Stories

Hot on the heels of the Christmas Poinsettia Sale, District Foundation Chair Bill Patchett has come up with another polio fundraiser.

On January 2nd, Bill had his head shaved to raise awareness and money for the End Polio Now campaign. As of January 9th, more than $5,300 had been raised by the Rotary Club of Cobourg and other clubs across Canada were also participating.

Past District Governor Bill Patchett's Christmas Poinsettia Sale was an overwhelming success.

The Rotary Clubs of Cobourg and Northumberland Sunrise raised more than $12,000 for the PolioPlus campaign. This money will be matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on a 2:1 basis, bringing the total value to over $36,000. Good work Rotarians!

WOW! That was another amazing Cobourg Waterfront Festival. The weather was near perfect, our artists, artisans and crafters put on an amazing show and the crowds supported us as they always do.

Thanks goes to everyone who volunteered, our sponsors, midway staff and vendors. If it wasn't for all of you, we couldn't continue to contribute to the community.

Planning for next year is already underway. In the meantime, we're just a few short weeks away from our annual Northumberland Ribfest!

It is with a heavy heart and much sadness that we pass along the news that Rotarian Chris Hart passed away on June 17th at the age of 82.

Chris had been a Rotarian for more than 26 years. He joined our Club in 2011 and was a Past President of the Rotary Club of Brighton.

A memorial reception for Chris will be held at the MacCoubrey ‎Funeral Home Reception Centre in Cobourg on Friday July 4th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Donations may be made through the MacCoubrey Funeral Home to a charity of your choice.

On April 12th we were fortunate to have Julia and Emma Mogus at our meeting to tell us about their efforts to promote literacy through their Books With No Bounds project. You can read about the meeting details on our public site. Following is a letter we received from the sisters after our Literacy Committee contributed $1,500 to the effort.

Please read their letter and see what these amazing young women are doing with our donation to improve the lives of First Nations children.

It's almost here! The 2014 edition of our annual Sportsman's Night Dinner & Auction is February 7th. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, contact Rotarian Tony Pitts. Tickets are just $160 per person (which includes $25 of bid money).

Every year dozens of people participate behind the scenes and have as much fun (some would say more fun) as those of us who attend. Volunteers are always needed before and the morning after. Here's the help wanted list this year:

• Kitchen help Thursday February 6, 10:00am -12:00 Noon
• Kitchen help Thursday February 6, 1:00pm -4:00pm
• Kitchen help Friday February 7, 10:00am -12:00 Noon
• Kitchen help Friday February 7, 1:00pm -4:00pm
• Kitchen help Friday February 7, 6:00pm -9:30pm
• Friday February 7 at 9:30pm, live auction, pickers, spotters and a runner
• Saturday February 8 starting at 8:00am for clean up, tear down and deliveries.

Sign-up sheets will be available at this week's meeting.

This morning Past President Dan McDougall passed away at the age of 74. Dan was President of the Rotary Club of Cobourg in 1995-1996. He was the former Cobourg Police Chief from 1982 until his retirement in 1996. From the Cobourg Police Service: 

PASSING OF FORMER POLICE CHIEF
Cobourg Police Service members were saddened to learn this morning of the death of Retired Chief Daniel K. McDougall. Chief McDougall served as the Police Chief of the Cobourg Police Service from 1982 and retired in 1996. He previously commenced his career in policing with the City of London Police Force achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant - Commander of Traffic.

During his tenure as Chief of the Cobourg Police Service Chief McDougall led several successful changes including:
- In 1983 Chief McDougall addressed the Town Council and was successful in implementing 10 hour rotation shifts for officers;
- Hired the first female police officer for the Town of Cobourg in 1989;
- The successful implementation of 9-1-1 in the Town of Cobourg (1989);
- The introduction of the new Police Services Act which established the first Police Services Board in 1991;
- Hired the first female Special Constable for the Town of Cobourg (1994).

In respect of his passing our flags have been lowered to half-mast.

One of the Club's regular fun moments at most meetings is the collection of fines for infractions of various natures. More often than not, Past President Dan was in the middle of either levying or paying fines, always with a grin on his face. He will be missed. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Viola, and their entire family at this time of loss.

Visitation will be at the MacCoubrey Funeral Home in Cobourg on Thursday, September 12th from 2 pm-4 pm and 7 pm-9 pm. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at the same location. If desired, donations can be made to the Northumberland Hills Hospital.

Paintball footage from playing Reball at Church on the Hill, Cobourg, Ontario

Since 1979, Rotary Clubs around the world have been working to rid the world of polio. In 1985 the effort was formalized as the PolioPlus campaign. Rotarians pledged US$120 million to the effort.

By 1988, Rotarians had raised US$247 million and in 1991 the Western Hemisphere was declared polio-free. By 1996, 150 countries were declared polio-free. Cases of polio had dropped by 85% since 1988.

In 2000, 550 million children - almost 1/10th of the world population - received the oral polio vaccine.

By 2009, Rotary had contributed almost US$800 million to ending polio. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged US$355 million and challenged Rotary to raise an additional US$200 million. Rotarians quickly accepted and surpassed the challenge pledge.

Today, Rotary has given more than US$1 billion and continues its efforts to eliminate polio. India has been taken off the polio-endemic list. Only three countries remain polio endemic. The number of new cases of polio has dropped to 120 so far this year... in 1988 there were more than 120 new cases every day.

We're this close... and you can help by purchasing a Rotary Polio Crocus for just $5. Funds raised will go to the End Polio Now campaign. Crocuses are available at eagle.ca and The Avid Reader in Cobourg.

President Lynda Kay

President Lynda is the Executive Director of United Way for Northumberland County.

Prior to joining United Way in 1989, Lynda was involved in the recording industry as a promotions and marketing manager for several of North America's largest record labels. Lynda has been a member of the Rotary Club of Cobourg since 1995.

Jamie Carter
Director of Golf & Operations for Dalewood Golf Course, Jamie Carter, gave a great presentation at Cobourg Rotary this past Friday. Jamie outlined the decline of golf membership in general & what needed to be done to excite golfers to join from the junior level up.

It was an excellent presentation and he was thanked exceptionally well by Rotarian Jamie Gordon.

Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) donations provide bedkits to children of any race and/or religion who will benefit the most; typically being located in underdeveloped and developing countries.

No portion of a bedkit donation is spent on administration — 100% reaches a needy child. Each *$35 donation (Canadian funds) provides a bedkit that consists of a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net (if applicable), clothes outfit, and school supplies. Bedkit contents vary from country to country depending upon local needs.

Since its founding by Murray and Margaret Dryden in 1970, SCAW has raised over $23 million to provide bedkits for children in 33 countries. In 2009 we reached our millionth child.

Every child is photographed with the bedkit, showing the donor's name/country (or special occasion message) on a label.

Each photograph is then mailed back to the original donor, providing a timeless way for the donor to remember the child who so greatly benefited from their generosity.

Cobourg Rotarian Mike Pavich passed away on November 16. Mike was 53 years old. He had been a member of the Cobourg Rotary Club since 2003 and prior to that had been a member of the Prince Rupert Rotary Club for a decade.

Mike could be found at virtually every Cobourg Rotary event, toting his camera as our official photographer. Photography and the outdoors were his passion and he ably combined the two. He was an avid skier and hunter, loved to walk his dogs and enjoy outdoor activities with his wife Jan and step-children Andrew and Nicole. Mike was the son of Margaret and the late William Pavich of Prince Rupert BC and the son-in law of Past District Governor Bill and Delphine Patchett.

Mike will be greatly missed by all Rotarians and by the community at large. There will be a memorial service at the MacCoubrey Funeral Home, 30 King Street East in Cobourg on Tuesday, November 22 at 2:00 p.m.

Rest In Peace my friend... 

The Club had been advised that one of the most urgent needs of the victims of the Saguenay flood disaster was for small electrical household appliances.

It is not difficult to understand Canadians reluctance to donate dollars to the Pakistan flood relief effort. Any numbers of reasons are given, but the reality of it all is that there are 21 million people displaced from their homes due to the devastation of recent flooding.

Add to this the more than one million additional people who had to flee their home in southern Pakistan as rivers and lakes continue to overflow, and you begin get an idea of the enormity of the hardship and loss suffered by the people there.

It has been 33 years since Rotary took on the task of eradicating polio. In 1985 there were 350,000 cases of polio world-wide. In 2012 that number dropped to fewer than 250. Visit our End Polio Now website to learn more. We are this close...

Rotary Fights to End Polio Now (EN) from Rotary International on Vimeo.

The 2013 Northumberland Ribfest, our 7th annual event, was a tremendous success with more than 30,000 people visiting Victoria Park over the three day event. Thanks to all the Rotarians, friends and family who volunteered. We couldn't have done it without you.

Planning for the 2014 Ribfest is underway. This year's Northumberland Ribfest will be held August 15th to 17th. Visit the Northumberland Ribfest site here.

Past President Clarke Stephen passed away on April 7. Clarke joined Cobourg Rotary in 1974 and was Club President in 1985-1986. He was one of the founding members of our Sportsman's Night Dinner & Auction and was also a Paul Harris Fellow.

In an earlier career, Clarke was a member of the Ontario Provincial Police and upon retirement from the OPP he became a realtor. He was a Past President of the Cobourg & District Real Estate Association and a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge.

From Cobourg Rotary President Tom McLean, "We will miss his great sense of humour and timing at our Friday meetings. Our Club has lost a good friend and committed Rotarian and we are all better having known him."

At the memorial service Clarke's wife, Susan, thanked the many people who did so much for she and Clarke since he was diagnosed with ALS last year. She has many fond memories that clearly meant a great deal to she and Clarke.

Past President Blake Jones had many people laughing and crying as he told of his experiences with Clarke over the years and in the past year in particular. Rotarian Reverend Andrew Truter read the eulogy written by Clarke and Susan's son, Chad.

Our annual Sportsman's Night Dinner & Auction
held February 3, 2012 Cobourg Lion's Centre was a great success!

On September 2nd and 3rd you have the extrordinary opportunity to help Rotary End Polio Now.

The Ontario Philharmonic will host An Evening To End Polio. OP will be joined by the Durham Youth Orchestra and the Heidelberg Youth Chamber Orchestra to Celebrate Youth With Beethoven. Tickets for this amazing philharmonic and philanthropic effort are just $60 (HST included). The Ontario Philharmonic will be donating all profits from the concerts to Rotary's End Polio Now campaign.

The concerts begin at 8:00 p.m. each evening and will be held in the beautiful Regent Theatre in Oshawa. Visit endpolio.ca for details.

Visitation:
October 27 - 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., MacCoubrey Funeral Home, Cobourg

Funeral:
October 28 - 2:00 p.m., St. Peter's Anglican, Cobourg

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