September 2012 Bulletin

EDITORIAL:                                                                                                           September, 2012

Just what is “Service Above Self”?

Service Above Self is the principal official motto of Rotary International.  The motto embodies a statement of the ideal of service beyond self interest.  In considering Community service the motto serves to foster and encourage the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business and community life.

Fundamentally, Rotary is a philosophy of life that undertakes to reconcile the ever present conflict between the desire for profit for one’s self and the duty and consequent impulse to serve others. Whew.  That is heavy. It is based upon the practical ethical principal that those who serve best profit most.  In other words, embrace the theory of service as the basis of success and happiness in business and in life. To Rotary this entails giving practical demonstrations of this ideal both collectively and individually.

Rotary, as an organization exists, among other reasons, for the protection, development and worldwide propagation of the Rotary ideal of service.  So, what does that mean to an individual Rotary Club?

First, it is desirable that each Rotary club undertake/sponsor a major community service activity each fiscal year.  Such activity should be based upon a real community need rather than a repetitious event.

More importantly it should require the collective cooperation of all members for the ideal of such service is beyond self desire.  Second, the club should continue to stimulate its members to individual service to the community.

A caveat to service is that Rotary does not expect clubs to endorse any project, no matter how meritorious, unless the club is prepared to assume all or at least part of the responsibility for the project endorsed. A Rotary club acts best and is most successful as a propagandist.  Discover a need but where the responsibility is that of the entire community awaken others to the remedy rather than solve community matters in isolation.  In all projects, while Rotary may initiate and lead a project we should endeavor to secure the cooperation of all other organizations that ought to be interested and should seek to give them full credit for successes.

Service Above Self then, applies to our individual support of club activities as well as to our personal and business behaviours.

Glen

                            Rotary International -  Charter President Trivia

Often we are a bit confused about the very first Rotary Club president.  Generally the thought is that it was Paul Harris.  Not so.  While Paul Harris founded and organized the first Rotary Club, its first President was Sylvester Schiele, another of the founding members in 1905.  Paul Harris served as President 1910 to 1912, after there were other Rotary clubs operating and when the first “organized association” of Rotary Clubs  was created.  So, the Founder of the idea of Rotary, who declined becoming the first club President, became the first President of the worldwide organization Rotary International.

The Wheel Emblem

A wheel has been the symbol of Rotary since our earliest days.  The first design was made by Chicago Rotarian Montaque Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel, with a few lines to indicate dust and motion.  The wheel was said to illustrate “Civilization and Movement”.  Most of the early clubs had some form of wagon wheel on their publications and letterheads.  In 1922 it was decided that all Rotary clubs should adopt a single design as the exclusive emblem of Rotarians.  In 1923 the present gear wheel with 24 cogs and six spokes was adopted by the” Rotary International Association”.  HOWEVER - a group of engineers pointed out that a geared wheel was mechanically unsound and would not work without a “keyway” in the center of the wheel to attach it to the shaft. (no reference to our sergeant at arms efforts, of course).  So, in 1923 the keyway was added and the geared wheel was formally adopted as the Rotary International emblem.

INSURANCE MATTERS

 Have you been following the crisis and disasters around the globe lately?  Wade Beaulieu explains that areas experiencing terrible weather events, fires, flooding, hurricanes, tornados and other disasters are having an impact on our local Insurance rates.  Why?  Well, it seems that everyone carries insurance, even the insurance companies, this is called Reinsurance.  The Reinsurance companies are far fewer than the General Insurance Companies. So, when a major disaster strikes – say the forest fires that leveled Slave Lake, AB, the losses affects many insurance companies at one time, they all make claims against their Reinsurance Policy to recuperate their claim payouts.  When enough big bad things happen Reinsurance Companies have to increase their rates to the General Insurance companies to ensure there are sufficient funds to meet the next potential large claim.  These increased rates are then passed down to local brokers who have to give their clients the “good” news (Not) that their policy has gone up.

Collaborative Family Law – A New Approach

Collaborative law is a way for separating spouses to resolve their issues outside of court.  Each person is represented by a lawyer.  The spouses and their lawyers sign a contract that includes a number of commitments, including the promise that neither person will start or continue court action, that there will be full disclosure of information, a commitment to compromise, and joint hiring of other professionals as needed, ie. an accountant, appraiser, realtor, investment advisor, etc.  The lawyers will only represent their client within the collaborative negotiation, and those lawyers cannot represent their client in any court proceedings related to the separation.  Further, the information exchanged within the process cannot be used in court.  The spouses meet with their lawyers individually, and then participate in a series of 4-way meetings, as needed.  The goal is to reach a separation agreement by meeting alongside legal advisors who are also committed to brainstorming solutions.

Collaborative law is not appropriate for all separating spouses depending on the degree of power imbalance, and the personalities involved.  However, it is a process that can work for many separating spouses, as most people start from the place of saying “I don’t want to go to court” and/or “I want us to get along for the children”.  The adversarial process breaks down these initial good intentions.  The Collaborative process offers the spouses the support, protection, and guidance of their own lawyer, within a negotiation model that fosters honesty and respect.  There is greater incentive to work hard on a compromise as neither person or lawyer can resort to the “see you in court” stance.  The spouses decide what to focus on, decide their own outcomes, and work on a settlement in their own timeframe, usually with less emotional and legal cost.  The setting of a 4-way meeting seems to bring people to a more meaningful settlement, more quickly.  It is more effective than the traditional ‘lawyer to lawyer’ communication model, which can be protracted, or the litigation model where everyone is busy making the other side look bad.

Lawyers are required to complete additional training before holding themselves out as Collaborative practitioners.  A number of family lawyers are moving in this direction, and a number of separating spouses have expressed feeling less anxiety and greater confidence within the process.  For more information, visit www.nocourt.net

                                                                                                A. Ammann

OUR MEMBERS:

Angela Ammann        Lawyer

Mike Austin               Investments

Wade Beaulieu           Insurance

Willy Berger               Real Estate

Jack Burgar               Retired

Jay Cheek                  Accountant

Walt Cobb                 Renovations

Dan Derksen              Eye Care

Dave Dickson            Community

Doug Dodge              Surveyor

Lorne Doerksen         Auto Sales

Keith Dufresne           Forestry

Karen Eden               CFDC

Nancy Giesbrecht       TRU

Brian Goodrich          Computing

Don Goodrich           Surveyor

John Hack                 Computing

David Hall                 Investments

Martin Hamm            Retired

Tom Hoffman           Forestry

Glen Holling             Real Estate

June Hood                Retired

Denise Ivens             Banking

Cameron Johnston    Ministry

Randy Kadonaga       Ministry

Bevan Koch               Auto Sales

Chris McGuire          Equipment

Bob McIntosh           Retired

Ed Mead                  Retired

Ed Novakowski         Retired

Darrell Orosz          Forestry

Bob Piderman         Investments

Dave Polak              Auto Sales

Ray Sanders            TRU Director

Linda Symynuk       Tea House

Keith Tjosvold         HVAC

Scott Tucker            Hardware

Betty Turatus           TRU

Don Urquhart          Printing

Rod Voth                 Construction

Guenter Weckerle    Lumber

Irene Willsie            Womens Care

Uli Wittal                 Foods

Glenn Woods          Retired

Corry Wowk           Office Eqpt