At the request of DG Penny Offer, RI President Ray Klinginsmith has appointed PRIVP Michael McGovern as his representative to the District 5040 conference in 2011.

Mike McGovern became a member of the Rotary Club of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth, Maine, in October 1986 and served as club president in 1992-1993. He was a district governor in 1999-2000, an international training leader of incoming district governors in Anaheim for two years, served as the co-chair of the Rotary International Multi-District President elect training seminar committee, on other Rotary committees and as a President’s Representative to many district conferences. Mike was chair for two years of the Rotary Leadership Institute of Northeast America.

On July 1, 2006, he joined the board of directors of Rotary International for a two year term. In 2007-2008 he was appointed RI vice president. He served as chair of the Programs Committee of the RI Board, and as the Board liaison to the Rotarian Actions Groups Committee. In 2009-10 he served as the chair of the RI membership committee and in 2010 he was RI board special advisor to the Council on Legislation.

Mike holds the Rotary classification “Town Government” and has served as the town manager of Cape Elizabeth, Maine since 1985. A former president of the Maine Municipal Association and of the Maine Town & City Management Association, he has served on committees of the International City/County Management Association, on several state advisory boards and on many boards in the Greater Portland region including the American Red Cross, the Chamber of Commerce, the Council of Governments, the United Way and the County Human Services Board . In addition to the Rotary Board, he currently serves as a board member of the Cumberland County Civic Center, on the Executive Board of Ecomaine and as a director of Maine’s largest road race. He is a major donor to the Rotary Foundation and received the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. Mike enjoys a Red Sox victory, completing usually bad golf rounds, visits to historic sites, and time with family and friends.

Danny Catt, an instructor in the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program at BCIT.

In 2009 was awarded a Global Alumni Service to Humanity Award by The Rotary Foundation. The Global Alumni Service to Humanity Awards are intended to “celebrate Rotary Foundation alumni whose extraordinary service activities and professional achievements exemplify the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self.” Every year, each of Rotary’s 34 zones are eligible to nominate an outstanding Foundation alumnus or alumna for the award. Danny was the winner for Zone 24, which covers most of Canada, Alaska and eastern Russia.

Danny, has a Diploma in Fish, Wildlife and Recreational Land Management from BCIT, a B.Sc. in Biology from SFU and a M.Sc. in Wildlife Ecology from SFU.He is a frequent speaker on his adventure travels. His presentations are Illustrated and enhanced with his own wildlife and nature photographs.

One of the key factors in Danny’s selection for the award was the two "Catt-Trax" journeys he undertook – each five months long – which utilized innovative technology in environmental education. The first took him to Africa in 2002, the second saw him travel from Antarctica to the Amazon in 2007.

Danny’s work in environmental education was the other deciding factor in his nomination for the Rotary award. Aside from his work at BCIT (now in his fifteenth year of teaching, he was the primary author of BCIT's new Bachelor of Technology in Ecological Restoration degree, the first of its kind in Canada) Danny has: taught a series of ecology courses and led seminars on sustainable development for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in Indonesia; volunteered for close to 20 years with the Scientists and Innovators in the Schools program, in which he visits classrooms across the province to share his passion for ecological conservation; acted as a long-term volunteer Board member for the Stanley Park Ecology Society; and lectured across the globe on photography, ecology and sustainability topics – often as a keynote speaker.

Danny received the 2008 Environment Award from the City of Burnaby for his innovative use of technology in environmental education.

Danny is also an accomplished photographer. His photos have been published in magazines and newspapers in Canada, the US, and abroad, including in Chinese Geographic magazine. His photos have appeared in Maclean's Magazine and TIME magazine as well as in calendars and on postcards.

In 1987 Danny was a Group Study Exchange team member to India and a 1991-92 Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar at the College of African Wildlife Management in Tanzania with the special designation, 'Preserve Planet Earth Scholar'. During his scholarship year he studied at the College of African Wildlife Management near Moshi, Tanzania, located on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The mission of the Odd Squad is to educate the public about the devastating effects that high- risk behaviour has on members of our community. Today’s youth are faced with difficult choices, enormous peer pressure, and more readily available and potent mind-altering drugs, than at any other time in history. Odd Squad creates award-winning videos and documentaries.  We tell real stories of the pitfalls of drug use and abuse.  To-date, we have produced 10 documentaries and another 30+ projects such as training videos and public service announcements. Odd Squad's mission inspires everything we do.

Their Vision - Odd Squad's vision is to design programs that honour and motivate youth, encourage them to set goals, lay their own track and stay on it by staying drug-free.

History - Odd Squad Productions is a non-profit society and charitable organization which was created in 1997 by seven Vancouver Police officers.
OSP developed a unique approach to community policing, crime prevention, and public education that addresses some of the major social problems affecting our community. Odd Squad’s approach to tackling these issues is accomplished by using reality-based/documentary video imagery as an educational tool. Having a close connection to the streets of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver has given OSP access to the real life, and often-tragic stories, that are at the core of the productions. OSP ascribes to the notion that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". The goal of OSP is to educate and inform ‘at-risk’ groups throughout our province on the dangers of substance abuse and other anti-social and criminal behaviour.

The expertise regarding the drug problems has arisen through the extensive beat work in the Downtown Eastside, an area tragically beset with social problems. It is the development and distribution of video materials and documentary productions that has thrust OSP primarily into the drug prevention and education fields. In addition to producing documentaries, OSP has developed program tools and services, such as audio-visual presentations to community and educational institutions.

Since its inception, Odd Squad Productions has been involved with production of award-winning educational films for youth.  OSP’s first partnership was with the National Film Board of Canada for the documentary film Through a Blue Lens (1999). This continues to be one of the most popular drug-education films for high school classrooms across Canada.  It has become the most successful film in the history of the National Film Board. In 2007, Odd Squad produced four educational films that address issues regarding the use and consequences of illicit drugs amongst the junior and high school student population.

Leigh Rubin began his cartooning career in 1978 by establishing his own greeting card company, Rubes Publications. His first cartoon collection, the popular Notable Quotes musical cartoons, was published in 1981.

Rubes, Leigh's syndicated cartoon, began in 1984, and the first paperback collection of Rubes was published in late 1988. His most recent series of books include the award-winning "Wild Life of Love" and "The Wild Life of Cats." Several of his other books include "The Wild Life of Dogs," Pets, Cows, Farm Animals and Rubes Then and Now."

Leigh’s presentations are witty, insightful and entertaining. Leigh's talks are high energy, very interactive and filled with personal warmth that get the audience thinking as well as laughing long after the session has ended.

Originally self-syndicated, Rubes is now distributed by Creators Syndicate to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. As one of the most popular single-panel cartoons, Rubes is a regular feature in SkyWest's United Express and American Traveler magazines.

Rubin’s cartoons often include animals, from “sitting ducks” perched in front of a television, chickens who fight back and, of course, cows whose udders double as milk bath dispensers and places to pierce.

Rubes appears in major daily metropolitan papers, such as the Toronto Sun, Vancouver Sun, The Washington Times, the Sacramento Bee, the Houston Chronicle, The Orange County Register, and the Los Angeles Daily News.

Leigh also enjoys a busy schedule giving thought-provoking and entertaining cartoon presentations at conferences, as well as professional organizations all around the country.

Matt Young is obviously keen on leaving his personal stamp on the health and fitness industry. Founding Innovative Fitness in 1995, he was instrumental in developing his vision from a single customer to 8 thriving fitness facilities in BC by making people’s gym experiences relevant to their life needs. Matt believes health and fitness is not just about engagement in the physical sphere, it includes multiple spheres and this constant reinvention process led him to create mypypeline in 2001 (an online platform designed to facilitate a preventative public healthcare platform), the 60 Minute Kidsclub (a unique high tech / high touch initiative aimed at children’s fitness K-6), and the P2P (Personal 2 Professional Success Series) in 2010.

Matt has authored and co-authored seven published books, and has been asked to write for publications such as Idea, Impact, Opulence, BMW, Sage publications, The province newspaper and is currently recognized as Global TV BC’s fitness expert. His message is simple : start with the self and work from the inside out. For all of his business achievements Matt would be recognized as an Ernst & young finalist [1999 & 2010], Canada's Top 40 Under 40 business leaders [2006] and Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40 award winner [2010].

The parallels between Matt’s philosophies and the conference’s  ‘ I care, I inspire, I act’  conference are most visible in the manner with which Matt gives back by paying it forward. Matt orchestrated the Guinness World Record ride across Canada (raising over 1 million dollars for type 1 research) in 2007 and conceptualized the Canuck Place Adventure Challenge (eclipsing the million dollar mark for the Canuck Place Hospice) in 2010. He and his team have contributed over 3.25 million dollars to charity during their 13 year year business history.

Matt generously volunteers his time coaching youth sports and regularly speaks to grade schools, middle schools and high schools on the responsibilities young people have in achieving their dreams and his athletic accomplishments include: Guinness Book of World record holder (fastest  bike relay across Canada), Australia Bike relay (Cairns to Melbourne in 8  days), 2 time Ironman finisher, 10 time marathon finisher, 3 time adventure stage race podium, 36 hour adventure race finisher, Multi day stage race run finisher (Sahara  desert), Varsity Canada West All-star football, Kilimanjaro Summit, Maccu Picchu Summit and 1500 Miles of motocross down the Baja. Suffice to say, Matt Young is a man of action!

The names of VTSL players and alumni are a veritable who’s who of the North American entertainment and improv scenes. Award-winning performers, TV celebrities and international personalities have filled out the ranks of VTSL’s fast-thinking players.

VTSL will entertain us Friday night at our Rotary Round-Up. Join Penny’s Posse for this night a fun, good food and nonstop laughs.

With over 25 years of stage and TV appearances throughout the world, VTSLs brand of daring and innovative improvisational comedy has built a reputation for unrivalled quality. Aside from their riotous weekly shows on Granville Island in Vancouver, they also present over 250 special event performances a year to corporations, associations, not-for-profit organizations and private parties.

Boasting six International Improv Comedy Awards and starring in several television specials, Vancouver TheatreSports® League first opened their doors at the Back Alley Theatre, where they consistently drew cult-like, capacity crowds. They continue to wow audiences at the The Improv Centre on Granville Island performing to more than 200,000 enthusiasts yearly, 4 nights a week, 52 weeks a year.