Muhammad Syed, originally from Lahore, Pakistan, shared his inspiring journey of moving to Canada in 2019 and establishing his own law practice. Raised in Lahore, with strong parental influence guiding his path toward a career in law, he reflected on the importance of family and education, mentioning his three daughters and sisters. While he no longer plays cricket, Muhammad continues to actively contribute to his community through his legal work and local involvement.
In other news, Ken Smarthwait was announced as the grand prize winner of the Art Raffle Draw, presented by Irene, who thanked both Linda and Michael for their efforts in making the draw a success.
Bob Livesey celebrates his 50th year as a Rotarian, all with the Rotary Club of White Rock! Shown here receiving a double ruby Paul Harris Fellow pin as he continues his lifelong support of the Rotary Foundation. It was a day of celebrating long term Rotary volunteerism as Don Jones was interviewed by Darryl Walker about his work in Rotary over 62 years!
Rotary Milestones: Bob Livesey and Don Jones Celebrate Decades of Service
District Governor Dave Duskin was our guest speaker and inducted new member Richard Fung. Jim Bindon of UNITI received his pin and badge as part of that corporate team. And Winston Conyers was sworn into the new position of Vice President. Ethan Martin got his first trip to the front as membership director and did a splendid job. Keith Becker and Michele Partridge received the governor's award for their efforts over and above for promotions and running the book sale.
Celebrating New Inductions and Recognitions at UNITI
Azra, director of the Mannkind Charitable Society, dedicates her time to providing basic needs, healthcare, and education to impoverished children. Her efforts include aiding Syrian refugees, organizing protests to protect Peace Arch Hospital's maternity ward, and currently sponsoring an Afghani family fleeing the Taliban. This moved a few of us to tears, as Winston Conyers could barely get his comment out, choking back tears after hearing about the incredible work Azra has done.
Peter Jones shared his extensive expertise with us, drawing from his career in forestry and his ongoing climate change advocacy. His insights into global and local environmental issues were truly enlightening!
Peter Jones: Insights on Forestry, Indigenous Relations, and Climate Change Solutions
Raised over $2,100 from the 50/50 draw, with the winner, Pat Howard, receiving half of the total. Agnes drew the winning 50/50 ticket, and Pat generously plans to donate a portion of her winnings back to our charity account. It was also a busy final day!
Successful 50/50 Draw: Over $2,100 Raised with Generous Donation Back to Charity
Rotary Peace Event at Peace Arch Park - Hands Across the Border, our club committed to $2000 US to the foundation and shook hands with our US brothers and sister across the border then shared a meal.
Rotary Peace Event at Peace Arch Park: Bridging Borders with a $2,000 Commitment and a Shared Meal
Inspiring stories from the last Rotary meeting! We heard from Alex Nixon about his dedication to community-building, learned about Amarpreet's commitment to supporting Rotary causes through his recent half marathon, and celebrated Linda’s citation for her outstanding contributions.
Community Efforts, Marathon Support, and Honoring Outstanding Contributions
Rich Ulvild spoke on reverse mortgages which he prefers to call lifestyle mortgages. At 6.84% rate that should improve the lifestyle of the lender in a completely secured financial product. The hope is that a homeowner uses their equity wisely, no one brought up the line of credit discussion and the current rates on that product by comparison. Also a flag exchange from Kolkata from Suresh and another Rotary guest from NC and a third banner exchange from Mia :)
Insights on 'Lifestyle Mortgages' and International Flag Exchanges at Rotary Meeting
Many members of our club attended the record setting 'Picnic on the Pier' event. It was a specatular evening with an incredible meal served to 450 people, paid for by Landmark Properties to ensure all of the participants $225 ticket price went to the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation.
Rotarians Join in Record-Breaking 'Picnic on the Pier' to Support Peace Arch Hospital Foundation
Join us for a casual get-together lunch at the Red Rose Restaurant on a no-meeting Tuesday this August. Let's show our support for our FMC hero, Mike Thind, who has been with the program since its beginnings.
Casual Lunch Gathering at Red Rose Restaurant in August
Instead of a meeting on July 30 which was the 5th Tuesday in July - these club members went to a social at Boston Pizza and enjoyed an afternoon of food, fun and conversation.
Club Members Enjoy Social at Boston Pizza on Fifth Tuesday of July
Some members of our club volunteered at the White Rock Pride Society's Annual Love is Love gala. Proceeds from the event are going to Alex House Youth Space program.
Love and Community: Supporting Youth Through Volunteerism
Wonderful talk yesterday (July 23) by one of our up and coming young Rotarians. 27 year old Gary Xie has studies at Cambridge, Peking University among others and told us of his travels and political experiences with the support of his whole family, mom, dad and sister all present. Incredible young man and his family will be the first official 'family' club membership.
Inspiring Talk by Gary Xie: A Journey of Education and Family Support
Dave Duskin of the Arlington Club is sworn in as District 5050 Governor along with his executive team on Sunday. Irene and Winston went down and picked up the club's award for Best Club Promoting Rotary!
Dave Duskin Sworn in as District 5050 Governor: White Rock Club Wins Best Club Promoting Rotary Award
City Counselor Ernie Klassen was our speaker this week, speaking on the City's pride week celebrations. Our Club supports the events, including the gala, and our own Michele Partridge, also city counselor explained the events. Terry McGauley, long time Rotary veteran updated the club on the two Tanzania Projects, the neonatal training facility and the equipment trailer being delivered to Mosha. Michael Pearce received the Rookie of the year award for his outstanding work at the desk, with surveys and many other areas he participated with the club activities.
Pride Week Celebrations, Tanzania Projects, and Rookie of the Year Award
Happy Canada Day! 🍁 Our club had a tent on the promenade, where we sold books from our upcoming August Book Sale and raffle tickets for our Art Raffle, with the draw happening in October. More info coming soon.
A big thank you to Nash and his printing company for making our new Rotary tent! It looks fantastic! 🙌👏🏻 The morning shift did a great job promoting our book sale and Art Raffle at Canada Day on the promenade.
Last night, our club's installation dinner was a huge success! We began by expressing our heartfelt gratitude to our current board members and our wonderful club president, Irene Dahl. The evening was filled with excitement as we presented awards and enjoyed captivating entertainment by Norden the Magician, who mesmerized the children with his incredible tricks.
Great presentation on ALR land and food security by Surrey Councillor and local farmer Mike Bose. Additionally, two more student scholarships were awarded to Earl Marriott students, Else Kargl and Prima Cheung. Listening to their bios and future plans, it sounds like they have already lived very full lives.
Celebrating Scholarship and Sustainability: Inspiring Presentation and Student Achievements
Two post-secondary students were awarded scholarships from our club's Community Scholarship Program. Congratulations to Misha M. from Elgin Park Secondary and Angelina S. from Panorama Ridge Secondary. The club also heard from Rotary member Keith about climate change. Keith presented a very thorough report full of important information.
Community Scholarship Program Awards and Climate Change Presentation
REC for Kids conducted a bicycle safety check for riders at the Surrey Rotary Club's Bike Day Ride at Holland Park. Fred Wickens, our club's Rotary Foundation Chair, engaged with a cycling enthusiast about the importance of bike safety.
Promoting Bike Safety at Surrey Rotary Club's Bike Day Ride
The Business Trade Show, hosted by the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce at the Peace Arch Curling Club, was a resounding success. The event featured 26 local business booths, a photo booth, delicious food, a Kids Zone, a scavenger hunt, live music, and chances to win gift baskets. The White Rock Rotary booth sold books and promoted their upcoming BOOK SALE. It was a fantastic opportunity to network and explore what’s driving our local economy forward.
Successful Business Trade Show Showcases Local Economy
The above 6 photos are the May 21 meeting. Member Adam Smith talking on his life, members Marjorie and Stacey presenting Stacey's talk on Inclusion, and Monique Husslage presenting another worthy EMS Student, Aishwin Kaur, with the Leaders of Tomorrow Award.
Highlights from the May 21 Meeting: Inspirational Talks and Recognition
The guest speaker for the day was Asad Syed, Founder and Current Chair of the White Rock Muslim Association, introduced by Muhammad Syed. He said Asad was the first person to connect him to Rotary WR and the community.
White Rock was well represented at the convention with Agnes again steeling the show on stage and at the bowling alley! Incredible speakers with the focus on family. A large part was dedicated to grief and most of the men in the crowd found they need to do a better job of working through it. Miss Vicky made an appearance, exchange students from around the world and my personal favorite was the talk by Shirley-Pat Gale, an east coast women adopted by a first nations family.
Embracing Diversity and Healing Hearts: Highlights from the 2024 Mt Vernon District Convention
Bob Smith & Gurjinder Burji were speakers for Volunteer Cancer Drivers, George Garrett was instrumental in the start up of this program that our club supports. Rose and John Block donated $20,000 to kick off the 'George Garrett Memorial Fund' - EMS Student Willow Markle-Gahr, recievied the Leaders of Tomorrow award and her picture will appear in the next issue of the Peace Arch News. James and his dog Finnigan were regulars at Feed My City during covid. James has since found a job and joined us at the meeting to donate $500 toward FMC!!
Community Spotlight: Recognizing Local Heroes and Acts of Generosity
White Rock, April 14, 2024 – The White Rock Rotary Club is thrilled to announce the outstanding success of its recent Charity Book Sale held from April 5th to April 9th. This event, which has become a beloved tradition in the community, saw a remarkable turnout of book enthusiasts and families alike, resulting in a total of 4500 satisfied customers.
White Rock Club had the largest number of Attendees at District Assembly all while running our highly successful booksale! Attendees were: Anthony Manning, Linda D'Onofrio, Raj Rajagopal, Winston Conyers, Irene Dahl, David Lukov, Irene McRae (Renie), Terry McGauley, Ethan Martin and Nirmal Takhar. David Lukov will be pleased to see us at his District Convention this year.
White Rock Club shines at District Assembly with a largest number of attendees
This year's 2024 book sale is off to a record setting pace!! Thanks so much to all the volunteers who help and the ongoing leadership of Keith Becker who oversees this amazing project that has been running for many years!
Record-Breaking Pace at the 2024 Book Sale: Acknowledging Volunteers and Leadership!
Darryl introduced guest speakers Frankie and Lauren, who shared insights into their Box to Fit program for Parkinson's Disease. Silvio and Rick's personal testimonies highlighted the program's transformative impact, leading to improved health and renewed purpose. Additionally, President Irene presented the Leadership Award to Owynn Shima from, recognizing their outstanding contributions, with Russ Heggie, the teacher and Athletic Director at EMS, commended for their mentorship. Monique Husslage, who oversees the program - presented the award, and Irene expressed gratitude for her role in the presentation.
Highlighting Transformative Impact: Guest Speakers, Leadership Award, and Program Presentation
Ethan Martin enlightened us on his life at this Tuesday meeting. Ethan is the incoming Membership Director and will also hold a director position with Sources all while running the family business, Comfort Care Keepers and raising two children with his wife Laura.
Balancing Act: The Multifaceted Life of Ethan Martin
Farzana Dhanji was our speaker March 19. Farzana lives locally and is a member of a club in Kenya. Her specialty is water projects and she discussed what it is like to work with Global grants and how her small club of 13 members is able to achieve a lot. Also we had our family from Afghanistan and a couple of community members who support them in attendance. Terry Peel is pictured with Syed and his sister who are now safely in Canada. Jan Rostkowski presented a banner from his original home club of Breman-Roland, Germany!
March 19 Speaker Event Recap: Global Impact and Community Support
Our club has loaded the container of medical supplies pictured here and they are now on their way to Tanzania. International Projects Director Terry McGauley leads the process, takes care of the details along with Chair Carla Hanson who were both on hand to help load. Another great club project doing what we do best, helping others.
President Irene led with 'O Canada' DG Dave Lukov dropped the puck to start the game. Many members, friends and family came out and part of the proceeds went to support club programs.
Hospital Equipment Project - Moshi, Tanzania We have five (5) volunteers and would appreciate five (5) more people joining the team that will load hospital equipment for Moshi, Tanzania, this Saturday.
The loading will be at the Rotary World Help Network warehouse at the Riverview Hospital site in Coquitlam.
Michele Partridge spoke on International Women's Day followed by a very interesting 'My Life' presentation by David Young. March 12 meeting was well attended with 6 members online. Betty McGowan invited members to the 'Read Local' program with local authors doing a book signing at the library April 7th.
March 12 Meeting Highlights: Michele Partridge on International Women's Day & David Young's 'My Life' Presentation
This week we welcomed two new members, Jing Zhang, CPA and David Hothi a long time Rotarian rejoining Rotary after a brief absence. The speaker from the City of White Rock, Chris Zota gave an informative talk on Artificial Intelligence.
Rotary Welcomes New Members and Explores Artificial Intelligence with City of White Rock Speaker
Great walk for the 'Coldest Night of the Year' Thank you Muhammad Syed for organizing a fantastic day in the rain and encouraging so many members to come out to support Sources and their program to help our local marginalized people.
Muhammad Syed's Leadership Shines Bright on Coldest Night of the Year Fundraiser
Welcome new members Jan Rostkowski and Adam Smith, very interesting topic on homelessness in our area presented by speakers from PH2H (Peninsula Homeless to Housing) Rick Bayer/ Adrianne Spiker Student leadership award presented to another EMS student Sahara Updane - watch for this in the Peace Arch News.
New Members Welcome: PH2H Presentation on Homelessness
Thanks to Bo Long, the club celebrated Chinese Lunar New Again with fabulous dance teams and food and decorations to match. A pack field house enjoyed the performances.
Club's Chinese New Year Bash: Dance, Food, and Festive Fun!
At Tuesday's meeting, Van Scofield was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow and became an Honorary Member, you can see him attending via Zoom. Mark Hambrook and Fred Wickens receive additional Paul Harris Fellows. Our guest speaker and becoming a regular Stephanie Cadieux, Chief Accesibility Officer, Canada was presented a Paul Harris Fellow and also awarded Honorary Membership to the club. Semiahmoo Family Place was presented with a $10,000 gift with two board members and Alyssa Roberts present to receive.
Highlights from Tuesday's Meeting: Recognitions, Awards, and Contributions
Another great meeting last week. This month's Leaders of Tomorrow recipient is Daniel Cook. Based on Rotary’s core value of “Service above Self”, criteria for this award is focussed on academic, cultural, and athletic achievements as well as dedication to serving others such as volunteering, leadership, mentoring, and community projects.
The Rotary Club of White Rock Rotary has joined forces with the White Rock Elks Club to relaunch its successful Feed My City Program. Meals are provided by South Surrey’s Red Rose Restaurant and supplemented by fresh soups prepared by the Elks in their kitchen as well as bread donated by Cobs. Meals are distributed from the back of the Elks Club, 1469 George Street, on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon until 1:00 p.m., or whenever the food is distributed. The initiative is chaired by Anthony Manning, White Rock Rotary president-elect, and Al Burns, president, and Kelly McKay, president-elect, of White Rock Elks. The program will initially run for six months, then be reassessed based on need, funding and volunteers. Anthony Manning, President Elect.
Only one club member braved the cold, salty waters of Semiahmoo Bay for the Annual Polar Bear Swim, our very own Darryl Walker! No speed record was set other than getting out of the water quickly. 3 other clubs were there with tents - Rotary was well represented by Nature Celebrators, Semiahmoo Club & South Surrey Club!!
White Rock Rotary and Elks Club join forces to revive Feed My City, offering free meals and addressing local food security concerns in an inspiring community initiative.
Unlock your potential with the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) 2024! 🚀 Join our FREE 4-day leadership program from May 9-12 at Camp Squeah, Hope, BC. Elevate your skills through interactive experiences designed for anyone aged 18-30. Don't miss the chance to embark on a transformative journey – Open to ALL!
Congratulations to Ankita Ahmed from Earl Marriott Secondary School, recipient of the Leaders of Tomorrow Rotary Club of White Rock Award! The award recognizes Ankita's outstanding leadership qualities. A proud moment for the Rotary Club of White Rock, empowering and celebrating the leaders of tomorrow in our community.
Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders: Ankita Ahmed Receives Rotary Club of White Rock Award
Jan Dobbins received Paul Harris award x7 and x8 on behalf of her husband and club member Past President Alex Dobbins. Also pictured niece, Janice Craig.
Rotary Recognition: Jan Dobbins Receives Dual Paul Harris Awards
Dr. Lee Harman and Winston Conyers Boost Miss Vicky's Rally, Rallying Funds for Polio Eradication!
End Polio Now Event: Dr Lee Harman and Winston Conyers spoke at the Elks Hall on Saturday and raised about $7000 more dollars to the roughly $40,000 the Miss Vicky rally drive has already raised. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match it 2 to 1 for a total of close to $150,000 toward the eradication of polio. Driving a Model A from Alaska to Mexico is no small feat much like the marathon to erase the terrible disease.
Welcome the new Rotary Club of White Rock Board for 2024/2025!! Anthony Manning, Nirmal Takhar, Sasha Makagonska, Mo Olayemi, Kristina Eng, Linda D'Onofrio, Darryl Walker, Ethan Martin, Bo Long, Terry McGauley, Irene Dahl Congratulations to all.
The New Rotary Club of White Rock Board for 2024/2025!
District Foundation Dinner. White Rock Club recognized as 2nd most generous in 'Annual Giving' and a leader in Polioplus donations to the Rotary Foundation. Lee Harman spoke on the 'Miss Vicky Trip' and April Klassen spoke as a 'Peace Scholar Alumni.
Remembrance Day honored well with Fred Wickens' reading of 'In Flanders Fielder' and playing of the Last Post. Fred recalled some memories of his father and others added their stories. White Rock Rotary proudly remembers those who served. Our speaker was Greg Timm who enlightened us about the creation and ongoing women's softball events at Softball City.
White Rock Rotary Commemorates Remembrance Day and Celebrates Softball City's Women's Events
The installation of the 2023-24 Club Board of Director was held on June 27, 2023. District Governor Elect David Lukov installed Irene Dahl as President with her new Board. Michele Partridge was hounored as Rookie of the Year, and Club SAA was hounored as Rotarian of the Year by out going President Carla Hanson. Stephanie Cadieux was present with the Paul Harris Community Service Award.
The Rotary Club of White Rock was awarded Best Non-Profit Organization of the Year at the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. President Carla was there to accept the award and some Rotary members were there to cheer! Also Big Congratulations to fellow nominees Brella and Alex House who are also outstanding non-profit leaders in our communities.
Rotary Club of White Rock at the conference, Past President Gordy Sanga introduced Premier David Ebby, 20+ year Rotary Pioneers were honoured, David Suzuki on Climate Change, tipping the light fanastic, Past Prsident Joan Apel introduced Stephanie Cadieux, 32 Ford "Miss Vicky" rides to end polio.
Megan Knight, current mayor of White Rock, was the guest speaker at our Club lunch meeting. |Mayor Knight spoke about the priorities the counsel has for the city. In attendance were past mayors Gordie Hogg, Judy Forester, and Darryl Walker.
This was our special Chinese New Year’s program arranged and hosted by Bo Long, who did a fantastic job. Bo greeted us with Gong He Fa Cho – Happy New year. Bo wished us lots of luck for the year of the rabbit. With the room nicely decorated with Chinese symbols – including rabbits, of course Bo introduced a number of dancers wearing traditional Chinese costumes. Their dance numbers included the Love of Nan Shu lake, a sailor dance recalling the memory of a generation, leading back to the time we were young. Others included the Tibetan dance and an Ancient dance. The performance ended with a chorus of Happy New Year. Performers were given a standing ovation.
Our guest speaker for Jan 24th was Matthew Witt. He is a retired firefighter with the City of Surrey. He talked to us about his experience as part of a Rotary Project to assist rural communities in the Pisac area of the Peruvian Andes. In the past year, Matthew was in Pisac to continue working with DESEA on a variety of projects. Matthew received a thank you certificate from club member Michele Partridge.
The Coldest Night of the Year is a winterrific family-friendly walk to raise money for local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness. Team up, fundraise, walk, and gather for good... because it’s cold out there. Join the Rotary Club of White Rock team and help fundraise for the Sources. Click Here to Join the Team
White Rock Rotary members (l to r) Irene, Monique, Mo, Kristina and Joan (taking photo) delivered 39 gifts to Women’s Trauma Center. Thanks to the club for its support.
That would Sunday, July 10th as White Rock turned on its charm to welcome the first woman to become president of Rotary International.
She is Jennifer Jones, a Canadian from Windsor, Ontario who was winding up a tour of Canada from Newfoundland to Victoria, including a visit to the North.
Dozens of smiling Rotarians from the United States and Canada were joined by members of the public, mingling in the sunshine at Memorial Park where Rotarians had set up a stage with banners, the famous Rotary wheel and white chairs for the audience.
President Jennifer Jones mingled with just about everyone, posing for photos and warmly greeting all. On stage, where she was welcomed by White Rock Mayor Darryl Walker, President Jennifer spoke of her “Image” for Rotary, partly based on the John Lennon song - “Imagine.”
Jennifer said her tour included discussion of reconciliation and open dialogue. “The power of that is so important,” she said “because it speaks to who we are as an organization.” She added, “We represent the best – the best of our world. We have the ability to break down barriers. Even though Rotary is in some 200 countries and geographical areas, we are one together. If something happens to someone in another part of the world or another country, as part of our Rotary family it touches all of us.”
Jennifer is the first woman elected International President in Rotary’s 117 years, ironic because women we were not welcome in the early years. They fought to become Rotarians and have since played leadership roles in many Clubs and Districts. Rotary’s 1.2 million members are part of 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.
President Jennifer was due to end her tour July 11th in Victoria.
The Rotary Club of White Rock has presented a beautiful hand-made portable library to the Dr. Al Hogg Pavillian, a long term care facility adjacent to Peace Arch Hospital. Pictured are President Gordy Sangha, Director Ted Church, Assistant District Governor Joan Apel and Imaan Toor, Manager of the Pavillian.
When firefighters approach a potential fire they follow a rule – “Try before you Pry.” They do not want to cause damage unless their entrance to a possible fire is blocked by a locked door.
Now, thanks to the Rotary Club of White Rock members of White Rock Fire Rescue have a training device called “Forced Entry Prop” located behind the fire hall. On Wednesday (April 27th) fire fighters staged a demonstration to illustrate how they can use devices quickly to open a door in case of fire in an apartment, house or commercial building. It’s when time matters.
A life can be saved with quick entry and rescue of a person trapped in a room.
Finding a fire victim, perhaps on a floor is also part of the training. Thanks to the Rotary Club of White Rock, the fire rescue service now has a 185-pound dummy, a stuffed mannequin named “Rescue Randy.” Fire fighters regularly practice how to find ‘Rescue Randy” and either lift or drag him to safety, just as they would with a person caught in a smoke-filled room.
The demonstration was performed for Mayor Daryl Walker, Councillor Anthony Manning and officials of the Rotary Club of White Rock, including Director Ted Church and President Gordy Sangha.
Mayor Walker said a $14,800 donation from the Rotary Club of White Rock was a good example of how Rotary and the City came together to provide the tools needed by White Rock Fire Rescue to do the job and make us all feel safe.
Club President Sangha said White Rock fire fighters do a tremendous job, making us feel safe in our homes, adding “We can go to sleep in peace and wake up in peace because of what you do for our
Book Sale manager Keith Becker says the April Book Sale exceeded expectations, raising nearly $52,000. Becker said “I’m very happy to have heard so many compliments from book buyers who appreciate the sale.”
Becker thanked “a great staff” including dozens of volunteers, both from Rotary and the community at large, and coordinated by Anthony Manning. Kristina Eng again did a great job on promotion.
Customers can look forward to another Rotary Book Sale in the curling rink in late August.
Once again volunteers will be welcomed. We couldn’t do it without them.
Join the City of White Rock, the Rotary Club of White Rock, the Peninsula Arts and Culture Alliance, and Sources Community Resources Centre for a Peace Walk for Ukraine.
The walk will take place on April 2nd between 10am and 12pm, starting at Memorial Park and walking along Marine Drive and the Promenade.
There will be featured speakers, a celebration of Ukrainian culture, and traditional Ukrainian foods-as well as opportunities to donate to support humanitarian efforts.
Join our team - Rotary Club of White Rock, walk on your own, do a virtual walk, or join us on a team walk (times to be determined). You can also donate to the team through the link below. The official day for CNOY is Feb 26 however due to COVID the main event has been canceled.
The Coldest Night of the Year is a walk that raises money for folks in our community who need our help. Some of them hungry, more than a few hurting and regrettably, some who are homeless too. Adults, moms and kids, seniors and youth as well.
CNOY is a lot of fun and so valuable. Just click our team page link below to begin to join the team or donate.
Thank you all who contributed to "The Giving Tree" this holiday season. Over 40 gift bags were delivered to Sources Women's Place for clients dealing with challenges over the holidays. The gift bags were donated by the White Rock, South Surrey, and Peace Arch Peninsula Rotary Clubs. Pictured about is Denise Darrell, director of Women's Place, who is receiving the gift bags from Rotary ADG Joan Apel. Denise was overwhelmed by the generosity of the Rotary Clubs, and would like to thank everyone for the continued support of Women's Place.
The Rotary Club of White Rock will again be meeting in person starting on Nov 2, 2021 at the Rotary Field House in the South Surrey Athletic Park at 12:00 noon. The meeting will also be available through a Zoom link. Contact us for more information. All attendees must show verification of full vaccination, masks are also required.
Rotary Club members collected school supplies and sports equipment to be sent to Belize by Rotary World Help. The school supplies will be added to a container that will be filled with medical supplies.
The playground funding project for Peace Arch and White Rock Elementary Schools, which was started in 2019 during past president Mauricio Browne de Paula's year, is now complete. Co-Chair Jack Rae and the committee are pleased to announce that the Rotary Club of White Rock presented a cheque of $ 63,000 to the Surrey School District #36 on Thursday May 27, 2021. The cheque was presented toSurrey School District #36 Senior Officer Ms. Liane Ricou by Co-Chair Jack Rae.in the presence of current Club President David Grant. The hard working Rotary Club of White Rock Playground Committee raised over $126,000 for the two elementary schools. The Peace Arch School's playground was completed in Nov 2020. Construction of the White Rock Elementary School's playground will start this June 2021.
Club members and volunteers attended the "Feed My City" program on Thursday May 20, 2021 to recognize the programs 1 year anniversary. Save On Foods donated cupcakes for all attending. After the distribution of the meals club members gathered at 3 Dog Brewery where Simone Brown de Paula and George Garrett were presented with their Paul Harris Society pins by club president David Grant.
April Klassen grew up in the Fraser Valley, but has found herself impassioned by the opportunities of a global world. The cultural exchanges she embraced as a youth led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in International Studies at Simon Fraser University. Upon completing her degree, the next 10 years of her life were spent working and volunteering with NGO’s in the areas of global development, and peacemaking. She has worked in France, Turkey, Iraq, Burundi, Bangladesh and Cambodia amongst other countries. Receiving a Rotary Peace Fellowship, she hopes, will help equip her in her work to walk alongside women and youth in areas of conflict.
Congratulation to the Rotary Club of White Rock Team (Raj, Winston, Darryl, Fred, Joan, Russ, Rheanna, Bert, Irene, Wayne), and everyone that supported the team with your generous donations. We reached our goal of $15,000. Hurray! Money raised from CNOY 2021 will be applied strategically to SOURCES programs and services that are in most critical need: SOURCES Food Banks in White Rock/South Surrey and Langley, Housing and Advocacy Services (including Rent Bank), Volunteer Services and Counselling Services.
Feb 9, 2021 - Corporate members from the Chinese Village Society presented a history and meaning of the New Year. Most club members enjoyed a meal of traditional food that was put together by Karen Huang and picked up at Sun Given Foods. Bo Long supplied the sweetest little oranges. Sophie Jin gave us an explanation of some of the symbols, which included a paper cutting contest led by Ying Lui. It was wonderful to see the young school children from Newbridge Academy perform some dances. It is amazing what can happen on a Zoom call. Thanks to all involved for a great event, and may the year of the ox bring only good fortune.
Rotary International has added a 7th Focus Area, "Environment". The Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors have both unanimously approved adding a new area of focus: supporting the environment. More than $18 million in Foundation global grant funding has been allocated to environment related projects over the past five years.
Rotary Club of White Rock members were busy over the Holiday Season helping with the Salvation Army's Kettle Drive, putting together gift hampers for the White Rock Women's Centre, serving up a turkey dinner, donated by Save On Foods, at the Feed My City hut, the Club also donated $700 to the Extreme Weather Shelter for personal hygiene supplies.
Paul Harris Fellow award from our club to Dr. Bonnie Henry
the attached photo of Dr. Bonnie Henry holding the PHF pin and certificate that were sent to her on behalf of the Rotary Club of White Rock in recognition of her leadership during this difficult health crisis. Her office has responded that she is honoured to receive it.
White Rock Rotary Club helps kids during pandemic!
Kids at Peace Arch Elementary School will soon have a state of the art playground thanks in part to the White Rock Rotary Club.
Past President Mauricio Browne de Paula and President Elect Gordy Sangha presented the school’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC) with a cheque for $63,000 at a recent ceremony at the school. Pictured above are Raj Rajagopal and George Garrett who were also present.
With many hostels, missions and shelter food services unable to prepare and present meals, Rotary Club of White Rock in conjunction with the City of White Rock and Peace Portal Alliance Church started serving those with needs a lunch each weekday for upwards of 30 people.
The "Rotary Breakfast for the Food Bank" has been "Canceled for this year". Due to the current situation concerning the out break of COVID-19 it was best for the health of the attendees to cancel. If you bought tickets for the breakfast they will be refunded up until Aug 31, 2020. After that date the funds raised will be donated to the Sources Food Bank. Thank you for your understanding.
Jack Klinkhammer receives a Paul Harris award. A big welcome to 2 new members who were inducted into the club, Monika Grant, and Keith Becker. Gordie Hogg spoke to us about his 42 years in public service. Club members were out tree planting at the Fun-Fun Park in Ocean Park.
The Rotary Club of White Rock's team raised over $5,000 at the walk, this brought us in at 3rd place, job well done. Out of the 27 Rotary Club across Canada we were in #1 place. A big thank you to all team members and their donors.
An evening of dinner and entertainment was presented by the members from the Chinese Village Club celebrating "Lunar New Year", the year of the Rat. Everyone that attended the event had a great time and were very impressed with the evening. Job well done, thanks to all involved.
Induction of our newest club member Rennie McRae, welcome Rennie. Karen Cork the club's community service committee chairperson presents donations to "You Wear it Well" for grads prom, and to Semiahmoo Shopping Centre "Kidz Lit" reading program. Bell sang us a song from Beauty and the Beast.
The Semiahmoo Peninsula Rotaract Club is now a fully chartered club, part of Rotary International. Rotaract clubs are for young adults aged 18 to 30. The clubs focus on developing leadership skills, making a difference in the world, and having fun while socializing with friends. Linda Murray, District 5050's District Governor, is pictured here with the Rotaract Club members accepting their official charter certificate.
The Rotary Club of White Rock and other Rotary Clubs around the world were out on April 27, "Rotary Work Day" making a difference in local communities. The White Rock Club was helping out at the Peace Arch Hospice Thrift Store, and cleaning up the landscape at the Peace Arch Hospice Society Centre.
Club Community Service chair Gina Gritten presents a cheque to Karen Sidhu manager at Surrey Crime Prevention Society in support of their "Youth Training Program"
Rotary members from the 6 local clubs, which includes the newly formed Rotaract club, held their annual breakfast for Sources Food Bank. Over 275 guests enjoyed a hearty breakfast while they were entertained by the barbershop chorus "Toast & Jam" from the Langley First Capital Chorus. Magicians Jordon Vo, and Kim moved from table to table mystifying the guests. This years breakfast was the best one yet and raised over $5,800. The folks at the White Rock Baptist Church were gracious hosts supplying the coffee and tea. Generous food donations from Choices, Savon, Safeway, Thrifty's, and Costco helped make the breakfast a success. Thank you to all!
4 new members were inducted into the club Cathy Swallow, Dave Price, Dawn Benson, and George Garrett. The proceedings were held at the Rotary Field House over seen by Assistant District Governor Joan Apel. After the inductions George Garett told us about his involvement with the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society and their good work, followed by entertaining stories of his career as a news reporter.
Get your tickets, the breakfast is happening soon. This year should be a fun event with a barbershop quartet, magicians, and a kids corner. Kids 8 and under eat free..
The new members of the club were challenged to put on an event to raise money for club activities. They out did themselves with an evening of Music Bingo. The DJ Jacqueline Stone of "Almost Famous Entertainment" graciously donated her time to keep the crowd grooving to the beats. The songs stimulated lots of memories for everyone. A big thank you to the new club members and all the folks that donated to the silent auction. Everyone had a wonderful time, it sounds like this could be a yearly event. Check out the cool video that video master Ian Lagasse put together.
The Club held its annual Christmas party at Hazelmere Golf and Tennis Club on Dec 18 there were 75 members and guests that came out to celebrate. Besides a wonderful meal the highlight of the evening was the induction of two new members to the club, Monique Husslage, and Adrianna Pozzi. Both are eager to get involved in club activities and make a difference in our community. Ian Lagasse’s jokes were well received and seasonal. MC sound master fresh Bob Livesley kept beat to the Christmas tunes of Bill Brook’s piano and his singing accompanist. Joan Apel and the social committee did a wonderful job of organizing the event and everyone had a great time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
ROTARY/SAVE ON FOOD CARD PROGRAM REACHES “ ONE MILLION” IN SALES
As a result of the incredible support of all five Rotary clubs together with our sponsors and retailers we have exceeded all expectations by selling ONE MILLION dollars worth of cards. The program, started just over 2 years ago, has raised more the $165,000 in donations for the Sources South Surrey/White Rock Food Bank. Thank you to everyone who has supported the program.
The White Rock Rotary Club members were active this last weekend (Dec 8/18). Starting off with members helping the Salvation Army at the Semiahmoo Shopping Centre by attending the donation kettle. The club sponsored "Kids Lit" program was going on at the same time. The children each receive a book to take home. In another part of town the club sponsored the City Dreams mobile dental clinic. The clinic gives dental treatment to people who otherwise would go without. Then a fun evening at the Surrey Eagles hockey game. Teddy bears were thrown on the ice after the first Eagles score. The teddy bears are then donated to the hospital auxillary who give them to children in the hospital.
We are proud to support the “Smile Hero Campaign” and the Dental Professionals who so generously offer these services which enables our fellow community members to access the dental care they need.
Our club members had an enjoyable and educational visit to the Semiahmoo Fish and Wildlife Club on Sunday July 29. Ian Lagasse has shared with us the excellent video he shot during the occasion.
Once again Simone and Mauricio opened their lovely home to the Club members and friends for this year's Bar-B -Que. Enjoy the video shot on this occasion by Past President Ian Lagasse!! Click on the Rotary Club convenes its annual bar-b-que for 2018 below.
The installation of President Fred Wickens and the officers and directors of the 2018-19 Board was done on June 19, 2018. Here is a video capturing the moments of the installation. The video was shot by Past President Ian Lagasse. Enjoy!! Click on THE INDUCTION OF PRESIDENT FRED 2018 2019 Below in the photo and the video will play.
The eighth annual Service Above Self Surrey Youth Awards were presented on May 17, 2018 to celebrate the achievements of youth aged 15 to 21 who are making a difference in our community by demonstrating the Rotary ideal of Service above Self.
The awards were given in the categories of
Community Service, Environmental Leadership, Overcoming Adversity, Sports Leadership, Art & Culture Leadership and Youth Leadership.
The Community Service Award was sponsored by the Rotary Club of White Rock and was presented to Cindy Zeng by our Club Vice President Nirmal Takhar.
The “Surrey Crime Prevention Society” is made up of over 400 volunteers who are mostly under the age of 30. In 2017 volunteers put in over 13,000 hours, on programs such as Graffiti Removal, Parking Lot Vehicle Checks, Speed Watch, Transit Watch, and Distracted Driving Awareness. Pictured is Karen Sidhu, executive director, and volunteers receiving a $500 donation for volunteer safety equipment from the Rotary Club of White Rock.
The 5 Rotary Clubs from the Peninsula presented a cheque to Jaye Murray manager of the Sources Food Bank. $7,800 was raised at the “5 Club Breakfast for the Food Bank” held on April 28, 2018. The funds will be used to purchase needed food items.. This is the 4th year the breakfast has been held and each year it seems to get more popular.
We've partnered with the Tortola Rotary Club in the British Virgin Islands and their affiliates in White Rock/South Surrey to ensure that the funds raised will go DIRECTLY to the causes we want to assist, with no handling fees. We have earmarked the school in Cane Garden Bay as the recipients of the benefit. It is a very important facility for the community and their rebuilding will greatly aid the regeneration for young & old alike.
"The following is a first hand account from a member of the Rotary Club of Tortola, BVI:
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) received a devastating, direct hit from Irma on Sept. 6th. A category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 185-190 mph and gusts over 220 churned thru the islands for 5 long hours, tornadoes embedded inside, blowing apart almost everything in her path. 90% of the buildings on the island were destroyed beyond repair or severely damaged, the entire island was left without water or power (it is estimated power will not be fully restored for 4 more months) and the communication infrastructure was almost completely wiped out. Most of the trees were uprooted or broken and the main island roads were impassable for a week, and longer in the outlying areas. Thousands have been left homeless with literally only the clothes on their backs, businesses are destroyed, and jobs are scarce. It's not a pretty picture. I've been on the island after several category 3 & 4 hurricanes but nothing comes close to this - the scenes that l've witnessed are reminiscent of war-torn, bombed-out Syria. It's heartbreaking."
The Social Committee hosted the annual BBQ at the home and back patio of Mauricio and Simone on July 22, 2017. Appetizers, drinks and an excellent Brazilian BBQ dinner were enjoyed by about 50 club members, spouses, and family members. Many thanks to Mauricio and Louis for their excellent BBQ skills.
Darrell Jones of SaveOn Foods attended the Semiahmoo Rotary Club to present a cheque and talk about the Rotary-Sources Food Bank food card program. The program was sponsored by SaveOn Foods as well as the Block Family during the 2016-2017 Rotary year resulting in a 16% donation. Total sales of food gift cards was $424,800 resulting in a total donation to Sources Food Bank of $67,900. Those funds are further leveraged by the Food Bank to achieve a significantly larger benefit.
For the 2017-2018 Rotary club year, all five of the White Rock & South Surrey areas have agreed to co-sponsor the program with SaveOn Foods. Based on sponsorship currently secured, a donation of 17% of every food card purchased through the program will be made to Sources Food Bank.
SaveOn Foods - Sources Food Bank cheque presentation
Aaron Hinks photo Sources’ South Surrey food bank volunteer Norm Chess unloads food donations at the food bank Tuesday morning. A food-card program has raised more than $64,000 for the organization.
The Social Committee held an Italian evening, hosted by Jack and Betty Rae on October 22, 2016. Click on the following link to view a video, shot and edited by Rotarian Ian Lagasse, of the evening. . https://animoto.com/play/teTaYgwNFX1BmPatNhDWiw?autostart=1
The District 5050 golf tournament was held this Friday Aug. 12th with all funds raised going to the Rotary Foundation for doing good in this world. It was held at Hazelmere golf course in South Surrey and we had 8 members of our club ( sorry 6 and 2 spouses ) that were players and our member Ted Church won a blender. Great fun was had by all!
Denis Boyd, our past District Governor, spoke about a new initiative to return (to some degree at least) to the roots of Rotary. We have seen a shift from a very strong emphasis on business networking (in the early days of Rotary), to a shift away from business networking- to the point where some clubs have fined members for talking business at a meeting! The new theme is “Rotary is open for business”.
To help members who want to identify and connect with businesses that are run by Rotarians, a new web site – www.rotarynetworkingplus.com – has been established, with seed funding from District 5050. The underlying theme is that doing business with Rotarians should mean doing business with business people who are ethical and can be trusted. Denis gave a demonstration of the web site, which is up and running now. There is no charge for registering a business on the website. There are now 152 listings – target is 400-500. While District 5050 has provided funding so far (about $6000 to date), the long term plan is for the website to be self – financing.
Denis’ presentation was well received – those present expressed generally positive reactions to the initiative.
Dr. Har Prashad, a very accomplished man currently consulting for Tribology. Voss is doss? Tribology is the study of science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion. His topic for us was life, love, health and happiness. He broke each word down and provided us insight into how these very personal words impact our daily lives.
Megan Mohan, Semiahmoo High graduate with our $2,000 Community scholarship. Megan will be studying to become a teacher at the University of Victoria. On graduation she plans to work with children competing in the special Olympics. In a brief talk she listed some of her many volunteer accomplishments while in school.
Peace Arch Hospital is closer to having new medical equipment after the Rotary Club of White Rock donated more than $30,000.
The club presented the cheque to the Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation last month, in the amount of $32,100, which was raised through the group's popular book sale.
The funds will go towards purchasing three vital-signs monitors for elder acute care and a bladder scanner for the mental health and substance abuse zone.
Since launching the book sale in 1987, the Rotary Club of White Rock has raised $322,000 for the hospital.
The YMCA is offering to assist isolated and vulnerable adults, or those living with or at risk for chronic conditions. The Community Health team with the YMCA of Greater Vancouver are offering a program called the Choose to Move program. This program is a free choice-based physical activity support program informed by the best practice. It will enhance and identify physical activity opportunities for adults 65+ who are currently inactive and living with chronic conditions.
This program is completely FREE for those who qualify.
Tong Louie Family YMCA (Surrey)
T. 604.320.5813
E. choosetomove@gv.ymca.ca
W: gv.ymca.ca
Happy Canada Day! 🍁 Our club had a tent on the promenade, where we sold books from our upcoming August Book Sale and raffle tickets for our Art Raffle, with the draw happening in October. More info coming soon.
Thanks to Bo Long, the club celebrated Chinese Lunar New Again with fabulous dance teams and food and decorations to match. A pack field house enjoyed the performances.
Another great meeting last week. This month's Leaders of Tomorrow recipient is Daniel Cook. Based on Rotary’s core value of “Service above Self”, criteria for this award is focussed on academic, cultural, and athletic achievements as well as dedication to serving others such as volunteering, leadership, mentoring, and community projects.
Congratulations to Ankita Ahmed from Earl Marriott Secondary School, recipient of the Leaders of Tomorrow Rotary Club of White Rock Award! The award recognizes Ankita's outstanding leadership qualities. A proud moment for the Rotary Club of White Rock, empowering and celebrating the leaders of tomorrow in our community.
Jan Dobbins received Paul Harris award x7 and x8 on behalf of her husband and club member Past President Alex Dobbins. Also pictured niece, Janice Craig.
District Foundation Dinner. White Rock Club recognized as 2nd most generous in 'Annual Giving' and a leader in Polioplus donations to the Rotary Foundation. Lee Harman spoke on the 'Miss Vicky Trip' and April Klassen spoke as a 'Peace Scholar Alumni.
Remembrance Day honored well with Fred Wickens' reading of 'In Flanders Fielder' and playing of the Last Post. Fred recalled some memories of his father and others added their stories. White Rock Rotary proudly remembers those who served. Our speaker was Greg Timm who enlightened us about the creation and ongoing women's softball events at Softball City.
Rotary Club of White Rock members were busy over the Holiday Season helping with the Salvation Army's Kettle Drive, putting together gift hampers for the White Rock Women's Centre, serving up a turkey dinner, donated by Save On Foods, at the Feed My City hut, the Club also donated $700 to the Extreme Weather Shelter for personal hygiene supplies.
)
Club Community Service chair Gina Gritten presents a cheque to Karen Sidhu manager at Surrey Crime Prevention Society in support of their "Youth Training Program"
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.JPG)