Scott updated members on the Community Blend coffee initiative. Dave and Scott have scheduled presentations with several local Rotary Clubs. A website is being developed and will be launched in early March.
Sherri announced that there would be an Environment committee meeting Thursday at 7pm. (Thankfully she doesn't rely on this newsletter to invite her committee.)
Members discussed benefactors for the upcoming golf tournament. After much good discussion it was decided that the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club would be recommended as the primary benefactor from the tournament for 2-3 years.
Julie's Rotary Moment
We are having a lot of talk recently about the need to once again have a "big project idea" that will spur new energy and purpose back into our club. While I agree fully, I want to reflect for a moment on the importance of the small acts of kindness and of creating connection between members, especially in the pandemic times of isolation.
Many of you may not be aware that I have been on sick leave from my career for the last 5 years. So I am no stranger to isolation and its impacts. It doesn't get easier with time either, one just learns to manage differently. For me, the actions of a few individuals (some Rotarians), made all the difference in those early days to the present day. A simple text checking in, a phone call or video coffee chat, offers for walks, soup or a meal delivered on really rough days, helping to get my son to school, and so on.
These may not seem like much, but they are acts of service of the purest and most genuine kind. As a club, we can put similar acts into action - both among us - as acts of fellowship - and in our community through organizations helping those most vulnerable and isolated. Volunteer driving to appointments, emergency meal cards, virtual friendship visits for all ages, reading online, and so on.
Many small acts lead to many changed lives. And we are a club of dedicated changemakers. Let's show the community how we do it best.
Members of the Rotary Club of Ottawa South discuss club fundraisers and benefactors.
RCOS Environmental Committee Enviro Tip
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Provided by Scott Vetter
It’s critical that we all — people, businesses and governments — reduce our impact on the environment. As we work to create less waste, use fewer resources and reduce our carbon footprint, we can also offset part of our negative effect by planting trees. Getting involved in tree planting personally is fun and active, but we don’t all have that opportunity. An option is to support established organizations such as Tree Canada, they make it easy:
1. Use their online calculator to determine your energy usage for home/office and transportation. It will tell you how many trees should be planted to offset that consumption.
2. Choose one of their projects to support and make your donation online. (You’ll even receive a receipt for income tax purposes!)
To offset its carbon footprint, PROSAR Inbound Inc. supports a Tree Canada national reforestation program. The projects are all professionally managed and reviewed for several years to keep track of how many trees survive year-to-year and to determine the actual ROI and environmental benefit of the project.
Things will only improve if we face the effect of our actions and mitigate their harm as we change to more environmentally friendly practices. We all witness the negative affects of climate change and a worsening environment. Your business, or family, can help influence positive change by supporting tree planting projects.
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