Welcome to "The Friendly Club" and our Web Site. How to contact the site administrator. Click on 'More...' below.

Strathcona members and Other Users, if you are unsure how to log in, click online HELP, or contact the site administrator Hans Granholm; 
phone: 780-466-5566 any time.

For more information about our club, click HERE

For full information on our upcoming Speakers, click on the speaker's name.

Members can access the Club Constitution and By-Laws from ADMIN | CLUB DOCUMENTS after login.

Nov 19; Art Baird, Birthday
Nov 20; Heather Platt, Birthday
Nov 22; LaVerne Quennell, Birthday (OAS time!)
Nov 22; ORN 2007 campaign orientation (see STORY)
Nov 23; Glenn Baron, Birthday

Tuesday noon belongs to Rotary!

Look in "Upcoming Events" for other activities taking place in the near future.

November 13, 2007

Chief Justice Allan H.J. Wachowich presented some insight as to the trials and tribulations (no pun intended) that our judicial system faces daily.  The Chief Justice, who was called to the bar in 1959, appointed to the bench in 1974, and appointed Chief Justice to the Queen's Court of Alberta in Decemgber of 2000, intermixed his factual presentation with humor, taking shots at some of our Rotarians.

     The atypical courtroom, which judges toil in daily, is one fraught with failures - failed lives, failed relationships, anger, failed careers, etc.  "It is not a pleasant job", stated CJ (Chief Justice) Wachowich. Having said that, it is one which can bring a great sense of satisfaction. 

     In the civil arena, some 54,400 actions were launched in 2003, of which only 252 went to trial.  Only one percent of civil cases typically go to trial.  Compare that to criminal court, where in 2005 420 actions were heard.  Of that number, a staggering 338 were heard by judge alone, with the remaining 82 going before a judge and jury.  

     The one issue that the justice system is hammered with daily is that it is too lenient.  The Chief Justice stated that this is so sad - that so little of the facts and information pertaining to the case background, and the perpetrator, are presented to the public at large.  He stated that we are a society that seeks justice, and the media present only what they wish to put forward.  From bail to publication bans to sentencing, a very thorough analysis is done by the judge presiding over the case.  When bail is granted, there are many options that may be imposed (i.e. electronic bracelets to track the whereabouts of the accused).  Consider also that the daily cost of incarcerating an individual, rather than releasing them on bail, is $3,500 - no small amount of change.

     The bottom line is that judges are "accountable to their own consciences" when making these decisions - ones that will impact many for a lifetime.  No easy task.

     In closing, let it be said that our Chief Justice has a lively sense of humor, and uses it at every available opportunity.  Rotarians Bruce Flesher (food poisoning quip), Harald Kuckertz (law snipes), and Augie Annicchiarico (golf game) did not escape his sharp wit.

     It was a very interesting presentation from a very colorful Chief Justice Allan H.J. Wachowich.       

Nov 6, 2007

The "Literacy in Belize" project is one near and dear to the heart of presenter DG Elect Ross Tyson.  What started out as one of many smaller Rotary projects emmanating from District 5370 has morphed into a very large, ambitious Rotary program.  At the end of the day, some $700,000 will have been injected into this literacy project through fundraising and matching grants.  Read on........

     The small country of Belize, located in Central America, gained it's independence from Guatamala in a tenuous breakaway which occured in the years from 1971 to 1973.  Given the demographics of this particular country (population 300,000, with 60% under the age of twenty-four years old), it's democratic government, and it's strong Rotary base, it makes for an ideal environment to develop an educational template, one that could be "grown" in other countries, such as Afghanistan.

     Some of the key contributors to this program are District 5370, Rotary International, the Wildrose Foundation, and the Alberta Teacher's Association.  The primary goal is to develop master teachers, some 360 in mumber, through in-service training of summer workshops and distance sharing of resources between Albertan teachers and Belizean educators.  Computers will play a major part in the program, with the "Negroponte" computer - One Laptop Per Child program - being a focal tool to the targeted students between grades four and eight inclusive.

     Why these particular grades?  In Belize, students are required to write a qualifying exam in grade eight.  If they pass the exam, they can move on to high school. If they do not pass, they lose the benefits and future that education can bring.  Simple!  Having said that, education in Belize is not free, and each year of education beyond grade eight costs $500.00.

     The program is already in place, with planning in the works to further develop this visionary three to four year initiative.  Eight sites have been selected to be equipped with satellite uplifts, for Internet connectivity.  The ultimate plan is to tie into the Gates Foundation for further growth and development in other countries. 

     As Rotarian Orville Sleen stated when introducing DG Elect Ross Tyson, this program can change an entire country. 

     At the end of Ross's presentation, President Peter Denooy presented a cheque from the Edmonton Strathcona Rotary Club to go towards this project in the amount of $6,000!  Hold your head high Rotarians.  We DO make a difference.      

Here is a 'heads-up' for those of you who visits and/or drives Hugh -- he's moved down - stairs into #220 at 17203-99 Ave.

Other contact information is the same.

The 2007 campaign is underway! On November 14, 2007, this year's campaign was kicked off in the presence of lots of media. Dressed up in red hoodies and blinking red noses, President Peter, Jim Rivait of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Acting Inspector Bill Horn of the Edmonton Police Service, Arnie Stadnick of the Boilermakers and Jim Ashton of the Alberta Motor Association announced the start of this year's campaign.

We will again operate from the fantastic facilities, located at 15220 - 114 Avenue, which are generously donated by the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Lodge 146 .

Office Phone: 702-8000; Office Fax: 702-8025; edmonton@operationrednose.com
Operations Call Centre: 421-4444 (9 pm - 3 am during active campaign)

For periodic updates, check:  http://www.orn-edm.org/.

There has been low interest in the newly-proposed Rotary Club of edmonton Festival City.

At the board meeting on October 18, 2007, the following motion was passed: To ask the District to re-think the establishment of a new club in the Strathcona area and to request direction on how to achieve this purpose.

The club has spent about $ 500.00 so far, and it was the board's opinion that other means and ways were to be explored before spending more club funds.

I look forward to your response and comments.

Peter Denooy
President
Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona

The intent of this newsletter is to broadcast news and information.

Please send me stories and photos.

Thank you to Rose Marie Basaraba and Jim Ashton for stories on our speakers.

If you are chairing a committee and you are planning to have a meeting, why not schedule this in the Event Manager? In the schduled event you have an easy way of inviting committee members to register their attendance.
All club directors and committee chairs have full access to these features that can make your life easier.
Need help? Yo know who to see.

Hans Granholm
p: 780-466-5566
e: hgrdane@telusplanet.net

You are reminded that up to date records are available from the web site administration page after login any time. Click on the last item in the "My ClubRunner" section and chose reports #46 & 48. Open #46 first to see the percentage figure and if you do not agree, open #48 to see which meeting(s) are listed as missed.
Documents #40, 43 & 44 show various attendance reports for last year 2006-07.

If you do not report any discrepancies to me within the next two weeks, we will accept these reports as accurate.

Contact me anytime if you need assistance with the reports.

Cheers!

Hans Granholm
p: 780-466-5566
e: hgrdane@telusplanet.net

Lets go to a Rotary Convention......

2008                   Los Angeles
2009                   Birmingham, England
2010                   Montreal
2011                   New Orleans

>>> PLEASE LOOK AT THIS ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY <<<

With the number of members in this club either owning or operating a business, we are getting a very poor interest in this nice little generator of funds for the club.
Are the rates too steep? I don't think so, but if you do, please let us know.
If you have any bright ideas on how to promote this little initiative, please speak up.

A web site and bulletin advertising feature is available to dedicated members who wish to sponsor an ad and support the club's endeavors.

It is an opportunity to go out in the community and solicit ads from businesses, and who knows, in the process of soliciting ads you may also find prospective new Rotarians.

Be sure to visit these sponsors by clicking on their ad

The fee is for members $20.00 for one month or $50.00 for three months or $150.00 for one year.
 
For non-members $30.00 per month or $70.00 for a quarter or $250.00 for one year.


The ad can be text or a logo. Either way it becomes a link and upon clicking will take the visitor to the sponsor's website or e-mail address.

Please have a look at the complimentary ads in the right column of any site pages and in the left column of the e-Strathconian.

NOTE: You will notice a link in the bottom of the right column of a site page "Interested in being a Website Sponsor?". This link opens a page with all the information.

Feedback and comments are very much appreciated. You can post comments on the FORUMS | CLUB WEB SITE | ADVERTISING. Or you can e-mail you-know-who.

Cheers!

The blood challenge is over, but the need is not!