"Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves!"
The Rotary Club of Calgary comprises professional and community leaders brought together in fellowship to make a better future.
Birthdays
Marc Stachiw August 7
Bill Hamilton August 12
Ginny Sparks-Kellough August 17
Anniversaries
Lorne Larson 40 years
Rosemary Crawford 30 years
Ralph Lundberg 25 years
David Bromwich 20 years
Highlights from July 29, 2025
Doug McMillan
DISCLAIMER: This article reports highlights from the July 29, 2025 meeting of the Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown- as selected by the reporter. Lack of mention of people or events (including singing of the Canadian National Anthem or reciting the Four Way Test) should not be interpreted as not being of importance.
This second meeting under direction of President Bill Hamilton was attended by approximately 40 people. Following a volunteered, impromptu invocation by Brian Guichon recognizing the importance of “guidance”, Terry McMahon gave a heartfelt eulogy for John Horgan. A golfer, philanthropist and for many years an administrator within the Calgary Board of Education, John was President of our club 1998- 1999 (when club membership was over 300).
Bill’s request for attendees to contribute their story and “Happy Bucks” resulted in a “warning” of a child who now had their learner’s permit for driving, a report of a son who had recently had a hole in one golfing, a new Grandfather( who along with grandson and daughter is doing well) and return of three club members from a successful trip to Guatemala related to the cervical cancer program championed by Walley Temple..
We learned more about the Carl Smith Stay in School Program and the related fund- raiser golf tournament to be held at the Glencoe Golf Club September 8, 2025. For information on the event including how to register to play, support and/or volunteer , please contact Iman Saad at stayinschool@rotaryclubofcalgary.ca
A panel coordinated by Sean Baylis addressed such issues as “Why become involved?, what is the commitment for mentors?, the value of the program providing opportunities for youth, and illustrations of when the program made a difference. Questions from those present indicated interest and support for this long- time Rotary Club of Calgary program.
If you missed July 29, hopefully you will be able to attend the next club meeting August 12, 2025 when DG Manon Mitchell will be speaking. A reminder that this meeting will be held 1200-1330 at a different venue- The Calgary Glencoe Club.
Participants in the Happy Bucks contest
Sean Baylis
Talking about the Golf Tournament; and the panel for the Stay in School Program.
President Bill’s Message
Madeline King
In order to minimize the per lunch fee increase requested by the Palliser, we negotiated dessert out of the lunch
Our meetings will be bi-weekly, not twice-monthly. Dates will soon be posted onto the website
Frank n Stein will return to Thursday’s on the alternate weeks when we don’t have Club meetings.
Marmie’s House Work Bee
Diane Macdonald
For those who are not familiar, Marmie’s House is a safe haven for young people from schools in Forest Lawn. It provides an after-school space for kids from 8 to 15 where they are given a meal, can do their homework, work on arts and crafts, learn how to play musical instruments, and play games or sports, all with the supervision of adult volunteers. Last year, a group from our Club helped to clean up the yard at the house; this year, help was needed to repair the fence and gates around the back yard. Apparently there have been some unwanted visitors in the yard during the night on occasion. Peter Harrison gathered a small crew and they spent the day measuring and cutting boards, screwing boards in place, replacing and building gates, and digging a post hole before cementing the post in place. By the end of the weekend, the yard was secure. It was a fun day and an opportunity for some great fellowship – including getting to know our new member, Bomo Douglas.
In the pictures, you can see the results of the weekend’s work – and also the results of some of the work we did last year. There is a wonderful crop of vegetables in the raised beds that we filled with soil. The yard itself, which was a mass of weeds last year, is now a terrific sports court.
Kurt and I took a trip to Montreal in July for family business and while we were there, we decided to take a day trip to Ottawa to visit our dear Rotary friend Brom. We met him and his lively wife Marilyn at the Tucker’s restaurant and had a wonderful visit.
It was definitely worth the drive; we reconnected as if they had never left Calgary 17 months ago. Brom says "hi to the club" and hinted that he would visit the Rotary Club of Ottawa West. Rotary provides wonderful opportunities to make friends in our city across the country and around the world!
The Service- I was the Third Man
Doug McMillan
Winning is important to many, but “what is winning?” To some, it is success in raising a family or success in a job while, for others ,it is being first or “at the top”. A somewhat competitive person myself (more when I was younger), I always felt it important to do my best. Perhaps that came from my days as a cub scout when the Akela would shout “dyb (do your best), dyb, dyb, dyb” and we would respond “we’ll dob (do our best), dob, dob, dob”. Teamwork, an important part of Rotary and many other aspects of one’s life, has been on ongoing part of many aspects of my life. However, it took we a bit longer to realize the importance of participation which we seek among all Rotarians.
A poem “The Service” by Burges Johnson inspired in me the importance of participation. (The many ways in which one can participate in Rotary could be another article). Those of you with other sources of inspiration, especially those related to Rotary, which you feel might be appropriate for the COG are encouraged to contact Editor Madeleine King ( or another member of the Editorial Board).
If seeing what “The Service” says may be of possible interest to you, read further.
