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, 12 August 2025

Editor: V.P. Tess Pierce (with help from Dave Andrews)

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

Grace: Bob Koski

Toast to the KING: Dale Duke

Land Acknowledgement: President Dave

We respectfully acknowledge that the Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood is meeting on the traditional territory of the Mississauga’s 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: Dave Penney

Visiting Rotarians and Guests:

• Linda Biddle

• Caroline Kipling

• Rhonda Kirkland, our speaker

• Alex Down, Rhonda’s Chief of Staff

• Yvonne Henry, prospective member

• Beverly Fiddler, prospective member

Birthdays and Anniversaries

• Mike & Coleen McLaren - Anniversary

• Launi Elliott - Birthday

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Ways & Means committee meeting Tuesday August 19 at 5 pm. This is the meeting where we decide on budgets and fund-raising for 2025-26. Please plan on attending it you have any ideas!

• Reminder the District Conference at Fern Resort is Oct 24-26. There is still time to register.

• Rotary Foundation Walk Sept 28 at Nort Johnson District Park in Vaughan

• Our club’s BBQ is Sept 13. Our host is Fahim Fikrat, 158 Taylorwood Court, Oshawa, Ontario. More information to follow.

NEW MEMBER INDUCTION: ULZAA YANJMAA

Shashi introduced our newest member, Ulzaa Yanjmaa. Ulzaa’s impressive resume includes civic organizing, diversity initiatives, community leadership, and the importance of family. As an organizer, Ulzaa is the Founder and Board Chair of the Mongolian Association of Toronto. She is dedicated to supporting marginalized individuals and groups, especially in the areas of intergenerational trauma and colonization. She celebrates diversity and, this year, participated in a Water Blessing ceremony at Indian River and walked in the Toronto Pride Parade. Ulzaa is a community leader who worked as a language instructor teaching Mongolian for the Toronto District School Board. She volunteers as a computer coach and supports the Belmont House, where she helps those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Ulzaa completed the Social Service Worker program at Seneca College, holds a diploma in Network System Technology, and earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Bucharest University in Romania. She has a master’s in Human Rights and Intellectual Property Law from Lund University, Sweden. She is a true polyglot. She speaks, English, Mongolian, Russian, and Romanian. She is currently working to improve her French. She is the proud mother of three children. In her thank you remarks, Ulzaa expressed her gratitude for her new Rotary family, and she looks forward to participating and volunteering. Lennis Trotter and Ted Morrison presented Ulzaa with her new member packets. Dave Andrews welcomed Ulzaa on her new journey as Rotarian and explained what that means.

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SGT AT ARMS: Al Finnigan

ACE OF SPADES:

Rhonda picked ticket #276 and Dave Penney got yet another chance at the pot. Lucky for us, he picked the 4 of Clubs. The pot grows.

HAPPY BUCKS: (So many happy folks!)

• Al F. Happy to see the return of Buck Martinez as commentator for the Blue Jays. Also, happy for the good golf weather.

• Dave A. Glad to have both Rhonda and Alex joining us.

• Shashi Happy to see Rhonda and happy that Ulzaa is now a member and Bev will soon be.

• Amber is now a homeowner!

• Bev Fiddler is happy to be here!

• Alex D. Thanks for the invitation. This is her first Rotary meeting.

• Rhonda K Excited for Amber’s new home.

• Bob K. Patti is doing well. Her hip surgery only took 58 minutes!

• Robert K. Welcomed Ulzaa

• Linda B. Loved being able to attend this very exciting meeting.

• Ted M. After 30+ years in the club, he is very happy to announce he does NOT know everyone in the room! He also reported a clean bill of health at his last checkup.

SPEAKER: Member of Parliament for Oshawa, Rhonda Kirkland.

Dave A welcomed Rhonda (and Alex) to our meeting. Every year our club invites civic leaders to help us understand our community and Rhonda kicks off these talks tonight. Rhonda was elected to the House of Commons in April 2025 and is a member of the House Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. In her warm and genuine talk, Rhonda spoke of her commitment to the Oshawa community and our values. She thanked Alex Down for helping to smooth her transition from community leader to Member of Parliament. For Rhonda politics is about the people and not necessarily the just following the party-line. As a Rotarian, Rhonda learned about service and a sense of community. This prepared her for her new role in the House of Commons representing Oshawa. In fact, on her bench in the House, Rhonda placed a reminder that reads “This seat belongs to Oshawa.” When speaking of her highlights of the first 4 months as our representative, Rhonda experienced the pomp and circumstance of the formal opening, meeting King Charles, and surviving the rigors of new member training. She spoke for the first time in the House on June 3. Her holistic approach to government includes collaborating, watching, learning, listening, and waiting before jumping into an issue. As a ‘scrappy Oshawa girl’ Rhonda frames her legislative work with this statement, “if it is good for Oshawa and Canada I will vote for it.”

She answered questions on the difference of governing as a woman, the importance of supporting the people of Oshawa, the future of Canada Post, and retraining(?) postal workers.

Bev Fiddler thanked Rhonda.