The Rotary Club of
Vancouver Sunrise
 
Chartered 1987
 Vancouver Sunrise Bulletin for March 2023
Stories
Another Successful RYLA South
 
The RYLA South (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) program returned in full force for close to 100 participants over the holiday weekend March 29 - April 1, 2024 at Camp Elphinstone on the Sunshine Coast.  The program provides indoor and outdoor interactive workshops, team­-building exercises, professional speakers, hands-on service projects and other fun activities for young people ages 16-18 - check it out here. 
 
This year our club sponsored 8 high school students (4 Strathcona Interactors and 4 King George Interactors) who attended RYLA South this year and we look forward to hearing from some of them at a future meeting.
 
Special thanks to the hard work and commitment of our very own James Fox, District 5040 RYLA Chair, and Monica Lopez and Lucas Setek, RYLA South Co-Directors, who lead this great program and to members Andrew, Cam, and Steve for providing transportation for the kids to and from the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.
A 101 Marketing Formula to Serve Others
 
On March 29th, Kaustav Ghosh joined us to share his personal and professional experiences in Rotary and creating impactful branding and marketing campaigns. 
 
Kaustav is a creative and passionate business consultant and former District Rotaract Representative in India who recently moved to Vancouver.  He spoke to us about two campaigns that he and his wife, Laxmi Sorte, created to assist over 800 small businesses in India that were struggling during the pandemic.  
 
We are also delighted to report that Kaustav will be officially joining our club as a new member in April - which is the best gift of all by allowing us to share in his upcoming Canadian marketing and travel adventures!
 
To learn more about Kaustav and his marketing mastery, check out his website and this video about The Honda Great Indian Travel experience:
High Finance Planning
 
Cheers and thank you to our high-powered Finance Committee members who met recently to balance our books.  
 
The venue was the Terminal City Club, and it was reported that the Happy Hour timing was entirely coincidental. 
Serving On An Unforgettable Ride
 
We celebrated International Women's Day at our Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise with a special presentation by club member Abigail Turner about her recent motorcycle ride across four Rotary Districts in India. The Ride for Rotary is a Rotary Foundation fundraising event where participants experience Indian heritage, culture and hospitality along with an exchange of Rotary fellowship.
 
We could almost feel the warm wind at our backs as Abigail shared pictures and stories of this incredible and sometimes harrowing experience - watch out for those trucks and cows!
Confronting a Hornet's Nest
 
Paul van Westendorp, BC's Provincial Apiarist, and member of the Rotary Club of Tsawwassen, joined us on March 15th, to tell us about recent efforts to address local outbreaks of the Northern Giant Hornet in BC and Washington State.  Previously known as the Giant Asian Hornet, (whose scientific name is Vespa Mandarinia), its presence here was first reported by a vigilant beekeeper in Nanaimo.  
 
This non-native species seems to have hitched a ride on a container ship from Korea or Japan, and scientists on both sides of the border have been working to locate and destroy the nests of these fierce predators of honeybees and their food sources.  Hopefully, 2023 will "bee" the last year that Paul and his colleagues will need to surveil and patrol for these critters!  
The Magnificence of Millet
 
2023 is the UN Year of Millets, in recognition of the critical role that this humble plant plays as a climate-resilient and highly nutritious food crop for global communities.
 
Members of our club recently enjoyed an exhibit about millet, entitled "Seeds of Our Ancestors" by Former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and friend of our club, Saori Ogura. Saori is an artist and Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC.  The exhibit closed on March 31, however, you can experience her art and research anytime here: https://saoriogura.info/seeds-of-our-ancestorsstories-of-millet-from-japan-himalaya-and-zimbabwe/
Supporting Kindergarten Students
 
Our youngest Rotarians, members of the Strathcona Elementary EarlyAct Club were inspired by their youth mentors at the Strathcona Interact Club to partner with ToysRUs in gathering donated toys, wrapping them and delivering them to kids in five different Kindergarten classrooms and a local Parents Support Group.
 
Pictured above are some of the lucky recipients - and please note that only those with school photo permission waivers are in the shot ;D 
Mea Cuppa
One of our members, Ron Suzuki, received this thank-you gift for his recent presentation to the Richmond Rotary Club.
 
It also serves as a useful reminder of our club's Values Statement and the standards that we each aspire to fulfil at work and in life as Rotarians.
Social Media
Our Facebook Page
Our Instagram
Our YouTube Channel
Please add mailservice@clubrunner.ca to your safe sender list or address book.
To view our privacy policy, click here.
 
ClubRunner
102-2060 Winston Park Drive, Oakville, ON, L6H 5R7