Aug 10; Henry, Marlene & Don, Anniversary (BIG 4 oh)
Aug 12; John Barnes, Birthday
Aug 12; Anna Piela, 2008-09 inbound student arrvies in Edmonton (see STORY)
Aug 14; Orville Sleen, Birthday

Tuesday noon belongs to Rotary!

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

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.

     Mikko's objective was to enlighten Rotarians about the FiAF, and it's capabilities.  The FiAF was initiated in March of 1918 (ninetieth anniversary this year), when Sweden donated one solitary helicopter to Finland.  Incidentally, for you history buffs, the Royal Canadian Air Force was fired up just two years prior, in 1916.  From this inauspicious start, the FiAF has grown into an organization with 181 total aircraft in the fleet, made up of eight types of aircraft.  This number does not include helicopters, which are under the auspices of the Finnish Army.  Having said that, the Army and Air Force work hand in hand, and some twenty NH-90 Tactical Troop Helicopters have recently been ordered, with a total budget of some $500 million Eurodollars - this to include not only the capital cost of the units, but training and major parts as well.

     Among their many other duties, Mikko and six other military personnel do comprehensive testing on these NH-90 helicopters before they are accepted for service.  These tactical troop helicopters can transport sixteen fully equipped soldiers to combat.  Interestingly, NATO designed this particular model of helicopter to meet the ever increasing needs of peace-keeping equipment. 

     The Peace Time Mission of the FiAF is to control and safegaurd Finnish airspace, with a long range surveillance radar capacity of 500 km.  Short of the capital costs of aircraft, training of personnel consumes the majority of the budget resources.  Some 300,000 individuals are designated for military duty.  While this number is substantially less to what the actual numbers serving full-time are now, it is the number that would be called upon in time of need.

     Another aspect of the FiAF is their rapid deployment force.  This is a joint coalition formed with other members of the European Union, which could also be used to aid NATO in specific endeavors.  Having said that, Finland has no commitment to NATO. 

     All in all it was an interesting and learning presentation.  The one observation your editor made was that every speaker should have such an introduction as the one Heidi gave when introducing her husband.  All the females in the room would gladly have given up their spouses for one like Mikko (chin's up guys - we do have a lot of very positive attributes).  We wish Mikko and Heidi a lifetime of happiness, and hope to see them back in Canada one day soon!    

     The new name badges with lanyards are a great idea, but we are back to the lanyards trailing all over the place in our storage cabinet.  If each person could neatly tuck the lanyard into the back of the plastic name badge holder, it resolves the problem.  This Rotarian is going to work on getting a nice sized storage box made up that will hold the new badges neatly, and if we can put some alphabetical identification within the storgae box, so much the better.  Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, so the storage box should be finished by 2015 (just kidding).  Please be patient, and, if you do tuck the lanyard into the back of the plastic sleeve, it will eliminate a lot of the disarray we have again.

     Thanks again to Bill Skelly for creating the new name badges!   

Say WELCOME to Andrew Oswald introduced by Peter Denooy into the club on Aug 5 2008 under the classification: 
Financial Planning.

Andrew is married to Pamela.

Andrew was introduced and welcomed into our family of Rotary by President-Elect Ken Germain.

Please introduce yourself to Andrew at our next meeting.

Welcome Andrew and Pamela!

Say WELCOME to Ken Haverland introduced by Orville Sleen into the club on Aug 5 2008 under the classification: 
Farm Equipment Sales.

Ken is a former long time member of the Rotary Club of Dawson Creek, he is a Past District Governor and served as Governor for District 5360 (before the district split) in 1991-92. He has been a regular visitor to our club for a couple of years and has participated in several club and community projects. Ken is married to Eunice Maris, a member of the Edmonton Glenora Rotary Club.
Ken is a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Benefactor and a Charter Member of the District Paul Harris Society.
We are honoured to have Ken joining our 'Friendly Club'

Ken was introduced and welcomed into our family of Rotary by President-Elect Ken Germain.

Please introduce yourself to Ken at our next meeting.

Welcome Ken and Eunice!

After 34+ years of crunching numbers, Ivan is retiring from Sun Life Financial later this summer.

So I will be leaving Finland on August 9th to New York. All the Rotary exchange students who are going to North America will be staying there for four nights and it's going to be fun! Then on August 12th I'll be arriving to Edmonton. Exciting...

I can't wait to meet you all! See you soon...

Anna 

DIRECT LINK TO ANNA's SITE PAGE

The Edmonton Strathcona Rotary Club has  commenced a new fund raising project called

the Rotary Canada Flag Project.

The purpose of the project is to promote the demonstration of Patriotism for Canada by the subscribers and at the same time raise funds for charitable use and use in the community by The Rotary Club.

The project follows the precedent of similar successful flag projects by Rotary Clubs in the United States.

Under the project, Edmonton Strathcona Rotarians will visit homeowners and occupants of residences, and will obtain "Subscriptions" to the annual flag project.

The Rotary Club will provide "plantings" of a Canada Flag on the front lawn of subscribers three times per year in exchange for the subscription.  The plantings will take place on the three summer holidays weekends (Victoria Day)  (Canada Day) and (Labor Day)   After the holiday is over the Rotary Club will pick up the flag and store it for future use.

The subscription price is $50.00 per year and the subscriber is only required to show the general location of where the flag should be planted.  

Planting takes place by placing a metal stand in the ground on a spike, and is removed after the weekend is over with no damage to the lawn.  Continuing subscriptions will be sought.  Preparation of the flags, poles and spikes will be done  by Club members by way of  work parties.  

First plantings are expected for Labor Day 2008.

FLAG PROJECT SITE PAGE

We are very excited to resume our participation in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, one of the best and most rewarding programs in Rotary.

Anna Piela is arriving on August 12 from Finland.

Anna is sponsored by District 1410 and we are sharing Anna with the Rotary Club of Edmonton South. She will be attending Strathcona High School.

Co-hosting a foreign student is a wonderful opportunity to learn about other cultures by including the student in your family and social activities.

Please contact Don Henry h: 780-444-3746; b: 780-438-4208; e: dhenry@jimplease.com for more information.

DIRECT LINK TO ANNA's SITE PAGE.

At our meeting on July 8, the following received their Multiple Paul Harris recognition:

Augie Annicchiarico,  Jim Ashton, Art Baird, Bob Bentley, Peter Denooy, Ivan Docker, Bruce Flesher, Hans Granholm, Bruce Kemp, Fritz Koenig, Morley MacCalder, Ron McCullough, Gordon Peterson, Bernd Reuscher, Orville Sleen.

Club Treasurer, Peter Stoye reminds us that the 2008-09 dues are due.

Please bring $220, cash or cheque to a luncheon and give it to Peter or mail a cheque to the address below. If you need a receipt, then please ask Peter.

Peter Stoye
10447-27th Ave. NW
Edmonton, AB
T6J 4C6

b: 780-435-8336
h: 780-435-8351
c: 780-504-8336
e: PStoye@MirkaCare.org

ClubRunner has added a new feature for Regular members to check their personal attendance record.

- After login on the club site: http://EdmontonStrathcona.rotary5370.org locate the "My ClubRunner" box in the top left corner of the ADMIN page, TIP: It's the box with a dirty yellow colour.
- Locate the last link: 'My Attendance (NEW)' and click on it. The page will show your attendance and make-up as it is recorded.

We will still, for the time being, post the complete club records in the secure section, but I may faze that out if we determine it is redundant.

Comments are welcome.

Hans Granholm
780-466-5566
hgrdane@telusplanet.net

We had 90+ members, spouses and guests attending our "Rotating Wheel" dinner at the Mayfair on June 25th.
It was a lively affair, but outgoing president Peter handled the rowdies with his usual panache.
The Sergeant-at-Arms du jour, Jarrod Clayton raised a considerable amount amount of money from the unsuspecting.

Click on THIS LINK to open the photo album. Photos by Eric Germain.

The club offers a special thanks to  Rose Marie  for all the arrangements for this and other events and to Debbie Denooy for supporting Peter in this very busy and active Rotary year.

Jin Ashton was named "Rotarian of the Year", a very popular and well deserved recognition of Jim's dedication and involvement in so many areas of club service. (see other STORY)

No Child Should Die Hungry and Alone.

Imagine a modern country where nearly 40 per cent of children under six die of starvation. Severe famine has hit North Korea , and its people are suffering in silence . North Korea's 23 million people need 6 million tones of food to eat well, but they have been able to produce barely half that much. People are chronically malnourished, and many die-especially the children (always the most vulnerable in any society). Without your help-immediately-an entire generation may perish. You can save three children's lives this year for about what you pay for the daily newspaper! Think about that.

I became involved two years ago, when I was invited to lecture on "Nutrition for Health" at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology (YUST) in Yanji, China, near North Korean border. Since 2003, this university has gathered hungry children and housed and fed them-gave them a chance a future, in short. With them, I help procure food in China and made weekly delivers by trucks to those hungry children in Rajin City, North Korea-with no overhead costs!

In another border city, a once-rich potato production area is now completely isolated without food and fuel. YUST received a desperate plea to help some 10,000 starving children, who simply will not survive another harsh cold winter unless without immediate help. You can save these children with a donation of only 30 cents per child per day. That is all it takes. I am thrilled to report that to date, we have managed to raise $8,000 and $30,000 in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Thanks to all of the donnors who helped to make Feed NK Children project possible. Please know that you have been a part of something that is making a direct impact on the lives of the most vulnerable and helpless children in North Korea. Not only are they given food, keep them alive, but many of them are given a chance to recover from almost near-death malnutrition to a normal status for development as long as their bellies are filled with foods.

The Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona has adopted "Feed NK Children" as its international project. Please help by sending your cheques made payable to "Rotary Project of Feed NK Children" to the Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona, 8310 Roper Rd. N.W., Edmonton, AB T6E 6E3. OR  you may send checks endorsing Jeong Sim's NK Children project to, NEAFoundation-Canada (North East Asia Foundation), 67 Scarsdale Rd, North York, Ontario M3B 2R2 (1-647-999-9160).

Canadian Blood Services needs our help at its permanent donor clinic (8249-114 Street)

All eligible donors are encouraged to take an hour or so out of their schedule to save the lives of others.
Not sure if you can donate? Why not make an appointment and find out. Call 1-888-2 DONATE (236-6283

We have set up a volunteer ride system for Leo to enable him to attend our regular Tuesday meetings.

Open this  LINK to the volunteering page. You will be prompted to log in. Simply select the day you want to drive Leo. You will be reminded about your committment at the bottom of the e-Strathconian of your task, or you can always check your Tasks and Registrations from the 'My Committments' link in the My ClubRunner box on the ADMIN page after login.
If you are unable to open the 'Volunteer' page but want to volunteer, contact me any time.

You will also receive a reminder about your committment by email on the preceding Monday.
Leo has a list of the Ride Schedule and will contact you in the event he is unable to go to a particular meeting.
If your plans change, please contact me immediately

In addition to the MAP on "Leo's Buggy Ride" event page, Jim Ashton is passing the following tips on to future 'Riders':

"Just a few notes on Leo's ride.  I hadn't opened up the map, but instead Leo gave me the logistics.

Coming into Beaumont from Edmonton on 50th street, drive through the town to the large church (on the left hand side) at the lights.  Turn left at the lights and drive to the first stop sign.  Turn right at the stop sign and go to 46th avenue.  Turn left at 46th avenue.  Leo's home is the fourth one down on the right hand side - 4213.

 
Leo really enjoys the opportunity to get out and attend the meetings.

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

>>> 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!

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

2009                   Birmingham, England
2010                   Montreal
2011                   New Orleans