Posted by Nick Aroutzidis on Jan 11, 2019
January 17 2019: David Braye, “Classification”, Dan Scarborough will introduce, and Colleen Devine will give thanks. 

Head Table:  Our President Paul Roulston, invites, Dan Scarborough, George Schroeder, Philip Schroeder, Dave Scott, Jim Scott, and Diane Sewell, to join him at the head table.

Today at Rotary: After the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program disbanded our speaker, Henri Molenhuis, began searching for a replacement entity to serve the needs of young people.   Out of this need the HERO Project was developed.
 
Guest Speaker Henri Molenhuis introduced by Mimi Price speaking on the Hero Program in Stratford.
 
The Hero acronym stands for “Helping Everyone Respect Others” and is an in-school mentoring program aimed at elementary school age children from Kindergarten to Grade 8.  It is strictly a volunteer organization.  Currently Henri is in the final stages of obtaining all legal compliances in order to have it fully established in the 12 elementary schools in the Stratford area.
 
The purpose of the project is to help kids reach their full potential so that they can stay in school, avoid bullying and raise their self-esteem levels. Mentors spend about one hour per week with a child and mentors report that they have seen positive changes in the kids including improved literacy and sounder judgement. 
 
The goals of the Project include:
 
  • To provide a role model and friend for the children;
  • To promote the importance of staying in school and developing healthy relationships with family and peers;
  • To instill trust and self-confidence so that the children can make healthy decisions;
  • To encourage leadership skills and independent thinking.
  • All of this while still having fun!
 
Mentors understand that children need caring adults in their lives.  All mentorship work is done in-school, in public view, during school hours.  There is no contact during the summer or after school.  Presently there are 6 vetted volunteers and Henri’s goal is for 25 mentors by the end of the school year.  The kids are selected in various ways – by their teacher, principal and with the permission of the parent or sometimes simply at the request of the parent.  
 
Mentors are needed.  Funding is needed.
 
For further information, go to the website www.heroproject.ca.
 
Scribe: John D. Wright
 
Guests: Amy Mulloch - Scotiabank Stratford, David Daglish, Rebecca Price – Rotaract, Tom Walsh - Stratford
 
 
Rotaract attendee Rebecca Price who spoke on upcoming combined social with club who has also agreed to co chair the Youth Service Committee.
 
Draw: 2 tickets to the Mayors Gala was donated by Heidi Culliton and Craig Pearce was the winner.
 
Make-ups: No report. 
 
January’s Attendance Committee: Bruce McLaren(I/C), Colleen Devine, Diane Sewell, Craig Pearce, Peter Maranger, Karel Hodgert, Bob Malcolmson.
 
February’s Attendance Committee: Shawn Malvern (I/C), Ryan Erb, Rick Orr, Dan Kane, Wendy Anderson, Debra Swan, Michael Fox, Clare McCallum, Heidi Culliton.
 
 
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