The Rotary year started on a high note with 10 of our number going to Truro to meet RI President John Kenny – Alex Tang was inducted and we left as 11.
In August our Dartmouth Boys & Girls Club / Beazley Lanes fund raiser yielded another $5000 to a very worthy cause.

We built a health hut with our new partner the Samafo Foundation in Bossey Bangou, Niger (not far from Toure where we continue to support the John & Margaret Savage CSI {Medical Center}).

In September the Chisholm’s hosted the 8th Annual (I’m not sure here!) Chester Golf Extravaganza – and a good time was had by all.

We liaised with ‘Kids Fest’ and laid the groundwork for a new after school program at Harbourview School in North end Dartmouth.

The Olympic spirit was not lost on us - 3 of our number Shawn McCormick, Ken McCormick, Scott Lynch (and a former club member and Past {President, Dad McCormick ) ran the Olympic Torch on it’s Nova Scotia journey and then one of our members (the aforementioned Ken ) went to the Vancouver Olympics as an administrator with the Latvian Team (international understanding at it’s brightest & best)

Support was given to Logan MacGillivray (a grade 6 student), son of Ian (a Halifax Harbourside Rotarian), who was sending a container to Serra Leone and our $500 was one of the final pieces assuring the success of his project.

Haiti earthquake relief was on the minds and hearts of the world and we were quick to be one of the initial organizations to send ‘Shelter Boxes’ {a Rotary driven initiative} - both the Club and individual Rotarians contributed to the success of this venture of goodwill - $12,000 was our contribution.

We supported the Canadian Rotary Centennial Project by pledging $500 to building a school in Afghanistan (and were one of the first in our district to do so!)
At Christmas we had a wonderful party at LaPerla for close to 40 (Rotarians and spouses) and then later in the month invited past & present Rotarians to join us at the Ramada for seasonal snacks and libations – contributing to a very Merry Season indeed!

The Assistant Governor for metro – Don Mackenzie, our very own, Bill Lemmon – Membership Chair, Jim Kirby – Treasurer, & Robert Earle – Water Chair, all played key roles in District 7820.

On the Public Relations front we have a Strategic Plan and an active and engaged committee rivaled only by our Membership Team that has grown our ranks by (8) about 35% I am told!

We are connected to our community and honor its military roots The Admiral , Paul Maddison, visited our club and we arranged a tour of Shearwater to see the what the new helicopter program has to offer.

We had a club assembly to get acquainted and to discuss our direction and intentions early in the year this helped with focus and fun. It worked so well we did it again in March!

When our District Governor, David Muise, first visited in October he recognized our ‘True Rotarian’- Doug Livingstone (twice recognized as Rotarian of the year, 2 x a president, a PHF – blue & yellow blood runs in his veins). The DG liked us so much he came back to visit our club again.
We tackled a new cooperative metro Rotary project – a ‘dictionary project’ to assure elementary students in 3 local schools had the benefit of all an education has to offer.

Non traditional schools like the one at the Guatemala City dump saw our support again this year too. We sponsored a student in elementary school in this Rotary funded project.

On going support of the Dartmouth Literacy / Learning Network saw us provide funding (in part) to a very worthy cause – adult literacy. Dana Atwell continues to represent us on their Board of directors.
Major efforts were made (allocating funds & manpower) to improving our website to make it more accessible and helpful to our members and the public alike.

We joined Face book to project our image and reach in new more relevant social directions.

Our presence at the District Conference, the International Convention, and as part of the Metro Host Committee for the Australian GSE team showed our willingness to participate, learn, and share all we are in the Rotary world (and our Community).
Two $1500 scholarships to local high school students maintains our on-going support of future leaders of our community.

Thanks to an active program and engaged club our meetings have been lively and effective. Great speakers spirited debate and participation have helped to inform and inspire our members all year.

We continue to pursue ‘Charitable Status’ to further leverage community giving options so that we can help those most needing our support at home and in the greater Rotary world.

Our association with Bill Strictland in his efforts to establish an after school training center for at risk youth may prove to be the spark for a Metro Rotary cooperative success…

As I finish my Rotary year I am confident that incoming President Mike Monaghan has inherited a strong active and engaged team of Rotarians ready to take on new challenges and ready to serve.
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