President Elect (PE) Al Hoeft greeted all who gathered for Regina Eastview's May 4, 2023 ZOOM meeting, which brought together 25 persons. PE Al extended a special welcome to our Guest Speaker, Judith Silverthorne, and our visiting Rotarians from Nigeria, Calgary, Alberta and Neepawa, Manitoba - an international gathering for sure. Our Land Acknowledgement was expressed, Words of Wisdom shared, Birthday Celebrants identified and congratulated and, the Sergeant's report presented and accepted.
PE Al introduced our Guest Speaker Judith Silverthorne who some will remember spoke to the Club on November 24, 2022 at the Delta. Judith is a multiple-award winning author and a television documentary producer. She is the former Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild and was the Writer-in- Residence for the Regina Public Library in 2018-2019. She travels all over the world on book tours and to produce television documentaries. Her newest project about Bison and Buffalo of the World, recently took her to India and Africa last March, where she was introduced to different cultures, including the People of the Maasai Mara in Kenya. It is specifically about this interesting community and culture which was the focus of today's presentation.
Last November Judith told us about the two kinds of bison in North America – the plains bison and wood bison. Wood bison are generally the larger of the two and have a larger, squarer hump. With this trip to India and Africa, Judith was able to explore and compare these American Bison with those in Asia and Africa. The wild water buffalo and the wild buffalo, is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List since 1986, The African Cape buffalo is the most common of the four distinct subspecies of the African buffalo. They're distinguished by coloring, size, and even horn shape.
It was in Kenya that Judith and her photographer were introduced to the Maasai culture, a semi nomadic people, who are protectors of the environment. There are some 50 Maasai tribes in Kenya, they speak their own dialect, Swahili and English and are a "warrior" people, as are the Cape Buffalo. While large animals these buffalo can achieve astonishing speed and can, from a standing position reach speeds of 50 km per hour in mere seconds.
Back to the Maasai - they raise cattle and are involved in tourism and are a gracious modest people. They live in sod huts in circular villages with the cattle seemingly penned in the centre of the circle. Cattle are important to the Maasai not as meat but for the mike produced and as a resource with which to barter. Cattle are important when seeking a bride. Building and maintaining the sod homes is the responsibility of the women while the men are the "warriors" and protectors of home and possessions. Men are seemingly very athletic and are great "lateral jumpers", where bending the knees does not seem to be part of gaining lateral heights - obvious basketball talent (my impression) The Maasai life style is challenging as life expectancy is 42 for men and only a few more years for women.
It was interesting to note in recent times education has become a focus for some tribes as they respond to changes in their environment. For Judith Silverthorne, what started out to be exploring the world of the Buffalo, has come to a cross road with learning more about the Maasai people and their culture. Sounds like another chapter for this adventurous lady.
Thank you, Judith Silverthorne, for taking us along on this African jaunt.
Guest Speaker Judith Silverthorne in the Company of 2 Kenyan Maasai Gentlemen
Regina Eastview's Commitment to Literacy
Tania Woroby is our Club’s connection with the Amarok Society, one of our International Service Projects, which functions in some of the major slums in Bangladesh. In a letter Tania received last week from Amarok Society’s, Barbara Melara, in which she wrote, “It is a pleasure to send Sathie’s (our Club’s supported Mother/Teacher) letter on to you! She happily tells you about her life and how it has changed because of her education. As a result she is able to teach children and she is able to work towards real change in her life and community. She does this through her work as a Micro School teacher and she is involved in other community works. She is now able to understand and discuss ideas and concepts she couldn’t have before, and make changes.
Thank you for your support of Sathie and Amarok Society.”
Sathi Akter & Daughter
A copy of Sathie’s letter will be sent Regina Eastview members under separate cover (watch for it).
Take a bow, Regina Eastview!
Regina Eastview's Signature Community Service Project
On April 28th Sam Berg, Chair of our Club's Community Service Committee presented Leroy Berndt, Executive Director of Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Regina Branch, with a cheque for $5,000.00.
This donation is part of Regina Eastview's five year $25,000.00 commitment to CMHA to help address some of the Association's facility challenges.
Take another bow, Regina Eastview
(L to R) Sam Berg & Leroy Berndt
FELLOWSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
President Jeff was missing, but President Elect Al Hoeft stepped in and took charge of "goings on", as we all expected;
During the Land Acknowledgement, meeting Host Hans Gaastra was at "the" Candle Lake Cabin and it was not clear which Treaty Area should be acknowledged - it is believed Hans will have this information when we next meet;
Birthday greetings were extended to Shannon Windrim who is celebrating next Monday and Tania Woroby will be celebrating on Sunday, May 7th - Best Wishes to you both;
Richard Taylor was the Sergeant-At-Arms, and did a single $1.00 fine to all attendees not wearing their Rotary pin - he reminded us that the 1st item in the Four-Way Test applies;
Richard invited volunteers to recite the four foci of the Object of Rotary, and the five statements in Rotary's Code of Conduct - a big "high five" to all contributors to this review - and thank you Richard for helping us dust off our posters while reminding us of these organizational principles;
Very good meeting - thank you all for making it so;
Have a wonderful spring weekend;
See you Monday, as we dine with the RC of Regina.
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We are, each of us , defeated many times - but if we accept defeat with cheerfulness, and learn from it, and try another way - then we will find fulfilment.”
Rosanne Ambrose-Brown.
Today's guests
We were delighted to welcome Guest Speaker Judith Silverthorne, to our meeting, in addition to Rotarians Grace, from District 9125 in Nigeria, Bill Fitzsimmons from Calgary (District 5360) and Bob Durston from the RC of Neepawa. You contributed to making this a great Rotary day.
Rotary’s Youth Service Month is an opportunity to promote our young leaders’ local and global impacts and the Rotary and Rotaract clubs that make these programs possible.
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