President Tracey was pleased to introduce two new members to the Rotary Club of Belleville.  Carl Bowker, recruited by Past President Peter Maloney, bringing with him vision, drive and behind the scenes action.  Jennifer Geottler first met Rotarian Jared Bellemare through a parents' commitee 14 years ago.  Jennifer was always involved and Jared saw the opportunity to connect.  Both were given a warm welcome and presented with their red badge which will be exchanged for a blue badge once they have presented their classification talk to the Club.  An opportunity for the membership to get to know both Carl and Jennifer and what they bring to the table, a big table!  Welcome!

Rotarian Jennifer Savini, Chair of Mayors of the Week, advised that the program has been running since 1969, providing local high school students an opportunity to meet with various City staff and departments and get a first-hand look at how their municipal government operates.  This program gives students a preview of career opportunities they might not otherwise have been aware of.  This year there were four students who participated from Albert College, Eastside Secondary School, Nicholson and St. Theresa's.  The schools select students who show civic leadership and an interest in helping their communities.  Thank you to the Rotarian chaperones -- Karen Baker, Tracy Bray, Shannon Neely, Tracey Vandervoort and Tim McKinney.  Following is a recap of their experiences as Mayors of the Week.

 

Lexya Momo is a Grade 11 student at Albert College where she has been a student for 5 years.  She was surprised to see how much work is required to keep the City running and the responsibilities of the Mayor.  They visited the construction site at Memorial Arena and learned about the history of this arena, now being renovated to provide community space and opportunity.  Lexya enjoyed the visit to the police department and fire department and saw first hand how much was involved in protecting the City overall.  Everything she saw made her look at her own future with respect to career paths she has not considered.  The saying "no two days are the same" is a popular one when it comes to being the Mayor.  Thank you to the Rotary Club of Belleville for the experience.

 

Lila Healey attends Nicholson Catholic College and was very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program and meet so many people.  As she met the heads of different City departments, she saw first hand the commitment of everyone involved and also noted that women were represented in all the work environments.  This gave her the confidence to realize she can chase her goals.  The City Council meeting proved to be informative following a passionate discussion on the topic of free parking downtown.  Lila learned many lessons during the week and found everything and everyone to be welcoming and inclusive. 

 

Juliana Sourati is in Grade 12 at Eastside Secondary.  Juliana enthusiastically shared some history on Mayor Ellis' career starting with Doug's Bicycle.  She found the Belleville Police Service fascinating and was excited to see the inside of a police cruiser and the technology attached to it such as breathalyzer equipment and automated licence place recognition systems.  Due to her love of reading, Juliana enjoyed the tour of the library.  She didn't say having lunch with the Mayor was her favourite part, but was very thankful for the opportunity to understand how the City has flourished and continues to grow.

 

Lauren Smith from St. Theresa Catholic College was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, but Tracy Bray shared Lauren's thoughts.  Seeing how each department works together helped Lauren appreciate how much teamwork and planning is involved in running the City.  Her favourite part was visiting the police station and seeing the technology used and how they work to keep the city safe.  The experience overall taught Lauren so much about leadership, service and the importance of community and thanked the Rotary Club of Belleville for the opportunity.

 

Rotarian Tim McKinney thanked the students for sharing their experiences. 

Honourary Colonel Suzanne Hunt introduced Colonel Allan Ferriss, Commander of the RCAF Aerospace Warfare Centre.  Colonel Ferriss joined the Canadian forces in 1997 as a naval communications and information operator.  In 1999, he attended the Royal Military College of Canada and graduated in 2003 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.  As Suzanne put it, the Colonel has been lots of places aka as deployment and has done lots, from specific officer training to project lead in 2007 for the Transportable Local Area Network, playing pivotal roles along the way.  In 2010 Colonel Ferriss assumed the position of Officer Commanding Support Squadron and was afforded an opportunity to return to RMC to complete his Master of Business Administration.  More postings followed and in June 2023, the Colonel assumed command of the RCAF Aerospace Warfare Centre.  He holds Professional Engineers of Ontario and Project Management Professional designations.  He is supported by his spouse and together they are the proud parents of two children. 

 

The Royal Canadian Air Force Aerospace Warfare Centre (RCAF AWC) is the centre of excellence for leading modern advances to techniques, technology, innovation and concepts for the RCAF while also acting as its steward for history and heritage.  Due to the unique composition of experience and capabilities, it provides a multitude of specialist services and courses supporting the creation of doctrine, professional courses, synthetic environments, operational testing and evaluation and electronic warfare support.  The RAWC has been tasked to actively pursue new ideas, concepts and technologies, thereby developing the collective innovative mindset to generate optimal solutions to Canad's air power needs.  They can and must communicate with all levels of command, receive ideas from everywhere and from all ranks and occupations and develop ideas to their full potential.

 

Colonel Ferris explained the centre's role in influence and the change force or the WHY.  We certainly think more about the threat of military conflict and adversity at the global level.  We have dealt with traditional adversaries such as Russia, China, Iran as well as non-state terrorists over the years and now with state-on-state situations such as Ukraine, we have to incorporate those into our thinking and look at ways to defeat these threats.  Lessons learned requires analysis and identification of gaps and how to close those capability gaps by collecting information within the science and technology areas.  Research and development becomes top priority, taking a model and running it through test after test.  Documentation is critical with implementation the final step after government approval.  The Vision of the RCAF AWC -- to be the engine of transformation that drives the RCAF from the Air Force of today to the Air Force of tomorrow. 

 

Colonel Ferris proudly shared some exposure he had to Rotary when he was a youngster participating in a local public speaking competition hosted by the local Rotary Club.  He considers public speaking to be a valuable tool during his career, thanks to the work of Rotary.  Many youth have benefited from the Rotary programs over the years.  Rotarian Ken Wheeler thanked Colonel Ferris for sharing his knowledge, building our confidence in his professional role for the security of Canada along with all members of the RCAF who work and support the operation.

 

  

Janine Foster (and sometimes) Elmslie was introduced as Rotary's guest speaker today by Rotarian Dianne Spencer.  Dianne and Janine's paths crossed in various organizations and programs over the past several years and Dianne noted Janine's background in terms of fundraising and building programs and organizations, an early adapter of technology when it came to donor data and research, always looking to improve processes to get things done efficiently.  Janine was Senior Advisor of Philanthropy for the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief organization and has worked in post-secondary education at St. Lawrence College in Alumni Relations and Annual Giving and also as Manager of Appeals at Queen's University.  Janine is the Director of Advancement at Loyalist College, sharing her talents and expertise there and in the community.  As a former member of Rotary in Kingston, we are pleased to welcome Janine to the Rotary Club of Belleville.

 

Janine was born in Toronto with many moves between that time and her current position as Loyalist College, in fact she had attended eight (8) schools by Grade 9.  But two places were a constant in Janine's life, her grandparents' place at Davenport and Avenue Road in Toronto and her aunt's place in Ivanhoe.  Having attempted to drive a stick shift in an urban setting down Front Street in Belleville in the middle of the night, unsuccessfully, Janine now lives in Godfrey in Central Frontenac and drives 1000 km a week to get to work and she never goes the same way twice in one day.  

 

Janine zeroed in on her journey to Rotary...in 3 acts.  In Act One Janine admitted that she was professionally nosey.  As a graduate from journalism school and working in weeklies and dailies as a business journalist, editor and publisher as well as hosting a weekly business radio show, Janine discovered very quickly in her career that everyone has a story.  Janine developed a heart for people overlooked and became interested in volunteering and being part of an organization of professional do-gooders.  That led her to Rotary who was renowned for its national reach with regional impact.  Before Rotary though, Janine worked for the Salvation Army's national office, a territory from Pickering to the Quebec border and along the Ottawa river up to Petawawa.  It was there that Janine learned that difficult conversations with people in need are an opportunity and necessity, developing the skills of story telling.  Janine needed a head for business and heart for caring in supporting a number of missions and found joy in helping as the manager of mass appeals at Queen's University.  Helping a student who worked hard to get there became a goal of Janine's.  She describes herself as an alleged workaholic, but happy to report that she had the luxury of living her values through her work and found that increased her drive to accomplish and share her expertise.  With an eye to winding down her professional life in a few years, Janine sees Rotary as a path where she can continue what she wants to do by building a focus on fundraising within the community.  

 

Rotarian Jo-Anne Wheeler thanked Janine for her classification talk and sharing her life story with the Club and acknowledged Janine's already important work for Rotary behind the scenes with Clubrunner and developing a bursary for  the Indigenous Peoples Partnership Committee. More to follow on that important step.

Rotarian and Literacy Chair Sharon McConnell introduced Jenn Barrett and Kellie Brace as the speakers at today's lunch meeting.  Originally Kellie joined the Learning Foundation as Co-Ordinator and now provides leadership at Executive Director.  Jenn Barrett is an experienced fundraiser and the two are a great team in enhancing bright futures for students, every step of the way.  Sharon mentioned that the Learning Foundation made a donation to one of Rotary's literacy projects, Rescue Readers, to cover the cost of bussing students to the program as needed.  Very much appreciated.

 

The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation provides programs and resources that enhance student learning, well-being and achievement.  Through Food for Learning, students are provided with the meals and snacks they need, ensuring they are nourished, supported and ready to achieve their very best.  No stigma, no barriers, just a supportive environment for all.  Over 1.4 million meals and snacks served every school year!  The Student Emergency Fund provides immediate support to students in need such as essentials like food, glasses, clothing and medical supplies helping students stay focused and safe, overcoming life's challenges.  Over 450 Student Emergency Fund requests are supported each year.  Sharing Cupboards is housed in a designated space in schools filled with nutritious food and household items.  Students take what they need or contribute items to share if they can.  It allows students to choose what suits their needs, promoting dignity and inclusion.  Students access the cupboards over 4,000 times each year.  A great example of students helping students.  Other projects include Minds in Motion and Prom Project.  Minds in Motion is supported through the HPELF's Science and Technology Fund and provides authentic hands-on learning experiences that challenge students to further their learning in the areas of Science, Math, Engineering and Technology.  Prom Project is a community initiative that provides free formal wear to graduating students, ensuring every student can attend their prom or graduation with confidence, making special milestones accessible to all.

 

A recent initiative and goal is to install a Soundfield in every classroom from JK to Grade 3.  When a child can finally hear every word, they don't just learn better, they feel seen, included and valued.  Five thousand plus students will benefit every school day for years to come!  Research shows that students in classrooms with Soundfields score higher on reading and comprehension tests.  Soundfields use wireless microphones and speakers to create a consistent, evenly distributed sound environment.    Clear sound creates bright futures.  Students hear only 55 - 83% of a teacher's voice depending on where they sit.  Over 40% of primary students would fail a hearing test on any given day.  Clear, amplified sound is essential.  So when you are asked Have You Heard?  You can say yes, you know about the Learning Foundation's goal and initiative and the need to help raise $555,000 through a personal donation, hosting a fundraising event to share in the campaign, share with your friends and family, share the media you see on this project.  Every little bit helps.