Events

The fifth meeting of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors.

** IN PERSON - SYMPOSIUM RESTAURANT + ZOOM ** Lise will have just completed Part 2 of the President Elect Learning Sessions and will discuss planning for her upcoming year (2025-2026) as club President.

** ZOOM only **  A Special Members Meeting to be held.

** IN PERSON - SYMPOSIUM RESTAURANT + ZOOM ** Tanyss is Executive Director and, with husband Gem, co-founder of The Amarok Society.  We have supported this international charity for a number of years, and Tanyss will give us an update on some exciting new initiatives that they are undertaking.  "Teach a Mother, Change the World".

TICKETS AVAILABLE MARCH 1st 2025!  Will be so much fun....join us   https://tinyurl.com/4f2uu72w

** IN PERSON + ZOOM ** Guelph Newcomers Club is a social group for diverse women new to the area, or who have recently experienced a major life change. The Club provides social functions, various activity groups both large & small, help promote new friendships & acquaint members with the community. The Club's purpose is to promote friendships among members, provide social functions, activity groups and acquaint members with Guelph.

The sixth meeting of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors.  The primary focus of this meeting will be review of committee budget requests for the 2025-2026 Rotary year.

** IN PERSON + ZOOM - SYMPOSIUM RESTAURANT **  Lise and Bill just returned from an African safari, and Lise will describe some of their adventures (including with an elephant??).

** SPECIAL NOTE!  In-Person evening meeting - Shakespeare Arms (Guelph) **  We look forward to welcoming these 2 UofG Rotaractors who will have just finished attending the 4-day RYLA Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA). RYLA is an intensive training program that brings together youth and young adults (18+) to further develop character and leadership skills and learn about Rotary. Dana and Julia will update our members on the retreat that our Rotary club sponsored them for.

This will be a special in-person dinner meeting at Shakespeare Arms in Guelph.  May is Rotary's "Youth Services Month" and we look forward to welcoming the 2 University of Guelph Rotaractors (Dana Filipetti and Julia MacCormac) who will have just finished attending RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy).  RYLA is a 4-day intensive training program that brings together youth and young adults (18+) to further develop character and leadership skill and learn about Rotary.  We are looking forward to hearing about their experience at the retreat that our Rotary club sponsored them for. 

** IN PERSON (8:00AM) - SYMPOSIUM RESTAURANT + ZOOM **   Hope House Executive Director Jaya James will speak on opportunities for volunteers at Hope House.  Hope House relies heavily on volunteers to run the day to day operations of their many programs and services.

Since 2008 our Rotary Club has cleaned a stretch of Brock Road roadsides between Aberfoyle Mill and Hwy 401 as part of the Wellington County "Adopt-A-Road Program".  Fresh air, exercise, fellowship, community service AND fun - you will NOT want to miss it!  Family and friends welcome to join us!  (This event was rescheduled from the original May 4th date)

**ZOOM only**  We look forward to newest member Stefanie Bradley's Classification Talk.  Rotary has always had a long-standing tradition of asking new members to give a “classification talk” – to tell a story to introduce themselves. Every Rotarian has a story. Why you joined, why you stay, how your involvement, your service, or your friends add to your life – it’s all there. Why tell it? Because it gives the members a chance to learn about what Rotary means to you, strengthen your bonds with other Rotarians and deepen your club’s sense of community.

Our regular weekly meeting is cancelled in order to hold a special in-person event at a member's home.  Regular weekly meetings will resume on Thursday June 5th.

As incoming President Shelley Adlington prepares for the new Rotary year, you are invited to attend a special hybrid (in person and ZOOM) Fireside Chat planning session.

The seventh and final scheduled meeting of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors.  The primary focus of this meeting will be approval of a Budget for the 2025-2026 Rotary year. 

** ZOOM ONLY **  The Board of Directors will have approved a draft Budget that will be presented to the members.  A Special Members Meeting will be held on June 19th to actually approve the final Budget for 2025-2026.

A special dinner meeting is proposed for June 9^th (replacing the June 12^th morning meeting) where 19 Paul Harris Fellow awards will be presented. The Paul Harris Fellowship Award is one of the highest honors Rotary can bestow upon a person. Recipients are Rotarians and community volunteers, recognized for their outstanding contributions, exemplifying the highest ideal in Rotary in placing “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.”  There will be a buffet dinner catered by SR-P Creations Gourmet Catering (owner Rotarian Sharron Riley-Persson, herself a Paul Harris Fellow).  

This weekly breakfast meeting is being cancelled and replaced by the in-person dinner meeting on June 9 2025.

** ZOOM only  7:30-8:30am **  A Special Members Meeting to approve the 2025-2026 Budget and annual membership fees that will come into effect on July 1 2025.  As well amendments to the Club Bylaw to reduce the size of the Board of Directors will be up for approval.

Tour de Guelph is a cycling event in support of Guelph General Hospital and local Rotary projects through the Rotary Clubs of Guelph South and Guelph Trillium. Its intent is to build and support community well-being within Guelph-Wellington. In its eleven years, the event has raised over $1.2 million for our community and has grown into one of Guelph-Wellington’s largest community sporting events. 2024 was another record-breaking year with 780 riders and $204,000 raised. About 100 volunteers help with the event each year. The majority being Rotarians, plus many other individuals and local business leaders lend a hand. This allows the majority of the proceeds received from sponsorship and peer-to-peer fundraising to go directly to important community initiatives. Tour de Guelph is for all ages and abilities and welcomes participation from community members as well as visitors to Guelph-Wellington.

See you at the first meeting of the 2025-2026 Rotary year, on July 10th!  Happy Canada Day!

The first meeting of the new 2025-2026 Rotary year will be on Thursday July 10th.

** ZOOM Only 7:30am ** 2025-2026 President Shelley Adlington will preside over the first regular club meeting of the new Rotary year and will lay out her goals and objectives.

The first regularly scheduled meeting of the 2025-2026 Rotary year, a dinner and fellowship event where the outgoing 2024-2025 President welcomes the incoming 2025-2026 President and Board of Directors.

While Shelley handled club business during the morning ZOOM meeting, this will be for fun & fellowship!  For this first in-person get-together of the new 2025-2026 Rotary year we'll get together at our old home, Springfield Golf & Country Club (in the Pines room).  It will be our opportunity to thank 2024-2025 President John Persson and his board for his year, and welcome 2025-2026 President Shelley Adlington and her new board. 

The first of seven scheduled meetings of the 2025-2026 Board of Directors (ZOOM only).

** IN-PERSON at Symposium Cafe + ZOOM  (8:00am) **  Lise Burcher will lead this meeting that will be an opportunity for club members to discuss goals and opportunities for the 2025-2026 Rotary year.

Every July 30th is "World Day Against Trafficking in Persons".  On July 22^nd we're inviting everyone to join the members of the Eradicating Human Trafficking (EHT) Cluster Committee as they walk carrying STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING lawn signs from St. George's Square (just outside the play area) in downtown Guelph (at 8:30am) to Guelph City Hall.  At Guelph City Hall at 9:00am a ceremony will commence that will end with the raising of the STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING flag.  Afterwards those that can stay can enjoy breakfast together at a local restaurant.  

President Shelley will discuss ongoing club business with the members.

** IN-PERSON at Symposium Cafe + ZOOM  (8:00am) **   

**  In person at The Wooly Pub (7:00pm) **   Fun trivia night - old school, with pens and paper!  No cost other than your own meal and drinks. No hybrid option for this one, sorry, in person only.  Important note: this replaces our regular (Aug 28) meeting.

** ZOOM Only 7:30am **  This morning's meeting will focus on the needs of Ukrainians due to the ongoing war, now in its 4th year, and we'll have 2 speakers representing organizations providing assistance.  Both organizations have applied for funding from our club.
(1) Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis is an organization that has worked tirelessly over the past 3 years to support Ukrainians who have come to Ontario to escape the war in their country. Grassroots operates in several communities and has recently opened a guest house in Guelph. The guest house provides safe, affordable housing for newcomers.  In addition, various support programs assist Ukrainians in settling into the community and life in Canada. Director/Founder Stephanie Goertz will present on behalf of the organization.
(2) The Rotary Intercountry Canada-Ukraine Committee was just chartered at the June Rotary International Convention in Calgary.  Their first project, jointly with a Kyiv Rotary club, is providing some students with school supplies as they wrap up a camp trip to Belgium.  A member of the Ottawa West Rotary Club, Peter Chabursky, will speak on this project of the new Rotary ICC in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kyiv-Balzac Ukraine.