Rotary Club of Calgary Centennial Eyeopener (Jun. 30, 2024)

Rotary Club of Calgary Centennial

May 22, 2024

In Person at The Ranchmen’s Club and

On-line via Zoom Meeting Courtesy of Replicon

Scribe: Anita Fryters

Greeter: Mel Foht and John Canniff

Invocation: Jeff Dworkin

O’Canada:

Guests:

Jordan Guildford - Gems for Gems keynote speaker
Stephanie Rodrigo – Honorary member

Rotary Business

President’s Opening Remarks: Gary Williamson

Wished Miriam Mitchell-Banks and PK Ganguly a successful adventure in Singapore while attending the 2024 Rotary International Convention
Emphasized that coming to the weekly meeting brings members together and fellowship.

Gary Webster – Community Service

Ronald McDonald House BBQ opportunity. Requested 4 volunteers to host a BBQ this summer between July 15 to August 15^th..
Rotary Downtown BBQ – June 22^nd Pow Wow BBQ - Volunteers are needed Gary Williamson, Bob James, Miriam Mitchell Banks and one other person offered. Gary believes he has enough volunteers.

Mel Foht – Club Services

Wednesday June 19 is President’s dinner at the Ranchmen’s Club. An email will be sent out to all members. No breakfast meeting that day
Al Muller’s most excellent BBQ was another success. Pres Gary said the event was amazing.

Laura Patko - Communications/Public Relations

Reminded members she is retiring from coordinating the keynote speaker role.

Tim Schaufele - Youth Service

Bike Repair
Today is day one of the bike repair which is being organized by Jesse Marshall.
Please contact Jesse if you are available to volunteer.
Contact Jesse Marshall (403) 519-2839 calcanglobal@gmail.com
Schools and dates
- Haultain Memorial School -Wednesday May 22^nd, 8:30am-1:30pm
- Deer Run School -Wednesday May 29^th, 8:30am-1:30pm
- Acadia Elementary School - Tuesday June 4^th, 8:30am-1:30pm
Jack James Award presentation on Wednesday June 5^th from 2 – 3 pm approximately 9 or 10 members will be attending.
May 30^th is Calgary Opera and Connaught School show.

Members are welcome to attend either the 1 pm is dress rehearsal or 6 pm is the official play. Please contact Tim or Gary Webster if you would like to go.

Connaught School BBQ September 6^th

Need a coordinator or ideally two co-coordinators. In exchange for using the Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown’s BBQ we will need to volunteer at the Pow Wow on June 22^nd to use the BBQ equipment.

Jeff Dworkin – Rotary Casino March

AGLC deposited $79,900 into our Casino Account.
Good work everyone
All the non-Rotarians were sent an email thank you note for their support.

Paul Cahill – Treasurer

Rotary T-shirts are available for $15 please take them off Paul’s hands.

Guest Speaker - Jordan Guildford

Paul Cahill introduced our speaker Jordan Guildford

Jordan Guildford is an east coast individual. Been in Calgary 10 years. A visionary and saw a need to assist survivors of domestic abuse by making them feel better about themselves with a jewelry drive. Gems for Gems started.
Jordan has tremendous achievements. Most recently women entrepreneur of the year this year.

Jordan Guildford

Gems for Gems is a registered charity helping survivors of domestic abuse by providing proactive solutions. https://www.gemsforgems.com
Began almost 10 years ago. Her inspiration came from childhood, being raised by a single mom with 3 kids. One year Jordan and her siblings pooled their money for a Xmas gift for their Mom. They went to the store and bought a bracelet. It was pretty and sparkly. When they gave it to her. It brought her to tears. She came back and had done her hair and make-up and put on nice clothes. Her mom had lost sight of herself as an individual. Their small gesture gave their mom renewed spirit.
When she moved to Calgary, she was impressed with the initiatives for children at Xmas. She met with a friend, and she asked if there is anything there is anything for their mom’s. Jordan wanted to bring a focus on the mom’s and give a small gift.
22 gifts were her goal. She collected enough for 400 packages with 3 – 4 items that year. She collected jewelry with the help of staff at Orange Theory. It was so successful.
They have given over 26,000 gifts across Canada since then. Saks on Fifth Avenue at South Centre is an ongoing donation centre.
The jewelry donations cannot be issued a tax receipt because it cannot be proven that there is a need and to determine the value.
Jordan started doing motivational events to raise funds and draw attention to survivors of domestic abuse.
She adjusted goal with a focus on a Thrive program to teach women self-defense and feel more confident walking to their car.
Financial literacy was another important need. These programs were offered directly in shelters, and she continued to gather more volunteers.
Jordan called Gems for Gems an accidental charity as she wanted to make improvements in lives but never expected the level of success and growth.
Women often have two factors that draw them back to their abuser, an emotional tie due to lack of self-confidence and then no financial resources. The women are often tracked by their partner watching the kilometers in the car. If they came home late the spouse would have their guns out in front of the kids. Women often return 4 – 5 times back to their abuser before they leaving permanently. Since they lacked self-esteem often, they found themselves a similar situation with a different person and fell back into the abusive cycle.
To help empower the women, Gems for Gems created a scholarship program for the women and became a registered charity. They needed more funds. A mandate was developed to focus on trade schools.
Trade school allows women to get in and out as quickly as possible. Usually within a year.
They work with two schools. They have a matching scholarship. 100% of their graduates are business owners.
Gems for Gems wants to meet women where they are at today and show them where they can go.
They recently launched Hope’s Cradle as their latest initiative. The location is at the Children’s Cottage in Calgary. They started in 2019 but with covid no hospital wanted to work together. Their board chair is a homicide detective and understood the importance of having a safe place that was anonymous. They decided to have it anywhere that made sense. Strathmore fire department was the first location then Children’s Cottage approached them, and when the new facility opened a Hope’s Cradle location was also built in. The anonymity piece is divisive. Most mothers are trafficked girls. The reality for the babies to stay in that environment could be detrimental and ultimately worse than giving up their child from the mother’s perspective. Once the baby is dropped off, the mother can then focus on getting herself safe and then regain custody. It doesn’t have to be horrific.
Jordan feels it is our duty to step up and help. Be brave to help others.

Miriam Mitchell Banks thanked the speaker and invited her back to consider Rotary. Presented certificate of appreciation to help eradicate Polio.

Rotary Moments – Dave Brinsmead

Congratulated Gary and Margaret Webster on their 59^th wedding anniversary.

Happy Bucks

Chris Bailey Oilers winning
Bill Dickson for the 9 Rotarians who are going to join them on June 5^th. He is also looking for one female to also attend. Laura volunteered.
Al Muller as a thank you to Jordan and how well she spoke.
Bob James thanking his wife Delores for cooking an early thanksgiving meal at Ronald McDonald house. Also, Melvin Foht for moving forward with the president dinner and the other good things he does.
Miriam Mitchel Banks thanked Jordan, is leaving for Vancouver then Singapore, Official launch for the marketing of the Rotary International event in Calgary in 2025. There will be some very interesting events coming. Thank you for supporting her to go.
Laura Patko recognized her sister Adrian who lives in California. Adrian has lived there for about 10 years and recently completed her master’s in architecture. She passed all 6 massive exams. She is officially an architect. Laura is very proud.
Gary Webster shared how to last 59 years in a marriage. Margaret and I go out for dinner twice a week. She goes out Thursday and I go out Tuesday. He thanked Jordan for her presentation and that our Club looks forward to helping support their scholarship program.
Jeff Dworkin is getting a shirt. Thank you to Jordan and Al Muller for hosting the BBQ and brave to ask Jeff to look after the BBQ.
Gary Williamson for recognizing passion and then 2025 Rotary International Convention year. Calgary will have the first booth in the house of friendship. The convention website will be launched on Saturday.

50/50 - $85 in the pot.

Jordan drew Gary Websters’ ticket. Gary drew the Ace of spades to win the pot.

Sergeant at Arms – Laura Patko

Anita off the hook since she volunteered as scribe.
Melvin Foht cancelled the June 19^th breakfast meeting without notifying Laura to advise the speaker.
John Canniff and Gord Cormack comments about pow wow. They were whispering Gord said.
Bob, Mel and Bill or Jeff chattering about Sask.

Meeting Adjourned