Chair and Welcome: Alana Hirtle
O Canada: KRNFX f Maiko Watson
Personal Reflection
Guest Speaker: Andrew MacDonald – Portapique Build-Up +
Andrew showed his slide deck about the Portapique Build-Up project. He said it is evolving on a daily basis. It was almost a year ago the Rotary Cares committee was formed with a focus on a project for the Portapique community. The goal is to build a positive, forward-looking sense of community in Portapique through revitalizing the Riverside Community Hall. Its scope has organically grown as they keep saying “yes” to people! Andrew, who is a resident of Portapique, thanked his fellow committee members.
He showed a video of MLA Karen Casey’s last talk in the NS House of Assembly April 16 2021. It was actually a good summary of the project. She talked about the history over the past year, and mentioned the partnerships involved and she promoted the We Rise Again Fund. She commended the committee for the bold initiative.
The timeline goes from initial goal setting last April and May, to one on one consultations with residents in June and July, a community BBQ in August and a fund raising kick off in October. In-kind donations started to roll in in the fall and “Get Stuff Done” days helped get the hall upgrades started and planning for the outdoor. Neighbours John and Nancy Hudson have sold them an acre of land. There are plans to move the hall further back onto the property. They are now at the Outdoor Build Up + phase, with the construction of the playground underway. It is hoped that the hall expansion plans will be completed this fall with close in by November. Then work can be done inside throughout the winter. Rural Roots Engineering and Design is the company hired for this part of the project.
Activities planned or underway:
Upgrade existing hall
Purchase 1 acre lot
Outdoor natural playground with amphitheatre – clearing brush, installation
Foundation with adjacent sports court
Relocate hall to new position
Septic field
Timberhart exposed beam renovation – exposing 200 yr old beams, hand made with axes
Rigply pavilion
Lifting up the main hall 8feet and then a 1700 sq ft building expansion
Commercial kitchen
Washrooms and amenities
Consulting and taxes
The projected cost is $722, 000. It is estimated there will be $218,000 worth of in kind donations, and therefore $504,000 to be raised through grant applications and donations from communities, Rotary Clubs and individuals. Alana and Andrew will give virtual presentations to community groups. If you have a connection to any other Rotary Club you could promote this as a program/speaker idea. It is hoped that there will be donations from Rotary Clubs in every province. The province has donated $150,000 and Colchester County $70,000. The Community Foundation of NS has been great to work with – and are helping with being the host of the We Rise Again Fund.
Partners so far who will provide programs at the hall include the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning (creative program access for rural youth, planning 4 x 1week long childrens program) , the NS Remembers Legacy Society (run memorial, grief and trauma counselling), Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the Fundy Shore Community Health Board (will use hall) and the Fundy GeoPark (rock gardens, information board). The second story loft planned in the expansion will be a good place for such programs, as well as a place for comfortable reading, wifi access etc.
Examples of in-kind donations – 10 pallets of sod, donation of lumber for 2 playhouses, decorative trees, geotextile material to go under wood chips, boulders, chipping service to chip up brush, offers to “move anything”, use of power saws, dump trailer, skidder etc. Charitable receipts can be provided for in-kind donations. The “Get Stuff Done” days are on hold due to COVID restrictions.
Individual community members can donate through the We Rise Again Fund and will receive charitable donation receipts.
There has been another program which raised money to support victims and victims’ families. This project however is for the local neighbours whose life has been upended and the community stigmatized. It is helping in a positive way, trying to rebuild those left behind. It is going to be a hub for people along the shore from 5 islands to Masstown.
Laurie congratulated Andrew and everyone involved in this amazing project. We are all just in awe of what has been accomplished and planned so far.
President’s Report: President Jane also expressed thanks. We all want to trust our neighbours. It is wonderful to see a project which will strengthen our community and which reflects the spirit of this province -- leadership, strength and resilience. She will email you about the Rotary masks. You will be able to pay with etransfer.
Committee Reports
Rotaract Dal AC: Audrie Jo noted that Rotaract is not meeting over the summer so she has encouraged members to join in to our meetings. She introduced Rafael who is a PhD student from Ghana studying Plant Science.
Yearbook: Lech says the final proof is due anyday now. It will be easy to close off invoices once it is out in the stands
Speaker Coordinator: Kevin is assigning people to function as chairs. You will get an email from him.
Rotary Foundation: Rod reminded committee members that there is a meeting Tuesday evening
Town: Mike announced that the town is installing a brick foundation at the Rotary musical instrument installation
Membership Committee: if you know someone who is interested in joining Rotary, you can refer them to Lech or Brian or Sharon or Matt B. The nomination form is on the website. They will line up a fireside chat and formalize it more from there. Alana noted that our club will have a net loss this year so membership will be a focus. The RI goal is to go from 1.2 million to 1.3 million members.
District Conference: Tom attended the District Conference on Saturday. There were 175 participants. The President Elect for RI, Shekhar Mehta, from India, will focus on grow more, do more. The theme for the upcoming year is “Serve to Change Lives”. There will be an effort to integrate the Interact and Rotaract clubs more. Mr Mehta is recovering from COVID himself and has a son ill in hospital. This reminded us of the terrible situation in India right now.
Happy Mug
Lech: Fundy Scoops is open
Ed: liked the guest speaker
Andrew: baby Rose is sleeping through the night, so feeling more himself
Reminder: there is no meeting next Monday May 24th, Victoria Day.
Meeting adjourned at 1:11 pm. 30 participants.
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