Welcome
Meeting Notes
REGULAR MEETING: May 12, 2025
Meeting Chair: Dan Cole
Our meeting opened with a welcome to the members present and our guests:
- Jan Nestler, RYE – Happy Birthday!
- Christina Rehman, prospective member
- Vicki Cole and Marnie Roberts, Rotary spouses
We continued with the singing of O Canada and the Rotary Grace, followed by a break for lunch and visiting. It is our RYE student Jan’s 16th birthday today! We sang Happy Birthday and Jan distributed cupcakes that Vicki Cole had brought for the occasion. They were delicious! Thanks Vicki!
The meeting re-convened at 12:15 with the Treaty 6 recognition and a welcome to the members joining by Zoom.
Announcements/Updates:
- Canada Flags will be delivered on Wednesday, May 14 and collected again on Wednesday, May 21. Please consider gifting a subscription to family, friends, neighbours. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please consider doing so now. Jenn Stone is organizing delivery/pickup teams. Please let her know if you can help: jstonecamroserotary@gmail.com
- Potential change in meeting location – A survey was sent out by email last week. Please submit your response to let the Board know how you feel about this change by Friday.
- Rotary Camrose hosted a Free Family Swim at the Ramada hotel last Sunday – We had 25 people registered to swim and a few other people that we could not accommodate. Huge thanks to the Ramada hotel for giving us the use of their pool and family room at no charge.
- The Magic of Rotary fundraiser is coming up on Saturday, June 14 at the Bailey Theatre. This is an evening of magic and illusion. There will be a Free afternoon matinee for families as well as an evening ticketed event. Please plan to attend and bring friends! Watch your email for more information and how to get tickets.
- Rotary Youth Exchange update from Jan
- New host family – Lou and Morris Henderson
- RYPEN Camp with other inbounds plus 42 students
- Great weather and great time
- Personal development and leadership
- Went canoeing and played games
- Time to talk and connect with others
Presentation: Panel of Not-for-Profit Organizations
Each of the 4 organizations invited had 5 minutes to update us on their current projects and needs. Chris Rebus moderated the presentations.
- Panelists:
- Rees and Trish James – BGC Camrose
- BGC – rebranded, more inclusive
- Founded in 1989
- Provide a safe and supportive place for youth to overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life
- Staff and volunteers
- Charitable non-profit, relies on grants, fundraisers, donations and sponsorships
- BGC 125 years
- 600 locations nationwide
- Provides local clubs with resources and support
- 2024 – 380 children and youth, 110 volunteers, 12 staff, 8351 meals and snacks
- After-school program, youth mentor, youth volunteers, summer adventure program
- Additional programs
- Opportunity changes everything
- Survey through BGC – learning and Impact Project
- To plan for the future
- Increased each year in survey results
- Demand grows, programs have a wait list, and more complex needs
- Increase in children and youth served - 380 in 2024
- Rees and Trish James – BGC Camrose
- Ross Regan – Camrose Pregnancy Care Centre
- Chair of the steering committee
- Affiliated with Pregnancy Care Canada (?), operating since 1997
- Wanted to open a drop-in centre in Camrose for women experiencing an unintended pregnancy
- Support with needs
- Don’t advise people what to do, offer a shoulder to lean on and fact-based information for them to decide for themselves
- May 9 – 300 people came out for an event, more than expected
- Tofield to Bashaw, Wetaskiwin to Killam
- Businesses, churches
- Community survey last year
- Very confidential services/centre
- Pregnancy Care Canada – training for volunteers
- Board of 4 and the steering committee of 5
- Looking for funding - $70K before they attempt to open the centre
- Women only working in the centre, the board is a mix of men and women
- Jennifer Edmonds Interim director – Habitat for Humanity Camrose
- Started in Camrose in 1996
- Built first home in 1997
- Completed 48
- Helped 61 families in Camrose
- Starting more in the fall
- Currently have 6 empty homes
- Applications came in and now only 3 homes left
- Family definitions have changed
- Agreement with CMHC ends in 2026
- Working with other groups – homeless and houseless issues, to try and help
- Excited about houses 49 and 50 this year, fundraising for that
- Trying to get an AED in their store
- Working on solar panels
- Appreciate help from the community
- Jennifer took over in April as interim Executive Director
- Come visit the store. There are lots of changes.
- Nora-Lee Rear & Lynn Horsman – Camrose Women’s Shelter
- Has been part of the community since 1985
- Approximately 450 women and children come through the doors yearly
- Different backgrounds
- Emergency accommodations, outreach to Camrose and rural area, child care, and volunteer support
- Plans for the future: opening a thrift store, 4912 50 street, recruit as many volunteers as possible to help
- Donations of clothing and small household items appreciated
- Government funding is stagnant at times
- Desire to open second-stage housing – individual apartments where families can live up to one year, with support
- Family story highlighted the positive impact of family style building
Questions:
- BGC - Typical role of the volunteer in the organization – many different types
- Where is BGC now? In the recreation centre in 2nd floor, meeting rooms 1, 2 and 3 – running out of space
- Is there a way to collaborate? Need money and land
- Ross: How do you keep it neutral? A Christian-based organization believe women can make their own decisions with their bodies. Supports the decision either way. They aren’t judging the people that they work with.
- Do they present all the options? 30 years ago, they said no. How do people know all of the options? Do you provide post-counselling (for all options)? They provide information on all 3 options. They don’t tell them where to go for other options.
Happy Bucks –
- Not time, save for next week
Next meeting: next Tuesday, May 20 at Days Inn at 6:00 pm, Zoom starts at 6:45
Merle Taylor and the Hendersons will be speaking about Project Amigo. We will also make a Paul Harris presentation and hear about our Lemonade Day sponsorship.
Meeting Closed with the 4-Way Test.
Sincere thanks to Shirley Bergsma for looking after registrations, Dan Cole for chairing this meeting, Lou Henderson for looking after Zoom and Alexis Anderson for taking notes at the meeting.
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