to this week's meeting of
The Rotary E-Club of Canada One
For the week beginning September 8, 2025
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Complete the form for a make-up!
Please leave a donation to assist our club to do Rotary's good works!
to this week's meeting of
The Rotary E-Club of Canada One
For the week beginning September 8, 2025
Scroll down to enjoy the content!
Complete the form for a make-up!
The Rotary theme for 2025-26 -
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Greeter this week
Rotarian Neil
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Inspirational moment
… by Lisa Vetitoe, Tennessee, USA
Five months later, when I returned to clean out my unit, I found someone had beaten me to it! The owner had known my things had been stolen, and never reported it to me; instead, he had simply re-rented my unit. I tried in vain for months to find my belongings, posting flyers, searching stores, and even taking the owner of the storage unit to small claims court.
I was devastated to lose my art, especially irreplaceable memorabilia from my school years 25 years earlier, including my "letters" (sports team initials to be sewn onto a sweater or jacket) from junior high basketball in the 1970s.
Four years later, I received a call from a stranger who lived 30 miles away. This woman had been to her local thrift store and found a box containing yearbooks from her son's school. She purchased two, intending to give them to her son.
However, inside she found my name and a class reunion paper with my married name. She couldn't believe someone would just give up these things, and thought that I might want them back. She searched for my phone number and called me immediately.
She graciously agreed to meet me at the thrift store the next morning. I was so impressed by her willingness to go out of her way to meet me on a Saturday morning. She even asked what would be a convenient time to meet!
When I arrived at the store the following morning, an older lady with a sweet smile greeted me as I stepped out of the car. Of course, she had my yearbook. Then we went into the thrift store, and I found the rest of my books, my diploma, letters, and a high school banner. I even found my son's baby picture album with newborn photos and clippings, which I had thought was still safely stored at home.
Not only did this woman refuse a reward, she wouldn't let me repay what she'd spent on the books. The woman at the thrift store was also happy to give me the remainder of the items she'd purchased at a nearby yard sale three months prior.
I still don't know how these items ended up 30 miles north of where they started out, but getting them back was truly unexpected and wonderful. After a bad experience, this one act of kindness helps me to remember that for every bad egg, there are dozens of good ones to counteract their actions. Thank you again, Mrs. Strunk!
Originally published as HeroicStories #780 on Nov 30, 2009
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Canadiana
Scotty Doohan: A Star Trek Icon with Sarnia Roots
To the world, he was “Scotty” — the unflappable engineer of the Starship Enterprise. But to Canadians, James Doohan was one of our own: a war hero, actor, and proud son of Sarnia, Ontario.
Born in Vancouver in 1920, Doohan moved with his family to Sarnia, where he attended Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School (SCI&TS). Little did anyone know that the student walking those halls would one day become a beloved figure in science fiction history.
During the Second World War, Doohan served in the Royal Canadian Artillery and was among the brave Canadians who landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. He was shot six times, with one bullet famously deflected by a cigarette case in his pocket. He also lost a finger — a detail cleverly hidden throughout his acting career.
After the war, Doohan pursued acting, becoming a familiar voice on radio and stage before landing the role that defined his legacy: Montgomery “Scotty” Scott on Star Trek. Though the accent was Scottish, the spirit — calm under pressure, resourceful, loyal — was unmistakably Canadian. He even chose the accent himself, believing a Scottish engineer just made sense.
Beyond the screen, Doohan inspired countless young engineers and space enthusiasts. NASA credited him with encouraging public interest in science and engineering, and he was a regular guest at fan conventions where he often heard from those he had inspired.
James Doohan passed away in 2005, and in a final tribute to his life among the stars, some of his ashes were launched into space. His journey came full circle — a Canadian kid from Sarnia who helped the world dream beyond the stars.
As someone who later taught at SCI&TS, I find it inspiring that this unassuming school helped shape a man whose legacy continues to orbit both our imaginations and the night sky.
References
1. “James Doohan,” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Doohan
2. Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School, Notable Alumni.
3. “List of People from Sarnia,” Wikipedia.
4. “James Doohan,” Simple English Wikipedia.
5. “James Doohan,” Memory Alpha (Star Trek Wiki). https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/James_Doohan
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Comments from our guests and members
Members and guests attending our weekly meetings are very important to us. Based on your comments we are able to produce many more educational, inspiring, and entertaining weekly meetings.
Following are some of the comments we have received. Would you please send us your comments?
July 21. Great info this week from the amazing "Ryan's Well Foundation", the Mondessa Youth facility in Namibia, to the logic of traffic circles. I've driven in Ireland and New Zealand where traffic circles are everywhere and I love them - they're safe, efficient and move 50% more traffic per hour than traditional traffic light intersections.
-- -- Patrick Gibson, E-Club of Canada One, District 5370
July 21. Quite the story on the glacier collapse. I did enjoy the speaker this week regarding the Buffalo Bike.
-- Neil Rogers, E-Club of Canada One, District 5370
July 21 regular meeting. The glacier collapse - like building beside a river or the sea....... you have to be careful choosing a site to build your house near a mountain, at least the damages appeared to be only material.
-- Angel Blanco, E-Club of Canada One District 5370
July 21. What an inspiring meeting! It makes me so proud to be a Rotarian, and a member of RECCO, when I read and hear about the positive, impactful difference we make in the world.
-- Judy Brown, club president – E-Club of Canada One, District 5370
-- -- Patrick Gibson, E-Club of Canada One, District 5370
July 21. Quite the story on the glacier collapse. I did enjoy the speaker this week regarding the Buffalo Bike.
-- Neil Rogers, E-Club of Canada One, District 5370
July 21 regular meeting. The glacier collapse - like building beside a river or the sea....... you have to be careful choosing a site to build your house near a mountain, at least the damages appeared to be only material.
-- Angel Blanco, E-Club of Canada One District 5370
July 21. What an inspiring meeting! It makes me so proud to be a Rotarian, and a member of RECCO, when I read and hear about the positive, impactful difference we make in the world.
-- Judy Brown, club president – E-Club of Canada One, District 5370
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Archived Meetings
- All meetings are archived. Click here to see a list and choose what you wish to view.
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Announcements
Basic education and
literacy
is one of The Rotary Foundation’s seven areas of
focus.
We know that basic education and literacy are essential for
reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic
development, and promoting peace.
Rotary’s commitment to education is long-standing and wide-reaching.
Through scholarships, teacher training, school construction, and innovative literacy programs, Rotarians are making a tangible difference in the lives of millions.
From small book drives in local communities to global grants supporting entire school systems, these efforts reflect our belief that education is a pathway to peace and progress.
This month, let’s celebrate the work being done—and ask ourselves how we, too, can help open a book, a mind, or a door to opportunity.
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Material Suggestions and Greeter Messages Always Needed!
Please feel free to forward an approx. 150 - 200 word message or any material suggestions in an e-mail, or in a Word document, along with a JPeg picture or two, to E-Club Administration Chair, Kitty Bucsko.
We'd love to hear from you!
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A special podcast featuring Associate Profession Leslie Rogers from the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago.
Submitted by proud papa, Rotarian Neil!
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Just so you're aware -
Our Club's Ongoing Projects -
We provide ongoing support for the following projects:
And we're doing great!
Ask for more information if you'd like to be involved!
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Real-time meetings
Each 3rd Thursday of the month is our Fellowship Assembly, and we often invite interesting speakers or Rotary Leaders for this entertaining, educational fun event. Plan to join us.
The time is 9:00 a.m. (Mountain Time) in lieu of the weekly Coffee Chat except for July and August when there are no FA’s. Here is the zoom link:
Everyone is welcome to attend and we encourage your participation.
Please click our Event Calendar for details and access Link.
For further inquiries or suggestions please contact: info@rotaryeclubcanada.ca
All our videos can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
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How do you support our club?
- The Paypal button on our ClubRunner Home Page
- The donation button on the attendance form, or
- Make an Interac transfer to rotaryeclubcanada1@gmail.com
- Send a cheque to:
The Rotary E-Club of Canada One
14008 101 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB
Canada T5N 0K3
(780) 267 4547
Environment
These Canadian Teachers are Inspiring Change
through Sustainability Education
It’s no secret that teachers are the change-makers of tomorrow. Teachers inspire and motivate their students daily. With the right support, students have the opportunity to become stewards of environmental change!
We wanted to highlight inspirational Canadian teachers fostering sustainability in their classrooms and leading their students to take environmental action.
Read the first story below and learn how they became sustainability leaders. Maybe this will spark your own journey.
Meet Jyothy Mathur
Meet Jyothy Mathur
She says, "As adults, we have strongly developed living practices that can be hard to change. As a teacher, I realize that to change the mindset of tomorrow's adults it is important to work with the children of today." This led her to become interested in exploring ways to bring the topic of sustainability into the classroom and having students think of real-world solutions for today's global issues.
“To me, sustainability is an umbrella term that covers and can provide solutions to many pressing issues that the world is facing today.” When discussing sustainability, Jyothy highlights the need to teach students daily about the importance of saving electricity, water, paper and other resources. She says, “In my opinion, teaching about sustainability is the perfect approach to help build the essential skills needed for our students to thrive in the future and respect all of the resources that the world has to offer.”
“To me, sustainability is an umbrella term that covers and can provide solutions to many pressing issues that the world is facing today.” When discussing sustainability, Jyothy highlights the need to teach students daily about the importance of saving electricity, water, paper and other resources. She says, “In my opinion, teaching about sustainability is the perfect approach to help build the essential skills needed for our students to thrive in the future and respect all of the resources that the world has to offer.”
The students planned and hosted a lights out event for their entire school and were able to monitor their school’s energy consumption. Her students successfully hosted the lights out event and taught their school the importance of conserving energy.
Her Grade 4 class also competed in the Re-Energy Challenge and took home 3rd place! Her students had the opportunity to learn more about renewable energy and created a solar oven, solar car, electric vehicles (EVs) and a wind turbine.
Jyothy's love for sustainability has left a lasting impact on her students, school and community!
Humour
The word sumac can mean different things, and not all sumac is created equal!
🌿 So… is sumac a weed?
Sometimes, yes — but not always.
There are two general types of sumac:
1. Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) – This is toxic, causes skin rashes like poison ivy, and is considered a harmful weed. It's found in wet, swampy areas and should never be planted in a garden.
🌿 So… is sumac a weed?
Sometimes, yes — but not always.
There are two general types of sumac:
1. Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) – This is toxic, causes skin rashes like poison ivy, and is considered a harmful weed. It's found in wet, swampy areas and should never be planted in a garden.
2. Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) and other ornamental or edible varieties – These are not weeds, and are often intentionally planted for aesthetic or ecological purposes.
🌺 Why would you plant sumac in a garden?
Here’s why the non-poisonous sumacs (especially staghorn or smooth sumac) are actually quite desirable:
• Striking appearance: They have bold, tropical-looking leaves, bright red seed clusters, and turn fiery red/orange in fall — a real showstopper!
• Pollinator-friendly: Bees and butterflies love the flowers.
• Erosion control: Sumac spreads through underground rhizomes, which helps stabilize soil — great for slopes.
• Low-maintenance: It’s drought-tolerant, tough, and survives in poor soils.
• Edible uses: The fuzzy red cones (called drupes) can be made into a tangy “lemonade” or ground into a spice used in Middle Eastern cooking (especially Rhus coriaria).
• Wildlife support: Birds and small mammals eat the fruit in winter.
🌱 But… a note of caution:
• It spreads aggressively. Staghorn sumac in particular can take over a space unless it’s kept in check. Many gardeners treat it like a "well-behaved weed" — beautiful, but bossy.
• Best for naturalized or large spaces, not small, tightly curated flower beds.
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Sumacs: The Good, the Bad & the Beautiful
Every time I hear Clint Eastwood in the news, it brings to mind his movie, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
What a great movie! If films were made for and by plants, I think Sumacs would have had the leading roles in the slightly different but photosynthetically correct version of a movie called, The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful.
You see, sumacs can be heroes with character flaws, just like Clint Eastwood in the movie.
You see, sumacs can be heroes with character flaws, just like Clint Eastwood in the movie.
Most are good to have along the roadsides where they perform admirably even under extremely tough conditions. The bad sumacs are really bad!!!
Poison ivy and poison sumac are like the bad guy in the movie at his murderous worst. They can torture you for weeks on end after an unfortunate encounter. In the fall, all the sumacs are beautiful, with foliage colors of magnificent maroon to red and oranges and touches of yellow. Even the poisonous species have beautiful fall color.
Just like in the The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, where Clint Eastwood is sometimes despicable and at other times caring, the good sumacs can sometimes be evil.
Just like in the The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, where Clint Eastwood is sometimes despicable and at other times caring, the good sumacs can sometimes be evil.
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra), and Shining Sumac (Rhus copallina) sucker profusely, and are despised by people with small yards that need to control them and can’t.
However, like Eastwood’s good side in the movie, these same species can sooth us as we drive by on the freeway in a race to wherever.
Click here to read and learn more.However, like Eastwood’s good side in the movie, these same species can sooth us as we drive by on the freeway in a race to wherever.
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New members' corner
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End Polio Now
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Rotary minute
The Butterfly Storybook
🦋 Project Overview
The Butterfly StoryBook Contest is an annual story-writing competition open to children ages 7–11 across District 7020, which encompasses the Caribbean region. (Source)
Clubs in the district host local contests and submit up to three winning stories each, with the top ten entries selected to be published in The Butterfly StoryBook. Those ten young authors are also awarded USD $50 each by the E Club as recognition and encouragement for their creative efforts.
📚 Purpose & Impact
The intention of the project is twofold:
• Promoting Basic Education & Literacy by encouraging storytelling skills in young children.
• Empowering children to see themselves as authors and contributors to a wider audience
After publication via Amazon (globally available in English and French, and earlier editions also offered in Spanish and Haitian Creole), the books are shared widely. Partners such as the Jamaica Reading Association have replicated and distributed printed copies to schools and communities in need.
📘 Notable Editions & Stats
• The first editions date back to the 2012-13 (see note), and new volumes have appeared annually.
• By 2023, the E Club celebrated a “Butterfly Double Launch” and published a 10th Anniversary Edition.
🧑🤝🧑 Organization & Committee
The project is organized and published by the Butterfly StoryBook Committee within the Rotary E Club of the Caribbean, District 7020.
💡 Why It Matters
This initiative neatly embodies Rotary’s Basic Education & Literacy focus:
• It nurtures young writers, fostering confidence and literacy skills.
• It connects Rotary clubs across the district, reinforcing local collaboration.
• It creates storytelling tools that are accessible to children throughout the Caribbean and beyond, often in multiple languages.
• It channels book proceeds back into Rotary’s humanitarian programs.
The Butterfly StoryBook Contest is an annual story-writing competition open to children ages 7–11 across District 7020, which encompasses the Caribbean region. (Source)
Clubs in the district host local contests and submit up to three winning stories each, with the top ten entries selected to be published in The Butterfly StoryBook. Those ten young authors are also awarded USD $50 each by the E Club as recognition and encouragement for their creative efforts.
📚 Purpose & Impact
The intention of the project is twofold:
• Promoting Basic Education & Literacy by encouraging storytelling skills in young children.
• Empowering children to see themselves as authors and contributors to a wider audience
After publication via Amazon (globally available in English and French, and earlier editions also offered in Spanish and Haitian Creole), the books are shared widely. Partners such as the Jamaica Reading Association have replicated and distributed printed copies to schools and communities in need.
📘 Notable Editions & Stats
• The first editions date back to the 2012-13 (see note), and new volumes have appeared annually.
• By 2023, the E Club celebrated a “Butterfly Double Launch” and published a 10th Anniversary Edition.
🧑🤝🧑 Organization & Committee
The project is organized and published by the Butterfly StoryBook Committee within the Rotary E Club of the Caribbean, District 7020.
💡 Why It Matters
This initiative neatly embodies Rotary’s Basic Education & Literacy focus:
• It nurtures young writers, fostering confidence and literacy skills.
• It connects Rotary clubs across the district, reinforcing local collaboration.
• It creates storytelling tools that are accessible to children throughout the Caribbean and beyond, often in multiple languages.
• It channels book proceeds back into Rotary’s humanitarian programs.
Note from Rotarian Kitty: I was provisional and then charter president of E-Club of the Caribbean, 7020 in 2012-13, and we were officially chartered as a club on August 12, 2013. Our first Butterfly Storybook was a huge success in the spring of 2013 - before we were an official Rotary club!
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Life
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Food for thought
Rotary Jukebox
For a small donation, your favorite musician will be featured on one of our next e-meetings for everyone to enjoy.
Every week we'll have a draw and the lucky person will see their song featured!
The Four-way Test
To close the meeting, Rotarian Angel recites the Four-Way Test of the things that Rotarians think, say, or do.
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We thank you very much!
Program Donations
Our E-Club is a dynamic club comprised of ordinary working and retired people who acknowledge that Rotarians are people who are generous with their time and their resources.
Our club and the program you have just enjoyed, either as a member or a visitor, is funded only by donations.
We are developing ideas for fundraising with our members who are scattered across Canada, USA, Central America, and Europe, but we do need your help.
As you have not had to buy lunch or travel to attend this program, please make a donation of a minimum of $10.00, considering you're saving in time and cost in appreciation for the experience you have enjoyed.
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