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Rotary Club of Victoria-Saanich – Welcome

 
We recognize that we live, work and learn on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen-speaking First Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations and we gratefully acknowledge the Coast Salish Nations on whose traditional territories we meet together.
At Rotary, we have no tolerance for racism.
Promoting respect, celebrating diversity, demanding ethical leadership, and working tirelessly to advance peace are central tenets of our club.
Are you interested in joining the
Rotary Club of Victoria-Saanich? Click Here

Contributing to the Victoria Community
since 1913
Where we Fund
 

 

 

Meeting schedule for Rotary Year 2024-25
Andrew Sheret Building: Tuesdays at 12 noon

Visiting Rotarians are
particularly welcome.
The meeting schedule is:
 
  • 1st and 3rd Tuesdays: 12 noon - Normal Club Assembly
    Next dates: Tuesday, December 2 (AGM) (Informal lunch on January 13/26)
    Visitors -  Contact us or go to the Calendar menu and click on the event to register if you wish to attend 
  • 2nd and 4th Tuesdays: 12 noon - Informal Club meetings at a local restaurant.
    Next dates:  See below
    Look for possible changes of location and day from time-to-time. Check Calendar for Upcoming Events
  • 3rd Tuesday prior to regular meeting: Board and Committee meetings.
  • 5th Week: Social Event - check calendar for time & details.
  • Our weekly meeting includes fellowship, fun, a speaker and necessary club business
  • ZOOM link for Board and some club meetings.
     Contact us for the Zoom link if the above link does not work
 
 
'MIX AND MINGLE' DATES: SOCIAL EVENTS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS: 
************
Coming up: Check the calendar tab for final details
 
EVENT: Informal Social Lunch
    Date: January 13, 2026
    Time: 1200 - 1330
    Location: TBA
                      
    Cost: À la carte
    Details: 
 
EVENT: RCVS Christmas Party
    Date: December 9
    Time: 1130 - 1430
    Location: University Club              
    Cost: $65
    Details: Friends and Family welcome.
 
Social Lunch Group - August 26
Christies Carriage Pub
 
 
 
 
 
CURRENT Activities
  

Spelling Bee (November 19)

Together with Oak Bay Rotary we raised $4,500 for the Victoria Literacy Connection
 
 
  • Literacy/Education is one of Rotary’s key areas of focus
  • Joint Rotary effort (Oak Bay and Victoria-Saanich) to raise funds for literacy.
  • Breakfast/fun Spelling Bee activity to benefit the Victoria Literacy Connection
  • Goal is to raise $4000

Rotary Clubs of Victoria-Saanich and Oak Bay organized a breakfast and spelling bee to raise funds in support of the Victoria Literacy Connection. 

The event was held on Nov. 19 at the Victoria Marriott Hotel, 728 Humbolt St., from 7.30 to 8.30 a.m. Breakfast was provided to participants.

Company teams and individuals were invited to join the event that concluded with a trophy and bragging rights for the table that spells 15 words correctly.

“Even lawyers, accountants, bankers, teachers, students, and media will be challenged with some unusual words in a variety of categories,” said coordinator Liz Lecavalier of the Oak Bay Rotary Club, who invited everyone to the hour-long event of friendly competition and community building.

Registration is $50 per person or $400 for a team of eight and includes a hearty continental breakfast. All proceeds will support Victoria Literacy Connection’s vital programs to build reading, writing and learning skills for people of all ages, helping to transform their lives to higher productivity, education, and happiness.

Over the years, Victoria Literacy Connection has supported thousands of children and youth who have needed help with literacy in the early stages of their education.

Teams and individuals need to be registered no later than Nov. 7 at victorialiteracyconnection.ca.

(text extracted from - saanichnews )

Victoria Hand Project in Nepal

(page under construction)
The team just returned from a successful trip to Nepal and was supported by multiple Rotary Clubs in the Victoria region.
 
 
Recent Activities
  

District Governor Visit
(September 9)

 
       
 
Tony Camoroda, District Governor
 
---
 
Visitors - Khairul Mostafa, Rokshana Chowdhury, Tony Camoroda
 
COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS
  

Heritage Acres – Kids' Day (August 9)

Group Photo
Bouncy Balls were a big hit
Everyone Loves Bowling
Robotics Display

Pulverizers Robotics Support (July 18)

 
 
 
CURRENT FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES

Split the Pot Lottery

Lottery has Grand Prize of at least $30,000 plus multiple Early Bird prizes totalling $5000.
Tickets at:  bc.splitthepot.ca 
 
PAST FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
 

GetAway Rotary Raffle 2025
May 3 – July 15
 
Get Tickets: Raffle is now Closed
–––––––––
WINNERS OF DRAWS
Get Started
($1000 Peninsula Coop
Gas Cards)
M. Fritz-Roberts,
Courtenay, BC
 
1st Early Bird
(2-night Port Angeles /
Coho Ferry)
B. Hanus,
Nanaimo, BC
 
2nd Early Bird ($3,598 Mile Zero Tour - Tofino Escape):
M. Hallsor
Victoria, BC
 
Grand Prize ($10,598 Mile Zero Tour - Haida Gwaii):
B. Bittner
Victoria, BC
 
 
The Proceeds will support youth causes, women in need and other local charities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MALAHAT NATION RESTORES CENTURY OLD ROTARY CLUB FOUNTAIN 
 
Victoria, B.C.   The Malahat Nation has restored a fountain that was installed by the Rotary Club of Victoria in 1924 to assist motorists making the trip over the Malahat Drive from Mill Bay. The century old fountain was toppled at the side of the road during the heavy rains of 2022. 
 
Click on the link under "Club Stories" for all the details
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PRIOR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES

Coldest Night of the Year 2025

Victoria's Raging Rotarians raised
$3270 for Our Place.
Thanks to everyone who supported our team.
 

TechFest Rotary Raffle & 50/50– May 24 to August 25, 2024

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WINNERS OF DRAWS
Loyalty Draw ($500): D. McGowan, Victoria, BC
1st Early Bird (iPad Air): L. Baird, Cumberland, BC
2nd Early Bird (iPhone 15 Pro): D Protti, Victoria, BC
Grand Prize (Computer System): H. Edwards, Victoria, BC
50/50 ($4,160): B. Monkhouse, VIctoria, BC
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The Proceeds ($10,247) support youth causes, women in need and other local charities.
 
 
 

Watch for Other Activities

  
 

ROTEX Student Presentations

In 2022-23 there were unusual circumstances and the Victoria-area clubs were able to send four students out on exchange:
  • Chelsea Mesman – Brazil
  • Teakerne Stewart – Austria
  • Jocelyn Wansbrough – Chile
  • Rebecca Wolf-Gage – Spain
Recently all four students made presentations at the Rotary Club of Victoria-Saanich. It is always a pleasure to hear from such accomplished young adults – they are the future of Rotary.
 
 
 
PAST FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
 
Coldest Night of the Year
Support Rotary's effort to raise funds for OUR PLACE – We raised $2200
Victoria's Raging Rotarians walked walk at 10:30 am on Saturday, 24 February 2024 – Starting at the Rotary Garden at Ogden Point
 

TREKFest Rotary Raffle & 50/50 - 2023
 

50/50 - Prize $2670

Winner: P. Norman, Victoria, BC

  

TREKFest Raffle Prizes

Grand Prize
Two TREX Fx+2 ebikes

A. Grey, Victoria, BC

2nd Prize
$500 Credit at TREK Bikes Victoria

L. Curtis, Victoria, BC

3rd Prize
Passage on the Coho to Port Angeles

K. Nixon, Lantzville, BC
 
 
 No Photo 
 
FUNDS RAISED FOR CHARITY
$9702
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Congratulations and thanks to all who participated
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Recent Activities

Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair (2024) 
In April members from the Victoria-Saanich Rotary clubs judged Environment-related projects at the Science Fair.
The following students won prizes.
 
  1. Fournier, Margaret & Miller, Alaina – Discarded drywall as an additive to improve plant growth in low pH environments and in degraded soils
    Esquimalt High School
  2. Syyong, Nathan – Improving Plant Growth Using Homemade Volcanic Soil
    Christ Church  Cathedral School
  3. Allan, Natalie – Beans Beans the Musical Fruit 
    Selkirk Montessori
  4. Moon, Caitlyn – The Unappetizing Obstacles : Consuming Microplastic Particles 
    Central Middle School
 
Rotary Club of Victoria-Saanich $2000 Scholarship

Zhuola Sun - Designing a More Efficient Wind Turbine
Queen Margaret's School  – Grade 10 (Duncan)

Zhuola received the Rotary Club of Victoria Scholarship as the top Senior project in the Science Fair
 
 
Operation Trackshoes 
In June members from the Victoria and Saanich Rotary clubs helped manage events at the final Operation Trackshoes.
 
COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR 2023
Fundraiser for Our Place - Walk on Feb 25 
We raised $4620 !!!
Thanks to all who contributed and participated.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Rotary Club of Victoria-Saanich has recently awarded $9,000 in scholarships to graduating secondary students.
 
A $2000 scholarship was awarded to Eunjo An, the student with the top senior project in the 2022 Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair.
Eunjo competed at the Canada-Wide Science Fair and won several prizes with her project.
 
 
COMMUNITY GRANTS
We have recently awarded the following grants:
July 2022 – June 2023
  • Threshold Housing Society: (Rotary Education Program) - $10,000 in December 2022 + $10,000 in May 2023
  • Esquimalt High School: (Science and Arts equipment) - $15,000
  • Human Nature Counselling Society: (Program expenses) - $2100
 
 
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
July 2021 – June 2022
  • Mustard Seed Food Distribution Centre: (forklift) - $15,000
  • Cridge Transition House for Women: (furniture) - $4290
  • Duke of Edinburgh Award: (fees & boarding) - $2100
  • Anawim Companion Soc. (furniture) - $7000
  • Intercultural Assoc. (Employment Computer Lab) - $5000
 
September is Rotary
Basic Education and Literacy Month 
 
Basic education and literacy is one of The Rotary Foundation’s six areas of focus. We know that basic education and literacy are essential for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace. ......
With the Esquimalt High School INTERACT Club we initiated a collection of books for pre-school children to support the 1000 x 5 Literary Society. This collection will continue until the end of November. 
We also initiated monthly Bottle Drives to support student club activities in the school. These will continue until the end of the school year. The RCV also makes years grants to the school to support extra-curricular Science and Arts activities.


This year’s theme is “The Magic of Rotary”

 
 
Rotary International's vision statement: 
Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.
***
Check out our Mission and Vision Statement (SOAR) plus our Strategic Plan - also under the  'Members'  menu tag

FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
 

 

Watch for New Activities
 
 
 
 
 

Meeting Information

Service Above Self
We meet
Tuesdays at 12:00 noon 
1st & 3rd Week
Check the 'Calendar' link for updates
Andrew Sheret Building
Main Board Room
740 Hillside Ave W1,
Victoria, BC V8T 1Z4
 
 
 
 
 
Useful Links
 

Speakers

Past Speakers
Dawn Kaysoe
Nov 04, 2025 12:00 PM
Butchart Gardens: History & the 5 Seasons
Erin Gavaghan - Can College of Performing Arts
Oct 21, 2025 12:00 PM
How performing arts training is important for young people and society today
Stephanie Flynn
Oct 07, 2025 12:00 PM
Wildfires
Liz Lecavalier / Simon Talstra
Sep 16, 2025 12:00 PM
Literacy - November Spelling Bee / RYE Presentation
View entire list...

Club Executive

President
Linda Murray
Past President
Roger Finan
Treasurer
Gordon Greeniaus
Secretary
Catherine Koshman
Director
Brandon Baker
Director
Mark Flynn
Director
James Sparling
Director
Gaurav Upadhya
Sergeant-at-Arms
Bill Bryant
Club Administration
Kim McGowan
Rotary Foundation
Ken Paterson
Fundraising
Gordon Greeniaus
Membership
Michael Peirone
Public Image
Gerald Pash
Service Projects
Bill Bryant
Youth Protection Officer
Gillian Carrigan
Youth Exchange Officer
Gillian Carrigan
Youth Exchange Advisor
Gaurav Upadhya
Interact Advisor
Gordon Greeniaus
Upcoming Events
Club Stories
Rotary Links

About Rotary

Additional Information

ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP
 
 Our club has been serving Victoria since 1913.
We are neighbours, friends and problem solvers.
We are people of action.
  
                        
What is a Rotarian?
                        
  • A Rotarian is a person who digs wells from which they will never drink,
  • A person who vaccinates children they will never meet,
  • Who restores sight for those they will never see,
  • Who builds houses they will never live in,
  • Who educates children they will never know,
  • Who plants trees they will never sit under,
  • Who feeds hungry people, regardless of race, religion or politics,
  • Who makes crawlers walk half a world away,
  • Who knows real happiness, which as Albert Schweitzer said, can only be found by serving others.
             
Criteria for being a Rotarian
 
The criteria for being a Rotarian are simple:
  • Be an adult who demonstrates good character, integrity, and leadership
  • Have a good reputation within your business or profession, or community
  • Be willing to serve in the community or around the world         
            
 Rotary Club of Calcutta Visionaries || About Rotary
             
            
Our watchword for RY 22-23: Fun, social and easy to integrate into your schedule'
            
            
 
Rotary 5-year action plan            
Rotary Service options            
             
Membership Options 
 
We offer single memberships for individuals.
Family memberships allow you to bring an immediate family member at a discount.
Corporate memberships enable you to share the membership with designated individuals from your company or business.
Information
 
Our Distinguished Honorary Members: 
 The Honourable Janet Austin, OBC,
 Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia;
 
 Rear Admiral Angus Topshee OMM, MSM, CD
 Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, Joint Task Force (Pacific)
 
            
            
Club News
Rotary areas of focus
Rotary's seven areas of focus:
  • Peace building and conflict prevention;
  • Disease prevention and treatment;
  • Water sanitation and hygiene;
  • Maternal and child health;
  • Basic education and literacy;
  • Community economic development;
  • Supporting the environment
 
Rotary 5-year action plan
Rotary 5-year action plan
 
  • Impact (effective problem solving and new ways to translate our expertise)-
  • Reach (activate and inspire each other to build connections) -
  • Engagement (understand needs so that all participants are seen and heard)-
  • Adapt (inventive, resilient entrepreneurs, simplifying how we operate.)

Rotary Banners

Many banners have been added to our online collection.  The new ones are at the top and include a sizable tranche provided by Denis Paré.  There is also a separate online collection of non-club Rotary banners.

If a club member has a banner  to be included in the collection, it can be photographed by Director Kim McGowan.  Banners will be returned at a club meeting on request. Club members who are travelling, may request some banners to  exchange with Rotary clubs  along the way.  It is always an enjoyable experience.