Submitted by: Clint Kuschak, Conference Committee
 
APRIL 26 – 28        THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO
Our District Conference in 2018 will be in Thunder Bay hosted by the four Canadian Clubs in our District – Nipigon Rotary, Fort William Rotary, Port Arthur Rotary, and Lakehead Rotary.  The theme for our Conference is “Building Bridges…Goodwill & Friendship” – acknowledging Rotary International and the capacity of Rotary, Rotary Clubs and Rotarians around the world to “make a difference” through goodwill and friendship…and the application of human and financial resources when needed.  
 
Governor Debra, our District leaders and the Conference Committee have put together an informative and entertaining program for Rotarians and their guests.  Registrations are flowing in and the Conference Committee is actively organizing and preparing to welcome everyone.  
 
Our keynote speakers have been confirmed including a new speaker who replaces PDG Callaghan who is unable to attend.  DG Debra has secured PDG Pamela Russell [District 5340] and we are all looking forward to meeting her at our Conference.
 
Pam Russell joined the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club in San Diego, California, USA in 1998.  Her 30-year career at IBM gave her the skills to be an effective Rotarian.  In her club, she has served in many capacities including Club President in 2003-2004.  Today she continues as the club’s Foundation Treasurer.  She was District 5340 Governor in 2008-2009 and was District Rotary Foundation Chair under the Future Vision Pilot Program.  
 
Pam has served as a trainer for presidents-elect, district foundation chairs, governors-nominee and governors-elect in zones across the United States.  The Rotary Foundation (TRF) asked her to serve as a Future Vision Trainer for International Assembly and for Zones 21B/27 and 25/26 Institutes.  She has been the Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator and is currently the Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser in Zone 26. 
 
Pam is a member of the TRF Programs Committee and Water & Sanitation Major Gifts Initiative Committee.  Besides training and Rotary Foundation activities, Pam has been deeply involved in Zone and International Institutes and has represented the Rotary International President at many District Conferences.  She served as team leader for two Vocational Training Team global grants (Uganda and Central Asia) and is currently working on six global grant scholarships.  She received The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.
 
Outside of Rotary, Pam was a University Regent and member of the Alumni Board at Pacific Lutheran University.  Pam and her husband Alan are Major Donors and members of the Bequest Society.  They became charter members of the Paul Harris Society in 1999 and have retained their membership continuously ever since.
 
Brief biographies for all of our keynote speakers will be found on the Conference pages of our District website.
 
Our Conference features entertainment sure to please and we open with the music of James Boraski & Momentary Evolution at the all-important “Ice Breaker” held offsite at the spacious Sleeping Giant Brewing Company in the centre of Thunder Bay.  James and his band will warm us up with a mix of roots, rock and blues.  Use this link to their website for their story and some of their sounds.
 
 
Our headliners for Friday night are true veterans of our local musical scene.  With a musical career spanning five decades, Flipper Flanagan's Flat Footed Four is as culturally significant to Thunder Bay and Northern Ontario as are Persians and the Hoito. Born out of the folk music scene of the nineteen sixties, Flipper embraced Celtic and Bluegrass music. The varied talents of the four flat footed friends allowed them to draw on the influences of several other musical genres with a resulting brew best described as Progressive Pub Music.
 
The band is well known for its irreverent sense of humour and high energy performance. “Banjo” Bob Balabuck, who plays banjo on the left and banjo on the right and fiddle up the middle. Jamie Gerow plays guitar, mandolin, mandola and bouzouki along with Brian Thompson who is famous for his musical renderings of various kitchen implements including spoons and washboards. Brian also plays the bodhran, bones, mandolin, bouzouki and guitar. Jack Wall provides unique bass guitar stylings rarely heard in Celtic and Bluegrass circles.  Visit their website for some of their storied career and great music: http://flipperflanagan.com/
 
Closing out our Conference from the “main stage” in the Valhalla Inn Ballroom on Saturday is a truly big band – the Roy Coran Big Band.  Here they are decked out for a Christmas concert and assembled on stage at our amazing Thunder Bay Community Auditorium.
 
Cheers!        Clint Kuschak, Conference Committee