FRIENDLY PHONE PROGRAM - CANADIAN RED CROSS in SASK!!
Acting President Pat Dell asked Gail Bradley to introduce our first guest speaker, David Knoppert, who told us about an International Service Project in which he is involved as part of the COMMIT team affiliated with the Rotary Club of Stratford, ON.You will find more detail on that project later in this ROTOR.
Pat Dell called on Peter Peters to introduce Shawna Green, who is the Coordinator of the Friendly Phone Program for the Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan. Shawna, who lives in Rocanville, is responsible for pairing volunteers with isolated seniors. The overarching goal of the program is to encourage social connections through weekly phone calls between a volunteer and selected client. Shawna has expanded the program from a local effort in south central Saskatchewan to an area ranging from Battleford to the Manitoba border and south to Carlyle, Sask. Prior to her role with the Canadian Red Cross, Shawna worked with several government agencies to promote and provide support to agricultural producers.
In her introduction, Shawna emphasized that this program is an opportunity to assist vulnerable people to move from a state of Isolation on the one hand, and a state of Loneliness on the other hand, to this middle ground of Social Inclusion. Social Inclusion can be as simple as phone call, which members of the club had demonstrated earlier in the meeting in response to Pat's question about reaching out this past week. It has the potential of bridging the gap between teen-agers and grandparents - currently Canada has more seniors than children 15 years of age and younger (Shawna will provide these statistics for Saskatchewan). The Goal of the Program is to create new social connections for seniors which will contribute to these individuals to remain in their own homes. Clients must be 55 years of age and be identified as a vulnerable individual - they can be self referred, or be referred by the family, neighbours and friends or social service agencies. The Program currently has 41 clients. Volunteers are most welcome.
You can get more information on the Friendly Phone Program by:
Visiting their Website at: www.redcross.ca
Connecting with them at: friendlyphonesask@redcross.ca or,
Telephone at: 306-216-6602
Thank you, Shawna Green, for making a difference by arranging a call a week to isolated and lonely citizens around the province. Take a Bow!
Co-ordinator Shawna Green, Friendly Phone Program
Our first presenter was David Knoppert, a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of London Hyde Park who introduced us to their outreach team, COMMIT. It is committed to helping the poorest people in rural Nicaragua.” COMMIT (Canadian Outreach Medical Mission Team) is affiliated with the Rotary Club of Stratford, ON.
David Knoppert's Fund Raising Ride
Now David is on another fund raiser with a special emphasis on stoves and tree conservation to improve health and fight global warming. Building energy efficient safe stoves with vented stacks and growing trees in the villages to replace those used is his goal. Get the details by clicking and consider this your support invitation:
President Jean-Marc Nadeau is recuperating from shoulder surgery and a post-surgical complication which has been addressed, and hopefully the road to "full arm raising" is now clear;
Seems Jeff Barber is enjoying the assistance of physio professionals in his post-surgical knee intervention;
Best wishes to you both;
Ann Grahame provided a detailed report on a telephone visit with Gord Wicijowski - Ann knew we missed Gord's periodic grandchildren update, so she covered the highlights of Gord's 7 grandchildren in various Medical Schools;
Shreedhar Jachak brought greetings for former member Ted Tejada.
“Your gift to The Rotary Foundation speaks volumes”
Gail Bradley's daughter has written a Children’s Book (appreciated by readers aged 6 to 100) which has just been published and is available for $20.00;
Greg McNamara, a prolific reader, extended a deep note of appreciation to Jeff Barber and the Regina Public Library for their collective ability of opening wonderful and magical doors during these times of isolation;
Thank you to those who shared stories of "phoning a friend" during the past week - you re-enforced the message we heard from Shawna Green;
Ann Grahame has completed the 2019-2020 President's Album, which is ready for presentation to PP Jack Wozniak;
Thank you, Ann for putting together this annual "Memory of Your Year" for our leader;
Hope to see you all next week - stay well everyone.
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"We believe in diversity, because Rotary at its best unites the world, and therefore must reflect every part of humanity. You cannot properly serve the world unless you can see and hear that world accurately. Diversity ensures that Rotary represents all voices and speaks in every language."
PRIP Barry Rassin, 2018-19
Today's guests
We appreciated being joined by 3 visitors - Jessie Carlson, guest of husband Gary, and 2 guest speakers, Shawna Green, Canadian Red Cross and David Knoppert, RC of London Hyde Park. Thank you for making this a great Rotary Day!
