Club Information
Proud to also serve Puslinch Township
Guelph South

Come together as strangers,
work together as friends

We meet In Person
Thursdays at 7:30 AM
Springfield Golf & Country Club
2054 Gordon Street
Guelph, ON N1L1G6
Canada
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President's Message 2021-2022

Linda Craig

member photo
Celebrate, Connect, Care – three words that, hopefully, will help guide us over the upcoming year. As a Club we have much to celebrate given that on July 31, 2021 we turn 20! Thank you to those forward thinking charter members who not only talked about forming a club, but made it happen. Together, we will use this year to reflect on what we have done and celebrate those achievements. Together, we will continue to serve locally and internationally. Together, we will look to the future and make adjustments that keep us connected to the rapidly changing world in which we live.
 
As I write this message, there are still so many unknowns facing us. While we don’t know how the year will unfold, I know we are up for whatever lies ahead. For 18 months we’ve been unable to gather and connect in person but we continued to connect via Zoom and we continued to “Serve to Change Lives” which is the 2021-22 Rotary International theme chosen by RI President Shekhar Mehta. He remjnds us to “become more involved in service projects” since “caring and serving is the best way to live because it changes not only other people’s lives, but also our own.”
 
We are a Club that cares. Let’s continue to connect (hopefully in person) and let’s celebrate.
Home Page Stories
20th Anniversary Tree Planting Ceremony
ROTARY CLUB OF GUELPH SOUTH arranged a tree planting to commemorate the club’s 20th anniversary of service in support of local and international community projects. Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre in Puslinch was honoured to be chosen as the venue.
 
(More photos from the event are available from the "Photo Albums" link on our website's home page) 
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20 Years Anniversary TBT week 13 (2013)
Posted on Oct 21, 2021
October 24th is the annual “World Polio Day” and in 2013 Canadian Rotary clubs teamed up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) for the “Pennies and More for Polio” fundraiser.  This innovative public-private partnership between the Gates Foundation and the Canadian government towards the global effort to eradicate polio, a crippling disease affecting mostly children, meant that during the first 2 months of 2013 all contributions by Canadian Rotarians were tripled! Our club members responded enthusiastically to the challenge and donated almost $1,900 towards the PolioPlus program which was then tripled.  Our club and its members continue to support the efforts of The Rotary Foundation towards the global eradication of polio, and we celebrate World Polio Day every year including by attending the flag raising ceremony at Guelph City Hall.
"End Polio Now" flag for World Polio Day being hoisted at Guelph City Hall with Rotarians in attendance
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20 Years Anniversary TBT week 12 (2012)
Posted on Oct 14, 2021
Over the years our focus has been very much on supporting other local organizations providing much-needed services to our community, one of which is the Salvation Army.  We have provided financial support for programs put on by the local Citadel such as their Acre of Hope community garden program and their Youth Camps. We have also enjoyed hosting their Christmas Kettle at Stone Road Mall for one Saturday every holiday season from 2011 through 2019, then temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.  Members volunteer for 2 hour shifts at the kettle and there is never a problem filling up the available slots.  The Salvation Army’s holiday fund-raising activities play a crucial role in sharing the spirit of the season with families in need and our members have always enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm of the community as they generously donate to the kettles.
(L-R) Charter Members Peter and Celia Clark with the Christmas Kettle at Stone Road Mall, along with Mahmud Hassain, also a Rotarian
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20 Years Anniversary TBT week 11 (2011)
Posted on Oct 07, 2021
In late 2009 one of our members presented the club with an opportunity to become involved with an economic development project in Nicaragua.  Condimentos del Carrizal was a sustainable development project created by the partnership of Roothams Gourmet Preserves and Syngenta Crop Protection and supported by our Rotary Club and local partners there.  We were excited to be involved at the ground level of such a worthwhile venture and be able to help create a simple sustainable business that leveraged existing skills, experience and interest of the community members – primarily the local women who were already making jams and jellies by the side of the road using local fruits.  Poverty is alleviated and the quality of life improves through employment and training in sustainable agriculture, growing cash crops that are consumed locally to improve nutrition and health, sold into local markets and manufactured into all natural gourmet condiments sold at a profit to local restauranteurs and tourists.
   
Rotarian Celia Clark presents Nicaragua project donation to Rotarian Richard Puntis                             The sign acknowledging our club's contributions to the Nicaragua project
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1st National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Posted on Sep 30, 2021
September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.  The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.  The creation of this federal statutory holiday was through legislative amendments made by Parliament. 
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20 Years Anniversary TBT Week #10 (2010)
Posted on Sep 30, 2021
Not a week after celebrating the start of a new year (2010) there was a major earthquake in Haiti – their strongest in 20 years, leaving about 1 million homeless, and our members immediately started focusing on ways that we could help.  The Board recommended to the members that we send much needed financial disaster assistance to grassroots organizations in Haiti that we were familiar with including Friends of the Orphans and Olive Tree Projects, a maternal health organization founded by a Canadian woman.  We also provided funding for 2 ShelterBox (a Rotary International partner) housing tents and supplies, and an AquaBox (through Rotary club of Stratford) to supply potable drinking water.  All tolled, about $7,900.00 in immediate disaster response support.  
A member’s daughter drawing a winning raffle ticket during a fundraiser for Haiti earthquake relief hosted by 2 Rotary Club of Guelph South members
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20 Years Anniversary TBT Week #9 (2009)
Posted on Sep 23, 2021
    As part of the planning for our Rotary club being chartered, a decision needed to be made regarding where our weekly meetings would be held.  The steering committee that was doing this planning assessed a number of different locations, taking into account things like accessibility, availability of meals, overall ambience and suitability for meetings.  The Springfield Golf & Country Club in the south end of Guelph was one of those locations considered.  The provisional club meetings were held in the restaurant there and it proved to check all the boxes!  It has been our home ever since and we have been treated so well by the management there.  As well as holding our weekly meetings there we have been able to book other special events as well, taking advantage of the different rooms and services that they are able to provide.  They have supported us and we are happy to support them as well!  It has been a wonderful partnership over the past 20 years.
Members enjoying a breakfast meeting in the “Pines” room at Springfield Golf & Country Club
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20 Years Anniversary TBT Week #8 (2008)
Posted on Sep 16, 2021
   Charter Member Margaret Nixon was the first of our members to travel to provide “Service Above Self” in other countries: in January 2008 she, along with other District 7080 Rotarians, at their own expense, met up with Rotarians from Arizona to travel across the border to Mexico.  Meeting up with Nogales Mexico Rotarians, a joint effort was then undertaken that included lots of work - but also lots of fellowship - and ultimately resulted in the preparation of hundreds of gift boxes to hand out to the children in underprivileged communities there on “Three Kings Day” their equivalent of Christmas.  Margaret became so committed to this effort, and the good that she saw firsthand that it could do, that she joined the district organizing team for subsequent annual trips. This began what has now become an ongoing relationship and financial commitment ($17,600 through 2020) by the club with Mexico and Mexican Rotarians that persists to this day. We are proud of the other members, including Frank Oudesluys and Linda Main, who have also made the trips to Mexico in subsequent years to support Rotary initiatives there and even to provide polio immunizations.
   
Jan 2008:  (L-R Rotarians Margaret Nixon, Cheryl Ewing) Making up shoebox gifts for Mexican children 
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20 Years Anniversary - TBT Week #7 (2007)
Posted on Sep 09, 2021
    In January 2007 the club members made the decision to change our name from “Wellington South” to “Guelph South”.  This decision was driven by 2 needs:  one, to distinguish us from a New Zealand club with the same name, and two, to enable anyone searching online for Guelph-area Rotary clubs to also find ours...something that just wasn’t happening with the name we were chartered under.  Rotary International approved our application for a name change and in March 2007 we celebrated our official transition to “Rotary Club of Guelph South”.
Celebrating our new club name on March 15 2007
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20 Years Anniversary - TBT Week #6 (2006)
Posted on Sep 02, 2021
   In 2006 we became aware of a situation in northern Ontario, at a Pikangikum First Nations community, where there was a lack of clean drinking water for the students at the Eenchokay Birchstick School there.  There was a permanent boil water advisory in the community, 90% of homes did not have running water and many families had to fetch water in pails from the lake.  The school had often been closed to students because there was no potable water for them to drink.  The lack of fresh water had been seen by the District Health Unit as a cause of disease within the community.  A volunteer group in Guelph, called Friends of Tikinagan, had been making donations of clothing and sports equipment every year since 2001, and in 2006 it and other voluntary organizations came together to form the North-South Partnership, as a way to expand their ability to direct voluntary resources to serve the desperate needs in the remote First Nation communities.
         
 L-R: Rotarian Margaret Nixon, Moe Brubacher, Rotarian Frankie Shaw                      Happy students and teacher at Eenchokay Birchstick School, Pikangikum First Nations 
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SEPTEMBER is Rotary's Basic Education and Literacy Month
Posted on Sep 01, 2021
Basic education and literacy is one of Rotary’s seven Areas of Focus. Consider these facts:
*  If all women completed primary education, there would be 66% fewer maternal deaths.
*  A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five.
*  If all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty, which would be equivalent to a 12% cut in world poverty.
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Rotary clubs all over the world are taking action to enhance basic education and literacy in their communities.
20 Years Anniversary - TBT week #5 (2005)
Posted on Aug 26, 2021
   In early 2005 we had funded part of a pilot project to determine the feasibility of generating and distributing clean drinking water in a remote area of Margarita Island (Venezuela) by way of fog collectors on Cerro Copey (Copey Mountain) in a National Park at an elevation of 900 m (3000 ft).  The project was undertaken by a Canadian charity, FogQuest.  Our contribution covered the cost of 10 fog collectors (1m x 1m in size).  By January 2008 FogQuest had sourced a contact/partner on the island and had advised the club that further work was proceeding on developing a project to install large fog collectors to provide a source of potable water to the residents there. While FogQuest was Ontario based in 2005 they relocated to B.C. in 2006 and we have not had any further involvement with their projects since 2008.
   February 23 2005 marked the 100th anniversary of the first Rotary meeting in Chicago and, as well as holding a joint meeting on that date, the 4 Guelph-based Rotary clubs collaborated on a centennial project “Rotary4Hopewell” in celebration of that anniversary: an addition to the Shelldale Community Centre that would be used for the Hopewell Homes’ Playsense Activity Centre.  The 4 clubs and their members held fundraisers, donated furniture and equipment, and contributed elbow grease by way of painting and decorating the new facility to get it ready for use.  The centennial was further marked by both the City of Guelph and Township of Puslinch by the flying at their municipal office of a special Rotary flag that we purchased for the occasion.
 
FogQuest team with 1 of fog collectors on mountain in Margarita Island, Venezuela                                            Groundbreaking ceremony, Guelph "Rotary4Hopewell" project for Playsense Activity Centre
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20 Years Anniversary - TBT week #4 (2004)
Posted on Aug 19, 2021
   In April 2004 the club partnered with the Puslinch Library to host a series of 5 2-hour parenting workshops.  One of our primary objectives as a club was the support of initiatives involving children, and hosting parenting workshops was a natural fit. Providing parents and teachers with tools to enable them to build self-esteem in children, by focusing on their positive qualities, can benefit both the family and the community.  The workshop was based on "The Virtues Project" an international organization dedicated to inspiring spiritual growth in young and old alike by showing parents and teachers how to turn words into actions, and ideals into realities. The first session was uplifting, encouraging, strengthening and thought-provoking and included approximately 25 parents and teachers.
 
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20 Years Anniversary - TBT week #3 (2003)
Posted on Aug 12, 2021
   As a new club we decided to come up with a consensus among the members as to what areas of need we wanted to focus on for service. There are so many deserving causes out there, but the club members ultimately decided that they wanted to provide support primarily to children, the elderly and the disabled.   In February 2003 we held our first “Taste of Italy” pasta dinner. It was decided that the Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre in Puslinch would be the beneficiary, giving us an opportunity to support a cause that benefits both children and the disabled both.  The event was held at the Puslinch Community Centre and the 200 tickets were sold out before the doors opened!  It was a great opportunity for all of the club members to work together as a team and has become an annual event, held every February in Puslinch since then.
    
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WELCOME TO ROTARY SHELLEY ADLINGTON
Posted on Aug 01, 2021
Welcome to Rotary Shelley!! President Linda Craig formally inducted new member Shelley Adlington at this week's meeting. Shelley is the sister of past President Deb Allen and is already involved with the Eradiction of Human Trafficking committee.  We just know you will be a fantastic addition to our wonderful Rotary club.

(R-L: Membership Committee Chair Celia Clark, new Rotarian Shelley Adlington, Membership Committee member Linda Main)
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20 Years Anniversary - TBT week #2 (2002)
 
Posted on Aug 05, 2021
   Our first fundraiser, following our being chartered as a Rotary club on July 31 2001, was thanks to the Rotary Club of Guelph who offered us the opportunity to sell hot chocolate at their “Sparkles In The Park” event in December 2001 at Riverside Park.  Following that we were also offered the opportunity to have a booth at their July 1 2002 “Canada Day” event, at which we sold cold drinks and freezies.  And our sponsor club, Guelph Trillium, provided us with the opportunity to have a booth to sell coffee during their weekend-long 2002 “Ribfest” event.   The City of Guelph was planning a special one-day 175th Birthday celebration on August 4 2002, on the parkland next to the River Run Centre, and we were offered the opportunity to host the “Ox Roast” at the “GuelphFest” event.
Charter members L-R Dianne Paron, Ann Caine, Frankie Shaw, Dale Sims + Margaret Nixon (along with another volunteer) were dressed in period costumes to sell “ox” buns and celebrate Guelph’s 175th birthday at GuelphFest on Aug 4 2002
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Eradicating Human Trafficking - Speaker Series #2 (Aug 24 2021)
Posted on Aug 05, 2021
Eradicating Human Trafficking - Speaker Series #2 (Aug 24 2021)
August 24 2021, 7:00pm:      In this second session of our series, you will be hearing from Karly Church, who is a Crisis Intervention Counsellor at a regional support service for victims of human trafficking, and who has spoken for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Karly gives talks at schools,  particularly with grade nine students,  and with politicians on this issue.  She teams up with the Anti Human Trafficking Unit of the regional police force, and often intervenes and talks to individuals who are being trafficked.

But this wasn’t always her job.  She knows what she is talking about because she is a human trafficking survivor.   She will be sharing her powerful story of how she  came from a small town, with a seemingly normal family to being trafficked in the sex trade.

REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE REQUIRED - USE THE LINK (BELOW) TO REGISTER AFTER WHICH A CONFIRMATION EMAIL WILL BE SENT WITH INFORMATION ON JOINING THE VIRTUAL MEETING ON AUGUST 24th:
 
 
(Thanks to Hammond Power Solutions for their support of this important initiative)
 
 
20 Year Anniversary - TBT Week #1 (2001)
Guelph has had a strong Rotary presence since the first club, the Rotary Club of Guelph, was chartered in 1920.  Along with that club, the Rotary Clubs of Guelph-Wellington and Guelph-Trillium have also grown and prospered.  Despite that, there appeared to be a need for a new club to cover both the growing south end of Guelph and the Township of Puslinch.  The Guelph Trillium Club decided to sponsor their first new club, and a Steering Committee of Rotarians was struck to organize it.  The first meeting of the new provisional club was held on May 3 2001 and was attended by the Steering Committee and 10 potential members. More weekly meetings followed where more new potential members attended until enough (20) had confirmed their desire to join the new club so that Rotary International could formally charter it.  The new club was chartered on July 31 2001 as the "Rotary Club of Wellington South" and the members were presented with their club Charter by the President of Rotary International in Toronto at a Presidential Conference on August 10 2001.  Due to subsequent confusion with a New Zealand club (also “Wellington South”) a decision was made to rename the club to “Rotary Club of Guelph South” in February 2007.  

(4 Guelph Rotary Club Presidents L-R Colin Ferguson, Bill Hammond, Phil Greenway, Gregg Mitchell)     
 
 (Inaugural Board of Directors L-R Frankie Shaw, Dianne Paron, Dale Sims, Bill Hammond, Margaret Nixon,  Lora Gatto, Frank Oudesluys - with Ralph Marziano, Rotary Club of Guelph Trillium, behind)   
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Our Commitment to DIVERSITY, EQUITY + INCLUSION
Posted on Jul 15, 2021
Like Rotary International itself, our Rotary club has made a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 
On July 14 2021 the Board of Directors approved the following statement:
 
We Value Inclusion and Diversity
The Rotary Club of Guelph South believes having members from different backgrounds and with different viewpoints gives us a broader understanding of the local community that we serve in our role as volunteers.
We value diversity and celebrate the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socio-economic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Our club will continually strive to cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where everyone is welcome.
 
2021 TOUR DE GUELPH - WHAT A SUCCESS!
Posted on Jul 02, 2021

Thank you for making Tour de Guelph 2021 the most successful year yet! Our community raised $165,000 in net proceeds. This is an astounding success, particular as our usual one-day event had to be held yet again in a virtual format over the June 7-27 time period!  We have so much gratitude for everyone who contributed. This most certainly is the result of our community coming together in a very positive way! We thank:

💚 366 registered riders, runners and walkers
💚 Over 1,800 individuals who supported a participant with a donation
💚 Numerous local businesses who dug deep to sponsor this year’s event or contribute in-kind service and product
💚 Our dedicated team of volunteers

 
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ERADICATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING Speaker Series
Posted on Jul 06, 2021
When we hear the words “human trafficking,” we tend to think that this is something that happens in big cities.  Sadly this is not true, and with the 401 highway, this crime is big business right here in our community.
 
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SERVE TO CHANGE LIVES
SERVE TO CHANGE LIVES
July 1st marks the start of a new Rotary year.  Rotary International 2021-22 President Shekhar Mehta is a member of the Rotary Club of Calcutta-Mahanagar, West Bengal, India.  Mehta is encouraging Rotary members to change lives through service. His theme Serve to Change Lives asks members to participate in service projects where they can make a difference in their communities and the people who live in them.  "Rotary kindled the spark within me to look beyond myself and embrace humanity," he said. "Service became a way of life for me and I, like many others, adopted the guiding philosophy that 'Service is the rent I pay for the space I occupy on this earth, and I want to be a good tenant of this earth."  Mehta also wants members to focus their efforts on empowering girls and ensuring their access to education, resources, services, and opportunities so that future generations of women leaders will have the tools they need to succeed. Mehta is asking members to use Rotary's belief that diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical in all we do as a compass to guide this work.
Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Recipient
Posted on Jun 18, 2021
This week we presented Linda Oakes with a Paul Harris Fellow Award. The presentation of a Paul Harris Fellow recognition is our club’s way of expressing its appreciation for a substantial contribution made in volunteering and who’s life demonstrates a shared purpose with our club. Linda has dedicated her time for decades toward truly selfless action. Our club thanks you for all your contributions in numerous areas to the community. We would also like to recognize the other nominees for their outstanding commitment to community outreach:  Sue Keuhl, Lynn Vanschaik, Lorraine Kruse, Cosmo Carere, and Lisa Pearson.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Posted on Apr 22, 2021
As a global network that strives to build a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, color, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.  A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve.  We're creating an organization that is more open and inclusive, fair to all, builds goodwill, and benefits our communities. We want people with differing perspectives and ideas who will help Rotary take action to create lasting change in communities around the world. 
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SHELTER BOX CANADA
Posted on Apr 08, 2021
At our April 8th weekly meeting we had a virtual visit from Dani Bristow, Volunteer Program Coordinator for Shelter Box Canada.  Shelter Box is a global charitable organization and a Rotary project partner since 2012.  Our club has supported this organization including providing donations for the supply of 2 Shelter Boxes to Haiti following a disastrous 2010 earthquake.   

 
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DIVERSITY EQUITY & INCLUSION - ROTARY TOP PRIORITY
Posted on Mar 18, 2021
We were honoured to be able to welcome Rotary International Director Valarie Wafer as our very special guest speaker at this morning's meeting.  Besides being a Collingwood-based Rotarian, Valarie also chairs Rotary International’s new Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce that is charged with shaping a comprehensive action plan with achievable, measurable and meaningful outcomes for Rotary.  Rotarians from other clubs in our Guelph-Wellington Cluster also joined us in the ZOOM meeting to hear Rotary Club of Guelph South President Russ Powell and Rotarian Geoff Allen introduce Valarie and provide her biography.
 
 
 
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The importance of vaccines for COVID-19
Posted on Mar 11, 2021
Thursday March 11 2021 marked 1 year to the day since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.  With the development of vaccines and imminent availability of them to all Canadians, we were fortunate to receive a very informative presentation at our March 11th 2021 weekly meeting.
The presentation was by none other than a grade 5 student, Rosie.  Her grandmother is a member of our Rotary club and advised us that Rosie had won a speech contest (on another topic, we want her to give us that speech as well!) and suggested her as a speaker.  Given that it was International Womens Week, and with her lineage she is no doubt a future Rotarian, we were happy to welcome her.  And she did an awesome job - she was poised and succinct, and I think we all learned something.  We took a screenshot of the ZOOM session when she was speaking - she is in the bottom row, second from the left:
Thanks Rosie (and grandma Deb for suggesting) and we'll look forward to hearing your speech contest winning entry about the three levels of government.
WELCOME TO ROTARY JOHN PERSSON
Posted on Jan 21, 2021
Welcome to Rotary John!! President-Elect Linda Craig formally inducted new member John Persson at this morning's meeting. John's wife + sponsor, Rotarian Sharron Riley-Persson, did the honours, pinning him, while his mentor, charter member Peter Clark, introduced him.
We just know you will be a fantastic addition to our wonderful Rotary club.
 
Nutcrackers Raise $8,000
On November 1rst the Nutcrackers came to town at 101 Wyndham Street.  A big thank you to Sharron Riley-Persson, owner of SR-P Creations, for the donation of 104 Nutcrackers from her private collection that were auctioned off.  The successful event raised $8,000 dollars, so thank you to all who participated by placing bids. Congratulations to the successful bidders.  All the nutcrackers had special meanings to Sharron and she was thrilled to see how excited people were when they picked them up.  It made giving them away so much easier knowing they were going to a new loving home.  Special thanks to Lorraine Kruse, of Defined Space and Staging, 
https://www.definedspacestaging.com/ for decorating the windows at 101 Wyndham St to display the Nutcrackers and to Megan McCormack, of McCormack Photography, https://www.mccormickphotography.ca/ for photographing each one for the Auction Site.  Thank you ladies for donating your valuable time. 

Our next Fundraising Auction will be a Valentine theme, focusing on items/gift certificates from local businesses. We are strongly committed to supporting our local stores as they struggle to get through the Covid lockdown restrictions.  
The auction will take place again on Trellis.org from Feb 1 to Feb 12th.  Come back to this site for more details at the end of January and #InvestInGuelph! 
CHEQUE PRESENTATION - HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
We were pleased to welcome Habitat for Humanity Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph CEO Steve Howard to our virtual Rotary meeting on Dec 17th where we advised him of the $4,000 donation being made to Habitat for Humanity WDG from the recent Nutcrackers auction. A virtual "big cheque" presentation followed by e-transfer!
5th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Brunch
 
Each organization receives $1,000.00.  Sadly we were not able to host 10 volunteers from each organization as well for a special brunch and cheque presentation ceremony at Cutten Fields as we would normally do. Rotary Club of Guelph South is so grateful to the sponsors who help make this event possible, including presenting sponsor Davies & Mahnke Private Wealth Management and Hammond Power Solutions.
 
Check out the photo album (right side of website home page) and the photo carousel (left side of website home page) and watch the website www.rotaryvab.org for information on the start of nominations for organizations to be honoured at the 2021 Annual Volunteer Appreciation Brunch.
 
10 organizations    100 volunteers     $10,000 donations
Thank You Deb Allen
Thank you Deb Allen for your incredible leadership over the past year.  You made sure our club never skipped a beat by immediately starting a Zoom Breakfast meeting.  We were able to still enjoy some incredible speakers and share  fellowship time.  This support was invaluable during our isolation time at home.  Thank you for guidance, patience and humour over the past year.   I think we are all in agreement that our year was still successful and continued strong to the end of your time.  Thanks for giving us your time and talents.  We look forward to our new President Russ Powell and of course to hopefully being able to meet back at Springfield face to face.  From all our members a very heart felt Thank you!! 
2020 TOUR DE GUELPH

Already over $60,000 net fundraising revenue raised of our
$100,000 goal!
Thank you to all those who have already registered and who have been fundraising!
This progress is all you! Incredible!
If you haven’t registered yet, you can still get in on this!
Registration will remain open until Sunday July 26th, 2020.

Have you already completed your ride or walk? Submit your photo to the Tour de Guelph 2020 Online Photo Album, presented by Elinesky Schuett Private Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities and hosted by GuelphToday.com.
 
In response to the COVID-19 crisis and in adherence with current physical distancing recommendations, Tour de Guelph 2020 will not be held in its usual single-day event format.
Instead, we welcome all new and past riders to register, fundraise, and complete one of our Tour de Guelph routes on your own, making sure you are physically distanced from other riders, any time on or between the fourth Sunday of June, 2020 and the fourth Sunday of July, 2020, (Sunday June 28th, 2020 to Sunday July 26th, 2020). Take a photo of yourself on your ride and email it to us, we’ll post it in a special online photo album. Please also share your pictures on social media using #TdG2020.  We are also welcoming those who prefer to ride at home on their bike trainer or stationary bike. We are also welcoming walkers this year!
 
Proceeds of Tour de Guelph support Guelph General Hospital. Did you know that every piece of equipment used in the direct care of patients at Guelph General are funded through community donations? Over the past six years, proceeds from Tour de Guelph have funded IV Pumps, an Ultrasound Machine, Respiratory Ventilators, and have also helped fund Interventional Radiology, a new CT Scanner and a new Centralized Cardiac Monitor. All this equipment is essential to the delivery of patient care at Guelph General.  This year, proceeds from Tour de Guelph are needed to purchase blood pressure monitors for the Hospital’s Day Surgery Unit. Blood pressure is an extremely important vital sign to monitor in patients undergoing surgery to ensure their safety.

BONUS!  All registered riders to fundraise $300 or more will receive an exclusive Tour de Guelph 2020 cycling Jersey!

 
In addition to supporting the Hospital, every year, many local groups aimed at youth development, family support, and community building are supported by Tour de Guelph proceeds through the Rotary Clubs of Guelph South and Guelph Trillium.
 
This year, through the Rotary Club of Guelph Trillium, Tour de Guelph proceeds will help support The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington Food & Friends Program to supply healthy food to hungry minds. Proceeds will also provide financial support to HOPE House and their Harvest of HOPE program. The Harvest of HOPE is a volunteer-driven community garden harvesting farm-fresh produce for families across Guelph that makes good food more accessible in our community.
 
Through the Rotary Club of Guelph South, Tour de Guelph proceeds will help support Food4Kids Guelph which provides packages of healthy food for kids aged 1 – 14 years with limited or no access to food each weekend. Proceeds will also support the Volunteer Appreciation Brunch which is an annual initiative to recognize 100 volunteers from 10 local charities. Each participating charity receives a $1,000 donation!
 
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
 
 
ARNOLD BOLLIGER
We are sad to report that one of our Rotarians – member Arnold Bolliger – passed away on Saturday February 29th.  Arnold starting visiting us in 2007 and finally became a Rotarian, joining our Rotary club as a youthful 75 year old, in February 2008. Arnold contributed to the club in so many ways, serving on a number of different committees including Membership and Rotary Foundation.  Arnold was surprised and pleased to be honoured by the club with a Paul Harris Fellow in 2016.  He had one of the best attendance records of any member, was never without a smile on his face, and was a prolific fundraiser for worthy causes and events supported by the club.  It will take some getting used to, to seeing his usual chair empty at weekly meetings at Springfield Golf & Country Club.
 
RIP Arnold – thank you for your service to Rotary and our Rotary club - you will be missed.
 
(A photo album has been created, showing Arnold as a Rotarian through the years – see the frame on the right hand side of the club website, and the photo carousel on the left hand side)
Annual Pasta Dinner 2020
 
The Annual Pasta Dinner is in the books for 2020. We had a great turn out yet again and the food was amazing. Lots of hard work went into this event, especially from the kitchen staff volunteers that put in a 14 hour day! It's always great to see such an enthusiastic group of attendees from the community and of course, to raise money for great community organizations like Sunrise Therapeutic Riding Centre.
CHEQUE PRESENTATION
Presenting local charities we have chosen to give our fundraising dollars to is always a highlight of some of our Breakfast Meetings.  
Rotary Celebrating 100 Years in Guelph!
 
Rotary is celebrating 100 years in Guelph in 2020! There are now 4 clubs in the city, including ours, that all do great work putting service above self. Here's to 100 more!
 
Lutherwood Visits the Club
Carla from Lutherwood attended our meeting on October 3 to give us the run down on the employment services they offer to newcomers to Canada. They are doing great work to help people with training, networking, and other employment support in the Waterloo Region and Wellington County. 
 
 
Camp Enterprise 2019 - Student visits club meeting
Matteo Furfaro, from Bishop Mac High School, was one of the Camp Enterprise students that attended the 2-day workshop at University of Waterloo in May.  He spoke to our members about his experience and of winning the team prize for best business model for a start-up organization. He told us that his biggest learning from this experience was the chance to be exposed to business leaders and how they manage complex business issues.
 
2019 Volunteer Appreciation Brunch
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BRUNCH
            The Rotary Club of Guelph South kicked off National Volunteer Week
With a Volunteer Appreciation Brunch at the Cutten Fields Club . One hundred volunteers from 10 local charities were recognized and honoured for their generous and dedicated hours of contribution to our community. Each charity also received $1,000. This years Recipients included Community of Hearts, Elderdogs, Foods4kids, Focus on Nature, My Kitty Café, Parish Nurse Program, Royal City Quilters, Rotaractors of U of G,
             The Seed and The Shoebox Project.  
Read more...
ROTARACTORS MAKE US PROUD
Posted on Mar 24, 2019
The University of Guelph's Rotaract Club held its annual Gala on March 2nd, and this year selected Food4Kids to be the beneficiary of the proceeds.
They attended our weekly meeting on March 21st to present $5,000 how amazing is that??
We are grateful to the Rotaractors for their support of this important project being championed in Guelph by the 4 Rotary Clubs.
 
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
Posted on Mar 21, 2019
We were thrilled to be able to formally induct 2 new members today: Martin Litchfield (sponsor Russ Powell) and Charlie Barnes (sponsor Linda Craig).  Both have a long tradition of volunteer service, and becoming Rotarians is a natural progression.
   (l-r: Russ Powell, Martin Litchfield, President Linda Main, Linda Craig, Charlie Barnes)
FOOD4KIDS GUELPH - New Website
Posted on Mar 10, 2019
We're pleased to announce that Food4Kids Guelph has received confirmation of its non-profit incorporation, and is in the process of getting its charitable status finalized.  This exciting news is accompanied by their new logo and new website www.food4kidsguelph.ca - we hope you'll check it out!
 
Tickets are still available for the April 2nd fundraiser breakfast being held at Cutten Fields.  Help us ensure that more kids have their weekend food needs met by attending the breakfast or making a donation.
 
 
 
MOST SUCCESSFUL PASTA DINNER EVER!
Posted on Feb 11, 2019
On February 8th 2019 we hosted our annual fundraiser to benefit Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre, along with other worthwhile Rotary projects. 
The sell-out crowd of 240 guests enjoyed delicious all-you-can eat food, fellowship, door prizes, raffles and a silent auction boasting a wide range of items to be bid on.
While final numbers aren't in yet it's looking as if net proceeds will exceed $9,000 - a record for this event.
We are so grateful to the table sponsors along with the donors of silent auction/raffle/door prize items.   
Their generosity went a long way towards making this event the huge success it was.
 
We used the event as an opportunity to make a $5,000 donation to Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre, along with a $2,800 donation to Childrens' Help for Uganda.
    
 
A photo album is on the club website home page (right side) along with a photo carousel (left side).  Thanks to the volunteers, sponsors, prize donors and especially our guests!
TOUR DE GUELPH FUNDS - NEW CT SCANNER
Posted on Oct 30, 2018

This week Guelph General Hospital had its official ribbon-cutting for its new CT Scanner. Marianne Walker, GGH president and CEO, said the machine will improve the quality of care, create increased efficiency and will save money.

The previous CT scanner was 13 years old and performed over 300,000 scans. It frequently broke down and need repairs. It will be refurbished and used in a developing country. A year ago the hospital put a new CT scanner at the top of its wish list.

Cost of just under $1 million was paid for primarily through donations and fundraising in the community, including the Tour de Guelph community cycling event.

Rotary Club of Guelph South President Linda Main represented the club at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

   

Thanks to everyone that supported Tour de Guelph, YOU were part of this too!

Hosting Shelldale Family Gateway Kids at Sunrise - July 26, 2018
Posted on Jul 30, 2018
Again in 2018 we enjoyed hosting a busload of youngsters from the Shelldale Community Centre at Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre.  These city kids had an opportunity to whoop it up in a country setting, enjoying the fresh air, the animals, the BBQ and food, the swimming pool and the sports activities.  A group of volunteer Rotarians, along with Sunrise representatives, supervised the youngsters during the visit.  We're grateful to Sunrise for making their facility available for this event, and we know that the youngsters had a really good time!
         
Upcoming Events
Club Leadership Team
President
Linda Craig
President-Elect
Martin Litchfield
Past President
Russell Powell
Secretary
Russell Powell
Treasurer
Peter Clark
Rotary Foundation Committee Chair
Karen Curtis
Membership Committee Chair
Celia Clark
Service Projects Committee Co-Chair
Linda Craig
Youth Service Committee Chair
Martin Litchfield
Public Relations Committee Chair
Russell Powell
Director
David Turvey
Environment Committee Chair
David Turvey
Director
Karen Curtis
Service Projects Committee Co-Chair
Rich Van Dyke
Eradicating Human Trafficking Committee Chair
Debbie Allen
Director
Martin Litchfield
Director
John Persson
Director
Celia Clark
PHOTO CAROUSEL: 20th ANNIVERSARY TREE PLANTING CEREMONY
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REGULAR MEETING CANCELED
Oct 28, 2021
Offsite World Polio Day flag-raising event held in lieu
Offsite World Polio Day flag-raising event held in lieu
Lesley Barmania
Nov 04, 2021
The Rotary Foundation Canada
TBA
Nov 11, 2021
OFFSITE MEETING
Nov 18, 2021
Offsite fellowship event
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