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Welcome to the Rotary Club of Ottawa-Stittsville

Stittsville - Thank You for Making a Difference!

Stittsville Rotarians and volunteers welcomed donations in a food drive on Sep 12, 2026 at Brown’s Independent Grocer, in support of Operation Come Home, a centre for at-risk youth in Ottawa.

Executive Director of Operation Come Home John Heckbert who came to participate in the day’s activities declared that the food drive was “a great initiative which would be a huge help for our youth. Donations of $806.51 in cash and about 1,400 pounds of food items will make a big difference this fall.”

Thanks to Stittsville Rotarians, Friends of Rotary and student volunteers who worked in shifts to welcome the donations of the generous residents of Stittsville. Another successful community service event!

www.stittsville/com

Visit Stittsville’s Only Labyrinth in a Public Park

The 53-foot in diameter labyrinth provides an easy way for people to meditate and relax.

Former Stittsville Rotary members Theresa Qadri and Val Wright brought the idea to the club of installing a labyrinth in the W. J. Bell Rotary Peace Park. It was a way to create an inclusive, non-denominational park space that could provide an easy opportunity for people to meditate and relax.

The official opening of Stittsville’s only labyrinth in a public park at 1751 Stittsville Main Street took place on October 8, 2015. The labyrinth itself measures 53 feet in diameter and was designed as a “contemplative path” for walking meditation. At the heart of the labyrinth is a blue and yellow wheel, the logo of Rotary International. See photo left from 2015.

Recent changes to the park include a new accessible picnic table which was added in 2021 thanks to funds donated to the club by Val and Tony Wright and matched by the City of Ottawa. Since then, commemorative bricks have been installed along the pathway to the labyrinth, a hosta garden has been added, and a pollinator garden has been created. www.stittsvillerotary.com

Water First Partners with Indigenous Comunities for Clean Water

One of the greatest obstacles to the provision of safe drinking water in First Nations in Canada is the lack of human resources and water operators.

Water First is a charitable organization that works in collaboration with First Nations to build capacity and help ensure sustained access to safe water through training and education. This approach ensures sustainable access to safe drinking water in Indigenous communities for the long term.

The Drinking Water Internship Program of Water First supports Indigenous adults in becoming certified water treatment plant operators. The paid internship provides 2,000 hours of training and hands-on work experience at local water treatment facilities and out on the land. Participants can obtain entry-level certifications recognized provincially. Intern to operator in just 15 months!

The engagement of community leaders with the expert team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff from the very beginning builds trust and helps to ensure that Water First programs are successful and the results are long-lasting.

https://waterfirst.ngo/

Contributing to the community is a day-to-day activity at COBS Bread

Stittsville Rotarians are a link in the Lionhearts bread recovery program that feeds vulnerable neighbours.

The process goes like clockwork! At the end of each day, 190 COBS bakeries across Canada pay it forward by donating leftover baked goods to local charities. On Sunday evenings in Stittsville, Stittsville Rotarians pick up leftover baked goods at the COBS Bakery at the Terry Fox location for transport to Lionhearts Inc. at Iber Road.

At the Iber Road facility, Stittsville Rotarians and Friends of Rotary sort, slice and re-package the baked goods for delivery by other volunteers the following morning to charitable organizations according to a pre-determined schedule.

One Friend of Rotary volunteer described it like this: “The Lionhearts bread recovery program is a fun, hands-on and “feel-good” activity that helps people”.

www.stittsvillerotary.com

Celebrating Stittsville Rotary Achievements 2026

Rotarians carried out a wide array of successful community service events in 2026.

Dave’s Famous BBQ Ribs and all the trimmings were on the menu at the year-end celebration of the Stittsville Rotary Club on Tuesday, June 30^th, 2026. Fortunately, the weather cooperated just long enough for the 30 people to have a great time, sharing memorable stories about the community service events organized by the club in the past year.

In the opening ceremony, the dedication and leadership of Annette Lindsay, Club President for 2025-26, was recognized, while Marion Mossman and Dave Rooke were welcomed as Co-Presidents for the new Rotary year 2026-2027.

In a surprise presentation, Wendy Adams received a Paul Harris pin and Paul Harris Fellow recognition. This recognition, named in honor of Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary, is considered an honor and a testament to the recipient for demonstrating the Rotary motto “Service Above Self”.

www.stittsvillerotary.com

Rotary Adventure in Citizenship in Ottawa, a unique experience

173 Canadian students gained a better understanding of Canada and its political traditions and institutions.

Stittsville Rotary Club sponsored Jayden Bernhardt, a student in the graduating class at South Carleton High School in Richmond, to join with 173 other students from across Canada in a unique experience in Ottawa.

In Jayden’s words: “The opportunity has enlightened me on how, as citizens, we have the chance to advocate for what we believe in. Especially when looking at my generation, who are just starting to become of age to vote, we have the right and responsibility to vote for what we believe in and make the change we want to see happen. We have the opportunity in front of us to make the change we want to see, to better the future for us and generations after, and to create a better Canada for everyone.”

Now that Jayden is back at home, completing his final year at high school, Jayden is able to share his newfound knowledge with his classmates. At Stittsville Rotary, we are proud to be part of this excellent program. www.stittsvillerotary.com

It’s All About the Trees

Miniforests bring together the factors of climate change, biodiversity, conservation and resiliency.

Bruce Dudley, Founder and CEO of Silent Tree Service and Your Forest was guest speaker at the Stittsville Rotary meeting of May 26, 2026. Central to his presentation was the concept of miniforests which bring together the factors of climate change, biodiversity, conservation and resiliency. This small, densely planted ecosystem restores biodiversity, enriches the soil, and reconnects people with nature, thereby building living systems that regenerate land, feed people, and grow hope - one 3x3m forest at a time.

This method has been used to green cities, restore degraded areas, and reintroduce biodiversity in over 40 countries - from schoolyards in India to parking lots in the Netherlands.

Bruce’s objective is to plant 24 Miyawaki Mini-Forests in Ottawa by 2030, and he has formed partnerships in Ottawa and area to reach that goal. www.silentreeservice.ca

Making Ottawa Clean and Green

Stittsville Rotarians celebrated Earth Day on Apr 22^nd by Cleaning Up the Capital at WJ Bell Rotary Peace Park.

City Councillor Glen Gower, community volunteers and Stittsville Rotarians participated in the Clean Up the Capital event in WJ Bell Rotary Peace Park and area on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. For the past three years Stittsville has held the city record for the most participants and groups registered for the city-wide event.

It was a way to celebrate the April 22^nd Earth Day held to raise awareness of the climate crisis and highlight the need to protect the environment. Earth Day is also about the health of forests, oceans, freshwater systems, soils, and biodiversity.

They collected an impressive amount of trash including wheel wells, empty bottles and disposable food containers. We thank all the participants who helped to make our community a better place to live. www.stittsvillerotary.com

Minwaashin Lodge supports Indigenous women, and their families

Minwaashin offers a range of programs and services, including employment, culture, children & youth, counselling, housing, and transitional support.

On April 23, 2026, Jenna Spagnoli was the guest speaker at the meeting of the Indigenous Work group of the Stittsville Rotary Club. Celebrating over 30 years of honoring and supporting women, Jenna said that Minwaashin Lodge was the first non-profit to be established in Ottawa for Indigenous clients. It has expanded over time to include 40 full-time staff, 15 part-time staff and volunteers in 2 locations, with the main building on St Laurent Blvd and a 28-bed shelter as well.

Minwaashin Lodge provides a wide range of programs and services to First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and children who are survivors of domestic and other forms of violence, and who may also be suffering the effects of the residential school system. Programs and services include employment, culture, children & youth, counselling, housing, and transitional support. The programming exists because of the financial support from three levels of government, donations from the community and the efforts of volunteers and students who help make it all run smoothly. www.minlodge.com

Photo courtesy of Hello Lovely Ontario.

Master Gardener Judith Cox shares her love of gardening with others.

Her secrets to success in the garden include pollinators, water, scented flowers and herbs such as basil and borage.

Master Gardener Judith Cox gave many concrete, practical and inexpensive examples of a common-sense approach to gardening in her presentation to Stittsville Rotarians on April 07, 2026.

After working for years as a gardener, Judith now works as a garden consultant during the growing season and volunteers at Master Gardener advice clinics at local farmer’s markets. She also writes an occasional column called Veggie Bites to encourage gardeners everywhere. As of 2020, She is President of the Stittsville Goulbourn Horticultural Society.

While Judith favors heritage vegetables along with roses and herbs and fairy gardens, she has always loved working with plants and enjoys sharing that love with others.

Pollinators: bees, butterflies, moths, fireflies, hover flies, beetles, spiders, bats, and birds.

What you need: water, scented flowers, herbs especially basil and borage.

All are welcome

We meet In Person & Online

Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m.

Stittsville United Church

6255 Fernbank Road
Stittsville, ON K2S 1X5
Canada

Phone:

(613) 831-8806

Email:

info@stittsvillerotary.com

1st week - 7am (in person & hybrid) for breakfast at Stittsville United Church 6255 Fernbank Rd. Stittsville K2S 1X5 2nd week - 7pm by zoom 3rd week - 7pm (in person & hybrid) at Hazeldean Gardens, 6130 Hazeldean Rd Stittsville K2S 2M2

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