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The Rotary Club of Sarnia Monthly Newsletters · Rotary Year 2025–2026

A Year to Remember The Presidency of Kurtis Lush 2025–2026 VOLUME ONE July – December 2025

Rotary International theme for 2025–2026

Compiled by Kitty Bucsko

Contents · Volume One July – December 2025. Click any cover to open that month. The “Contents” link at the top of every page brings you back here.

July 2025

August 2025

September 2025

page 3

page 44

page 91

October 2025

November 2025

December 2025

page 138

page 185

page 232

Page numbers refer to this collection; each issue also keeps its own page numbers.

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gysonehttps://issuu.com/ladykitt/docs/march_newsletter_2021

Rotary Year 2025-26

Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo (Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy) District Governor Jeff Ferweda, (Rotary Club of Genesee Valley, MI) Club President – Kurtis Lush

District website: https://rotary6330.org/ Club website - https://www.rotarysarnia.com/

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Rotary Calendar and Themes Inspiration for July Coming Events IMPORTANT ROTARY INFORMATION RI President Francesco Arezzo TRF Trustees Chair JULY FOCUS – Maternal & Child Health Poland Brazil POLIO NOW POLIOPLUS SOCIETY RI CONVENTION – WHO Keynote Speaker plus more

THANKS FROM THE ROTARY FOUNDATION UNITED NATIONS DAYS

3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 18 21 22

CLUB NEWS Do you need a make-up? + our 2024-25 Club President Activities KIVA.org – Microfinance for your information Rotary Quotes (from Paul Harris and Arch Klumph) Rotary Grants Paul Harris Society The Rotarian Minute The Object of Rotary Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus – The Environment What’s happening in Alaska

23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33

BACK PAGES Four-Way Test Code of Conduct & EREY Humour Honouring 98 years The End – not

35 36 37 39 41

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The Calendar below shows Rotary’s 2025-26 monthly themes. ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES Month July August September October November December January February March April May June

Theme Maternal and Child Health Membership and New Club Development Basic Education and Literacy Economic and Community Development The Rotary Foundation Disease Prevention and Treatment Vocational Service Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Environment Youth Service Rotary Fellowships

Click the flags below to listen to the respective national anthems.

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INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS FOR JULY � The Power of One - A Rotary Reflection – A thoughtful repeat In Rotary, real change doesn’t always come from grand gestures—it begins with one person deciding to act.

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� Clean water, one well at a time.

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� Literacy, one child at a time.

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� Peace, one student at a time.

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� Health, one vaccine at a time.

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� Hope, one tree at a time.

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� Kindness, one act at a time.

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� Change, one Rotarian at a time.

Each effort -- no matter how small -- becomes part of something greater. That’s the magic of Rotary—many individuals, united in service, creating ripples that reach around the world. So now, as we enter 2025-26 Rotary year, let’s UNITE FOR GOOD!

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A NEW ROTARY YEAR BEGINS! Month of July – Maternal and Child Health ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Saturday, July 12 at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time First shift begins at 6:00 a.m. ROTARY THEME 2025-26 UNITE FOR GOOD

MEMBERSHIP AND NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT Month of August BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY Month of September Rotary Anthem Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem! Click here for We are the World.

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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Francesco Arezzo (2025-26) RI PRESIDENT for the Rotary Year 2025-26 Francesco Arezzo Francesco Arezzo, a member of the Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy, has been selected to become Rotary International’s President for 2025-26. Meet the president-elect: https://on.rotary.org/4lrfOJt

Francesco Arezzo, a member of the Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy, has been selected by the Board of Directors to become Rotary International’s president for 2025-26. Arezzo will become president on 1 July. The Board conducted a special session following the unexpected resignation of RI President-elect Mário César Martins de Camargo on 8 June. Guided by the RI code and policies, the Board selected the new president-elect from a pool of candidates who were considered by the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in August 2023. The 2025-26 presidential message, announced at the 2025 Rotary International Assembly in February, will remain Unite for Good, which calls on Rotary members to be a force for unity in a world increasingly divided by politics, geography, and ideology. Through service projects, Rotary brings together people of every background — across races, religions, and professions — in a shared mission to do good in their communities. Click here to read more

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IMPORTANT ROTARY INFORMATION 2025-26 RI PRESIDENT ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT 2025-26

The 2025-2026 Presidential Message, Unite for Good “Rotary members are #PeopleOfAction. We don't wait for change to happen; we make it happen. And what do people of action do? We unite for good.”

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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT 2025 – 2026 At the time of preparing this newsletter, the official July message from Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo had not yet been released.

President Arezzo stepped into the role in mid-June following the unexpected resignation of his predecessor, and the usual materials — including the July Rotary Magazine — are being adjusted accordingly. In the meantime, here are a few words in keeping with his chosen theme for 2025–26: “Unite for Good.”

This simple but powerful message reminds us that Rotary’s strength lies in what we do together — across clubs, cultures, and causes. In times of uncertainty or change, Rotary remains steady because of the values we hold and the service we commit to, side by side. I have no doubt that President Arezzo’s leadership will reflect that same spirit of unity and good.

The full message will be distributed in a future edition as soon as it becomes available.

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR 2025-26

Holger Knaack, Rotary International President in 2020-21, and who is a member of the Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany, is The Rotary Foundation’s Chairperson for 2025-26. Holger has been a Rotary member since 1992 and served as Rotary International President in 2020-21. Prior to that position, Knaack has served Rotary as treasurer, director, moderator, member and chair of several committees, representative for the Council on Legislation, zone coordinator, training leader, and district governor. He has been an endowment/major gifts adviser and co-chair of the Host Organization Committee for the 2019 Rotary International Convention in Hamburg. Knaack is the CEO of Knaack KG, a real estate company. He was previously a partner and general manager of Knaack Enterprises, a 125-year-old family business. He is a founding member of the Civic Foundation of the City of Ratzeburg and served as president of the GolfClub Gut Grambek. Knaack is also the founder and chair of the Karl Adam Foundation. Knaack and his wife, Susanne, are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation and they are members of the Bequest Society. As will be the case for the message of our new RI President for 2025-26, the full message will be distributed in a future edition as soon as it becomes available.

HOLGER KNAACK Foundation Trustee Chair, 2025-26

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ROTARY’S JULY FOCUS – MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH

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In the mountains of Poland, 26 children traumatized by violence get a chance to be kids again at Rotary camp By Iuliia Mendel Produced by Monika Lozinska Beneath the emotional scars of living in a Ukrainian war zone, Mykyta Berlet flashes the same mischievousness of any other 12-year-old boy headed to camp. He wants to laugh, play pranks and on the last night of camp “we will cover everyone with toothpaste,” he says excitedly. Mykyta and 25 other Ukrainian youths headed to the resort town of Zakopane in the foothills of southern Poland are naturally focused on fun. But their two-week respite organized by Rotary members has a higher purpose: To help the children heal and cope with the trauma they may encounter when they go home. Each camper has a parent or sibling killed or injured in the fighting in Ukraine. Psychologists at camp will guide them along the way during an itinerary that mixes escape and therapy. Olga Zmiyivska, a member of the Rotary Club of Kharkiv Multinational in Ukraine, has brought children to the camp for two years and has witnessed its impact. “After the trip, they are more willing to make contact and open their hearts,” she said.

\\ Above left - Valeriia Salohub, 13, father killed – Above right - Mykhailo, 6, and Oleksandr, 8, Kruhlikov, father killed

War came into their homes Thousands have died and millions have been displaced by the fighting between pro-Russia rebels and the Ukrainian military in eastern Ukraine. Growing up in the shadow of that nearly four-year conflict, most of the campers don’t remember a life without war. They tell unrealistic stories about battles and keep silent about real horrors. Some are guarded and hypervigilant. Others endure sleepless nights or nightmares. A few withdraw and emotionally shut down. In Zakopane, nestled in the scenic Tatra Mountains, Rotary members give the children a chance to heal in a peaceful setting. The children sleep in comfortable cabins along a pristine lake flanked by green, rolling hills. The program, called Vacation 2017 Zakopane: Well-Being for Ukrainian Kids, includes traditional camp activities and field trips along with support from mental health professionals. More than 100 children have attended over the past four years. July 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Psychologist and art therapist Olha Hrytsenko helps children work through their grief at Vacation 2017 Zakopane: Well-Being for Ukrainian Kids. This year’s campers visited a mountain village to learn about local traditions, toured historic Krakow, and saw the castles, salt mines and hot springs of southern Poland. The routine activities are simple but powerful. Yuriy Paschalin and Vlad Tsepun, both 12, became close friends after their fathers were killed by snipers. The field trips helped both boys start to relax and act like typical, curious children. “This program allows these kids to stay kids and to live children’s emotions,” said psychologist and art therapist Olha Hrytsenko. “They will observe and absorb another culture, attitude, and language, (and) will be able to compare and make conclusions about what is good and what is bad. It will help them to find themselves.” Click here to read the rest of the article.

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Linked through sister cities, Rotarians save newborns in Brazil By Vanessa Glavinskas Photographs by Robert Gill A mother is in labor, and she’s frightened. Her baby isn’t due for three months. The closest hospital is 30 miles away, and although she makes it there in time, the baby is born weighing barely 2 pounds. And there’s another problem. The hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit has only seven incubators, and all are in use, so the baby must be transferred to another hospital to receive the critical care he needs. If he survives the transfer, his parents will need to find a way to make trips to that hospital for months. Many new mothers were facing similar situations at Dr. Leopoldo Bevilacqua Regional Hospital, a state-run facility in Brazil’s Ribeira Valley. Lack of equipment meant some of the hospital’s most vulnerable newborns had to be transferred, which was a factor in São Paulo state’s high infant mortality rate. By adding five incubators to the NICU, the hospital nearly doubled the number of babies its nurses and doctors can care for. “There are two realities here: people who can pay for a private hospital and those who can’t,” says Lina Shimizu, who spearheaded the project for the Rotary Club of Registro-Ouro, Brazil. Those who can’t, she says, often have to travel long distances to get to a state-run hospital such as Leopoldo Bevilacqua, which serves 24 towns. The Rotary Club of Registro-Ouro and the Rotary Club of Registro partnered on a Rotary Foundation global grant with two clubs in Nakatsugawa, Japan. Through the partnership, Brazilian Rotarians raised $172,500. They funded equipment including five incubators for the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which nearly doubled the hospital’s capacity to care for fragile newborns. In 2013, 129 babies were admitted to the NICU; since the completion of the project, the hospital has been able to care for about 220 babies per year.

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By adding five incubators to the NICU, the hospital nearly doubled the number of babies its nurses and doctors can care for.

Rotarians funded incubators, ventilators, heated cribs, vitalsign monitors, and other equipment for a state-run hospital outside São Paulo.

“There are two realities here: people who can pay for a private hospital and those who can’t,” says Lina Shimizu, who spearheaded the project for the Rotary Club of Registro-Ouro, Brazil. Click here to read the rest of the article.

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Summary of new polioviruses this week (June 18), cases and positive environmental isolates: • • • • •

Pakistan: 47 WPV1-positive environmental samples Benin: one cVDPV2 case Djibouti: eight cVDPV1-positive environmental samples Ethiopia: four cVDPV2 cases Papua New Guinea: two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

Welcoming Rotary’s New Leader in the Fight Against Polio The Global Polio Eradication Initiative congratulates Francesco Arezzo, newly named Rotary International President for 2025–2026. Arezzo officially assumes the role on 1 July. We look forward to partnering with him—and the entire Rotary network—as we push closer to a polio-free world. Wishing all our Rotary friends a successful annual Convention this week in Calgary, Canada. Building a Barrier Against Polio: Lake Chad Region Unites for Eradication Governments across the Lake Chad Basin are stepping up coordinated efforts to stop polio for good. Their collective commitment is turning the tide toward eradication. [More] GPEI and Gavi Align on Shared Health Security Goals This week, the GPEI and Gavi Boards come together to strengthen ties and accelerate progress toward shared goals: ending polio, reinforcing routine immunization, and protecting every child from preventable disease. [More] Guinea on Alert: Vaccinating to Keep Polio Out Watch how Guinea is acting fast to prevent polio’s return—targeting high-risk areas with focused vaccination campaigns. [Watch video] From Kabul to Kandahar: Stepping Up the Fight Against Polio in Afghanistan Take a closer look at how Afghanistan is scaling up vaccination efforts to protect children and stop polio in its tracks. July 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

THE POLIOPLUS SOCIETY Join the PolioPlus Society in District 6330. Donations are matched annually 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation up to US$50 million, generating a potential total of US$150 million toward polio eradication. Raise awareness in your community by planning events or projects that support the fight against polio. Visit endpolio.org to find the latest information and tools to help you share the story of our fight against polio and raise support. Ending this disease forever remains our top humanitarian priority and needs our full commitment.

How can you take action?

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Donate to End Polio.

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\https://www.facebook.com/groups/polioplussociety

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https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/world-leaders-recommit-immunisation-amid-global-funding-shortfall

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An initiative of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland

And a little note of explanation – CORMS

BULBS

A corm is an underground swollen stem base. A bulb is an underground structure made of layers (like an onion). It stores energy and nutrients to support the It has fleshy scales wrapped around a central plant’s growth each year. shoot. Crocuses, gladiolus, and colchicum grow from corms. July 2025 – RC of Sarnia

Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and onions grow from true bulbs. Page 19

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Yumi Akeyama was one of three recipients of the Rotary International Service Award for a Polio-Free World in 2025, alongside Johrita Solari and Kimberly Walden. Left to Right – Francesco Arezzo, Stephanie Urchick, Yumi, Michael McGovern, Holger Knaack.

The 2025 Rotary International Convention | Calgary, Canada is a wrap! We started yesterday with the annual PolioPlus breakfast where the most recent Polio Free World Award recipients were recognized. Speakers included: International Polio Plus Committee Chair Michael McGovern, who updated us on the overall status of the polio eradication effort; Judith Diment, who briefed us the status of governmental funding; and Kim Walden, who provided us with creative fundraising ideas. Together, we, with our project partners, will #EndPolioNow! Rotary International President Stephanie facilitated a breakout session panel with President-elect Francesco Arezzo and Trustee Chair Elect Holger Knaack. Topics discussed included membership growth strategies, leadership models and the need for creating a culture of innovation in our clubs. Together, we learned about their respective visions for Rotary International and #TheRotaryFoundation. Attendees left motivated and focused on #Rotary’s mission. The addresses by the #rotaryinternational Presidents-line at the closing session could not have been more inspiring. It was energizing to see the passion of our Rotary members and leaders. I am looking forward to a new Rotary year filled with collaboration, service and progress. As I look back on another fabulous convention, the best part of it was so many amazing members of the Rotary family, and it was special to be here with my family.

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Dear Rotarians Thank you for your generous support of The Rotary Foundation. Your commitment helps Rotary members around the world create lasting, meaningful change - one project, one vaccine, one community at a time. Because of donors like you, we’ve funded 458 district grants, 1,210 global grants, and 69 disaster response grants this year. These grants empower Rotary members to meet urgent needs, strengthen communities, and build a more resilient future. And the impact doesn’t stop there. In 2024 alone, more than 270 million children in 36 countries received over 1 billion doses of oral polio vaccine, thanks to the efforts of Rotary, our global partners, and supporters like you. Your generosity brings us closer every day to a world without polio. Every grant awarded and every child protected are a reflection of your belief in a better world. Thank you, Kitty, for remaining dedicated to Doing Good in the World. Sincerely,

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INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

July - Rotary’s Focus Maternal & Child Health Friday, July 11 World Population Day Tuesday, July 15 World Youth Skills Day Friday, July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day Sunday, July 20 International Chess Day Friday, July 25 World Drowning Prevention Day Monday, July 28 World Hepatitis Day Wednesday, July 30 International Day of Friendship Wednesday, July 30 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

Click here to learn more about the Blue Heart Campaign.

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Do you need a make-up? missed meetings? To learn about other Rotary clubs? All Rotarians are encouraged to join local (and other) clubs to learn more about Rotary, get to know other Rotarians, gain a new perspective and appreciation for Rotary and Rotarians. Here is a list of online clubs where you can earn a make-up along with learning a whole lot more about Rotary! Why not visit them all? • • •

Rotary E-Club of Canada One – Rotary On Demand, Where you want, When you want! Rotary Club of One World Rotary E-Club of World Peace Click here to attend this week’s posted meeting of E-Club of Canada One. These meetings are posted online and available 24/7!

Sarnia Club President for 2025-26 – Kurtis Lush

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS

Get involved! Join us!

Click here to view a short video – We are Rotary!

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For your information International Service – Microfinance KIVA.org

Watermelons, melons, cassava, and corn might not seem like much, but for Lorena, they were the key ingredients for a long-held entrepreneurial dream. After 17 years in San José, Costa Rica, Lorena has built a steady business selling fruits and vegetables in the calm, quiet neighborhood of Arajuelita, just outside the city limits. “I’ve always tried to be an entrepreneurial woman,” she says. “I’m almost always doing this, looking for ideas to start and to help the household.” Lorena quickly realized that her business could really grow, if she only had the ability to purchase a few new items. She knew that by expanding her product selection, she could reach new customers, while helping her current customers with their needs. July 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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With the help of a USD$1,025 loan from 36 Kiva lenders, Lorena was able to grow her business and earn more income from her sales. Thanks to this growth, she is now able to pay for her children’s university expenses and even start a small savings — things that at one time felt out of reach both for her and for her family.

Click here to read the rest of this inspiring story – one of so many!

1. Paul Harris (Founder of Rotary) "Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves." This quote reminds us that Rotary is defined not just by intention, but by tangible service and impact.

2. Arch Klumph (Father of The Rotary Foundation) "Rotary is not an organization for retrospection. It is rather one whose worth and influence lie in future action." A forward-looking message that reinforces Rotary’s dynamic, proactive spirit — especially relevant when speaking of goals or new initiatives.

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION Donations Are Important! Clubs must qualify first! The Rotary Foundation requires Clubs that want to participate in the District Grants program to qualify. To qualify, the club must: • • •

Be in good standing May not have any grant reporting that is overdue Have at least 2 members complete the District’s Qualification Training course and quiz The Certification is valid for One Rotary Year only! Clubs must be re-certified for each Rotary Year. Rotary Foundation Grants – There are two kinds of grants. -Global Grants and District Grants:

Global Grants • Must be in (at least) one of Rotary's Areas Of Focus • Must be International projects involving at least 2 clubs in 2 different countries. One of these clubs is the "host" club - the club where the project will take place. The other is the "international partner" - the club that provides funding and possibly some expertise to help implement the project. • Must have a minimum budget of USD $30,000 • Club funds are supplemented by the District Designated Funds as, and if, available • Funds donated to the project from District Designated Funds are supplemented by The Rotary Foundation (World Fund) to fund these grants. District Grants • May be local or international in scope. • Are usually smaller in scale. There is no minimum budget requirement. • Will usually involve active participation by Rotarians. • District 6330 clubs may apply for more than one District Grant in a single Rotary year, but are limited to a maximum of USD $3,000 per year in District Grant funding. • Projects must be started and completed within one Rotary year - July 1 to June 30 of the next year. Ready to Apply for A Grant? Will it be a District or a Global Grant? 3 simple questions to help you decide: •

Is the project in one of the areas of focus? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

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Is the project between Clubs/Districts in separate countries? – No? Consider a District Grant.

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Is the total budget for the project less than USD $30,000? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

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If you answer YES to all the above, consider applying for a Global Grant.

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PAUL HARRIS SOCIETY What's the Paul Harris Society? Not to be confused with a Paul Harris Fellow (which means a life-time gift of $1000 to The Rotary Foundation's annual fund), the Paul Harris Society is the name given to those Rotarians who pledge a $1000 gift annually – every year. You may know these committed individuals -- they wear a "flag" below their Rotary pin that reads "PHS." One easy way to give at the $1000 level is through Rotary Direct -- sign up and amount of money you designate is automatically deducted from your account each month. Learn more at www.rotary.org.

Members of the Paul Harris Society know that the need never ends -- and neither should the giving. D6330 Long-time Paul Harris Society Chair is Rotarian Jamie Pole.

What your giving supports Rotarian Jamie Pole.

Paul Harris Society gifts have helped provide: • • • • •

In District 6330 we are proud of the generous members in our Paul Harris Society. We have over 32 of our clubs that now have members in the Paul Harris Society.

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PAUL HARRIS SOCIETY You are invited to join! Dear Fellow Rotarians! How recently have you thought about positive outcomes with money you invested with The Rotary Foundation? A special group - You are invited to join a special group of Rotarians dedicated to making a significant impact on our communities and the world. The Paul Harris Society recognizes members who contribute $1,000 or more each year to any combination of the following: • • • • • • •

Annual Fund-SHARE Annual Fund-World Fund Annual Fund-Areas of focus PolioPlus Fund Disaster Response Fund Disasters of Magnitude Approved global grants

For under $3 a day you can join the Paul Harris Society. • •

You can fulfill your Paul Harris Society commitment gradually during the Rotary year. An immediate $1,000 contribution is NOT required at the time of enrollment.

It is your donations that allow our clubs, your club, and Rotarians around the world to • • • • • • •

provide clean water prevent disease save mothers and children promote peace fund projects support education, and stimulate economic development

We as Rotarians are in the business of changing lives! I encourage you to consider becoming a member of the Paul Harris Society. Will you be joining the PHS members of our District 6330?

Rotarian Jamie Pole.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Paul Harris Society Coordinator, District 6330 – Jamie Pole!

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The Rotarian Minute is a creation of District 1700. Please send any comments or suggestons to laminute1700@gmail.com.

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Theme for 2025-26

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The Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus How Rotary will help protect our planet •

The Rotary Foundation will enable our members and their community partners to take action by:

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Protecting and restoring land, coastal, marine, and freshwater resources

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Enhancing the capacity of communities to support natural resource management and conservation

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Supporting sustainable agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture practices

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Addressing the cause of climate change by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases

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Strengthening ecosystems and communities affected by climate change

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Supporting education initiatives that promote behavior that protects the environment

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Advocating for sustainable consumption to build an economy that uses resources more efficiently

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Addressing environmental public health concerns And here’s a list of excellent – and fun – climate videos – that will help you understand (with humour) what’s happening – A series of Climate videos – “An Idiot’s Guide”

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

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https://grist.org/extreme-heat/alaska-just-hit-a-climate-milestone-its-first-heat-advisory/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKXbdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFQTFRnajcxQ3JjV0F4WnNyAR5R_IRY5p4oKU6oIvcZ7AaCvj_zfV9jDs0rtdGV1aQtDBKW359t Zb6a6m0_zw_aem_KCcCf_Y6c8JUJM12fIv2yg Click here for the source - https://grist.org/extreme-heat/alaska-just-hit-a-climate-milestone-its-first-heat-advisory/

In the high glare of a summer evening in Fairbanks, Alaska, Ciara Santiago watched the mercury climb. A meteorologist at the National Weather Service office, she had the dubious honor of issuing the state’s first ever official heat advisory as temperatures were expected to hit the mid-80s. It’s the kind of bureaucratic alert that rarely makes national headlines. But in a city where permafrost thaw buckles roads, homes lack air conditioning, and the high at this time of year is generally in the low 70s, the warning comes as a sign of rapidly shifting climate. Alaska is warming more than twice as fast as the global average. In Alaska, where hazardous cold is historically more of a concern, weather offices in Fairbanks — just 120 miles south of the Arctic circle as the raven flies — didn’t have the option of issuing heat advisories until the beginning of this month, when it was added to a list of possible public alerts. “It gives us a more direct way of communicating these kinds of hazards when they occur,” Santiago said. The heat bearing down on Alaska isn’t entirely unprecedented, at least in meteorological terms. On the heels of a cold spring, a dome of high pressure, known as an upper-level ridge, has settled over the Interior, a fairly common pattern that traps warm air. In the state’s central valleys, that can spell high temperatures and dry conditions. Temperatures on Friday reached a high of 82 degrees Fahrenheit. An updated advisory on Sunday warned the hot conditions would last until Tuesday, with “temperatures up to 87F to 89F… Isolated areas up to 90F are possible, especially in the Yukon Flats.” “People in [the] Lower 48 might think that’s nothing, but here those temps could feel like 110,” Santiago said. With nearly 22 hours of sunlight approaching the solstice, daytime heat accumulates and lingers — not just outside, but indoors. Unlike the Lower 48, most homes in Alaska weren’t built to keep heat out, but to keep it in during months of subzero cold. The thick insulation this requires turns houses into ovens during extended periods of hot temperatures. In Europe, where infrastructure is similarly designed for cold climates, a brutal 2003 heat wave exposed the potential risks: It killed 35,000 people.

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The city of Fairbanks, seen here in a file photo, sits 120 miles south of the Arctic Circle and saw temperatures in the mid-80s. Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images

That’s part of why the state’s new heat advisory matters. It’s not just a weather bulletin. It’s a warning for a state where most people don’t have the coping mechanisms taken for granted elsewhere — shaded porches, central air, even knowing the signs of heatstroke. The sudden temperature jump also poses its own challenges. “I’m originally from Texas,” Santiago said. “I’m so used to hot summers that in the 50s, I start putting on a jacket. Now living in Alaska, I’m wearing dresses at that temperature.” But it’s not just a matter of clothing: When your body adapts to higher temperatures, the volume of blood expands, allowing your heart to pump more efficiently and reducing heat stress. You begin sweating earlier, and produce more sweat per gland. But it generally takes one to two weeks of exposure to adapt, making sudden swings in temperature riskier. The office Santiago works for, like many National Weather Service offices, have recently lost staff under Trump administration cuts. More than 560 members were laid off across the country, reducing its capacity by about a third, and leaving many stations critically understaffed. As a result, the Fairbanks office that made the state’s first heat warning must now suspend operations overnight. “We’re working to the best of our ability with what we have,” Santiago said. The early start to summer heat comes after a winter with low snow levels and early melt, raising concerns about fire season. Layoffs have also affected firefighting staff, where both technical expertise and basic manpower are in question. Concerned about federal capacity, California Gov. Newsom launched a firefighter recruitment effort this week, but in Alaska, much of the wildland firefighting force is federal, raising the question of whether those like Santiago who must prepare for threats ahead will have the resources they need.

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ROTARY’S FOUR-WAY TEST A Thoughtful Start to any day � What is the Rotary Four-Way Test? It's a short ethical guide used by Rotarians worldwide to help evaluate decisions, both personal and professional. It was created in 1932 by Herbert J. Taylor, who later became Rotary International President. Facing financial and moral crisis in his company, he developed this test as a litmus test for integrity and fair conduct. The test asks four questions of the things we think, say or do: • • • •

Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It may seem simple, but in a complex world, those questions are anything but easy — and that’s part of their power.

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Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

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See our Club Facebook page for more up-to-the-minute club news! https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year

Click here for a short video.

Our Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) It’s an initiative that encourages all Rotary club members to contribute at least what they can afford every year to help us reach our goal to support the Rotary Foundation financially every year.

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A LITTLE HUMOUR A lovely little video that will make you smile. Click here.

And enjoy these lovely quotations: “My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch.” – Jack Nicholson “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” – Oscar Wilde “Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house.” – Rod Stewart “Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not yet completely sure about the universe.” – Albert Einstein

Here’s a video link to another short video that will make you laugh. Click here.

The three hardest things to say are: I was wrong I need help Worcestershire Sauce! And on the next page – With age, comes Wisdom! �

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WITH AGE COMES WISDOM! Still trying to get my head around the fact that 'Take Out' can mean food, dating, or murder. The older I get, the more I understand why roosters scream to start their day. If only vegetables smelled as good as bacon. I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise. But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope. We live in a time where intelligent people are silenced so that stupid people won't be offended. (So True) The biggest joke on mankind is that computers have begun asking humans to prove they aren't a robot. When a kid says "Daddy, I want mommy" that's the kid version of "I'd like to speak to your supervisor." It's weird being the same age as old people. Last night the internet stopped working so I spent a few hours with my family. They seem like good people. If Adam and Eve were Cajuns they would have eaten the snake instead of the apple and saved us all a lot of trouble. We celebrated last night with a couple of adult beverages... Metamucil and Ensure. Weight loss goal: To be able to clip my toenails and breathe at the same time. Some of my friends exercise every day. Meanwhile I am watching a show I don't like because the remote fell on the floor. For those of you that don't want Alexa or Siri listening in on your conversation, they are making a male version; it doesn't listen to anything. There is fine line between a numerator and a denominator. Only a fraction of people will find this funny. I have many hidden talents I just wish I could remember where I hid them. Exercise helps you with decision-making. It's true. I went for a run this morning and decided I'm never going again! Four out of three adults have trouble with math.

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Honouring 98 Years of Service — And Counting! As the Rotary Club proudly enters its 98th year of continuous service in 2025–26, we pause to reflect on nearly a century of dedication, action, and impact. With Year 99 on the horizon, and a Centennial celebration in sight for 2027–28, this milestone invites both gratitude and excitement — for the lives changed, the community strengthened, and the good still to come. Over the decades, the club has grown in spirit and purpose, embracing the Rotary motto Service Above Self in every project, partnership, and initiative. From humble beginnings to wide-reaching programs, this club’s legacy is a living testament to what committed volunteers can achieve when they come together with a shared vision for a better world. On the following page is just a glimpse of the contributions made by this remarkable club over the past 98 years:

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COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE YEARS Pathways Health Centre for Children (Founder) Bluewater Health – Maternal & Child Health Wing YMCA – Swimming Pool Inn of the Good Shepherd Lambton College St. Joseph’s Hospice Huron House Boys’ Home Community Living, Sarnia Lambton Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile (Standing Oaks Home) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) DOW Centre for Youth Big Brothers – Big Sisters Canada Food Grains Scouts Canada – Camp Attawandron Goodwill Industries Rayjon Haiti Project YMCA Youth Scholarship Lambton County Music Festival Awards Family Counselling Centre Access Open Minds Habitat for Humanity Point Edward Minor Hockey Association Junior Achievement Numerous school – LKDSB & SCCDSB …and much, much more!

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But no -

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.*

Author unknown

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gysonehttps://issuu.com/ladykitt/docs/march_newsletter_2021

Rotary Year 2025-26

Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo (Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy) District Governor Jeff Ferweda, (Rotary Club of Genesee Valley, MI) Club President, Kurtis Lush

District website: https://rotary6330.org/ Club website: https://www.rotarysarnia.com/ Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Rotary Calendar and Themes INSPIRATION for August Club Mission & Vision statements Coming Events RI PRESIDENT & Theme AUGUST MESSAGE – RI President Francesco Arezzo AUGUST MESSAGE – Rotary Foundation Chair Holger Knaack AUGUST FOCUS & Membership Ideas WHY JOIN ROTARY? – Story of global friendship ROTARY CHANGED MY PATH – Honduras VIDEOS FROM MAY DISTRICT 6330 CONFERENCE POLIO THIS WEEK POLIOPLUS SOCIETY AND POLIO UPDATES

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (TRF) UNITED NATIONS DATES

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 17 18 20 21

CLUB NEWS Do you need a make-up? + our 2024-25 Club President THE CLUB BOARD Background information from President Kurtis Get Involved!! Rotary Ride for Kids – Mike Hurry Pathways turns 50 BILL HOAD – Member Highlight Rotary quotes The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Paul Harris Society (Jamie Pole) Rotarian Minute – Interact/Rotaract Object of Rotary & Rotary’s Code of Conduct Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus ESRAG – Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group Upcoming speakers KIVA.org – for your information

22 24 25 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41

BACK PAGES Four-Way Test EREY Humour Honouring 98 years of service

42 43 44 45

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The Calendar below shows Rotary’s 2025-26 monthly themes. ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES Month July August September October November December January February March April May June

Click the flags below to listen to the respective national anthems.

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INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS FOR AUGUST "Each Rotarian is a connecting link between the idealism of Rotary and their community." — Paul Harris, Rotary Founder "The foundation upon which Rotary is built is friendship; on no less firm foundation could it have stood."— Paul Harris, Rotary Founder "Rotary is not just a club that you join; it is an invitation to endless opportunities." — Shekhar Mehta, 2021-22 Rotary International President "A Rotary club is the place where ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things." — Attributed to multiple past district governors "If Rotary is to realize its proper destiny, it must be evolutionary at all times, revolutionary on occasions." — Arch C. Klumph, father of The Rotary Foundation "Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy on earth." — Fred Westbrook, Past Rotary International Director "Rotary changes us and those we serve. I believe we can change the world one life at a time." — Debbie Vance, Past District Governor (Canada) When you ask someone to join Rotary, you’re not simply filling a seat—you’re opening a door.

And as we enter August, let’s

UNITE FOR GOOD! Encourage members this month to share how Rotary has changed their life. Personal stories are powerful magnets for new members.

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From John Hewko, General Secretary and CEO at Rotary International

My path to Rotary International started with a letter from my father and a question I believe many purpose-driven people ask themselves: What’s next, and how can I make it count? At the NEXUS Global * Summit, I shared why deep community trust is essential to solving global challenges. Rotary doesn't parachute in with solutions. We listen to communities, amplify their priorities, and commit for the long haul. With 1.2 million members in more than 46,000 clubs, Rotary builds sustainable change from the ground up.

Because when solutions come from within, the impact lasts.

NEXUS GLOBAL - The leading global network of next-gen philanthropists, impact investors, and exceptional social entrepreneurs.

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A NEW ROTARY YEAR BEGINS! Month of August – Membership & New Club Development REGULAR MEETINGS

Tuesdays at noon – Dante Club upstairs ROTARY THEME 2025-26 UNITE FOR GOOD

CLUB SOUP KITCHEN MEAL AT THE INN Friday, August 1 APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR ACTION GRANTS Friday, August 15 Rotary Anthem Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem! Click here for We are the World.

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IMPORTANT ROTARY INFORMATION 2025-26 RI PRESIDENT

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT 2025-26 FRANCESCO ARAZZO ITALY

\\\\

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THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT AUGUST MESSAGE 2025 This month and every month August is Membership Month, but our commitment to growth and connection is year-round. When we focus on growing Rotary, we grow our ability to sere, to lead, and to bring lasting change. Membership growth isn’t just about numbers. It’s about opening doors. It’s about inviting more people who are ready to give their time, talents, and hearts to a cause greater than themselves. When we welcome new members, we bring in fresh ideas and new energy. We expand our impact, strengthen our clubs, and ensure that Rotary continues to evolve with the world around us. Remember, there is now great flexibility in fashioning nontraditional club models. I’m inspired when I see these innovative clubs thrive by offering new and prospective members more ways to connect and serve. In Korea, the growth of satellite clubs has created opportunities for nearly 1,000 new members to find their place in Rotary. IN Romania, the close collaboration between Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors has built a pipeline of future leaders. In India, some Rotarians gather around a shared interest – whether it’s professional development or a passion for service – and those connections deepen their commitment and their joy in being part of Rotary. And we’ve seen cause-based clubs thrive in regions as divers as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe. There’s a common thread: Where clubs are growing, membership is a priority and there is a willingness to try something new. Rotary is not limited to one structure or tradition. We are a global network of people of action, and that means there Is room for many kinds of clubs, many ways to serve, and many paths into our organization. This spirit of innovation is also guiding our efforts to reach new communities In places where there has never been a Rotary club – or where a club once existed and faded – Rotarians are finding ways to grow Rotary. They are identifying areas of potential and building clubs that reflect the character and needs of their communities. Every member plays a part in this journey. Whether you introduce a friend to your club, support a new meeting format, reconnect with program alumni, or simply share your Rotary story, you are helping our organization grow stronger and more vibrant. No one owns a Rotary club. It is a gift we pass on to the next generations. When we nurture that gift, when we invite others to share in it, we ensure that Rotary continues to be a force for good Let’s prioritize membership growth – not just in August but every month of the year. Together, through friendship, creativity, and shared purpose, we will grow Rotary and Unite for Good. FRANCESCO AREZZO President, Rotary International

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR MESSAGE FOR AUGUST 2025 Get to know us When most people join Rotary, they know little if anything, about The Rotary Foundation.\\Membership Month is a great time to highlight the powerful connection between membership and our Foundation People who are drawn to Rotary care deeply about their communities and want to make a substantive difference. They’re looking for meaningful, hands-on ways to serve – and the Foundation helps make those opportunities possible. Cause-based Rotary clubs are one exciting way new members are finding purpose in Rotary, and these clubs also brig fresh energy and activity to our Foundation. I invited Marisol Chisnello, president of one such club, to share her perspective “As a nonprofit attorney, I long believed I didn’t have the time to be part of Rotary. But when I heard about a new cause-based e-club – the Rotary Club of Mental Health and Wellness District 5280 – I felt I had to be part of it. In just three years, our club has done a lot to support mental health needs in Southern California an awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to graduate students in the field, including one this year to a student in Uganda. Just a few months ago, we were approved for our first global grant to provide a mix of ikn-person and digital mental wellness support to survivors of the 2023 earthquakes in southeastern Turkey. Through our service, we’ve attracted new members from across the United States, including women and younger members who might not have otherwise joined Rotary. Cause-based clubs like ours offer a meaningful entry point for people committed to a specific cause – backed by the global reach and Foundational support of Rotary.” Marisol’s story reminds us what’s possible when Rotary service meets Foundation support. I wonder how many cause-based club members knew the full extent of Foundation resources when they began. How many existing clubs could partner with these groups on grants? As we build new Rotary and Rotaract clubs and welcome new members, let’s keep The Rotary Foundation at the forefront. The Foundation enriches the membership experience, supports club growth, and deepens our impact. The Rotary Foundation is more than just a source of funding; it is an invitation to endless opportunities. It’s a living expression of who we are as Rotary. The Foundation, too, can be a vital part of every member’s experience when they join us or start a new club. HOLGER KNAACK Foundation Trustee Chair, 2025-26

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ROTARY’S AUGUST FOCUS – MEMBERSHIP AND NEW CLUB DEVELOPMENT

What is your club’s plan for • •

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bringing in New Members?

continuing to Engage All Members?

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MEMBERSHIP - ROTARY’S AUGUST FOCUS 7 Steps to Strengthen and Grow Your Rotary Club Engage the heart. Enrich the club. Expand the impact. † Welcome with Warmth — Not Just a Handshake First impressions matter. Create a welcoming culture where every guest and new member feels genuinely valued. A personal follow-up call, a handwritten note, or a mentor match can go a long way. Inspiration: People come to Rotary for service, but they stay for the friendships. Involve Early and Often Give new members a purpose right away. Invite them to take part in a service project, speak at a meeting, or help plan an event. Engagement builds belonging. Tip: Create a “60-Day Rotary Passport” — a checklist of easy, meaningful club activities to try in their first two months. Celebrate the Why — Not Just the What Remind members regularly why their work matters. Share stories of lives changed, water flowing, books opened, and hope restored. Inspiration: “When we serve with love, every act becomes extraordinary.” Be Flexible — Rotary Is Evolving Meet people where they are. Offer hybrid meetings, flexible attendance, and varied projects. Today’s professionals want to serve — but need options that work with their lives. Spotlight Strengths and Passions Help each member shine. Ask: “What are you good at? What are you passionate about?” Then build opportunities around those answers. Idea: Host a “Rotary DNA” night — where members share stories of what drew them to Rotary and what keeps them here. Be Bold in Invitation Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment. Invite someone to an event, project, or social. Let them experience the magic of Rotary. Inspiration: “You’re not asking them to join a club. You’re inviting them to change the world — and be changed by it.” Nurture Joy and Fellowship Fun matters. Laughter builds loyalty. Make space for social connection — potlucks, game nights, storytelling circles. People return where they feel joy.

Inspired by Rotary values and shared ideas for strengthening our clubs. Adapted from Rotary-inspired content created in collaboration with ChatGPT, using Rotary International themes and best practices

†

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AND WHY JOIN ROTARY? � “Please Bring Me a Rotarian” A Story of Global Fellowship and My Unexpected Connection to It Some Rotary stories you read. Others, you live. This is one of those stories that I was fortunate to both write and, in part, become part of. PDG Dick Drew, from Maple Ridge near Vancouver, BC, was enjoying a family cruise aboard Voyager of the Seas with 12 family members when the unexpected happened. His son Mitch—father of young children—took a hard fall while ice skating on the ship’s rink. He struck his head and briefly lost consciousness. Though the ship’s doctor provided care, he advised a CT scan at the next port: Montego Bay, Jamaica. But with the ship due to depart within the hour, both father and son were forced to disembark, unsure what came next. When the cruise line’s port agent offered his assistance, PDG Drew pointed to the Rotary pin on his shirt and asked if he would locate a Rotarian. He disappeared and returned quickly with Keith Azzan, a local port business owner (Pirates’ Market) and then-president of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay East. When asked how he knew that Keith was a Rotarian? “He always wears the same pin you wear.” What followed was the kind of response only Rotary can provide. Keith coordinated hospital support, provided reassurance, and called Govind Chulani, then Assistant Governor, who joined them at the private hospital to ensure everything went smoothly. They stayed with the family, arranged an emergency hotel room—thanks to a local Rotarian manager—and helped Mitch get the care he needed. By the next day, Mitch was cleared to fly, and the family rejoined the cruise in Texas. All because of Rotary. Here’s where my own story intertwines: I was the editor of the District 7020 newsletter at the time and had the privilege of sharing this incredible story. But it didn’t stop at writing — I later had the pleasure of meeting both Govind and Keith in person because they and I were part of Rotary District 7020 in the Caribbean. That connection became part of my own Rotary journey, reinforcing what I already knew: Rotary is not just an organization. It’s a global family. Why share this story? Because it’s real. Because it shows that no matter where you are in the world, you are never far from a Rotarian who will step in, help, and walk beside you. And because stories like this remind us why Rotary matters — and why it’s worth inviting others to join. I wasn’t the only one to write the story, though it did appear in the D7020 newsletter. It also appeared online in District 5050. And by the magic of the internet, I was able to find it again! Have a read because it is a fascinating story--written by PDG Dick Drew from Maple Ridge, BC! …contributed by Rotarian Kitty (RC of D6330 Passport)

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ROTARY CHANGED MY PATH—NOW WE’RE CHANGING OUR COMMUNITY Posted on July 17, 2025by rotaryservice By Carlos Jonathan Zelaya, member of the Rotary Club of La Paz, District 4250, Honduras Carlos offers a glass of clean water to Juan José, a local child in La Paz, Honduras, using one of the ceramic filters installed in his community through a Rotary global grant. In February 2016, a group of Rotarians from the United States arrived in Honduras for a one-week humanitarian trip. At the time, I was 26 years old and working as a team leader for a nonprofit organization in Comayagua, Honduras. I thought it would be just another ordinary workweek—but that week changed my life. During the trip, I met Ed Odom, a Past District Governor from District 6890 and a member of the Fishhawk Riverview Rotary Club. I spent countless hours talking with him about Rotary—what it is and the incredible work it does around the world. I was truly amazed. Until then, I had only heard bits and pieces about Rotary and didn’t fully understand it. But Ed helped me see that anyone—even me—could become a Rotarian. In 2018, I moved to a new town called La Paz and started a humanitarian nonprofit called Honduras Compassion Partners. One of the first things I did when I arrived was ask if there was a Rotary club in the city. The answer was no. Right then, I told myself: This city needs Rotary. This city needs a space where leaders can come together to serve, change their community, and do good in the world. In February 2018, I called Ed to share my idea and begin recruiting members. Thanks to him, I had already made connections with Ana Alvarez from the Merendón Rotary Club in the San Pedro Sula region of the country. They were very helpful but since La Paz was far, they introduced Wendy Ayestas from the Villa Real Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa, closer to my location. That was the best suggestion. After I shared my vision with the Villa Real Club de Tegucigalpa, they supported us wholeheartedly—from beginning to end. For a full year, we met weekly with about 30 people from La Paz. We planned community service projects, learned about Rotary, and prepared to become an official club. That year was full of growth, learning, and doing. Even before becoming an official club, we started carried out impactful projects and partnerships that helped us form the foundation for a strong new club. Then, in December 2018, we received an email confirming that our dream was about to come true.

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I immediately called Ed to share the incredible news—we were about to charter a Rotary club! In January 2019, we hosted a large event with more than 120 people in attendance, including our District 4250 Governor. That day, the Rotary Club of La Paz was born with 30 new Rotary members. The most incredible part? None of us had previous Rotary experience—yet we came together to make this dream a reality, and we’re still carrying it forward today. Six years later, our club has received six global grants and multiple district grants!!! These have helped us install water and sanitation systems, build schools, renovate local hospitals, provide vocational training, and transform lives in our community. We’ve led many life-changing projects, and in the upcoming Rotary year, our club will have three assistant governors. Every year, we’re honored to welcome five Rotary clubs and more than 60 visiting Rotarians from the United States. These visits strengthen our partnerships and deepen our collective impact. Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors from across the U.S. join local Rotary members in La Paz to help a family build their new home. As for me, I’ve had the privilege of serving as club president, assistant governor, a member of the district membership committee, and a member of the Cadre of Technical Advisers for The Rotary Foundation. Soon, I’ll begin a new role as district international service chair for District 4250. All of this happened in just six years. Rotary has also given me the opportunity to speak at around 20 clubs in the U.S., attend two Rotary International Conventions, and much more. It only took one Rotarian and one week to introduce me to the heart of Rotary—and that spark has now multiplied into something so much greater. This is the Magic of Rotary. Go and share Rotary—everywhere, every time, and with everyone.

Editor’s Note: This story is a powerful reminder of how one moment, one connection, or one Rotarian can spark a lasting impact. If you’ve felt the magic of Rotary in your own journey, consider how you might take that next step—whether it’s mentoring a fellow member, leading a project, or stepping into a new role.

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For those who were unable to attend the D6330 Conference last May, you missed some excellent speakers. There is so much good work being done in Rotary District 6330. But you don’t have to miss these speakers – Here are links below that will allow you to view the presentations at your leisure. Please take the time to review the videos and learn about all some worthwhile projects Rotary is accomplishing!

Videos from 2025 District Conference The Environment Presentation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E70sHKcUsS0 The RI President’s Representative – Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E70sHKcUsS0 Harvest Hands, Jim Collins, St. Thomas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8HDMM4VZQ RI President’s Closing Remarks – May 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePWKVvegRTU Kurt Harnett – Buffalo Bicycle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyogy39s4ME

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Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates: • • • • • • •

Afghanistan: four WPV1-positive environmental samples Angola: one cVDPV2 case Cameroon: one cVDPV3 case Chad: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample Papua New Guinea: ten cVDPV2-positive environmental samples Somalia: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample Yemen: 22 cVDPV2 cases and 17 cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

Here’s a short video by Polio Survivor/Rotary D5370 Governor for 2025-26, Ramesh Ferris. The speech was recorded at the Calgary Convention 2025. Click here.

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SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

How can you take action?

Donate to End Polio.

Click here to view a short video by current D5370 Governor Ramesh Ferris – a polio survivor. DG Ramesh has been an activist against Polio for many years. Visit the PolioPlus Society Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/polioplussociety

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New national immunization coverage data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. 15/07/2025 The newly released WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) for 2024 offer a snapshot of global progress in childhood vaccination but also a reminder of the work still ahead to end polio for good. Global coverage for the third dose of polio vaccine (POL3) in 2024 is reported at 84%, consistent with 2023 levels, but still below pre-pandemic coverage of 86% in both 2018 and 2019. This lingering gap poses a challenge for eradication efforts, which rely on consistently high routine immunization to build and sustain population immunity and prevent outbreaks. The WUENIC data show encouraging signs of recovery in many countries, especially those implementing catchup campaigns. However, gaps persist ─ particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings, where zero-dose prevalence remains high and routine services are hardest to sustain. Polio eradication hinges on robust routine immunization systems that can reach every child, everywhere. Supplementary campaigns play a critical role, but they are designed to reinforce, not replace, essential services. As countries work to restore and strengthen routine coverage, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative continues to support efforts to reach every child with polio vaccines, and to close immunity gaps that leave communities vulnerable. “Polio eradication isn’t a standalone effort; it’s intricately tied to our wider immunization goals,” stated Dr Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director of Polio Eradication. “To truly protect children and finish the job, we must keep investing in routine immunization systems, especially in the most challenging areas to reach.” said Dr Jamal Ahmed, Director of Polio Eradication at WHO. “The world must continue to invest in routine systems, especially in the hardest-to-reach areas, to protect children and finish the job.” For more details on the WUENIC 2024 estimates and what they mean for immunization globally, read the joint WHO/UNICEF press release and explore the WHO Immunization Data Portal.

Click here to read the full article and learn more.

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Click here to view a short, animated video about responding to a polio outbreak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-0xoYYzU-k&t=216s

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INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

August - Rotary’s Focus Membership & New Club Development

The Week of Friday, August 1 to Thursday, August 7 World Breastfeeding Week Saturday, August 9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples Tuesday, August 12 International Youth Day Tuesday, August 19 World Humanitarian Day Thursday, August 21 International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism Friday, August 22 International Day of Commemorating the Victims of the Acts of Violence based on Religion or Belief Saturday, August 23 International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (UNESCO) Wednesday, August 27 World Lake Day

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Club President for 2025-26 – Kurtis Lush

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The club’s Board of Directors 2025-26

The 20250-26 Board of Directors, left to right: Brian Davidson, Joe Cebulski, Rajni Saraf, Myles Vanni, Pres. Kurtis Lush, Carolyn Leaver-Luciani, New Foundation Pres. Jamie Pole, Johnna Johansen. What a handsome group!

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A little background from 2018 – Club President, Kurtis

…from Kurtis-Haiti-reflection-piece-March-2018.pdf

My name is Kurtis Lush and for the past several years I have dedicated myself, through my work, academic and travel experiences, to understanding the realities of poverty worldwide. There is no country in this world that has intrigued me more than Haiti. From hearing about it for the first time in a Rayjon elementary school presentation to spending my university days researching and writing papers about the past and current struggles of the Haitian people, there was no other country I wanted to visit more than Haiti. As much as I wanted to go there, life took me on a different path. I worked in Africa on a start-up project, traveled through regions of Europe and Asia and came home to continue the work I am currently doing in combating local poverty and homelessness at The Inn of the Good Shepherd. In March, thanks to the awareness experiences offered through Rayjon, I was finally able to live my dream and visit Haiti. As we landed in Port-au-Prince and loaded our bus to St. Marc, I kept my eyes glued to the action of life in Haiti and looked for aspects to compare the country to other developing nations I have visited. I was seeing a lively hustle economy where basic public infrastructure, such as a transit system or shopping centers, did not exist; instead, people informally made a society based off what they had and what they could do. Tap-taps (trucks turned into buses) filled the streets and were jammed with people transiting across the city. Clothing items for sale were hanging on random property walls for display and people were running from car to car trying to sell their items to potential customers. While I continued to compare things I was currently seeing to past experiences, it quickly became clear that Haiti was not like any other developing country I had previously visited. Two seemingly contradicting themes emerged as the week unfolded. Haiti has many one-of-a-kind traits that are not well-known off the island and yet, due to numerous well-known events which have devastated Haiti’s development, the country is considered the poorest in the Western hemisphere. Our group, which comprised of families and people with differing backgrounds, including teachers, nurses, social workers and high school students, all came on this awareness experience to try and begin to understand both sides of Haiti. We were able to do just that thanks to great planning by the Rayjon group leaders, who led excursions that led to meaningful discussions and debates, and thanks to the incredible hospitality and openness of the Haitians we came to meet, especially the local Rayjon staff. Our awareness experience allowed us to experience and learn firsthand some of the incredible things about Haiti, including its unique culture, landscape and history. We were able to learn about the resiliency of the Haitian people, both in the past and present, as they became the world’s first black colony to abolish slavery and to become independent from colonial rule. We were able to enjoy the beautifully unique blend of African and Caribbean culture in things such as the country’s food, religion, art and music while learning about Haitian opposition to colonial cultural influences, especially language. We rode through varying climates and landscapes August 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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comprising of ocean views, forests, deserts, rice fields, and mountains. We were able to ask Haitians, through local translators, questions to further our understanding of the daily lives and traditions of these people. Understanding Haiti’s culture and its people gave us the opportunity to further understand the harsher realities of Haiti; however, it was hard, even with all the things we learned, to fully grasp what we were seeing. Our bus trips and hikes through rural mountainside villages, where there is limited access to basic necessities such as education, water, healthcare and shelter, highlighted the struggles of rural poverty. An unexpected overnight rainstorm, during our Cap Haitian visit, led to an unforgettable morning drive where we witnessed flooding in the slums and panic from locals as they worked to bail water out of their homes and protect themselves from the dangers lurking in the water. Destruction from the 2010 earthquake, including neighbourhoods with buildings in ruins and the tent homes outside them, were still evident in the city of Port-auPrince; however, the severe poverty that plagues the city, including pollution, homelessness, hunger and child malnutrition, was there prior to the disaster and has since intensified. At one point or another, every member of our group was left teary eyed and speechless… How can so much misfortune continue to plague this country? While deeply moved by the images we will never be able to erase from our memories, we left Haiti feeling that is there is hope and, while happening slowly, there is progress. You see it in the eyes of a 55-year-old lady who, for the first time in her life, is learning how to write her name. You experience it in visiting nurseries and schools where staff members are tirelessly working to make sure that children get the nutrients and education they need to become the leaders of tomorrow’s Haiti. You can hear it from local Haitians, who have the option and means to live abroad but are proud to call Haiti home and aim to put their time and money into the country. You can feel it in the rebuilt parts of Port-au-Prince. Through programs that enable and empower locals to lead societal change, such as Rayjon, there is hope that tomorrow’s Haiti can develop into a country that all citizens can enjoy and succeed in. In all my time in poverty studies I have never had a week quite like this and I know that a return to Haiti is not a question of if but when.

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS

Get involved! Join us!

For a short video of the 2025 PANCAKE BREAKFAST click here or the photo below.

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Click here to keep up to date with Rotarian Mike’s daily blog.

At right – Rotarian Mike Hurry is shown at the start of the Rotary Ride For Kids at Victoria in 2022 in this photo via therotaryrideforkids.com. (Handout) Handout

From the Observer, June 1 – Mike Hurry is back on the road to complete his cross-Canada cycling trip raising funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton. Hurry, with his wife Deb driving an accompanying RV, completed the first leg of the trip in 2022 and returned to Northern Ontario in mid-May to start the second leg scheduled to end sometime in June in Halifax where he plans to dip his front bike tire in the Atlantic Ocean. “The weather has been atrocious,” Hurry said during a stop at Deep River. “I’ve had sleet and snow, and our waterlines froze one night.” The initial leg in 2022 began when Hurry dipped a bicycle wheel in the water in Victoria and then paused at Marathon. Forest fires in 2023 and a friend’s illness in 2024 delay the second leg until this year. Click here to read the rest of the Observer article.

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And by the end of June, Rotarian Mike had completed his ride – Mike’s words below Today we are back to cycling and it will be our last day on the bikes. We drive back close to where we departed the ferry from PEI and last cycled. From Stellarton we take highway 374 towards Steel Harbour. The road is for the most part relatively new pavement. There is only a 14 km section toward the end that is in need of resurfacing and it certainly isn’t as bad as some roads we have been on. The road is virtually empty - in fact at most a couple of dozen vehicles pass us in both directions. Other than a couple of significant hills, the road is low rolling hills sweeping from left to right and back again for the entire day. From Steel Harbour we cycle along highway 7 which hugs the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia through small communities that dot the shore. Each community is at the end of a bay where the road dips down to meet the ocean and then meanders up and out of town around the end of the bay. Finally, we arrive at Murphy’s on the Ocean where we’ll camp tonight. A relatively uneventful conclusion to the cross Canada trek. As I have mentioned I didn’t end up cycling every inch. There were large sections on this year’s adventure that I cut out for a variety of reasons. Overall, I’m happy with what I cycled and feel that I had an opportunity to experience Canada from coast to coast. Left - Highway 7 South shore We have a beautiful country and cycling allowed me to get to see many parts of the country that I would never have seen. Cycling get you off the four lane divided highways and into the small towns and villages. We are really blessed to live in Canada. Over the course of the two years that Deb, Maggie and I spent on this adventure we talked to a lot of different people across the country. We know that we have far more in common, far more which unites us than divides us. I’d like to thank Paul, Curtis and Terry who joined us for part of year one and my cousin David who flew in this year from England to spend three weeks cycling with me from Montreal to the East Coast. I’d also like to thank the many donors and other supporters that helped me along the road for supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton. Most of all I’d like to thank my wife Deb for supporting me every day of this two years adventure crossing Canada. I couldn’t have done this trip without her and I wouldn’t have want to. I’m the luckiest guy. The ride today ended with me dipping the front wheel of my bike, actually it is Dave Hill’s bike, (thanks Dave) into the Atlantic Ocean. Well to be perfectly honest I actually dipped it into Murphy’s Cove but that does eventually flow into the Atlantic, so close enough. Thanks for following along. ROTARIANS – PEOPLE OF ACTION! Click here to read the full blog. August 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Pathways Health Centre for Children – 50 years!

The Rotary Club of Sarnia gratefully acknowledges this post by Pathways Health Centre for Children. Although the Club now has many areas of focus, beginning with its formation in 1928, the care of the children of Sarnia-Lambton has been the Club’s primary mission. We are proud to join in the celebration of Pathway’s 50th Anniversary! Click here to learn more about the Pathways Health Centre for Children.

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WHY JOIN ROTARY? WHO NEEDS ROTARY? Here is a lovely story from our dedicated Rotarian, Bill Hoad – and he was so very kind to give us all a little insight into his Rotary history and why someone should become a member of Rotary. How did you get involved with Rotary? Were you invited? by whom? When? When I got promoted to Plant Manager at Ethyl, I got membership in the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club, membership in the Rotary Club of Sarnia and a company car. Membership in the SG&CC allowed me to become a curler and get together with fellow curlers at least one evening a week and occasionally for bonspiels on the weekends (and drink lots of beer too). I was invited to join Rotary by my next door neighbour Norm Millington who had 3 Rotarians across the street, and then we had 2 more within a block. A Rotary ghetto! What was Rotary like when you first joined, and has it changed much? Rotarian Bill Hoad When I joined Rotary it was a men-only club of about 140 members. We met in the Guildwood Inn which now has another name. There was only one club in Sarnia; and as I remember it, most were working, not retirees as at present. The Sarnia Fire Chief and Sarnia Police Chief sat together, and no doubt discussed matters of mutual interest.

What have you contributed to Rotary - and what has Rotary contributed to you? In general, a lot of volunteer time. Auction. The Breakfast. Property Manager. Part of the team that built the Rotary office. Liaison with Pathways, CCMF (Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile), and the March of Dimes. What is your best memory/feeling/story about Rotary that you are willing to share with the readers? If you have a story, that would be super! The biggest reward was about 1989 when I was Rotarian of the Year. The reward included a visit to the Rotary International Convention in Edinburgh. My wife came too. Naturally Rotarians from all over the world were there. After 35 years, I don't have many specific memories but one of the most enjoyable events was a bus trip to Glasgow, and along the way checking a lake to see if the Loch Ness monster could be seen that day. The bus driver was an outgoing personality and was everyone's friend. Why have you maintained your membership - and how long have you been in Rotary? I have a small family. Daughter, son-in-law in London, 2 grandsons. Son and daughter-in-law in Missouri, no kids. 3 sisters-in-law in the Ottawa area. One niece in Sarnia and one in Wallaceburg who are here because we moved here in 1957. So the members of the Rotary club are like family. August 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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We get together for weekly meetings and work on fundraisers and other events. Other Rotary-related events are working with Pathways, CCMF, and March of Dimes. Other "families" are our amateur radio club and group who used to be involved with Emergency Preparedness Day and now meet at Tim’s weekly to solve worldly problems and have a coffee. I believe I joined Rotary in 1980. Do you have any advice for today's Rotarians? Get involved! Enjoy Rotary! Enjoy the Rotarians! With all the action, there has to be an activity you would enjoy. -- Bill Hoad, July 2025

ROTARY QUOTES Cliff Dochterman (Past RI President, 1992-93), known for inspiring everyday Rotarians! “Real happiness is helping others. And if you want to feel good about yourself, do something for someone else.” A beloved Rotarian, Cliff often reminded members that Rotary wasn’t just about big projects—it was about personal commitment and service with heart.

Sylvia Whitlock (First woman Rotary Club president, Duarte, California, 1987) “Rotary is a vehicle through which we can do good, guided not by self-interest but by shared humanity.” Sylvia’s leadership broke barriers, but she always emphasized the why behind service— our shared responsibility to uplift others.

Sam Owori (RI President-elect, Uganda, passed away before taking office in 2017) “Rotary has become a way of life for me—one that I will never abandon. It has brought out the best in me. I am grateful to belong to an organization that is making a difference.” Sam was deeply respected for his humility and his remarkable Rotary work in Africa, where he helped charter over 80 clubs. His quiet leadership continues to inspire.

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Is the project in one of the areas of focus? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

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Is the project between Clubs/Districts in separate countries? – No? Consider a District Grant.

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Is the total budget for the project less than USD $30,000? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

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If you answer YES to all the above, consider applying for a Global Grant.

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Members of the Paul Harris Society know that the need never ends -- and neither should the giving. D6330 Long-time Paul Harris Society Chair is Rotarian Jamie Pole.

What your giving supports Rotarian Jamie Pole.

Paul Harris Society gifts have helped provide: • • • • •

In District 6330 we are proud of the generous members in our Paul Harris Society. We have over 32 of our clubs that now have members in the Paul Harris Society.

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Annual Fund-SHARE Annual Fund-World Fund Annual Fund-Areas of focus PolioPlus Fund Disaster Response Fund Disasters of Magnitude Approved global grants

For under $3 a day you can join the Paul Harris Society. • •

You can fulfill your Paul Harris Society commitment gradually during the Rotary year. An immediate $1,000 contribution is NOT required at the time of enrollment.

It is your donations that allow our clubs, your club, and Rotarians around the world to • • • • • • •

provide clean water prevent disease save mothers and children promote peace fund projects support education, and stimulate economic development

We as Rotarians are in the business of changing lives! I encourage you to consider becoming a member of the Paul Harris Society. Will you be joining the PHS members of our District 6330?

Rotarian Jamie Pole.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Paul Harris Society Coordinator, District 6330 – Jamie Pole!

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The Rotarian Minute is a creation of District 1700. Please send any comments or suggestons to laminute1700@gmail.com.

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The Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus

-- King Charles III

What Carbon Is — and What It Isn’t Carbon often gets framed as the villain in climate change — but in truth, it’s the element that makes life possible. It’s in your DNA, the food on your plate, and the air you exhale. Carbon atoms are the building blocks of organic molecules, capable of forming chains and structures that drive nearly every biological process. Scientifically, carbon is element number 6 on the periodic table. It is small but incredibly versatile, able to form strong bonds with other elements like hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. That versatility is why it appears in everything from proteins and fossil fuels to wood and plastic. But when people talk about “cutting carbon,” what they usually mean is cutting carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is a heat-trapping gas that’s released when carbon bonds with oxygen during combustion, respiration, and decay. Conflating carbon with carbon dioxide oversimplifies the problem. The issue isn’t carbon itself, but rather where it’s accumulating. Click here to read the rest of this article – from earthday.org.

Positive environmental emotions – such as awe, gratitude, and connectedness with nature – are not only protective for our mental health, but they also foster care, responsibility, and pro-environmental behaviors. In times of ecological crisis, they remind us of what is worth protecting. -- Dr. Matteo Innocenti, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, European Climate Pact Ambassador, President Italian Climate Change Anxiety Association, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Click here to read another interesting article from earthday.org – 3 Words you Need to Know about Mental Health and Climate Change.

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Stronger Together: Join ESRAG in Expanding Our Impact Friday, July 4, 2025 By Ludwig Kalthoff, Chair, Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group Have you ever felt the spark of being part of a truly great team—united by purpose, energized by shared goals, and committed to a collective mission? That’s the spirit fueling ESRAG this year. As your new Chair, I warmly invite you to bring your voice, energy, and leadership into this shared journey. Our theme for 2025-26 is clear and bold: Stronger Together: Building Foundations, Expanding Impact. Imagine ESRAG as a global team. Our field is the Earth. Our mission: to protect and restore it. Rotary provides the values and structure. The Board sets strategy and ensures sustainability. But you—our members, volunteers, and leaders—are the changemakers on the ground. From grassroots projects to global advocacy, every action you take is a vital part of our impact. What We’re Doing Together This year, we’re raising the bar. ESRAG’s Divisions—including Communications, IT, Membership, Projects, and Task Forces—have set ambitious operational goals to expand our reach and deepen our effectiveness. •

Expanding Our Reach We aim to elevate ESRAG’s visibility to 75,000 impressions per month. With 96 published articles, 48 weekly seminars, engaging podcasts, videos, and global campaigns, we’re inviting new members, donors, and partners to join us.

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Documenting Our Impact By tracking 95 activities and uploading at least 18 projects to iRotree and the Rotary Project Center, we’re making your work visible—and inspiring others to act.

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Growing Our Capacity We’re improving how we onboard and empower volunteers through clear processes, helpful Division Handbooks, and easy access to tools that help you lead confidently and collaborate effectively.

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Fostering Connection Through ESRAG Connect, we’re nurturing five key practices—welcoming new members, aligning work with purpose, fostering belonging, celebrating contributions, and listening deeply. These are the roots of a vibrant, engaged community.

Our Divisions are tackling issues from climate to circular economy, sustainable living to biodiversity. This isn’t just organizational growth—it’s a movement for environmental action, powered by people like you. Your Call to Action Goals alone don’t change the world—you do. August 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Whether you’re launching a green project, engaging your community, or leading a task force, ESRAG is here to amplify your impact and increase your environmental handprint. You provide the networks, tools, and support to turn our ideas into action—and our action into lasting change. If you’re already involved, step deeper into leadership. If you’re new, welcome! There’s a place for you here. Visit www.esrag.org to explore, connect, and get started. Together, we are responding to today’s challenges while building a hopeful, sustainable future. Let’s play our part. Let’s be Stronger Together. Please share: Stronger Together

See our club Facebook page for more up-to-the-minute club news! https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

Upcoming speakers for our club meetings ‡ DATE August 12

August 26

Matthew Slotwinski, CEO Sarnia Lambton Economic Partnership Jason Vaillant, General Manager, BASES Garry McDonald, President Canadian Snowbird Association

September 2

No meeting

September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30

Friends of the St. Clair River Mark Braet, Chair, CEEH Foundation & Bob DeRaad Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital redevelopment President Kurtis Lush - Club Assembly

August 19

‡

PROGRAM

Thanks to Rotarian Alison Mahon who prepares the speakers’ list for the club!

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What is KIVA.org? Microfinance made easy… ...for your information and interest – and International Service

Empower Dreams with Kiva.org: Microloans that Make a World of Difference Have you ever wished you could help someone start a business, support their education, or improve their community — even from across the world? Kiva.org makes that possible. Through Kiva, individuals can lend as little as $25 to support entrepreneurs and underserved communities in over 80 countries. And The impact for recipients is profound: they gain access to capital that traditional banks may deny them, along with a sense of dignity, agency, and the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. Whether it’s a woman opening a market stall in Kenya or a farmer in Peru investing in sustainable equipment, your small loan can create lasting change. Lenders benefit too — not financially, but personally and globally. It’s a chance to connect with someone’s story, be part of their success, and promote values of equity and entrepreneurship. With a 96% repayment rate, your funds can be loaned again and again, multiplying your impact. As Rotarians, we’re often invited to support a variety of worthy causes — all meaningful and impactful. But with Kiva.org, it’s not about donating — it’s about lending. Your loan has a very high chance of being repaid, and once it is, you can re-lend those same funds again and again, multiplying your impact. And you’re not alone — each loan is funded by a group of caring lenders like you, and together you’ll share in the joy of repayment and impact. Your $25 becomes part of a larger loan, joined by others — and repaid to each lender as the borrower succeeds. Best of all, your Rotary club doesn’t have to lead the charge. Individuals can get involved on their own — supporting entrepreneurs, uplifting communities, and making a real difference in people’s lives around the world. Kiva turns compassion into action — one microloan at a time. Visit www.kiva.org to learn more or to start lending today.

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Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It may seem simple, but in a complex world, those questions are anything but easy — and that’s part of their power.

� Why Should We Consider It?

Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

Because ethics matter — now more than ever. The Four-Way Test: • • • • •

Brings clarity to grey areas. Encourages honesty and accountability, not just in public life but in our quiet decisions. Fosters trust — a commodity that seems scarce in many parts of today’s society. Helps cultivate respectful dialogue instead of divisiveness. Serves as a universal framework: it’s non-religious, non-political, and applicable across cultures and professions. In a world of misinformation, polarization, and moral shortcuts, it gently but firmly asks: “Are we making the right choices for ourselves and for others?”

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� What Does the Four-Way Test Mean in Today’s Context? In a global landscape marked by challenges — climate change, inequality, misinformation, and conflict — the Four-Way Test is a compass. It reminds us: • • • •

Truth is not just about facts, but integrity. Fairness challenges us to consider others, not just ourselves. Goodwill and friendship are the foundations of peace, community, and collaboration. Benefit to all concerned asks us to be stewards, not just beneficiaries.

In Rotary, it’s more than words. It shapes how Rotarians lead projects, build partnerships, and serve their communities — from clean water initiatives to polio eradication. But beyond Rotary, it’s an invitation to live more ethically and courageously. � Closing Thought The Four-Way Test isn't about being perfect. It's about trying to do the right thing, every day, in big ways and small. It invites us to pause, reflect, and then act — with conscience, compassion, and courage. Whether you’re a Rotarian or not, those four questions can light a path through some of life’s murkiest terrain.

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year

Click here for a short video. Our Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative encourages all Rotary club members to contribute something each year to The Rotary Foundation. We hope that you can consider at least $100 USD every year to help us reach our goal to support the Rotary Foundation financially each year. Sustaining member. One who contributes $100 USD every year is a Sustaining Member. With EREY, we encourage you to contribute an amount you can afford every year. Click here to listen to

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We are the World.

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A LITTLE HUMOUR An Irishman walks into a bar in Dublin… He orders three pints of Guinness, then sits in the back of the room drinking a sip out of each one in turn. After he finished all three, he returns to the bar and orders three more. The bartender says to him, “You know, a pint goes flat after I draw it; it would taste better if you bought one at a time.” The Irishman replies, “Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in America, the other in Australia, and I’m here in Dublin… “ “When we all left home, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the days we all drank together.” The bartender admits that this is a nice custom and leaves it there. The Irishman becomes a regular in the bar and always drinks the same way… He orders three pints and drinks the three pints by taking drinks from each of them in turn. One day, he comes in and orders two pints… All the other regulars in the bar notice and fall silent. When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says… “I don’t want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your great loss.” The Irishman looks confused for a moment, then a light dawns in his eye and he laughs… “Oh, no,” he says, “everyone is fine… “ “I’ve just quit drinking!” Below is a short presentation from “Letters Live.” Click the link and enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnWxHmMqAQk&t=1s

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COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE YEARS Pathways Health Centre for Children (Founder) Bluewater Health – Maternal & Child Health Wing YMCA – Swimming Pool Inn of the Good Shepherd Lambton College St. Joseph’s Hospice Huron House Boys’ Home Community Living, Sarnia Lambton Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile (Standing Oaks Home) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RLYA) DOW Centre for Children and Youth Big Brothers – Big Sisters Canada Food Grains Scouts Canada – Camp Attawandron Goodwill Industries Rayjon Haiti Project YMCA Youth Scholarship Lambton County Music Festival Awards Family Counselling Centre Access Open Minds Habitat for Humanity Point Edward Minor Hockey Association Junior Achievement Numerous Schools – LKDSB and SCCDSB …and much, much more

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But no -

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.§

Author unknown

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gysonehttps://issuu.com/ladykitt/docs/march_newsletter_2021

Rotary Year 2025-26

Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo (Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy) District Governor Jeff Ferweda, (Rotary Club of Genesee Valley, MI) Club President, Kurtis Lush

District website: https://rotary6330.org/ Club website: https://www.rotarysarnia.com/ Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Rotary Calendar and Themes INSPIRATION for September – Basic Education & Literacy Club Mission & Vision statements Malala – Nobel Peace Award Coming Events RI PRESIDENT – Video and message SEPTEMBER MESSAGE – RI President Francesco Arezzo SEPTEMBER MESSAGE – Rotary Foundation Chair Holger Knaack RI PRESIDENT-NOMINEE ANNOUNCED – Larry Lunsford SEPTEMBER FOCUS – Basic Education & Literacy Education breaks the cycle of modern-day slavery Butterfly Storybook – successful literacy project idea VIDEOS FROM MAY DISTRICT 6330 CONFERENCE – a repeat INSPIRATION ROTARY BOARDS - (Directors vs Trustees) POLIO THIS WEEK Questions and answers Update – GPEI Bill Gates’ Foundation

POLIOPLUS WORLD POLIO DAY – October 24 UNITED NATIONS DAYS

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CLUB NEWS Do you need a make-up? + our 2024-25 Club President Kurtis CLUB ACTIVITIES & HISTORY WHY JOIN ROTARY? Highlighting Rotarian Brian Club Meeting of August 12! (Photos) Rotary Quotations Foundation Grants Paul Harris Society – Rotarian Jamie Rotarian Minute – Paul Harris Fellow Object of Rotary & Rotary’s Code of Conduct Environment – A reason to save our environment! Our Facebook Page SEPTEMBER CROSSWORD – What do you know? OUTSIDE OF ROTARY – Distinguished Visitor

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BACK PAGES Four-Way Test Club Executive Humour X-word solution Honouring 98 years of service and counting Community Service …just the beginning

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The Calendar below shows Rotary’s 2025-26 monthly themes. ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES Month July August September October November December January February March April May June

Click the flags below to listen to the respective national anthems.

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INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS FOR SEPTEMBER ROTARY’S FOCUS FOR SEPTEMBER BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY

“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.” – Kofi Annan

“Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

“One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

Click here to view a video by Malala’s father – to understand how Malala has become who she is.

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS

Malala Yousafzai - a true champion for EDUCATION AND LITERACY Why Malala is Important Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of courage, resilience, and the power of education. At just 11 years old, she began speaking out publicly against the Taliban's efforts to ban girls from attending school in her home region of Pakistan. Despite threats to her life, she refused to be silenced— believing deeply that education is a fundamental right for every child, regardless of gender.

Click here to view Malala’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech

In 2012, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman while riding the school bus. Most thought that would be the end of her story—but it was just the beginning. She survived, and instead of retreating in fear, she became an even more powerful voice on the world stage. She continues to fight for education for girls worldwide through the Malala Fund, and in 2014, she became the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala's unwavering commitment in the face of violence reminds us that one voice—however young—can ignite change across the globe. Click here to view her video. Click here – as a bonus – to view her father’s video (inspiring!)

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MONTH OF SEPTEMBER Rotary’s Focus on Basic Education & Literacy DISTRICT GOVERNOR’S CLUB VISIT

Tuesday, September 2 WORLD LITERACY DAY Monday, September 8, 2025

NEXT BOARD MEETING Wednesday, September 17 6:30 p.m.

CLUB FOUNDATION AGM Tuesday, October 7 12:15 p.m.

Rotary Anthem Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem! Click here for We are the World.

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VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE RI PRESIDENT

Dear fellow member In an increasingly divided world, Rotary remains a beacon for unity. As we move Rotary forward, our core values and mission remain constant, keeping us focused in membership, peace, and polio. We begin this year with a clear message: Unite for Good. It is an extraordinary phrase for its simplicity, brevity, and impact. Because behind every act of service, every new member, and every global challenge, two things matter most: friendship and trust.

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Not so long ago, I was playing with my grandchildren in our living room, with no thought of becoming Rotary’s president for 2025-26. Life really does come at you fast. I appreciate the support and affection so many of you have offered, and I am eager to discover what we will achieve together. The connections that we make transforms lives and make the world brighter and more hopeful. Everything is possible when we Unite for Good. Sincerely,

Francesco Arezzo 2025-26 President Rotary International Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy

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THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT SEPTEMBER MESSAGE 2025 Peace through Education When I stepped into the role of Rotary International president, the moment came swiftly and unexpectedly. It got me thinking how the world can change in an instant, and how Rotary has the power to be a steady force for good in that change. This month, Rotary’s Basic Education and Literacy Month, we have a clear call to action: to strengthen the foundation of learning in every community we serve. Millions of people worldwide remain unable to read. Millions of children lack access to basic education. And yet, we know the solution: sustainable, inclusive, and equitable education, especially for girls and marginalized youths. Literacy is more than the ability to read and write. It is the key to human dignity, economic mobility, and peace. Every book opened, every classroom supported, and every teacher trained becomes a building block of peace. This year, our message is Unite for Good. “Unite” speaks to the strength we find in each other. When we unite our talents and resources – not only among our clubs but across partners, organizations, and communities – we expand our reach. And when we do so consistently over time, we create lasting change. Rotary service cannot be measured only in annual goals. Our work in education must extend beyond a single year. Literacy projects take time to take root, grow, and bear fruit. Now is the time to think boldly and creatively. New types of clubs can help us engage educators, students, and advocates in new ways. Let us use this month to welcome new members with a passion for education and empower existing ones to lead service projects that reflect local needs. Whether you’re building libraries, distributing textbooks, or mentoring students, your actions matter. Education is also peacebuilding. Every scholarship we provide, every early childhood program we support, every adult literacy class we fund is an act of peace. And Rotary has been building peace in this way for more than a century. Let us not forget that the fight for literacy is not only about access, it’s about equity. It is about ensuring every learner, regardless of background, has the opportunity to reach their potential. And it is about standing together – across borders, languages, and generations – to say that education is a right, not a privilege. Let’s Unite for Good by committing to literacy that lasts. Let’s dream of a world where every child learns to read. And then, as people of action, let’s work together to make that dream a reality. Together, we can change lives, starting with the power of education. Together, we Unite for Good. FRANCESCO AREZZO President, Rotary International

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR MESSAGE FOR SEPTEMBER 2025 Literacy as a human right Education is the most powerful tool we have for changing the world, and during Basic Education and Literacy Month, I want to remind everyone why our work matters. Education breaks the cycle of poverty, opens doors to opportunity, and empowers individuals to transform their communities. But education doesn’t exist in a vacuum. We must also address peace, health, clean water, economic opportunity, maternal and child health, and the environment. This is why Rotary has these areas of focus. Lasting change requires a comprehensive approach. When we collaborate across these areas through The Rotary Foundation, we raise up communities sustainably and with dignity. Today, I have asked Lynne Paradis from the Rotary Club of Red Deer, Alberta, to share her passion for literacy: “I believe that literacy is a human right. When I joined forces with the Rotary Club of San Ignacio, Belize, over a decade ago, we set out to improve reading instructions, but we had no idea how far this journey would take us. Literacy Alive! has been supported by eight Rotary Foundation global grants since 2011. Using a straightforward approach based on phonics and science, we updated how teachers teach and focused on how students really learn. We collected data on reading skills improvement over six months. After demonstrating that teachers had integrated new practices into daily instructions, the project snowballed. The Belize Ministry of Education took notice. Today, over 1,300 teachers have been trained, and more than 20,000 students have benefited. We’ve achieved over 90 percent success rates, with many students making more than a year’s worth of improvement in just five months. The program is now compulsory in Belize primary schools. What moves me most is hearing teachers say how confident they are that they can change students’ lives. Our greatest success is working ourselves out of a job. When local educators take the lead, we know lasting change is underway.” Lynne’s story exemplifies the power of Foundation grants. Through partnerships spanning six Rotary clubs and three countries, Literacy Alive! reminds us how good Rotary is at creating systemic change. When our members’ passion meets Foundation support, we don’t just improve individual lives, we change entire communities. By supporting the Foundation, you can put your passion to work this month and every month

HOLGER KNAACK Foundation Trustee Chair, 2025-26 September 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT-NOMINEE (RI President for 2027-28) By Etelka Lehoczky

Larry A. Lunsford, a member of the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza, Missouri, USA, is the selection of the nominating committee to become Rotary International’s president for 2027-28. Larry A. Lunsford, a member of the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza, Missouri, USA, is the selection of the nominating committee to become Rotary International’s president for 2027-28. He will officially become the president-nominee on 15 September if no other candidates challenge him. Lunsford attended Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, on an academic scholarship, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. He first encountered Rotary when he received a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship to spend the 1981-82 academic year at the University of Newcastle in Australia. A certified public accountant, Lunsford spent seven years working for Ernst & Young before joining a family-owned business, Bernstein-Rein Advertising, in 1990. He is currently executive vice president and chief financial officer for the Bernstein group of companies. He has held positions on the boards of the Kansas City Spirit Festival and the Variety Club as well as serving as director of a local bank and treasurer of the Epilepsy Foundation for the Heart of America. He has also served on Truman State University’s alumni and foundation boards and received the university’s Distinguished Service Award. Lunsford joined the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza in 1991 and has since served as • • •

District governor (2001-02) RI director (2013-15), and Trustee of The Rotary Foundation (2021-25, vice chair 2024-25).

He has been a member of RI committees, including the Executive Committee (chair 2014-15), Membership Growth Committee (chair 2016-18), and Nominating Committee for President of RI (chair 2023-24). He also has served on The Rotary Foundation’s Executive Committee (chair 2023-24), Finance Committee (chair 2022-23 and 2024-25), and Participant Experience Committee (chair 2023-24). Lunsford has been awarded The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, and the RI Service Above Self Award. He and his wife, Jill Lunsford, have two children and one grandchild. They are Major Donors, Bequest Society members, multiple Paul Harris Fellows, Benefactors of The Rotary Foundation, and Sustaining Members.

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ROTARY’S SEPTEMBER FOCUS – BASIC EDUCATION AND LITERACY More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. That’s 17 percent of the world’s adult population.

Rotary’s goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to • support basic education and literacy • reduce gender disparity in education • increase adult literacy We support education for all children, and literacy for children and adults.

By Nikki Kallio

While many people would like to think that slavery was a tragedy of the past, the truth is that it still exists today, with up to 46 million people enslaved worldwide. The Rotarian Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS) has a strategy for fighting this horrible problem, working at the local level. “It’s this Rotarian attitude – you give them a problem and instead of throwing their hands up in dismay, they start chipping away at it piece by piece,” says Carol Hart Metzker, a member of the action group. “Maybe slavery won’t be solved in my lifetime, but in two more years, we’re going to have a whole hamlet free.” September 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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The students learn to use a computer, which is also used to document the project. In a village in northeastern India, the action group is tackling the problem of debt bondage. With the help of 13 clubs, a district grant through the Rotary Club of Binghamton, New York, USA, and other sources, the action group is providing $36,000 toward the work of Schools4Freedom, a project of the organization Voices4Freedom. Schools4Freedom works with local partner organization Manav Sansadhan Evam Mahila Vikas Sansthan (MSEMVS) to battle debt bondage. The RAGAS project will support the efforts in one of those villages for three years. The name of the village, which is in the Uttar Pradesh state, is kept secret to protect the villagers and aid workers.

“THE SLAVEHOLDER CREATES A SCHEME SUCH THAT THE INTEREST IS MORE THAN THE FAMILY EVER MAKES – THAT CONTRACT IS NEVER PAID OFF.”

Poverty, illiteracy, innumeracy, and natural disasters that destroy crops or homes can leave villagers vulnerable to debt bondage in rural villages. “When people don’t have enough to eat, and they barely have the ability to keep a roof over their head and their family quite literally alive, they will often turn to whatever means are possible for survival,” Metzker says. Families may seek an arrangement with a business owner, who asks them to sign a contract that they can’t read and therefore can’t understand, and they inadvertently trade their freedom for survival, she says. Of the village’s 400 residents, 132 are living in debt bondage, enslaved in the slaveholder’s brick kilns, farm, or construction projects, she says. “The others are at risk because they, too, are in abject poverty.” Hundreds of thousands of people in Uttar Pradesh and the neighboring state of Bihar are working in forced labor in industries including agriculture, domestic servitude, commercial sex, stone quarries, or brick kilns, says Bhanuja Sharan Lal, director of MSEMVS. The problem is exacerbated by inaction on anti-slavery laws, caste discrimination, discrimination and violence against women, lack of effective protection for children, lack of training of front-line officials, and corruption, Lal says. Click here to read and learn more.

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A SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL LITERACY PROJECT – The Butterfly Storybook � Project Overview The Butterfly StoryBook Contest is an annual story-writing competition open to children ages 7–11 across District 7020, which encompasses the Caribbean region. Clubs in the district host local contests and submit up to three winning stories each, with the top ten entries selected to be published in The Butterfly StoryBook. Those ten young authors are also awarded USD $50 each by the E Club as recognition and encouragement for their creative efforts. Purpose & Impact The intention of the project is twofold: • •

Promoting Basic Education & Literacy by encouraging storytelling skills in young children. Empowering children to see themselves as authors and contributors to a wider audience

After publication via Amazon (globally available in English and French, and earlier editions also offered in Spanish and Haitian Creole), the books are shared widely. Partners such as the Jamaica Reading Association have replicated and distributed printed copies to schools and communities in need. Notable Editions & Stats • The first editions date back to the 2012-13, and new volumes have appeared annually. • By 2023, the E Club celebrated a “Butterfly Double Launch” and published a 10th Anniversary Edition. Organization & Committee The project is organized and published by the Butterfly StoryBook Committee within the Rotary E Club of the Caribbean, District 7020. Why It Matters This initiative neatly embodies Rotary’s Basic Education & Literacy focus: • It nurtures young writers, fostering confidence and literacy skills. • It connects Rotary clubs across the district, reinforcing local collaboration. • It creates storytelling tools that are accessible to children throughout the Caribbean and beyond, often in multiple languages. • It channels book proceeds back into Rotary’s humanitarian programs. Note of interest - The first Butterfly Storybook was a huge success in the spring of 2013 – even before the club was chartered! September 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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A repeat – For those who were unable to attend the D6330 Conference last May, you missed some excellent speakers. There is so much good work being done in Rotary District 6330. But you don’t have to miss these excellent speakers and projects – Here are links below that will allow you to view the presentations at your leisure. Please take the time to review the videos and learn about all some worthwhile projects Rotary is accomplishing!

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ROTARY INSPIRATION Rotary Inspiration Source – Rotary 360 By Chad Wellman On the morning of 11 February our lives changed forever. I was at home in Gunnison, Colorado, getting ready for work when my phone buzzed with an alert: “Hard Fall SOS.” My mom, Grace’s, smartwatch had detected a hard fall and notified emergency services – and me, since I was listed as an emergency contact. With the alert was a surprisingly accurate map of the “hard fall” location, an on-ramp to Interstate Highway 95 near Florence, South Carolina, USA. Grace and my dad, Phil, were traveling in their RV when they had an accident with another vehicle. Both vehicles burned. Grace was lost instantly. Miraculously, Phil and the two family dogs were unharmed. But my dad, left with nothing, was stranded in South Carolina, far from his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in a place where none of us had any connections. Our entire family – all seven of us – began making our way from five separate towns across Colorado. Our main concern was getting to Dad and making sure he wasn’t alone. He had always been there for us in our times of need. Now it was our turn. Knowing Dad was a longtime Rotarian (a member of the Rotary Club of Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Virginia), a family friend contacted the Rotary Club of Florence West and asked if anyone could stay with him until we arrived at the hotel where he had been transported after the accident. Over the years, I’ve attended Rotary meetings with Dad in various parts of the country. Rotary aligned closely with his values, and it matched his deep sense of service and generosity. It was such a relief to hear from David Boulware, who along with several other local Rotary members dropped everything to be by Phil’s side. We had never met them, yet the bond was immediate, and their acts of kindness were heartfelt and generous. The Rotarians brought Dad a new phone charger, medications, clothes, a toothbrush, and food for the dogs. But just having someone there with him was more important than a change of clothes, a shower, or any material needs. I’m sure stories were shared that day, and I imagine the camaraderie in that little roadside hotel room was tangible.

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But it went beyond that. During their time together, Dad told them about the things his Rotary club did, including delivering care packages to first responders. Within days, the Florence West club decided to do the same. The name they gave the program? Sharing Grace, in honor of Mom. From the whole family, we are deeply grateful to the Rotary family for stepping up that day. None of us planned to spend the day that way, but their kindness made the experience more bearable as we scrambled through the chaos of weather delays, airplanes, rental cars, and hotel bookings. Once reunited in Florence, we came together as a family to start making the hard decisions and begin piecing our lives back together. It’s remarkable that on the worst day of our lives, one of the first things Poppa said to us when we arrived in South Carolina was, “Wow, people are good.” I’m writing this in June while waiting at the airport in Des Moines, Iowa, for my dad to pick me up for the final stretch of our journey back to Colorado for the summer. Grace was always by his side on this annual trip. This year, his brother Harvey joined him for the first leg, and I’m taking the second. We’ve been on many adventures, and Grace was always part of them. She taught school for 30 years, was an avid animal lover, and volunteered to transport dogs for an animal shelter. Gracie had recently graduated from a Senior Citizens Police Academy in Virginia Beach, and was active in her church, book club, and Jazzercise class. She was joyful, fun, and a force for goodness. Grace’s spirit lives on in the spirit of Rotary and the support and fellowship its members have extended to us and countless others.

TO VIEW PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS the July and August newsletters online in magazine format, click below -

July newsletter online

August newsletter online

And a bonus – Click here to view a short and entertaining video on The Happy Secret to Better and More Positive Work

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS Rotary International Board of Directors vs Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees

Rotary International Board of Directors • Composition: The RI Board is made up of the President, President-Elect, and Directors elected from Rotary zones worldwide. •

District 6330 falls under Zones 28 & 32, and the current RI Director for that combined zone is Chris Etienne (2024-2026)

•

Role: They oversee the overall direction of Rotary International (membership, clubs, administration, policies, and global programs).

•

2024-2026 RI Director

Meetings: The RI Board usually meets four times per year (similar to the Trustees), with occasional online or special meetings as needed.

Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees • Composition: The Trustees are appointed by the RI President, with terms staggered so experience is always present on the Board. •

Role: They govern the Rotary Foundation (funding, grants, investments, humanitarian projects, PolioPlus, scholarships, etc.).

•

Meetings: Also typically four times per year, with extra meetings (in person or virtual) if urgent Foundation business arises.

In short: • The RI Board of Directors → runs the organization (Rotary International). • The Foundation Trustees → run the charitable arm (The Rotary Foundation). • Both meet quarterly, but they handle different sides of Rotary’s work.

Holger Knaack - Chair 2025-26 TRF Trustee 2022-26 Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln - Germany

Jennifer Jones - Chair-elect 2025-26 TRF Trustee 2023-26 Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland - Ontario, Canada

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Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates: • • • • • •

Pakistan: two WPV1 cases and 42 WPV1-positive environmental samples Angola: one cVDPV2 case Central African Republic: one cVDPV2 case DR Congo: one cVDPV1 case Tanzania: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample Yemen: 26 cVDPV2 cases (15 of these cases are from 2024 and eleven from Q1 2025. This brings the number of cases for 2024 to 164 and 27 for 2025. No cVDPV2-positive environmental samples were reported this week. The recent increase in reported cases and environmental sample isolates from 2024 and 2025 is not particularly linked to an increase in poliovirus transmission, but rather to retrospective testing associated with recent release of previously collected specimens from the country.)

For details on the 2024 estimates and what they tell us about immunization globally, read the WHO-UNICEF press release and explore the WHO Immunization Data Portal

A question to contemplate Q - What is the difference between the following? • • •

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cVDPV2 cases WPV-1 cases, and WPV1-positive environmental samples?

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A - And here is the answer – cVDPV2 cases (circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus type 2) • These are actual human cases of paralysis caused by a mutated form of the polio vaccine virus (oral polio vaccine, OPV). • When OPV type 2 strains spread in under-immunized communities, they can mutate back into a dangerous form that can cause polio outbreaks. • A cVDPV2 case means that a child (or person) developed acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), and lab testing confirmed it was caused by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. WPV1 cases (Wild Poliovirus type 1) • These are human cases of paralysis caused by the naturally occurring (wild) poliovirus, type 1. • WPV1 is the last remaining wild form of polio still circulating in the world (mainly in Pakistan and Afghanistan). • A WPV1 case means that the virus was isolated from a paralyzed patient and confirmed by laboratory testing. WPV1-positive environmental samples • These are not human cases, but detections of the virus in the environment, usually in sewage or wastewater samples. • Surveillance teams test sewage to find silent circulation of WPV1 in communities where no paralysis cases have been reported. • A positive sample shows that the virus is present and spreading but hasn’t (yet) been linked to a paralytic case. � Still circulating • Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) o The only wild poliovirus strain still circulating in the world. o Endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with occasional detection through international spread. � Eradicated strains • Wild poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) o Declared eradicated in 2015 (last detected in India, 1999). • Wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) o Declared eradicated in 2019 (last detected in Nigeria, 2012). � Related but different: vaccine-derived strains (cVDPVs) • These are not “wild” strains, but mutated forms of the oral polio vaccine virus. • The main concern is cVDPV2, which continues to cause outbreaks in under-immunized areas. • cVDPV1 and cVDPV3 exist but are far rarer. � In short: • Only WPV1 remains in circulation. • WPV2 was eradicated in 2015. • WPV3 was eradicated in 2019.

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Update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on programmatic challenges and accountability 07/08/2025 The final phase of the polio eradication effort has proven to be the toughest! The number of children paralyzed by polio has been reduced by 99% over the last four decades, but the virus continues to spread in some of the most difficult places on the planet to deliver healthcare— places that face persistent insecurity, political instability and weak health infrastructure. This context limits families’ access to formal health services and hinders health workers’ tireless efforts to reach every child with life-saving vaccines, including for polio. At left - Field workers during a polio vaccination campaign in Bihar, India, © WHO To drive progress toward eradication in these settings, the polio program works to support national and local teams to develop tailored solutions and make ongoing adjustments to better meet community needs. In some places, the program co-designs operational improvements with frontline health workers, which has led to expanded trainings, enhanced safety measures and improved outbreak response protocols. At the same time, the program regularly consults expert groups on its strategic decisions, including the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), and the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR). Ultimately, we answer to countries around the world through the World Health Assembly. Few other global health programs incorporate this level of independent evaluation into their structure. Click here to read the full article.

The Enormity of the Global Response to Polio!! It is almost impossible to grasp the sheer scale of the world’s fight against polio. For more than three decades, governments, health agencies, and millions of volunteers—led by Rotary—have poured energy, resources, and heart into one of the most ambitious health campaigns in human history. Since 1988, more than 2.5 billion children have been immunized in 200 countries, at a cost of over US$20 billion. The effort has reduced polio cases by more than 99%, sparing an estimated 20 million people from paralysis. And yet, what’s most striking is not only the numbers, but the determination: Rotarians going village to village, health workers carrying vaccine coolers on foot, planes and motorcycles used to reach remote communities, and countless hours of service given freely. It is a response so vast that no single person can truly see it all—but together, it represents humanity at its best, united to end a disease forever.

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Rotary and the Gates Foundation extend partnership to end polio – Joint commitment will add US$450 million to global polio eradication efforts over three years - 23/06/2025 CALGARY (22 June 2025) – Rotary and the Gates Foundation are renewing their longstanding partnership to end polio, announcing a joint commitment of up to US$450 million to support the global polio eradication effort at the annual Rotary International Convention. “While historic progress has been made toward defeating polio—90 percent of the world’s population is free from the wild poliovirus— we’re facing significant challenges from competing financial priorities to fragile health systems. Furthermore, the detection of polio in places like Papua New Guinea that were previously polio free demonstrates that polio anywhere is a threat everywhere,” said Rotary International PolioPlus Committee Chair Mike McGovern. “The extension of our fundraising partnership with the Gates Foundation allows us to reach children around the world with lifesaving vaccines, keeping every child and community safe from this preventable disease.” Rotary will continue to raise $50 million per year, with every dollar to be matched with two additional dollars from the Gates Foundation. This renewed agreement will translate into up to a total of $450 million to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). “Rotary was the first to envision a world without polio—and today, we have the tools and knowledge to make that vision a reality,” said Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation. “If we all maintain our commitment and keep funding the solutions we know work, then soon, no family will have to live in fear of this horrific disease ever again.”

Click here to read the full article.

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SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

How can you take action?

Donate to End Polio.

Visit the PolioPlus Society Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/polioplussociety

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START PREPARING FOR WORLD POLIO DAY 2025

In our increasingly complex geopolitical and social environment, it’s more important than ever for Rotary members to remember the promise we made to the children of the world, to eradicate polio. On 24 October, World Polio Day, we’ll join with our partners, frontline health workers, polio survivors, public health advocates, and others to remind everyone that eradicating polio not only is possible but also is a promise we intend to keep. As your club begins planning its World Polio Day activities, be sure to visit the Brand Center to get a wide variety of polio-related resources. And don’t forget to register your club’s participation!

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INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

September - Rotary’s Focus – Basic Education & Literacy

Friday, September 5 International Day of Charity Monday, September 8 International Literacy Day Monday, September 15 International Day of Democracy Saturday, September 20 World Cleanup Day Sunday, September 21 International Day of Peace Thursday, September 25 World Maritime Day Friday, September 26 International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Monday, September 29 International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/45230

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Club President for 2025-26 – Kurtis Lush

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The hat is ready for our 100th President. The Rotary Club of Sarnia will celebrate 100 years in 2028. The club already has a hat ready for that special President who will lead the club during the celebrations of our 100th year of service to the community of Sarnia. Shown displaying the 100th Presidential Hat are past president, Mark Taylor (#96), immediate past president, Jamie Pole (#97), current president Kurtis Lush (#98) and current vice-president Joe Cebulski (#99), who also is the designated caretaker of the prized (#100) hat until that person is chosen later by the members. Special celebrations and projects will take place during 2028.

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO CLUB MEMBERS

Get involved! Join us! The Rotary Club of Sarnia - History Click here for the source. City Hall in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, was the place. The date was February 24, 1928. Sixteen communityminded businesspeople met with city officials to receive the charter of the Rotary Club of Sarnia and become part of an international service organization whose humanitarian contributions continue to be felt around the world. Today, the Rotary Club of Sarnia is supported by the activities of its members, representing local business and community leaders from a wide range of professions. The Rotary Club of Sarnia was instrumental in starting the Rotary Club of Sarnia-Bluewaterland in 1990 and the Rotary Club of Sarnia-Lambton After-Hours in 2007. The total number of Rotarians in the Sarnia Area currently is well over 100, and more are always welcome. Continuing to live their motto, Service Above Self, local Rotarians maintain an ongoing program locally and internationally in Rotary's 7 Areas of Focus: • • • • • • •

Promoting Peace Fighting Disease Providing Clean Water and Sanitation Saving Mothers and Children Supporting Education Growing Local Economies And most recently, Supporting the Environment

Fundraising. The club’s fundraising projects, including the annual Mackinac Pancake Breakfast under the bridge (July) and the Rotary Online Auction (November), contribute greatly to the diversity of popular events and the high-quality lifestyle that Sarnia residents and visitors enjoy. In March 2012, the Rotary Club of Sarnia become one of only 18 clubs in Canada to earn the designation - 100% Paul Harris Fellow Rotary Club. Is this true today? Our club works with The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International in all Areas of Focus, especially in our Number One Priority of Eradicating Polio from the face of the earth.

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The club and has also built a locally based fundraising body, the Rotary Club of Sarnia Charitable Foundation, with a powerful presence in the community. Through donations and bequests to this foundation, the Rotary Club of Sarnia has supported many worthy causes locally. Among the most significant donations are toward the Bluewater Health Maternal and Child unit, the YMCA Rotary Aquatics Centre, the Inn of the Good Shepard, and to Lambton College facilities. In addition, the club has contributed over 2 million dollars toward the development and operation of the Pathways Health Center for Children (formerly known as the Rotary Children’s Place). While the club’s foundation focuses mainly on helping children with special needs and promoting the education and well-being of young people, many other groups have benefited over the years from the hard work of Rotarians and the generosity of their supporters in Sarnia. Of course, fundraising is only a part of the spirit of goodwill maintained by the club’s members. The fun and fellowship of regular weekly meetings at the Dante Club and numerous community-centred events also serve to keep the membership active. Equipped with the knowledge that their efforts can improve the quality of life for others, members maintain that their club’s first years are only the beginning. The club continues to advance and generate lots of new ideas and projects for the good of Rotary, and for the service of those in need – both in Sarnia-Lambton and across the globe. If you'd like to make Service Above Self a part of your life, why not look into becoming a member of the Rotary Club of Sarnia?

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WHY JOIN ROTARY? WHO NEEDS ROTARY? This month, the spotlight is on Rotarian Brian, who has agreed to provide a little insight into his Rotary history and why someone should become a member of Rotary. How did you get involved with Rotary? I was invited… I joined Rotary in 2000, shortly after moving to Windsor, where I'd be doing a similar job, and needed to meet new people, and make new friends, contacts. I joined The Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland on 05 September 2000. What was Rotary like when you joined? Windsor Roseland was, and still is, a very energetic club. The average age was in the low '40's then and the majority of people were deeply involved. They had an extensive 18-step process forcing new members to do various jobs and tasks before they could go from a red badge to a full blue badge.

George Brian Davidson

They still had singsongs and sang Oh Canada every week. The meetings were light-hearted and lots of FUN! Lots of jokes and teasing, especially when the Sergeant at Arms would fine people a looney or tooney for various "crimes." District Conference. Almost everyone went to the annual District Conference, where our club was known as THE PARTY CLUB! And when I was at Windsor Roseland, our President was Jennifer Jones, who later became the District Governor and then the first female President of Rotary International! I am close friends with both Jenn and her husband Nick. What have you contributed to Rotary? and what has Rotary contributed to you? In Windsor, after completing the initial 18 tasks, I joined various committees, such as Youth Exchange, Fellowship, Fundraising, etc. Everyone participated in the big fundraisers, like the annual "Lobsterfest" and "Wines of the World." In September 2002, I transferred from the Windsor-Roseland Club to the Rotary Club of Sarnia. I served on the Club Board from 2003 to 2009, was originally Director of Youth, and then Director of Image & Information. From January 2010 to June 2011, I served as Club President. I left the club a bit later for personal reasons. However, after an absence of four years, I rejoined the Sarnia Club in September 2019 and returned to the Board as Director of Image & Information in 2020. I’ve also have hosted 3 Youth Exchange Students, in both Windsor and Sarnia. What Rotary brought to me was many new friends and contacts throughout the area. …continued next page

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What are your best times with Rotary? I have made some wonderful new friends and some of us started travelling together privately in Canada and Europe. District Conferences had amazing gala events, famous speakers, and great locations. The Grand Hotel in Mackinac, Soaring Eagle Resort, etc. What do you consider the most fun about Rotary? The PEOPLE, the friends, the people of all ages we help. Most of my best, closest friends are Rotarians. I love them all! How long have you been in Rotary? Between 2000 and 2025, I have been a Rotarian officially for 21 years. And I’m a dedicated Rotarian now! What advice would you give to Rotarians? Get very involved as much as possible, volunteer, don't sit and wait to be asked. The connections you develop in Rotary are invaluable. Follow the Four-Way-Test in everything you say and do!

Three esteemed gentlemen – Rotarians one and all.

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MEETING OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 12 - CANATARA PARK Fortunately, the thunderstorm waited ‘til AFTER the meeting! Photos courtesy of Rotarian Brian

John, Heather, Ralph, Myles, Tony, Alan, Sandi Grimshaw (new member) Mike, Bill, Rona

Rajni, Pat, Jamie, Alan, Adelle, Rob, Sandy (new member), Bill, Rona

Brian, President Kurtis, Jamie, Alan, Adelle, Rob, Bill Everyone – all these lovely Rotarians - enjoying lunch and fellowship in the Park!

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Mike and Sandra

President Kurtis leading discussion re upcoming Centennial Celebration!

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ROTARY HISTORICAL QUOTES “Why? they ask. Because we can … and we care!” — Frank Romano, District 7430 Governor (2013–14)

Frank Romano, Rotary Club of Harleysville, Pennsylvania

Estes Snedecor, Rotary Club of Portland, Oregon (1921)

E. Leslie Pidgeon, Rotary Club of Winnipeg (1918

Harry H. Rogers, Rotary Club of San Antonio, Texas (1927)

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Is the project in one of the areas of focus? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

Is the project between Clubs/Districts in separate countries? – No? Consider a District Grant.

•

Is the total budget for the project less than USD $30,000? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

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If you answer YES to all the above, consider applying for a Global Grant.

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PAUL HARRIS SOCIETY What's the Paul Harris Society? The Paul Harris Society is the name given to those Rotarians who pledge a $1000 gift annually – every year. You may know these committed individuals -- they wear a "flag" below their Rotary pin that reads "PHS." One easy way to give at the $1000 level is through Rotary Direct -- sign up and an amount of money you designate is automatically deducted from your account each month. Learn more at www.rotary.org. Members of the Paul Harris Society know that the need never ends -- and neither should the giving. D6330 Long-time Paul Harris Society Chair is Rotarian Jamie Pole.

What your giving supports Rotarian Jamie Pole.

• • • • • • • • • •

Vocational training for teachers establishing an early childhood education center in South Africa Water filters, toilets, and hygiene training to prevent fluorosis, diarrhea, and other diseases in India A scholarship for a medical professional in Italy to research treatments that minimize mortality rates among premature babies Peace-building seminars for 200 teachers and 1,300 students in Uganda Treated mosquito nets and medical services that prevent malaria in Mali Clean water and sanitation which assists in preventing disease Life-saving health care to mothers and children Peace and peace building Education and literacy Economic and community development In District 6330 we are proud of the generous members in our Paul Harris Society. We have over 32 of our clubs that now have members in the Paul Harris Society.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Paul Harris Society Coordinator, District 6330 – Jamie Pole!

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The Rotarian Minute is a creation of District 1700. Please send any comments or suggestons to laminute1700@gmail.com.

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The Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus Another reason to save our Environment The Sociable Weaver – Have you heard of this bird before? How ingenious! The sociable weaver (Philetairus socius) is one of the most fascinating birds in the world—not just for its behaviour, but for its architectural genius. � Basic Facts: • Scientific name: Philetairus socius • Family: Ploceidae (the weaver family) • Size: About 14 cm (5.5 inches) long • Range: Native to southern Africa, especially Namibia, Botswana, and parts of South Africa • Habitat: Dry savannas and semi-arid regions � What Makes Them Remarkable: They are best known for their massive communal nests, which are among the largest built by any bird species. � Nest Engineering: • Structure: The nest looks like a giant haystack slung over a tree or telephone pole. • Size: Can house up to 100+ individual birds, with dozens of separate chambers inside. • Lifespan of Nest: Some nests are used for decades, with continuous maintenance. • Temperature Control: The inner chambers are insulated and cooler during the day, warmer at night—an ingenious response to desert climate extremes. � Social Life: • True to their name, sociable weavers are extremely cooperative. • They live in colonies and engage in cooperative breeding, where non-breeding birds help raise chicks. • Their nests often become mini ecosystems, used by other birds (like owls, kestrels, and lovebirds) and even small reptiles. � Diet: • Primarily insectivorous but also eat seeds and plant material. • They forage mostly on the ground. � Want to See It? Here are two short YouTube videos (~5 minutes) that beautifully showcase the sociable weaver and its unique and delightful nest-building skills: Click here for Video one Click here for Video two

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OUR CLUB FACEBOOK PAGE See our club Facebook page for more up-to-the-minute club news! https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

CROSSWORD FOR SEPTEMBER A CLUB CROSSWORD has been created for September. Test your knowledge of the club, of Rotary district, and perhaps Rotary further afield!

To complete the crossword online, click here. No pen/pencil required when you work online! Don’t miss this! Fun, fun, fun!

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Life outside of Rotary! …but always a Rotarian! Distinguished Visitor!

A group of us who were involved with Emergency Preparedness Day at Clearwater Arena, or were industrial fire fighters, get together every Thursday for a coffee at Tim’s on London Line. This week we were joined by Premier Doug Ford! -- Bill Hoad (the distinguished gentleman sitting in the front)

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Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It may seem simple, but in a complex world, those questions are anything but easy — and that’s part of their power.

� Why Should We Consider It?

Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

Because ethics matter — now more than ever. The Four-Way Test: • • • • •

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED! WELL DONE!

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A LITTLE HUMOUR

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COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE YEARS Pathways Health Centre for Children (Founder) Bluewater Health – Maternal & Child Health Wing YMCA – Swimming Pool Inn of the Good Shepherd Lambton College St. Joseph’s Hospice Huron House Boys’ Home Community Living, Sarnia Lambton Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile (Standing Oaks Home) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RLYA) DOW Centre for Children and Youth Big Brothers – Big Sisters Canada Food Grains Scouts Canada – Camp Attawandron Goodwill Industries Rayjon Haiti Project YMCA Youth Scholarship Lambton County Music Festival Awards Family Counselling Centre Access Open Minds Habitat for Humanity Point Edward Minor Hockey Association Junior Achievement Numerous Schools – LKDSB and SCCDSB …and much, much more

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But no -

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.†

†

Author unknown

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gysonehttps://issuu.com/ladykitt/docs/march_newsletter_2021

Rotary Year 2025-26

Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo (Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy) District Governor Jeff Ferweda, (Rotary Club of Genesee Valley, MI) Club President, Kurtis Lush

District website: https://rotary6330.org/ Club website: https://www.rotarysarnia.com/ Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Rotary Calendar and Themes Club Mission & Vision statements Coming Events OCTOBER MESSAGE – RI President Francesco Arezzo OCTOBER MESSAGE – Rotary Foundation Chair Holger Knaack RI PRESIDENT-ELECT ANNOUNCED – “Yinka” Babalola OCTOBER FOCUS – Community Economic Development Focus Stories INSPIRATION INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS of Rotarians D6330 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE POLIO THIS WEEK

POLIOPLUS WORLD POLIO DAY – October 24 UNITED NATIONS DAYS

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

CLUB NEWS Do you need a make-up? + our 2024-25 Club President Kurtis CLUB ACTIVITIES & HISTORY PATHWAYS HEALTH CENTRE HIGHLIGHT - This month - Rotarian Jamie THREE FIRES CONFEDERACY CLUB MEETINGS – September 9, 16, 20, 23 COUNCIL ON LEGISLATION ROTARIAN MINUTE – Council on Legislation REASONS TO CONSIDER ROTARY BRIEF HISTORY OF PANCAKE BREAKFAST (Bill Hoad) OUR CLUB’S MARATHONER – Rotarian Pat Cranston MANLEY’S CELEBRATES 125 YEARS OBJECT OF ROTARY & ROTARY’S CODE OF CONDUCT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION ENVIRONMENT – Diveheart Program & Mini Forests

18 19 20 22 24 25 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

BACK PAGES Four-Way Test Humour Passing of former RI President-elect – Sangkoo Yun Honouring 98 years of service and counting Community Service …just the beginning

41 43 44 45 46 47

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The Calendar below shows Rotary’s 2025-26 monthly themes. ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES Month July August September October November December January February March April May June

Theme Maternal and Child Health Membership and New Club Development Basic Education and Literacy Community Economic Development The Rotary Foundation Disease Prevention and Treatment Vocational Service Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Environment Youth Service Rotary Fellowships

Click the flags below to listen to the respective national anthems.

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LEARN ABOUT ROTARY CLUB OF SARNIA

Take the time to view a short video on Rotary’s Areas of Focus – Click here! Click here to view a short and fun video of our RI President

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MONTH OF OCTOBER Rotary’s Focus on Community Economic Development CLUB SOUP KITCHEN MEAL AT THE INN Friday, October 3 WORLD POLIO DAY OCTOBER 24

CANVASSING AND COLLECTION OF

ROTARY AUCTION PRIZES CONTINUES… ROTARY AUCTION GOES LIVE November 10 to 16 CLUB SOUP KITCHEN MEAL AT THE INN Friday, December 5 Rotary Anthem Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem!

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THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT OCTOBER MESSAGE 2025 What community-led development looks like October is Rotary’s Community Economic Development Month, a time to spotlight our efforts to help communities build thriving, sustainable future. This month’s observance aligns perfectly with the Rotary core value of leadership. Leadership means empowering people to guide their own progress. That is precisely what Rotary’s economic development projects aim to achieve. Take, for example, a recent initiative in southern India in which Rotary members unlocked the power of women of the Adivasi tribal groups through sewing training to earn a living and regain social inclusion. Historically, widows and abandoned women in this region lose social standing and are shunned by society or blamed for their misfortunes. Opportunities to support themselves or obtain training are minimal. This year, The Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, partnered with clubs in Districts 3203 and 3234 in India – and with the Indian organization Sevalaya Trust – to provide sewing machines and training to 80 Adivasi women. They learned to stitch saree blouses, kurta tunics, and salwar suits, enabling them to support themselves and their families. Each woman received a certificate for completing the program and the sewingmachine provided offered free long-term maintenance for the machines. The project offered vital income and dignity to women ostracized by society after widowhood. This story is one example of Rotary leadership in action: local people guiding solutions that address their community needs. Our role is not to deliver charity or to impose outside models, but to foster self-reliance by investing in leadership, skills, and sustainable enterprise. This October, I invite Rotary members worldwide to reflect on economic leadership in their communities. Who is stepping forward to lead local economic initiatives? Where is there untapped talent that could be supported with training or mentorship? How can your club catalyze opportunity through partnerships with local businesses, vocational schools, or savings groups? Leadership is not always about being visible. Sometimes it means listening, working collaboratively, and amplifying the voices of others. That approach lies at the heart of Rotary’s philosophy and our lasting impact on economic development. By building capacity – whether through microcredit groups, vocational training workshops, or entrepreneurship programs – we enable communities to lead their own transformation. When people take ownership of their progress, change becomes sustainable. Let us lead with good intention and provide support with heart. By nurturing local leadership, we can create opportunities that ripple through communities, empowering individuals, families, and societies. Together, we can support economies that work for everyone and enact community development projects that last

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR MESSAGE OCTOBER 2025 Born of Friendship Friendship in Rotary often bears fruit that can change the world. When I was Rotary president-elect, I served on the Board of Directors alongside then-Vice President Olayinka “Yinka” Hakeem Babalola from Nigeria. My wife, Susanne, spent time with Yinka’s wife, Preba “Precy” Babalola. Yinka and Precy support The Rotary Foundation, not only as Arch Klumph Society members, Benefactors, and Major Donors, but also as Rotary members who are deeply involved in Foundation projects. Susanne and Precy’s friendship led to their clubs joining forces. For October, as Rotary marks Community Economic Development Month, I thought Precy Babalola could best capture the impact of their collaboration in her own words:

“Obuama, Nigeria, was hit hard by COVID-19. Many families, especially women and young adults, were left without stable income or opportunity. The community urgently needed practical support and long-term solutions. My club, the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Passport, decided to respond. We partnered with the Rotary E-Club of Hamburg-Connect and our districts to launch a global grant project focused on empowering people with skills that restore hope and dignity. Over 250 women and young adults were trained in farming fish, poultry, and snails as well as bead-making. Local facilitators led hands-on workshops, equipping participants with skills to start enterprises. Families are now generating income and mothers can send their children to school. Youths are earning, teaching others, and contributing to the local economy. Women, once stuck, are now leading their own businesses, training others, and finding a new sense of purpose. The project continues to ripple, creating not just jobs but confident community leaders.” This is what change looks like when dedicated Rotarians work together with the support of The Rotary Foundation. Community economic development is an area of powerful projects for many reasons. We have experts in our clubs who know how businesses can strengthen their local economy. Such projects can be adapted nearly anywhere and often show early signs of success. Our Foundation, too, provides the expertise of an engaged professional staff and the Cadre of Technical Advisers. What began as dinner conversation led to a lifechanging global grant. Isn’t it remarkable that in Rotary, the friendships we make can create opportunities that transform lives for generations?

HOLGER KNAACK Foundation Trustee Chair, 2025-26

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Olayinka Hakeem Babalola selected to be 2026-27 Rotary International President LATE-BREAKING NEWS! Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, has been selected by the Board of Directors to become Rotary International’s president for 2026-27. His term will begin on 1 July 2026. The Board, guided by the RI code of policies, conducted a special session to select the organization’s leader after the resignation of RI President-elect SangKoo Yun, who decided to step back from his Rotary responsibilities and focus on his recovery from recent cancer treatment. Babalola began his Rotary journey in 1988 as a Rotaractor. He joined the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi six years later. His leadership roles include serving as district governor (2011-12), RI vice president (2019-20), and member of the RI Board (2018-20). He was also an active leader and participant in RI committees such as the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee (2017-23) and the Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee (2013-present, adviser 2016-present). An attorney, Babalola received a university degree in engineering in 1988. He has worked for 25 years in the oil and gas industry, holding senior positions in Shell PLC and carrying out projects on four continents. He is the founder of two companies: Riviera Services Ltd., an oil and gas infrastructure delivery company, and Lead and Change Consulting, an executive coaching and organizational performance advisory group. Babalola’s professional affiliations include the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Safety Professionals, and the Association of Change Management Practitioners. He is a member of Jericho Business Club, an organization in his home city that provides input to governments on economic and social policy. Babalola and his wife, Preba, live in the city of Port Harcourt. He supports The Rotary Foundation with a named endowment and as an Arch Klumph Society member. A trustee of ShelterBox UK and director of the Safe Blood Africa project, he is a recipient of the Africa Centennial Heroes Award, the Regional Service Award for a PolioFree World, the RI Service Above Self Award, and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. The president of Rotary International serves a one-year term, presiding over the Board of Directors and providing inspirational leadership for the organization. As the spokesperson for the global network, the president visits clubs around the world to promote Rotary's values and represent the organization at major events. Rotary chooses its president from members who have demonstrated extensive leadership experience within Rotary, including service as a club president, district governor, and member of the Board.

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ROTARY’S OCTOBER FOCUS – ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Rotary’s theme for October focuses on Economic and Community Development, reminding us of the importance of creating sustainable opportunities for people to build better lives. Around the world, Rotary supports initiatives that strengthen local economies, foster entrepreneurship, and encourage growth through education and training. Microfinance projects are a key part of this work—small loans and financial tools that empower individuals, especially women, to start businesses, support their families, and uplift entire communities. By investing in people, Rotary helps break the cycle of poverty and builds lasting resilience. This month also highlights World Polio Day on October 24, when Rotary members across the globe come together to raise awareness and funds for the final push to eradicate polio. Our work in economic development goes hand in hand with our efforts to end polio—both aim to give every child, every family, and every community the chance to thrive. October is a time to celebrate progress, inspire action, and commit ourselves to helping communities achieve dignity and self-sufficiency.

In September, we reflected on Basic Education & Literacy—the foundation of opportunity. From tutoring to book drives, Rotarians help people unlock the world through words. October invites Economic & Community Development—turning skills into livelihoods. And right in the middle is World Polio Day on October 24. It’s our reminder that healthy children become thriving students, and thriving students become community builders. If you can, plan a small awareness moment, share Rotary’s End Polio Now message, or make a gift to PolioPlus. Education, livelihoods, and polio eradication—three threads, one Rotary tapestry.

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Microfinance & Empowerment. Mary in Kenya. Mary, a determined wife and mother, is raising four children with her supportive husband. Although the children range from teenagers to grown adults, Mary continues to focus on providing them with stability and opportunities. She runs a small but lively business selling secondhand clothes, locally known as mitumba, which offers affordable options for her community. Mary enjoys her trade, especially when helping clients find the perfect fit at a bargain. With this support, she plans to expand her stock of clothes like jackets, sweaters, dresses and skirts, to attract more customers and reinvest profits into her venture.

Delia B. Rodelas, past president of the Rotary Club of Metro San Pedro, plants a tree during the kick-off of the Rise Up for Sierra Madre project, which aims to reforest 20 hectares of the Sierra Madre mountains in Laguna, Philippines. (Source) Community Growth. Imagine stepping outside to breathe crisp air, drinking pure water, or eating a delicious, healthy meal. These essentials are at risk due to environmental challenges, but Rotary members are stepping up to protect them. (Source) Rotary & Polio. A safer generation of oral polio vaccines brings renewed hope for eradicating polio around the world. Highlights • The novel oral polio vaccines nOPV1 and nOPV3 triggered strong immunity and had mostly mild side effects in adults • New vaccines are more genetically stable than older versions, lowering the risk of vaccine-related outbreaks • Phase 2 trials are moving forward, bringing us closer to ending polio for good

Education, collaboration, training, community development

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ROTARY INSPIRATION Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Peace Prize laureate, pioneer of microfinance): “Once poverty is gone, we’ll need to build museums to display its horrors. Until then, every person is responsible for ending it.” → A challenge to Rotarians to use service and innovation to lift others up. Paul Harris (Rotary founder): “Friendship was the foundation rock on which Rotary was built and tolerance is the element which holds it together.” → A reminder that strong communities are built on relationships and understanding. Happy thoughts •

The world always looks brighter when we remember that even the smallest kindness can ripple outward.

•

Sunrises happen every single day, whether or not we stop to watch them.

•

Laughter is proof that joy can bubble up even in the middle of ordinary moments. Click this link to listen to a lovely inspirational song! This is My Wish – Peace on Earth! (..by Voctave)

TO VIEW PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS the July and August newsletters online in magazine format, click below -

July newsletter online

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August newsletter online

September Newsletter online

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF A ROTARIAN …as written in the ABCs of Rotary by Clifford L. Dochterman, RI President 1992-93

As an international organization, Rotary offers each member unique opportunities and responsibilities. Although each Rotarian has first responsibility to uphold the obligations of citizenship of his or her own country, membership in Rotary enables Rotarians to take a somewhat different view of international affairs. In the early 1950s a Rotary philosophy was adopted to describe how a Rotarian may think on a global basis. Here is what it said: "A world-minded Rotarian: * • looks beyond national patriotism and considers himself as sharing responsibility for the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace; • resists any tendency to act in terns of national or racial superiority; • seeks and develops common grounds for agreement with peoples of other lands; • defends the rule of law and order to preserve the liberty of the individual so that he may enjoy freedom of thought, speech and assembly, and freedom from persecution, aggression, want and fear; • supports action directed toward improving standards of living for all peoples, realizing that poverty anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere; • upholds the principles of justice for mankind; • strives always to promote peace between nations and prepares to make personal sacrifices for that ideal; • urges and practices a spirit of understanding of every other man's beliefs as a step toward international goodwill, recognizing that there are certain basic moral and spiritual standards which will ensure a richer, fuller life." That is quite an assignment for any Rotarian to practice in thoughts and actions!

At the time this philosophy was developed, Rotary was still an all-male organization. Today, the philosophy will include all Rotarians - men and women.

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INTERNATIONAL WORK – Do you have an interest? If so, this information is for you! There are numerous ways to partner with others and work together to accomplish great things internationally. You DO NOT need to be an expert. You simply need an interest in international work. Read below to find ways to get involved. The District International Service Committee has now been in existence for one year. During that time, members have been busy compiling resources to assist clubs and individuals interested in getting involved with international projects. You can find out more about the committee by clicking here. If you would like to join the committee or want to learn more contact the committee chair, Pat Cavan. patriciacavan@gmail.com Perhaps you do not actually want to write grants, travel or be directly involved with international projects but you or your club would like to financially support projects. You can do so! Click here to find out about Global Grant projects in D6330 seeking funding partners. Hand Up is simply a group of Rotarians from D6330 who have an interest in international work. The committee has been in existence for over 30 years and annually completes Global Grant projects, initially in Cameroon and now in Guatemala. They are currently writing a Global Grant application for an Agroecological Vegetable Project in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Active projects are in the areas of Basic Education and Literacy, Water and Sanitation and Economic Development. They are a busy group routinely managing 4 or 5 Global Grant projects at a time and some members choose to visit the project sites in Guatemala. To learn more about Hand Up click here. If you would like to join the committee or want to learn more contact the committee chair, Nancy Ottewell. nottewell@gmail.com Project Fairs take place in different countries around the world to promote the need for partnerships for Global Grants to become funded. For example, the Colombian Project Fair takes place every year at the end of January. It brings the 2 Colombian Districts together for 3 days allowing clubs in both districts to present projects for which they are seeking international partners to help fund their Global Grant applications. Over the course of the 3 days participants hear about 40 - 50 projects seeking funding. There are also social and cultural activities intertwined with the presentations. To learn more about upcoming Project Fairs click here. If you would like to learn more contact Joan Fisher. sinkpolio@rogers.com D6330 also has Inter Country Committees with both South Africa and Colombia. Members share information, discuss needs and plan project partnerships. To learn more about Inter Country Committees contact Carolyn Herrick for the South Africa Committee carolyn.m.herrick@gmail.com or Joan Fisher for the Colombia Committee. sinkpolio@rogers.com Please let me know if I can assist in any way. Yours in Rotary, Pat Cavan District International Service Chair 519-373-1087 patriciacavan@gmail.com Pat Cavan October 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates: • • •

Afghanistan: 12 WPV1- positive environmental samples Algeria: one cVDPV1 case, one cVDPV1-positive environmental sample, and one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample Yemen: six cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

For details on the 2024 estimates and what they tell us about immunization globally, read the WHO-UNICEF press release and explore the WHO Immunization Data Portal

Reemergence of Polio in Gaza Here’s How Global Humanitarian Organizations Responded Author: Jacky Habib July 17, 2025

Every morning, past dawn, for 12 consecutive days, the bombs stopped falling in Gaza — not permanently, just until the late afternoon. This staggered humanitarian pause, negotiated by leading health organizations, enabled health workers to fan out across Gaza — moving through displacement camps and communities amid the rubble. Carrying coolers of polio vaccines, teams navigated damaged roads and makeshift shelters to reach as many children as possible within the fragile daily window they were given. Click here to read the rest of the article. October 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Donate to End Polio.

Visit the PolioPlus Society Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/polioplussociety

Click here to view a short video and learn more about GAVI – The Vaccine Alliance. One of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind.

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WORLD POLIO DAY 2025

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INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

October Rotary’s Focus – Economic & Community Development

Sunday, October 5 World Teachers’ Day Monday, October 6 World Habitat Day Friday, October 10 World Mental Health Day Saturday, October 11 International Day of the Girl Child Sunday, October 12 World Migratory Bird Day Thursday, October 16 World Food Day Friday, October 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Friday, October 24 United Nations Day World Polio Day Friday, October 24 to Friday, October 30 Disarmament Week Wednesday, October 29 International Day of Care and Support

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Club President for 2025-26 – Kurtis Lush

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO CLUB MEMBERS

Get involved! Join us! Pathways therapeutic pool receives $180,000 from Rotary Club of Sarnia The Rotary Club of Sarnia Charitable Foundation has made a significant $180,000 donation to the Pathways Health Centre for Children, fulfilling a long-term pledge to support the city's only therapeutic pool. (Journal Staff)

The cheque was presented at the Pathways Annual General Meeting on June 24, 2025, by Rotary Club of Sarnia President Jamie Pole and Rotary Foundation President Mark Taylor. The donation represents the final three years of a 10-year, $600,000 pledge made in 2018 to support the "Save the Pathways Pool Campaign." That successful campaign raised a total of $1.6 million to completely refurbish Sarnia's only therapeutic pool. Since renovations were completed in 2021, the pool has seen growing community use, with over 16,000 visits last year. October 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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The warm-water facility is used by Pathways clients as well as the general community for swim lessons, open swims, and exercise classes for adults and seniors. The pool’s operations do not receive any government funding and are sustained through user fees and grants. "The Rotary Club of Sarnia has stood beside the mission of Pathways since our beginning - and once again has made known their commitment to supporting children in this community with special needs," said Alison Morrison, Pathways CEO. "We are so grateful to have received their 3 final years of pledge money all in 2025 our 50th anniversary year!" The partnership between the two organizations is foundational; the Rotary Club of Sarnia was instrumental in the Centre's opening in 1975, having secured the land and leasing it to Pathways for $1 per year, an arrangement still in place today. The club also provided significant support when the therapeutic pool initially opened in 1987. In recognition of the long-standing support, a sign has been installed naming the facility "The Rotary Club of Sarnia Aquatic Centre."

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WHY JOIN ROTARY? WHO NEEDS ROTARY? Rotarian Jamie Pole – a little Rotary history This month, the spotlight is on Rotarian Jamie, who has been kind enough to provide a little insight into his longtime Rotary history – always reminding us why someone should become a member of Rotary. Hi Jamie! How did you get involved with Rotary? I was chosen to attend a Rotary Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders while I was in high school — a few years ago now — in Glencoe, Ontario. That experience made me want to join Rotary, because I knew that one day I was going to be in a club. My father set the example, since he was always doing some kind of community work. Later on, I even became president of the Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders. How was Rotary when you first joined, and has it changed much? When I first joined, some 51 years ago, there were no women in the club — and I honestly don’t know how we ever managed without them. They’ve made such a tremendous contribution! What have you contributed to Rotary, and what has Rotary contributed to you? Over the past 51 years, I’ve served as President of four different Rotary clubs, and I’ve also been Chairman of the Paul Harris Society for the last 13 years. Rotary gives me the chance to help others, and that makes me feel good. (And Jamie is always helping others. He just can’t help himself!) What is your best memory, your feel-good Rotary story? I think the Rotary Club of Sarnia is a great club, and I’ve been proud to belong here for the past 22 years. Before that, I was president of the Rotary Clubs of Renfrew, Forest, Marine City (Michigan), and Sarnia. I’ve also had the chance to visit clubs all around the world — something we used to do more often in the past. I’ve been to meetings in the U.K. and Bangkok, Thailand. Once, in Frankfurt, Germany, I even ran a meeting of the Rotary Club — the only meeting they ever held in English! � Here’s the story: I was at the Printing Convention in Frankfurt, Germany, which is held in the biggest convention centre in the world — 13 halls in total. They always hold a Rotary meeting when there’s a big convention. About 100 people showed up, but the local organizers forgot to come! So, I took over. The room was filled with Rotarians from all over the world. We ended up talking about our best Rotary projects, and we ran the whole meeting in English. It was an unforgettable experience. …continued on next page

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What advice would you give to new Rotarians? Get yourself a job in the club. You’ll really enjoy it, and it will make you feel great! But I also believe it’s the responsibility of sponsors to make sure new members have a role they can take on with enthusiasm. Why is Rotary so important to you? Because I see Rotary doing such great work for people right here in Sarnia and across Lambton County! (And, of course, where was Jamie on Saturday, September 6? Helping out – volunteering - with Rotary Club of Sarnia Bluewaterland’s Art in the Park! Volunteering is in Jamie’s blood!) Thank you, Jamie! And finally, Jamie needs to be congratulated for his innovative initiative of creating hats for the latest club presidents: #96 Mark Taylor, #97 Jamie Pole, #98 Kurtis Lush, #99 Joe Cebulski, and #100… yet to be revealed! Jamie must also be commended for his leadership last year in guiding the club to achieve the RI President’s Award of Excellence. Congratulations to all involved in making the Rotary Club of Sarnia a very special club!

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Three Fires Confederacy …were you curious? The Three Fires Confederacy is an alliance of three closely related Indigenous nations in the Great Lakes region: the Ojibwe (also spelled Chippewa), the Odawa (Ottawa), and the Potawatomi ("potta-wotta-me”). It is a sacred alliance formed in the early 17th century. These Anishinaabe-speaking peoples share cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions and have worked together historically for mutual support, trade, and defense. Overview of the Three Nations 1. Ojibwe (Chippewa) – "The Older Brother" – The largest of the three; traditionally held roles in spiritual guidance and healing; inhabited areas around Lake Superior, northern Ontario, and parts of the U.S. Midwest. 2. Odawa (Ottawa) – "The Middle Brother" – Known as traders and diplomats; played a central role in facilitating commerce throughout the region; has its cultural and historical roots in the Great Lakes area, spanning regions of present-day Michigan, Wisconsin, Ontario, and adjacent territories. 3. Potawatomi – "The Younger Brother" – Known as the “Keepers of the Fire”; often took on responsibilities for governance and fire-keeping in the Confederacy’s councils; originally resided in southern Michigan, Wisconsin, and northern Indiana. Purpose and Unity The Three Fires Confederacy functioned as a cultural and political alliance, not a single government. It allowed the three nations to collaborate while maintaining distinct leadership structures. Their unity was guided by mutual respect, shared language roots (Anishinaabemowin), and spiritual traditions, including the Midewiwin society (a traditional spiritual path). Historical Importance • The Confederacy predates European contact and became especially important during the colonial and fur trade eras. • Together, they negotiated with Europeans and later the American and Canadian governments. • They fought together in various conflicts, including against U.S. expansion in the War of 1812, often allied with the British. Modern Presence Today, members of the Three Fires Confederacy are part of many recognized First Nations and Tribal communities across the U.S. and Canada, including: • In Canada: Wikwemikong, Garden River, and Curve Lake. • In the U.S.: Tribal nations in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and beyond. The Confederacy remains a source of cultural pride, identity, and resilience, and its teachings and ceremonies continue to shape Indigenous life and governance today. We respectfully acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy — the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi — who have cared for this land since time immemorial. We recognize their enduring relationship with this land and their ongoing contributions to this region. As a Rotary club committed to service and peace, we honour their traditions, cultures, and calls to action in the spirit of reconciliation. Sources: Bayfield Historical – Potawatomi Heritage - Wikipedia

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Visit of District 6330 Governor Jeff Ferweda – September 2, 2025 (below DG Jeff and Rotarians Mike Hurry, Kurtis Lush, and Jamie Pole)

On September 9 -

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On September 9, Guest speakers Brenda Lorenz and Jackie Marcoux, from Friends of the St Clair River, gave us an amazing presentation on the great work being done on the St Clair River! Click for the website.

Friends of the St. Clair River (FOSCR) is a volunteer-based registered Canadian charitable organization. FOSCR works to promote conservation, beautification and environmental restoration projects along the Canadian shore of the St. Clair River. FOSCR was created to assist in the development and implementation of the St. Clair River Area of Concern (AOC) Remedial Action Plan (RAP). The organization is operated by a Board of Directors which meets quarterly.

Second Annual - Honouring the St. Clair River 2024 Click here to view the video. Click here to view a short aerial view of the St. Clair River area.

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On September 16, Tracy Pound, Executive Director, Literacy Lambton addressed the club.

Tracy provided the club with details about the various programs offered – mainly to Children but not exclusively. (September is Rotary’s Literacy month – and International Literacy Day is September 8.) Train Your Brain program This math and language literacy program is free to Gr. 3&4 students. Registration is capped at 25 participants/site. Through the use of play-based activities, children gain confidence, wellness habits, learning tips and practice improving their math and reading skills. Location and availability vary throughout Lambton County over the year. Each Winter, Spring and Fall Session runs for 8 weeks. Each program is staffed by a paid Head Coach and volunteer adult along with teenaged Trainers. Baby Bookworms program This project sees every new baby born at Bluewater Health gifted with a welcome. The Bluewater Health Maternal Infant Child nursing team places a handmade tote of books, tips and community resources inside each hospital crib. Give-A-Book program Help promote a child’s love of reading by donating a new book to our Christmas campaign. All books go to a baby, child or youth in Sarnia-Lambton. Give a Book 2024 resulted in 4,680 new books donated through 38 frontline partners Summer Reading Buddies at the Sarnia Public Library downtown. Please contact admin@literacylambton.org.

Save the Date Family Literacy Day January 27 annually Click here to learn more.

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Rotary Club of Sarnia Community Donation – to young people at Northern Collegiate For almost 100 years, the Rotary Club of Sarnia has assisted children and youth in Sarnia-Lambton. Here we have the Wrestling Team at Northern Collegiate (NCIVS) gathered on shiny new professional wrestling matts that were acquired with funding partially provided by the Rotary Club of Sarnia. The mats are now in use at school wrestling competitions at venues throughout the city. (Source)

On September 20, several members and friends (14) of the Sarnia club participated in a sponsored beach cleanup – including new club member Dave Rushton, shown below with grandson Aiden

A welcome introduction to Rotary in Sarnia!! .

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And on September 23, 2025 Speakers today were Mark Braet, Chair, CEEH Foundation & Bob DeRaad, VP Operations, Bluewater Health: Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital redevelopment. Mark and Bob from Petrolia updated the club on the CEEH Foundation and planned renovations to the CEEH Emergency ward. Very interesting and informative presentations by both gentlemen! Mark Braet

Bob DeRaad

Because Mark is a Rotarian, member of the RC of Petrolia, mention was made of the Hallowe’en display by the Rotary Club, located beside the Victoria Playhouse. Wow! What a showstopper!

• •

Click here or the graphic below left to read and learn more about the CEEH Foundation. Click here or the graphic below right to learn more about the Dream Home Lottery.

It should be noted that the Dream Home Lottery proceeds are split between both Bluewater Health and the CEEH Foundation – so it’s a win-win for the community! If you’re interested in the fascinating local history of Jacob Englehart and Charlotte Eleanor, click the links below. Did you know that Jacob Englehart was one of Imperial Oil’s founding fathers, and in 1906, he became Chairman for the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway! https://www.petroliaheritage.com/cee.html https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca/en/oil-museum-of-canada/jacob-_jake_-lewis-englehart.aspx https://www.lambtonmuseums.ca/en/lambton-heritage-museum/charlotte-eleanor-englehart.aspx https://www.petroliaheritage.com/jake_charlotte.htm https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jacob-lewis-englehart

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2025 COUNCIL ON LEGISLATION OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL REPORT OF ACTION 13-17 April 2025 | Chicago, Illinois, USA For those unfamiliar with the Council on Legislation – The Rotary Council on Legislation is Rotary International’s primary law-making body. Meeting every three years, it brings together representatives from all Rotary districts around the world to review and vote on proposed enactments that can amend Rotary’s governing documents (such as the Constitution, Bylaws, and Standard Club Constitution). The most recent Council met 13 to 17 April 2025. The Council serves as Rotary’s “parliament,” shaping the policies, rules, and procedures that guide Rotary clubs and districts worldwide. Its decisions ensure that Rotary remains both rooted in its traditions and responsive to the changing needs of members and communities. 86 enactments were transmitted to the COL. • •

The Council adopted 31 enactments, including one item that was adopted during vetting ahead of the COL. The Council rejected 37 proposals, 11 proposals were withdrawn from consideration, four items were referred to the RI Board, and three items were postponed indefinitely.

Of the 31 adopted enactments, five were adopted with amendments, which are noted in the report with an asterisk (*). Legislation takes effect on 1 July 2025, unless otherwise noted in the item of legislation.

Click here for the report. It’s very interesting!

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The Rotarian Minute is a creation of District 1700. Please send any comments or suggestons to laminute1700@gmail.com.

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MY WHY IN ROTARY …District Governor Jeff Ferweda believes it’s important to know/understand WHY you are in Rotary. Here are some reasons to consider Rotary just makes people better —the friendships, ideas, and energy we find through Rotary inspire us every day — and give us a special purpose that makes us all better. Consider the Four-Way Test! The members of the Rotary Club of Sarnia continually amaze with their creativity, innovations, and commitment to making our community stronger. The signature projects – The Rotary Auction along with Pancakes under the Bridge – are both outstanding community projects which are superbly supported every year! Click here to view a short 2025 video of the Pancake Breakfast! The Rotary Club of Sarnia is a well-oiled machine, filled with hard-working and caring individuals who want to find their niche, coming up with ideas and then following them through to a perfect conclusion. The other Rotary clubs in Sarnia are cut from the same cloth — filled with purpose and dedicated to excellent projects that bring those purposes to life. Consider this month’s Art in the Park planned and hosted by the Rotary Club of Bluewaterland! Or the long-standing Annual Charity Trivia Night hosted by the Rotary Club of Sarnia-Lambton After Hours. These projects put Sarnia and Rotary “on the map”!! The world over, Rotary clubs of every size work with the same spirit — devoted friends and neighbours creating lasting, positive change. With Rotary, we all find inspiration, we all have something to contribute, and together we are so much better. We all need something — an idea, an inspiration, a purpose — to lead us forward. Rotary offers us that purpose and expands it outward, multiplying it for the good of our communities and our world. Rotary has 5 areas of service – and it’s here you can find your niche • • • • •

Club service Vocational service Community service International service New Generations (Youth) service

There is a place for every one of us to serve! As others have said: •

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

•

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller

•

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” — Ryunosuke Satoro

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A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST! From Bill Hoad – “2018 was #37 so I guess #1 was 1981.” And in 2025, this must have been Year No. 44 (minus the hiatus for Covid??) – Anyway, it’s a long time! My recollection is we were set up on the south side of the bridge and at that time there was only one bridge. I remember they had a generator and were trying to make coffee a 100' away using an extension cord. But the coffee was not getting hot. I explained to them the extension cords were the problem so they brought the coffee percs to the generator and got hot coffee quickly. I also remember some helpful soul parked his car on the garden hose and this interfered with making pancakes. (Back then the sister ship to the SS Noronic stopped in Sarnia to pick up and drop off passengers and there was a laundry building in the area of our breakfast. For the story of the Noronic, click here. It’s Toronto's Worst disaster - The burning of the SS Noronic.) I don't know what we were cooking the pancakes on initially, but we bought 5 new griddles (not grills!!) and we are still using them. I don't have any recollection of activities in cooking, dispensing, and table setup or any of that stuff or getting all the necessary supplies to the site but I got more involved in later years. Sorry that's all I have – unless you want an outline of what goes into preparation so that at 7:00 a.m. on race morning we are ready to serve. -- Bill Click here to view a short video of this year’s Pancake Breakfast.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ROTARIAN PAT CRANSTON – of the Rotary Club of Sarnia! Berlin 2025 ♥ While Harry Styles and Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe dominated the post-race Berlin Marathon headlines, less attention has been given to the more than 1,000 Canadians who travelled to the German capital to chase personal bests or check off another race in their Abbott World Marathon Majors challenges. Warm European temperatures made conditions tough, but Canadian runners still posted strong results on Berlin’s famously fast, flat course.

16 Canadian marathoners cracked the top 20 in their respective age groups!

♥

Story by Marley Dickinson – published September 22, 2025

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MANLEY’S CELEBRATES 125 YEARS IN BUSINESS – SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 A very limited (last-minute) Rotary collage

What a fun fun get-together! Lots to see both inside and outside at Manley’s! Kudos to Carolyn and the entire Manley’s staff!

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (TRF) Donations Are Important! Clubs must qualify first! The Rotary Foundation requires Clubs that want to participate in the District Grants program to qualify. To qualify, the club must: • • •

Is the project in one of the areas of focus? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

Is the project between Clubs/Districts in separate countries? – No? Consider a District Grant.

•

Is the total budget for the project less than USD $30,000? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

If you answer YES to all the above, consider applying for a Global Grant.

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The Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus Another reason to save our Environment

Our oceans are vital for cleaning our planet’s air, stabilizing climate, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining global livelihoods—yet they face dire threats like pollution, overfishing, acidification, and habitat loss. Rotary International, through its environmental focus and global network, is uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change. For example, Rotary-supported projects can fund community-driven coastal cleanups, educate on sustainable fishing practices, or advocate for marine conservation policies, helping mitigate key global challenges like plastic pollution and coral degradation. A beautiful example of Rotary’s impact is the Diveheart program, highlighted in a recent Rotary Magazine feature, “Divers with Disabilities Find Peace in Deep Water.” (Source) Diveheart was launched by a dedicated Rotarian to bring “scuba therapy” to individuals with disabilities, offering them a transformative experience of weightlessness and empowerment in the water. The program underscores Rotary’s values of inclusion and service above self—beyond physical healing, it reshapes identities: no longer “Johnny in a wheelchair,” but “Johnny the scuba diver.” (Source) By supporting initiatives like Diveheart, Rotary not only advances individual well-being but also strengthens human connection to the world’s waters—cultivating respect, advocacy, and stewardship. When people feel a personal bond with the ocean—especially through such empowering programs—they’re more likely to champion its protection. In brief: Our oceans are essential to life and especially vulnerable at the moment. Rotary can address these threats through hands-on environmental action, education, and by inspiring deeper human connection to the seas. Diveheart exemplifies this beautifully—leveraging Rotary’s network to empower individuals while deepening our collective relationship with the ocean. Click here to view a short video on the Diveheart program.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS – By sequestering carbon, boosting biodiversity, improving air quality, and reducing urban temperatures, mini forests offer a low-cost, high-impact solution for local and global environmental challenges. MINI FORESTS also known as "pocket forests" or "Miyawaki forests," are small, densely planted areas of native trees and shrubs designed to grow quickly and mimic the structure of natural forests. They can significantly impact the climate and environment in several ways: 1.

Carbon Sequestration Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, storing carbon in their biomass and soil. Even small forests can sequester a meaningful amount of carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation.

Increased Biodiversity Mini forests provide habitats for local wildlife, supporting biodiversity even in urban areas. They attract insects, birds, and small mammals, creating micro-ecosystems that improve ecological balance.

Enhanced Soil Health The roots of densely planted trees improve soil structure and increase its capacity to retain water and nutrients. This process reduces soil erosion, promotes organic matter buildup, and supports soil microbes, which play a crucial role in nutrient cycling.

Air Quality Improvement Trees in mini forests can filter pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM), improving air quality. Leaves trap dust and particulate pollutants, reducing their presence in the air we breathe.

Cooling Effect (Urban Heat Reduction) Mini forests reduce the "urban heat island" effect by providing shade and through evapotranspiration (the release of water vapor from leaves). This cooling effect can make urban areas more comfortable and reduce the energy demand for air conditioning.

Increased Resilience to Climate Change These forests improve local water cycles, which can help stabilize temperatures and humidity levels. They also protect against the impact of extreme weather events, as dense root systems improve the land's ability to absorb heavy rainfall and prevent flooding.

Community Engagement and Education Creating mini forests often involves community engagement, which raises awareness about climate issues and fosters environmental stewardship. It gives people a tangible way to contribute to climate action on a local scale.

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FOR YOUR INTEREST – MINI FORESTS Below is a list of links garnered from the Internet on mini-forests planted in Ontario. •

https://guelph.ca/living/environment/trees/mini-forest-project/

•

https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/planting-a-network-of-mini-forests-across-canada/

•

https://greencommunitiescanada.org/little-forests-kingston-plants-three-new-mini-forests-at-a-seniorscentre/

•

https://trca.ca/news/tiny-forest-the-pocket/

•

https://www.uxbridge.ca/en/news/mini-forests-coming-to-uxbridge.aspx

•

https://www.oala.ca/ground-57-greening-mini-forests

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https://www.greenbelt.ca/mini_forests

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https://greencommunitiescanada.org/city-of-hamilton-plants-900-trees-and-shrubs-as-a-mini-forest-atjohnson-tew-park/

•

https://cvc.ca/news/greening-corporate-grounds-plants-first-mini-forest-in-the-credit-river-watershed/

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Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It may seem simple, but in a complex world, those questions are anything but easy — and that’s part of their power.

� Why Should We Consider It?

Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

Because ethics matter — now more than ever. The Four-Way Test: • • • • •

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A LITTLE HUMOUR

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SangKoo Yun, former RI president-elect, dies at 75 By Wen Huang 5-Sep-2025 SangKoo Yun, a consummate Rotary leader and businessman who had been selected to be Rotary International's president for 2026-27, died on 5 September, after months of treatment for pancreatic cancer. A member of the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang, Seoul, Korea, Yun resigned as president-elect in August of 2025 to focus on his medical treatment. "SangKoo's passing is a great loss to the global Rotary family," says RI President Francesco Arezzo. "Yun's vision and contributions to Rotary will continue to inspire and motivate me and others. His legacy lives on in the hearts of Rotary friends and those whose lives were touched by his dedication to Rotary service." Yun grew up in Seoul, Korea. His father, a prominent political activist, served as the country's president in the early 1960s. Instead of following his father into politics, Yun traveled to the United States after secondary school to pursue his interest in architecture. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from Syracuse University. Yun returned to Korea in the late 1980s and founded Dongsuh Corp., which engineers and markets architectural materials. The business flourished during the construction boom before the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. He later started the Youngan Corp., a real estate and investment venture. "SangKoo was a tremendously genuine and kind person," says Past RI President Stephanie Urchick, who reached out to Yun several years ago after her niece traveled to South Korea as an English teacher. Yun invited Urchick's niece to his home and spent time helping her acclimate to local cultures. "I will never forget his thoughtfulness and friendship", she adds. Many Rotary members recalled similar experiences. Yun joined Rotary in 1987, when he helped charter the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang. He saw the organization as a professional networking hub to help him become more involved in the community. From the beginning, he worked to promote Rotary Youth Exchange and served on his scholarship committee. These interests evolved into a lifelong passion for service, especially international service. Yun served for eight years as co-chair of the Keep Mongolia Green Project. The initiative planted windbreak forests in the Gobi Desert to alleviate dust storms, which frequently affected nearby regions of Mongolia, China, and Korea. The project eventually expanded to include strategic orchard plantings in Karakorum, which is now Mongolia's largest green zone. Its success helped inspire the Mongolian government to take further action to counter desertification. Yun received a Friendship Medal from the president of Mongolia for spearheading the innovative project. "No one thought trees could grow in the desert, but we succeeded," said Yun, who traveled to Mongolia 33 times. Click here to read the full article.

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COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE YEARS Pathways Health Centre for Children (Founder) Bluewater Health – Maternal & Child Health Wing YMCA – Swimming Pool Inn of the Good Shepherd Lambton College St. Joseph’s Hospice Huron House Boys’ Home Community Living, Sarnia Lambton Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile (Standing Oaks Home) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RLYA) DOW Centre for Children and Youth Big Brothers – Big Sisters Canada Food Grains Scouts Canada – Camp Attawandron Goodwill Industries Rayjon Haiti Project YMCA Youth Scholarship Lambton County Music Festival Awards Family Counselling Centre Access Open Minds Habitat for Humanity Point Edward Minor Hockey Association Junior Achievement Numerous Schools – LKDSB and SCCDSB …and much, much more

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But no -

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.†

†

Author unknown

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gysonehttps://issuu.com/ladykitt/docs/march_newsletter_2021

Rotary Year 2025-26

Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo (Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy) District Governor Jeff Ferweda, (Rotary Club of Genesee Valley, MI) Club President, Kurtis Lush

District website: https://rotary6330.org/ Club website: https://www.rotarysarnia.com/ Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Rotary Calendar and Themes Club Mission & Vision statements Coming Events NOVEMBER MESSAGE – RI President Francesco Arezzo NOVEMBER MESSAGE – Rotary Foundation Chair Holger Knaack NOVEMBER FOCUS – THE ROTARY FOUNDATION INSPIRATION ROTARIAN MINUTE PAUL HARRIS SOCIETY NEWS AND INFORMATION – Governance ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE THE ROTARIAN MINUTE POLIO THIS WEEK Polio November Madagascar POLIOPLUS UNITED NATIONS DAYS

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 21 22

CLUB NEWS Do you need a make-up? + our 2024-25 Club President Kurtis CLUB ACTIVITIES & HISTORY HAPPY 93RD BIRTHDAY BILL HOAD SPEAKER OCTOBER 21 – Bird Friendly Sarnia SPEAKER OCTOBER 28 – Mike Smalls, Biodiversity HIGHLIGHT - This month – Rotarians Adelle & Johnna ROTARIAN MYLES RETIRES PRESENTATIONS - $4000 Sarnia Lambton Suicide Prevention John DeGroot honoured with OBAA by Chamber of Commerce ROTARY GRANTS OBJECT OF ROTARY & CODE OF CONDUCT ENVIRONMENT – Rotary Club of Stratford event Planetary Diet information RELEAF Company (VIDEO) ACRONYMS – A wee quiz FOUR-WAY TEST YOUTH EXCHANGE SUMMARY

23 25 26 27 28 29 34 35 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

BACK PAGES Humour Honouring 98 years of service and counting Community Service …just the beginning

44 45 46 47

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The Calendar below shows Rotary’s 2025-26 monthly themes. ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES Month July August September October November December January February March April May June

Click the flags below to listen to the respective national anthems.

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LEARN ABOUT ROTARY CLUB OF SARNIA

Take the time to view a short video on Rotary’s Areas of Focus – Click here! Click here to view a short and fun video of our RI President

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MONTH OF NOVEMBER Rotary’s Focus on The Rotary Foundation (TRF) CANVASSING AND COLLECTION OF

ROTARY AUCTION PRIZES CONTINUES… ROTARY AUCTION GOES LIVE November 10 to 16 CLUB SOUP-KITCHEN MEAL AT THE INN Friday, December 5 Rotary Anthem Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem! Click here for We are the World.

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THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT NOVEMBER MESSAGE 2025 Let us give with gratitude This November, as we celebrate The Rotary Foundation, I invite you to consider not only what we give but why we give. The Foundation is more than a fund for projects. It is the beating heart of our promise that service, rooted in trust and friendship, can create lasting change. Our Action Plan calls us to increase our impact, and the Foundation is how we make this vision real. Since 1988, Rotary and our partners have immunized nearly 3 billion children against polio. We have committed more than $2.6 billion to this cause, and last year alone we directed $146 million toward the final push for eradication. These numbers are significant, but the true impact is not in statistics – it is in the lives of children who will never again fear polio. It is in the hope restored to families and the peace built in communities once defined by disease. But polio is only one story among many. Each year, Rotary Peace Centers train new generations of leaders who will transform conflict into dialogue and division into understanding. In 2023-24, nearly 100 new fellows began their studies, continuing a legacy of more than 1,800 peacebuilders from over 140 countries. When we invest in them, we are planting seeds of peace that will bear fruit for decades to come. The Foundation also touches lives through district and global grants, supporting projects large and small. A clean water well for a rural community, scholarships for young professionals, medical care in the wake of disaster – these are not temporary gestures, but steps toward dignity, resilience, and opportunity. This is how Rotary service becomes lasting impact. And when natural disasters strike, our Foundation allows Rotary to act quickly with disaster response grants. Our Foundation is not about what we can do alone but what we can do together. Each contribution, no matter its size, joins with others to create a collective act of faith in humanity and in the future. The last mile of any great journey is always the hardest. We see this in our final steps toward ending polio, in our work for peace, and in every project that seeks to lift people out of despair. Yet every time we give, we declare that our work will continue regardless of the challenge. This November, let us give with gratitude, with joy, and with hope. Through our Foundation, we Unite for Good, and in doing so, we leave behind not only projects but a legacy of peace, trust, and Service Above Self.

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2025 Undeniable impact Many of you will remember the theme I chose as RI president in 202021. Rotary Opens Opportunities. I remain passionate about these opportunities, and I know you do too. As we celebrate Rotary Foundation Month, let’s reflect on the many ways the Foundation makes the world better. Rotary is extraordinary, and the Foundation amplifies that impact. I encourage all of you – in Rotary and Rotaract clubs – to discover this for yourselves. Go beyond the local level and engage with The Rotary Foundation globally. You can partner with clubs to boost literacy in Guatemala or fight malaria in Zambia. You can make a difference with clean water initiatives reaching millions or maternal health programs saving lives across continents. It doesn’t stop there. Through major impact projects like Programs of Scale, we’re pursuing bold initiatives that push Rotary’s potential to create lasting change further. Greater impact and greater visibility: this is our path forward. Many of you have asked about the status of Rotary’s biggest impact project in history – our long-term commitment to polio eradication. Recently, RI President Francesco Arezzo, International PolioPlus Committee Chair Michael McGovern, and I met with Prime Minister Shehbar Sharif and the army leadership of Pakistan. Everyone is fully committed to eradicating polio once and for all. We were absolutely convinced by the work of Pakistan’s emergency operations centers, where experts plan and coordinate vaccination. While some governments scale back support for polio eradication, Rotary remains committed to its pledge to raise $50 million again this year. This meeting reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to finishing this historic mission. What excites me most is seeing how each of us can make a real difference through our Foundation. I urge everyone – especially newcomers to Rotary – to explore these opportunities. Find your passion among our areas of focus and discover projects to support, especially through global grants. We members fund, sustain, and deliver these projects. That’s why the Foundation consistently earns top ratings from Charity Navigator. If you don’t want to lead a project, you can still be part of the Foundation through annual support. Our fundraising goal for 2025-26 is an ambitious $500 million. Your gift this month will create countless opportunities. We have incredible opportunities before us, and the impact we achieve together through The Rotary Foundation is exponential. The proof is undeniable.

HOLGER KNAACK Foundation Trustee Chair, 2025-26

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ROTARY’S NOVEMBER FOCUS – THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

The Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary International, created in 1917 with a simple but powerful idea: to "do good in the world." Over the years, it has grown into one of the world’s most respected humanitarian foundations, funding projects that bring lasting change to communities in need. Its mission is to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, supporting education, and alleviating poverty. What makes the Foundation extraordinary is its global reach—Rotarians in every corner of the world contribute to and benefit from its programs, making it a truly international force for good. One of the Foundation’s greatest hallmarks is its stewardship of resources. Rotary has consistently received top ratings from independent charity evaluators because of its low administrative costs and high impact. Donors know their gifts are put to work in meaningful, measurable ways—from providing clean water and sanitation in remote villages, to establishing literacy programs for children, to funding scholarships for future leaders. And, of course, the Foundation is most famous for leading the decades-long global campaign to eradicate polio. Together with partners like the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary has helped reduce polio cases by more than 99% worldwide. What truly makes the Rotary Foundation phenomenal is the way it empowers ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Through district and global grants, clubs are able to transform local ideas into impactful projects, often multiplying their efforts through matching funds. Every dollar given creates ripples that travel across borders and generations. At its heart, the Foundation is not just about money—it’s about trust, collaboration, and hope. It represents the best of what humanity can achieve when service is placed above self-interest.

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ROTARY INSPIRATION On The Rotary Foundation •

“The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.” — Rotary International

•

“Doing good in the world is not only our mission, it is our legacy.” — Rotary Foundation motto

•

Click here to access The Rotary Foundation Canada website.

On Service & Giving •

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” — Albert Pike (often cited by Rotarians)

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“Every Rotarian is a link in the chain of Rotary service, and every link is essential.” — Paul Harris, Rotary’s founder

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“The measure of Rotary’s greatness is not in its number of members, but in the impact of its service.” — adapted from Arch Klumph, founder of The Rotary Foundation

On Inspiration & Hope •

“Rotary changes us and those we serve. I believe we can change the world one life at a time.” — Past RI President Wilfrid Wilkinson (Canadian - President of Rotary International 2007-08)

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“Rotary is not just a club you join—it is an invitation to endless opportunities to serve.” — Rotary International

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What your giving supports Rotarian Jamie Pole.

• • • • • • • • • •

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Paul Harris Society Coordinator, District 6330 – Jamie Pole!

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS In District 6330, Rotary leadership – past, present, future

Above (left to right) PDG Mike Chaffee (2022-2023 - PDG Sonja Glass (2023-2024) – PDG Katherine Hahn (2024-2025) – DG Jeff Ferweda (2025-2026 – DGE Lorna Gunning Fratschko (2026-2027)

Above – DGN Dawn Kennedy (2027-2028)

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ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE

Click here to see more photos and read more about Rotary Youth Exchange in D6330. BUILDING PEACE, ONE YOUNG PERSON AT A TIME! Exchanges for students ages 15-18 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries! District 6330 is proud to participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, which builds peace, one young person at a time. Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchange students unlock their true potential to: • • • •

Develop lifelong leadership skills Learn a new language and culture Build lasting friendships with young people from around the world Become a global citizen Click here for the application. We are currently recruiting students for exchanges that will take place in the 2026-2027 school year.

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The Rotarian Minute is a creation of District 1700. Please send any comments or suggestons to laminute1700@gmail.com.

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Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates: • • • • • •

Afghanistan: one WPV1 case Pakistan: 32 WPV1-positive environmental samples Algeria: one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample Angola: one cVDPV2 case Lao PDR: one cVDPV1 case Nigeria: two cVDPV2 cases and two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

For details on the 2024 estimates and what they tell us about immunization globally, read the WHO-UNICEF press release and explore the WHO Immunization Data Portal

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Polio - November 2025 (from https://polioeradication.org/about-polio/polio-this-week/)

GPEI Action Plan published The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) published its Action Plan – a comprehensive roadmap to streamline operations and sustain momentum toward a polio-free world in light of ongoing global reductions in development assistance. The Action Plan, developed through extensive consultation and grounded in the latest data, sets out how GPEI will focus activities where they will have the greatest impact, making deliberate, sometimes challenging choices to minimize risk, safeguard hard-won gains, and maintain progress toward a polio-free world. Click here to read the full article. More. TIME magazine includes hexavalent vaccines as part of its ‘Best Inventions of 2025’ list Earlier this year, Senegal and Mauritania became the first two low-income countries to distribute lifesaving hexavalent vaccines. The six-in-one vaccine combines two vaccines currently supplied to low-income countries: a pentavalent vaccine that targets diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, and meningitis, as well as a separate polio vaccine. Because the hexavalent vaccine simplifies dosing schedules—it involves three injections rather than five spread across two vaccines—more young children will gain protection against polio in particular, according to Gavi, the global health organization that covered the majority of the vaccine’s costs in the two countries. Hexavalent vaccines have been in use in Europe and the U.S. for 25 and 13 years, respectively. It wasn’t fair that “lower-income countries have had to wait,” says Katy Clark, Gavi senior programme manager. Click here.

From polio survivor to vaccinator in Pakistan Meet Masood Khan, and his inspiring story, of having polio himself to protecting others from this lifelong disease as a polio vaccinator, in Peshawar.

Rotary End Polio Now ambassador Anne W Strike raises awareness of polio and empower survivors through sport

Read the inspiring story of Anne Wafula Strike, Rotary End Polio Now ambassador, Paralympian and author, who is raising awareness, tackling stigma and empowering survivors through sport, in her native Kenya.

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An extensive, visually-driven story in Devex on Madagascar’s successful polio outbreak response. Please take the time to view this remarkable story – so many photos and videos to tell the story. The chapters include • • • • • •

A complex virus A fusillade of campaigns Making it routine The long trek Falling from the sky America’s withdrawal

The poliovirus is complicated. There’s wild polio — still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But variant poliovirus is the most prevalent form globally. It happens when children vaccinated with oral vaccines shed a weakened strain of the virus in their feces, which can sometimes circulate among under-immunized and unimmunized people until it slowly mutates into a form causing paralysis. Click here to read more.

To quell the outbreak, the Malagasy government and its partners launched four polio campaigns in 2023 and three last year — the last in October. About 63% of the population was vaccinated, including adults, as some were paralyzed during the outbreak. Click here to read more.

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While the campaigns were successful, they didn’t reach everyone. “We don’t trust the campaigns because the vaccinators are coming from our own community and they aren’t trained health professionals,” she said. Click here to read more.

The winding roads of Ifanadiana district in the eastern region of Madagascar — about a day's drive from Antranolahatra village — cut through rolling mountains dappled with eucalyptus trees and terraced rice fields. Mothers tend to walk with babies in one arm and baskets on their heads. Vendors will sell black strips of vanilla and deep-fried bananas. Small herds of zebu — or humped, horned cattle — are shepherded amid bustling markets. Click here to read more.

For over 30 years, the U.S. Agency for International Development has been a leading health donor in Madagascar. But that was brought to a halt under the Trump administration. But the ghosts of the U.S.’ imprint still linger. Plastered on the walls of health clinics across the country are posters for USAID’s ACCESS program, and community health volunteers still wear clothes with the program’s logo. Click here to read the rest of the story.

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Antananarivo – Madagascar has successfully halted the transmission of variant poliovirus type 1, following recommendations from a rigorous, independent Outbreak Response Assessment (OBRA) to declare the outbreak closed. This achievement marks a major milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts towards polio eradication. The outbreak, which started in 2020, posed a serious public health threat, particularly to under 5 children but also to unvaccinated adults. In response, the government – through the Emergencies Operations Centre – in collaboration with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), swiftly launched a series of emergency vaccination campaigns. This effort, backed by strong political commitment from the highest levels, including the President and First Lady of Madagascar, successfully reached over 19 million people with life-saving polio vaccines. As a result, no new detections have been reported since September 2023! Meeting the criteria for outbreak closure is a major achievement. For the certification to be met, a country must ensure high population immunity, strong surveillance performance (evidence that no transmission was missed), and at least 12 consecutive months without poliovirus detection (either in humans or environmental – sewage/wastewater). “The progress made in recent years in the immunization and eradication of polio is a hopeful sign. Today, polio is finally eradicated. Together, we have proved that it is possible to overcome limits and build lasting change. Let’s continue to act, raise awareness and join forces to give every child a healthy future,” said H.E. Mrs. Mialy Rajoelina, The First Lady of Madagascar and immunization ambassador.

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At the outbreak’s peak in September 2023, a total of 287 cases had been confirmed, including 45 cases of acute flaccid paralysis and 44 community cases, 198 positive environmental surveillance detections in wastewater.

Key to halting the polio transmission Key to halting polio transmission in Madagascar was the country’s intensified surveillance system, which enabled swift detection of poliovirus in both human cases and environmental samples. Enhanced case investigation, community engagement, and innovative vaccination strategies, including house-to-house and cross-border immunization efforts, were instrumental in stopping the spread. Cases were spread across 30 districts in the country’s 13 regions and two paralytic cases were reported in adults in January 2023, which placed the country in a unique position that required innovative responses. Four large-scale vaccination campaigns were carried out in 2023, enabling Madagascar to reach 95% vaccination coverage – which was pivotal in stopping the transmission and closing the polio outbreak. “This success demonstrates that with political will, strong partnerships, and community involvement, polio outbreaks can be swiftly controlled. We must now sustain these efforts to prevent any future resurgence,” said Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa. Health authorities, supported by GAVI, Rotary, UNICEF, WHO and the Gates Foundation, continue to strengthen routine immunization, enhance surveillance, and maintain high-quality outbreak preparedness measures to mitigate the risk of future polio re-emergence, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

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SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Donate to End Polio.

Visit the PolioPlus Society Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/polioplussociety

Click here to view a short video and learn more about GAVI – The Vaccine Alliance. One of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind.

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INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

November Rotary’s Focus – The Rotary Foundation

Wednesday, November 5 World Tsunami Awareness Day Thursday, November 6 International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment Sunday, November 9 to Saturday, November 15 International Week of Science and Peace Monday, November 10 World Science Day for Peace and Development Friday, November 14 World Diabetes Day Sunday, November 16 International Day for Tolerance (UNESCO) Tuesday, November 18 World Day for Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence Wednesday, November 19 World Toilet Day *

Thursday, November 20 World Children’s Day Tuesday, November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Click here to learn about World Toilet Day’s projects around the world.

Statistics from https://worlddiabetesday.org/

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Club President for 2025-26 – Kurtis Lush

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Date

Presentation

November 4

Matthew Slotwinski, CEO SLEP (Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership) Remembrance Day – no meeting TBA Allen McKeown, Green Burials Rotary Club of Sarnia AGM TBA

November 11 November 18 November 25 December 2 December 9

Affordable Housing - Here’s an article that may be of interest to club members who are working to improve affordable housing in the community. Click here.

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO CLUB MEMBERS

Get involved! Join us!

Celebrate November and The Rotary Foundation

Two videos worth your time – (1) Click here to view the first one –

The “Rotary Foundation Showcase”– 7 AREAS OF FOCUS

(2) Click here to view the second very powerful video.

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A HUGE ROTARY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR MUCH-LOVED ROTARIAN! BILL HOAD TURNED 93 ON OCTOBER 21!

Click here to view the video card played at the Rotary meeting!

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Speaker on October 21 – John Cooke, our speaker today at The Rotary Club of Sarnia represented “Bird Friendly Sarnia.” View their website - https://lambtonwildlife.com/bird-friendly-sarnia/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/birdfriendlysarnia/ Bird populations are rapidly falling across North America and beyond; a major study conducted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reported that we have lost three billion birds in North America over the last 50 years. Many of the species are ones that we can observe in our cities and towns, and have fallen victim to multiplying dangers including: habitat loss and degradation due to urban sprawl and development, declines in insect populations, predation by outdoor pets, light pollution, window collision, and disturbance of their nesting or roosting sites. The time to act is now! A group of local volunteers has formed a Sarnia Bird Team and is working in partnership with Nature Canada to certify Sarnia as a Bird Friendly City. Certification as a bird-friendly city is a badge of honour. It tells the world that Sarnia is leading on the efforts to reverse bird population declines. Click the link below to view the PDF document – Nature Appreciation Areas of Sarnia, Ontario (pdf)

John Cooke and President Kurtis

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Presentation of October 28, 2025 Mike Smalls, Landscape Designer, addressed the club on Tuesday, October 28. His message was simple -

Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area – the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms that make up our natural world. Biodiversity—the variety of all living things—keeps ecosystems balanced, provides food, medicine, and clean air and water, and helps nature and humanity adapt to changes and survive environmental challenges.. Gardens that are biodiverse provide interest, texture, colour, fragrance, high carbon sequestering, and a habitat for pollinators. To help mitigate climate change, switching to a biodiverse environment should be our goal. Gardens that are biodiverse do not require watering, or mowing, or pesticides – a win/win for everyone! Thank you, Mike!

Also, Janet Cullen of Forest Fritters Friends sent a note of thanks to the club for the recent donation, along with a brief update on their renovation project. Janet notes that the windows have been upgraded and the rooms inside are much less “breezy.” She also sent along a photo of the building which sits at 25 King Street West, in Forest. And we are all invited to come visit! “We are all so grateful for your generosity!”

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WHY JOIN ROTARY? WHO NEEDS ROTARY? This month, we focus on two Rotarians. First Adelle Richards, Member for 15+ Years How did you get involved with Rotary? Were you invited? By whom? When? I’ve been a member of the Rotary Club of Sarnia for more than 15 years. I was invited to join by then-Rotarian and good friend Kevin Smith. I didn’t know much about Rotary at the time, but Kevin did a wonderful job explaining the many opportunities for travel, friendship, and business connections. At that time, I was working in the media industry. What was Rotary like when you first joined, and has it changed much? When I joined, our membership was predominantly male and senior. We sat at round, clothcovered tables, and lunch was served to us. Each meeting included Rotary news and an engaging speaker. It was a formal, structured, and professional affair — quite different from the more relaxed and inclusive atmosphere we enjoy today. What has been your participation in Rotary – and what has Rotary contributed to you? My dream of travelling on international service trips — such as a polio immunization mission — did not happen. Life had other plans. I survived two breast cancer diagnoses in less than a year, which deeply affected my career. During my recovery, I also separated from my husband of six years. Limited time and income have sometimes made it hard to be as involved as I would like, but I continue to attend weekly meetings and participate wherever I can. I truly enjoy club and community service. I’ve always volunteered at our annual Pancake Breakfast — wiping tables, serving coffee, collecting garbage, or greeting guests. It doesn’t matter what the job is; what matters is helping where I’m needed. And yes, I’m known to be a bit of a talker — I quite often have something to say! (Haha!) What is your best memory or most meaningful Rotary experience? One of my most memorable Rotary moments came on Remembrance Day, when my younger brother drove from Hamilton so that we could share the story of our father, who served as a Bomb Aimer aboard a Halifax bomber in WWII. His story is remarkable — he was shot down, captured by the Germans, and held as a prisoner of war for 16 months. While imprisoned, he helped dig the tunnels that became known as The Great Escape. Sharing our father’s story, along with his artifacts, personal belongings, and daily log, was an emotional experience. Fellow members were genuinely moved, and I was proud to honour his memory that day. As a member of the Sarnia Legion, I’ve also volunteered pinning poppies at community locations. Last year, I suggested that Rotary members help deliver boxes of poppies to area businesses. Four Rotarians volunteered — and enjoyed it so much that this year we’ll once again deliver and pick up boxes for the Sarnia Legion (October 31 and November 12). Our volunteers this year are Mike Elliott, Mark Taylor, Murray Quinton, Joe Cebulski, Myles Vanni, and Brian Davidson. We will never forget. November 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Tampon Tuesday I’m also a lead member of Tampon Tuesday (TT) — a grassroots initiative founded four years ago by six local women. Our goal is to collect and distribute feminine hygiene products to women who may struggle to afford them. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month at Stokes Inland at 5:00 p.m. Admission is simple — bring menstrual products for donation. I would be delighted if some of the women in our club joined us for these gatherings! Donations are delivered to The Inn of the Good Shepherd for distribution through their reception and food bank, with monetary contributions eligible for tax receipts. Our TT team uses donated funds to purchase more products, and we also have collection barrels with our logo placed in local businesses. Our group has even been recognized on the Mayor’s Honour Roll — something we’re all proud of. Service Above Self. Why have you maintained your Rotary membership? I love Rotary for its fellowship and variety of opportunities: • •

Speakers – I always enjoy learning new things, especially about our local community. Club activities – Pancake Breakfasts, online auctions, and social events bring us together in meaningful ways.

I love meeting new people and helping wherever I can. Rotary’s philosophy of Service Above Self truly shapes how I live. Do you have any advice for today’s Rotarians? Today’s Rotarians should continue the good work globally; but more importantly, in my opinion, within our own community — not just by donating money, but by being more hands-on with local groups and organizations. There are many community groups that could use our help — so it’s an ongoing chance to contribute and truly become a Rotarian! Here’s a suggestion for our club, perhaps, inspired by the United Way Day of Caring or Habitat for Humanity. We could designate one day each year when club members work together on a big project for a local organization — something practical, like painting a room, building a fence, garden prep or weeding, cleaning, and so on. Organizations could submit their requests, a small committee could review them and then choose the project best suited to our club and members. The club could even provide the necessary materials whenever possible. Closing. Rotary will always be a part of me — and a part of the community. I’ve met so many wonderful people and learned so much about life, service, and community through my Rotary involvement. With the energy of our younger members, I’m confident we’ll continue to thrive and make an even greater impact close to home. -- Rotarian Adelle Richards November 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Rotarian Johnna Johansen – a little Rotary history The next Rotarian highlighted this month is our Club Secretary – Johnna. Johnna has given us a lovely outline of her Rotary involvement – and what a full Rotary life Johnna has! Johnna is truly an inspiration for us all! How did you get involved with Rotary? Were you invited? By whom? When? I joined the Rotary Club of Sarnia in 2006. I was attending an RWTO (Retired Women Teachers of Ontario) luncheon meeting, and the speaker was Tanya Wolff, a former student I had taught in Grade 6. She was speaking about her recent Polio trip, I think it was to Yemen, and she also spoke about some if the good things Rotarians were doing in the world. After the lunch, we spoke, and Tanya invited me to a Rotary meeting the following week at the Guildwood Inn. It was a room full of professional people, listening to a speaker and discussing club news. It was a very formal atmosphere. I was invited back for several more weeks before I received my Red Name Badge which I wore at every meeting until I did my classification talk, about 3 months after my first meeting. Thereafter I received my Blue Name Badge. What was Rotary like when you first joined and has it changed much? I was encouraged to sit at different tables for lunch to meet my fellow Rotarians. At that time, we had placemats that had pictures of all members. This helped in determining who was who. When I arrived at one of my first meetings, I went to a table where several gentlemen were seated and asked if I could join them. The answer was No. I quickly found another table. Apparently the table I had first approached had weekly get-togethers at their lunches and there was no room for anyone else to join their table. What have you contributed to Rotary and what has Rotary contributed to you? With Tanya as a mentor, I quickly became immersed in Rotary activities. As an educator, I became chair of the Literacy Committee, and I joined the International Committee. There was also a need for help with Bingos, so I joined the Bingo Committee and became co-chair of that committee with Myles Vanni the following year, positions which we still hold. The Bingos have certainly changed since then and do not require as much time as in the past. In 2006, I worked on the planning committee for the RWTO Provincial Conference to be held in June 2007 for 200+ members and guests at the Holiday Inn in Sarnia. When Tanya started to move up to the district governorship, she asked me to be her Conference Chair as I had some experience in planning, so I worked with committee members from all the clubs in Area #5 planning for a well-attended District Conference at the Holiday Inn in Sarnia in June 2010. Meanwhile, I attended annual District Conferences in 2007, 2008, and 2009 to figure out what the expectations were for our conference in 2010.

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In 2007, Tanya started a fundraiser called “Rotary Roses just because...” We partnered with a florist (the first year it was Tanya’s store but when she sold it we partnered with another florist). Our members would take orders for a dozen roses, beautifully packed. The florist would order in the roses in bulk, and our club members would sort, prepare and pack the roses in an assembly line fashion on a Sunday morning, ready for pickup or delivery the following day. I took over chairing that committee for the next 9 years and by this time we were selling more than 200 dozen roses. I joined the District 6330 Team as Literacy Chair for 3 years and was invited to speak about literacy to a number of clubs in our district. After 3 years in that position, I became District Scholarship Chair. During my 3 years in that position, I was able to recruit 2 scholarship recipients who received $25,000 USD each to study topics which aligned with Rotary’s themes at a post graduate level in another country. (Both chose Britain.) After 3 years here, I became chair of the Alumni Scholarship Committee which lasted for one year. By 2009 I became a Board Member for The Rotary Club of Sarnia which led to my presidency of the club in 2011-12. By the summer of 2011, our new Rotary Office was in its final stages of readiness. Many Rotarians had spent hours painting the interior walls and ceilings, especially Jamie and Bill H., so that by October we were able to have a lunch meeting with catered sandwiches at the office so everyone could inspect it. With the help of past presidents, especially Brian, things went quite well as I began my presidency. We did not have much money to spend as we had overextended the previous years so when we did want to do something, much discussion was needed. In December of 2011, my older brother passed away at age 66 which I took pretty hard, but life must go on. Meanwhile, Jamie Pole was working on making our club a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club and he succeeded. We became the 18th club in Canada to achieve this status and thanks to Jamie, we are still a 100% Paul Harris Club. What are your best memories / good feelings about Rotary that you are willing to share with readers? Also, that year, in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and the Sarnia-Lambton Workforce Development Board we were able to host the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable David C. Onley, to a spring Rotary Luncheon meeting. Then in March 2012, I was diagnosed with breast cancer followed by surgery and 26 sessions of radiation in London. At this time, I was in my 4th year as co- chair of the Sarnia Relay for Life and standing on stage that June in my yellow survivor shirt to thank the more than 100 Relay Teams for helping us to raise $300,000 for Cancer Research, was overwhelming to be sure. In 2012-13, Tom Robitaille from the Bluewater Rotary Club was District Governor and he asked me to be registrar for his District Conference in June 2013, a position I shared with Christine Hayes (Office Administrator). I continued as treasurer of the club until 2016. At this time, I decided to take a 2-year break from attending most meetings, but did keep my membership in the club and continued to help with fundraisers. November 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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With the extra time, I became President of the local RWTO for 2017-18 to fill my extra time. We held 5 luncheon meetings each year which had to be planned for 125+ retired women teachers. I also joined The Danish Sisterhood Lodge for women who had Danish connections, which met monthly. Why have you maintained your membership over the years? After 2 years away from most Rotary lunch meetings, I decided it was time to come back. I missed the friends I had made through Rotary. I attended all the Rotary District Conferences since 2007 and always found some worthwhile info there. I also attended the RI Convention when it was held in Montreal in 2010, which was a wonderful Rotary experience. Rayjon. In 2008, Tanya and I were invited to join 4 executive members from our local Rayjon Share Care Organization on a 7-day information trip to Haiti. The previous year our Club had donated towards a medical clinic at Gilbert, and it was ready to start up with used medical equipment from our local hospital. Spending time with the Rayjon Team for the week we were in Haiti we learned so much. Through this experience, I realized how important it was that we as a club were able to help the Haitian people in some small way. Rotaplast. Again in 2010, I joined a team of 7 non-medical Rotarians from Area #5 on a joint venture with Rotaplast to Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Rotaplast had a medical team of 16 including surgeons, anaesthesiologists, dentists, etc. and 35 boxes of medical supplies. This was the 7th mission Rotaplast had made to this city to do cleft palate and facial reconstruction surgeries. That year, the Rotary Motto was MAKE DREAMS REAL and we did that for 75 patients who had free surgeries performed and this was done through Rotarian donations. Rotarians who believed in SERVICE ABOVE SELF. Closing. What I have enjoyed most about attending Rotary lunch meetings is the information I have gained from listening to the many different speakers that Rotarian Alison has organized to speak to us through the years, and of course, the fellowship with other Rotarians. -- Rotarian Johnna Johansen

And to Adelle & Johnna

Thank You Both very much for helping with this little project – and a HUGE THANK YOU for all you have done, and continue to do, for Rotary!

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TO VIEW PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS online in magazine format, click below -

July newsletter

August newsletter

September Newsletter

October newsletter

Rotarian Myles is retiring!

The Inn of the Good Shepherd is welcoming Jack Christine as its New Executive Director, succeeding longtime leader Myles Vanni, who retires after 20 years of distinguished service. The Inn of the Good Shepherd has announced the appointment of Jack Christine as its new Executive Director, effective with his transition beginning on Monday, November 3. Mr. Christine succeeds Myles Vanni, who has guided the organization for two decades and will retire after 20 years. Mr. Vanni will remain on staff until early 2026 to ensure a seamless leadership transition. Congratulations Rotarian Myles! Best wishes on your Retirement!

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The Rotary Club of Sarnia provides a $4000.00 community grant to Sarnia-Lambton Suicide Prevention. Rotary thanks Jackpot Time. Rotary Club of Sarnia has presented a cheque for $000 to the Sarnia Lambton Suicide Prevention Committee. This donation will go a long way to ensuring that the SLSPC can continue to work at prevention, education, raising awareness and supporting those who have been profoundly impacted by suicide. The group continues to work towards making Sarnia Lambton a suicide safer community with their ongoing SafeTALK training, community engagement and supporting the Suicide Loss Survivors group. Pictured left - Kurtis Lush - President of the Rotary Club of Sarnia and Liz Page, Co-Chair of the SLSPC

The Rotary Club of Sarnia provides a $4000.00 community grant to Sarnia-Lambton Suicide Prevention. Rotary thanks Jackpot Time.

And a second presentation –

Our very own John DeGroot (right) was presented with the award for Member of the Year at the OBAA by the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce! Congratulations John! OBAA is the Ontario Business Achievement Awards, presented by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. These awards recognize and celebrate business success across Ontario through various categories, such as Lifetime Achievement, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and more.

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Is the project in one of the areas of focus? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

Is the project between Clubs/Districts in separate countries? – No? Consider a District Grant.

•

Is the total budget for the project less than USD $30,000? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

If you answer YES to all the above, consider applying for a Global Grant.

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The Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus Clubs in D6330 are helping to save the Environment! Here is a program being conducted by the Rotary Club of Stratford! And it relates very well to our October 28 speaker – Mike Smalls – on promoting biodiversity and keeping our environment natural

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Make healthy meals with Canada’s food guide plate Step 1. Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits should always make up the largest proportion of the foods you eat throughout the day. Step 2. Make one-quarter of your plate whole grain foods. Step 3. Make one-quarter of your plate protein foods. Choose protein foods that come from plants more often.

The PHD is a plant-forward diet developed by the EAT-Lancet commission, with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. It was designed as a healthy diet that stays within planetary boundaries.

NOTE: Food and agriculture contribute 1/3 of global greenhouse gas emissions – second only to the burning of fossil fuels. Yet, the vast majority of media coverage of the climate crisis overlooks this critical sector, according to a new data analysis from Sentient Media.

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Some Environmental Inspiration - Releaf

A young inventor from Ukraine, Valentyn Frechka, found a way to turn fallen leaves into eco-friendly paper bags. His company, Releaf Paper, collects dry leaves from city streets and processes them into natural fibers that replace wood pulp. This method reduces deforestation and carbon emissions while creating 100 percent biodegradable packaging. The paper fully decomposes within 30 days, making it a sustainable alternative to plastic. European cities now partner with his startup to recycle their autumn waste into shopping bags and packaging products. His invention won international recognition for combining science, sustainability, and circular economy principles. Click here to view an informative video.

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Cover the right-hand column and test yourself - Can you accurately name all the acronyms?

RI TRF RIBI DG DGE/DGN IPP PE/PN

Rotary International The Rotary Foundation Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland District Governor District Governor-elect / Governor-nominee Immediate Past President President-elect / Nominee

RYE RYLA RYPEN VTT RCC

Rotary Youth Exchange Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment Vocational Training Team Rotary Community Corps

GG DG (context) EREY PHF PHS AKS APS PEF

Global Grant District Grant Every Rotary, Every Year Paul Harris Fellow Paul Harris Society Arch Klumph Society Annual Program Fund (Annual Fund) Permanent Endowment Fund

COL COR BOD AG

Council on Legislation Council on Resolutions Board of Directors Assistant Governor

� Tip: When in doubt, spell it out—all Rotarians will thank you! And if you’d like to learn more acronyms, click here! The Rotary Global History Fellowship has all the answers! (RGHF)

Click here to view a short Rotary video about our Areas of Focus!

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Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It may seem simple, but in a complex world, those questions are anything but easy — and that’s part of their power.

� Why Should We Consider It?

Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

Because ethics matter — now more than ever. The Four-Way Test: • • • • •

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In summary – What is Rotary Youth Exchange all about? These words say it best: INSPIRING Youth Exchange is not just a year in your life; it is a life in a year. CONNECTING Through Rotary Youth Exchange, strangers become family, and the world becomes home. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Exchange isn’t about changing who you are. It’s about discovering how big the world is, and how much you can share.

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A LITTLE HUMOUR

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COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE YEARS Pathways Health Centre for Children (Founder) Bluewater Health – Maternal & Child Health Wing YMCA – Swimming Pool Inn of the Good Shepherd Lambton College St. Joseph’s Hospice Huron House Boys’ Home Community Living, Sarnia Lambton Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile (Standing Oaks Home) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RLYA) DOW Centre for Children and Youth Big Brothers – Big Sisters Canada Food Grains Scouts Canada – Camp Attawandron Goodwill Industries Rayjon Haiti Project YMCA Youth Scholarship Lambton County Music Festival Awards Family Counselling Centre Access Open Minds Habitat for Humanity Point Edward Minor Hockey Association Junior Achievement Numerous Schools – LKDSB and SCCDSB …and much, much more

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But no -

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.†

†

Author unknown

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gysonehttps://issuu.com/ladykitt/docs/march_newsletter_2021

Rotary Year 2025-26

Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo (Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy) District Governor Jeff Ferweda, (Rotary Club of Genesee Valley, MI) Club President, Kurtis Lush

District website: https://rotary6330.org/ Club website: https://www.rotarysarnia.com/ Club Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rotaryclubofsarniaontario

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Rotary Calendar and Themes Club Mission & Vision statements Coming Events DECEMBER MESSAGE – RI President Francesco Arezzo DECEMBER MESSAGE – Rotary Foundation Chair Holger Knaack DECEMBER FOCUS – DISEASE PREVENTION & TREATGMENT INSPIRATION ROTARIAN MINUTE – E-clubs PAUL HARRIS SOCIETY NEWS AND INFORMATION – Governance ROTARY ACTION GROUPS (RAGs) ESRAG ROTARIAN MINUTE – RI Website POLIO THIS WEEK POLIOPLUS UNITED NATIONS DAYS

3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 22 23

CLUB NEWS Do you need a make-up? + our 2024-25 Club President Kurtis CLUB ACTIVITIES & AUCTION SPEAKER NOVEMBER 4 – REMEMBRANCE DONATION TO REBOUND SPEAKER NOVEMBER 18 THE ROTARY FOUNDATION Highest Charity Rating OBJECT OF ROTARY & CODE OF CONDUCT ENVIRONMENT – Plant-based diet benefits FOUR-WAY TEST

24 26 28 29 31 32 34 35 36 37 38

BACK PAGES Humour Previous newsletters FYI – Kiva.org Honouring 98 years of service and counting Community Service …just the beginning

40 41 42 45 47

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The Calendar below shows Rotary’s 2025-26 monthly themes. ROTARY CALENDAR and THEMES Month July August September October November December January February March April May June

Click the flags below to listen to the respective national anthems.

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LEARN ABOUT ROTARY CLUB OF SARNIA

Take the time to view a short video on Rotary’s Areas of Focus – Click here! Click here to view a short and fun video of our RI President

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MONTH OF DECEMBER Rotary’s Focus on Disease Prevention & Treatment CLUB SOUP-KITCHEN MEAL AT THE INN Friday, December 5

UNITE FOR GOOD

VOCATIONAL SERICE MONTH Month of January Happy New Year January 2026 Rotary Anthem Right click here to open the link and listen to the Rotary Anthem!

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THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT DECEMBER MESSAGE 2025 To health and happiness This month’s special issue of Rotary magazine is all about happiness, that most elemental of human yearnings. More than a feeling, though, this state of positive well-being, and the conditions necessary to create and sustain it, should be considered a universal right. December also marks Rotary’s Disease Prevention and Treatment Month, when we highlight our members’ work to promote health and wellness, including mental wellness. Globally, nearly 1 in 7 people have a mental health disorder, according to a recent World Health Organization report. Yet only 9 percent of people with depression receive adequate treatment. We are fortunate in Rotary to have a powerful way to support emotional well-being and happiness: friendship. The connections we build in Rotary can be a powerful force for change. I know this from personal experience. When my fellow members first proposed that I become club president, I demurred. I had a stutter. I was terrified of speaking. But having club members who supported me and surrounded me with affection enabled me to face my fear, and I found a way to stand confidently before a crowd. Today, I regularly address audiences – some numbering in the thousands – in a language that is not native to me. The Rotary members in my life helped me create lasting change within myself. That fellowship gives us the courage and means to create lasting change in the world as well, and mental health services are in desperate need of improvement. The WHO reports that governments on average devote only 2 precent of their health budgets to mental health, and only 11 percent of that funding reaches community-based services. In some countries, only one trained mental health professional is available for every 100,000 people. The WHO has called for strategic and urgent action to close the gap. Rotary can answer that call by championing mental health awareness in our clubs, working with local health systems, funding training for community health workers, and supporting initiatives that bring care to places where none exists. Even small investments in mental health yield enormous returns in productivity, public health, and happiness. While we are creating lasting change in the world, we cannot forget to take care of each other. Past RI President Gordon McInally wisely reminds us that we must go beyond asking, “How are you?” We owe it to each other to instead ask, “How are you really?” As we transition to a new year filled with new possibilities, let us Unite for Good – for healing, friendship, and access to happiness.

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR MESSAGE DECEMBER 2025 On a grander scale As 2020-21 Rotary president, I shared our hopes for a new initiative: Programs of Scale. The seeds we planted then are now bearing remarkable fruit. After the success of Rotary’s first Programs of Scale grant recipient, Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia, the Gates Foundation, and World Vision approached us to do more and bigger projects. They know Rotary can make great things happen. From that partnership grew the Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge, now Rotary’s most significant disease prevention initiative after polio eradication. The Healthy Communities Challenge aims to combat pneumonia, malaria, and diarrheal diseases, the leading killers of children under 5 in many parts of Africa. Despite progress, these diseases still claim one million young lives annually. This strategic partnership between The Rotary Foundation, the Gates Foundation, World Vision, and PATH, a global nonprofit dedicated to health equity, is now saving lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zambia. Let us not forget that our partnerships are made up of people – volunteers, Rotary members, and professionals – striving to make a difference. One of them is Gisela Bettencourt Mirçāo of the Rotary Club of ChimoioPlanalto, Mozambique, Healthy Communities Challenge national coordinator and assistant governor for District 9210, who reports: In Mozambuque, preventable diseases remain leading causes of death of children. With support from our partners, District 9210, and the Ministry of Health, the Healthy Communities Challenge mobilizes resources, technical expertise, and volunteers to strengthen community health systems in two provinces in the country’s west. Community health workers are trained to deliver lifesaving education, prevention tools, and early treatment to families in hard-to-reach areas. The program expands access to testing, diagnosis, and treatment, ensuring children receive timely care. Rotary coordinates advocacy, procures essential supplies, and ensures local ownership alongside government health structures. In its first year, the Healthy Communities Challenge reached thousands of households across four districts, supporting more thn 4,400 community health workers to protect children. I have been involved since the planning stages, but I hadn’t grasped the true impact until seeing it firsthand. Through the Healthy Communities Challenge, Programs of Scale, and polio eradication, Rotary proves that partnership, community engagement, and vision can transform global health and save lives. Your support of The Rotary Foundation makes you part of this life-changing work. HOLGER KNAACK Foundation Trustee Chair, 2025-26 December 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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ROTARY’S DECEMBER FOCUS – DISEASE PREVENTION & TREATMENT

8 essential tips for successful disease prevention and treatment projects Posted on December 5, 2024 by rotaryservice By Claudia Urbano, Rotary Service and Engagement staff

Health workers talk about their advocacy efforts in local communities through Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia, the 2020-21 award recipient for Rotary’s Programs of Scale grant. The program trains, equips, and supports community health workers to conduct assessments and treatments, strengthening the health system’s ability to respond to malaria cases and prevent transmission.

At Rotary, we’re dedicated to making a positive difference in communities around the world. One of our areas of focus is Disease Prevention and Treatment. Our members help to improve health care systems, limit the spread of infectious diseases, and reduce the number of cases and effects of noncommunicable diseases. Following are just a few examples of how Rotary members are working to prevent and treat disease around the world:

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•

Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top humanitarian initiative for more than 35 years.

•

The Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge is a multi-million dollar initiative that aims to improve health outcomes for children in Africa by enhancing sustainable community health systems.

•

The United to End Cervical Cancer program promotes awareness and vaccination against HPV, a leading cause of this disease, in Egypt.

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The Rotary Family Health Days program provides free health screenings and vaccinations for millions of people in Africa and India.

•

The Rotary Club of Taveuni, Fiji, hosted a team of six dental volunteers from New Zealand and Australia to improve the dental health of young adults on the island by treating dental problems and teaching them proper oral hygiene. These programs are making a real difference in people’s lives.

Here are eight essential tips for successful disease prevention and treatment projects in your community: 1. Consult with a Rotary Action Group that works in disease prevention and treatment to help your club build a strong relationship with a community, understand its priorities, and together develop a project to address the community’s concerns. 2. Communicate with local and regional hospitals, clinics, universities, and ministries of health to avoid duplicating efforts and to take advantage of local resources. 3. Collaborate with community health care workers and other health and medical volunteers to support project development and implementation. In Zambia, Rotary is working to reduce malaria cases by training and equipping community health workers to test and treat the disease. The success of this program highlights the importance of local leadership and participation. 4. Partner with successful community-based organizations to strengthen their capacity and expand existing services. 5. Work with local, regional, district, and national health systems to increase people’s access to equipment, facilities, and the latest health care programs. 6. Incorporate innovative technologies and tools to extend the reach of health centers. A good example is the Remotheart project, an initiative where Rotary clubs and district resource network experts joined forces to innovate and expand healthcare in Italy. 7. Work with local health centers to develop programs that attract health workers with a variety of skills. 8. Work with local universities, nursing schools, and other health care training facilities to provide educational opportunities in locations where employees live, in order to maximize retention rates.

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ROTARY INSPIRATION An Update from the latest RC of Flint newsletter on Health from the Greater Flint Health Coalition by Joel Feick Jim Ananich, President and CEO of Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC), presented to the Rotary Club of Flint on November 7. Jim is well-known to the Club, having presented in the past as part of our annual governance programs in his roles as former Flint City State Senator and State Representative. After 27 years in politics, Jim shared that he is happy to be out of elective office and serving the community through the nonprofit. At right - Jim Ananich, President and CEO of the Greater Flint Health Coalition, and President Nick Godlesky He started with what GFHC is NOT. "We're not Genesee Health System, we're not Genesee Health Plan, we're not a doctors office or service provider." He described the Coalition's role as, "We're a convenor, we bring people together, we help connect people with social determinants of health. We try to have people avoid emergency rooms if possible. We try to connect them to healthy food using a broad partnership of health care providers." Greater Flint Health Coalition has been a nonprofit since 1996. Its mission is to improve health care statistics, quality and cost. Their vision is to make healthy lifestyles more affordable. Some of the notable initiatives GFHC is involved with are Rx Kids, a groundbreaking program that provides nostrings-attached funds during pregnancy and in the first year of a baby's life to every newborn living in Flint. Pregnancy and the first year of life are the most economically precarious times in many people's lives, and providing cash allows families to better provide for their young family at that critical time. Other notable undertakings include the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Task Force, which helps address opioid use. The Flint area has some of the highest incidents of opioid use in the state. "We received a $1M grant to fight opioid abuse from the City of Flint. There are strict requirements. We're also a part of the Genesee County Substance Abuse and Prevention Task Force," said Ananich. GFHC also helps people connect with health coverage by emailing www.coverage@flint.org. Lastly, GFHC plays a role in training the future healthcare workers serving the Flint area. The Flint Healthcare Opportunities Program addresses the skills shortage in healthcare and attempts to place Genesee County residents in healthcare jobs. They provide free tuition, career advisors, and job development assistance. Ananich proclaimed proudly that "we have an 82% employment rate."

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What your giving supports Rotarian Jamie Pole.

• • • • • • • • • •

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Paul Harris Society Coordinator, District 6330 – Jamie Pole!

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO ROTARIANS In District 6330, Rotary leadership – past, present, future

Above (left to right) PDG Mike Chaffee (2022-2023 - PDG Sonja Glass (2023-2024) – PDG Katherine Hahn (2024-2025) – DG Jeff Ferweda (2025-2026 – DGE Lorna Gunning Fratschko (2026-2027)

Above – DGN Dawn Kennedy (2027-2028)

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ROTARY ACTION GROUPS

What is a Rotary Action Group? Rotary Action Groups are independent entities affiliated with Rotary that each have a specific humanitarian focus, such as • • • • •

economic development peacebuilding addiction prevention ending modern slavery, or environmental sustainability

Organized by Rotary members and non-members, the groups include people around the world who have knowledge, experience, or an interest in the topic. Action group members participate in meaningful service activities and use their expertise and global networks to facilitate sustainable change. By offering Rotary clubs and districts professional knowledge, advice about partners and funding, and guidance on the best practices and project management strategies, action groups help Rotary members plan and implement large-scale projects that make an even greater impact on critical issues in communities near and far.

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Join a Rotary Action Group Anyone who’s interested in the topic of a Rotary Action group can join one to make a difference with people who are passionate about the same cause. In a Rotary Action Group, you can: •

Be part of a global group focused on a humanitarian issue you care about

•

Participate in meaningful service activities to create positive change in the world

•

Develop your own capabilities or knowledge related to a particular humanitarian focus

•

Make personal and professional connections with people of action around the globe

•

Share your experience and skills to help others build their expertise

To get involved, visit the individual action groups’ websites listed below or review the directory, and then contact the group you’re interested in. You’ll need to create a My Rotary account to access the directory.

Here are just a few examples with links –

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Click the graphics with links below to learn, join, and register for seminars.

What is ESRAG? ESRAG members see a world where people unite and take action to protect the environment for a sustainable future. The climate, biodiversity, and pollution crisis threaten humanity and the planet. Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation encourage clubs and districts to mitigate and adapt to this triple planetary crisis through projects and programs outlined in the Environment Guidelines for Global Grants. In accordance with Rotary International’s guidance for Action Groups, the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group, ESRAG, gathers individuals, experts and partners whose goal is to provide awareness, dialogue, resources, and best practices for the environment. ESRAG, assists the Rotary family to plan, run, and evaluate projects, programs, and practices that support actions in the Environment Area of Focus and address the triple planetary crisis. We work together for a sustainable future for our planet!

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Summary of new polioviruses this week, cases and positive environmental isolates: • • • • • •

Pakistan: 47 WPV1-positive environmental samples Chad: four cVDPV2 cases and three cVDPV2-positive environmental samples Djibouti: one cVDPV1-positive environmental sample Germany: one WPV1-positive environmental sample Nigeria: two cVDPV2 cases and one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample Papua New Guinea: two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

For details on the 2024 estimates and what they tell us about immunization globally, read the WHO-UNICEF press release and explore the WHO Immunization Data Portal

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Detection of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) in Environmental Sample in Germany German authorities on Thursday identified the northern city of Hamburg as the location where a sewage sample containing the wild form of the polio virus had been found. The nation's main public health body, Robert Koch Institute, or RKI, told Reuters on Wednesday that the wastewater test at an unspecified German location was positive for the wild polio virus, in a setback for efforts to rid the world of the deadly disease. The findings came more than 30 years after the last cases of wild polio virus infections in people were registered in Germany and marked the first wild virus detection from environmental sampling in the country since this type of routine monitoring began in 2021.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/polio-wastewater-germany-9.6977348

Detection of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) in Environmental Sample in Germany 13/11/2025 On 10 November 2025, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was informed that wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was isolated from an environmental (sewage) sample collected through routine surveillance in Hamburg, Germany, during the week of 6 October 2025. Genetic sequencing indicates that the detected virus is linked to WPV1 last identified from an environmental sample collected in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on 24 August 2025. No associated cases of paralysis have been detected in Germany, and at this time the virus has been found only in wastewater. This detection is genetically unrelated to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), which has also been detected in Germany in recent months through environmental surveillance. As with the current finding, no human cases have been associated with those detections. GPEI partners are working closely with national and local public health authorities, through the WHO Regional Office for Europe, to support ongoing investigations, assess potential risks, and determine whether any additional public-health measures are needed. Germany has strong routine immunization coverage and a robust environmental surveillance system — which enabled this virus to be detected in the absence of any cases of disease. This early detection provides the opportunity to implement appropriate measures swiftly to protect children and communities. This event underscores the reality that until polio is eradicated everywhere, all countries remain at risk of importation of the virus and potential re-infection. It highlights the continued importance of high vaccination coverage, strong disease surveillance, and international solidarity in achieving and sustaining a polio-free world.

https://polioeradication.org/news/detection-of-wild-poliovirus-type-1-wpv1-in-environmental-sample-in-germany/

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Leaders from across the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region gathered during November in Tokyo to celebrate a major milestone − 25 years since the Region was certified polio-free. The anniversary coincided with the 31st meeting of the Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific (RCC) − the independent body that verifies the Region’s continued freedom from poliovirus transmission. Hosted by the Government of Japan and supported by the Japan Institute for Health Security, the meeting brought together the chairs of national certification committees for poliomyelitis eradication, global experts and partners including the UNICEF, Rotary International, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, CDC and the Gates Foundation. Together, they reaffirmed that maintaining a polio-free region requires constant vigilance, sustained financing and unwavering political commitment. Leaders from across the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region gathered this week in Tokyo to celebrate a major milestone − 25 years since the Region was certified polio-free. The anniversary coincided with the 31st meeting of the Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific (RCC) − the independent body that verifies the Region’s continued freedom from poliovirus transmission. Hosted by the Government of Japan and supported by the Japan Institute for Health Security, the meeting brought together the chairs of national certification committees for poliomyelitis eradication, global experts and partners including the United Nations Children’s Fund, Rotary International, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Gates Foundation. Together, they reaffirmed that maintaining a polio-free region requires constant vigilance, sustained financing and unwavering political commitment. A legacy of leadership When the Western Pacific Region was certified polio-free in 2000, it set the benchmark for what could be achieved through partnership, science and community engagement. Since then, the Region’s surveillance and immunization strategies have become global standards for other regions still battling the disease. However, recent outbreaks in Papua New Guinea and the closed outbreak in Indonesia remind the world that viruses do not respect borders. At the RCC meeting, experts assessed each country’s progress and outlined the actions needed to maintain high population immunity, strengthen surveillance, ensure rapid response capacity and reinforce public health measures at ports of entry to detect and prevent cross-border transmission of poliovirus. The human face of the fight While celebrating 25 years of the Region being polio-free, participants at the same time warned of the risks posed by declining global development assistance, competing health priorities and pandemic-related fatigue resulting in weakened vigilance. They called for renewed domestic investment and continued support from partners to safeguard the gains achieved and close remaining gaps.

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Among those addressing the gathering was Dr Nimfa Putong, a physician and polio survivor from the Philippines, whose message resonated deeply with participants. “I know what it means to live with polio,” she said. “Our region proved that dedication, compassion and teamwork can make the impossible possible. But our work is not over − until every child, everywhere, is protected, we cannot rest.” Her testimony underscored the human cost of complacency − and the moral imperative to continue working towards polio eradication. A shared responsibility During the meeting, Rotary International and other civil society partners were also recognized for their decadeslong commitment to the cause. Their advocacy, alongside governments and donors, remains vital to ensuring that immunization reaches every community − from remote islands to urban slums. As the global eradication effort moves closer to its final goal of a world free from polio, the Western Pacific’s experience serves as both a source of inspiration and a reminder: until the virus is eradicated everywhere, no region is truly safe.

Chairs of national certification committees, global experts, health leaders and partners during the 31st meeting of the Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific held in Japan. © WHO / Jicwels – Naofumi Owada At left - The National Department of Health and provincial health authorities of Papua New Guinea, supported by WHO and partners, implement a national polio vaccination campaign to protect every child from the devastating effects of the disease. © WHO / Papua New Guinea Click here to learn more.

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SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Donate to End Polio.

Visit the PolioPlus Society Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/polioplussociety

Click here to view a short video and learn more about GAVI – The Vaccine Alliance. One of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind.

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INTERNATIONAL DATES TO NOTE (plus links)

November Rotary’s Focus – The Rotary Foundation

Monday, December 1 World AIDS Day

The Red Ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV. It was first devised in 1991, when twelve artists met to discuss a new project for Visual AIDS, a New York HIV-awareness arts organisation.

Tuesday, December 2 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

An estimated 50 million people are in modern slavery, including 28 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage.

Wednesday, December 3 International Day for Persons with Disabilities

An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.

Tuesday, December 9 International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime “In the name of the victims and survivors of genocide, all governments must ratify and fully implement the Convention, holding perpetrators to account.” - António Guterres

Wednesday, December 10 Human Rights Day

Human rights are positive, essential, attainable.

Friday, December 12 International Universal Health Coverage Day

The 2025 UHC Day campaign theme, “Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!” focuses on the lived experience behind these statistics, reminding government decision-makers that unaffordable health costs are making our communities poorer and sicker and holding us back on all of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Saturday, December 27 International Day of Epidemic Preparedness “COVID-19 is a human tragedy. But it has also created a generational opportunity - an opportunity to build back a

more equal and sustainable world. The response to the pandemic, and to the widespread discontent that preceded it, must be based on a New Social Contract and a New Global Deal that create equal opportunities for all and respect the rights and freedoms of all.” -- António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

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Club President for 2025-26 – Kurtis Lush

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Date

Presentation

December 2

Rotary Club of Sarnia AGM Franz Hartmann, Alliance for a Liveable Ontario (via Zoom) Christmas party @ the home of Heather & Bob Martin (6:30 p.m.?) President Kurtis, Christmas Lunch/Year 100 Chat

December 9 December 11 December 16

Volunteer Opportunity: Salvation Army Kettles. Our help is requested! Affordable Housing - Here’s an article that may be of interest to club members who are working to improve affordable housing in the community. Click here.

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NEWS & INFORMATION IMPORTANT TO CLUB MEMBERS

Get involved! Join us!

Another very successful Rotary Club of Sarnia project/fundraiser!

Congratulations to everyone who assisted in making this event the huge success it has been!

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NOVEMBER 4 – SPEAKER Thank you Matthew Slotwinski, CEO, Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership for your excellent talk on what SLEP is doing to promote & encourage business in City of Sarnia and County of Lambton - whether it is branding & marketing, tools for newcomers and all job seekers, cluster development, focusing on youth retention and skills development, highlighting our strategic advantages to different sectors.

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SHORT PROGRAM OF REMEMBRANCE FOR NOVEMBER 11 Rotarian Adelle introduced a thoughtful program reflecting on military service. She shared the powerful story of her father, who was shot down during the war, and introduced two fellow Rotarians who have served in the military and offered reflections from their own experiences. Short presentations and memories were shared by Rotarians Mark Taylor and Murray Quinton. Thank you!

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ROTARY MEMBERS OBSERVING REMEMBRANCE DAY, 2025

Photos - Rotarians Brian Davidson, Myles Vanni, Allison Mahon, Mark Taylor, Joe Cebulski

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ROTARY CLUB DONATES TO REBOUND - ROTARY ACTION GRANTS PROGRAM Smiles all around as the Rotary Club of Sarnia presented a very generous $10,000 cheque in support of The HUB. Through the Rotary Action Grants Program, this funding will allow Rebound to complete much-needed upgrades to The HUB space, including painting, a new fridge, window treatments, and office equipment. The Rotary Club of Sarnia and its dedicated members have a long and meaningful history of supporting our community, and this donation will make a positive difference in the lives of the young people served at Rebound. Big Thank You!! Presenting the cheque are President-elect Joe Cebulski (left) and current President, Kurtis Lush (right).

Rotary Club of Sarnia – Action Grants The Rotary Club of Sarnia invites applications to the Rotary Club of Sarnia Action Grants program. These grants support community groups working to positively impact Sarnia-Lambton. Action Grant applications are accepted twice per year. Organizations can apply at any time, but application reviews will only occur after a deadline passes. Submission deadlines: January 15 and August 15, by 11:59 p.m. The Sarnia Rotary Club funds a wide range of initiatives, from smaller requests (as low as $100) to larger projects ($30,000+). Projects that align with Rotary’s 7 focus areas are especially encouraged, including: (1) Maternal and Child Health; (2) Community Economic Development; (3) Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention; (4) Disease prevention; (5) Basic Education and Literacy; (6) Environmental Sustainability; and (7) Water and Sanitation.

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SPEAKER FOR NOVEMBER 18 – SERGEANT PATRICK ARMSTRONG, OPP

Sergeant Patrick Armstrong, OPP, spoke about Dave M. Mounsey Memorial Fund, Public Access Defibrillators. The Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund is dedicated to •

Promoting the dedication to community that was exemplified by Dave Mounsey, in his work and in his life

•

Remembering and honouring the fallen Law Enforcement, Fire, Paramedic and Military members who have made the ultimate sacrifice, in service to their communities

•

Sergeant Patrick Armstrong

Donating and promoting the use and widespread availability of life-saving defibrillators

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can Do, or any kindness that I can show to any other human being, let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” The Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund was created in October 2009 by OPP Constable Patrick Armstrong; along with the help and input of the Fund's first Board. The creation of the Fund was to donate and promote the use of life-saving defibrillators; donated to public access buildings and placed in the name of fallen Law Enforcement, Fire EMS and Military members who were killed in the line of duty. On October 25, 2009, the first defibrillator was donated by the Fund - to the Blyth Theatre in the name of Dave Mounsey himself. Dave Mounsey was an OPP Constable who had a distinguished service career spanning two countries. A Royal Air Force veteran of 14 years, Dave immigrated to Canada and became a Corrections Officer in the Province of Ontario. In 1998, Dave joined the Ontario Provincial Police and became a Crisis Negotiator as well as a Coach, or Training Officer. It was in this role, as a Coach Officer, that Patrick and Dave's paths crossed. in 2003, Dave took Patrick on as Dave's first (and only) recruit. In 2004, Dave was injured in a collision at which he was struck by another motor vehicle. It was during his December 2025 – RC of Sarnia Page 32

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recovery that Dave saw the professionalism and skills of the then Blyth Fire Department; and set off to further his dedication to his community by becoming a volunteer firefighter. On October 14, 2006, Dave was enroute to a vehicle roll over north of their location. While on Brussels Line (Cty 12), Dave lost control of his cruiser due to the ice and snow covered roads, striking a telephone pole and rolling. Dave was extricated and sent by helicopter to London, Ontario. On November 13th 2006, Dave passed while never having regained conscious.

Click here for the short video (Sergeant Patrick Armstrong above right)

Click here for the short video above.

Another short video link below about the fund and one donation of defibrillators https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjNUZDBGF-A&t=23s

From the Mayo Clinic website – Using the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) could possibly save a life. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after cardiac arrest can keep blood flowing to the heart and brain for a time. But often only defibrillation can restore the heartbeat. Together these treatments can improve the chances of survival. An AED is used to revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest. This usually happens when a problem in the heart's electrical activity causes a dangerously irregular heartbeat. The irregular heartbeat prevents the heart from pumping as it should and causes the heart to stop. When this happens, the brain and other organs don't get the blood and oxygen they need. Treatment is needed within minutes to prevent death. The sooner the heartbeat is restored, the greater the chance there won't be permanent damage to the brain and other organs. All AEDs include instructions on when and how to use them. Training on proper use of an AED is recommended. But someone with no training also can use the device to reset the heartbeat of a person who has had a sudden cardiac arrest. Using the AED could possibly save a life.

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Is the project in one of the areas of focus? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

Is the project between Clubs/Districts in separate countries? – No? Consider a District Grant.

•

Is the total budget for the project less than USD $30,000? – No? Consider applying for a District Grant.

•

If you answer YES to all the above, consider applying for a Global Grant.

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (TRF) – 2024-25 Highest rating from Charity Navigator for The Rotary Foundation For the 17th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating, four stars, from Charity Navigator, the largest independent charity evaluator in the United States. The Foundation earned the recognition for adhering to sector best practices and executing its mission in a financially efficient way, demonstrating both strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. “We are delighted to provide the Rotary Foundation with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence,” said Michael Thatcher, president and CEO of Charity Navigator. “The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organisation can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that the Rotary Foundation can accomplish in the years ahead.” Charity Navigator analysed the overall non-profit health and performance of the Rotary Foundation and awarded us the maximum score of 100%, based on these key areas: •

Leadership & Adaptability to help donors understand if a charity has clarity of purpose

•

Accountability & Finance to explain if they are transparent and fiscally capable, and

•

Culture & Community to show how they engage with their constituents

DISASTER RESPONSE – Hurricane Melissa Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, major disasters in the Philippines, earthquakes in Myanmar/Thailand, Floods in Pakistan, the crisis in Gaza and earthquakes in Afghanistan Hurricane Melissa – Jamaica and neighbouring islands have suffered extensive damage and loss of life from the predicted Hurricane Melissa with many homes and livelihoods lost – and aid is desperately needed. Rotary District 7020 and the Disaster Network of Assistance Rotary Action Group have launched a joint appeal https://7020.org/Stories/hurricane-melissa - which includes a little background information and details for making donations. PDG Diana White in D7020 is the point of contact for questions dianawhite.7020@gmail.com

PDG Diana

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The Environment – Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus

How your Fork can Fight Climate Change better than your Vote

By Chris Davies

Many Rotarians find themselves trapped in a familiar pattern: waiting for someone else to solve the climate crisis. Whether the government, corporations, or some breakthrough technology will emerge and thus enabling them to put their environmental conscience on hold. It may take joining ESRAG to realise that we don't need to wait for political shifts or new technologies to make a meaningful impact. The most powerful climate action might already be sitting in our kitchens. Whilst we often think of solar panels, electric vehicles, or complex carbon capture technologies as the primary solutions to climate change, there are simpler, more accessible options that deliver immediate results. One such is adopting a plant-rich diet. Project Drawdown, the comprehensive global research initiative, cites plant-rich diets as the second most impactful action we can take to reverse climate change, ranking just after food waste reduction. This isn't merely about personal health, though the benefits there are substantial. Agriculture is the single greatest driver harming the systems that support our lives, contributing more to global warming than all forms of transportation combined. The global livestock industry produces 32% of global man-made methane emissions, second only to the fossil fuel industry which produces 35%. Even if we completely eliminated fossil fuels tomorrow, food systems alone would contribute to 1.5-2°C of global warming – a threshold we cannot afford to cross. "What difference can I make?" is perhaps the most common question from climate-conscious individuals. But here's the powerful truth: everything we do as individuals to reduce our footprint benefits the whole of humanity. Unlike waiting for large-scale policy changes or technological breakthroughs, dietary choices offer immediate, measurable impact. Small changes can add up to a huge positive impact for your health and the planet. The beauty of plant-rich eating lies in its accessibility. Whilst solar panels might cost thousands and electric vehicles remain out of reach for many, choosing more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes is often cheaper than meat-heavy diets. You don't need special equipment, technical expertise, or significant upfront investment. You don't have to go "fully plant-based" to make a difference, though 100% plant-based eaters can reduce their carbon footprints by up to 75%. Simply shifting the balance of your diet towards more plant foods in whatever way works for you is an effective multi-purpose tool. Click here to read the rest of the article. December 2025 – RC of Sarnia

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Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

It may seem simple, but in a complex world, those questions are anything but easy — and that’s part of their power.

� Why Should We Consider It?

Click the 4-way test above and open the link to hear the Four-Way Test by RC of Saskatoon Nutana.

Because Ethics Matter — now more than ever. The Four-Way Test: • • • • •

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THE ROTARY FOUNDATION EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year

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We are the World.

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A LITTLE HUMOUR Three brothers, aged 92, 94, and 96, lived in the same house together. One night, the 96-year-old fills up the bath, puts his foot in, and pauses. Then he yells down the stairs, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?” The 94-year-old yells back, “I don’t know. I’ll come up and see.” So he starts up the stairs, then halfway up he pauses and yells, “Was I going up the stairs or was I coming down?” The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having a coffee, listening to his brothers. He shakes his head and says, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful.” He knocks twice on the table for good luck. Then he yells, “I’ll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who’s at the door.”

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TO VIEW PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS online in magazine format, click below -

July

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August

September

October

November

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This next article may be of interest to Rotary members (perhaps individually)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT – Micro-finance What Is Kiva.org? If you’ve ever been curious about micro-lending, micro-credit, or micro-finance, you may want to explore Kiva.org — a remarkable global nonprofit that empowers ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference. Kiva connects individuals like us with entrepreneurs, students, and small business owners around the world through micro-loans as small as $25. Rather than giving charity, you lend directly to help people build a better future — whether it’s a woman starting a tailoring business in Kenya, a farmer installing solar irrigation in Peru, or a student in Ghana paying tuition. When loans are repaid (and most are), you can relend the same funds to others — multiplying your impact again and again. Kiva works with trusted local partners to verify borrowers and ensure that funds are used responsibly. “Over the past year, I’ve made 11 loans in five different countries, supporting everything from eco-friendly farming to women’s education. Each time a loan is repaid, I reinvest it — so one initial contribution continues to circulate, helping dozens of families.” Here is an example of what appears on my home page in kiva.org -

And here is an example of the “statistics” for my account. You’ll note that it’s not a large amount.

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At first glance, the graphic on the previous page might suggest that I initially invested $325 — but that’s not the case. I never did lend that full amount all at once. Instead, over time, through a cycle of lending, repayment, and re-lending, my total loans have added up to $325. That’s one of the beautiful features of Kiva.org: your funds keep working. Each time a borrower repays their loan, the money returns to your account, ready to be lent again. My current balance simply shows the amount that has accumulated so far — the portion I can put toward my next $25 loan once a few more repayments come in.

A bit of history It was about a year ago that I was introduced to Kiva Micro-lending through a fellow Rotarian in the E-Club of Canada One — someone who has been involved with Rotary for many years and with Kiva.org for more than twelve years. Many Rotary clubs also support entrepreneurs around the world through Kiva lending. When I first signed up at Kiva.org, I selected four different entrepreneurs to lend to. The minimum loan amount is $25 USD, so I decided to make that commitment — and, if you wish, you can also add a small optional contribution (usually $5) to help support Kiva’s operations. At that starting point, I was “out of pocket” about $120 USD in total. (And it’s a loan remember!) Each borrower typically receives funds from several lenders, depending on the size of their loan request. As a lender, you’re part of a team — helping one person’s project take shape alongside many others around the world. Repayments are made on a set schedule, and small amounts are returned regularly to your Kiva account. That’s exactly what I’ve experienced since I began lending. As repayments come in, my account balance grows again, and when it reaches $25, I can lend that same money once more — at no additional cost to me. Of course, if I wish, I can always add a bit more to expand my impact. The real appeal is that these are loans, not donations — a simple, sustainable way to give people opportunity and dignity. And truly, it’s rewarding to see the need, contribute to the solution, and watch the results unfold!

A Continuing Cycle of Success So, in my inbox one morning in November morning, I read: “You have repayments from five people, Kitty.” Naturally, I checked my account! As of November 1, 2025, my balance shows a small total of $3.41: Account balance: $3.41 Repayments: 5 Total amount repaid: $5.33 Currency exchange loss: $0.00

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You might wonder, “Why doesn’t my account balance match my repayment amount?” (in this case, $3.41 vs. $5.33). The answer is straightforward: some of my loans used lending credits — funds provided through Kiva promotions or matching programs from partner organizations. When loans made with these credits are repaid, those repayments return to Kiva, while repayments from my own contributions go back into my personal account. Like many others on Kiva, my support is helping people succeed — and these repayments are proof that it’s working! Each time funds return, they can be re-lent to someone new. It’s a simple, powerful cycle of success that keeps on giving. Lending through Kiva is genuinely fun. It reminds me of Rotary in spirit — contributing to the success of others and helping people achieve their goals. The difference is that Kiva loans are repaid, allowing you to lend again and again, continually expanding your reach. When we donate to Rotary, we know our funds help to “do good in the world.” When we lend through Kiva, we see that good come full circle — repaid, re-lent, and rippling outward with every new opportunity we help create. So, if you’ve ever wondered about micro-credit, micro-finance, or micro-lending, I encourage you to take a look at Kiva.org. It’s a small step that can change lives — including your own.

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COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH THE YEARS Pathways Health Centre for Children (Founder) Bluewater Health – Maternal & Child Health Wing YMCA – Swimming Pool Inn of the Good Shepherd Lambton College St. Joseph’s Hospice Huron House Boys’ Home Community Living, Sarnia Lambton Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile (Standing Oaks Home) Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RLYA) DOW Centre for Children and Youth Big Brothers – Big Sisters Canada Food Grains Scouts Canada – Camp Attawandron Goodwill Industries Rayjon Haiti Project YMCA Youth Scholarship Lambton County Music Festival Awards Family Counselling Centre Access Open Minds Habitat for Humanity Point Edward Minor Hockey Association Junior Achievement Numerous Schools – LKDSB and SCCDSB …and much, much more

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But no -

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever. In its place is something that you have left behind. Let it be something good.*

Author unknown

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