One final note, the current wild polio count for the year is 34, split evenly between Afghanistan and Pakistan (17 cases in each country). We have had recent years when the outbreak of wild polio virus in these two endemic countries was less than five collectively. It just shows we cannot let up on efforts toward eradication.

Information is provided from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

The first step toward sustainability involved food preparation and service: Vendors were instructed to use only compostable containers; only recyclable items were allowed to be brought into the park for distribution to the public.

Six sustainability stations (each with a separate bin for compost, recyclables, returnables, and landfill) were set up behind the scenes at each of the Ribber locations. Another dozen sustainability stations were set up in the park during the event. There were also eight more stations at the back of house and in the administration office. Each one of the public stations was overseen by at least one volunteer at all times who helped ensure the public deposited their waste into the appropriate bin. This gave the sustainability crew the opportunity to educate the public on just how much “garbage” could be diverted from the land fill.

With the support of the City of Kamloops, the Rotary sustainability team organized the bringing in of huge bins for each type of waste and, of course, arranged their removal at the end of the event! Each hour, or whenever bags were full, the bags were transported to the sorting centre set up near the bins to ensure items were deposited in the correct collection bin. Items were sorted into categories: compost (mainly food and soiled paper), wooden pallets and random wood, clean cardboard, flexible plastics, refundable containers, grease and grey water, and finally landfill items. At night, and at the end of the fair after the final clean up, all the sorted items were moved to their end-destinations.

Kamloops Daybreak’s Ribfest has always been purposely scheduled to coincide with the “Hot Nite In the City” car show, and for the past few years also coincided with the Kamloops Dragon Boat Festival. Boasting a large free Family Fun Zone with live entertainment, fun and games, there really is something for everyone. “We take pride in demonstrating we can have fun and raise funds for the community, and do so with a minimal environmental footprint”, said Danica Wilkinson, Ribfest chair.

So, next time you think of Ribfest, we hope you will envision a truly community event with large happy crowds, huge plates of ribs, foot tapping music—and barely any garbage!

 

• Functional Electric & Locates Unlimited (Title)
• Lees Music (Platinum)
• City of Kamloops (Platinum)
• Zaaz Play & Eatery (Gold)
• Cooper Equipment rentals (Gold)
• LN Group (Gold) Molson Coors (Gold)
• And many, many, more.

ESRAG has reported on this solution before, but this year's terrible wildfire season makes it the right time to provide all our readers with instructions. "The design was originally created by Richard Corsi, the dean of engineering at the University of California, Davis, and Jim Rosenthal, the CEO of filter manufacturer Tex-Air Filters, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19," writes Harrington.

To make one, all you need is four 20x20 inch MERV 12 filters, a 20" box fan, the cardboard box the fan came in, and a roll of duct tape. The only tool you need is a box cutter or a pair of scissors. "To save space and money, some people build a filter with a box fan and a single air filter," adds Rosenthal.

Tell the recipients to "combine your new Corsi-Rosenthal box with other safety precautions, such as keeping windows tightly sealed. If your home is drafty, the Environmental Protection Agency suggests designating one room to be the 'clean air room.' Keep your Corsi-Rosenthal box in that room and spend as much time as you can there."


Photo credit: Samantha Harrington, Yale Center for Climate Change Communication

Currently, the community and its businesses are grappling with significant disruptions. About one-third of the structures in the townsite were destroyed by the coalescing of two fires driven by high winds. Wildfire and structural fire crews responded from numerous jurisdictions and were able to limit the structural damage. Residents facing destroyed homes, businesses, and community infrastructure can only now return to the townsite.

Rotarians Responding to Disasters:

As Rotarians, we naturally seek to provide meaningful assistance when disasters occur – it is in our DNA. We do so willingly but with the recognition that there are limitations to our collective capacities in funding disaster responses. Leaders in District 5060 are now reviewing options for effectively responding to future disasters in the District and worldwide.

Jasper residents, including members of the Rotary Club of Jasper, face both immediate and long-term challenges in recovering from this fire. Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians in our District can respond in several ways.

Options to Donate as a Rotary Club or Individual:

1. Donate to the Red Cross 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta will match every dollar Canadians donate to the Canadian Red Cross 2024 Alberta Fires Appeal from July 25 to August 24, 2024. Every dollar donated will become three dollars to support those affected by the wildfires. Donations to the Canadian Red Cross will be used for assisting those impacted in Jasper and other affected areas in Alberta with immediate and ongoing relief, including financial assistance, support to evacuees and the communities hosting them, recovery and resilience efforts in response to the wildfires, as well as supporting community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Alberta.

The Red Cross advises that the cost of fundraising and trust fund management for this appeal will be at most eight per cent (8 %). Donations can continue to be made after the August 24th date although the matching may not be available.
Charity Registration Number: 119219814RR0001 Contact us: 1-800-418-1111 | WeCare@redcross.ca).

To donate, go to https://www.redcross.ca/active-responses and 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal.

2. Donate to the Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation

The Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation is establishing the Jasper Fire Relief Fund, similar to the Fort McMurray Wildfire Relief Fund established in 2016.

Several governmental agencies and NGOs are working towards providing immediate relief to the residents of Jasper affected by this wildfire. Unlike these immediate responses, the District 5370 fire relief fund provides community agencies with funding to help rebuild the necessary programs following the fire. Grants from the fund will be disbursed to organisations offering programming related to mental health, sports, food supply, social programs and the many other necessities of a healthy community.

Ways to Donate:

1. Donate online at Canada Helps at this link [Select “Jasper Fire Relief Fund” in the box under donation amount]
2. Donate by Interac Transfer to: rotary5370charitable@gmail.com Please include your full name, mailing address and email address so that you can receive a tax receipt.
3. Send a cheque, made out to Rotary District Charitable Foundation to the district office:
   • Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation
   • The Orange Hub - Room Number 438,
   • 10045 156 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 2P7
   • Please annotate your cheque “Jasper Fire Relief Fund” and provide your full name, mailing address and email address so that you can receive a tax receipt]

Please consider donating individually or as a Rotary club.

Currently the flower, vegetable and herb garden covers about 9,000 square feet inside of a deer-proof fenced area behind the Senior Center and Centennial Park; in addition to the land, the city provides the water for the season from May 1st to October 31st.

There are a total of 41 garden beds available at $30 per season, with $15 for each additional bed. There are numerous garden renters, including several Rotarians, as well as beds set aside to provide fresh vegetables for HopeSource and the Senior Center. There are even a few small beds of herbs where visitors are welcome to take a pinch of fresh spice home for cooking.

The garden includes a passive composing area which turns spoils into soils for the following season. Armed with a grant from Puget Sound Energy, the garden recently “went green” with a solar charging station, electric mower and battery-operated weed-eater.

Rotarian Todd Myers added another green dimension to the garden this year with a new hive of 50,000 honeybees to pollinate plants and produce honey.

“This is their first year, but the bees have been very happy, and the hive has been growing healthily. Provided they survive the winter in hibernation, I would expect a great deal of honey starting next year,” said Myers.

Rotarian John Crowley currently chairs the community garden and can often be found there assigning beds, doing maintenance, and denying weeds.

“I see the garden as a basic resource for people in our community. The beds are a bargain, and the gardeners all look out for each other and help each other. The garden has become a community in itself.”

Rotarian and Senior Center Director Lori Nevin noted their diners recently enjoyed soup and salads made from the romaine lettuce, kale, oregano, mint, sage and lemon cucumbers harvested straight out of the garden.

And as they say - we come from the earth; we return to the earth. In between, we garden.

Want a Bed?

For more information, contact John Crowley at johncrowley47@gmail.com

The international theme this year is “The Magic of Rotary”. This series highlights the magic created by not only through the activities of the Rotary Club of Upper County, but also the individuals who give their time and energy to our community in “Service Above Self”.