Vice-President Cory MacKay introduced Terrence Thomas to the Club. Terry was born and raised in Moncton, N.B. and proud of it. He is an economist by training and worked with the Federal Government on projects to help small businesses prosper. His wife, Wendy, is a retired school teacher. They moved to Woodstock, N.B. and built their retirement home. Terry joined the Rotary Club in 2005 after doing some research to learn about the work they do. The Rotary Foundation is rated by charity evaluators in the top five humanitarian organizations in the world with 1.2 million volunteers in clubs around the world. A worldwide reach that can increase efficiency and effectiveness, providing much leverage. That is why Terry chose Rotary. He is a Rotary Foundation Major Donor and a member of the Paul Harris Society. Terry knows every crook and cranny of NB and would be more than willing to help any Rotarians driving to N.S., PEI or Nfld to enhance their vacation by getting off the Trans Canada Highway and discovering sandy beaches, great hiking and biking trails and the best spot to buy juicy lobsters and succulent clams and mussels. One of Terry's great loves is sailing. While most start small, Terry has gone the other way starting with a 25 foot cabin cruiser and happily working his way down to an 8 foot windsurfer which he currently sails on Wollaston Lake at Coe Hill. His favourite pastime is gardening. Terry and his wife ran a market garden operation in Woodstock for many years, his signature product being pesto, earning him the nickname "the pesto guy".
One of his passions has been literacy and in the early 1980's he took on the role of adult tutor and found it very rewarding. He joined the Rotary Literacy Committee and came up with a strategy to tackle literacy at all levels from pre-school, K-8, high school through to adulthood. They partnered with the Public Health, Healthy Babies Program, supporting young mothers, visiting parents and providing books from the Rotary Club. They made reading an important part of child development in their area and each child received a book at 3 months of age and every 3 months following. They coached the mothers on how important it was to read to a child. Terry describes his Rotary Moment as being on a visit to one of the homes where he met an 11 month old little guy who insisted Terry read everyone one of his books. Terry saw firsthand what a difference it was making in this young life.
Terry's next project was to get involved in End Polio Now and help to fund raise. Provided the teachers resource materials promoting Purple Pinkies, held near the end of October. Rotary would go in and in exchange for a loonie, a student could have their pinky finger painted purple to show their support of End Polio Now and what it meant on a global scale. The loonie donated by the student was matched by the Club and then matched again by the Gates Foundation, becoming a $6 value. This project taught the kids about compassion and helping those less fortunate. In relation to End Polio Now, they also did a Purple Pancake Breakfast, did polio walks and sold t-shirts. The latest fundraiser is called Tulips for Polio. A Dutch grower in PEI grew special tulips for polio. The Club would purchase and plant in community gardens, a box of tulips would cost $25 with 60% of monies raised going to EPN. Terry also chaired the Foundation Committee in his Rotary District and organized an annual Foundation Dinner, combined with a Community Paul Harris presentation as well as an initiative called the 100 Paul Harris Point Challenge. Any Rotarian who donated $100 in a year would be matched by the Club and monies donated to the Rotary Foundation.
Terry and his wife moved to Belleville in January 2020 to be near their daughter and grandchildren as well as being closer to their cottage in Coe Hill. They both love Belleville and as a maritimer, being near the water is a huge draw.
Thanked by Bill MacKay who recognized Terry's involvement in many Rotary projects, locally, in the District as well as being familiar with what is going on around the Rotary world. Terry is on the Rotary Club of Belleville Board for the 2021/2022 Rotary Year.