Please join us at Odd Fellows Hall, 218 Concession Street, Kingston ON.
The Rotary Four Way Test
Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned
Rotary Reflection
For food in a world where many walk in hunger
For peace in a world where many walk in fear
For friends in a world where many walk alone
And for the opportunity to serve others through Rotary,
May we be truly thankful!
The Loyal Toast
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Canada!
Acknowledgement of Territory
We are gathered on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. we are grateful to be able to join together in Rotary Fellowship on these lands.
The meeting opened with the singing of the National Anthem and acknowledgement of territory.
Guests: Amanda Porter from KEYS, guest of Ana Sutherland
Friends of Rotary: On’a’got’tay, Jim Rymerson
Visiting Rotarians: Joan Egnatoff - Honourary member of CK Rotary; Paul Van Nest - Kingston (speaker)
Service Commitments (Makeups):
District Conference, Ana Sutherland, Ed Thomson, John Gale, Greta DuBois; John Farrow, Murray Cotton, Greg Mumford, Rick Fiedorec- Bingo; John Farrow - Grants Training; Elizabeth Cohoe - Board Meeting, Service Projects Meeting; Greta Dubois - Centennial Meeting
Member Sharing
Fun Master - Michelle Chatten-Fiedorec
As this was the week of returning to standard time, Michelle offered some scientific facts about the reason why time seems to speed up when we get older. No one was fined but this led into Happy Bucks.
Happy/Sad Bucks
Bill and Joan Egnatoff attended the YMCA peace awards and also the Kingston Rotary Club book project at Rideau Heights. At the close of the book sorting, Bill went outside to find that he had a flat tire on his bike so needed ride home. This ride home resulted in a contact who could be a potential person to bring out to Rotary.
Martin reported that Paul Van Nest has volunteered to come back another time if the rest of the meeting takes too long. He also noted that they are wearing their winter uniforms at Raxx.
While at the District Conference, Greta found another Rotarian who is interested in rugby in South Africa. She had her photo taken when the Springboks won the World Cup
Murray is very happy that his son has moved from Vancouver to Toronto. He also went to the Cantabile Choir concert.
John Farrow attended grants train as the Foundation director and was very impressed by the level of expertise and financial stewardship in the District as they shepherd the finances. For a second dollar he described the way Einstein explained the way time seems to go at different rates depending on what you are doing.
John Gale regretted that he only had one dollar, but it was a regrets buck. He forgot to introduce Joan Egnatoff but she wasn’t on list. He is also sad because his Porsche has to go in for the winter.
John Farrow & Greg Mumford, Auction
John announced that there are 382 items posted. He would like to cut it off at the end of the coming weekend. Six more days. We need $3,000 value more to reach $40K in fund raising. Keep it up. Ask for help.
We are on CKWS every morning next week and the roster is complete. Be there 7:30 for 7:50 on air. Get your friends to watch.
Elizabeth Cohoe - Cash Calendars
Elizabeth announced that the calendar project needs a new project leader, as Murray has been leading this for at least three years. A short while later, into the meeting, Robert Reid volunteered to head this up.
Ron Pols - Fellowship
Ron announced that there is going to be a fellowship event just for some fun, at Raxx Bar and Grill Wednesday evening starting at 5:30. It’s wing night. Access Raxx off of Development Drive. Ana will send out a message to Friends of Rotary to invite them as well. This is an a great opportunity to bring a guest.
John Gale - District Conference
John Gale followed by announcing that he had our Rotary FAR project displayed in the Hall of Friendship at the District Conference. He met a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Ottawa Stittsville who agreed to come and assist us in our roles of mentor to the students in the project. The District Conference is a great way to connect with other Rotarians.
President's Announcements
President, Ana Sutherland:
Ana reminded everyone about the networking workshop on November 23 with KEYS involved. We are finalizing details for the KEYS Workshop on Nov 23, 9-12 pm, at the Oddfellows Hall. KEYS will provide training for all Rotarians in Intercultural Intelligence. It will be most valuable in the workplace, and for mentors as we begin our committee program in the spring. Please ask all clubs to encourage their members to attend this FREE workshop. We are planning wonderful Syrian delicacies, with a special request for baklava!!
We need accurate numbers for logistics, and food count. Please register on eventbrite
Ana met with Kathleen Roberts, manager of Toys R Us, about the shoebox project for Tipi Moza. We will schedule a wrapping event in a meeting. Michelle will organize this event.
Recently Martha's Table suffered a theft as reported in the Kingston Whig Standard. Three of the Kingston Rotary Clubs - Kingston, Kingston Frontenac, and Cataraqui-Kingston cam together and each contributed $500 to cover the loss.
Upcoming Dates/Events
Oct 30 - Community Service Projects Meeting 5:30 to7:30pm Innovation Park, 945 Princess St
Nov 1-3, 2019 - District Conference in Clayton New York
Nov 23rd Networking session for new Canadians, Oddfellows Hall - let's introduce these folks to Rotary!
Dec. 10th 2019 Christmas Party - 6:30 pm at Oddfellows Hall
July 19th, 2020 - Rotary Centennial Birthday Party at Rotary Park
June 25th, 2021 - Rotary Anniversary Gala, St. Lawrence College
John Farrow introduced our guest speaker Paul Van Nest, who is a keen student of history. His latest trip was to England to visit sites related to Bomber Command. Hearing about this is a natural fit as our Remembrance Day meeting.
The tour started on October 1st. This was Paul's fifth tour with leader Ted Barris, former CBC Radio personality. Many don’t know much about WW2 other than what they've seen war movies. One should also know about the tremendous loss of civilians as well as military.
For Bomber Command the losses were appalling. Over 55 thousand died, which was 44% of those involved as Bomber Command Airmen. Also, 8,500 were wounded. Paul showed us sobering statistics about killed and wounded and captured as prisoners, which equalled 60% casualties. You have to go back to the American Civil War to see these kind of casualty statistics Bomber Command was a group name that included Britain (RAF), Canada (RCAF), Australia, New Zealand and South African troops. One in five of dead were Canadians.
Paul told us about the aircraft used for speed and bomb capacity. Crew on each aircraft was 7 and he showed us photos of aircraft and crew. Paul talked to a survivor who was tail gunner. This man talked about his experience and said that your crew were your friends. Outside of that they didn’t know if they would ever see them again. The man had a unshakable belief in his pilot.
More photos showed us where the crew were located in aircraft, both Halifax and Lancaster.
Yorkshire, Lincolnshire both had a large number of airfields because they were a long way away from action in France and London. Only a few German bombers flew into that region.
By August 1940, Fighter Command was almost on its knees. To relieve the pressure, the British sent 81 bombers to Berlin, and that was followed by Germany retaliating by bombing London. By 15th September bombing of London escalated, including night attacks.
These were all parts of the famous Battle of Britain.
By 1942, Arthur Harris (aka Butcher Harris or Bomber Harris, depending on your point of view), was appointed as commander in chief of Bomber Command and they went on the offensive. Civilians really suffered in England and Germany from the bombing campaigns - the English bombing campaign was very controversial, and not commemorated in England until 2012.
Paul, with the group, toured airfields and museums, where they could still see things like control towers. He was in one that was set up as a museum as it was during the war. Also, as part of the museum, you could see taxiways, bombs and Lancaster aircraft. Paul explained the difference between a Lancaster and a Halifax. There are no Halifax aircraft left flying, and only a couple of Lancasters.
Paul showed photos of aircraft interiors showing where the crew had to be for 8 – 10 hours in minus 40 degree weather. Planes were vulnerable from rear and underneath, hence the need for a tail gunner. He described a bit of what a tail gunner had to endure, and told us some couldn’t bail out fast enough because of where they were in the aircraft. Soldier ingenuity helped save some airmen from poor aircraft design quirks.
Paul also spoke about a family member who was involved and was killed on a bombing mission. He showed us photographs of his cousin and recalled with sadness the last time they were together Paul met with another family member and he now has letters home from from his cousin. This will be the start of some serious research for Paul. He spoke about what it was like to see memorabilia and news items. Paul saw his cousin's grave marker in Germany several years ago. He finds these memories to be intense. He found a cousin in remembrance books in England.
Following the presentation, a minute of silence was observed.
Jim Rymerson thanked Paul with the traditional loaf of bread.
7:00 Registration and Greeting Members: Michelle Chatten Fiedorec
Guest: Greta Dubois
Greeter: Bernie Allard
Hall and Kitchen setup: Ana Sutherland, Greg Mumford, Ed Thomson
Hall and Kitchen clean up: Jim Rymerson, Rick Fiedorec, Ed Thomson
7:15 Call to Order and Welcome Ana Sutherland
7:16 Rotary Invocation and Toast to the Queen Bill Egnatoff
7:17 Breakfast Parade Michelle Chatten Fiedorec
7:35 Welcoming of Guests and Visiting Rotarians John Gale
7:38 Announcements and Board Positions Ana Sutherland and members
7:43 Fun Master John Richards
7:50 Membership Committee Rick Frasso - Induction of new Member
7:55 Auction Committee Update Greg Mumford. John Richards, John Farrow
8:02 Speaker Intro Ron Pols
8:07 Speaker Judy Bierma and Anthony Gifford Kingston and Area Shared Seniors Alternative Living
8:27 Speaker Thanks Robert Reid
8:28 Draw Rick Fiedorec
8:30 Adjournment Ana Sutherland
Scribe: Elizabeth
Piano: Terry Hicks
