Editor: Scott Vetter, Assistant Editor: Rosemary Parker
Announcements
David Oliver sang such a rousing rendition of God Save the King that we crowned him.
David Humphries is still doing much better in rehab, able to walk with the aid of a walker. He expects to be discharged on May 20.
We're on the home stretch for our golf tournament and things are going quite well. Let's all put n a little extra effort to make this a great success for RCOS and Ottawa Boys and Girls Club. Find interesting auction items, ask golfers to golf, ask companies to advertise (tee signs).
Bring Wine: We're putting together some wine baskets for the tournament auction. Please bring a bottle or two to our meeting on May 17. If you won't be at the meeting, send Rosemary an e-transfer and she will buy the wine. (Don't worry, she'll be supervised.)
Cleaning Up the Capital: We'll be cleaning up the roadside around Rotary Way and Bank Street (by the Ottawa Rotary Home) on Saturday, May 27 at 9 AM. Don your work gloves, dress appropriately and meet us for some good cleaning fun!
District Conference 2023 was Great: Kateri, Vik Julia and Sean all attended the conference in Montreal last weekend and had a wonderful time The hotel was good, the food was great and the speakers and break-out groups were amazing. The camaraderie is always a highlight of these conferences and they enjoyed seeing old friends and making new friends. The al found the experience interesting, informational and even inspirational.
Book Now for District Conference - May 3-5, 2024: Register at the conference’s super-early-bird rate of $155 US. Book before midnight on May 13th. This amount includes the full conference package – Friday hors d’oeuvres reception, three buffet meals and all breaks. Speakers, breakout sessions and the full program will be developed over the coming months, but as with this past weekend you can be sure it will be entertaining, educational and engaging with lots of opportunities to interact with others. REGISTER HERE
Environment Committee: Relax and let your lawn go for May. Send us your No Mow May photos; see Kateri if you don't have a lawn sign. Read the story below as to how the RCOS Environment Committee is helping Rotel with its waste and recycling program.
Jeff and Lisa reported tat they stopped by to see Charlotte Smith, who spoke to our club last year regarding their equine therapy project for vulnerable people in Ottawa. The LivEx program did not receive sufficient funding to make a full-time go of it, but continues to help many local youth. Charlotte will be starting her PhD in the fall; hopefully she'll come back to RCOS and update us next year.
See notices below for upcoming District events.
It's No Mow May, so send us photos of your unkempt bush and unruly lawn. Insects will appreciate it and we will too, all photos will go on our website.
Rotel decided to reduce its carbon footprint and turned to the Rotary Club Ottawa South (RCOS) Environment Committee for assistance.
In 1986 the Rotary Club of Ottawa South built Rotel (located at 411 Smyth Road), to provide affordable accommodations for outpatients during treatment at Ottawa area hospitals, as well as their family and friends. Rotel serves a clientele primarily from Eastern and Northern Ontario. (Many Rotary Clubs and other service clubs contributed to initial fundraising campaign.) The 51-room motel is self-sustaining and is efficiently managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and paid staff.
The Rotel Foundation Inc. Board of Directors decided to reduce their carbon footprint and take steps to make the motel operation more environmentally friendly. One of the steps is to reduce waste and implement a recycling program, and Rotel turned to the Rotary Club Ottawa South (RCOS) Environment Committee for assistance.
The RCOS Environment Committee was eager to help. They toured Rotel and did some initial research to determine standards in the hospitality sector and what would be feasible. The committee then prepared a brief with basic goals and a plan to establish a waste reduction and recycling program.
Following that brief, Rotel will be conducting a waste audit in late spring, hopefully with the assistance of a neighbouring high school. In the interim, Rotel has done the following:
Added several recycling bins to public areas (lobby, lounges and office). There is also a needle disposal bin in the office. Guests are encouraged to bring their recycling to these communal collection bins; and used needles to the front desk for proper disposal.
Enlisted Tomlinson Environmental Services to place 3 recycling bins outside. The materials are sorted and processed at the Tomlinson depot.
Rotel staff regularly empty the communal bins to the outdoor recycling containers for scheduled pick-up.
Ensure that all lighting replacements, as required, (bulbs and fixtures) will be LED.
The program has been quite successful over the past several months. Most guests are bringing recyclable items to the communal bins, and many have remarked positively on the program. In fact, Tomlinson started with just one outdoor recycling bin, and now three are filled every month. (Which hopefully will be impacted when more steps are taken to reduce waste overall.)
Laminated notices asking guests to recycle, and to make efforts to reduce their waste overall, will be added to all rooms. Over the coming months, Rotel will complete its waste audit and use government guidelines and resources referenced by the RCOS Environment Committee to further its waste reduction efforts.
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