Events

The Rotary Club of Guelph has a rich history of working on international projects. As the Rotary Club of Guelph begins to revive our international service committee, we'll hear from some of the key rotarians who worked on our more recent projects. Many of our newer members have not heard about some of the great work we've done in international service.

We'll hear about:

Last week, if you were lucky enough to join us, you heard about the recent history of international projects that our club recently completed. They were completed through the power of Rotary International's Global and district grants. Rotary Internation also runs Polio Plus, which has been an extremely successful campaign to erradicate Polio.

Last week you saw "Who", "Where" and "Why" Rotary International is important. This week, we'll talk about "What" RI is and "How" it can help local Rotary Clubs (like ours) do great work around the world.

World Polio Day is October 24th, so, we'll take some extra time to talk about Polio Plus in advance of that day.

Remember to Register or Decline for this meeting no later than 2:00pm on Thursday October 17th.

Its never a meeting to miss when we have one of the leaders in our community speaking to us. This Friday we welcome the Chief of the Guelph Police Service and the Deputy Chief of Police. Looking forward to your fellowship this week.

Please Register or Decline no later than 2pm on Thursday October 24th.

We choose local is a new business with roots in Guelph looking to support local business. They're going to present to us how they plan to accomplish that.

86% of Canadians say supporting small businesses is important and yet only 13% do most of their shopping at small businesses. Why the Gap? Consumer behaviour changed after two years of lockdowns. They are no longer willing to go into a store unless they know what the store carries, prices and the store's return policy. Plus, without the reach of local newspapers, it's impossible for local stores to reach their marketplace. We Choose Local has been designed to bridge the gap. It's an ecommerce platform for locally owned businesses, providing the information consumers want to shop local with the added convenience of shopping
anytime and next day delivery.

Remember to register no later than 2:00pm on Thursday October 31st 👻 

Fundraising Event - Sponsor RCofG young professional members to Register and attend RI conventions and District conferences.

This Friday we hear from Bill Ramage, Father-in-law to Crista Renner.

The Rotary Outreach committee is going to share their vision with us.

They answer the following questions for us:

• What are the objectives?
• What have they done so far?
• What do they plan to do next?

NEW MEMBER INDUCTION: Jessica Hill

This week Jessica Hill will become the newest Rotarian in the World and newest member of our club. Please join us in welcoming her.

Kindly RSVP no later than 2pm on Thursday November 14th.

Marion Reidel, author of short fiction and Royal City Mission Volunteer speaks to us this Friday.

 

Marion has witnessed RCM's work supporting our city's most vulnerable citizens. In an effort to help RCM secure sustainable funding, Marion has interviewed both Mission clients and staff, and led the publication of "Stories from the Mission." This collection of short stories answers the often posed questions of, "What are those people?", "Why do they choose to live in tents?" and "Where are their families?"  The book has been well-received in building understanding and empathy, and also is a tool to seek the funding needed to keep RCM operational.

 

Kindly RSVP to this Friday's meeting no later than Thursday, November 21st at 2pm

 

***Don't forget to bring your non-perishable (and not expired) food donations for collection***

KidsAbility is one more example of “The Magic of Rotary”. It was founded by Rotary in 1957 to deliver pediatric services to children with special needs. Today, with centres located in Waterloo, Kitchener, Guelph, Cambridge and Fergus, KidsAbility supports over 17,000 children and youth (from birth to age 21) each year to reach their communication, social, physical and behavioural goals.

Join us to hear Jennifer Foster, CEO of KidsAbility since January 2024, provide an update about KidsAbility and Rotary’s continued support.

It is that time of year again, when we celebrate holidays with family and Rotary friends.  Please invite others for this Christmas lucheon.  Please see the menu below:

Punch at arrival … non alcoholic and alcoholic

House salad

Rolls and butter

Roasted turkey with stuffing, gravy and cranberries

Mashed potatoes

Seasonal vegetables

Warm apple blossom with caramel sauce and whipped cream

Coffee and tea

The cost is $60.00 per person

Please register as soon as possible.  We are targeting 70 attendees for this event.  Let us beat this number!!!

Regards,

Noma Vales

Your help is needed!

Your support is greatly needed and most appreciated! We need all Rotarians and Friends who are available to sign up for GATE COLLECTIONS during Sparkles in the Park 2024. This is the biggest fundraiser that our Club has and raises the bulk of the funds required to support the community projects and programs that we so want to see thrive. All of the committment thus far assembling and installing the lights and displays postions us to accept donations from our visitors who delight in the seasonal splendor we have created. 

This year, our Club has invested funds to add even more sparkle  - we will be showcasing many new displays which will add to the delight our guests experience.

Many thanks to whose who have already committed their time and expertize!

Please sign up where and whenever you can to support us as we seek to provide funds within and beyond the community.

Jason Hunt - CMO of Merged Mediad explores the forefront of digital marketing with his presentation, "AI-Powered Advertising: Merging Human Creativity with AI Efficiency." In this talk, Jason showcases his agency's innovative approach to integrating artificial intelligence in advertising. He'll share their firsthand experiences of AI revolutionizing campaign management, enhancing creative outputs, and optimizing operational efficiencies. Learn about the tangible benefits of AI in advertising.

Jason Hunt: Trusted Speaker in Humanized AI & Advertising Strategy | Helping Businesses Leverage AI for Smarter, Scalable Marketing Success | Speaker | Author of "Drop The Mic Marketing" | Podcaster | Professor | Rugby Coach | Lead Singer in a Band

As always, please register or decline no later than 2pm on Thursday January 2nd.

Welcome to The Grove Youth Hubs Guelph - Our club's most recent great acheivement in Youth Service.

Jeff Hoffman, Executive Director of the Grove and RCOG member along with the staff at the Grove are hosting us for a special Off-site Friday Meeting on January 10th. We very much look forward to touring the space and hearing about the wonderful work that is happening at The Grove Youth Hubs.

As this meeting is off-site we ask that your register no later than Friday January 3rd, 2024.

Once you register, you will be asked to also pay in advance - the cost remains the same at $25 per person.

Guelph's fantastic Shelldale Family Gateway might not have been estalished over 30 years ago without The Magic of Rotary and the involvement of our late, great Rotarian Charlie Whittaker - a former club president and district governor. Today, Shelldale continues to provide resources and tools to build a community of healthy children, healthy families, and a healthy neighbourhood in the Onward Willow community - an area of high need and diversity.

At this meeting, our member Michele Richardson, Charlie Whittaker's daughter, will recall the beginnings of Shelldale and the key roles played by her father Charlie and mother Margaret.  Diana Boal, the current Executive Director of Shelldale will provide a short update on current activities at Shelldale including becoming one of the Grove Hub locations (another Rotary connection).

Finally, our club will provide "Service Above Self" recognition to two long-term volunteers from the Shelldale Breakfast program:  Dan (88, who is a recipient of the Charlie Whittaker Lifetime Achievement Award, and is beloved stepdad of Dianne Dance and partner of our retired Rotary member Anne Dance); and Avery (13, who is Dan's protégé in the kitchen for the past 4 years already). We look forward to your presence at this celebration! 

 Please RSVP no later than 2pm on Thursday Jan 23rd 

Guelph's fantastic Shelldale Family Gateway might not have been established over 30 years ago without The Magic of Rotary and the involvement of our late, great Rotarian Charlie Whittaker - a former club president and district governor. Today, Shelldale continues to provide resources and tools to build a community of healthy children, healthy families, and a healthy neighbourhood in the Onward Willow community - an area of high need and diversity. At this meeting, our member Michele Richardson, Charlie Whittaker's daughter, will recall the beginnings of Shelldale and the key roles played by her father Charlie and mother Margaret.  Diana Boal, the current Executive Director of Shelldale will provide a short update on current activities at Shelldale including becoming one of the Grove Hub locations (another Rotary connection). Finally, our club will provide "Service Above Self" recognition to two long-term volunteers from the Shelldale Breakfast program:  a senior volunteer Dan (88, who is a recipient of the Charlie Whittaker Lifetime Achievement Award, and is beloved stepdad of Dianne Dance and partner of our retired Rotary member Anne Dance); and a junior volunteer Avery (13, who is Dan's protégé in the kitchen for the past 4 years already). We look forward to your presence at this celebration! 

Topic:  Emergency Traveller – Photography from a broken world

Through his images, Mr. Maher will share his experiences and photography, having worked in some of the harshest environments around the world.  

Philip Maher has worked as a photojournalist and communications/media specialist for a variety of international aid organizations in more than 85 countries. He has documented virtually every kind of crisis: humanitarian suffering in refugee camps, and people suffering because of tsunamis, earthquakes, cyclones, Chernobyl meltdown, civil strife and famine in North Korea.  Most recently he was on assignment in Angola. He notes that his strongest gift is not as a photographer but as someone passionate about showing the world hidden from most of us. He lives in Guelph and periodically writes a column in Guelph today under the name Mercy Traveller.

Kindly register or decline no later than 2pm on Thursday January 30th

This Week we will will hear from Bree Woods (Manager of Community Engagement and Volunteer Support), Lindsay Sprague (Director of Community Programs), and Steph Beaumont (Peer Mobile Outreach worker) from The Sanguen Health Centre. They will deliver their Sanguen 101 crash course to provide us with a broad view of the centre and then dive into some community impacts. They will also be bringing their Community Health van to offer some tours of the van!

Kindly Accept or Decline this invitation no later than Thursdsay Feb 13th at 2pm

The Sanguen Health Centre in Downtown Guelph

Sanguen was started in response to a community need. Through his work at Grand River Hospital, Dr. Chris Steingart, an infectious disease physician, recognized that there were many people living with Hepatitis C in Waterloo Region, and in Guelph-Wellington, who could benefit from medical treatment and support. Together with his wife Michelle, Sanguen was formed and has become an important resource and support for people living in at-risk communities.

Sanguen continues to provide Hepatitis C testing, treatment, support, outreach, and education in both Waterloo Region and Guelph-Wellington. Our team partners with other agencies and groups, whenever possible, to enhance our ability to work with patients and clients who have, or who are at-risk of, Hepatitis C.

• Kitchener, 1922
• Orangeville, 1936
• Acton, 1947
• Drayton, 1950
• Georgetown, 1955
• Fergus, 1966
• Guelph Wellington, 1986 
• Guelph Trillium, 1995 
• Guelph South, 2003

Hendrik Varju - Passion for Wood - Kids getting jobs in the trades

Hendrik Varju switched careers from litigation lawyer to furniture builder and woodworking instructor nearly 30 years ago. Nearly 20 years ago he also became a chef, offering private dinner parties and running both private and public cooking classes.  In those 30 years, Hendrik has taught hundreds of students, including not just adults, but also young people looking at furniture building as a possible career.  Hendrik continually tries to get the message out to parents and grandparents that young people can find a path towards both financial success and happiness through the trades.  In addition to going into trades, entrepreneurship is also an often overlooked path, which is sometimes the only way to meld passion with career.  Hendrik proposes that sometimes a dream job doesn’t exist, yet you can “create your own job” by starting a business.  Hendrik’s goal is to inspire others to find a way to make a living while simultaneously following a passion.  Hendrik serves as an inspiration, having made a transition from lawyer to master craftsman and chef.  He has published books, his woodworking techniques have been published in hundreds of magazine articles in Canada, United States, United Kingdom and Australia.  And Hendrik has produced 20 DVD courses sold, so far, in 24 countries around the world.

Kindly register or decline for this meeting no later than Thurdsay March 6th at 2pm

Robin Smart, Public Education Coordinator for the Alzheimer Society

What Should I Know? – An introduction to dementia.  Please join us to learn the difference between normal and concerning memory loss along with some interaction and communication tips.

Kindly Confirm or Decline your attendance no later than 5pm on Thursday March 13th

As our daily lives move away from burning greenhouse-gas producing fuels ane towards greener systems that run on electricity the electrical grid is being relied upon more and more. We will hear from Alectra about the challenges and opportunities presented by this energy transition.

Please RSVP (as attending OR delclining) no later than 2pm on Thursday March 20th

At this Friday’s meeting, we’re having a time of fellowship and fun as we strengthen the Rotary Club of Guelph. We’ll be sharing highlights from the Visioning Exercise held this past Saturday, March 22nd, where we began answering the “what.” Now, we’re looking for your further input as we begin to explore the “how.” It’s a chance to reflect, connect, and help shape the next steps in building a vibrant future—together.

Sean Carscadden sends his regrets as a conflict in his schedule arose.

Kindly ACCEPT or DECLINE your invitation to this week's meeting no later than 2pm on Thursday March 27th.

In this week's program we'll be hearing from Dr. Patti Galvin about the world of sports medicine. Dr. Galvin performs a range of cutting-edge treatment options, and key preventative measures to help minimize the risk of sports and training injuries. We're sure to hear about this and her involvement in a variety of elite sports teams and athletes both locally and on a national scale.

Dr. Galvin has served as a Team Physican for Canada’s National Womens’s Hockey Team (2006-2010), Canadian Amputee Hockey Team attending World Championships and Olympic competitions.  She continues to work as a Team Physician with the University of Guelph Varsity Football and Hockey teams, as well as providing coverage for LPGA and triathlon events.

Kindly register OR decline your attendance for this week's meeting no later than Thursday, April 3rd at 2pm.

Under the leadership of Alex Stewart (a Guelph pharmacist), the Rotary Club of Guelph was officially chartered on April 9, 1920 at the Royal Canadian Cafe.

• Kitchener, 1922
• Orangeville, 1936
• Acton, 1947
• Drayton, 1950
• Georgetown, 1955
• Fergus, 1966
• Guelph Wellington, 1986 
• Guelph Trillium, 1995 
• Guelph South, 2003