Bank. The Market is a grocery-store experience where clients shop just. Like they would at a retail store. Currently there are two Markets-one in Oshawa and one in Whitby.  Another success is a partnership with Mighty Harvest. These are vertical growth farms that provide fresh veggies year-round. In 2025 Feed the Need added a collaboration with the Four Farms Collective, and plans are moving forward to create Grower Modular Farms – climate resistant year-round container farming.

CONCERT FOR FEED THE NEED:

Save the date- December 7^th - 2 pm The Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa