Lunch time meeting - Our speaker this week will be Jennifer Gill speaking about LoveOliver.

On Thursday 16^th May 2019 President Anne Sampson, welcomed 17 Cub Rotarians, guest speaker Jennifer Gill and Marilyn and Eoin Robertson to this our lunch time meeting held in the Gilvenbank Hotel, Glenrothes. 

On reception was Brian Johnson who said grace and Geoff Sampson.

President Anne was extremely grateful when she was presented with a new Rotary Bell by honorary member Hamish Rothnie.

We were delighted to hear that the £774 raised at the ASDA Santa collection for the Smart drive has been forwarded by the company for Luuk Veelenturfs  wheelchair.   

A busy month lies ahead on Thursday 30^th May is our annual awards evening with over 130 people intending to be present in and evening which showcases all the club’s achievements during the year. On the Saturday 1^st June is the North Glenrothes Gala day at Gilvenbank on the 12^th June is Kids Out at the Deer Park and on Monday 17^th June is our Fundraising event at the REYA Indian restaurant.

After the very successful Thrift "shop" stalls at the Kingdom Centre the previous Saturday we were blessed to have at the club Jennifer Gill who had been brought up in Glenrothes to give us a talk on Loveoliver. The Rotarians listened in sombre silence as Oliver's mother Jennifer told her story of her son and the journey that she along with husband Andy have gone on with their family establishing their charity in memory of Oliver. Now having raised more than £620k in 8 years in order to fund research and supporting families throughout Scotland who are also experiencing childhood cancer. At just a few days old, Andy and Jennifer's first son, Oliver, was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer - a Malignant Rhabdoid Tumour. Despite continuing to thrive and smile his way through intensive chemotherapy, he passed away peacefully at home on Christmas Day 2010, aged just 24 weeks old. In 2011, Andy and Jennifer Gill, started LoveOliver and are committed to the aims of the charity and to keeping Oliver's smile and story alive. The vision of the charity is in a country in which every family with a child diagnosed with cancer knows there is hope of a cure and that they will have appropriate financial support on their cancer journey.  The mission of LoveOliver is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and their families in Scotland diagnosed with cancer through provision of appropriate financial and practical support, and the development of new treatments through research. LoveOliver is committed to raising awareness of childhood cancer and its impact on families, to encourage volunteering and fundraising to be able to help them, and to bring about a brighter future for childhood cancer treatment and prognosis. Jennifer mentioned that the charity was so proud to be given a mention at Westminster by our local MP Peter Grant. Jennifer’ s finishing comment was that she wished to provide light in the darkness for other families.

The Rotary Vote of thanks was given by Wilna Roger who said that Jennifer’s talk was amongst other things truly inspirational.

This coming week Thursday 23rd May 2019 is a lunch time meeting to be held at the Gilvenbank Hotel, Glenrothes meeting at 12.45pm for commencing at 12.55pm start. Due to elections and preparation for a wedding the location for this meeting will be in the lounge and as such this will only be a week of fellowship and no speaker.

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome.