Day 1 & 2 Breakout Room Conference Speaker, Rose Adams, giving an inspiring speech (BREATHE) about persevering against all odds facing Racism to become a lawyer at age 31. Rose received the Ontario Premier's Award for outstanding achievement in business in 2004. Through the use of personal stories, Rose provides valuable insight to help people adjust to change, enhance leadership skills, and increase respect for self and others. This Rotarian from Barrie, Ontario now makes her living as an inspirational speaker.                                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                            
 
Picture 1) President Wes on Day 2 addressing the Convention with an invitation to join us for the Centennial of Rotary on PEI dinner on Oct. 1, 2017 with RI President, Ian Riseley.  Picture 2)  Michael Morrison listening on Day 1 to Speaker, Graham Stookey on "Generous Leadership" (Picture 3).
   
                                                     
Also, on Day 1 incoming Rotary Club of Charlottetown President, Paul Crant, & incoming Secretary, Melanie MacDonald, listening to either Rose Adams or Graham Stookey. Paul seems to be suffering from a lack of sleep.  
 
 
On Day 2, District Governor Elva Hegye is seen below wrapping up her year. She presented a number of Awards and special thanks to those Rotarians who represented the ideals of Service above Self. Below she is seen presenting Paul Harris Fellow Awards to District Trainers, Doug Logan and Louisa Horne (District Governor Nominee for 2019-2020). 
 
 
Day 2: Rotarians heading into the Farmers Market for supper on Day 2 with a variety of food and beverage vendors including Pete Luckett.
 
 
 
 
Guest Speaker & Rotarian, Roxanne Seaman, speaking to us about the S.M.I.L.E. program (Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience). Roxanne is the Professor for Kinesiology at Acadia University and the Director of the S.M.I.L.E. program at Acadia. This program pertains to promoting physical literacy for children & youth of all ability levels and fits very well with the Rotary focus on children with challenges.   
 
 
District Student Exchange Students posing outside of the Old Orchard Inn. Cape Blomidon can be seen in the background.
 
 
Rotary Club of Summerside selected as Club of the Year. Incoming President of the Rotary Club of Summerside, Gord Coffin, accepting the Award below. 
This Club has just completed an enormous project for their community, the Inspire Learning Centre which took three years to plan and about a year to construct. The project involved the re-purposing of a surplus Federal Building into a three-floor structure, which encompasses a traditional library, and space to support a variety of community needs. The club engaged the whole community in the planning and the financing and now have a wonderful facility, that will serve the residents of Summerside long into the future. Congratulations to a Club who is not afraid to think big and work hard towards really serving the community!
 
Also on Day 3, we heard a presentation from Kerry Muise, President of the Rotary Club of Yarmouth & Emma Little, President of the Rotaract Club of Yarmouth. The topic of the presentation was "The Fountain of Youth - Investing in Youth Mental Health. After 3 teen suicides in Yarmouth within a few months, some members of the local Rotary Club decided they needed to try to do something about it. They brought in several high profile speakers at a reasonable cost, created a program for youth and started a Rotaract Club at the high school. Not only did this make an impact on local teens, it also reinvigorated the aging Rotary Club of Yarmouth. 
 
 
On Day 3, Incoming District Governor, Don Sword, spoke about RI & District goals for 2017-2018. Keys Goals announced were to increase the Public image of Rotary and the Environment. Incoming RI President, Ian Riseley, wants the Clubs to plant a tree for every club member in 2017-2018. Since our Club has already done that for a Centennial project, is there some other way to do something for the Environment? Please let us know what ideas you have. 
 
 
On Day 3, Peter Bevan-Baker spoke about the importance of being "Happy" and what makes people happy. People that have good jobs and income, wealth are no more happy than people who do not. Happiness is a mind set. We need to that gauge the health and well-being of people, communities and eco-systems in order to better determine the well-being and happiness of the people because measuring wealth or gross domestic product is not enough.
                                                                                     
Head Table arriving for the Governor's Banquet on Day 3.
 
Governor's Banquet
 
 
Day 4 Sunday morning Service memorializing District Rotarians who passed during the last year. President Wes is seen placing 3 roses in the vase for Tom DeBlois, Harry Love, and Jack Cutcliffe.
 
 
District Governor, Elva Hegye, placing the District Governor Pin on Don Sword on Day 4.                                                           
Incoming District Governor, Don Sword, became a member of Rotary in 1989 with the Rotary Club of Avalon Northeast. He was the Club President in 1993-1994. Don played key roles in developing major projects like Topsail Beach Park and Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre. Both these projects earned RI Significant Achievement Awards for his Club. Congratulations Don.
 
Next year's District Conference is in St. John's, Newfoundland. Does anyone want to get Screeched in and Kiss the Cod?