MINUTES OF MEETING: Tuesday, March 10, 2025

Editor: Tess Pierce (With help of Dave A.)

Meeting Called to Order at 5:00 PM: by President David Mankiewicz

Grace: Larry Hurren

Toast to the KING: Linda Porritt 

Land Acknowledgement:

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: Ted Morrison 

Visiting Rotarians and Guests:

We welcomed our guests from Whitby Sunrise Rotary Club Janet Thorsteinson, Debbie Morgan and Joyce Marshall. 

Janet is the founder and Chair of Sew Girls Can Go To School. Debbie and Joyce help with the hands-on project.

We also welcomed Kay Hurren, Sarah Oommen, and all the way from Vancouver our Past President Sue MacKinnon.

Always a warm welcome to our Honourary member Linda Biddle (a great seamstress). Kay Hurren and Esther Trotter also pitched in.

Sew Girls Can Go To School – Sew-A-Thon

At 6 pm, Robbie Larocque with Terri Lynn and Veronica welcomed us for the hands-on cutting and sewing. 

Amandeep Singh joined us and brought his wife and son to help us too. Rotarian Camille Miquel Farfan, also 

joined us directly from classes at Durham College.

This was a special event (a hands-on community service project meeting of the Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood) for sewing re-usable menstrual pads for the teenage girls in the Dominican Republic. Without the ability to care for themselves during their periods, they miss 4 to 6 days of school a month, every month. Sewing these reusable pads will allow them to attend, thereby allowing better grades, and a better future. We had over 20 Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood members, spouses and their friends cut the material into circles and strips, to sew the pads, and to help with other tasks between those steps. Our efforts tonight will allow 200 girls in the Dominican Republic to go to school full time and receive an education.

After dinner we gathered in the Mclaughlin Room at the Oshawa Golf Club. The room was set up and ready to go. Janet divided us up into different workstations where we created and cut patterns of cloth and sewed the pieces together to make reusable sanitary napkins. The menstrual pads need to be assembled and once assembled, we turned them inside out, ready to be sewn again. 

Thank you, Janet, Debbie and Joyce, for letting us help you make pads for 200 girls in the Dominica Republic who will be able to go to school and stay in school.

The set- up crew at work.                                                           This looks easier than it really is.

Hard at work.                                                                                                   Lennis & Larry measuring away

Esther, Linda & Amandeep join the fun                             Joyce Marshall and Terri Lynn having fun!

Future Rotarians join the fun                                                                                            Robbie looks serious.

Look at their determined faces (Sue, Kay, and Linda)                                                               The sewing crew

President Dave with a little help from Janet and Camille

The Sew-A-Thon ended at 8:30 pm.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Ted Morrison – March 25 at 2 PM – Maple Syrup labelling session at Bill Creamer’s, 877 Mount Allan Ave, Oshawa.

Spouses and friends most welcome to help.

Once labelled , we want the big sellers to pick up their maple syrup