Tess introduced the three guests. Alison Babin discovered native plant gardening a decade ago, and since retiring, it has turned into a passion. Last year, she found Little Forests Durham and has become passionate about this way of growing native trees to support our ecosystem and the native fauna that depend on it. She tells me, “I cannot fix the world, but I will do what I can to help where I can.”
Mark Denee grew up in Dundas and lived in Niagara for over 25 years until recently moving to Kawartha Lakes. He’s been a professional horticulturist for 25+ years, working for large commercial nurseries/greenhouses in Niagara, more recently for municipalities, and gardening at work and home. He likes to saunter in the woods as per John Muir, photographing native plants and sharing them on social media. Other interests include cooking (lasagna!) and enjoying pints of fine ales and lagers. He is currently the supervisor, Parks Horticulture | City of Oshawa
Ingrid Janssen has been a lifelong student of and advocate for the natural world as well as a seed collector with a special passion for native trees. A master gardener since 2012, she is a Director with Little Forests Durham, a non-profit organization focused on planting Miyawaki mini forests in communities across Durham Region. She lives and gardens in Clarington, Ontario, on the traditional lands of the Mississauga’s of Scugog Island First Nation.
“A natural forest is a community of coexisting, interacting organisms--trees,
shrubs, moss, fungi, bacteria, insects, animals (including humans acting as
equal members of the community)—that rely on one another for food, shelter,
and other ingredients of life.”
Janssen used this quote from Hannah Lewis’ book The Mini-Forest Revolution to introduce us to the work of Little Forests Durham, a non-profit organization run by volunteers who provide the tools and knowledge to people to plant little forests in their communities. Their mission is to plant 30 Little Forests across Durham Region by 2030 using the Miyawaki method. The Japanese botanist Akira Miyamaki realized that using native trees and plants in small, concentrated spaces quickly replenishes areas that suffered from soil degradation. It provides significant benefits over more traditional forestry methods when used in smaller projects and is particularly effective in urban areas. The trees planted this way grow much faster, jump-starting the forest creation process and capturing more carbon. These little forests also improve biodiversity, so they are ideal for creating diverse forest ecosystems quickly.
Since the fall of 2024, they’ve planted Little Forests in Uxbridge (3 areas) and in Heber Down. There is a plan to create a Little Forest in Oshawa as part of the Greehill Park in north Oshawa and Central Park West Lynde in Whitby. Mark Denee stepped in to explain how the Greenhill site was selected. The City has a tree equity plan that evaluates where trees are needed. Greenhill was selected as the first due to deforestation and development that reduced the tree canopy.
Funding for these projects comes from a variety of grants and partnerships. When asked how we could help, Janssen said they need people power to prep the area, plant the trees and shrubs, and maintain the growing forests after planting. This is where Rotarians, friends and family can help. Erin Carter, representing the Oshawa Rotary Club, pledged to be part of this project as a joint venture of both of our clubs. Here are some images from early projects. Rotarian Bob Koski thanked our guests.
President David Mankiewicz closed the meeting at 8:15 PM.
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, YOU CAN MAKE UP: Go online at www.rotary.org go to the club locator and find a club or clubs near your destination. Or you can add the free App Rotary Club Locator to your phone for instant look up of any club in the world. Please mail or fax your make-ups to Executive Secretary Dave Andrews or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officerat the next club meeting.
Meeting Called to Orderat 6:30 PM: by President David Mankiewicz
Grace: Dave A.
Toast to the KING: Sashi B
Land Acknowledgement: President David Mankiewicz
We respectfully acknowledge that the Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood is meeting on the traditional territory of the Mississauga’s of Scugog Island First Nations, within the jurisdiction of the Williams Treaties. We are committed to our responsibility of stewardship, in these relationships and for this land on which we learn, share and live.
Toast to CANADA: Ted M.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests:
Ingrid Janssen, Our Speaker
Mark Denee, City of Oshawa
Alison Babin, Native plant advocate
Erin Carter, RC of Oshawa
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Happy Birthday to Tim Dwyre on Jan 28 and Britannia Knight-Suecharan on Feb 1
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Ted M: Don’t forget to start collecting items for the Reverse Draw Silent Auction. Also, it’s Maple Syrup time. We always sell out, so get your orders secured now.
Dave A: Just a reminder, tickets for the Reverse Draw are available now.
Bob K: Updated us on Robert Kipling. He is recuperating in a rehab hospital in Toronto. Caroline says he is quite bored and would love a phone call from his Rotary friends. He has his cell phone with him.
Tess: Rotary Ladies lunch is Monday, Feb 1, at Kelsey’s at the mall. Contact Tess or Esther Trotter to reserve your spot.
Robbie: Our St Patrick’s Day party at Whiskey John’s is confirmed. Remember it is on WEDNESDAY March 18, and there is NO MEETING on Tuesday, March 17.
President Dave: Community Care Durham reached out to us to see if anyone is interested in joining their Board of Directors. Please email Marcy Marchuk for more information. Also, Participation House is having an Open House on Thursday, Feb 4, to celebrate their anniversary.
SGT AT ARMS: Bob Stewart (and his sidekick Larry Hurren) contributed some special prizes that made the Draw more interesting. Thanks!
ACE OF SPADES: Ted had the winning ticket but drew the 5 Diamonds. The pot is almost $400.
Other winners were Robbie, Bev, and our guest Mark Denee, who snagged the corkscrews. Tess won the sexy wine bottle stopper. That polka-dot stiletto matched her sweater!
Happy Bucks!
Linda P: Sad buck. Ulzaa’s father passed away & because of her traditions she will be absent from meetings for a while.
Bev: Just happy to be here.
Larry: The Robbie Burns lunch was fun, and food was great.
Dave A: Got a call from Al F. He was busy watering the grass while Hilda was away on a girl’s trip.
Bob K: SNOW! While waiting for his 90-year-old neighbor (with bad knees) to snow-blow the driveway, Bob hired 3 young lads to shovel it instead. When asked how much he paid the kids, he said $10. The group thought maybe he under paid his hired help!
Ted: Clear the snow? No way. Wilmot Creek does it for him.
Larry: Not to be outdone, he reminded us that when you live in a condo you never have to clear snow. In fact, he does not even own a shovel.
Dave M: Who cares about snow? His plowing contractor has already come 11 times. Money well spent.
Shashi: Happy to be here and her Lakeridge event was a big success.
Ted Morrison
“Rotary’s Lasting Impact”
Ted updated us on messages from the International Assembly in Orlando. The theme for the next Rotary year will be “Create A Lasting Impact”. This inspired Ted to share just a few ways in which Rotarians have done so over the past 120 years.
Polio eradication. The End Polio Now campaign is responsible for a global reduction of new polio cases. And it all started when, in 1979, the Philippines asked for help vaccinating its people. The lasting impact? The world is 99.9% polio free.
Education. Across the globe, Rotary has opened the doors to millions by building schools, training teachers, and supporting literacy programs. “When a child learns to read, a community learns to hope.”
Water and sanitation. Rotary has brought clean water and sanitation improvements to villages across the world. A well and a latrine are more than infrastructure improvements. They are acts of dignity that build healthier, stronger communities.
Human Rights. In 1939, the Rotary convention in Havana wrote a letter to world leaders stating that if they did not treat their people with basic human rights, Rotary would not do business in that country. The result? That letter became the framework of the UN Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
White Canes. In 1931, the West Ham London Rotary Club realized that, due to the increase in autos, pedestrians were getting hit. This was especially troublesome for visually impaired folks. This visionary club provided ‘white sticks’ to every blind person to help them safely navigate in traffic. This became a worldwide program and the White Cane initiative.
Rotary and Rotarians have changed the world. And the remarkable thing is, we are not done.
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT: Francesco Arezzo – Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy
R.I. DISTRICT 7070 GOVERNOR: Niecy Dillon-Tyrovolas - Rotary Club of Whitby-Sunrise , Ontario, Canada
ASSISTANT DISTRICT 7070 GOVERNOR: Don Alton – Rotary Club of Pickering , Ontario, Canada
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO:
ROTARY – People of Action
Rotary is where neighbours, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change.
We're made up of local business, professional, and civic leaders.
We meet regularly, get to know each other, form friendships and through that, we're able to get things done in our community.
It's up to YOU.............Join leaders in our community
Be sure to share this with all of your friends and associates and ask them to get in touch with our Club President President Hilda Finnigan at 905-431-4258 or Club Past President Linda Porritt at 905-626-6386
You are invited to our next Rotary meeting. You may wish to become a Rotarian. Dinner is on us. Isn't it time to give back to your community?.
THE OBJECT OF ROTARY
is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful
occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of
business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Rotary Code of Conduct provides a framework for ethical behaviour that all Rotarians can use, together with The Four-Way Test, in their business and professional activities.
ROTARY CODE OF CONDUCT
As a Rotarian, I will
Exemplify the core value of integrity in all behaviours and activities
Use my vocational experience and talents to serve in Rotary
Conduct all of my personal, business, and professional affairs ethically, encouraging and fostering high ethical standards as an example to others
Be fair in all dealings with others and treat them with the respect due to them as fellow human beings
Promote recognition and respect for all occupations which are useful to society
Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community
Honour the trust that Rotary and fellow Rotarians provide and not do anything that will bring disfavour or reflect adversely on Rotary or fellow Rotarians
Not seek from a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship
Far from the vaccination front lines, the fight to end the disease begins in everyday spaces, from a neighborhood pub to a commuter train to a tulip field. At the center of it all, no surprise, are enterprising Rotary members just like you
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