Arlene Coates
Secretary
publicrelations@ferguselorarotary.com
Club Mailing Address
P.O. 111, Fergus, ON.
N1M 2W7
President
President-Elect
Past President
Secretary
Treasurer
Club Service Chair
Membership Chair
Youth Service Chair
Fundraising Chair
Rotary International Foundation
Foundation Chair
A strong and vibrant club committed to serving our local and global communities while ensuring equity, diversity and growth for all
Welcome to the Home of The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora
A picture of Rotary workers at the 2024 Rotary KidsAbility Children's Christmas Party. There were around 85 children that attended this party at the Fergus Legion on Dec 18/24. Hot dogs were featured for lunch and each child was given a gift from Santa.
Dates for Rotary Bingo at Grand River Raceway:
January 5th, 2025
February 2nd, 2025
March 2nd, 2025
April 6th, 2025
May 4th, 2025 (tentative)
June 1st, 2025 (tentative)
July 6th, 2025 (tentative)
Jim Gibbons (centre), a member of our club for many years, was recently awarded the Citizen of the Year Award by Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations Jim.
Catch the Ace that started in January was won by Wendy Yundt of Fergus at the March 24/24 draw. She won a total of $9,371. A new Catch the Ace will be started upon receipt of licence approval.
The 1st draw for our new Catch the Ace will take place on January 21, 2024 at Fergus Legion. The box containing the envelopes has been loaded and is ready for the 1st draw. Can you Catch the Ace and win the jackpot of minimum $5,000. Draws will take place every Sunday until the Ace of Spades is revealed. Tickets can be purchased at www.ferguselorarotarycta.ca or by clicking here.
In preparation for our annual KidsAbility Christmas Party toys are purchased and then wrapped for this party that takes place in 2023 at the Fergus Legion. All KidsAbility clients are invited to this party as well as some close and young relatives of Rotarians.
Members of the Fergus-Elora Rotary Interact Club created 'thank you' notes designed for the hardworking COVID-19 team at Groves Hospital.Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora A team of dedicated youth is learning to serve the community.
The Interact Club of the Fergus-Elora Rotary Club invites students in grades 9-12 to meet new people and help improve the lives of those around them.
Club youth director Barbara Lustgarten-Evoy believes the most defining trait of Interact is the Rotary concept of ‘kindness and service above self.'
“It’s important that the younger we introduce our youth to the world of giving and of caring for our neighbours, the more it becomes a part of who they are as adults,” Lustgarten-Evoy said.
The jackpot of $141,810.50 for our recently ended Catch the Ace went to Tena Stortz of Mount Forest.
Jim Gibbons, Bruce McLeish and Jeff Ostic (all on left) presented the jackpot cheque to Tena Stortz and family. Substantial net profits from this fundraiser will all be donated to worthy projects in Centre Wellington. This was the 4th and most profitable Catch the Ace run by the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora and we thank all ticket purchasers.
Remarks by Neil Dunsmore, a club member, at Polio Flag Raising Ceremony:
"The Fergus Elora Rotary Club has been part of a worldwide initiative to eradicate polio.
For more than 30 years Rotary and our partners have driven the effort to eradicate polio worldwide, this was the first initiative to tackle global eradication by vaccinating children on a massive scale. Rotary community service clubs focus on fund raising volunteer recruitment and awareness.
The Fergus Elora Rotary Club has been organising fund raising activities in the Fergus Elora area for the entire month of October such as:
1. Pizza for Polio with our partner Vito's pizzeria any Laura from October 2nd to October 9th any pizza purchased from Vito’s a donation was made by the owner nick to our polio plus campaign.
2. Pints for Polio with our partners the brewhouse in Fergus on October 5th a donation was made by the brewhouse to our polio plus campaign for every pint of beer sold. Thank you to Dennis Cradock and the Brewhouse.
3. Pies for Polio with our partners Fergies Fine Foods in Fergus, who on October 24th will donate the proceeds from every pie sold to polio. Thank you to Miriam Foell for her generous donation and just an interesting side note here Miriam's father was part of
the team that developed the polio vaccine for Rotary International.
I would like to thank our past president Rob Galloway for all his hard work this year on our polio campaign as well as Leanne Iravani for starting the pies for polio and pints for polio several years ago their hard work has made our club a Rotary Leader in the Polio Plus campaign."
For the last 30 years Rotarians around the world have come together with their communities on a single mission to eradicate polio now! We have worked hard, and our efforts are bearing fruit. We are down to 37 cases worldwide, but the fight is not over we have to continue to push. We must continue to reach those isolated areas in the third world countries to make sure this disease does not make a resurgence! We have here today a polio survivor Pat Woode,
Welcome pat and thank you for your support.
We are asking our community to come together and reminding them with this flag to keep working hard so that no child, no family in the world feels the pain of polio like Pat and her family did,. What this flag is here to do is to remind you and to thank you for
the efforts of this community in eradicating polio once and for all!
SIGNING OF AGREEMENT - L-R - Dr. Sarah Gower, Dr. Alan Simpson, Dr. Bob Wright- Rotary President, Norman Manning (sitting) Rotary President, Rob Galloway-Rotary Past President, Leanne Iravani - Rotary Past President
Dr. Bob Wright's Speech -
What a wonderful day for this very important event. I am Bob Wright Co-president of the Rotary Club of Fergus Elora
It was more than 4 years ago that members of the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora met with Drs Sarah Gower and Alan Simpson to share in their goal to build a hospice facility in Centre Wellington.
During Past President Rob Galloway's year as president, the Rotary Club members approved that the Club's highest long term priority should be the financial support to help build a Hospice facility in the community.
During Past President Leanne Iravani 2 years as president, Rotary members and the Hospice committee kept this priority moving forward throughout the difficult times brought on by the pandemic.
Today Co-president Norm Manning and myself have the pleasure and honour to announce that the Rotary Club of Fergus Elora is committing to support this project by pledging $500,000 towards the capital campaign. This sum will be paid over the next 10 years. We will formalize this pledge by signing an agreement with Aboyne Rural Hospice and by presenting them with the first $10,000 to kick start this project.
Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Gower and Allan Simpson for their leadership and to all of the medical professionals in our community who have recognized the need for this facility and for bringing us through the last difficult 30 months.
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 Janette Gagic, a member of our club, along with numerous club member have made donations to the Community Resource Centre's project of "School Backpack Supplies Program". Accepting is Ron MacKinnon, Executive Director of Community Resource Centre. |
Our TV Bingo will resume on Tuesday October 4, 2022. Channel 1- Wightman TV
Congratulation to our jackpot winner, Rosemary Skilling of Fergus who caught the Ace of Spades in envelope #32 on draw #47 held on Aug 21/22. Thanks to all of our ticket purchasers and vendors.
From left – John Martin, Dave Evans, Bruce McLeish, Jim Gibbons, Rosemary Skilling, Janette Gajic, Leanne Iravani, Brian Bielby, and Gil Plummer. Photo by Joanne Shuttleworth
Paul Harris Awards were presented to:
Gil Plummer, Bruce McLeish, Dave Roberts, Norm Manning, Jim Gibbons and Rob Galloway
Left - Peter Little as our newest honorary member 21/22
Right - John Campbell - President's Recognition Award 21/22
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 | The Rotary Club of Fergus Elora made a $1,500 cheque presentation to Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Centre Wellington. Left to right in the cheque presentation is Leanne Iravani, Erika Longman, and Rob Galloway. | |
 | On May 24, 2022, this club presented a cheque to Elora Centre for the Arts to assist with a summer program.
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At a recent board meeting of our club, Rotary International DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION CODE OF CONDUCT was adopted by the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora. Please see "Download Files" in the left margin to view the related document.
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL’S BIRTHDAY on FEB 23RD 2022
The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed on February 23rd, 1905 by Paul Harris, an attorney who wished to capture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members offices.
Rotary’s popularity spread, and within a decade, clubs were chartered from San Francisco to New York to Winnipeg, Canada (chartered April 13/1912). By 1921, Rotary clubs had been formed on six continents. The organization adopted the Rotary International name a year later.
As Rotary grew, its mission expanded beyond serving club members’ professional and social interests. Rotarians began pooling their resources and contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. The Organization’s dedication to this ideal is best expressed in its motto: SERVICE ABOVE SELF.
By 1925, Rotary had grown to 200 clubs with more than 20,000 members. Over the years the organization’s distinguished reputation attracted prime ministers, presidents, mayors and distinguished luminaries -among them Neil Armstrong, Angela Merkel, John Kennedy, Walt Disney, Bill and Melinda Gates
Rotarians take pride in their history. In honour of that first club, Rotarians have preserved its original meeting place. Room 711 in Chicago’s Unity Building, by re-creating the office as it existed in 1905. In 1993, the R.I. Board of directors set aside a permanent home for a restored Room 711 at R.I World headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. Rotary International in 2022 now has 1.4 million Rotarians, in 130 countries with over 46,000 clubs.
Happy Birthday Rotary International Feb 23, 2022 for helping others for 117 years. Thank you, Fergus-Elora Rotarians, for being part of this great organization.
Rob Galloway-President Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora 2021-22 |
Fergus Elora Rotary Club Working to Preserve Big Trees
Some 80 people were on hand on a beautiful October morning to celebrate Tree Trust Centre Wellington as they stewarded their program’s tenth tree – a legacy Sugar Maple at 365 Garafraxa St. West in Fergus.
The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora sponsored the stewardship of this tree and a number of club members were on hand to witness the arborists at work. Club president, Rob Galloway, remarked in his speech that Tree Trust reflects the Rotary Club’s environmental focus with a local program where donors, can see their donations at work.
While tree planting is a popular and important part of taking care of the environment, it is mature trees that do the heavy lifting – storing carbon, supplying habitat, providing shade and slowing storm water run-off. In fact, one mature tree does the work of 269 saplings.
Tree Trust is growing and now has 6 chapters, each working in their own communities investing donations to help preserve some of their important trees. Local Rotary Clubs in Stratford, Meaford and Town of Blue Mountains, like the Fergus-Elora club, have stepped up to support this program – the only one of its kind.
Tree Trust is part of the Elora Environment Centre, a registered Charity. For more information, please contact Jaimie McDonald at cw@treetrust.ca or visit TreeTrust.ca.
A plaque has been placed at the base of the tree acknowledging the Rotary’s generous contribution.
The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora sponsored the stewardship of this tree and a number of club members were on hand to witness the arborists at work. Club president, Rob Galloway, remarked in his speech that Tree Trust reflects the Rotary Club’s environmental focus with a local program where donors, can see their donations at work.
While tree planting is a popular and important part of taking care of the environment, it is mature trees that do the heavy lifting – storing carbon, supplying habitat, providing shade and slowing storm water run-off. In fact, one mature tree does the work of 269 saplings.
Tree Trust is growing and now has 6 chapters, each working in their own communities investing donations to help preserve some of their important trees. Local Rotary Clubs in Stratford, Meaford and Town of Blue Mountains, like the Fergus-Elora club, have stepped up to support this program – the only one of its kind.
Tree Trust is part of the Elora Environment Centre, a registered Charity. For more information, please contact Jaimie McDonald at cw@treetrust.ca or visit TreeTrust.ca.
A plaque has been placed at the base of the tree acknowledging the Rotary’s generous contribution.
Porch/Door Decorating Contest Winners
1rst prize winner Doug & Robin Russell, 549 Walker St. Fergus $150.00
2nd prize winner Alison & Ralph Rainford, 240 Provost Lane, Fergus $100.00 **DONATED BACK TO ROTARY ***
3rd prize winner Megan Scott, 35 Bricker Ave., Elora $50.00
John Campbell, Club Treasurer presents a cheque to Sally Litchfield of Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora is pleased to sponsor the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s Rapid Screening Initiative. Through this initiative, the Centre Wellington Chamber is providing free rapid tests for small and medium-sized businesses in Wellington County.
In the upper photo, President Stephen Pollock made a presentation of $1,000. to Renna Bruce Paonne, Executive Director of Learning Disabilities Association of Wellington County. Funds will be used for a Social Skills Program for their clients.
In the lower photo, our President Stephen Pollock made a presentation of $700. to Wellington Pregnancy Care Centre to Joanne Pronk, Executive Director (in middle) and Ilse VanderMeulen, Director of Fundraising. Funds will be used for an online course for pregnancy, birth and parenting
All the members of our Rotary Interact Club created these Thank you notes designed for the hardworking Covid Team at Groves Hospital. The youth of our community continue to amaze and inspire us.
Rotary International has added Environment as an additional area of focus for Rotary. The seven focus areas are:
1. Environment
2. Community economic development
3. Basic education and literacy
4. Peacebuilding and conflict
5. Disease prevention and treatment
6. Water, sanitation and hygiene
7. Maternal and child health
So that funds would not sit idle, we made a donation from our Catch the Ace draw that will re-start when it is safe to do so.
Click on 'Read more' to see an additional donation and to Like this story or make comments
Fergus Elora Rotary Club member Neil Dunsmore took the first steps to stopping the silence around mental health and suicide by walking 531 km or 330 miles from The Township of Centre Wellington to the nation’s capital Ottawa. When asked why he would take on such a challenge, Dunsmore answered with a typical Rotarian response “It’s about my community! We are 2.7 times the national average for suicide and that’s an issue for me. Someone needs to raise awareness and get this issue on everyone’s radar, the Federal Governments, the Provincial Governments and the service clubs. Our community is in crisis and when a crisis hits, we have no choice but to act. Service above self!
In 1996, the great African leader Nelson Mandela launched the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign with Rotary International’s support, setting out a vision for a polio-free Africa. At the time, wild polio paralysed 75,000 children each year. To protect communities from this crippling disease, African leaders, health workers, volunteers, parents, global donors and organizations united to reach every child with polio vaccines.
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The $2000.00 given to the Food Bank is unique in that we provided 80 twenty-five dollar grocery gift cards to purchase food at a local grocery store. In order to keep their distance Jackie Andrews on the left and Brian Dowling on the right accepted the cards on two miniature hockey sticks. The others in the backround are co-presidents Ed Davis on the left and Bob Wright with manager of the foodbank Fred Aleksandrowicz on the right. Chair of Centre Wellington Board of Directors, Jackie Andrews mentioned this program will have a very positive impact on the people coming into the Food Bank as it gives them a chance to go and purchase some food they like.
The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora Cares
Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora bingo held at Grand River Raceway has been cancelled until further notice.
Wightman TV, Channel 1, every Tue has also been cancelled.
Please see the following link for up to date information:
Dave Adsett, a non-Rotarian was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship by Jim Gibbons (right)
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Top Photo - Leanne Iravani receives Past Presidents pin from Ed Davis
Next Photo - Co Presidents Bob Wright and Ed Davis with Leanne Iravani
Next Photo - Ed Davis and Bob Wright hold Rotary theme flag for 2019-2020
Bottom Photo - Co Presidents for 2019-2020 Ed Davis and Bob Wright
Presentation Day - Jun 4/19
Organizations that received funding this spring are pictured below: Presentations made by Leanne Iravani, Club President, were made to Fergus-Elora District Soccer - Special Needs Soccer, $1,000. received by Pat Espina, Centre Wellington District High School, Bikeshare Program $1,378 received by Matt Arnold and Brianna Redwood; Centre Wellington Food Bank, Christmas hamper program $1,488 received by Jackie Andrews; Community Resource Centre, several programs totalling $4,200, received by Lauren Petty and June Baldwin; Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Camp URU $1,500 received by Kristen Drexler; The Grand 101.1 FM $2,500 for signal antennas received by Scott Jensen Missing is KidsAbility that received $2,900
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At their Annual General Meeting, Centre Wellington Food Bank provided the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora with the Friend of the CW Food Bank Award. This was received for Hall Rental for Annual Christmas Hamper, Food Drive volunteers, and Christmas Children Book Drive.
Pictured is Leanne Iravani , President of the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora with the award.
Pictured above: John Martin, Vice President -Royal Canadian Legion, Fergus; Stephen Street, Groves Hospital CEO; Leanne Iravani, President-Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora; Lori Arsenault, Executive Director-Groves Hospital Foundation; Randy Graham, President- Royal Canadian Legion,Fergus and Bruce McLeish Secretary-Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora.
The Rotary Club held a Catch the Ace draw to raise funds for our new hospital and help to fulfill the $500,000 pledge that the club made to the hospital. The $44,707.15 is the full net proceeds of the Catch the Ace draw. Thanks to Wellington Advertiser and Fergus Printing who helped substantially to make this draw such a success.
The $30,000 jackpot winner on April 28, 2019 was John Fines. He holds the Ace of Spades that was contained in envelope #37 that is held by his wife Kathy. Congratulations to the winner and thanks to everyone who purchased tickets during this lottery draw. All net proceeds that will be in excess of $40,000 will be donated to Groves Hospital Foundation.
Round # 2 of Catch the Ace is underway with draws every Sunday at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 275, Fergus with the 1st draw on May 5, 2019.
Jim Dixon, draw winner Jan 20/19 received a cheque for $590 from Jim Gibbons, Chair of the Catch the Ace Committee of Fergus-Elora Rotary Club. Jim Dixon hoped that his selection of envelope #3 would contain the Ace of Spades and he would have won an additional $9,553.50 that is in the jackpot. Tickets for this weekly draw are available at Fergus Legion and Dixon Home Hardware and cost $5 each. All net proceeds will go to Groves Hospital Foundation..
The Paul Harris Fellow is the highest form of recognition given by Rotary clubs world-wide. Individuals who have shown by exemplary effort, sacrifice or dedication to the causes and principles of Rotary, that they deserve the recognition of the Paul Harris Fellow, are eligible to be nominated, whether they are members of Rotary or not.
 | On behalf of the club, John Campbell presented a Paul Harris Fellowship to Bruce Hawkins (left). |
 | Leannne Iravani, Club President presented a Paul Harris Fellowship to Jeremy Hewitt while Ed Davis and Barbara Lustgarten-Evoy look on. |
 | Colleen Roberts received a Paul Harris Fellowship that was presented by Karen Welch. |
Thanks to all our bingo players who played TV bingo in the Fergus and Elora area during the past year. We will be returning near the end of October 2018 on Wightman TV channel 1 on Monday nights.
A huge thank you also to our sellers of bingo cards who gave their commission back to the club so that we could help worthy charities in our community. We hope that you will continue to shop in their stores. These card sellers were:
CANADIAN TIRE, 950 TOWER ST SOUTH,FERGUS--------------------------------------------------------
ZEHRS, 800 TOWER ST SOUTH,FERGUS------------------------------------------------
DIXON HOME HARDWARE BUILDING CENTRE 745 ST DAVID ST NORTH, FERGUS
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COLDWELL BANKER GRAND HOMES REALTY 162 ST ANDREW ST EAST, FERGUS
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WIGHTMAN 490 ST ANDREW ST WEST, FERGUS
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Charmaine Brown of KidsAbility receives a cheque from Leanne Iravani, Club President. Funds are to be used on their 6 and Up children's program.
 | Rotary tree planters receive planting instructions . |
 | From left to right Toni Ellisof Neighbourwoods, Don Fisher, Councillor of Township of Centre Wellington, Bruce McLeish, Matt Alain, aborist from Township of Centre Wellington, Karen Welch, Donna Humphrey, Bob Grant, Don Darroch, Cecil Wolfe, Bryan Welch, Jim Gibbons |
 | Rotary Club President Leanne Iravani with Toni Ellis of Neighbourwoods. |
Leanne Iravani, President of Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora presents a cheque to Laura Muirhead, Executive Director of Child Witness Centre.
Pat Espina of Fergus Elora District Soccer receives a cheque from Leanne Iravani, President of the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora. The cheque is for the special needs soccer program.
Mar 27/18 - Kristen Drexler, Executive Director of Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Centre Wellington receive a $1500 cheque from Leanne Iravani, President of Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora. Funds were used towards the first ever URU Camp in Centre Wellington that is designed toward Grade 5 and 6 students.
Leanne Iravani, centre, presented a cheque to Lindsay Cowan, Supervisor of Early ON and Alyssa Cunningham, Supervisor of Outreach and Support Services of Community Resource Centre. $1200 will be used for books for the Literacy program, $500 toward startup of Memory Cafe. and $1500 for swim passes.
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December 19, 2017 - A number of children from KidsAbility joined in with our related young ones to have lunch and meet Santa at our Annual Children's Christmas Party with KidsAbility.
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Don Doyle, Treasurer of Fergus Elora Senior Trans receives a cheque from Leanne Iravani, President of the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora
 Brian Pollock (right)worked with Rotary and installed a large stone where a plaque was mounted that commemorated World War 1 veterans. This Vimy Oaks site in Victoria Park, Fergus was developed by the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora.
|  Ivan Ostic, centre, was congratulated for his 50 years in Rotary and was presented with a suitably engraved clock. |
 Shirley Scott (left) received a special memento from the club. Shirley is a Friend of Rotary that has faithfully helped us by selling bingo cards for the past 10 years. | .png) Donald Darroch, centre, was congratulated for his 50 years in Rotary and was presented with a suitably engraved clock. |
Polio is on the cusp of being eradicated and there is a lot to learn.
The polio endgame is near. It really is. The target is to eradicate polio by 2019 and judging by the numbers this year, we are almost there. The global WHO polio report on September 27, 2017 reported there were a total of 11 cases globally: 6 cases in Afghanistan and just 5 cases in Pakistan. In the last few years, I watched polio cases drop off a cliff. Just 3 years ago, annual polio cases in Pakistan crossed 200 in total. This remarkable shift in just three short years is truly amazing. There really have been some key milestones and I will illustrate them here.
A strong role model can make all the difference during a child’s formative years. For Bob Grant, his father Roy set the standard as a Charter member of the Mount Forest Lions Club and by serving his community in humanitarian needs.
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Oct 10/17 - Leanne Iravani, Club President provided a Polioplus thank you certificate to District Governor, Kathleen Dick who visited the club on her annual official visit.
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Oct 10/17- Les Frayne from S.H.A.R.E. Foundation received a club cheque for $2,000. to help with that organizations international water projects. Also in the photo is Club President Leanne Iravani and Marg Frayne.
Aug 15/17- Thanks to Don Vallery and Pine Meadows Retirement Community, we were able to use the community hall and facilities for our member and guest BBQ. A good time and excellent food was enjoyed by all.
Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket in the draw for the quilt. The quilt was won by R. Wheatley of Fergus who had the winning ticket #0130.
Jun 13/17- Doug Calder from "The Door" operated by Highland Youth for Christ was presented with a $1,000 cheque for youth programming.
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Jun 20/17-Charmaine Brown from KidsAbility receives a cheque from President Jim Waites. Funds are to be used for their "6 and up" program in Fergus that is estimated to cost $10,000.
Jun 13/17- Valerie Tibbles representing Wellington Centre for Sustainable Agriculture was presented with a cheque in the amount of $750 by Club President Jim Waites. Funds will be used to build a cob pizza oven on their premises.
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Friends of the Grand River represented by Jason King and Terry Ryckman were presented with a cheque by Club President Jim Waites. $1,962 will be used toward the planting of new trees along the river and $500 will be used to assist with the deep water fish habitat.
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Jim Waites, Club President presented a $1,500 cheque to Marilyn Abraham for Count Down to Canada Day Program in Fergus.
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Jim Waites, Club President presented a $5,174.00 and $250.00 to Lisa Talbot, CEO of KidsAbility Foundation. The larger amount is the second half of a donation that was approved last spring for a speech pathologist on a part time basis at the Fergus location. The smaller amount was to put together a pilot program for boys in Fergus with disabilities for socialization.
Jim Waites, Club President, presented $1,000 cheque to Centre Wellington Food Bank Chair, Jackie Andrews. The funds being provided are used by the food bank to partly cover the cost of renting space in Centre Wellington Sportsplex for their Christmas Hamper Program. A Township grant is no longer available for this rental.
Jim Waites, Club President presented a $1,000 cheque to Margaret Hill of Spark of Brilliance. The funds will be used for art and other material used in putting on workshops that are open to anyone but are particularly geared to those individuals who are coping with mental health issues.The organization aims to bring together those who might otherwise be socially isolated.Many of the attendees live below the poverty line, most being on disability pensions. The workshops promote an atmosphere of acceptance and a sense of accomplishment and well-being.
Jim Waites, Club President presented a $1,000 cheque to Maggie Baratto and Vanessa Belanger from Father's Heart Healing Ministries. That organization operates a residence home for women exiting human trafficking, the sex trade and addiction. Funds will be used to purchase tables, chairs, hair salon equipment for new salon for hair and make up to be established as a part of their operations. This will assist in the increase of self esteem in their clients through appropriate self-image and self-care.
Jim Waites, Club President presented a cheque for $2,700 cheque to Alissa Cunningham and Ron MacKinnon from Community Resource Centre. $1,500 of the funds will be used to purchase swim passes for children age 1-19. Last year, 90 children from 39 families were enabled to engage in a healthy activity within walking distance of most individuals. The balance of $1,200 will be used to purchase books for young mothers as part of a kit to build literacy in young children.
Jim Waites, Club President presented a $1,000 cheque to Elizabeth Deberge from Wellington County Learning Centre. The funds will be used to purchase English language learning books for a number of recent refugees to this area. The books will be used during the attendance of these refugees at English as a second language classes organized by the learning centre.
On Sep 13, 2016, 6 new members were inducted into The Rotary Club-of Fergus-Elora. These 6 new members will meet at our satellite club that meets in the evening, The inaugural meeting of The Rotary Satellite Club of Fergus-Elora Evening will take place on Sep 28 . Jim Waites (left), Club President, is pictured with the six new members that are from left to right Don Vallery, Dave Roberts, Angela Tamblyn, Claire Warren, Carl MacArthur, Rob Murray. A big welcome to these new members.
District Governor, Bill Proctor and Club President Jim Waites on the official visit to the club by the District Governor on August 30
John Jefferson cooking steak. |
Rick Roberts getting some wieners and sausage ready to eat. |
Dorothy Henson was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship (Rotary's highest honour) by Jim Dixon. |
Volunteers for Rotary events during the past year were presented with thank-you certificates. |
Leanne Iravani, Director of International Service, Marg Frayne from SHARE, Jim Waites, President of Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora and Les Frayne, Project Manager from SHARE. A cheque for $3,000 was presented by the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora to S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation for the purchase of 44 eco water filters for 44 families (250 people) in a remote area of Guatemala where young community members help to improve conditions in their underserviced communities.
There are few supports to communities in this area of Guatemala and the project work is done in Mayan villages which are very isolated and impoverished. All but a few of the communities are accessible by long and difficult jungle trails. A few communities are accessible by boat. The families grow corn on the hillsides to feed their families. Some families have a pig or some free range chickens or turkeys. Some that live nearer the water are fishermen. The homes are traditional thatched huts with dirt floors and wooden walls. Women cook on open fires in the hut. The water in many of the villages is sourced from streams and springs sometimes at a distance from the villages and it is polluted. Families suffer from recurring intestinal illnesses from using this water.
Past President Bob Wright and President Ed Davis present a cheque for $1,000. to Linda Mark of Child Witness Centre. Funds will be used toward their 2017 Youth Symposium for up to 1500 Grade Eight students and teachers in Guelph and Wellington County of which 230 are from Fergus and Elora.
During the course of the day students and teachers have the opportunity to hear 3 inspiring speakers. Key messages include: You can be the change ! It takes ONE to make a difference ! Step outside your comfort zone and try new things ! Be an 'energy giver' not an 'energy taker' ! Students are given tools and strategies to help them face challenges in their own lives as they enter high school, a key point in their development.
Dave Beynon and President Ed Davis present a cheque for $3,000. to Michael House Pregnancy Care Centre, 187 Bristol Street, Guelph. The centre serves women not only in Guelph but Wellington County. Funds will be used to equip their teaching room at their newly opened supportive housing building. Funds will be used for board room table and chairs, refinish floors and paint the room and the purchase of audio visual equipment.
Past President Paul Rogers and President Ed Davis make a presentation to Jackie Andrews of Centre Wellington Food Bank. Funds from the donation are used to assist with rental costs of space at Centre Wellington Sportsplex for their Christmas hamper program.
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For a number of years, the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora has provided a Community Service Award to a graduating student from each of the local elementary schools. The above picture is Leah Hutchinson, a student of John Black Public School who received the award that was recently presented at their graduation ceremony in June 2016. Congratulations to Leah and all of the other students in Fergus and Elora who received this award.
Cecil Wolfe and Bruce Oldfield are both Charter Members of the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora. The club was officially chartered on May 26, 1966 and they have now been members for 50 years. At a 50th anniversary club luncheon on May 31, 2016, they were presented with special gifts in commemoration of this event.
Past President Bob Wright and President Ed Davis make a presentation to Alissa Gibson representing Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre. Some of the funds will be used to purchase ribbons for their annual horse show. Regardless of where they place, the ribbons are all stunning and the children are thrilled to receive them. Many of the riders have never before had an experience of winning an activity, so it is a special moment. The other part of the funds will be used to purchase new feed bowls and hanging water buckets as well as grooming supplies for the therapy horses.
President Ed Davis makes a presentation to Sara Wilbur, Executive Director, and Richard Seibel, Board Member, of Grand River Conservation Foundation on behalf of the club. These funds will support the development of the new Guelph Lake Nature Centre, which supports about 1,100 students from the Centre Wellington Area each year (in 2014, thirty-one elementary classes and ten classes from Centre Wellington District High School.) Students at the Centre make essential connections with nature at a time when children no longer simply go out and play; the lessons learned there increase their interest in the outdoors, foster self-reliance and encourage our community’s young people to become our next generation of environmental ambassadors. Exposure to the outdoors helps promote physical and mental health in kids, reduces anxiety and offers young people who may not thrive in a traditional learning environment to feel good about their accomplishments.
$100,000.00
The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora has agreed to contribute the above amount to The New Groves Hospital Campaign which will be used in support of the New Groves Hospital located in Fergus, ON. This amount will be contributed over a period of 5 years at $20,000 yearly commencing in 2016. This club has been a strong supporter of Groves Hospital, and in addition to many yearly contributions, it provided $250,000 a few years ago to the Groves Redevelopment Campaign. The first payment of $20,000 took place on May 31, 2016
During the pre-Christmas season, members of the Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora sold hams and cheese baskets to raise funds for community and international projects. Pictured is the winning sales team. Thanks to many local businesses and individuals who purchased ham and cheese baskets. A special thanks to Zehrs Markets, Fergus who made this fundraiser possible.
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0536 Wellington Road 18
Fergus, ON N1M 2W3
Canada