The Rotary Club of Jasper is proud to support the Rotary District of 5370 Charitable Foundation to distribute approximately $125,000 that has been raised through generous donations and designated to Jasper Fire Relief.
A heartfelt thank you to all those who donated, volunteer time, and share this incredible story to allow healing and new growth in the community of Jasper.
A Spooktacular Night on The Pumpkin Path: Halloween Magic for a Good Cause
On Wednesday, October 30, Jasper’s Curling Rink transformed into a Halloween wonderland for The Pumpkin Path—a night of glowing pumpkins, community connection, and meaningful support for the Jasper Food Bank. Held indoors from 6-8pm, the event was well attended by local youth and families who came together for some Halloween magic and a good cause.
This year’s Pumpkin Path featured a stunning display of carved pumpkins, each created by local teens using the seventy pumpkins donated by the Jasper Rotary Club. Their creativity shone through as jack-o'-lanterns illuminated the path, casting a warm and spooky glow over the evening.
Beyond their pumpkin donation, the Rotary Club played a vital role in making the event a success by also donating $2,000 to the Jasper Food Bank and providing technical support to collect debit and credit card donations. A big thanks goes to Cheryl and Danielle for operating the Square for credit card donations, making it easy for attendees to contribute. Visitors generously donated a total of $848 ($726 in cash and $122 through the card reader) along with three big tubs of much-needed food items, including bags of rice, oils, pancake mix, granola bars, school snacks, and feminine hygiene products.
The event was a fantastic way to celebrate Halloween with friends and family while making a positive impact in the community. The Pumpkin Path brought together the creativity and compassion of Jasper, and with the Rotary Club’s generous support, the fundraiser was a resounding success for a worthy cause.
A Spooktacular Night on The Pumpkin Path: Halloween Magic for a Good Cause
The Rotary Club of Jasper celebrated a significant achievement at the Rotary International District 5370 Awards Dinner on October 4th. Cheryl accepted the Public Image & Marketing Award on behalf of the Club, honoring their Rotary Dark Sky Fundraising Dinner & Auction held in October 2023. This award highlights the Club’s outstanding efforts in community engagement and effective outreach.
In addition, two further honors for the Club’s contributions to the Rotary Foundation: the “Every Rotarian Every Year” Award and the “100% Foundation Giving” Award, celebrating full participation and generous donations from all members.
The Rotary Club of Jasper is proud of its dedicated team and continues to exemplify community service at home and around the world!
Rotary Club of Jasper Shines at District 5370 Awards, Celebrating Community Impact and Philanthropy
On October 23, The Rotary Club of Jasper held a successful Fellowship Walk & Picnic for Polio. Christopher led the walk and shared powerful insights on global efforts to eradicate polio. Following the walk, Libby extended heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated and donated to the cause.
To date, $888 CAD has been raised through Lybby's Raise for Rotary page. With the 2:1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the total contribution now stands at $2,664 CAD.
Club members celebrated the achievement, proud to contribute to the mission of a polio-free world.
Rotary Club of Jasper Raises $2,664 for Polio Eradication
From: Jill Fenton Date: 3/23/2013
Subject: How to load a cow into a boat!
It's pouring with rain as we wake up at five this morning and we are so fortunate that we went to Nkora yesterday! Vincent drove. Neil was not at all happy to just ride but it's a 12 hour day on hard roads. We also drove The Beast, not without some trepidation, but we did it!
Greetings for the holiday from the sunshine couple!
It's hard to believe that the main part of our program is over and Libby has left us after six weeks of hard work training teachers. She made 350 books with teachers and cut up 1200 pieces of cardboard from recycled boxes! The books and the personal stories were beautiful! So beautiful that we had a art show at each centre so the participants could enjoy each other's work.
I think we last left you when we had finished the training out of Gisenyi and Vumbi/Nkora. The two weeks there were hard; long days, hard roads, lots of teachers and very basic or creative places in which to teach. However I would return tomorrow because the work was really appreciated and the teachers have so little in terms of resources or opportunies for learning themselves.
We then took a week off and gathered ourselves and materials for the last two weeks of this program. It has worked better to provide a week of long days rather than two weeks of half days as we used to do.
Libby and the four trainers stayed up at Nyarangarama rather than drive back and forth each day. They had VIP accommodation in the 'penthouse' or attic as Libby was wont to describe it! I only went up for the start and the final days. Neil wanted to stay here in Kigali and I had picked up another volunteer 'job'. I think that our group of young Kenyans and Libby had lots of fun and certainly didn't need me hovering! They were such a good group to work with.
With another team (on leave from Green Hills. . networking is an essential skill here!) we, the new group, spent four hours a day for two weeks training the Rwandan Police peace keepers who left today for Darfur. Their tour is from one to two years doing investigations and community policing. The goal was to improve English speaking skills and build confidence with the language, which is what they will be using in Darfur as part of an international team.re We got to know all 35 really well and it was quite emotional to say goodbye when they are going to one of the 'hot spots' . There is another group scheduled to go to Southern Sudan at the end of January. I wonder if we will be called or if they will go?
There is no shortage of interesting work!
That includes the hundred packs of solar panels, lights and universal chargers which we have to make up and then take to Gisenyi and Nkora as soon as school starts. The money has come from Tools for Schools and the packs will go to teachers who have no electricity because they are so isolated.
Now we are on our own and I have no excuse not to start swimming to improve my knee for surgery in March.
It's hard to realise that we have only two months before we return.
A good life here and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy it!
Libby asked if I would send you a quick update from she and Jill.
The note below is from Jill and I have attached a photo of Jill, Neil and Jasper (their dog). They just finished a workshop in Kinyinya, which was just outside Kigali, and had 80 teachers attending the workshops. I have attached a photo of one of the teacher-students who is working on one of Libby's book projects, as well as part of the graduation ceremony from Friday in which they had some real students come in to dance.
They are gearing up for their next workshop which will be in Nyiringarama which is 1.5 hour drive from Kigali. Most of the teaching team of 6 will be staying their for the week. They anticipate another class of 75 teacher-students. This bring the total number of teacher-students for the four workshop to 335!!
The second piece of news, was that the Chamber of Commerce here in Jasper has just recently received the approval for your Rotary Club to use Jasper the Bear for use in a Rotary pin!! I think that Libby had shared a protype with you before she left for Rwanda. Thought I had a photo of the protype, but cant seem to find it.
Libby has not heard anything new on the Global Grant front. She has worked with Jill and Saudah to get answers to the TRF Grant Coordinator regarding the questions she had for the grant application. The Kigali-Virunga Club also had to get an interim report in for one other project that they have been involved with. Apparently the Tools for Schools project cant be approved until they receive the report. Hopefully they now have all the info they need this week to approve the grant very soon.
We need everyone to help get the word out NOW!! Please use these images and copy to email to anyone that you feel would be interested.
We have one month to go, Now is the perfect time to remind people to buy their tickets.
The Rotary Club of Jasper in partnership with Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is pleased to host the Charity Masquerade Ball. This year's celebration will be very special as we salute the 50th anniversary of Marmot Basin. Come for a day on the slopes and an evening of mystique. Champagne reception, Four-course meal, music by Flextime (8 piece dance band), dancing and all for the great causes of the Jasper Rotary Club. Formal Attire, with masks will make it even that more decadent! Ticket price includes a complementary day pass to Marmot Basin for use during the 2013/14 season.
Tickets can now be purchased online at Ticketweb.ca:
Jasper, Alberta, Canada Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem likes a challenge.
After raising $145,000 for MS research, he has decided to step up his game.
Van Tighem’s new goal? To bike the length of Highway 93 from Wickenburg to Jasper, Alberta in only three weeks. And he wants to raise $93,000 to help end MS along the way, so his journey is dubbed the End to End to End MS. Donations can be made online at www.endms93.com
Van Tighem’s journey begins in Wickenburg Monday, April 22 at 8:30 a.m. at the Wishing Well next to Highway 93-60 and Kerkes Street.
A ceremony is planned by the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Wickenburg, with a presentation by Mayor John Cook and other dignitaries.
At 9:00 a.m., the Wickenburg Fire and Police Departments will escort Mr. Van Tighem out to Highway 93 to begin his journey north.
The Highway spans 1,720 miles, starting from Mile Zero in Jasper to the end in Wickenburg.
The Town of Wickenburg and Town of Jasper are official sister cities, and the Wickenburg Chamber Tourism Authority and Jasper Tourism are partnering in marketing the designation.
For additional information call: (928) 684-5479 or view www.outwickenburg
Canadian Greg Van Tighem visited Kingman on his way north last week. Van Tighem, the fire chief for Jasper in Alberta, wants to raise $93,000 to fight Multiple Sclerosis.
Courtesy
KINGMAN - After raising more than $145,000 to fight Multiple Sclerosis through car washes, farmers markets, barbecues, email drives, raffles and auctions, a Canadian fire chief has decided to turn up the heat on his fundraising efforts.
Greg Van Tighem, the head of the fire department in Jasper, Canada, is cycling U.S. 93 from end to end - more than 1,800 miles - in an effort to bring awareness to the disease and raise $93,000.
Van Tighem picked U.S. 93 because, "I don't think anyone's done it before."
It also connects his hometown of Jasper in Alberta, Canada with its sister city, Wickenburg, in the U.S. Each city sits at one end of the highway.
The two cities recently formed a tourism partnership, which Van Tighem is also helping to promote.
He left snowy Jasper and arrived in 86-degree Sun City on April 21. He started his ride in Wickenburg the next day with an escort from the local fire department and rolled into Kingman on April 23.
He quickly found out that U.S. 93 is not the most bicycle-friendly road.
"The wind was brutal," he said. He fought against a headwind for the first 12 miles of the trip.
Then he found himself dealing with narrow road shoulders and heavy traffic. In some sections the road shoulder was only two inches wide. In other areas, he had to ride through bushes that had grown to the edge of the road.
"On one section of road south of Kingman there was no shoulder for me to ride on. That was scary," he said. He ended up carrying his bike through the brush to avoid being clipped by passing vehicles.
Van Tighem has been impressed by the willingness of Arizonans to lend him a helping hand by donating to his cause, taking pictures for him and offering food, water, shelter and the occasional lift past some of the bad spots.
"The biggest positive is the people I've been meeting," he said.
They've included a power line worker whose wife has MS, a Boston doctor who is working on a cure for MS, and a rancher and his wife who told him stories about rattlesnakes for hours and offered a bed in their RV.
"I planned to camp throughout my whole trip. I haven't had to camp once. I've been offered a place to stay every night."
His journey is funded by a number of sponsors, including: Freewheel Cycle, which donated his bike for the trip; Wild Mountain clothing; Optic Nerve sunglasses; Westjet Airlines; and Jasper's tourism board. All of the donations collected on his trip go directly to finding a cure for MS.
Van Tighem is keeping his friends, neighbors and sponsors informed of his trip by blogging, tweeting and posting on Facebook and You Tube nearly every day at http://www.endms93.com.
Updating his blog has been a challenge, since he's using his phone. He accidentally left his laptop on the plane.
"I plan to reunite with it in Las Vegas," he said.
While in Kingman, Van Tighem visited with the local Rotary Club, the Kingman Fire Department and Patti Green, a local woman who is starting an MS chapter for the Kingman area.
He also stopped to pay his respects to the men killed in the July 5, 1973 Doxol explosion.
"They use video of that as a training tool for firefighters in Canada. It's something I've never forgotten," he said.
Van Tighem said he started fundraising for MS after his friend Luigi, who has lived with MS for 20 years, told him about a recurring dream.
In the dream, Luigi finds out he can walk again. He wakes up energized and excited, but when he tried to swing his legs off the bed, he can't.
"I do it because researchers are at the cusp of finding a cure and they need funding to continue," Van Tighem posted on his blog.
"I do it because MS is a terrible condition, people inflicted with MS start life just like you and me, until they receive the horrible diagnosis."
Canadian resident riding Highway 93 from start to finish!
Biker
Greg Van Tighem is riding along Highway 93 to promote tourism and raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis. (Staff photo by Lukas Eggen)
Posted: Friday, May 3, 2013 8:00 am
By Lukas Eggen Ely Times Staff Writer
It was about two years ago that Canadian Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem read in his local newspaper about Highway 93, which stretches from Wickenburg, Ariz. to his hometown of Jasper, Alberta.
Van Tighem, a cycling enthusiast, was immediately drawn to the challenge.
“In the back of my mind, I thought that would be a good bike trip if I could go from Jasper to Wickenburg,” he said.
But Van Tighem isn’t just riding for himself. Seven years ago, Van Tighem met a fellow fire fighter who had Multiple Sclerosis.
“I knew him pretty well and we got to be good friends,” Van Tighem said. “When he passed away, I decided that I was going to choose MS as my mission. I also knew a lot of people in Jasper who had MS and I thought it was one disease that needed more exposure. Not just money, but awareness.”
Van Tighem joined MS bike tours and worked to raise money for research into treatments and for a cure for MS. He also began visiting different places to talk about the disease.
“I’ve gotten to do public speaking to different groups and I’ve met probably about 100 people who have MS,” Van Tighem said. “And probably 10 of those people are some of my best friends. You get to hear their stories and it made me more motivated to do what I’m doing.”
With the lure of Highway 93 calling to him and a cause to ride for, Van Tighem made the decision to ride from Arizona to Canada along Highway 93.
“I started researching on the Internet and calling all the fire departments and MS offices I could find,” Van Tighem said.
Because of his work schedule and weather, he decided to start in Arizona and drive to Canada in the spring to avoid the hottest part of the year and not have to contend with heavy snowfall in the winter. His goal is to raise $93,000 during his ride and help to raise awareness about the disease and about what people fighting the disease face.
It was then that his ride became more than just a fund-raiser.
Tourism
In White Pine County, Highway 50 gets much of the attention as the “Loneliest Highway in America.” But when Van Tighem’s hometown found out about his planned ride along Highway 93, they saw an opportunity.
“The tourism department of Jasper found out what I was planning to do and wanted to partner with me,” Van Tighem said. “Their big push is to promote the tourism and we’ve reached out to people along Highway 93. It’s a good way to get the word out and it’s just grown and grown.”
When he stops, Van Tighem said he tries to visit the local fire department to trade badges and learn about each community.
“In Ely, I cycled around and checked out the back streets and went downtown and checked out the museum,” Van Tighem said. “I try to learn enough about each town so I can tell people on my blog about each place.”
Part of his hope is this will help inspire people to travel along Highway 93 and showcase the places located along the highway as tourist destinations.
Long ride
When Van Tighem arrived in Ely on Sunday and Monday, he was about a third of the way through his trek. He is chronicling his journey at www.endms93.com, where you can also pledge support.
His quest is gaining notoriety. His blog has more than 9,000 followers. But his trip is not without challenges. Van Tighem is riding without a support team. That means he’s dealing with the ride on his own. That hasn’t been the simplest task.
Often times early in his journey, he was forced to walk his bike because of narrow roads with no bike lanes and large trucks threatening to blow him over.
“From Alamo to Pioche, it was very narrow and I actually had to ride on the left side of the white line,” Van Tighem said. “But the traffic got busy and I was always getting blown off my bike. I don’t recommend it for cycling, it’s not safe.”
It was along this stretch that Van Tighem had an unexpected visitor.
“A motor home pulled over with Alberta plates,” Van Tighem said. “It was a guy whom I’ve met before and he and his wife stay in Phoenix and go back and forth. He knew about my ride and so he said he was looking for me. He brought me in, made me lunch and said here’s no way you can ride the next 20 miles because it’s not safe, you have to come with us. So they kidnapped me and got me through the pass there past Caliente.”
Facing at times uneven terrain and, along one stretch of his trip, 40 miles-per-hour headwinds can make riding by himself difficult. But Van Tighem said it’s at those points he remembers the big reason why he’s riding.
“I compare it to someone who has MS,” Van Tighem said. “They have a lot of unknowns in front of them and real with daily issues like fatigue, pain, uncertainty and in some cases depression. Sometimes they lose hope because they don’t seem like there’s ever going to be a cure for them. In a way, I’m mimicking some of those things. I deal with fatigue sometimes, pain and certainly uncertainty.”
Meeting people along the way also helps Van Tighem remain motivated. He wasn’t sure how people would react to someone riding along Highway 93, but the people are his most pleasant surprise, Van Tighem said. He’s received vocal and emotional support. A couple let him spend the night in their trailer, free of charge. Others encourage him to keep going.
“I met these two bikers with Harley Davidsons with the leather suits and everything outside of Las Vegas,” Van Tighem said. “They were big tough guys and I came up with my two wheel pedal bike and started talking to them. As soon as they read my business card, they said you’re doing a cool thing, that’s awesome and they wanted to take a picture with me. I didn’t know what the people would be like, but the people I have met are very friendly, outgoing and helpful…it’s really easy to get down. But someone who is positive can pick you up and get you going again.”
As Van Tighem rides to promote tourism and help to raise money and awareness for MS, Van Tighem said he’s taking things one day at a time. That’s because, like the people he’s riding for, Van Tighem is bound and determined to show he can overcome whatever challenges lie ahead.
“My goal is to finish this no matter what,” Van Tighem said. “That’s what I’m going to do. I’m not looking at Montana or Jasper. I’m looking at the end of the day, finding somewhere to camp, eat and then sleep, get up the next morning and go again.”
Enjoy an elegant evening of Forbidden Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Decadence and Magic in a formal setting at the beautiful Beauvert Ballroom of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Sunday, March 10th 2013 beginning with Cocktails at 6:00pm, Full service dinner at 7:00pm followed by dancing to the live music of The Flextime Five Piece Band.
There will be a magnificent Silent Auction including a trip for 2 to the 2014 Mardi Gras in New Orleans and many other exciting packages.
Tickets are available at the cost of $125 per person at Servus Credit Union in Jasper (780-852-3243). Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (toll free 1-866-540-4454) and Tekarra Color (780-852-5525).
Room Packages available at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge for this event. Further details to be announced.
Masquerade Charity Ball at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
The Rotary Club of Jasper will be visiting the construction site of the expanded Jasper Municipal Library for their noon meeting on Tuesday, August 14th, 2012.
The library expansion is being funded in part by donations from and arranged by members of the Rotary Club of Jasper. Thanks to past Rotary Club of Jasper - Community committee chair Hugh Lecky and past and current members of the Community committee for their efforts!
The library, under renovation and expansion, is located at 500 Robson Drive, across from the elementary school.
Rotary District Governor Kevin D. Hilgers, governing Rotary District 5370 here in northern Alberta and surrounding areas, will be visiting Jasper with his spouse Janice McNiece, and will be attending the Jasper Rotary Club's meeting on Tuesday, July 24th, at the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre, with the meeting starting at 11:45 AM.
it will be light, fun meeting, and will contain a message to the Jasper club that he hopes we will find of interest and inspiration. He will also be discussing some topics that new club president Shawnee Wilson had requested, and is open to answering a few questions of Rotary International, or the District 5370 or Rotary in general that we would like answered.
Kevin will return in October 2012 for his "official" visit , where he will have an in-depth discussion with the Rotary Club of Jasper about the club's and the district's sucessess, visions, and goals.
For more information, please contact Shawnee.
Rotary District Governor Kevin Hilgers visits Jasper - July 24th
The Rotary Club of Jasper begins its meetings with the singing of "O Canada." "O Canada" was proclaimed Canada's national anthem on July 1, 1980, 100 years after it was first sung on June 24, 1880.
Rotary is an opportunity to build lifelong friendships and experience the personal fulfillment of providing volunteer service to others.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
