Toast to King, Canada, and Rotary: President Danny Cassidy.
Attendance: 10 members
As there was no speaker booked for today. On very short notice, our own Gerd Wengler agreed to speak on his many interesting adventures
Gordon introduced Gerd and emphasised that we were looking forward to an interesting presentation.
Gerd suggested that he was prepared to speak on several topics, including hiking, flying, mining, and aspects of European politics, and that he would allow the audience’s preferences to focus his commentary.
He went on to mention some of his earlier hikes in England. He said that he will be doing a hike in the Lake District, likely in April–May 2026, and that his upcoming hike will be situated within a UNESCO-designated region. He highlighted the fact that the Lake Region is also home to practice drills by NATO jets – F-35, F-15, and others.
Regarding flying, on a more personal note, he reported that so far, in total, he has flown approximately 5.5 thousand miles, and is on the quest for the perfect flight. Regarding a couple of his most memorable flights, he spoke about a flight to Saskatchewan and another to the US, both defined by jaw-dropping sunsets. He provided some insights into the communication patterns and expectations between pilots and air traffic controllers.
He saved most of his enthusiasm for his comments regarding animal rescue, and spoke about his most recent trip when he was responsible for relocating a Barred Owl (below)
from Burlington to Sault Ste. Marie. He had words of praise for Canadian Wings of Rescue, a 100% volunteer-run charity that transports animals within Canada and that helps abused, abandoned, and injured animals get to fosters, adopters, and rehabilitation centres. Gerd highlighted that the longest distance he has flown is 2000 km at 19,000 feet, and the longest time that he has flown is 8 hours. He ended his presentation with a recap of his life at 10 years old when he was first captivated by the wonder and marvel of the Concord.
President Danny thanked the speaker for once again delivering a very entertaining and information-filled presentation..
Announcements:
- Foundation Walk, September 28
- Saira will be next week’s speaker, August 6
- Gala tickets are moving slowly. This is a club effort to raise funds for the many people we help. Please get in touch with Gordon for Tickets.
Dave, Gordon, Basil, Frank, Alan, Dhanni, and Danny all had happy thoughts
Thereafter, with no additional business for the good of Rotary, President Danny ended the meeting.
As there was no speaker booked for today. On very short notice, our own Gerd Wengler agreed to speak on his many interesting adventures
Dave, Gordon, Basil, Frank, Alan, Dhanni, and Danny all had happy thoughts
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