May 10, 2018: Julie Colgan, from Global Medic, Aquabox presentation, and Dragon Boat update, Walt Bathe, and Jim Scott will introduce, and Dan Kane will thank our speakers.
Head Table: Our President Linda Bathe, invites Walt Bathe, Jim Scott, Shawn Malvern, Peter Maranger, Marcia Matsui, Clarence McCallum and Jerry McEwin, to join her at the head table.
This Week: “Travel Around the World”
Guest speakers Tony Reed and Rhonda Lee Reed introduced by Tony Carter.
Today, Dr. Tony Read and his wife, Rhonda Lee Read talked about their travels over 60 years. They have written a book “Around the World, Stories from Afar, but Close to a Bar”. The book is a light-hearted and humorous look at their travels with all proceeds going to charity, including Rotary.
Tony is a university professor in IT and Rhonda Lee is a professional performance artist. They live in Stratford and operate the Avonview Manor B&B.
Tony and Rhonda Lee each traveled extensively before they met 15 years ago. Tony has traveled to 105 counties and Rhonda Lee to 71 over 6 decades. They got married in 2007 having a medieval wedding in Scotland. It was when they started traveling together and sharing earlier experiences over 60 years that they decided to write a book.
Top places they have traveled to:
South Africa – Beautiful country, good people, wine, safaris, ostrich races etc, can be done from a Cape Town base.
India – Could not get enough. Interest in every corner – took 4,000 pictures.
Iceland – Very different, horse, puffin whale blubber – popular on menus!!
Newfoundland – Spending time on Newfoundland’s west coast was the most meaningful to Rhonda Lee. For her, it was a personal “spiritual journey”.
Morocco – Many interesting places, especially Marrakesh. The road through the High Atlas Mountains, Tizi n’Tichka, is very narrow with no barriers from Marrakesh to Warzazat to an elevation of 7,500 ft., challenging when two busses have to pass. Not for the faint-hearted.
Tony and Rhonda Lee like to talk of where they were when significant events happen such as the opening of the Berlin Wall, death of Princess Diana, England winning the World Cup, etc.
At the end of the presentation, a cheque for $270 was presented to the Club from proceeds earned from the book.
Tony and Rhonda Lee were introduced by Tony Carter and thanked by John Wright.
Scribe: Gordon Sherwin
Tony Reed and Rhonda Lee Reed donating a cheque to Rotary as part of their book rollout
Craig Merkley gave an overview of the Avon River remediation project being done through a partnership between the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority and the Rotary Club of Stratford
TD Branch Manager, Elizabeth McQuarrie, and TD Friends of the Environment volunteer, Krista McMillan, presenting a cheque for $5000 to Rotary & UTRCA for the remediation project on Lake Victoria near Lower Queen’s Park.
Guests: We welcomed today: Margaret Jack, Craig Merkley, Don McNeil, Krista McIntosh, Elizabeth McQuarrie.
Draw prize: The prize today was donated by Paul Roulston and won by Lynn McKone (GC from Keystone Alley)
Make-ups: No report
May’s Attendance Committee: Gezaghn Wordofa (I/C), Gord Steed, Charlene Gordon, Steve Weed, Ed Dujlovic, Kevin Nonomura, Mimi Price, Katherine Hahn, Colin Brisbois.
