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, including club mail address, 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.

Jun 21; Anita & Ken Jocksch, Anniversary
Jun 22; Vera & Vance Horn, Anniversary
Jun 25; Dennis Freeman, Birthday
Jun 26; Mirka & Peter Stoye, Anniversary (BIG One Oh)
Jun 26; Deborah & Terry Sveinson, Anniversary

It is with great sadness we announce that Martha Dobbin, wife of Ron Dobbin, passed away peacefully at the Grey Nun's Hospital early this Saturday morning after a courageous battle with cancer.

You will be notified of any service arrangements as soon as possible.

     Jim was a solid choice to chair a panel to present on this pressing issue.  In Jim's twenty-seven years with Syncrude, ten years were spent as President, and eighteen as Chief Operating Officer.  Joining Jim on this panel are a mixture of industry heavyweights (9), Federal and Provincial government representatives (5), and academia (2), for a total of sixteen members.  Over the past year, the panel met monthly, four and one-half hour sessions at a go.  The council's framework was to "make recommendations to facilitate the immediate implementation and long-term success of CCS in Alberta".  Due to the massive amount of information coming forward, three sub-committees were set up to report to the panel - those being Technology and Infrastructure, Policy and Regulatory,and Business Case/Fiscal. 

     The processes involved in CCS are the capture and compression of CO2 gases into a liquid state, piping of the product to storage, and storage of same in sealed underground vaults (for lack of a better word).  This process allows for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), utilizing the captured product as a media to force out future reserves.  Three areas have been determined to have the best topography and proximity to producing wells are Swan Hills, the Pembina area north of Red Deer, and Taber.  

     With oil production projected to grow three-fold by 2020, and a government mandate to deliver 139 metric tonnes (MT) of reductions by the year 2050, closing the cost gap on making CCS economically feasible may well be the biggest challenge.  With a projected cost of $125 per MT of CO2 captured, the path of least resistance would be to simply pay the $35 per MT in penalties imposed, and move on.  However, this is an issue that must be resolved, thus the provincial government's contribution of $2B to the three to five companies that are selected to participate in CCS.  And, as the technology costs are reduced over the years, and the cost of carbon rising (hypothetically), it should become feasible from a financial perspective.  Not to mention the world-wide demand for a cleaner ecology.

     The bottom line is that the Alberta government has jumped in feet first to tackle this issue, and it's objective is to become a world leader in CCS technology.  With the monies and resources being put behind CCS, and the expertise of people like Jim Carter and his panel to work with industry to propose systems and processes, it appears that successful implementation of CCS is well on the way!

     Our thanks to Jim Carter for taking a very complex topic, and breaking it down to a simpler form that is fairly easily absorbed.  Well done!

     After being retired the third time, Roberta, not comfortable in retirement, found the ideal job - one for which she would have gladly have been a volunteer worker, let alone one with remuneration.  That job is being a Seniors Outreach Worker, employed by the Millwoods Seniors Association, a non-profit organization.  And not only does she enjoy working with seniors, but finds the cultural mix of clients in the Mill Woods area an interesting challenge.  Working with seniors of various cultures gives Roberta great insight into their lifestyles and beliefs.

     The scope of Roberta's position is to identify at-risk-seniors in conjunction with other community organizations, conduct a needs assessment, plan and organize outreach activities, and follow-up to ensure the programs are working.  Providing emotional support is but just one facet of the position.  One aspect of the position is being able to refer clients to various agencies, such as mental health, or AADAC.

     Roberta related her first house call during her presentation.  The client, a compulsive hoarder, could hardly get the door open to let Roberta in for her call.  The amount of space taken up in her housing unit due to her addiction was such that she only had about one-quarter of the bed to sleep on.  The remaining area had piles of material on it!  As Roberta stated, this is one individual who will get help with her issues.

     While the presentation was a short one, it again drew to our attention just how many various agencies are out and about, from the Federal Government level right through to the municipal/community level.  While we realize there is a shortage of people in positions such as Roberta's, it also makes you recognize the work that IS being done at all these levels.  To the individuals who can draw on these services, good on them!

     Thank you Roberta, for an interesting perspective on the duties and responsibilities of an Outreach Worker.

This is our principal social event of the year and a must for all members, new and seasoned.

President Ted will tell us what the club has accomplished this past year and Ken Germain will indicate our direction for next year.

Please OPEN THIS LINK where you can register online (or decline). Then pay Rose Marie Basaraba, before June 27. This process will greatly assist the organizers.
You can contact Rose Marie for more details at:  rmcon@telus.net or (780) 435-5224 
Tickets are $60 each.

Psst! -- Ask Peter Denooy about his Flap {:-)

LINK TO THE EDMONTON JOURNAL STORY

I guess Peter could not find a willing cat to pose with him in the picture, hence the poor toy imitation.
Rumor on the street has it that this veterinarian does nasty things to you -- like cuts and snips.

Following a successful launch in the Fall of 2008, the Canada Flag Project

kicks into gear in April 2009.  One hundred and fifty new flags have been

purchased and will be available for our members to obtain subscriptions

The project showed a profit for its first year, and the first years flags are fully paid for.  The flags subscribed by the public in 2008 are committed for planting on the three holiday weekends in 2009.  The new flags will produce new revenue when subscribed in 2009.  In future years the flags will produce far greater net proceeds as the costs will have been covered in the first year of subscription.

The flags are readily accepted by the public.  Once the flags were planted in our neighborhoods last fall several of our members were approached by other neighbors requesting flags for their yards too.  Unfortunately we were "sold out".

On that basis it is expected that sales of subscriptions for 2009 will be easier now that some of the residents of neighborhoods have seen the flags flying.

It does stir the heart and the innate patriotism that Canadians have, and many want to show their love of Canada.

All members of the club can help in this program.  Work parties are going to be put together to ready the flagpoles and assemble the flags for planting.  What an excellent way for a group of Strathcona Rotarians to get together to socialize and assist the Club Flag Program with a little bit of work together for a couple of hours.

The poles need to be painted and the knobs have to be attached;  the flags need to be attached to the poles;  the stands need to be painted.  Each of these jobs is not difficult and is an opportunity to talk with your fellow member while the work is accomplished.

We are not totally pioneering here.  We are following the lead of a successful program in Texas that has run several years, with ever increasing numbers of flags being subscribed each year.   Bruce Flesher brought this concept back from Texas.  While Bruce was entertaining a Rotary guest from Texas who is involved with the program there, the guest explained their flag program to Bruce and to Hal Quilliam.   Bruce and Hal decided to approach the Strathcona Board for approval to commence the Canada Flag Program here, and it took off from there.

Bill Skelly has been very instrumental in flag subscriptions in his home district. He is of the mind that he will sell at least as many subscriptions in 2009 as he did in 2008 now that his neighbors have seen the product.   The writer of this article shares his view and expects that second years sales will be easier than the first year in his district.   Sign up for some flags and meet your neighbors in your own district!

The flags are subscribed for $50.00 annually.  A Rotarian will plant the flag in a subscriber's front yard three times during the summer season.  They will be planted just before the Victoria Day weekend commencement, before the July 1 Canada Day weekend commencement and just before the commencement of the Labor Day long weekend near the beginning of September.  After the holiday weekends are over, a Rotarian will retrieve the flags and store them until the next planting date.

Planting and retrieving is easy and quick.  The flags and mounting spikes are easily transported in a family car.  The optimum result can be obtained by selling subscriptions in your own neighborhood, as it allows for easy planting and retrieval.

In the second year of a subscription, the householder is going to be provided with a charitable donation receipt for $40.00 of his $50.00 second year subscription fee.

The charitable donation receipt will be issued by the Rotary District 5370 Foundation, and after collection of our proceeds the funds will be directed to the District Foundation.  Funds held by the District 5370 Foundation can then be disbursed to Charitable Organizations at the Strathcona Clubs direction. Offering the  charitable donation receipt will reduce the cost of the subscribers participation by 50% ( assuming he has other charitable donations in the amount of $200 annually already).  That is a likely scenario in today's world.

We need each of our Club members to join in the program,  take some flags and introduce them to your neighbors.  Clearly the easy way to do that is to have a flag flying in your own yard, and thereby show your "patriotism and love of Canada"

When your neighbors see yours, they will want one in their yard too.

One member related the story of how he had a flag in his yard and approached a neighbor for a subscription for his yard.  Initially he said " no thanks".  The next day he came to the Rotarian who had offered one and said he had changed his mind and wanted a flag for his yard.  At that time our Rotary member uprooted the flag in  his own yard and planted it in his neighbor's yard, and went and got another one for his own yard. 

A common question from our members is why we don't do a flag planting on November 11 (Remembrance Day) Sometimes the weather on Remembrance Day is not conducive to flag planting or any other outdoor activity in Edmonton. Sometimes there is snow on the ground, and the ground could be partly frozen.

While Remembrance Day would be an excellent time to show our Patriotism, we have decided that a planting that day would likely only present problems for our program, and it is better to moving forward, rather than face the possibility of having to retreat from a commitment.  We have therefore chosen the three summer long weekends for our Canada Flag plantings.

Any questions please speak to Bruce Flesher, Hal Quilliam or Bill Skelly.

Please join the program with the minimum of a flag for your own yard.

This article submitted by Hal Quilliam

Sometime in June 2009, Jarrod Clayton is moving his office into Harald Kuckertz's building in the Old Strathcona area.

This will effectively take him out of the 'Hugh Buggy Ride' pool where he and a number of other Strathconians have provide a ride for Hugh for several years now.

It would be nice if we could line up alternate drivers to take Hugh to our weekly meetings.

Hugh lives at: #220, 17203 99 Ave NW and his telephone number is: 780-487-9447

Initially I would suggest you contact me and let me try and arrange a schedule.

Cheers!

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

I am very pleased to accept Peter Denooy's move to assume the bulletin Editor responsibilities from July 2009.
New ideas and a fresh approach is always a good thing and I urge you to welcome Peter in that position by providing news and stories to him.
Peter has also indicated he wants to get more involved with the club website. He has already demonstrated a keen interest by providing the 'ClubRunner Minute' at our meetings.

In todays world, electronic and internet communication is vital. Our club has done very well with the powerful tools (ClubRunner) we have at our disposal, and we have received several awards over the years recognizing our effort.

If I am permitted, I will certainly always be available for help and consultations in any aspect of electronic communications.

I remain in my position as District 5370 Electronic Communications Chair and I have been asked by RIVP Monty Audenart to take on the role as Zone website coordinator which I have accepted.
A substantial effort is required to accommodate the zone realignment taking effect July 1 2009.

Cheers!

Hans Granholm
780-466-5566
hgrdane@telusplanet.net
Skype or ooVoo IM name: greightdane

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 arrived 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.

Anna is currently hosted by Mirka and Peter Stoye. Please include Anna in your plans.

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.

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

>>> 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