Rotary’s theme for 2019-2020 is “Rotary Unites the World.”  Rotary International’s president Mark Maloney says that Rotarians are people of action who can change the world by turning inspiration into real and lasting change.  And that Rotary’s connections in the world start with each individual club, all 35,000 of them worldwide.

For me, it’s very exciting to be part of the Aldergrove Rotary Club’s world-changing local and international activities; activities that contribute to the betterment of our community and the wider world.  With our key focus on student education and the desire to improve the welfare of people in need in our community, we not only fund, but we also contribute people-power to such projects as student scholarships, youth leadership programs, the Starfish Backpack Program that feeds hungry kids on weekends and Christmas Hampers for the  needy.

In addition, we support the Aldergrove Fair, the Aldergrove Bike Jam, the Otter Co-op Outdoor Experience, JD Farms’ fundraising event for the Terry Fox Foundation and Ribfest Langley in conjunction with our three Langley Rotary partners. Internationally we are part of Rotary’s polio-eradication program, which is a global program targetting a polio free world by the year 2005. And we work with NGOs in Nepal to provide clean drinking water and smokeless clean burning stoves for people living in small villages.

It’s an honour to be part of this group of caring and committed volunteers. I’m looking forward to helping continue and expand our club’s long-standing service to humanity.