"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
Bob Junker October 14
Hank Popoff October 18
Bryan Pinney October 23
Lorne Larson October 25
Andrea Serink October 25
Robert Lampard October 27
Club Meeting Oct 7
Madeleine King
President Bill Hamilton welcomed about 60 members and guests for our excellent club meeting at the Fairmont Palliser. Front of house volunteers, Ann Haessel, Berti Kawooya, Franco Savoia and Rosemary Crawford were duly thanked.
O Canada was played by William Friedson. Rick Castaliglione gave the Invocation, focusing on the original meaning of the Latin word and its applicability to our club. He explained how, post-retirement as a journalist, he has devoted himself to positive stories of people making a difference in the world and how closely that connects to what Rotary does, both locally and globally – and how valuable it is to have that sense of purpose in our lives.
With the excellent reputation of today’s guest speaker, President Bill welcomed numerous guests.
Michael Broadhurst shared, by way of Happy Bucks, that his guest today has been his accountant for many years and he warmly recommends him. District Governor Manon Mitchell followed with celebrating having done 27 club visits to date throughout our District, and reminding those present to register for her Polio Plus event on November 1, with an exceptional speaker- email Kurt @ kurtyyc@gmail.com.
Birthdays of 16 members were celebrated by Michael Broadhurst, who mentioned that he’s hoping the task will be taken over by Julie Visser. The only one present was Bruce Fenwick, Past President and long-time highly engaged member; he was warmly celebrated.
President Bill reminded us all of the annual November 11 Rotary Remembers lunch event at the Carriage House Hotel. Everyone is asked to register on-line if they wish to attend: https://rotary5360.ca/event/rotary-remembers
Lori Forand presented a WCS (World Community Services) update on our club’s Cervical Cancer Global Grant Project in Guatemala. She has taken over leadership of this project from Dr. Walley Temple who remains fully committed to its continuing success.
Catherine Scheers introduced our guest speaker, Martha Hall-Findlay, Director and Chair of the University’s School of Public Policy.
The topic: Where Public Policy Hits the Road – and Why it’s More Important Now Than Ever. Hall-Findlay explained Canada’s multi-year problem with low productivity, and how we’ve now been scared into recognition of how we need urgently to work together to overcome this deficit. She quoted from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew “It’s the economic horse that pulls the social cart”. She spoke about the over-regulation of the past decade in contrast to the present encouraging signs, as well as the need to reduce inter-provincial trade barriers by collecting, managing and sharing data.
She also described how the School of Public Policy is made up and her aspirations for its significant impact.
There followed a lively and informative Q&A session before she was thanked by Catherine Scheers on behalf of a very appreciative audience.
President Bill then enabled the draw for the 50/50; Dave Macdonald won, but only received chocolates since he drew a yellow ball out of the bag. The pot keeps growing!
Barb Young with our new International Exchange Student
We were reminded of the next club meeting: October 21 at the Fairmont Palliser with guest speaker, Sharmin Suraini of Calgary Economic Development. TOPIC: Building Calgary’s Adaptive Workforce of tomorrow.
Standing for Rotary’s 4-way test and toasting Rotary in Canada closed out a very successful meeting.
A Correction
Diane Macdonald
In the last COG we had a little note about the Highway Clean-up. When I was typing it up, I inadvertently missed listing Peter Harrison and his wife, Elizabeth, who were part of the crew that morning. My apologies, Peter and Liz!
Celebrating what matters most to RCCD…its 3-year funding strategy…
Major Donations Committee Chair Franco Savoia
In July 2024, after an extensive 18month consultation process, the RCCD board approved a 3-year funding strategy. As R. Topolnitsky outlined in the September 29th COG, this initiative would assist in focusing the Club’s engagement and support with community partners to have an impact in our community in four areas of focus: early childhood literacy, education, mental wellness and food security. We are reminded of this strategy as we gather biweekly as a club through the banners at the door of our meeting room.
On Thursday October 9, the Calgary Foundation convened its annual Vital Signs gathering. This year’s annual celebration was a more special event, as it is the Foundation’s 70th birthday. A highlight of the party was a motivational presentation by Peter Katz. He shared that when leaders define and celebrate what matters most, they create organizations where people feel seen, connected, and inspired to deliver exceptional results.
For me, RCCD’s approved 3-year funding strategy outlines “what matters most to our club” in our local work and engagement in our community. Interestingly, this not a dramatic departure from what the club has done to support services and programs in our city.
For example, RCCD’s Major Donations Committee, completed a retrospective of its work over the past 10 years. RCCD members over the past decade, through its Major Donations Committee, invested just over $1.6 million dollars in 73 projects with 45 community partners.
Major Donations Committee 2015--2025
#investments
Invested
Areas of Focus
Education
23
$587,219
Mental Wellness
29
$603,816
Food Security
15
$295,005
Childhood Literacy
5
$97,002
Subtotal
72
$1,583,042
Other
Housing
1
$25,000
Subtotal
1
$25,000
Total
73
$1,608,042
Community Partners
45
From the data, one can see that the past years of the Major Donations Committee work aligns well with the current approved four areas of focus. What is different now is that the funding strategy is intentional. According to Peter Katz, when people and organizations celebrate what is important to them they are able to deliver exceptional results.
RCCD’s funding strategy is an opportunity to focus on positive impact in our community and reenergize the Club. The funding lays out a 3 year plan. As we implement we can track and measure results.
Big Book Sale Results
Steacy Pinney
2025 Proceed Recipient News: How We’re Getting Kids Reading This School Year
Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown proudly stewards Calgary Reads Big Book Sale, a critical fundraiser for local agencies and initiatives working to get kids reading before Grade 3. In the article below, find out how the 2025 sale’s proceeds are being distributed to do just that!
Calgarians donate a book they’ve read and loved, and then another, and then another. Within 10 days at the Calgary Curling Club, where book donations are dropped off by readers and our Stuff-a-Truck event drivers, we receive thousands and thousands of gently used books across genres. Last spring, Calgary readers donated 200,000+ books and, during our 10-day sale in May, $544,000 was raised to help kids read.
Our club’s Early Childhood Literacy Committee (ECLC) recently met and determined how the sale’s proceeds will be distributed this school year as part of the sale’s mission to fund advocacy, book access and reading role model initiatives that ensure children can read at grade-level by Grade 3.
In addition to contributing to the growing operational costs of running the book sale, we’re excited to share the following Calgary Reads Big Book Sale proceed recipients:
Kids Literacy Collective
$250,000
The Kids Literacy Collective is a network of educators, community leaders, program providers, and literacy changemakers building the conditions where families, schools and communities are supported to raise readers from birth to age 8.
Kids Literacy Collective is continuing the story started by organizations such as Calgary Reads, First 2000 Days Network, Left Unread and Early Childhood Literacy Network—because there’s still too much to do, and collaborating is to ensure each child’s right to read is too important! Learn More
Book Bank
$100,000
When children have books of their own to keep and re-read, they see themselves as readers and are exposed to more words which promotes healthy developmental milestones. In short, when children have books at home, they can get ready to learn and read when they start school.
And yet, 25 per cent of families say they don’t spend time reading and 6 per cent say they don’t own books [Source: Logan et al. (2019). Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Clark et al.
(2021). National Literacy Trust (United Kingdom)].
That’s why Book Bank gets books to families that need them most via a network of agencies- Little Red Reading House, Little Red Reading Van, and Little Free Libraries (LFL). Since it was started in 2015, Book Bank has distributed 166,547 books to children, engaged 125 agencies and stocked 80 Little Free Libraries across our city.
Now located at ShedPoint, Book Bank hosts monthly donation days to receive gently used children’s books; volunteers have the rewarding job of sorting book donations to prepare holiday hamper contributions, agency drop-offs and LFL steward pickups headed to
Just like Rotary, Calgary Reads Big Book Sale and Kids Literacy Collective, the Calgary Public Library is proudly championing childhood literacy through access to books, spaces and programs that grow a love of reading. As part of a new partnership with the library foundation, in 2026, the library will host our popular Stuff-a-Truck events at one library locations, inviting community members to drop off gently used books that will go to Calgary Reads Big Book Sale. Book sale activities will be promoted to 825,000+ library members.
In turn, the donation of $30,000 to the library foundation will support the library’s:
-New children’s book purchases
-Design and development of new and ongoing early literacy programs
Calgary Rotary Clubs
$35,000
In 2025, we extended the volunteer/donation match opportunity to more local clubs. In exchange for volunteering as a group, these clubs receive $5,000 to be donated to evidence-based early literacy initiatives in Calgary- growing a community of supporters and reach in getting kids reading.
The ’25 sale also invested in the parking support provided by Rotary Chinook,which guided drivers in and out of the Calgary Curling Club parking lot and Lot 59. Amidst road closures and additional traffic congestion, with their parking flow guidance, we created a safe, smooth experience for book sale shoppers- and we’re sure this helped to boost sales and our impact, as well as good neighbour relations.
Thank you to our fellow Rotarians for being a part of raising readers in our community!
Big Book Sale Results in Action - Pink Hat Day
Dorothy Loucks
The first Pink Hat Day, which is a free family event for parents and kids 0-8 years celebrating childhood literacy, took place on Sunday October 5 with Rotarians and community involvement. This event is an initiative of, and presented by, the Kids Literacy Collective which the Big Book Sale funds. The theme for Pink Hat Day was “Little Kids Grow with Big Conversations”. Families enjoyed literacy activities, songs, and read aloud stories; all loved the neighborhood march for childhood literacy. Parents had the opportunity to hear and chat with Sonia Cabel author of - Strive for Five - the book on how to have meaningful conversations with children.
Dorothy Loucks, Felicity Lof and Steacy Pinney
Invitation to Rotary-supported Indian Dinner & Dance Fund-Raiser
Bob Taylor
Want to experience a prime example of Rotary’s global network of over 1.4 million dedicated to being people of action, addressing challenges through shared values of integrity, service, and leadership?
Come join fellow Rotarians from several Calgary clubs
For
Maya’s Dream 2025 annual celebration and dance
On
Saturday, October 18 6:00 p.m.
At
the Empire Banquet Hall, 4826 – 11 Street NE, Calgary
To
Learn about our responses to the changing needs of the community surrounding the Maya Devi Hospital over the past year as you enjoy a delicious Indian dinner and have the chance to tap your toes during energetic cultural dance performances.
Thanks to a generous donor enabling all donations to directly benefit the charity, THERE IS NO COST TO ATTEND!
Following is the link to the Eventbrite registration page or you can simply e-mail rwbobtaylor@shaw.ca with your list of attendees.
Our Corporate Member, The Calgary Foundation, Proudly Celebrates 70 Years of Giving in this Community
Madeleine King
Rotary members Yegana Allard, Daudi Kawooya and Madeleine King at the Celebration. Daudi is not only a key part of the Calgary Foundation team, but also our Club's new Chair of the Communications Committee. Thanks Daudi!
Club Meeting Dates - updated
The Board has confirmed that our in person meetings will occur on alternate Tuesdays, so enter the following dates in your 2025 calendar:
