Posted on Oct 01, 2022
Wasn’t that a party?  It was great to get back together again in person. We did have some concern about Covid levels being high, but they came down to moderate for the Conference, according to the health unit. 
 
Lise Dutrisac did a superb job as our Conference Chair and emcee in English et en français. Merci Lise. Thank you to Steve Vickers for manning the registration desk throughout the conference – great dedication. Thank you, Andre Rochon and Luc Chalifoux for doing a wonderful job on our sound and light system and especially for being the DJ for our Saturday Night Fever of the 60’s and 70’s music. 
People really got into their costumes to re-live those years. I didn’t recognize many people in their long hair, bandanas, tie-dye shirts, glitzy shirts, and bell bottom pants and fringes.  The dance floor was alive and crowded.  Thank you, Sudbury Past President Joanne Bowers for our district logo: that tied in with Jennifer Jones’ colours for green for the environment, the dove and white background for peace and purple for the women’s suffragette movement. Thank you also Joanne for your great social program that unfortunately was shortened due to compacting our program to make the conference more economical and less time away from work.  But we did have home hosting, photo booth at the “Groovy Baby” Gala and tattoos. Thank you PDG Bill Hagborg for all your work promoting the conference on our website and helping organize people at the tables. Thank you, Wayne Dennis and Andrea Hudson, for your financial help and getting cheques to our speakers.  Thank you, Len Lifchus, for your help in getting the Holiday Inn on board and thank you Jim Pitt for being so accommodating at the Holiday Inn.  It was truly a team to put on this conference.
 
Saturday morning started with our Sudbury lawyer Zach Courtemanche doing the Land Acknowledgement in English et Français. He was also was our stand-up comic. Our five Youth Exchange Students and Rotex student carried in their flags. The AGs did roll-call for their clubs and Rotaractors. Thank you, Barrie Rotaract club, for attending. It was great to have you.  Thank you, AG Peter Edmunds, for getting the show going and introducing me.
 
RI Representative Mary Lou Harrison went over Jennifer Jones’ “Imagine Rotary” themes of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Empowering Women and Girls from Past RI President Shekhar Mehta’s year and being a Welcoming Club that “Cares and Comforts” its members with engagement, and making an Impact, reaching out in your communities.
 
Thank you, Bill Querney and Vicki Jacobs, for selecting our program speakers and Bill for doing the Introductions. Lise patronized Bill’s store saying that it delivers everywhere, including North Bay, throughout the day. Thank you, Joanne and John Hammill, for your great write-ups in our media that attracted 22 public people to hear Kim Phuc.
 
Kim Phuc Phan Thi is known around the world as “The Girl in the Picture.” In 1972, at the age of 9, she was immortalized in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph that shows her screaming and running naked down a road in Trang Bang, Vietnam, after having her clothing burned off by napalm. A living symbol of the atrocity of war,” (from Sun Media – John Hammill – Pres. Orillia Club) She gave a very emotional story. She told of how she wanted to become a doctor to help others as she had been helped by the medical profession with over 16 operations, then escaped from Cuba to freedom in Canada.  She told the story of millions of people whose lives have been destroyed by war around our globe.  She also told of who she became a Christian, and learned to Love, Hope and Forgive. As a board member of the Voice of Women for Peace in Canada, she stressed the need to dialogue rather than kill innocent civilians.
 
In the afternoon, Professor David Pearson spoke of how Climate Change is changing our Canadian Arctic.  He began with Sudbury being created by a meteor and detecting “shatter cones” that have also been found on our moon. He talked of the importance of Partnering with Indigenous people for Climate Change Adaptation (PICCA).
 
Adam Shoalts talked about his various solo journeys across our Arctic and Labrador.
 
Professor John Gunn corrected myths that the astronauts came to Sudbury to study its geology and “shatter cones” prior to going to the moon. He spoke of Sudbury being a success story of recovering a destroyed environment to now a green environment and how the lakes are recovering from their acid rain times. He spoke of how bacteria are now able to use sulphur as an energy source.
 
Juanita Hodgson did a fun presentation to encourage us to register for next year’s conference at JW Marriott Rousseau Resort 27-29th October 2023, Registration – Rotary District 7010 Conference 2023 – October 27-29  She and Jody Patfield raised money for Rotary Foundation at the 60’s party.
 
Sunday morning, thank you; President Ian Lane, PP Shannon Kenrick Rochon and Sandi Campbell for their “regular Sunrise Rotary meeting with guest and new member Matt Bonin. He gave an inspirational talk based on attempting to swim around Manitoulin Island this summer. He stressed that we need a “why” to do something and then  “believe in it”.  Next, “get moving” and despite the obstacles, “keep moving”. 
 
Larry Kenemore, Rotarian from Arkansas spoke about a new Rotary program to address the opiate crisis in North America.  Here in Sudbury, we have over 200 crosses downtown marking the overdose deaths. The new program is called SMART, funded by Rotary through RAG Addiction Prevention. It is to combat the silo mentality of programs that address a single issue of the problem. SMART starts in the Schools, education students with a 20-minute age specific program through grades 1 to 12. Medication Disposal that is done in the home conveniently with a bottle that is mailed back. Awareness through the press and social media is important to get our brand out there that we are working on this program. Recovery is lifelong  Treatment with suboxone on a long term basis rather than replacing one addiction with another, methadone, addiction.  Clubs can contact RAG AP or Larry@ragapnorthamerica.us if they would like to get a SMART program going in their community to address the drug addiction crisis.
 
Eliott Demelier, another possible new Rotary member spoke about the importance of using social media, and Facebook in particular with regular updates about your club.
 
Bryn Styles, Past Everything in Rotary, spoke about Peace Building Clubs, District, and the importance that Peace Centres in the world do to train alumni to create peace. Contact Arlette Utton, our Peace Chair at arlette@arlingtoncommercial.ca to be a speaker at your club.
 
Brenda Booth sent a video on our Family of Rotary – a Celebration of Life. She has ended her term and we now need someone to replace her. Please contact Phyllis of membership at phyllis@winnington-ingram.com or Susan Davidson at susandavidson77@gmail.com.
 
Wayne Dennis wrapped up the Kids Against Hunger with great interviews by President Grace Doiron of North Bay and Stephen Wilkinson of Barrie Huronia.
 
Wayne Harding and Greg Cholewinsky had the Youth Exchange students do their Skit of a day in the life of a YEX. Here they present Wayne with flowers as a token of their appreciation.
 
Rachel Harrison spoke of the importance of Rotaractors to our organization and how to work with them.
 
Juanita Hodgson gave us a prep talk on going to RI Melbourne. I believe that about 24 people have registered. The Haliburton club is organizing a post tour of New Zealand afterwards. Contact them for more information.