May 15 meeting notes

 
President Gail opened the meeting with the singing of O Canada and God Save the Queen.  Keith Jones lead with enthusiasm the saying of the 4-Way Test.
Guests included speakers Virginia Lucas and Eric Haverkamp as well as AG Lisa Bishop and Linda Peters.
RCNS Royals and Birthdays
 
 
  • A message from Mark Boerkamp was read thanking RCNS for clean up of the Norfolk Sunrise Trail.
  • June 19 is an evening Changeover Meeting at Springview Farms Golf Club
  • July 12 is an evening BBQ at Waterford Legion
  • Laura Zorad was the winner of CTA this week – envelope # 43 is now gone
  • Gail Bouw thanked her committee for a great job at the Pig Roast, including Mary, Yvonne, Tina, Louise, Jenni, Tracey, Steve and Jim. The event will raise approximately $2300 profit.
  • Steve Malo circulated several cards created by students at St. Joseph’s School thanking RCNS for support of the snack program.
Several members have birthdays in May, including Gail Catherwood, Jim Oliver, Keith Jones (today!), Kristina Kett and Steve Malo. The birthday balloons were mostly to recognize the 22nd birthday of RCNS tomorrow.  Several Charter Members were recognized.
Sue O’Dwyer gave the Sergeant-at-Arms report on the theme of Hot Havana Night which will take place on June 21st at the Port Dover Yacht Club.  This annual event started in 1999 as Cigar Night. Two new sponsors this year include Gold Coast Realty and Gold Leaf Farms.
George Cornfield reported on his participation as a volunteer in the We Believe in Simcoe event held at the Aud and Rec Centre.  In this 9th year for the event, put on by Church Out Serving, 223 volunteers received many thankful comments from attendees.  The follow-up event will be held next weekend with fireworks at Calvary Church.
(L-R) Jim Simpson, RCNS Chair of Community Service Committee, Virginia Lucas, Eric Haverkamp of COS
 
Jim Simpson introduced Eric Haverkamp and Virginia Lucas representing Church Out Serving (COS). Their main topic was the plans for Riversyde 83. 
Eric identified 6 community concerns that COS is hoping to address with the development of Riversyde 83.  These concerns are:
  1. Social disconnection
  2. Food insecurity
  3. Life struggles, related to mental health, poverty, etc.
  4. Food waste – totaling $45 million at farm gate annually
  5. Downtown Simcoe decline
  6. Employable citizens
Riversyde 83 will be a community space centred around food and will have a community/commercial kitchen, a teaching kitchen with seating for 60+ people, a café, a marketplace for selling local artisan products on consignment, an information kiosk, and a variety of meeting spaces including a board room, small meeting room, prayer room, and a few offices that could be leased out.
COS has a renovation budget of $750,000, with over $500,000 of that already raised. The renovations will be done “Habitat for Humanity” style, largely by volunteers, so will take approximately 6 months to complete.The renovations will begin in Fall 2018 and should be completed by Spring 2019.
 
The operating budget for Riversyde 83, once completed, includes 2 full-time equivalent management positions, but the site will be operated primarily by volunteers.Two donors have agreed to cover the mortgage payments for a period of 10 years.
 
Church Out Serving is a registered Not-for-Profit Corporation, governed by an elected Board of Directors.It is a faith-based organization, with several local churches as its members. Their services are provided in the Simcoe area to people with any or no religious affiliation.
 
 
 
 
 
Sponsors