This has been a busy first 90 days in my role as District Governor. I have certainly appreciated the flexibility of the 38 clubs that are located on Vancouver Island in the Geographical region of this District! I know that shifting club meeting dates creates many challenges for members and clubs – especially with your busy schedules! To date, I have visited 30 of the 38 clubs in Canada! AG Graham Stewart is working on calendar dates to complete the remaining visits. (Thank You Graham).  According to my records I have Sooke, Duncan, Duncan Daybreak, Ladysmith, Salt Spring Island Ganges, Shawnigan Lake EcoClub , South Cowichan (Mill Bay), Chemainus and perhaps Oak Bay (?).  It has been an awesome experience to visit and explore Vancouver Island to see all the GREAT projects that the clubs have been and are working on.  It is also giving me a better realization of the size and distances on Vancouver Island, not to mention the beauty of the entire Island! My wife and I experienced some awesome sunsets, Goats on Roofs, warm beautiful blue skies and many other memories.

I have started visiting some of the Washington District 5020 clubs over the past few weeks.  Several have already booked dates for combined meeting times and I am looking forward to those meetings.

I would like to ask each club to consider writing up an article for UD5020 each month. Those articles can be a showcase to other clubs in our district of examples that impacted have impacted your communities. The articles may serve as ideas for a future project in another clubs area. Articles should be about 200 Plus words, and submitted to Caleb Summerfelt for inclusion each month.

Next month (October already!) is Community Economic and Development Month.

For the record, the Second Monday in October (this year it is October 12) is the Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday. The tradition of Thanksgiving has come full circle, it is primarily seen as a time to gather the family, mark the start of autumn, celebrate the harvest and the good food of the season. Although you might expect hockey to replace the traditional Thanksgiving day football, in Canada, the annual Thanksgiving day Classic doubleheader is broadcast nationwide, wherein 4 Canadian Football League teams play for Thanksgiving glory! (If Siri and Alexa say so, it must be true!)

October 24 is World Polio Day. I hope your club is planning a special event in your community. Pies for Polio, Pub Crawl, Poker Run – all to benefit “WE ARE THIS CLOSE!!”.  Invite your community to join in and participate in eradication of Polio

Have a Great Thanksgiving Canada!!

Regards

Bill McGregor
DG 2024-2025