September 23 2024 Beacon - Classification Talk & Club Assembly

Members and our guest were welcomed by Co-Presidents Steve and Drina Tallo at the Blue Leaf Restaurant on Peter Street.  A guest was introduced by Bob Wallace, Tracey Schank Sweeny, who has expressed an interest about Rotary.

 

 

Steve advised the positive results of the recently completed Port Hope Fall Fair food booth sales.  He mentioned the assistance provided by the students from Port Hope High School and the Globe School working with the membership was a definite labour asset.

 

The final financial net result was somewhat less than last year’s, ($5,000).

 

The prime factor for the lower result was the “outside food vendors” presence   along the midway just prior to the Club’s location.

 

 

Also in attendance was the club’s Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange student, Lorenzo Fava, from Italy. Since he arrived in Port Hope in August, he has been engaged in numerous activities learning about the community and meeting fellow students.   He also participated in the Club’s activities at the fall fair. “Lots of hills in Port Hope” was his quip.  Another difference that Lorenzo has noticed was the transportation options.  Italy has a lot more train and bus service.  

 

 

Prior to joining the Port Hope Police Service, Mat was with the Peel Police Services where he was employed starting in April 2006.  He worked there for three years.  He relocated to Port Hope with his wife and three children where he currently holds the rank of Sergeant within our police force.  (Promoted in 2015) He has been in Port Hope, a community he loves, since January 2009.

 

Before entering his policing career, he was involved with the Military Reserve unit (the Queen’s Own Rifles) for 3 years, where he met many people and learned real life learning experiences regarding volunteering, politics and dealing with people.

 

He has gone to both University and College, at Dahlhousie, and Sheridan. 

 

 

Mat believes both Rotary and Policing to be a calling and that he is drawn to this line of work/volunteer work.  

 

Mat was asked about the situation in Port Hope with homeless people.  He said that there are homeless people in Port Hope.  Police see more issues in this area as a result of the Metro Reef effect, and that there is nothing to fear it expanding this way.  We have a great community and community partners here.

 

Mat was asked about Cyber bullying, and he said it’s about developing the skills in children early so that they are better able to deal with life’s trials and tribulations. 

 

Mat was asked if there are any difficulties he finds between being an officer who both lives and works in Port Hope.  He said it’s all about how you treat people.  Treating people the way that they want to be treated goes a long way. Everyone deserves respect.  

 

Mat is very much looking forward to keeping Rotary’s long line of traditions and bring his experiences as a Police Officer to help augment the Club.

Matt was thanked by Rotarian Jana for offering to chair the Christmas Market fundraising project. 

 

Co-President Drina also thanked Matt for his talk and his insights about Port Hope and welcomed him to our club.

 

Committee Reports   

 

Past President Susan Rafuse advised that Blake Holton expressed his positive comments with respect to a recent donation from the Club a young man named Nishuta that Blake knows who lives in Kimmirut on Baffin Island in Nunavut.  This Inuit village has about 400 people living there.  Nishuta lost his house and all his possessions in a fire this spring. Our donation helped him immensely.

 

Past President Paul Tate advised of the Rotary District 7070 Foundation Walk on Sunday, October 6 in Newmarket.   Registration and coffee start at 8:30 a.m., and the walk starts at 10:00 a.m.  There are two routes to choose from a 5 km walk or a short walk around the lake.  A BBQ lunch will be served after the walk.

Donations toward the 2024 Walk can be made online at http://www.rotary.org/donate or coordinated through your Club Treasurer. 

 

Mile of Quarters - This is a new challenge and kicks off at the walk and runs until World Polio Day. 

We are collecting quarters to build a mile for Polio. 

 

Bring your quarters to the walk! Collect Quarters and bring them! Collect quarters at Club meetings until October 24!

The results will be announced on World Polio Day, October 24.

 

Ron Tuttle gave a report about recent Service Projects.

 

 

Our club along with the other seven Northumberland Rotary clubs will participate in Northumberland 500 Trees Project along with the town and Trees for Life.  Our club will plant 90 trees in Baulch Road Park in the fall.  We have had great co-operation from Julia Snoek and her staff at Parks Recreation and Culture.  The town staff will select species of trees in consultation with Trees for life, the locations for the trees and will drill holes in the soil to make it easier for planting.  Rotary volunteers will add some fertilized soil and then plant the trees which are in 2-gallon pots of soil.  We should have at least 20 volunteers, Rotarians, family members and friends of Rotary.  Volunteers should bring work gloves, shovels and some extra wheelbarrows.

Planting day will be on Thursday, October 3 starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Baulch Road Park, north of Marsh Road, west of Toronto Road.  Please contact Ron Tuttle at rtuttle1030@gmail.com or (905) 885-4670 to volunteer.  Family members and friends are welcome to help out.

 

 

Our club has been invited to send a representative to a two-hour workshop that the town will hold to develop a community climate action plan.  No date has been set. Ron Tuttle will represent our club.

 

 

 

Our club also donated $1,000 to help sponsor a free Steel Band Concert in Memorial Park which will be held on Saturday, September 28 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. put on by the Northumberland Diverse People Coalition.  The aim of the group is to celebrate diversity through music, fostering unity and cultural appreciation.  Our club logo will be displayed on all of their promotional material.

 

 

Tammie Staples from the Port Hope Police and Jerry Siebarth, Port Hope Transit Coordinator, asked our club for a donation to purchase children’s pajamas for the Tammie’s Jammies campaign to provide needy children with new pajamas for Christmas.  The Trust Funds Committee will consider this request again this year.

 

Margaret Scott, CEO of the Port Hope Public Library, asked if our club could help with ongoing repairs of the little libraries.  The Service Projects Committee decided to fund the cost of materials for the repairs.  A friend of Ron’s, Tom Lowery, a handyman/carpenter, is willing to make the repairs as needed for no cost for his labour.

 

Maureen Holloway, a volunteer at the Community Health Centre on Toronto Road, asked if our club could construct a little library for that location.  Our contact at the Community Health Centre will be Carolyn Rutherford, Community Program Assistant 905-885-92626 Ext. 209, E-mail:  crutherford@porthopechc.ca.  The Service Projects Committee approved up to $200 for the cost of the materials for the little library.  Former Rotarian Bill Lang will build the little library.

 

 

 

Monday, October 7 at the Knights of Columbus Hall – Social: 5:30 p.m.

Speaker: Virginia O’Reilly, Rotary District 7070 Governor

Olga is on door duty.  Kathy will introduce the speaker, and Kevin will thank the speaker.  John Mowat is the scribe.  Jana MacNeil is the scribe, and Ron is the bulletin editor.