June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada. This month is dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and learning about the history,
heritage, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, which coincides with the summer solstice and is a day to honour and celebrate Indigenous cultures across Canada.
Rotarian of the Week
David Close
Profession:
I worked as a Chartered Accountant in Public Practice for 45 years, 21 years with a large regional accounting firm and 24 years with my own accounting practice and retired in 2017.
About:
I was born in Moncton, moved to N.S., graduated from Springhill High School, then Acadia University in 1972 and received my CA (now CPA) designation in 1976.
I am married to Ellen Briggs, and we have been married for 52 years. Our 4 children live in France, Ottawa, Porters Lake NS, and New Zealand. We have 8 grandchildren living all around the world from ages 4 to 19.
I have been a volunteer with several organizations over the years, serving as a board member, treasurer and president and on various committees including fundraising.
Hobbies:
Gardening, both flower and vegetable, snow shoeing, travelling, reading and playing board games with my grandchildren and spending time with them.
Years in Rotary:
I have been a member of the RotaryMWRfor 41 years serving
Fundraising Contributions:
Over the years, I have actively participated in a wide range of fundraising initiatives to support club and community efforts, including:
Ham and scallop supper
Newspaper ad supplement
Ticket draw
Charity golf tournament and auction
Rib Fest
Service Activities:
I have been deeply involved in hands-on service projects, including:
Paint the Town: Painting homes and Edith Cavell School
Hosting participants for international friendship exchanges
Supporting Edith Cavell School programs
Serving breakfast at Forest Glen School
Committee and Leadership Roles:
RotaryMWR President (1987–1988)
Member of the Board of Directors for over 20 years
Chair of the Charity Committee for several years
Chair of the Ticket Draw Committee for multiple years
Paul Harris Recognition:
Honored with Paul Harris Fellow recognition by the club in 2007
Member of the Paul Harris Society since 2010
I continue to be involved in our local club activities and school projects.
What is your favorite thing about being a Rotarian?
Having the opportunity to volunteer by helping those in need.
Meeting friends and working together on the common goal of serving others.
Something others may not know about me:
When I joined Rotary in 1984, there were 4 of us inducted on Charter Night bringing the total membership to 28. The 4 of us did not know each other but became friends and each one of us served as President, one after the other, from 1986 to 1990. Steve Wilbur and I are 2 of the 4, still members of the club.
Rotary Club Launches Community Cookbook to Support Local Charities
(Article submitted by Rotarian Sherry Mourant, Club Treasurer)
Trying new recipes has always been a personal passion of mine. I also care deeply about helping others. When I noticed our club could benefit from more variety in fundraising to meet the growing needs of those we serve, an idea began to simmer: why not create a cookbook?
Not only would it support Rotary Charities in 2025, but it would also help busy families plan wholesome meals — something so many of us are striving for.
Our club has no shortage of great cooks, and we all love to eat! With that in mind, I collected recipes from fellow members. In total, 20 of us contributed, resulting in a collection of over 100 delicious recipes. Many are adaptable for dietary restrictions — and yes, there’s even one for our four-legged friends!
A special thank you to Sue Murray for her invaluable help with editing, and to Rob Reed of Instant Imprints for offering us a great deal on printing.
The cookbook is available in two formats:
$30 for the electronic version
$55 for a printed copy (available in early July)
To order, send payment via e-transfer to info@rotarymwr.ca.
Looking ahead, we hope to share the cookbook template with other Rotary clubs, allowing them to create their own unique versions — in their own languages and featuring recipes from their regions.
A Special Thank You
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Rotarian Barbara Elias for her thoughtful response to our April 25, 2026, Club guest speaker, Sister Aurea Cormier. Inspired by Sister Aurea’s presentation, Barbara took the initiative to make 15 quilts for mothers and 15 quilts for children who will soon be taking residence in the Housing For Life Inc. apartment building.
Barbara also paid a Happy Fine to RotaryMWR to share this meaningful project with fellow members. She welcomes donations to help offset the cost of materials—each quilt requires approximately $60.00 for batting and trim.
If you would like to support this heartfelt effort, donations can be emailed to BarbaraElias1933@icloud.com.
Thank you, Barbara, for your compassion and commitment to Service Above Self!
June 13, 2025, Meeting Update
Club Members Host Insightful Presentation by Geoff Cole of Indigenous Services Canada
Club members recently enjoyed an engaging and informative presentation by Geoff Cole, Regional Director for Indigenous Services Canada, pictured below.
Geoff provided an overview of the Indigenous communities within the Atlantic Region, which includes:
33 First Nations with reserve land: 25 Mi’kmaq, 6 Wolastoqey, and 2 Innu communities
5 Inuit coastal communities governed by the Nunatsiavut Government
1 Innu First Nation and 5 Inuit communities in Labrador that are not road-accessible
His presentation emphasized the diverse and dynamic Indigenous presence in the region, as well as the logistical challenges faced by some remote communities.
Geoff also highlighted key opportunities for collaboration and support, encouraging members to engage in meaningful partnerships by:
Advancing reconciliation
Supporting Indigenous-owned businesses
Supporting Indigenous organizations
Joining local stakeholder coalitions
Fundraising for Indigenous charities
We thank Geoff for sharing his insights and for helping us better understand how we can contribute to reconciliation and inclusive development across Atlantic Canada.
It was an unforgettable weekend for our Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) students, full of adventure, learning, and community spirit.
A heartfelt thank you to our club members Ian and Jo-Anne Franklin and Paul Vautour for generously hosting activities, and to Edgar Allain from the Moncton Rotary Club for coordinating an additional experience. Special thanks as well to Dave Maynard for helping with the airport pickup and drive to Ian’s!
Saturday began with a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Beni Enosh and Rocio Rodriguez flew to Fredericton in a private plane to attend a regional fly-in event with local pilots. Their pilot and host, former Moncton South MLA Jim Lockyer, provided a truly unique opportunity—thank you, Jim! And thank you again to Edgar for making the connection.
The flight was particularly inspiring: Beni shared that the experience solidified his desire to pursue a career in aviation, while Rocio described it as “the best experience of her life!”
Later that day, the students—including Elivan Kasigeire from the Rotary Moncton Club—were warmly welcomed to Ian and Jo-Anne Franklin’s home. There, they enjoyed a horseback ride, a relaxing dip in the hot tub, and a delicious home-cooked supper. Ian kindly drove them all home afterward—thank you, Ian! The students returned home happily exhausted after such a fantastic day.
Sunday brought yet another enriching experience, with Beni, Elivan, and Maria and Julianna Mutch joining Paul Vautour for a hands-on beekeeping tour. Paul’s passion for beekeeping shone through during the visit, and his delicious honey was a definite highlight!
A touching moment during the visit was seeing a photo of Paul at age 35, when he purchased his first airplane—tying in beautifully with Saturday’s flight. Even more impressively, Paul learned to fly from Johnny May, brother of Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon and the first Inuk pilot in Eastern Canada.
Thank you once again to everyone who helped make this an extraordinary weekend for our RYE students. Your generosity, time, and enthusiasm made lasting memories for these remarkable young people.
(Article submitted by Julianna Mutch, Public Image Chair and RYE Event Organizer)
Upcoming Events:
- June 21-25, 2025:Rotary International Convention, at the BMO Centre in Calgary, Alberta. Register today for the incredible Convention experience of a lifetime.
-July 18, 2025: RCMWR Fun Golf atHillsborough Golf Club - starting at 11:15 am. (no luncheon meeting on this date)
-August 22, 2025: RCMWR Lobster Party at Lisa Gallagher's residence. (no luncheon meeting on this date)
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