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Welcome! Yours in Rotary.
We are Presently Holding Our Meetings Virtually.

Service Above Self

We meet In Person & Online

Fridays at 12:15 PM

Rotary Centre for Youth

131 Wellington Street,
Box 1140
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1V3
Canada

Presently holding virtual meetings - Fridays at 12:30 pm

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AMENITIES AT ROTARY GARDENS ARE AGAIN OPEN

As COVID-19 continues to quickly evolve, we want to ensure public safety and the well-being of our visitors. On April 16th, the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Bracebridge moved to close all amenities at the gardens until further notice. Since then, and with the Province of Ontario moving our area into Phase 3, the Gardens are once again OPEN to the viewing public!

Working with the Province of Ontario, Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit, District Municipality of Muskoka and the Town of Bracebridge, we will be regularly monitoring the gardens to ensure that the regulations set out as of July 21 are being followed. Please abide by the signs posted and enjoy the peace of the gardens once again.

Thank you for your understanding.

Rotary Club of Bracebridge

ROTARY DISTRIBUTES HAND SANITIZER

Rotarians Hit The Streets Of Bracebridge To Deliver Hand Sanitizer To Local Businesses

On Wednesday, June 3, the Rotary Club of Bracebridge launched another Covid 19 related program, this time to assist local businesses who are adapting to the new rules and safeguards regarding reopening their businesses.

During these very difficult and unprecedented times, the club quickly developed several programs to help individuals with groceries and a grocery delivery service for vulnerable individuals, organizations such as Manna Food Bank and the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital and now local businesses.

"We decided to help by providing hand sanitizer to over 200 businesses so that customers may use it during their visit to these businesses. We know that the added costs of providing personal protective supplies come at a most challenging time for businesses", said Paul Hammond, Co-Chair of the Rotary Cares Committee.

The label was designed by Rotarian Andrew Smellie and incorporated the club’s message as well as the technical details provided by Muskoka Brewery, the manufacturer of the hand sanitizer. "The club was pleased to support Muskoka Brewery with the acquisition of their manufactured sanitizer because they are an important and long-standing sponsor of Rotary's Canada Day Fireworks and Beer Garden", said Dave Stevenson, President.

Ten local members of the Rotary Club of Bracebridge fanned out around town and started delivering Muskoka Brewery hand sanitizer to businesses in the BIA, restaurants who are especially challenged, our Canada Day sponsor businesses and other businesses who are strong supporters of the club. These businesses are in various stages of reopening.

"Club members wish all businesses in the community all the best as they “come back” to the new normal way of operations", said Stevenson and he encourages, "all residents of the Town of Bracebridge to support all these local businesses, now more than ever!"

ANOTHER DONATION TO THE MANNA FOOD BANK

(Rotarian Carrie Fellows loads her car with cases of food destined for the Bracebridge Manna Food Bank.)

On Monday, May 4, 2020, the Rotary Club of Bracebridge purchased and delivered $1,140 worth of food from a local grocery store to the Bracebridge Manna Food Bank. The casegoods were made possible with a Rotary District simplfied grant for COVID19 community relief applied for by Rotarian Linda Brouillette. Rotarian Susan Montgomery organized the volunteers from her Rotary Delivery Program and Rotarians Carrie Fellows, John Mullen and Rotary Past District Governor Margaret Walton provided the pickup and delivery.

Thank you to Your Independent Grocers for providing the best possible discount on the goods and to their employees Mar and Kevin for organizing the purchase of the food on short notice.

In late March, the Rotary Club of Bracebridge also made a $5,000 cash donation to the Manna Food Bank directly from the Club.

(Members of the Rotary Club of Bracebridge delivering cases of food to Sam Robinson (second from left) of the Manna Food Bank. Those who helped with the social-distancing delivery were (from left) Rotarians Linda Brouillette, John Mullen, Carrie Fellows and Margaret Walton. Rotarian Susan Montgomery organized the delivery and Rotarian Dave Brouillette took all the photos!)

ROTARY HELPS WITH DELIVERIES

Rotarian Susan Montgomery has taken on coordinating a grocery pick-up service for those who cannot get out.

Along with Susan, there are 12 Rotarians who have volunteered to help.

IF YOU ARE A PERSON NEEDING SOMEONE TO PICK UP YOUR GROCERIES OR PRESCRIPTIONS AND DELIVER THEM FOR FREE

we are the people you need to call.

FOR HELP CALL SUSAN AT 705-644-7527.

ROTARY CARES COVID-19 ASSISTANCE

MEDIA RELEASE

April 13, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rotary Cares Covid-19 Assistance Fund Program Rushed Needed Funds to Working Families

Bracebridge, ON— On March 21, 2020, the Rotary Cares Committee launched a special assistance program to support working families in the community who were immediately impacted by the closing of their workplaces. The program was designed to bridge needs of working families between vanishing pay cheques and receipt of emergency assistance from the government. Between March 25 and April 8th, Rotary Cares gifted $500, or more depending on family size, in grocery gift cards to 50 families in the community.

According to Linda Brouillette, Rotary Cares Committee member, "Referrals to the program came from club members as well as from our Canada Day sponsor businesses and other business owners in the community who were concerned about their employees, churches and school administrators among others. In just a little over 2 weeks our allocated program funds were expended. Our Committee members spoke individually with each family and we know they were extremely grateful for our help. We now have heard from other sources we know that government assistance has been received by some so we achieved our goal of assisting with grocery funds before the government funds arrived".

The Rotary Cares Program began operations in 2011 and since that time has provided support to approximately 150 families caring for 425 children through one-time contributions for essential household expenses like rent, utility bills and groceries. The Rotary Cares Program is made possible through the generous donations of an individual who wants us to focus our efforts on helping young families who have serious financial difficulties and have exhausted other avenues for support.

The Rotary Cares Covid-19 Assistance Fund Program contributed in excess of $25,000 to families in the local community since the Fund also received additional gift cards related to a discount from Gagnon's Your Independent Grocer. The program concept received unanimous approval on March 20, 2020 from the Rotary Cares committee, the Club's Board of Directors and the donor to use $25,000 of the Rotary Cares funds to support the needs of the community in a timely way.

In addition to the $25,000 Rotary Cares Covid-19 Assistance Fund Program, the Rotary Club of Bracebridge has made additional contributions to the community in this time of unprecedented need including a $5,000 donation to the Manna Food Bank and, thus far, a $2,000 donation to the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation for snacks for the frontline workers at the South Muskoka Memorial hospital.

For information on Rotary Cares, contact Paul Hammond or Linda Brouillette.

HOSPITAL PLEDGE PAYMENT AND FUNDS TO HELP FRONTLINE WORKERS

Colin Miller, Director of the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation accepts (from a 6-foot distance) the Rotary Club's annual pledge cheque of $10,000 from Rotarian Richard Borland. Due to these difficult times with the coronavirus looming on the horizon, the Club advanced their cheque a couple of months early in hopes that it can be put to good use now.

Two weeks later, the Club provided an additional $3,800 ($2,000 from the Club in general along with personal members' donations) to the Hospital Foundation to assist in providing some much needed break snacks for the hospital's frontline workers as a thank you for all their work during this time of need. The Club also encouraged other Service Clubs in the Area to assist with this "thank you" campaign. The Club's donation was made in memory of Rotarian Bill Towns who was a long time Chairman of the Hospital Board and Foundation.

DONATION TO MANNA FOOD BANK

On Friday, March 20, 2020, Rotarians Oliver Reprich and Richard Borland presented Manna Food Bank President Sam Robinson with a cheque for $5,000 to help feed the increase of families needing food as a result of the COVID-19 virus.