special insert - The Rotary Club of Welland

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IT IT IT IN IN IN
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EVENT EVENT
Published and distributed by
MIke Walsh, publisher and general manager • MAY 2007
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Congratulations Congratulations for all the hard hard work work and dedication dedication of Welland Welland
Rotarians Rotarians for their their incredible incredible community community and international international service service work. work.
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2 ROTARY SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAY 2007
testimonials ALMOST
KELLY MAIDENS
BBA (Hons.), AICB, CFP
Financial Planner, Caisse
Populaire Welland
Member since 2006
Belonging to Rotary has
helped me stay connected
with my community, and our
world. Every week I meet
people helping make all
parts of our region better.
Also world issues are presented
on a monthly basis
to keep us aware of the
world beyond our doorsteps.
You could stay connected by
email, web, 24hr newscast,
but Rotary keeps you connected
while letting you lend
a hand to be part of the
solutions.
This group puts skilled
good hearted people together
allowing us the chance to
truly make a difference in
our world.
CHERYLE SLATTERY
Controller, St. Catharines
Mazda
Rotary District 7090 Rotary
Foundation Scholarship
Committee and RYLA Youth
Services Registrar for
Canada
Member since 1991
The Rotary Club of
Welland is a vibrant and
dynamic part of our community.
Rotary provides
Rotarians the avenues to
make a difference in their
community and globally.
Having been a Rotarian
for 15 years and one of only
two female Rotarians in the
beginning, I am happy to say
women now represent 25
percent of our membership.
There is no greater honour
than to be a part of this
amazing international organization.
1ST
Albert Percival Brown
Founding Member of
the Welland Rotary Club
1920
BETTER
COMMUNITIES
William B. Boyd, of New Zealand, selected
Lead the Way as the theme for his year as president
of Rotary International in 2006-07.
“In the coming Rotary year, I ask all of you to join
me as we Lead the Way to a better Rotary and better
communities,” said Boyd.
The Rotary Club of Welland embraced the theme
by leading the way throughout the past year.
“I am very proud of our club and all that it has
accomplished,” said Angela Carter, president of the
Rotary Club of Welland.
“The list of our achievements is too long to cover
here; however, you will get a good sense of how much
our club contributes to the local and international
communities as you read through this special insert.”
The club was successful in securing a Public
Relations grant from Rotary International to partially
fund this publication. There was fierce competition
with 3,200 applications from 90 countries competing
for a limited number of grants.
One of the other highlights of the year was qualifying
for a Zone award for our work on literacy. Our
club is part of International Zone 22 that includes
Canada, the United States, Russia and France.
Other achievements include establishing the first
Interact Club at Jean Vanier, our club having 10 club
members serving at the District 7090 level, and being
the only club in Rotary Area 7 that is sponsoring and
hosting international youth exchange students. Area 7
includes Rotary clubs in Fort Erie, Port Colborne,
Dunnville, Fonthill and Welland.
“We were also recognized as a Sustaining Club,
with 100 per cent of our members donating at least
$100 US to the Rotary International Foundation,”
said Carter. “This donation, along with the ongoing
donations to the foundation, put the Welland
Club second overall in our district of 75 clubs for
2ND
Douglas M. Brown
Member Since 1965
President - 1973-1974
Recipient of the Paul Harris Award
A.P.Brown
3RD
Alison Brown
Active Member participating in
Youth Exchange Program, Rotary
Medallion Awards, Elimination
Draws, and Slapshot Ryla
ANGELA CARTER
President of the Rotary Club of Welland
the highest per capita donations.
“I invite you to consider joining Rotary and
becoming part of a dynamic group of men and
women, who are committed to leading the way to
make the local community and the world a better
place.”
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007
PRESIDENT Angela Carter
PAST PRESIDENT Roman Groch
PRESIDENT-ELECT Mike Walsh
SECRETARY Joseph Eigner
TREASURER Raymond Tisi, CA
CLUB SERVICE Ted Serafini
COMMUNITY SERVICE Lynda Rainville
Geoff Kirkwood
VOCATIONAL SERVICE
INTERNATIONAL
Andrew Walker
Kelly Maidens
SERVICE
COMMUNICATION
Cheryle Slattery
CO-ORDINATOR Sue Dolan
MEMBER AT LARGE Lyn Russo
4TH
Taylor Chiocchio
Founding Member of
Interact Club & Jean Vanier
High School President
2006-2007
A.P. Brown Jewellers Is Very Proud
To Be A Part Of A Century Of Service
The Tradition Continues...
FOUR
DECADES
OF SERVICE
ABOVE SELF
Joe Eigner, the longest
serving Rotarian in the
Welland club, shares his
Rotary experience:
I initially joined Rotary in
Camrose, Alberta in 1968. I
was a newcomer to the community
and thought this was
the best way to meet the
community leaders.
From the outset, Rotary
made such an impact on me
that I have been a member
of four clubs on two continents,
club president in two
of them, twice served as
assistant governor, and for
the past 12 years have
served as the club secretary
for the Welland club.
My wife, Helen, and I
have attended four international
conventions, hosted
three Rotary exchange students
and several Group
Study Exchange delegates.
We are both Paul Harris
Fellows and I am a Rotary
Foundation benefactor.
In Welland, the TV
Auction, which now spans
four clubs, is clearly our
major fundraising activity. My
involvement over its 17-year
existence has provided me
with immeasurable personal
satisfaction, as the funds
produced have been able to
do so much for those less
fortunate than us, both locally
and internationally.
In my 38 years as a
Rotarian, Rotary and its principles
have truly become a
part of our lives, and Helen
and I look forward to many
more years of Service above
Self.
generation
ALISON BROWN
Graduate Jeweller
3rd Generation Rotarian
82 West Main Street, Welland (905)734-3841 STORESIDE PARKING
62448534

testimonials
ALISON BROWN
Owner
A.P. Brown Jewellers Ltd.
Member since 2004
The Welland Rotary Club
is an honoured tradition of
community service in my
family.
I am the third generation
following in the footsteps of
my grandfather and father.
Now my daughter, Taylor, is
involved with Interact.
PETER MCDOWELL
Vice President, Investment
Advisor, CIBC Wood Gundy
Member since 1974
I have enjoyed the privilege
of membership in the
Rotary Club of Welland since
1974.
During that time the club
has evolved from an organization
of older males into the
current younger, dynamic
group, which embraces
females, and males equally.
Yet throughout, Rotary has
always strived to make a difference
to the people of
Niagara and of the world at
large. And I am better for the
experience.
LYN RUSSO, CFRE
Executive Director, Welland
Hospital Foundation
Member since 2004
I now understand why so
many members remain
involved with Rotary throughout
their lives.
You make good friends
and business contacts, and
have many opportunities to
develop your own leadership
skills, while also helping your
local and the world communities.
111 Division Street
Welland Ontario L3B 5R5
Web: www.damude.on.ca
WORLD’S FIRST SERVICE CLUB
Paul P. Harris established The Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois as
the world’s first service club on Feb. 23, 1905.
Harris was an attorney who wished to recapture in a professional
club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth.
The name Rotary derived from the early practice of rotating meetings
among members’ offices. Rotary is a worldwide organization of business
and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service,
encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build
goodwill and peace in the world.
The first Canadian Rotary club was charted in 1912 in Winnipeg,
MB. The Rotary Club of Welland was established on April 1, 1920.
PAUL P. HARRIS
By 1921, Rotary clubs had been formed on six continents, and the
organization adopted the name Rotary International a year later. Today about 1.2 million Rotarians
belong to some 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
DISTRICT 7090
The Rotary Club of Welland was established
on April 1, 1920.
It is part of District 7090, which includes
southern Ontario, Canada and western New
York, USA. There are 75 clubs, divided into 18
areas and more than 3,150 Rotarians in
District 7090. The club meets Tuesday at noon
at the Venice Restaurant on East Main St.
For more information about becoming a
Rotarian or any of the club’s activities:
E-mail: info@wellandrotary.org
Website: www.wellandrotary.org
Mailing address: Rotary Club of Welland,
P.O. Box 681, Welland, ON L3B 5R4
FOUR AVENUES
OF SERVICE
The Four Avenues of Service are Rotary’s
philosophical cornerstone and the foundation
on which club activity is based:
➢ Club Service focuses on strengthening
fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning
of the club.
➢ Vocational Service encourages
Rotarians to serve others through their vocations
and to practice high ethical standards.
➢ Community Service covers the projects
and activities the club undertakes to improve
life in its community.
➢ International Service encompasses
actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian
reach around the globe and to promote world
understanding and peace.
MAY 2007 SERVICE ABOVE SELF ROTARY 3
Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club. RAISING
Carl Damude Limited
Office Machines • Furniture • Stationary • Computers
Carl Damude
Tel. 905-735-0770
Fax: 905-735-9961
email: sales@damude.on.ca
62448474
Membership
Responsibilities
Like most things in life, what members get
out of Rotary depends largely upon what they
put into it.
One of the strengths of Rotary is the commitment
of its members to one another and
to the club itself.
The Rotary Club of Welland meets at noon
every Tuesday at The Venice Restaurant on
East Main Street.
New members are assigned to one of six
teams, called a POD. This is a good way to
get to know other members quickly and to
share the work involved in organizing the
weekly meetings.
Each POD takes on the responsibility of
running the meetings during their month. This
includes booking the speakers, one person
acting as the emcee, others handling the
cash and taking notes for the newsletter.
By participating in service projects, members
learn about the club’s involvement in
local and international initiatives. Rotarians
are encouraged to volunteer their time and
talents where there is a good fit.
Members are encouraged to attend as
many meetings and activities as possible,
with a goal of at least 80 per cent attendance.
Involvement in committees, on the
board of directors, and at other activities can
be counted toward attendance.
Rotarians who miss a meeting are encouraged
to do a make-up at another club or
online with an e-club. It is even possible, and
can be very interesting, to do a makeup while
traveling for business or pleasure at a Rotary
club in one of more than 200 countries and
geographic areas.
MONEY FOR
COMMUNITY
PROJECTS
Just like all service clubs,
the Rotary Club of Welland
must raise money before it
can provide funding for community
service and international
projects.
Club members are encouraged
to support these activities
by purchasing and selling
tickets, and securing auction
items, as well as donating
their time to help make each
special event successful and
profitable.
TV Auction - December
The Rotary Club of
Welland works with the
Rotary Clubs of Fonthill, Fort
Erie and Port Colborne to coordinate
the annual Rotary TV
Auction on Cogeco Cable 10.
This is the club’s most
successful annual fundraiser
requiring support from all
members to secure donations
of auction items and to
help with the myriad of other
duties required to prepare for
and broadcast this popular
fundraiser, usually held on the
first weekend in December.
Elimination Draw - May
The club hosts an annual
Elimination Draw, which
includes dinner and a chance
to win monetary prizes.
Members are encouraged to
put together a table of family
and friends for this fun event.
Dragon Boat Festival -
June
The Welland Dragon Boat
Festival is organized by nonprofit
partners including:
Venture Niagara Community
Futures Development
Corporation, the Welland-
Pelham Chamber of
Commerce, the United Way of
South Niagara, the Welland
Rotary Club, Welland
Recreational Canal
Corporation, and the Welland
Heritage Council and
Multicultural Centre.
The event includes dragon
boat racing, an arts and
crafts show, and food and fun
for the whole family. The
Rotary club enters a team to
compete in the races, and
runs a beer tent to raise
money to support community
projects.
Welland will play host in
2007 to the World Corporate
Community Dragon Boat
Championships, an event that
is expected to draw 200
teams from around the world.

4 ROTARY SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAY 2007
AWARD FOR
LITERACY
INITIATIVES
A Rotary International
Zone 22 Literacy Award recognizes
the efforts made by
the Welland club to enhance
literacy skills within the community.
Zone 22 includes
Canada, the United States,
Russia and France.
The club has started a
new Literacy Committee led
by Peter Scott, a retired
teacher and new Rotarian.
Scott is also volunteering
his time on the board of
Literacy Link Niagara to
develop a partnership with
the literacy community.
The club recognized
Literacy Month in March with
a speaker from Literacy Link
Niagara, and with members
collecting new and used
books to be donated to a
local school.
The Interact Club at Jean
Vanier collected book donations
and featured a speaker
on literacy and poverty
during the Homelessness
and Awareness Project in
April.
Speakers at the weekly
Rotary meetings are recognized
with a donation to the
Welland Public Library to
purchase children’s books.
Rotarian Fred Farnham
started volunteering time in
a reading program at Empire
School, after hearing speakers
from the school and
United Way talk about the
importance of improving the
literacy skills of the students
at the school.
The club also purchased
a Who is Nobody? kit, a new
project to promote literacy,
social responsibility and the
development of essential
skills for school age children.
62448577
The new Rotary Interact Club at Jean Vanier is energetic, creative
and committed to Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self.
Taylor Chiocchio, a student at Jean Vanier, attended SLAPSHOT, a
Rotary youth leadership program in 2006. She returned from that experience
inspired to start an Interact Club for students at her school.
“After SLAPSHOT, I felt I had received a certain amount of knowledge
and skills, enough that I wanted to put it to good use,” said
Chiocchio.
“I felt an Interact club would be an excellent opportunity to give
back to the community, and work on international projects. I’ve always
had a passion towards important issues, such as poverty, human slavery,
child soldiers, etc., and now I had this wonderful opportunity to do
something about it and help out,” she said.
Chiocchio is the fourth generation in her family to become involved
with Rotary following in the footsteps of her mother, Alison Brown;
grandfather, Doug Brown; and great-grandfather, Albert Percival Brown,
founder of A.P. Brown Jewellers.
Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people ages 14
to 18. The program gives young people an opportunity to
participate in fun, meaningful service projects while developing
leadership skills and meeting new friends.
“These young people have lots of great ideas, and they
have the passion and the energy to make sure they happen,”
said Kelly Maidens, vocational service chair for the Rotary
Club of Welland.
Maidens is building on the work of Andrew Walker,
who spent three years trying to get an Interact Club going
at one of the local high schools.
The 11 members of the Interact Club have been
inspired by the quote from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt
that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
The club has been busy in the first few months since it
was established. Its first activity was a $2 dress down day
with students encouraged to wear red, the colour that represents the
fight against AIDS. This effort raised $500 for AIDS Niagara.
Another $180 was generated through a matchmaking initiative for
Valentine’s Day, called Playing Cupid or Jouons au cupidon. This
money was used for the Homelessness Awareness Project, which included
a rally at the Welland Civic Square along with students from Notre
Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through
their vocations and to practice high ethical standards
BUILDING LEADERSHIP SKILLS
DJB
171 Division Street
P.O. Box 9
Welland, Ontario
L3B 5N9
621448555
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
DURWARD JONES BARKWELL
& COMPANY LLP
Andrew Walker, B.B.A., C.A.
PARTNER
awalker@djb.com
www.djb.com
Dame, Confederation and E.L. Crossley.
About 35 Jean Vanier students spent the night sleeping in cardboard
boxes to develop an understanding of what it might be like to be homeless.
The club also plans to organize a fundraiser to benefit Women’s Place
of South Niagara.
“We have chosen to support Women’s Place of South Niagara,” said
Chiocchio, “because we believe in their strong mission statement:
Women’s Place of South Niagara Inc. strives to empower abused women
and their children by providing safe shelter and intervention services.”
Chiocchio has benefited from her involvement with the Interact
Club. “Personally, I have gained more self-confidence, knowing that I
am contributing something to the community and in people’s lives. I
feel better about myself, and with that, I treat others better, I have more
patience and I try to make the lives of people that I love easier. I have
learnt that you say the most with your actions.
“There’s no better way to say, I care about you, then by giving a hungry
person their first good meal in a few days,” she said.
Back row from left: Kelly Maidens, chair of vocational service,
Eric Labrie, Kamil Oubayan and Daniel Tisi. Front row, Taylor
Chioccio, Interact president, Amanda Fazzalari, Leah Belanger,
Christine Moncrieff and teacher advisor John Rowney. Absent
from photo Stesha Conway, Jillian Garrett, Vince Giannopolous
and Rachel Sellan.TRIBUNE STAFF PHOTO
T 905.735.2140
C 905.401.3104
TF 866.552.0997
F 905.735.4706
Roman A. Groch BA, CFP, CSA
Certified Financial Planner
Dundee Private Investors Inc.
553 Niagara Street, Welland
905-732-7555
E-mail: RGroch@dundeewealth.com • www.dundeewealth.com/~wellandbranch
INVESTMENT, RETIREMENT, ESTATE & TAX PLANNING
62448570

The Rotary Club of Welland's Andrew Walker, vocational service director and president Angela Carter with the Rotary
Pride of Workmanship award winners Karen Bird and Lorry Pringle of Lewis & Krall, Marlene Nenadovich, RDM Financial
Consultants- The Mortgage Centre, Marc Seguin, Santo's Pizzeria and Restaurant, Leona Moore, TD Canada Trust and
Patty Faragalli, Niagara College.TRIBUNE STAFF PHOTO
High ethical standards
Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through
their vocations and to practise high ethical standards. Every member
is encouraged to live by the four-way test.
“I joined Rotary in 2002 believing
it was a service club that provides
benefits to our community through
service and fundraising, but it really
is so much more,” said Andrew
Walker, a partner with Durward
Jones Barkwell LLP.
“After joining the Board of
Directors, I took on the role of
Vocational Service director. Our club membership encompasses
many vocations and we try to use our skills to help our local community
and the world community.
“We are very fortunate to have a broad range of skill sets in our
club and the benefits of this are evident if you listen to the discussions
we have each week about projects that our club and members
are involved in around the world. It is our diversity that gives us
strength and the ability to serve,” said Walker.
Pride of Workmanship Awards
Walker initiated the Pride of Workmanship Awards in 2005.
The program encourages employers, through Rotary, to recognize
employees displaying talent and a positive attitude.
Criteria include job competence, punctuality, consistency of
effort, interest and enthusiasm, initiative to work independently,
the maintenance of a pleasant yet business-like relationship with fellow
employees, and doing the job right the first time.
The awards are presented during October, vocational service
month.
FOUR-WAY TEST
The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has
been translated into more than 100 languages and published
in thousands of ways.
“Of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”
MAY 2007 SERVICE ABOVE SELF ROTARY 5
testimonials
BERNIE H. LAW
Secretary-Treasurer, Gillespie
Pontiac Buick Cadillac Ltd.
Member since 2004
The Welland Rotary has
given me the opportunity to
learn of the many excellent
benefits the Rotary provides
to the world.
I am now personally
involved with a dynamic committee
in our local club, projecting
what the Rotary Club
does for humanity both locally
and internationally. I am learning
new skills from very experienced
members, for which I
hope will benefit Rotary.
JOS NOLLE
Director, International
Education & Development
Division, Niagara College
Rotary International Project
Analyzer, Canadian Rotary
Committee for International
Development and Speaker
Zone 22, 27 and 28 Summit
at the Falls
Member since 1996
Rotarians recognize the
importance of vocational
training for the people in
their community as the
engine of local economic
development.
They assist at home and
in communities around the
world with projects that
emphasize this issue. What
an insight!
OBJECT OF
ROTARY
The Object of Rotary is to
encourage and foster the
ideal of service above self as
a basis of worthy enterprise
and, in particular, to encourage
and foster:
1. The development of
acquaintance as an opportunity
for service;
2. High ethical standards
in business and professions;
the recognition of the worthiness
of all useful occupations;
and the dignity of each
Rotarian’s occupation as an
opportunity to serve society;
3. The application of the
ideal of service in each
Rotarian’s personal, business
and community life;
4. The advancement of
international understanding,
goodwill and peace throughout
a world fellowship of business
and professional
persons united in the ideal of
service.

6 ROTARY SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAY 2007
INVESTING IN
OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITY
Each year the Rotary Club
of Welland supports many
worthwhile community organizations
and special projects
in Welland and some that
benefit the whole Niagara
Region.
The funding for these projects
is generated through
the club’s annual fundraising
program, as well as some
special funding and
bequests.
The club earmarks 70 per
cent of its available money
for grants to local community
service projects.
Requests are submitted
in writing to the Donations
Committee for review and
recommendation to the
Board of Directors for
approval.
Community organizations
requesting funding may be
invited to make a presentation
to the club at one of its
weekly meetings.
Recent grants have been
awarded to:
➢ Annual Earth Day
Celebrations
➢ Big Brothers and Big
Sisters Bowling Tournament
➢ City of Welland - Can I
Play Too? program
➢ Family and Children’s
Services Smiles Camp program
➢ Great Kids of South
Niagara
➢ Help a Child Smile
➢ Niagara Nutrition
Partners
➢ Niagara Peninsula
Children’s Centre
➢ United Way of South
Niagara
➢ Welland Food Drive
➢ Welland Hospital
Foundation
➢ Welland Public Library
➢ YMCA of Niagara
Sandy Graham
Hugh Graham
905-892-8661
www.sandyandhugh.com
The
Mortgage
Centre
Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in it community.
R.D.M. Financial Consultants Ltd.
544 Niagara Street Welland L3C 1LM
Each office is independently owned and operated
Katie Russell’s
RYLA experience
The RYLA student conference was a great experience.
Since I was within the district that combined
schools in Canada and the United States, I
got to meet a diverse group of people within the
Niagara Region, as well as from across the border.
One of the first people I met
was another student from
Welland, Stefanie Dringus. We
met over three years ago in the car
on the way to the conference, and
we still keep in touch almost every
day. Last summer, Stef and I even
traveled to Cape Town, South
Africa, with a student volunteer
program. She is now one of my
best friends.
Everyone at the RYLA confer- KATIE RUSSELL
ence was open and enthusiastic, so
we all got to know each other very quickly. We participated
in several group activities that helped to
refine our communication skills, such as brainstorming
ideas for a project and strategic and ethical
problem solving.
We each had an opportunity to talk in front of
a peer audience for several minutes on a topic of
our own choice, which was a public speaking exercise
called Speak-Ups.
We learned methods in conflict management
by taking written personality tests and examining
different value systems, which helped to develop
respect for one another, as well as to identify and
work through individual differences.
Every day the workshops became more complex,
often building upon the skills we were learning
through each session. The learning
environment was creative and supportive, so as
time passed we became more confident with our
decisions and our actions.
One of my most memorable experiences from
62448624
62448584
YOUR WELLAND LOCATION
AUTHORIZED DEALER
Intec Cellular Inc.
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
871 Niagara St. (M.T. Bellies Plaza)
W E L L A N D
9 0 5 - 7 3 5 - 2 6 0 0
the week long conference was an activity meant to
teach communication skills, as well as to develop
respect and understanding for people with a disability.
I spent an entire afternoon blindfolded. After
attempting to eat lunch, sit
through a classroom lecture, use
the washroom, and play basketball
without being able to see anything,
I had experienced something
I could not possibly learn in
any of my regular courses in
school: to listen more carefully, to
experience daily tasks from a
much different perspective, and to
ask for help when I needed it,
among other things.
RYLA’s youth conference
taught me a lot of things about myself and my
interactions with others. Most importantly, it
influenced many decision-making skills and leadership
skills that I have been able to apply to everyday
situations in my life. It was definitely a positive
experience, and I thank Rotary for this opportunity.
Katie Russell attended RYLA in 2003. She
attended Centennial Secondary School and will
graduate in June from the University of Western
Ontario with a four-year Honours BA in
Kinesiology.
Russell is applying to Africa for an internship to
explore, support and promote women-focused,
private sector development, and work to build
international trade capacity between Canada and
the host country.
Her future plans include attending the
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in
Toronto and pursuing a career in alternative and
complimentary medicine.
LEADERSHIP,
CITIZENSHIP,
GROWTH
“RYLA is a unique entity in
terms of youth leadership programs,”
said Ryan Thompson, a
graduate of Ryerson University,
who lives and works in Toronto.
Rotary Youth Leadership
Awards (RYLA), Rotary’s training
program for young leaders,
emphasizes leadership, citizenship
and personal growth.
“The opportunity to attend
RYLA is awarded, resulting in
an incredibly high caliber group
of individuals to interact with.
The contacts and knowledge I
gained while at RYLA remain
relevant and practical in my life
to this day. As a veteran of
countless student leadership
programs, I can say that RYLA
stands alone,” said Thompson,
who attended RYLA in 2001.
Some of the RYLA participants
from 2006 organized a
ball hockey tournament to raise
money for backpacks filled with
supplies, which they will deliver
to Mozambique, Africa in the
fall. Applications are encouraged
from young professionals,
entrepreneurs and post-secondary
students, who demonstrate
self-awareness, leadership qualities
and concern for others.
RYLA participants equip
themselves for success in their
academic, career and personal
lives by expanding their knowledge
of their leadership potential
and enhancing their skills in
the areas of creative thinking,
communication, problem solving,
conflict resolution, interpersonal
relationships and group
dynamics.
They also gain a greater
understanding of Rotary and
experience first-hand the meaning
of Service Above Self.
For more information, contact
Cheryle Slattery at cslattery.mazda@cogeco.net.
62448584

RYLA:
Rotary Youth
Leadership
Award
➢ Leadership training for
young adults 19 to 25 years
old
➢ One-week residential
program with 40 participants
led by a professional facilitator
➢ Rotary sponsors full
cost of $550 US and provides
transportation
➢ RYLA will be held this
year from June 3 to 9 at
Niagara College Welland
Campus.
CITIZENSHIP
ADVENTURE
Kaitlyn MacFarlane was
one of 220 high school students
from across the country
who took part in a four-day
trip to Ottawa in May 2006,
as part of Rotary’s Adventure
in Citizenship program.
“I learned about government,
other places in Canada
and how other people feel
about topics that are really
important,” said MacFarlane.
The experience featured a
tour of Ottawa, including the
parliament buildings; meetings
with senators, foreign
and Canadian diplomats; and
group brainstorming sessions
and discussions on topical
issues.
On the final day participants
gathered at the
National Library Archives of
Canada to observe as 50
newcomers to the country
became Canadians.
More than 10,000 students
have participated in the
program now in its 56th consecutive
year. The Rotary Club
of Ottawa started Adventure in
Citizenship in1951 to develop
the potential of students from
17 to 19 years old as leaders
in their communities and in
Canadian society.
Designing and Building the Future, Today.
ROY TIMMS, P.Eng. G.S.C.
PRESIDENT
Tel.: (905) 734-4513 • Fax: (905) 734-4220
P.O. Box 488, 34 East Main Street
Welland, Ontario L3B 5R2
62449421 62448561
RECOGNIZING FUTURE LEADERS
Rotarian Vic Kerschl has been organizing the Rotary Medallion Awards program
for more than a decade. The program recognizes two graduating students at
each of the local high schools for their academic excellence, and community service
within the school and in the outside community. The 2006 winners, who are
selected by their peers, exemplify the Rotary motto of Service Above Self. From
left, Kevin Letourneau from Jean Vanier; Rotarians Kerschl and Alison Brown;
Danielle Addario from Confederation; middle row, Stephanie Tisi from Jean
Vanier, Tom Ionson and Sarah Ayton from Centennial; and Pascal Kalumbi from
Confederation; back row, Torri Luchyshyn and Aaron Albano from Eastdale; and
Mike Seliskie and Sarah Beth Hayward from Notre Dame.TRIBUNE STAFF PHOTO
SLAPSHOT is a winner
Rotary District 7090 has a new youth leadership
program that has grown from 78 participants,
when it was launched in 2006, to 107 high
school students from Canada and the U.S. in
2007.
Student Leadership Award Program for
Students High on Training (SLAPSHOT) is
designed for 16 to 18 year-old high school leaders.
Six young people from Welland attended this
popular weekend training session in April with
sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Welland
and Venture Niagara. The sponsorship covered
the registration fee and transportation for the participants.
Participant Lee Atkins says he learned that, “It
is much easier to socialize if you just be yourself.”
It was a busy weekend with exercises, such as
personality tests, assertiveness training, skits on
world issues, and activities including martial arts
and high rope climbing.
SLAPSHOT focuses on interpersonal skill
development, teenage issues and concerns, and
group presentations and Interact connections.
Interact is a Rotary club for high school students.
The program runs from Friday evening to
Sunday at noon at Canterbury Hills, an Anglican
Church retreat centre in Ancaster. It is the brainchild
of Kevin Crouse of the Rotary Club of
Ancaster.
62448551
MAY 2007 SERVICE ABOVE SELF ROTARY 7
testimonials
GERRY BUJOLD
Retired
Member since 1979
I joined rotary in 1979,
had the opportunity to be
president in 1982, have
gone to two international
conventions, Dallas in 1982
and Chicago in 2005. My
biggest enjoyment was building
a wheelchair ramp for a
Wellander, who needed help,
with the help of the Welland
Rotary Club and Hicks
Lumber.
ROMAN A. GROCH
BA, CFP, CSA
Certified Financial Planner,
Dundee Wealth Management
District 7090 Director - Public
Relations
Member since 1998
Giving back to the community
is important to me.
That is why I joined the
Rotary Club of Welland in
1998, for it gives me this
opportunity to give back to
my community.
RON DUMBRELL
Sales Representative, Royal
LePage in Niagara
Member since 2005
I joined Rotary in
Cambridge in 1992 for all
the wrong reasons, i.e. to
obtain leads for my business.
I have stayed in Rotary
for all the right reasons, to
help people in our community,
Canada and through
International projects around
the world. Rotary makes me
feel needed every day of my
life.
The Rotary Club of Welland has donated more than
$105,000 since 1984 to fund equipment and special
projects to enhance patient care at the Niagara
Health System – Welland Hospital Site.
We are both proud to be Rotarians
and are committed to Service Above Self.
Lyn Russo, CFRE Heather Scott-Ventresca, CFRE
Executive Director Fund Development Officer
Call 905-378-4647, ext. 32396 to donate.

62399607
8 ROTARY SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAY 2007
Women at a co-operative in Cebu, Philippines, have 10
new sewing machines on which they have already made more
than 200 each of togas, graduation hoods and caps. The revenue
from the rentals of these items helps them to support
their families.
An autistic school in the same community has new educational
equipment, a playground has been improved and the
Don Bosco Orphanage School has cabinetry tools for trades
training.
A day care centre in Iloilo, Philippines has new educational
materials and a Rotary grant is helping some economically
disadvantaged teenagers in Santo Domingo in the Dominican
Republic.
Some volunteers in Tanzania, who are trained in basic
health care as part of a home-based care team, have bicycles to
carry them on their weekly trek of many kilometres through
the dusty, mountainside paths to reach their patients.
Piotr Sukharevich is able to leave his home in Belarus and
stay with the Graham family, as part of a program to provide a
health respite from the radiation effects of the Chernobyl
nuclear disaster of 1986.
These are some of the recent projects that have received
financial support from the Rotary Club of Welland. The club
earmarks about 30 percent of the money it raises each year for
grants to support projects in developing countries.
“Our club is fortunate to have members who are very
experienced with international work,” said Cheryle Slattery,
director of International Service.
“Doug Johnson and Jos Nolle, in particular, provide guidance
for sustainable projects to fund and give first-hand
reports on how the club’s investment has improved the daily
lives of people in developing countries,” said Slattery.
Johnson has been involved with projects in the
Philippines, Azerbaijan and Nicaragua through his volunteer
efforts for the Canadian Executive Service Organization
(CESO), which provides volunteer advisors to businesses and
communities that are unable to access commercial consultants.
Johnson and his wife, Helen, left their laptops in Baku,
Azerbaijan, to help get a local Rotaract Club started. This
project takes street children and brings them into a foster
home to provide clean clothes, a medical exam, and to educate
and rehabilitate them socially.
The Rotary Club of Welland also provided a grant to the
Baku Rotaract Club to help fund a playground.
International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach
around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.
REACHING AROUND THE WORLD
TO MAKE SMALL CHANGES
Welland City Council...
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF WELLAND.
The City Of Welland Recognizes
& Appreciates The Dedication Of The
Welland Rotary Club and The Contribution
They Make To Our Community.
WELLAND CITY COUNCIL
Rotaract is an international program for adults 18 to 30
years old, who want to make a difference. There are more than
7,300 Rotary club-sponsored Rotaract clubs with some
170,000 members in 150 countries.
Nolle, director of International Education and
Development at Niagara College, introduced the club to the
opportunity to support the Yryapu Indigenous Tourism
Training Centre in Argentina. The centre trains marginalized
communities around Iguaza Falls, providing them with greater
access to employment in the region’s burgeoning tourism
industry.
The training school project was a partnership among
Niagara College, governmental agencies, the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) and various
Rotary clubs.
At a Rotary lunch meeting, Nolle reported that four billion
people in the world each live on $2 a day, with half of
them living on $1 a day.
“Solutions for world understanding and improved quality
of life can occur through the smallest projects and the smallest
of acts,” said Nolle.
The club helped fund the expenses for a first-year medical
student, who volunteered as part of a surgical team, on a twoweek
trip to the Dominican Republic organized by Medical
Ministries International.
Sarah Aldrich received help with her expenses to pursue
volunteer activities with Hands @ Work in Africa, an organization
focused on helping with the AIDS epidemic.
“I knew going to Africa that I wouldn’t be able to change
the world, yet I did hope that I would be able to make some
small change, somewhere,” said Aldrich.
“As I sat on the plane, trying to put together the fragmented
pieces composing my African experience puzzle, I realized
that Africa has made a far greater change in me and given me
far more than I could have possibly left in it. My goals in life
have changed. And so my African journey will continue on,
regardless of whether or not I’m on the African continent.”
The club helped cover the travel and accommodation
expenses of Jackie VanLanVeld to travel to Ukraine.
VanLanVeld is manager of speech and literacy programs at the
Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre.
She was invited to travel to Ukraine as part of a team of
experts to provide consultation and education to local educators
and health officials on the latest concepts and techniques
Peter W. McDowell
Vice President
Investment Advisor
CIBC Wood Gundy is division of
CIBC World Markets Inc.
CIBC World Markets Inc.
1 St. Paul Street
Suite 1003
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7L2
Tel: (905) 988-2960
Fax: (905) 988-2970
Toll Free: 1-800-263-7264
peter.mcdowell@cibc.ca
62448617
Children in Bangladesh enjoy clean and safe
water from a water pump installed through a
Rotary project.PHOTO ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
involving early childhood education and literacy.
Rotary clubs often work together and grants are available
at the district level for international projects. The Welland
club recently supported the Rotary Club of Niagara Falls with
a project for the Healthcare for the Tribal Communities in the
Amazon River Basin. The project provides money for a hospital
boat to deliver medical and dental services to indigenous
tribal villagers who harvest the Brazil nut and live in jungle villages.
In past years many Rotary Clubs in the district financed
the construction of an Eco Lodge in a protected dry, tropical
rain forest managed by a local organization in Ecuador. The
next step was to assist some local micro businesses with a loan
system to allow them to offer catering and cleaning services for
the management of the organization that owns the new visitors’
lodge.
Roy Sheldrick, a Rotarian from Ancaster, has worked tirelessly
to build more than 100 wells for disadvantaged communities
in war torn Haiti. The Welland club has sponsored 10
of those wells.
247 East Main Street, PO Box 67, Welland, Ontario L3B 5N9
Tel. 905.735.5684 Fax 905.735.3340
tbielby@ibwlawyers.com www.lbwlawyers.com 62448566

YOUTH EXCHANGE A
LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE
Young people who are selected to take part in the Rotary
International Youth Exchange program usually describe their year as
a life changing experience.
The program provides students from 15 to 19 years old an
exchange opportunity to spend one year living and studying in a foreign
country. Each year about 7,000 young people take part in the
program, which has been running for more than 30 years.
“Our club got back in
the youth exchange program
in 2004-05 after
being out of it for a few
years,” said Ray Tisi, who
co-ordinates the program
for the Rotary Club of
Welland.
This year the club is
sponsoring two outbound
students, Ray’s daughter,
Stephanie Tisi, who is in
Taiwan, and Meghan
McNaughton in Brazil. The
club is hosting Shoko
Yamamoto from Japan. All
three students will be
returning to their home countries at the end of June.
It takes the whole club to provide a meaningful experience for
the students, who stay with three or four different host families during
their time in Welland. Club members are encouraged to include
their youth exchange student in their regular weekend plans includ-
The Graham family: Sandy, Hugh, Sarah and Jory Graham in
the back row, with Amy Graham and Piotr Sukharevich,
from Belarus, in front.
Above: Stephanie Tisi, right, is shown with one of her
youth exchange host families at Far Glory Ocean Park in
Hualien, Taiwan. Left: Rotarians Bernie Law and Alison
Brown admire the traditional garb of Shoko Yamamoto,
youth exchange student from Japan.
ing dinner, shopping, special trips and other activities.
The successful candidates for the next year are Tory Damude,
who will be going to Japan, and Tyler Zurick, who will head to
Thailand in July. Two inbound students will come to Welland from
Belgium and Brazil.
Piotr is one
of the family
BY HUGH GRAHAM
Piotr Sukharevich is our “summer” son and brother. He comes
from the village of Svaryn in the Brest region of Belarus.
Piotr is one of about 30 children who come to our area through
the Belarus Children of Chernobyl Foundation, a Rotary District
7090 approved project.
The program is designed to offer a health respite from the radiation
effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986.
Our family got involved through our membership in Rotary.
The Rotary Club of Welland sponsors Piotr’s travel to Canada each
year and he becomes a member of our home for the summer weeks.
This year is Piotr’s fifth summer with us. He enjoys typical activities
like swimming lessons at “the pit” in Fonthill, riding his bike
around the neighbourhood, playing soccer with the same group of
kids each year, and sports camps like basketball, soccer, and golf.
Having Piotr stay with us has educated our family to the differences,
and the similarities, with other countries and cultures. Each
year the experience continues to enrich the lives of Piotr and all of
us.
Hugh Graham is a member of the Fonthill Rotary Club and
Assistant District Governor of Rotary District 7090. Sandy Graham
is a member of the Rotary Club of Welland.
MAY 2007 SERVICE ABOVE SELF ROTARY 9
testimonials
ANDY GLAVAC, CFP, EPC
Owner, Glavac Financial
Planning Services
Rotary District 7090 Rotary
Foundation Committee - Area
7 Specialist
Member since 1997
I have been in Rotary since
1997. My best experience was
becoming club president in
1999/2000; I grew as a person,
speaker and leader. That
same year we hosted a Youth
Exchange Student from Brazil.
This experience impacted our
entire family. He is still a part
of our family to this day.
RAY TISI
Owner, Raymond Tisi, CA
Member District 7090 Youth
Exchange Committee
Member since 1997
I greatly enjoy my Rotary
experience because I feel like a
small part of a very dynamic,
benevolent organization that
improves the human condition
locally and around the world in
large ways and in small ways. I
have met many terrific people
who have the same goal from
all corners of the world at the
Rotary International Convention
in San Antonio, as well as locally
at many District and Zone
meetings. I feel like I have
vastly broadened my exposure
and contribution to the world,
and all the while having a lot of
fun doing it.
ROY TIMMS
Owner, Timbro Group of
Companies
Member since 1987
Rotary has offered us
opportunities to participate/
contribute to international projects
for the good of humanity
and make a difference in the
lives of less fortunate people
thousands of miles away from
Welland.

10 ROTARY SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAY 2007
ROTARY AIMS
TO END POLIO
Rotarian Vic Kerschl and
his wife, Farida, travelled to
India in 2005 as part of the
Rotary International
Foundation’s ongoing efforts
through it PolioPlus program
to eradicate polio throughout
the world.
The Kerschls covered their
own travel and accommodation
costs and volunteered
two weeks of their time to
travel throughout India to vaccinate
young children.
“These National
Immunization Days are well
publicized with lots of colourful
banners to attract mothers to
bring their children; it’s almost
festive looking,” said Vic.
Rotary International is the
spearheading member of the
Global Polio Eradication
Initiative and is the largest
private sector donor.
The Rotary International
Foundation has contributed
more than $600 US million to
the polio eradication activities
in 122 countries.
Polio is a highly infectious
disease that primarily affects
children under the age of
three and can cause paralysis
within hours.
Before eradication efforts
began in 1988, polio paralyzed
more than 1,000 children
a day, which totalled
about 350,000 children annually.
The incidence of polio
has since declined by more
than 99 per cent, an all time
low, with only four countries
still with cases of polio:
Nigeria, India, Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
Tens of thousands of
Rotarians have partnered in
the fight against polio with
their national ministries of
health, UNICEF, the World
Health Organization, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and with
health providers at the grassroots
level in thousands of
communities.
Members of the Welland Rotary Club made history at this
year’s meeting. All of the club’s members were recognized
as Sustaining Members of the Rotary Foundation as a result
of their ongoing support for international causes such as
eradicating polio. From left are Hugh Graham, assistant district
governor, Angela Carter from the Welland Rotary Club,
district governor Dick Earne and Andy Glavac, Welland
Rotary district representative.TRIBUNE STAFF PHOTO
Roman Groch, right, uses his multiple donation credits to
the Rotary Foundation to honour family members as Paul
Harris Fellows, his wife Anna Wacyk-Groch in 2005 and
his father Myron, left, in 2006. Also shown is Roman’s
mother, Janina Groch, second from left.
62448416
62448397
Doing good
in the world
The Rotary International Foundation has awarded more than
$1.1 billion US since 1947 in humanitarian and educational grants,
which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.
The foundation’s mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world
understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of
health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty.
It is a not-for-profit corporation that is supported solely by voluntary
donations from Rotarians and friends of the foundation who
share its vision of a better world.
The Rotary Club of Welland is a generous and loyal supporter of
the foundation, achieving Sustaining Club status in 2006, with a gift
of at least $100 US from every member. The club has the second
highest per member giving out of the 75 clubs in its district.
There have been 66 Paul Harris Fellows in the club since it was
established in 1920. Paul Harris Fellowship recognizes donors of an
annual donation of at least $1,000 US. Three members were named
to the new Paul Harris Society for making a commitment to give
$1,000 US every year.
Each year in November, the club hosts a Paul Harris Dinner as a
donor recognition event. Clubs may also use their donation credits to
recognize outstanding non-Rotarians for their community service.
Shirley Perron was recognized in 2006 for her volunteer leadership of
the Welland Food Drive.
The foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International’s
sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary
“to do good in the world.” Klumph started the foundation with a
donation of $26.50 US. Donors contributed $117.9 million in 2004-
05.
The foundation’s grants fund international Rotary club and district
projects to improve the quality of life, providing health care,
clean water, food, education, and other essential needs primarily in
the developing world.
One of the major Humanitarian Programs is PolioPlus, which
seeks to eradicate the poliovirus worldwide.
Through its Ambassadorial Scholarships, the foundation provides
funding for some 1,200 students to study abroad each year. Grants
are also awarded to university teachers to teach in developing countries
and for exchanges of business and professional people.
A.R.(Andy) Glavac, CFP, EPC
Certified Financial Planner
Investment Representative
“Partner In Your Financial Future”
“The Wealth Management Solution”
Manulife Securities
75 Lincoln St., West • Unit 3 • Welland
905-788-1356
VISIT US ONLINE AT : www.glavacfinancial.com
62448595

Sue Dolan, centre, is shown at Omoa, near Peurto Cortez in Honduras, with other members of the 2005 Group Study
Exchange team from Rotary District 7090.
Sue Dolan’s GSE experience
Spring 2005.
The snow was beginning to melt in Niagara, but I was sweltering
in the tropical heat of Latin America’s cities, jungles and villages. Part
of Rotary’s Group Study Exchange experience, my team of healthcare
professionals traveled for a month through Honduras, Belize and
Guatemala.
Our objectives were to experience our professions in a different
context, to enjoy immersion in other cultures, and to build peace and
international friendships through shared experiences with the people
of Latin America.
No part of my trip preplanning prepared me for a month of contrasts:
tin or mud shacks built alongside mansions, public hospitals
whose patient beds were straw mats on the floor, and private clinics
to rival any teaching facility here in Ontario.
One commonality, however, was the enduring, engaging spirit of
AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARS
ENHANCE WORLD UNDERSTANDING
Successful applicants for an
Ambassadorial Scholarship receive a
grant of $23,000 U.S. for one of academic
year of study in another country
to further understanding and friendly
relations among people of different
countries.
This award is intended to help defray
costs associated with round-trip transportation,
tuition, fees, room and board
expenses, and some educational supplies.
Rotarians fund the program through
donations to the Rotary International
Foundation, the world’s largest private
sponsor of university-level, international
scholarships.
Ambassadorial Scholarships is the
oldest and best-known program of the
Rotary Foundation, a tradition of excellence
dating to 1947. The program supports
about 800 students studying
abroad each year.
Rotary has introduced scholars to the
cultures of more than 100 different
countries worldwide and has created a
worldwide network of 37,000 alumni.
While abroad, scholars serve as
ambassadors of goodwill to the people
of the host country and give presenta-
all those we met. The bonds of humanity superseded language and
financial status, and friendships established in rural villages and congested
cities endure still today.
In our shrinking global village, there is nothing that affects one
part of the world that will not eventually affect all of us. Through my
exchange, I was able to bring home a new global understanding of
issues in healthcare. Group Study Exchange allowed another ‘world’
to profoundly affect how I see my own.
Sue Dolan is the Niagara Health System’s Infection Control
Coordinator, responsible for the management, prevention and control
of infectious diseases. She became a Rotarian after her return from
Latin America and immediately volunteered at the district level.
Dolan is secretary of the World Community Service Committee, a
member of the GSE Advisory Committee and on the District Alumni
Committee.
tions about their homelands to Rotary
clubs and other groups.
Upon returning home, scholars share
with Rotarians and others the experiences
that led to greater understanding
of their host countries.
Applicants must have completed two
years of university or college work, or
have a secondary school education and
been employed in a recognized vocation
for at least two years The application
deadline is April 1.
For more information, contact Cheryle
Slattery at cslattery.mazda@cogeco.net.
MAY 2007 SERVICE ABOVE SELF ROTARY 11
testimonials
TIM WRIGHT
Executive Director, Niagara
Peninsula Children’s Centre
Member since 1997
As a member of the
Rotary Club of Welland I find
I can contribute to helping
others in many different
ways. Whether it is Rotary’s
support locally for school
breakfast programs or contributing
funds for the digging
of wells in Haiti and
Guatemala, I can see how
my efforts through Rotary
make a difference for so
many people.
ANGELA CARTER
Dale Carnegie Business
Group, Niagara
President, Angela Carter
Enterprise
President, Rotary Club of
Welland
Member District 7090 Club
Strategic Planning Facilitators
Committee, SLAPSHOT
Facilitator and Volunteer
Member since 2003
Rotary has opened my
eyes to the tremendous
impact that one organization
can have both locally and
around the world. There is
no greater reward in life than
to serve the needs of others.
The Rotary Club has given
me the opportunity to broaden
my scope of giving.
JIM BAGOZZI
Associate Vice President,
Business Solutions Consulting
Member since 1999
As a 25+ year member of
three different Rotary Clubs, I
am constantly amazed at the
tremendous amount of community,
international and
youth services provided
through the financial contributions
and personal effort
of Rotarians - something you
should definitely want to be a
part of.
FRED FARNHAM
Retired
Member since 1997
Member District 7090 RYLA
Committee and SLAPSHOT
Committee
Rotary came to me with a
Paul Harris Fellowship in
1988 and when I retired in
1997, Rotary invited me to
join. The fellowship I have
found across Canada and
England always inspires me.
The #1 motivation in my life!

12 ROTARY SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAY 2007
UNIQUE
CULTURAL
AND
VOCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE
The Group Study
Exchange (GSE) program of
The Rotary Foundation of
Rotary International is
offered as a unique cultural
and vocational experience for
business and professional
men and women in the initial
years of their careers.
Individuals who participate
in GSE seek new perspectives
and vision along
with fresh ideas and firsthand
experience with the culture,
commerce and
governments of countries
around the world.
A GSE Team consists of
four non-Rotarian business
or professional people and a
Rotarian team leader.
To qualify as an ideal GSE
team member you are:
➢ between the ages of
25 and 40;
➢ employed full-time for
a minimum of two years in a
recognized profession;
➢ a citizen of Canada or
the USA;
➢ in good health;
➢ able to express yourself
clearly and logically;
➢ enthusiastic about
your chosen vocation and
exemplary in your work;
➢ open-minded, tolerant,
and flexible;
➢ comfortable as part of
a team with a schedule that
is physically and emotionally
demanding;
➢ be able to travel with
your employer’s consent.
GSE experience in Sweden
By Heather Scott-Ventresca
In the spring of 2006 Niagara was experiencing
an early spring and Sweden a prolonged
winter, the first of many comparisons
that made it feel like I was still in Canada.
The people were friendly, spoke exceptional
English and went out of their way to make
you feel at home in theirs. I could have been
in any Rotarian’s home in Canada (or in the
world as I am learning).
Where things differed the most was in
their tax system. They pay much higher personal
tax based on their income, but everyone
receives the same benefits regardless of
what they pay. All healthcare and university
education are free. Anyone can attend higher
education for free regardless of their status
without overwhelming student loans to
repay upon graduation.
While the government funded all healthcare
and fundraising for hospital equipment
was foreign to the hospital staff, there was
still a number of pieces of equipment that
needed replacing, but there was no funding
available.
Our hospitals rely on community donations
to pay for most equipment.
GSE was a wonderful experience. I was
Laura Dorling used her 2001 Rotary
Ambassadorial Scholarship to help pay for one
of her two year’s of study at a prestigious university
in Mexico.
Her graduate studies helped prepare her for
a career as a senior counsellor in the Canadian
Executive Director’s Office at the Inter-
American Development Bank (IDB), based in
Washington, DC. Dorling grew up in Welland,
where she attended Princess Elizabeth and Ross
elementary schools, and graduated from
Centennial Secondary.
“The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
helped me to not only learn about a different
culture but also opened my eyes to the role I
could play in improving the lives of those in
need,” said Dorling.
Rotarians fund Ambassadorial Scholarships
through donations to the Rotary International
Foundation, the world’s largest private sponsor
of university-level, international scholarships.
Started in 1947 the program supports about
800 students studying abroad each year.
In 2007 successful applicants will receive a
grant of $23,000 US for one year of study in
another country to further understanding and
friendly relations among people of different
countries. The award helps cover costs such as
transportation, tuition fees, room and board
Heather Scott-Ventresca, second from right, is shown with Bibi Ekman, left,
Ulrika Engstrom and Matts Ekman, one of the host families during her 2006
Group Study Exchange in Sweden.
able to share much of my fundraising experience
with many organizations in Sweden
who are just moving into the professional
fundraising arena, where it has not been as
much a necessity as it is in our country.
The most important lesson I learned was
that one doesn’t need to travel thousands of
miles from home to learn what is most valuable.
expenses, and some educational supplies.
Dorling’s role at IDB is to actively support
the poverty reduction mandate of the multilateral
development bank by assisting with the creation
and implementation of its policies and
programming in Latin America and the
Caribbean, amounting to about $6 billion US
of development assistance annually.
She completed a two-year master’s degree in
electronic commerce at the Instituto
Teconologico y de Estudios Superiores de
Monterrey in Guadalajara, Mexico.
“This experience also enabled me to help
others to understand the benefits of exploring
foreign cultures and to making efforts to support
socio-economic development as best we
can. We are fortunate to be from a gifted country
such as Canada.
“As I once read, ‘the world needs more of
Canada’, and I find it very rewarding to proactively
share our fundamental values of cultural
understanding and social inclusion with others
around the world,” she said.
Since Dorling’s role requires regular interaction
and negotiation with 46 other member
countries, she continues to reflect Rotarian ideals
and has further enhanced her role as an ambassador
of global understanding and goodwill.
“I’ll be forever grateful to the Rotary Club of
Heather Scott-Ventresca, CFRE, is the
fund development officer for the Welland
Hospital Foundation, where she raises
money for equipment, renovations and new
construction projects. She joined the Rotary
Club of Welland after her return from
Sweden.
AMBASSADOR OF
GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING AND GOODWILL
Welland for all of the support its members have
extended to local and international community
development. Rotarians play a valuable role in
society by taking concrete measures to bring
people closer together, ultimately fostering
international peace and security.
“It makes me proud to be associated with
the Rotary Club of Welland and I look forward
to continuing to support their efforts to
advance our shared vision for a better world,”
she said.
Rotary has introduced scholars to the cultures
of more than 100 different countries
worldwide and has created a worldwide network
of 37,000 alumni.
While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors
of goodwill to the people of the host country
and give presentations about their homelands to
Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning
home, scholars share with Rotarians and others
the experiences that led to greater understanding
of their host countries.
Applicants must have completed two years
of university or college work, or have a secondary
school education and been employed in a
recognized vocation for at least two years. The
application deadline is April 1 each year.
For more information, contact Cheryle
Slattery at cslattery.mazda@cogeco.net.