Inclusion Labs are interactive sessions designed to help club members build digital and technology skills—closing the gap in tech literacy across the club.
Organized by Ally Potel, led by our Young Professionals!
NEW DATES - PLEASE CHECK YOUR CALENDARS!
(Meetings moved to 3rd Tuesday/month!)
Come in person to celebrate your birthday with Purdy's chocolates!!
Let us know what you think about our last meeting.
Scan the QR code below and fill out the short survey.
This Rotary year, we’re adding a dose of humour to our Secretary announcements. Have a good clean joke? Send it to jokes@rotaryvancouver.org — yours might be featured at an upcoming meeting!
Who do you know that is remarkable?Someone whose story or expertise would captivate a room full of experienced business and community leaders?
Do you know of a remarkable headliner speaker to invite to our upcoming Rotary Club of Vancouver meetings?
Think thought leaders, change makers, or trailblazers in business, sports, innovation, public service, or philanthropy.
Take a quick scroll through your LinkedIn connections. You might spot someone you haven’t thought about in a while who would be perfect.
If someone comes to mind, please connect with Bill Davidson at billd@davidson-co.com
Rotary Club Ragusa (Italy)
21st Rotary Week of the Iblean Baroque
Ragusa, Sicily (Italy) | May 10 to 17, 2026
Dear Rotary Members,
Following the success of previous editions, the Rotary Club of Ragusa, the home club of RI President Francesco Arezzo, is pleased to invite your Club to take part in the 21st Rotarian Week of the Iblean Baroque: a journey through culture, local heritage, and Rotary friendship in the heart of south-eastern Sicily, in an area recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The invitation is extended to all Club members: any member of your Club may participate; of course, family members, companions, and invited friends will also be welcome.
Registration is open - Join the 21st Rotarian Week in Sicily
May 10 to 17, 2026
Access the full program and secure your place in just a few steps
Limited availability: to preserve the exclusive character of the initiative and ensure a welcome planned down to the smallest detail, total capacity is only 50 participants (Members and Guests/Companions).
The program includes dedicated welcome and transfers, a stay in Ragusa in a double room at the Hotel Mediterraneo / Mediterraneo Palace Hotel (4*), and guided visits to the main Baroque towns of the area.
Arrivals and departures: airport welcome at Catania (with Comiso as an alternative) on May 10; return on May 17.
Highlights
Ragusa Ibla: San Giorgio, Giardini Iblei, San Giuseppe, Teatro Donnafugata, Circolo di Conversazione
Modica: Belvedere, Palazzo Castro Polara, San Giorgio, San Nicolò Inferiore, Teatro Garibaldi
Scicli: Via Mormino Penna, Palazzo Bonelli Patanè
Syracuse: Archaeological Park (Neapolis) and the Island of Ortygia
Noto: Visit to the UNESCO historic centre
Donnafugata Castle and Interclub Dinner with closing greetings
Our member Francesco Arezzo is expected to attend one of the social dinners
If you have any difficulty opening the links, please reply to this email: we will be happy to assist you.
A Rotary initiative: the event is non-profit. Any proceeds will be donated to the Rotary Foundation.
We would be honoured to welcome you to Ragusa for a week rich in history, architectural beauty, and Rotary fellowship.
With Rotary Friendship,
Katia Blasco
President, Rotary Club Ragusa
ARE YOU UP TO DATE???
Rotary International and your Rotary or Rotaract Club strive to create and maintain a safe environment for all youth and vulnerable adults who participate in Rotary activities.
To the best of their ability, Rotarians, Rotaractors, spouses, partners and other adult volunteers should safeguard the children and vulnerable adults they encounter and protect them from physical, sexual and emotional abuse. This also applies to those in a position of trust who administer such programs.
As a result, District 5040 has established as policy that anyone (Rotarian or non-Rotarian volunteer) working with youth or vulnerable adults on behalf of Rotary is required to have a (vulnerable sector) Criminal Record Check performed by the BC Ministry of Justice. While not required by District, all other Rotarians and volunteers are also encouraged to apply for a CRC.
Unsure if your CRC is outdated?
Check your ClubRunner Profile or contact our Administration Team at Admin@rotaryvancouver.org for clarification.
The Vancouver Chamber of Music is glad to allocate 8 tickets to our members. There is no deadline to claim them, but we encourage you to secure them at your earliest convenience.
Please use the link below to access and reserve the tickets:
The promo code is only valid for 8 ticket purchases. Once all are used, the code is no longer valid.
Member Spotlight: Bob’s Rotary Journey
In this meeting, Bob shared his journey from the Young Professionals club to becoming a full member of the Rotary Club of Vancouver. He referred to the transition to moving from a “trial version” of software to the full version—after experiencing the club, he realized he valued the community and wanted to stay.
Bob highlighted the unique culture and age diversity of the club. Coming to Canada as an immigrant from Iran, he noted that much of his life had been spent among people his own age—students and young professionals. Rotary, by contrast, provides what he called a “holistic chosen family”, bringing together people of all ages, talents, and backgrounds.
Bob also spoke about a creative fundraiser he helped lead with fellow Rotarian Eric Peach: a 3D-printed “smile” that they sold for $5 each. The project raised several hundred dollars, with funds supporting children needing facial surgery (including a donation to a “Smile” related organization). The initiative has even spread beyond Vancouver, with Eric’s family helping to sell the smiles in Alberta.
Fellow members praised Bob as a deeply caring person. His story underscored that Rotary is “a continuum of leadership and community”, not just a weekly lunch meeting.
Rotary Club of Vancouver – Scholarship Program Spotlight
Our club’s long-standing commitment to supporting youth and education was front and center at this week’s meeting.
Gladstone “Stay in School” Scholarships
For 21 years, Rotary has partnered with Gladstone Secondary through our Stay in School program, distributing over $350,000 in scholarships.
Students are typically informed of their award in Grade 11 as an incentive to stay in school and pursue post-secondary education.
This year’s major award recipients, Sabrina and Phoebe, spoke about how the program supported their journey. Sabrina plans to study Architecture at UBC, while Phoebe will pursue Science with the goal of attending Dental School.
School counselors, like Arielle, play a vital role by promoting the awards, guiding applications, and helping select nominees. Arielle emphasized how meaningful the scholarships are in “funding the leaders of tomorrow” and shared her own connection to Rotary as a former Rotary youth participant.
At the meeting, the club presented a cheque to Gladstone as a “down payment” on next year’s awards, ensuring the program continues.
Global Grant & Graduate Scholarships
The club also highlighted Rotary Global Grant Scholarships, which fund graduate and post graduate studies aligned with Rotary’s seven areas of focus (such as peace, education, environment, and disease prevention).
Riley Garrett, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kansas City and hosted by our club, is pursuing a master’s with a focus on comparative urban sustainability and resilience at Simon Fraser University. His work includes studying climate impacts, energy resilience, and urban governance, with a planned field course in Helsinki and earlier research trips to Yellowknife.
Miguel Rozo, a long-time friend of our club and former UBC Rotaractor, completed his Master in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, supported by a Rotary Global Grant. A former refugee from Colombia, Miguel has built a career in environmental policy, global affairs, and responsible AI governance. He spoke about the transformational impact of Rotary support and his commitment to “deliver public value for Canada,” especially in climate and economic resilience and coalition-building.
Across both the high school and graduate levels, the message was clear: our club’s investment—through the Foundation and members’ contributions—is shaping the next generation of leaders, from local students at Gladstone to global scholars working on climate, cities, peace, and governance.
Closing Remarks
The meeting concluded with a toast by President Joan Posivy:
"To Education and Rotary’s role in investing in the leaders of tomorrow"
In this meeting, Bob shared his journey from the Young Professionals club to becoming a full member of the Rotary Club of Vancouver. He referred to the transition to moving from a “trial version” of software to the full version—after experiencing the club, he realized he valued the community and wanted to stay.
