Chair of the Meeting: President Danny Cassidy
Anthem: Arthur Retnakaran
Land Acknowledgement: President Danny
Toast to The King, Canada and Rotary: President Danny
Attendance 11 Members, 1 Guest Speaker: 12 total
Guest Speaker - David Lockett - P.A.C.T./Rotary Global Urban Peace Initiative
Introduced by: Courtney Fisher
David is a current member of the Agincourt Rotary Club and was a charter member of the Parkdale Rotary Club since 1986.
David has spent 30 years developing a solution to the issue of domestic violence. First, with his Rotary partners, he founded the Redwood Shelter. He soon realized that such shelters deal with the results, but not the cause, of domestic violence. His research indicated that domestic violence is an inter-generational phenomenon, and the only way to stop it is to break the cycle of violence.
David first approached the courts, and convinced a Crown attorney to use the P.A.C.T. program to reintegrate young offenders into society.
The figures supported the P.A.C.T. approach, since at that time only 25 young offenders were responsible for 1,700 charges before the Scarborough criminal courts. David referred to this phenomenon as disproportionality, meaning that a small group of offenders had a huge negative impact on society. P.A.C.T. used life coaches to work with these young offenders, providing them with hope and an alternative to the cycle of violence that they had been exposed to during their upbringing. During P.A.C.T.’s 30 years, it has reformed over 1,000 young offenders, taking them out of the criminal justice system.
Realizing that there was more that could be done, P.A.C.T. next targeted younger children in the school system to try to break the cycle before they became young offenders. Seven years ago, P.A.C.T. began to work with at risk Grade 7 students. As with the young offenders program, life coaches worked with the children, and the results have been transformational. In addition to training by life coaches, P.A.C.T. began to offer Rotary scholarships to assist at risk kids in succeeding in society, providing hope and permanently breaking the cycle of violence.
P.A.C.T. now plans to take their excellent success rate through Rotary to global communities, and their program has already been adopted by all the Rotary clubs in the Bahamas.
David feels that this Urban Peace Initiative could be as successful and impactful as Polio Plus.
Thanked by: Avrum Liederman
Announcements:President Danny reported that Gerd was recovering well and that Gerd’s Birthday Party would still take place on December 8th at 6:00 pm at the Coachman Inn in Waterdown, and that attendees could bring donations to the food bank and/or cheques payable to Grace Anglican Church, Milton.
President Danny also announced: Foundation training had been completed by him, Basil and Saira, allowing the club to continue to apply for grants. President Danny also announced that at the training he was handed a $350 cheque representing the Warm Hands grant.
President Danny further announced: The Club’s Business Plan had been circulated and Danny would like comments before it is tabled at the next board meeting for approval.
Dave Hardy auctioned his third book, Dave’s Northwest Passage Expedition, and donated the successful bid of $50.00 to the club.
President Danny announced Raffi’s dental program and Courtney offered to take some of the toothbrushes and toothpaste to the food bank.
Courtney announced the Community Service Committee will meet tomorrow
Sergeant at Arms – Gordon BrownS.A.A. Gordon Brown collected Happy Bucks. No fines were issued.
Dave Hardy visited Fort Saskatchewan and celebrated his newest grandchild’s first birthday.
President Danny contributed $5 for the best football goal he’s ever seen with an amazing overhead kick
Suresh and Arthur were simply happy.
President Danny then closed the meeting.
