Despite all the restrictions created by the Covid pandemic, thanks to Zoom and the ongoing support of all our members and friends the last 6 months have been very productive.
Welcome !
We are now conducting our meetings via a mix of zoom-only meetings, zoom and face-to-face meetings, and social meetings. They are every Tuesday at 5PM. Please go to the Calendar for the details of each week's meeting. If you are thinking about joining Rotary, or are a Rotarian visiting from another club, please feel free to join us.
Email us at info@whistler-rotary.org for zoom log-in info?
Check our Calendar or List of Upcoming Meetings and Events for the details.
Whilst Covid-19 continues to place so many restrictions on our activities, the RCOW continues to be active in the local and global community.
This month we:
Sponsored Xmas Gifts for all the 39 children at the Skatin School. The pictures show Roberta Whiskyjack and her team delivering the gifts to the children of Skatin and Tipella.
A thank you from the Skatin School
"I would like to thank you, Gill and the Rotary Club on behalf of the Skatin Community School students, parents and staff for the making this year’s Christmas special for them.
You will see by the photos and videos that the students appreciated the gifts they received.
I want to mention also that we recorded our last fluent speaker elder singing Jingle Bells in Ucwalmicwts. It made it even more special.
We would like to wish you and the Rotary Club a very special and Merry Christmas."
We had a fun Zoom Xmas Party with a Festive Basket Draw and some competitions that raised $900+ for our local projects.
Isabel McLaurin and Erika Durlacher enjoying the Xmas Party from their Covid bubble.
Our Speakers for December were:
David Malaher (long time member of RCOW)- on the topic "An Art and History Story to go with 14,000 Islands in Lake of the Woods". David and Rosemary spend their summers at their cabin on the lake and shared many pictures of the lake and its interesting demographics and history. It inspired our listeners who have not been there to put this amazing lake on their travel bucket list for post-Covid.
James McConville and Danile Martin from Eagle Mountain Middle School, Coquitlam. James and Daniel are creating an Outdoor Environment Classroom at their school out of what is mostly suburban woodland with many invasive species. RCOW subsequently donated $1000 for a weather-safe notice/information board from our Environment Fund.
We hope that post-covid some members will be able to join some of the work parties to help establish this project.
We were delighted to welcome the 3 RCOW scholarship winners for 2020 and Ewa Zebrowski to our meeting on Tuesday 18th August.
Abby Unruh received the BobBrown/Richard Heine Scholarship
Jade Quinn-McDonald received the Walter Zebrowski Scholarship (Girl)
David Mehta received the Walter Zebrowski Scholarship (Boy)
Each student presented a personal portfolio of their achievements and spoke of their aspirations and plans for their future. Their presentations were truly impressive and showed them to be very worthy recipients.
This is the first year that 2 students, a boy, and a girl have received Walter Zebrowski Scholarships thanks to the amazing fundraising of Ewa Zebrowski and Doug Forseth.
We look forward to a return visit of these young people next summer to hear about their experiences and the first year of tertiary study.
Ken Martin first met Kalu Tamang some years ago in Nepal when Kalu was his trekking guide. Kalu visited Whistler in 2018 and first spoke to the Rotary Club of Whistler describing the aftermath of the earthquake that had a devastating impact on Nepal.
On August 11th, Kalu spoke with us once again from Japan where he is currently marooned, unable to return to Nepal because of the Covid pandemic. Kalu and Selina Ng from Malaysia have created a small Charity project - Right to Loo - which is focussed on providing clean water and proper sanitary toileting facilities for schools in Nepal. In the last 3 years, they have built toilets for 12 schools. This is quite an achievement as all supplies have to be transported over very difficult terrain to get to the schools.
For more information go to Facebook: RightToLoo and rightoloo@gmail.com
Bobbie Rathbun still remembers the time as a child when she wasn’t allowed to go to the mall or the movie theatre or the local swimming pool over fear of coming into contact with large crowds.
While our widespread COVID-19 health protocols are new to most, for a certain generation, physical distancing was the norm as parents tried to protect their children from another devastating, infectious disease: polio.
Teaching Mothers to Teach Others. Speaker: Dr Tanyss Munro | |
 | The Rotary Club of Whistler has supported Bulbuli, one of the mothers in the Amarok Society programme in Bangladesh for a number of years. Last year the club also started sponsoring Sejada. The Amarok Society was founded with one family at its centre: Dr. Tanyss Munro, Gem Munro and their four children. "The Amarok Society defeats ignorance with the most powerful force known to man: Woman." At our Zoom meeting of the 4th August, Dr Tanyss Munro spoke to us about what has happened with the programme since the Covid pandemic swept across the globe. For more information about the Amarok Society see : |
At our Club Zoom Meeting of the 28th August, Ashlie Girvan spoke to us about a rather low profile group of Whistler residents who have donated more than $60,000 since May 2019 to Local Charities. 100 Women Who Care was started in November of 2006 by Karen Dunigan of Jackson, Michigan as a simple way to raise money quickly and efficiently for local charities. The local Whistler Chapter was founded in December of 2018 by Ashlie Girvan, who discovered the 100 Who Care Alliance while getting lost in her InstaStories late one night. Ashlie recognized the simplicity and potential surrounding this fundraising initiative and quickly reached out to Kourtney McKercher, Ruth Barrow and Courtney knight to join forces with her as the organization committee; we are each strong in our own right, but together we are stronger. The first inaugural meeting took place on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. See the website: https://100womenwhistler.com/
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| Meetings: 14th and 21st July | |
14th July Business meeting At the business meeting of the 14th July, Ken ran through the financials of the 2019-2020 Rotary Year and the reports were approved. The financials for this financial were discussed and although there are so many unknowns with the ongoing Pandemic and potential fundraising, the Rotary Club of Whistler is in a strong situation to meet our regular annual contributions to such causes as supporting the Skatin school and our Amarok mums. The members welcomed Grant Loyer and Leslie Piderman from Lillooet to join our club. Their membership has since been completed. Following the presentation the Club by Elly Contrera it was determined to support Project Amigo with a donation of $1000 and to review in 6 months time to see if the Club has the resources to donate further. 21st July. Presentation by Trevor Ferraro of WORCA WORCA - Whistler Off Road Cycling Association has led the stewardship of mountain biking trails in the Whistler valley since 1989. Every year they sanction events that bring the mountain biking community together, foster the evolution of the sport through youth programs, and employ experienced trail builders and staff to construct, maintain, and advocate for Whistler’s mountain bike trails. Trevor explained how all of these activities are sponsored and staffed and the challenges they face to maintain their programmes. | |
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 | Elly Contreras and her husband Ramiros established Project Amigo in 1984 to provide educational scholarships, material support, enrichment activities, and preventive and remedial health care to disadvantaged children and youth in Colima state. At our meeting on Tuesday Elly explained why there is such a great need for the kind of support that Project Amigo provides. | |
  | On the 23rd of July, at Rainbow Park, under the Rotary Club of Whistler covered picnic area, our club had a rainy but pleasant gathering of 25 members, friends and family. Appetizers and cupcakes were enjoyed. COVID 19 protocols observed. The new president Gill Forester was sworn in, followed by the new Board of Directors. On the left are 3 generations of Rotary Club of Whistler president. From the right, Gill Forester - President 2020-2021, Janice Lloyd - President 2019-2020, Ken Martin - President 2018-2019 and 2017-2018. Four of our members who are Grande Dames of Whistler all had birthdays within a week, earlier in June, and we toasted their good health. Shown on the right are the honored Joan Deeks, Gail Wensley, Isobel MacLauren and Erika Durlacher. |
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Whistler, BC
Canada