What We Do
Rotary has five “Avenues of Service” through which Rotarians channel their activities: Community Services, Vocational Services, International Services, Youth Services, and Club Services. The Edmonton Glenora Rotary has a special commitment to efforts that will improve the lives of women and children in need, although we have supported many other causes outside this theme.
During 2012-2015, our Community Services committee was the driving force behind the club’s relationship with the Intercultural Child and Family Centre, locat ed at McCauley School. We worked with the centre’s executive committee on best practices for fund raising and grantsmanship, we sponsored seasonal events for parents and children, we donated needed items to its daycare facilities, and we also provided financial support for operating expenses. For many many years, we provided Christmas turkey lunch -- with a visit by Santa -- and provided gift bags to the children at Calder School. In more recent years, we have partnered with the Edmonton Mennonite Center for Newcomers to offer support for Syrian refugee families who have resettled in Edmonton.
In the area of Vocational Services, we sponsor bursuries at NAIT, Norquest, and Grant MacEwan, primarily directed at women who are pursuing post-secondary studies under what are often challenging conditions. We have the pleasure of meeting these candidates and seeing their commitment to their personal and professional goals. We support WISEST, an organization that enables high school students to serve as summer research assistants for University of Alberta professors in science, engineering, and technology areas. Each year, our club also gives bursaries to a University of Alberta student in the areas of Art and Design, or Music.
Our International Service activities are diverse and are often undertaken with other clubs. We have built playgrounds in the poorest communities of Belize, organizing and supplying not only the materials, but assist with the manual labor as well. Club members join local citizens and Rotarians in Belize to contribute the sweat equity in creating safe places for children’s play. We have also partnered with other Rotary Clubs to support Edzimkulu, A Society for Children of AIDS in the village of Ndawana, South Africa. Much had been accomplished with this village, and despite a shattering set back in 2009, efforts are continuing to rebuild all that has been accomplished there. Starting in 2016, we spearheaded an "Adopt a Village" project in Honduras, bringing sustainable water and other services to that community. See more under our projects list.
For Youth Services, we have sponsored a Rotary Interact Club with Amiskwacy Academy. Interact Clubs empower young people through activities that serve their community and that increase their understanding of global issues and challenges. Some of the Amiskwaciy students joined a 2014 playground-building trip to Belize, forever changing them and their perspectives on the world outside of Alberta. We have also created a bursary for an Amiskwacy student pursuing post-secondary education.
Finally, our Clu
b Services committee provides social and organizational support for our club, including activities for members and fellow Rotarians that promote personal and professional relationships....and just plain fun.
b Services committee provides social and organizational support for our club, including activities for members and fellow Rotarians that promote personal and professional relationships....and just plain fun.