Social Event Glo-Ball Golf

When: Tuesday, October 2, 2007
When: 9:00pm - 11:30pm
Where: Wee Links Pitch & Putt (South Bear Creek Park, Just off 68th Avenue)



Hi everyone! Our next Rotaract social night is Tuesday Oct 2nd @ Wee Links Pitch & Putt.

We're going to be doing some glow ball golf!!! Cost is $10 and includes balls and clubs and all the stuff if you need. You must return you glow ball at the end of the game and they will accept CASH ONLY for this event.

Start time is 9pm so it will be nice and dark for us. Feel free to show up a bit early so we can get teams organized.

Anyone is welcome to come and join the club, bring friends or family!

Visit with DG Dave Taylor

On Sept. 28, 2007 several club members had a special Rotaract lunch with District Governor David Taylor and his spouse Elaine who were in Grande Prairie for Fall Assembly. DG Dave was very interested in hearing what could be done at the district level to help Rotaract clubs. He also mentioned that there will be two new Rotaract clubs chartering in the next couple of weeks - one in Lloydminster and the other in Edmonton.


Club members chat with Dave, Elaine and Assistant DG Allan.



After the meeting everyone posed for a quick group shot. Thanks again to Darrell for remembering to bring the camera!

A few club members attended training sessions Friday evening and Saturday morning. Word is all the sessions were very informative and provided many good strategies for member recruitment & retention among other things. President Michelle passed on a "Thank You Rotary!" for hosting these sessions here in Grande Prairie.

Rotary Food Bank Drive

On Sept. 22, 2007 several club members volunteered with the city-wide Rotary Food Drive, collecting food door-to-door for the Salvation Army Food Bank. Luckily Darrell remembered to bring along a camera and we snapped some pics of the action.


Member Darrell Winwood carefully crosses the street with his bootie of food for the Salvation Army


Member Bill Given and a young volunteer from St. Joes High School pack the bootie into Bill's campaign crui... er.. make that PT Cruiser.

September 25th, 2007 Minutes

Once upon a time, William Shakespeare helped create and define irony... enter 2007 and the Grande Prairie Rotaract Club makes its own contribution to the history of irony.
After several meetings with overflowing attendance, a lack of chairs and table space, club has decided to move into the larger meeting space at the Stanford Inn.

Attending: President Michelle Dupont, Vice-President Gabrielle Boulet, Treasurer Kathleen Crouse, Secretary Darrell Winwood, Cedrick LeBlanc and Cheryl Luken (yes a mighty turn out of six members and no guests for our last meeting in the smaller room). Irony - our name is Rotaract....

Agenda
It shall now forever be noted in the annals of Rotaract history that after several meetings of requesting it the Words of Wisdom have returned to the agenda... where are you Jeff.... - approval motion from Gabrielle

Minutes
Corrections needed for last meetings minutes. Where past minutes said club has donated $25,000 to Rotary House, actual amount was $5,000 and club also donated $20,000 to the Community Village project.
Also the date of the Quad-City dinner is Thursday night Sept. 27, not Friday night.
Cedrick motion for approval with changes

1. Signing Authority
It’s done! Michelle, Gabrielle and Kathleen officially have signing authority. Once again lowly secretary is only executive member left out...

2. Summer Market
Michelle express new concerns about viability of club running Summer Market. Getting volunteers out for September events was a challenge, worried about the same problem come summer time with vacations, social events, little project called Duck Race.
Action Item: Michelle to contact Cory to get update on status of proposal to curling club. Proposal to be brought back to club for next meeting and examination, possible vote on whether to proceed.

3. GPRC Presentation
Club set up table at GPRC Wednesday, Sept. 12 to promote itself as part of meet and greet college event. Mediocre response from college students pretending they were too cool to talk to us (except for Cory who stopped to say hi, you’re cool Cory, just as long as keep bringing plenty of guests).
Michelle, however, snags great connection with business department. Michelle will be making Rotaract presentation to Business Admin students Thursday, Sept. 27. So event was worth it just for that. Club gets ideas for how to improve our displays by looking at other community groups presenting there.
Action Item: Michelle will report on speech to Business Admin students at next meeting.

4. Media Survey
Club volunteers worked for Wave Media for two weekends conducting media surveys (which naturally pointed out the superior nature of newspapers, well maybe not, it’s possible club secretary is making that up).
Action Item: Michelle will compile invoice of club’s work and send it to Wave Media, report for next meeting.

5. Rotary Food Drive
Darrell, Bill Given, Michelle and prospective member Miranda LeClercq volunteered Saturday, Sept. 22 to canvas for the Rotary Food Drive. Event went well except for rogue church group that was out the night before.
Action Item: At next President’s meeting Michelle will suggest creating simple laminated ID badges for all volunteers for next year.

6. Fall Assembly - VERY TIMELY READ UP!!!
While some of you may be amazed by the pure blazing speed of the secretary in getting these meetings minutes out... there is an actual reason.
THIS WEEK THURSDAY, SEPT. 27 - SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 is Fall Assembly for our Rotary district. Thursday night - Quad City Dinner with the District Governor from Edmonton. Cost $30 Quality Inn 6 p.m. Friday SPECIAL ROTARACT ONLY LUNCH WITH THE DG - lunch provided by club, our chance to impress the DG, show we actually do stuff, all members encouraged to attend at our normal meeting spot over the lunch hour. Friday night dinner and two sessions (1. Membership training, development and retention. 2. The Rotary Foundation - what it is and does). Club will cover the cost of any member attending Friday night - 5 p.m. dinner at GPRC. Saturday - multiple sessions from 8 a.m. breakfast to 4 p.m. on multiple subjects including Rotary international projects, community work and formal Q&A with the DG. Club will cover the cost of any member attending, but must register at the door also at GPRC.
ANY QUESTIONS CALL OR E-MAIL MICHELLE ASA(FREAKIN’)P!

7. Social Event
Mark those calendars boys and girls because Cheryl is (maybe) planning a party. Next social event is Tuesday, Oct. 2. Investigating glo-ball golfing at the pitch ‘n’ putt Wee Links (where we had the Longest Drive event). Michelle will promote social event to Business Admin students in her speech Thursday.
Action Item: Cheryl to get information out also ASAP.

8. Northern Alberta Job Find
Club offered space for promotion at next job fair at Crystal Gardens, courtesy of Wave Media and Kevin Hilgers. Volunteers needed all day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7. Sign up sheet passed around.
Action Item: Keep it in mind for your schedules people and see if you can spare one hour at some point to do a shift at the event. Sign up sheet will be passed around at future meetings.

9. Duck Race
And so it was one fateful night, the clouds parted, the angels sang and Grande Prairie’s Rotaract Club became officially INCORPORATED. It only took about six months... but yes it’s done, final paperwork still coming, but incorporation is done (thanks Miranda and Glen - you rock).
Action Item: Duck Race committee (or what’s left of it) to meet soon and get ready to plan next year.

10. Round Table
Michelle - Coats for Kids program now underway, if you have warm winter clothing not being used anymore please drop it off at Crouse’s Cleaners beside the Canada Games Arena before Oct. 15.
Cedrick - nothing to share
Gabrielle - Our Vice-President officially has a bunch of letters beside her name as she has passed her exams and is now Gabrielle Boulet CAIB (Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker). Congrats all around, especially to those who remember in another month or two what CAIB stands for... (just joking Gab).
Cheryl - The North Wapiti Skate Club is running a bottle drive. If you can any to spare contact Cheryl.
Darrell - Chamber of Commerce now accepting nominations for Small Business Awards. Businesses can self nominate and don’t have to be Chamber members. Two categories of note for Rotaractors - Best New Business and Young Entrepreneur (owner aged 29 or younger). Contact the Chamber for more info. (Warning flagrant self-promotion alert) Darrell (taking full advantage of no Sergeant in this club) announces launch of his web site www.darrellwinwood.com to promote his freelance writing (think these minutes are funny, wait until I get warmed up).
Kathleen - Suggests any interested club members should show up at the civic election debate next Monday, Oct. 1 at the Douglas J. Cardinal Theatre 7 p.m. Possible gathering after the debate for drinks.

September 11th, 2007 Minutes

Attending: Cedric LeBlanc, Jeff Morgan, VP-Gabrielle Boulet, Pres.-Michelle Dupont, Sec.-Darrell Winwood and Tim “I paid my membership two weeks ago I’m a member” Lau

Guests: The clouds parted, the heavens sang and Cory Tretiak walked in with his poesy of guests - Katherine Halwa, Nicole Misener, Serena Anthony, (it was pretty impressive). Also attending as guests Cheryl Clark, Dave Dunsworth past president Swan City Rotary, Heather Dunsworth, club’s lawyer Miranda LeClercq and presenting guest Kelly Crouse with Rotary House.

Agenda:
Acceptance moved by Cedric - passed

Previous Minutes:
Acceptance moved by Cedric - passed

1. Signing Authority:
Summer made it difficult to co-ordinate schedules, change now happening. President, Vice-President and Treasurer to get signing authority, but not the lowly secretary, he doesn’t count...
Action Item: Executive members to update progress at next meeting

2. Summer Market
Cory continues to work on proposal that will be made to curling club and our club. Cory recently returned to GPRC, we’re cutting him some slack with the start of school (and he gets bonus points for bringing four guests).
Action Item: Cory will continue work and update the club at next meeting

3. GPRC Community Event
Club to set up a table and promote itself at GPRC Wednesday, Sept. 12 as part of an event devoted to community groups so they all compete for attention at the same time with a bunch of students.
Action Item: Will report on how event went at next meeting

4. Media Survey
Seven club members worked last Saturday at Ernies, Co-Op and Timbermart for Wave Media, asking people’s opinions on where they get their news and information
More volunteers sought for same duty Saturday, Sept. 15 for two other locations. Wave Media paying club $15/person/hour for work. Money will go into general revenue.
Action Item: Event report to be given next meeting.

5. Rotary Ball Tournament
Annual slow pitch tournament Sunday, Sept. 16. All members invited to make fools of themselves in front of other Rotary members equally making fools of themselves and then dinner and a certain liquid called al-co-hol to follow.
Action Item: Inventory of pulled muscles and hilarious moments to be shared with club.

6. Quad-City Food Drive
All four clubs helping to run annual Rotary Food Drive, Saturday, Sept. 22. Volunteers can show up at 9 a.m. at the D-Coy Armouries to walk the streets collecting food for the Salvation Army Food Bank. BBQ lunch to follow at noon at Food Bank.
Action Item: Report to made at next meeting on how it went.

7. Fall Assembly
Rotary Fall Assembly taking place party in Grande Prairie this year. Running Friday, Sept. 27-29. Rotaract to get discount price on entry, more information to be shared on sessions at next meeting. District Governor David Taylor will be visiting and there will be a Quad-City dinner with the DG that Friday night. More information to come from Michelle.
Action Item: President Michelle to offer more information at next general meeting.

8. Rotary House
Rotary House is the affordable housing project designed to replace the decrepit Wapiti Dorm. The project was first pitched several years ago and has been tied up chasing grants, different locations and has been caught in the inflation boom.
Will be located behind Aberdeen Centre, not far from existing Dorm. Cost was originally $4.5 million now risen to $12.5 million. Facility will include emergency housing, transitional housing and affordable housing for the disabled on three levels. Will dramatically expand capacity for emergency shelter in this city. Three main Rotary Clubs have contributed $500,000, with Rotaract putting in $5,000 of that.
Project now awaiting word on provincial grant in early October. If news is good, could potentially break ground still this fall, but that’s best case scenario. Rotaract Club could potentially still help in final construction stages (painting, labour, etc.)
Action Item: Club will be updated on project as it moves along.

Meeting Ends

Next general meeting: (same bat-time, same bat-channel) aka. Tues. Sept. 25 - Stanford Inn 7:30 p.m.

September 4th, 2007 Social Event

The social event for this Tuesday was supposed to be a visit to the corn maze just north of the city. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate with Cory's plans and the ground was too wet so the maze was closed.

Luckily Cory had a back up plan! He booked us in for a little mini-golf and was good enough to bring along some watermelon and other snacks. There was a really good turn out with a number of members and guests meeting at Muskoseepi park. Unfortunately the gates to the course were locked even though the "club house" phone message said it would be open.


So, we ate some watermelon....


... did a little dancing....


... and went to the back up, back up plan of playing pool and having a few drinks at Better than Fred's.




All in all, it turned out to be a great night! Many thanks to everyone who came and to Cory for planning everything and "rolling with the punches".