As one of Rotary’s Avenues of Service, Vocational Service serves others when we use our own, unique skills to address community needs and connect our professions and professional networks with our club activities.

 

Vocational Service helps and empowers others to discover new vocational opportunities and interests through training and skill development. It inspires others to act with integrity in our professional as well as personal lives by following Rotary’s guiding principles such as our shared core values (Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity, Leadership), the Four-Way Test, and the Rotary Code of Conduct, in our worldwide network.

 

Speaking of Vocational Service, please check out the story in the News section below about the our partnership with Kenya Connect in sending eight BC teachers to Kenya in March 2019! So far our clubs have donated half of the funding needed to support this mission, but we need to reach our goal of USD$19,000 required by The Rotary Foundation for a grant.

 

There is a shining example of Vocational Service in our District: in providing to new immigrants free eye screening clinics since 2001 and eyeglass clinics for the homeless throughout the year, Rotary International recognized Ophthalmologist Dr. David Neima, of the Rotary Club of New Westminster, two years ago with its Vocational Service Leadership Award. There are many more of us in the District who could be recognized for outstanding Vocational Service.

 

A fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and, in some instances, enhance your Rotary experience in Vocational Service is through Rotary Fellowships, international groups sharing common passions. The 70 Rotary Fellowships formed and active at the moment, among Rotarians, family members, program participants and alumni, focus on areas such as chess, music, magicians and railroads, but also on others including corporate social responsibility, editors and publishers, health professionals and total quality management. You can start your own Fellowship.

 

Then there are Rotarian Action Groups, which are international groups of Rotarians, family members, program participants, and alumni who are experts in a particular field or passionate about topics such as promoting peace, preventing domestic violence and slavery, fighting disease or providing support to prevent addiction, blindness, diabetes, hearing, hepatitis, malaria and alzheimer's/dementia among others, and supporting education, literacy, microfinance and growing local economies and more.

The Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs) collaborate with clubs and districts on service projects by offering their technical expertise or helping them find partners, funding, and other resources. RAGs can also help clubs prepare grant applications, conduct community assessments, raise funds, and establish monitoring and evaluation plans.

 

How do you find out more about these subjects? The first place to start is at www.rotary.org

 

Many of you have heard me say at my club visits that the uniqueness and the success of Rotary is the Rotarians and the Rotary Clubs. I firmly believe it is through our vocational service that our uniqueness shines for all the world to see. It is one way that we can truly Be the Inspiration to so many.

 

 

We are now half way through our Rotary Year so perhaps it is time for us to look at our goals, check our progress, and make plans for the rest of the year.

 

Succession planning is also a good tool to ensure a strong and vibrant future and your District has been busy doing just that.
Again, Congratulations to Lorne Calder of the Prince George Rotary Club, our District Governor for 2021-2022.

 

Congratulation as well to incoming Assistant Governors who will take office July 1st, 2019. Cariboo Area – Sandra Lewis Rotary Club of Quesnel, Northshore/Bowen Island Area - Ardath Paxton Mann Rotary Club of West Vancouver Sunrise and for the Burnaby/New Westminster Area - Frank Peabody Rotary Club of Burnaby Deer lake.

 

 

November 27th was the day to visit the largest of our clubs in District 5040. It is also the oldest and one of the first outside of the USA and currently holding the title of Club of the Year. Drum roll please ........The Rotary Club of Vancouver.

President Brian Street has been leading the club with allot of Inspiration this year. Including a new Fundraiser which was held at the Seaforth Armoury. Very cool venue!

 

November 28th assistant Governor John Bathurst and I joined another one of our active clubs full of People of Action, getting things done. Vancouver Fraserview. They had just finished a very successful Gala raising money for their continued efforts to make a difference here and abroad. Currently working on a playground at Queen Victoria Annex as well as active with their Interact Club at John Oliver Secondary School. One of their current International projects is supporting the District wide Vocational Training Team of teachers going to Kenya.

 

If your club hasn't joined this effort yet, please consider it and contact me!

 

You can certainly tell when a club is engaged in their community when new members want to join. Again, I was honored to Induct two new members-John and Tina. Welcome to the Rotary Family and the Vancouver Fraserview Rotary Club!
Always fun to attend your Assistant Governor's home club. November 29th Assistant Governor Nancy, Doug and I attended the monthly social night of the New Westminster Rotary Club together with their partners and friends.

 

November 30th and it's time for Assistant Governor Nancy and I to join the Burnaby Rotary Club for lunch at the Fortius Sport and health complex. The meeting room is bright with natural light and of course warm with fellowship. President Sammy Li is one of our younger Presidents and this club is continuing the trend with President Elect Samantha. Another lunch club who is using a monthly evening meeting to focus on introducing Rotary to others. Showing how they too can be People of Action! This club is very busy with their own local projects and multi club ones too. As well, the club is active with Interact, RYLA, bursaries, youth words programs and after school programs. Thank you all for your Service Above Self!

 

Highlight of this visit? Presenting long time Rotarian Dr Jim Grant with his Honorary Membership to the club. And I mean long time, as Jim has been a Rotarian for almost all of my life!! Congratulations Jim!

 

 

It is very nice to see the community recognize their local club. This club received the Platinum Award from the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce for the best Non Profit. Congratulations!

 

Another one of our established clubs at 91 years young. Led this year by President John, the New Westminster Club are strong supporters of International projects, Rotary World Helps, Polio, Interact, Rotaract, RYLA, Adventure programs, and also working together with the other clubs in the area on many projects including two new ones in honor of a beloved member who passed away PDG Irwin Stewart. A play area at the Quay and a hearing center in Uganda. What a wonderful way to remember an amazing Rotarian.

 

 

This rounded off the month of November and although Doug and I didn’t have any official club visits in December we took advantage of invitations to some special social events. We are sorry that we couldn’t attend more functions but 24 hours in a day is sometimes just not enough.

 

 

Starting the month off with bringing District congratulations to the Richmond Sunset Club and City of Richmond at the opening of the 18th Annual Winter Wonderland. This event transforms the Richmond City Hall into a forest of beautifully decorated Christmas Trees. Weekly events are planned and opened to the public to enable everyone to “get into the spirit of the Season”

Next up was a drive to Diefenbaker Park and joining in the fun with the Tsawwassen Club as they treated the community to hot chocolate, carol singing, horse wagon rides, roasting marshmallows over an open fire and Santa who greeted the children in his special igloo. Topping off the afternoon with Santa using his magic to light the trees throughout the park.

On our way back to the ferry we popped into help the North Vancouver Rotary Club with their gingerbread man cookie decorating at the Shipyards Christmas market. Only we were too late. It was such a successful event that all of the gingerbread men had found homes already.

 

We sometimes wonder how the Youth Exchange program touches lives. Well, one of our students from a few years back made a point of bringing his parents and two aunts for a visit back to the Sunshine Coast from Pueblo, Mexico. Noe invited all the club members, his host parents and anyone who helped him have such an awesome year, for a Mexican fiesta. They rented a house in Sechelt and treated about 20 of us to wonderful food and the opportunity to meet his family, and they-us. He is in his first year of university and has a dream to do his masters here on the westcoast. He has grown into a fine young man who is ever so grateful for the experience YEX has given him.

 

Our own club Christmas party December 7th was awesome as Doug and I were able to connect with members we hadn’t seen for awhile due to our schedule. Of course, the hit of the party, besides Tanya loosing 5 gifts during the Greedy Santa game, was our newest member in training - Darragh Dhillon. 7 weeks old and a regular at the club meetings and socials already.

 

December 8th I attended the West Vancouver Sunrise Senior’s lunch with Santa. This has been a very long running annual event that everyone I spoke to loves. And who wouldn’t? A lovely lunch of turkey with all the fixin’s and a chat with Santa who made his rounds to each and every table, singing Christmas carols and receiving a bag of goodies to take home. What a great event!

 

I enjoyed coffee with the Lulu Island EClub on the 12th. Everyone is very busy but not too busy to lend a hand wherever it may be needed in the community. That is this club’s mandate and all it takes is an email with a time and date to get helping hands out for a cause.

 

 

Many of you will have been the recipients of our District Conference Promotional event “Dialing with Darcy” and you will have received a message from me or spoke with one of the Team members. Hopefully you will have already made the decision to join us in Sun Peaks May 4,5,6th, 2019 for the District Conference. Keep checking the conference website for updates on the program. We are planning on having an awesome event celebrating how Together We Service and through our Actions and projects we are creating a more Peaceful World.

 

 

We have now started a new calendar year and Doug and I wish each and every one of you a wonderful year ahead. A year of your hearts overflowing with the knowledge that what you do, as a Rotarian, matters, and it truly does make a difference.

I believe our mission statement says it all:

 

 

Thank you for Being the Inspiration!

 

Darcy and Doug