THE PARKWOOD JOURNAL

OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF OSHAWA-PARKWOOD

Mailing Address: 200-481 Taunton Rd W., OSHAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA L1J 0G3

 

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

1. Exemplify the core value of integrity in all behaviours and activities

2. Use my vocational experience and talents to serve in Rotary

3. Conduct all of my personal, business, and professional affairs ethically, encouraging and fostering high ethical standards as an example to others

4. Be fair in all dealings with others and treat them with the respect due to them as fellow human beings

5. Promote recognition and respect for all occupations which are useful to society

6. 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

7. 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

8. Not seek from a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship

 

THE ROTARY FOUR-WAY TEST

of things we think, say and do:

1. Is it the truth

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

 

MINUTES OF MEETING:  Tuesday, November 11

Editor: Tess Pierce

Meeting Called to Order at 6:30 PM

Grace: Robbie

Toast to the KING: Bill C

Land Acknowledgement: President Dave

We respectfully acknowledge that the Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood is meeting on the traditional territory of the Mississauga 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: Neil led us in O Canada. Tess Toasted Canada.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests:

Prospective members: Neil Gonsalves & Suzz Sandalwood

 

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES:

Nov 12: Kristen Colton (Shawn Kellam)

Nov 14: Fahim Fikrat & Dipika Sharma

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Tess

 

Sign-up sheet available at every meeting before party.

December 16, 2025 Cocktails 6 pm Dinner served at 6:45 pm

Berry Hill Food Company 82 King St W, Oshawa, ON L1H 1A6 Cost $43/person (includes HST & gratuities)   Alcoholic drinks are additional cost per customer.

Ted  Final call for cakes & hams orders. We sold > 200 cakes and > 200 hams.

Robbie  Mark your calendars. Thursday May 7, 2026, is the annual Reverse Draw-our biggest fundraiser. The first Reverse Draw committee meeting will be next Tuesday before the meeting at 5 pm.

Janice  Sign-ups for both the Participation House Christmas Party and the joint meeting (This is on Nov 25) are circulating tonight.

 

SGT AT ARMS: Emmy started us off by collecting fines from Rotarians who forgot their name pins.

ACE OF SPADES:

Janice held the ticket, but she drew the 2 of spades. The pot grows…

 

HAPPY TWOONIES:

Emmy	Remembrance Day in Port Perry was beautiful. Emmy also praised the success of the Walk of Fame dinner. He is very proud of his daughter, Olivia, who is starting a new phase of her career in Medical Research Analysis. Happy Birthday Janice!
Hilda	Sad buck-Al is still sick. Happy (& proud) to represent the nursing school in a history podcast with Nicole Patterson at the MacLaughlin branch of the library
Janice	She was over-joyed at all the social media greetings and love she received for her birthday.
Shashi	The eternally happy Shashi felt blessed to have 2 new friends as members and she is proud of her grandfather’s military service.
Robbie	Happy to report the cottage is closed for the season. Retirement is top notch!
David P	The Bowmanville Remembrance ceremony was terrific.
Linda P	Proud to carry the club’s wreath in the Oshawa ceremony. (a photo is at the end of this bulletin.) Report from Robert K-the book sale was huge success. Hubby Craig will be in the TV show “Welcome to Derry” Look for him in Episode 3.
Ted	Walk of Fame gala was top notch. Proud of Sharron walking with the Wreath for Sharon’s kids with Velma Ratchford (See pics in this bulleting)
Larry H	Remembrance Day at his church was wonderful.
Bill C	Went to see Sue in BC and was put to work building closets---without tools. A trip to Home Depot later & Sue has better storage. Sue might come here for holidays.
David M	A moving Remembrance Day.

Our speaker: Ted Morrison

Rotary During the War

In the first 40 years, Rotary experienced three major challenges – WW1, WW2, and the Great Depression. Ted provided a moving historical review of Rotary’s role during these times.

First World War

From 1905 – 1914 Rotary grew to 123 clubs in US, Canada, England, Ireland and France. 15,000 men called themselves Rotarians. Besides military service, Rotarians supported the war effort through humanitarian aid, selling war bonds, and raising money for soldier’s families. In Scotland, Rotarians cared for 25,000 children of active service men. In Toronto Rotarians donated $22,000 USD to the Red Cross for war relief. By 1917 clubs bought ambulances, arranged entertainment and hospitality programs for men and women waiting to ship overseas.

One pivotal event happened in Washington DC. The US government, together with 100 Rotarians from across the States, organized the War Camp Community Recreation Fund and raised $4 million USD to help soldiers away from their loved ones. Rotarians also helped farmers. The Chicago Rotary formed “Boys to Farm Committee” that connected unemployed urban teens with farms who were desperately short-handed. The war highlighted the international nature or Rotary and by 1918 Rotary grew to 758 clubs.

World War 2

When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, he declared that Germans of Jewish descent were 2^nd-class citizens and were forbidden to hold important positions or own their own business. Articles in newspapers linked Rotary as Freemasonry and Judaism. Rotarians lost their classifications and clubs closed in Germany, Spain and China. In total 484 clubs and 16,700 Rotarians were lost. When Germany invaded Poland, the Gestapo found a membership list of the Warsaw club and Gestapo executed 12 Rotarians on the spot. Rotary clubs went into hiding and continued to meet as “Tuesday clubs”, “Golfers clubs”, or a singing society.

Canada & Oshawa in WW2

The Toronto club raised over 100,000 for Sick Kids Hospital during the war years. The Rotary Club of Oshawa sent clothes and blankets to evacuee children in Britain. Since Oshawa was a training base for Airmen, the Oshawa club entertained the trainees and even built a songbook that included songs life “the White Cliffs of Dover” and “There Will Always Be an England”.

The United Nations Connections

At the 1940 International Convention. The theme that year was Rotary Amid World Conflict. During this event Rotarians began planning for post-ward peace and reconstruction. This led to the founding of UNESCO. They changed the way the world thinks by passing a resolution to respect human rights (a phrase never used before).

After the war Rotary was at the forefront in the establishment of the UN and at the Charter conference Rotary sent a delegation of 49 Rotarians from 29 countries. Today Rotary still plays an active role and even has a

seat at the UN as official consultant.

I loved this moving review of Rotary’s role shaping world history. Thanks to Ted for doing the research and sharing.

Ted put it so well:

“Aren’t you proud to be a Rotarian when you hear of the esteem in which Rotary is held in our world and our accomplishments?”

 

Oshawa Cenotaph Ceremony November 11