Rotary Club of Yellowknife

'Service Above Self'

We meet In Person
Thursdays at 12:00 PM
Explorer Hotel
4825 49 Avenue
Yellowknife, NT X1A2R3
Canada
Tickets are sold for a buffet-style lunch. Alcohol is not served. During the summer, our meetings take place in Rotary Waterfront Park on School Draw. We are at the mercy of inclement weather, but the two large pavilions offer some shelter.
Club Directors
President-Elect
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Director - Public Relations
Director - Club Administration
Director - Membership
Director - International Services
Director - Youth Services
Director - Foundation
Guest Speaker Coordinator
Sgt. at Arms

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.

It's time to dream up an entry for this year's Rotary Community Parade on Canada Day. Last year's return after a two-year absence was a huge success, with several dozen entries and appreciative crowds of all ages standing three and four deep along the route.
 
Registration is now open for community groups, non-profits, cultural and Indigenous organizations, classic car owners and anyone who wants to participate in a fun way to help our community enjoy some family oriented entertainment.
 
 
An office party for people without an office? An extra chance to celebrate the season? Whatever the reason, the Rotary Club of Yellowknife is providing the community with a chance to gather and dance at its inaugural Jingle & Mingle party December 9 at the Elk's Club. While the event is, of course, open to all of legal age — there is a cash bar — it's tailored for a slightly older crowd. OK, that means you, Boomers!
 
THANKS TO ALL WHO SUPPORTED THE CLUB AND COMMUNITY BY BUYING A WREATH!!! The bulk of deliveries will be done on Friday, Dec. 2, starting at 9 am. Any remaining will be done the next day, on Saturday. Wreaths Committee chairperson Marta Moir extends her gratitude to everyone who supported what is a key fundraiser for the Club.
 
Our Club has been fortunate to have a number of excellent speakers make presentations at our regular Thursday meetings at our summertime location of Rotary Waterfront Park. Most recently, Makerspace YK president Cat McGurk recently spoke about the development of the non-profit skills centre. The born-and-raised Yellowknifer is a Red Seal certified carpenter and a strong advocate for innovative trades training in the North.
 
MLA Caroline Wawzonek is all decked out for the day as she prepares to bike the parade route. Premier Caroline Cochrane can be seen in the background, and MLA Kevin O'Reilly is on the left..  Photo by James O'Connor
 
The response to the return of a summer community parade last Friday was a clear hit on a sunny summer day.
Many Rotarians, parade entrants and people lining the sidewalks of 48th Street and all the way along Franklin Avenue for the 2022 Rotary Community Parade on Canada Day wore orange shirts in the spirit of healing and reconciliation.
As MLA Caroline Wawzonek told True North FM about what Canada Day means to her: “It’s a day to celebrate some of the shared values that we all have, and I was thinking about it this morning, what a great country where we can disagree strongly, but then come together on a day like this and celebrate the fact that we actually are still in it together. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
 
Popsicles enjoyed by parade fans on 48 Street. Photo by James O'Connor
 
Thousands of people lined Yellowknife's main city street to see everything from a traditional pipe band, to brightly dressed cultural groups, radio controlled cars, decorated vehicles from the business community and the airport's impressive new Oshkosh Striker 6×6 ARFF fire truck. 
 

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.

Photo Album
You can see from the Club's photo album that for more than 50 years, members have worked hard on projects for the betterment of the community, but also have had a rewarding and fun time doing it.
Social Media
  
Sponsors and Partners
Vision and Mission
 
Our Vision
The Rotary Club of Yellowknife is a service club of community members who work within the local and world community to make a difference.
 
Our Mission
The Rotary Club of Yellowknife adheres to the principle of Service Above Self in our work in the community and provides humanitarian service by building on the strengths of our members.

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.