Editor: Scott Vetter, Assistant Editor: Rosemary Parker, Photographer: Robin Spencer
Announcements
Welcome to Teresa Thomblison, President of Rotaract Club Ottawa South
Jeanine reported that we have received a cheque for $1,000 USD from RC Lake Placid. That completes their commitment to supporting our Uganda Girls School project. The project, which Jeanine started over a decade ago, will receive our final cheque. Members can still donate to the cause; it costs $400 to send a Ugandan girl to school for a year.
Donations to RCOS, e.g. for the Uganda Girls School project, can be made by cheque or by Interac email transfer: service@rotaryottawasouth.ca. All donations will receive a charitable receipt for income tax purposes.
Scott thanked Sherri and Bill Kelly, Kateri Clark, Vic Chawla and their daughter Ishita Chawla, Linda Scales, Joan Hunter, and Peter Pauker for their help in Cleaning up the Capital around the Ottawa Rotary Home this past Saturday. It was productive, a lot of fun, and good to spend quality time with quality people.
Sherri reported on the Environment Committee's last meeting and noted that there is another meeting tomorrow evening at 7pm. Contact Bill if you would like the Zoom link.
Joan is looking for commitment from members to (virtually) attend the Ottawa regional Cancer Foundation's annual fundraising breakfast October 20. Contact Joan to find out how to register and support our club supporting a great local resource.
Scott and Dave had another meeting with Happy Goat to discuss the Community Blend coffee idea as a fundraising tool beyond Rotary, and a means of promoting community service. The meeting went well and further information will be coming in October.
Understanding the Need for a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Freddie Campbell, a confident and articulate Métis woman, and RCOS member, provided some background on her heritage. She also gave some highlights of the developments that have led to, and great need to honour, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
In her talk she stated that this is a time of inclusivity. An opportunity for Canada as a nation to learn who we are and how we can come together to grow stronger.
Here are Freddies' take-aways from her talk:
• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action:
-- Consider why does each one is needed
-- How would our country be better if the calls were implemented?
• Listen to the survivors’ truths,
• Educate yourself on Residential Schools, colonization and related areas from Indigenous sources
• Donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS)
• Attend an event hosted in your area to commemorate September 30
• Commit to learning about decolonization and how it impacts local, national and international systems
“Ka-kí-kiskéyihtétan óma, namoya kinwés maka aciyowés pohko óma óta ka-hayayak wasétam askihk, ékwa ka-kakwéy miskétan kiskéyihtamowin, iyinísiwin, kistéyitowin, mina nánisitotatowin kakiya ayisiniwak, ékosi óma kakiya ka-wahkotowak.”
“Realize that we as human beings have been put on this earth for only a short time and that we must use this time to gain wisdom, knowledge, respect and the understanding for all human beings since we are all relatives.”
~ Cree proverb
RCOS members were enlightened by Freddie Campbell's impressive and thought-provoking presentation on Canada's first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
For many years, Rotary Club Ottawa South (RCOS) has participated in the City of Ottawa's Cleaning Up the Capital initiative. Due to COVID, it was rather delayed this year, but several members hit the streets around the Ottawa Rotary Home this past Saturday. Guess what we found...
Perhaps the headline should have read, "What... People STILL Litter?! Yes, as we watch parts of the country burn out of control due to human-influenced weather catastrophes and read about the dire state of our environment due to burning fossil fuels, we still toss garbage out car windows and drop cigarette butts on the ground. Despite the environmental state we currently find ourselves in, many people (Rotarians included) feel we need to act differently and work towards positive change.
Cleaning up the roadside at Bank Street and Rotary Way may not solve our weather woes, but it is the type of civic action that can help affect change. On Saturday morning, September 25, several Rotary Club Ottawa South members pitched in and picked up trash along the roads and ditches. And now, that corner of the world is indeed a better place. Thanks to Kateri Clark, Vic Chawla and their daughter Ishita Chawla, Linda Scales, Joan Hunter, Peter Pauker, Bill and Sherri Kelly, and Scott Vetter. The group were encouraged by the Chawla's dog, Quill. With many hands to help, and the odd paw, it only took a couple hours to pick up and bag the trash. The City of Ottawa provided the bags and disposable gloves.
The number of cigarette butts alongside the roads was more than any of us could count, and the number of empty water bottles was countable, but nonetheless discouraging. Good that people are drinking water rather than pop... maybe they'll start using refillable water bottles to save some money and the environment. There were several small signs (FYI, it ceases to be good marketing when your sign ends up as roadside trash.), bags of coffee cups, pop bottles and fast-food packaging, and Ishita found a 1976 motorcycle license plate - almost 30 years older than she is!
Overall, there was less trash this year than other years. Perhaps due to COVID and less traffic, or perhaps people are littering less and taking more conscious care of our planet. Let's hope that it's an intentional and positive trend. We'll let you know next year.
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