Rotary Club of Yellowknife
So what does Rotary do?
Here are some examples of the YK Club's work now and through the years:
> The Rotary Range Lake Trail, completed in 1993, with the City now budgeting for upgrades to the popular amenity.
> Healthy School Snack Program for students. Our thanks to the Union of Northern Workers for generous long-term funding.
> The YK Club has played a part in Rotary International’s Polio Plus Program. Worldwide, Rotary have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent and won't stop until the disease is eradicated for good.
> The Rotary Canada Day Parade is a welcomed Yellowknife tradition, with community groups and organizations designing floats or non-motorized processions all travelling along Franklin Avenue.
> The YK Club is a major sponsor of the Rotary Mike Haener Bike Park. A project of the Yellowknife Mountain Bike Club.
> For years, the Rotary Bike Auction recycled bicycles donated by the public or recovered by police. The event has been transitioned appropriately to our partners, the Yellowknife Mountain Bike Club who has worked with Makerspace to help re-condition the cycles before auction.
> The YK Club has continually supported Edmonton Gateway Club’s Steven’s Hope mission to build schools in Mozambique.
> The Rotary Don Cardinal Scholarship provides annual support to a select local high-school graduate intent on post-secondary studies in the arts.
> The Rotary Wreaths campaign each December is a major fundraiser. Balsam fir wreaths from a sustainable Nova Scotia tree farm are shipped here and delivered by Rotarians helped by appreciated volunteers.
> The Rotary Centennial Park and Boardwalk on Yellowknife Bay is a project in partnership with the City that resulted in a destination for residents and tourists alike. Club members (as seen in photo above) help keep the boardwalk repaired and clear of overgrowth from vegetation.
The response to the return of a summer community parade has been exceptionally strong, with some 40 entries already registered and perhaps a dozen more expected to join the parade, which starts at 11am downtown on Canada Day.
The Rotary Community Parade on Canada Day will have a new starting point and be preceded for the first time by a foot race featuring local runners. The Canada Day Mile, organized by the Yellowknife Running Group, will lead off the parade. Another first is having the parade start from in front of City Hall on 49 Avenue/Veterans Drive, proceed down 48 Street and then head southwest along Franklin Avenue to the Community Arena parking lot, where it will disband.
Anyone interested in being part of the Rotary Community Parade on Canada Day should contact the Club at: rotary.yellowknife@gmail.com to indicate your interest or just for more information.
To answer a couple of frequent questions: There is no entry fee; we go ahead rain or shine; and you can pretty much do what you want, just keep it safe and family friendly. The Club already has heard from more than half of the traditional number of entrants less than one month out, so it promises to be a great event.
To give you some idea of how grassroots and fun the parade has been, longtime Rotarian Brian George provided some images from 2006 and 2012.
Gayla Thunstrom, UNW president, presents a cheque for $15,000 to Robert Couch, YK Club president-elect. To watch a video of the event, part of the Rotary Speaker Series, please click here.
The Union of Northern Workers (UNW) and the Rotary Club of Yellowknife have enjoyed a strong relationship for some two decades.
At a recent Thursday lunch meeting of the YK Club, Gayla Thunstrom — elected president of the UNW in 2021 — celebrated the union’s partnership with Rotary.
The Rotary Club of Yellowknife acknowledges that we are located in Chief Drygeese territory. From time immemorial, it has been the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and more recently, the homeland of the North Slave Métis. We respect the histories, languages, and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and all First Peoples of Canada.
The Four-Way Test
Rotary's historical Four-Way Test acts as a moral compass to guide: "The things we think, say or do".
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”
You'll hear it referenced during executive meetings when Club directors are faced with a tough decision and sometimes at regular meetings when 'fines' are levied.
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'Service Above Self'
Yellowknife, NT X1A2R3
Canada