"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
Dennis Tran December 1
Anniversaries
(None at this time)
Inspirational Quote
"Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay."
– Simone de Beauvoir
Meet Your Board - President Joe Fras
Diane Macdonald
This is the beginning of a number of articles to introduce you to your Rotary Club of Calgary Board of Directors. In this issue of the COG we will be featuring President Joe Fras and President Elect Bill Hamilton.
"I joined the Rotary Club of Edmonton Downtown in the fall of 1992 at the suggestion and urging of a good friend. After attending a couple of introductory meetings, I liked what I saw and signed up for the tour.
I had also been approached for membership with the Kinsmen and Jaycees I was attracted to Rotary because of the its ideals of service above self, conducting itself with unwavering integrity in all its actions and its commitment to working towards international understanding and goodwill. Also, I was impressed by the energy and the friendliness I experienced at my first ‘looksee’ Club meeting.
Bill is a CPA and a partner in Ernst & Young. He currently focuses on private businesses, family, owner managed & private equity – both large and small.
Bill first encountered Rotary when he was on the Board of the Chamber of Commerce in New Westminster, BC. When he was transferred to Edmonton, he was looking for a way to become involved in the community and remembered Rotary. He joined an Edmonton club in 2002 where he served as both Treasurer and Director of Youth Services. He was subsequently transferred to Calgary in 2015, but didn’t join Rotary immediately. It was after meeting Eric Bennett, through business connections, and then George Brookman (who became a client) that he decided that the Downtown Club was near his work and would be a good club for him.
Good work Eric and George!
Bill feels privileged to be the incoming Club President. He hopes to set an example of how younger members can take on the leadership role in the club and balance it with career and family. He has done a lot of work on governance as Club Treasurer and is hoping that now he will be able to focus on providing a great Rotary experience for members. He is looking forward to continuing initiatives that make memberships fun and rewarding. Our club should focus on a “vibrant and exciting” culture with great meetings and fellowship. In addition to the wonderful work we do internationally and at home, membership should be a great personal experience where everyone is appreciated and involved.
We look forward to having Bill as our leader for the 2025/26 Rotary year.
A Letter from India
Manon Mitchell
We are excited to share with you a letter from the President of the Rotary Club of Madras, India, a "JAMES WHEELER DAVIDSON " Club. (click Read More...)
I hope you are able to identify with the intent of it by sharing the vision of Paul Harris and his Board advisors in empowering James Wheeler Davidson to bring Rotary to the world.
Our Rotary members oversee or champion many global grants. We typically run at least 5 concurrent projects, all with budgets below USD 400,000. This year, one of our club members is part of a project team looking to secure a Rotary Programs of Scale grant. Now we’re talking the BIG LEAGUE! With a 2 million USD Programs of Scale grant combined with contributions from other partners a total budget of 6 Million USD is aimed at "Empowering Families, Growing Futures: Improving Maternal and Infant Care in East Africa".
Thanks to Deb, Franco, Howie, Manon, Randy, Steve, and Trevor for helping the Granting Strategy Implementation Team figure out what roles will be needed to support our four, new focus areas.
Rotary has had the important role of Champion for several years. This role is used by many of the local, and international, granting committees (ie: small, major and legacy) It involves one (or more) Rotarian agreeing to meet with an organization who has submitted a funding application. This role helps the Club get more information to better evaluate proposals and make decisions about where Rotary funds will go. Champions are primarily used by committees that have a budget. The Early Childhood Literacy Committee is another granting committee but it uses a community advisory, not Champions, to decide how Book Sale proceeds will be strategically spent for greater impact.
We are looking for a home for our delightful exchange student from Chile. Trini, for the final part of her stay in Calgary. The start time is somewhat flexible, starting after the middle of March until shortly after the Stampede, at which time she will be heading home.
Trini has been staying with a family who volunteered through Stampede Park Club (her joint hosts) and will be moving to Manon and Kurt’s just after Christmas. She has been working hard on her English and is now able to carry on a conversation. We are giving her a bit more time and then she will be making a presentation to the club.
Hosting an exchange student is a wonderful experience, as her host parents can tell you. Not only do you give them a chance to learn another culture, but you make a friend for life. Students who we have sent abroad tell us that it is a life changing experience.
When you join our club, your personal information is recorded in your profile.
Basic data like your phone number is critical for communications. There are a three (3) phone number fields in your profile: Business Phone, Home Phone and Cell Phone.
BUT the setting which people sometimes forget to adjust is the PREFERRED Phone. Your choices there are to pick either your business phone, your home phone or your cell phone (you don't have to enter a number, just pick from the options)
WHY is this important? The impact of this shows up in some reports, particularly for committee chairs. The default phone number reported is that of the PREFERRED PHONE. So if you have not set your preferred number, there is a blank space beside your name where the phone number should be.
To learn how to set your preferred number click Read More.
In 2017, the Rotary Clubs of Calgary became a founding partner in the Community Hubs Initiative with the United Way Calgary and Area and the City of Calgary. Rotary committed $2,000,000 over 5 years to activate this ambitious poverty reduction strategy. Seven years later, Community Hubs continue to flourish. This important work is showcased in the Community Hubs Initiative 2023 Annual Report which can be viewed by clicking on flipbook or downloading the pdf. The report notes that 453,161 Calgarians have been engaged since 2017, including 75,039 in 2023.
Join Rotary on December 17 at noon at the Palliser Hotel when the keynote speaker will be Karen Young, CEO, United Way Calgary and Area. Karen will provide an update on Community Hubs and the work of the United Way. To register click on events.
Thank you for your past, and, for many of you, continuing support of Community Hubs. Your role as a presenter, community partner, Rotarian and community member continues to be critically important to the success of this ambitious project.
Expressions of Thanks from Lou MacEachern Rotary Scholarship Winners
Howie Shikaze
Since 2006, Rotarian Lou MacEachern's gift has been generating funds for us to contribute to a number of worthy causes. Managing the original $1 million gift wisely, it is now worth $1.35 million. This Fund is managed by the Calgary Foundation.
Recent recipients of the Lou MacEachern's Rotary Scholarships express their gratitude in the letters they sent recently.
Click on each recipient's name to view (download) their heartfelt thanks.
Put Your Best Face Forward—Update Your Profile Pic!
Manon Mitchell
When was the last time you updated your picture on Club Runner? With new members coming in, it is important to be aware that they may not remember your name but they will remember your face. When they look at the club directory and try to find you, seeing your face will make it way easier for them, and all of us actually, to know that we have found the right person.
Are you a newer member? The same holds true here. If you have not uploaded a picture to your profile, all we see is a blank avatar.
Let's help each other and update your picture on your ClubRunner profile today. Instructions can be viewed by clicking Read More.
Bill Skinner, Rotary Club of Calgary Heritage Park
As funders of the project in Guatemala, GG2349347, “Water system re-design and home connections – Canton of Quiacquix”, here is an update. I want to tell you that work has begun on the ground in Quiacquix this past week. I’ve attached a few photos, showing both delivery of some of the materials and the trenching and laying of some water lines. Preliminary plans indicate that work will take about 6 months.
I will be taking 9 people to Guatemala with me in late January. Most are Rotarians and funders of this project. We will be able to see the project in an advanced state of work. We will also visit several other projects, most of which my club is at least partly funding, some with district or global grants.
Check out the pictures of the amazing work by clicking Read More ...
We are holding an awesome raffle on December 10 at our Christmas Dinner party. WIN TWO (2) tickets on any regularly schedule West jet flight. We have printed only 200 tickets and they are $20 each. Proceeds from this raffle are in support of Early Childhood Literacy (ECL) programs and projects.
There are a few tickets lett. They will be on sale at our November 26 club meeting and if there are any left we will bring them to the club Christmas Dinner on December 10th, the night of the draw.
Frank n' Stein is moving to Tuesday
Dennis Tran
Please note that starting November 19th, Frank n' Stein, our regularly scheduled get together informal event, is moving to the FIRST and THIRD TUESDAY of each month.
Watch your email for the location which changes periodically.
Make A Donation ... Make An Impact
Terry McMahon
The Mayhood Honour Roll displays the names of Rotarians who have contributed their treasure to either the Calgary Rotary Clubs Foundation and / or The Rotary Foundation. It's nearly the end of the year and still time to make your donation to HAVE AN IMPACT and get that CHARITABLE DONATION receipt. These are our Foundations and provide the fuel for our club and other Rotarians in our District to execute projects of IMPACT in our community and abroad. Every contribution counts- big or small. Make a donation ... make an impact!
When is the COG published?
Manon Mitchell
The COG, the electronic newsletter informing our members of our club's activities and interesting articles, is published approximately every 2 weeks, usually (but not always) the week when we do not have an inperson club meeting. We'd love to send it weekly but it takes about 6 hours to put together so every other week will have to do.
If you'd like to have us publish an article or have an idea about what we should be publishing, please forward your ideas to Manon or Diane by the FRIDAY before the Tuesday publication date.
You are also welcome to contact either Manon or Diane to discuss any idea you may have.
Here are this year's publication dates:
Nov 12, 26 (NEW)
Dec 3, 17, 24 (Xmas edition)
Jan 7, 21
Feb4, 18
Mar 4, 18
Apr 1, 15, 29
May 6, 20
June 3, 17
If you enjoy reading the COG, let us know because your comments are the only way we know we are hitting the mark and it is our reward!
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This is the beginning of a number of articles to introduce you to your Rotary Club of Calgary Board of Directors. In this issue of the COG we will be featuring President Joe Fras and President Elect Bill Hamilton. 
Bill is a CPA and a partner in Ernst & Young. He currently focuses on private businesses, family, owner managed & private equity – both large and small. 
The 
Our Rotary members oversee or champion many global grants. We typically run at least 5 concurrent projects, all with budgets below USD 400,000. This year, one of our club members is part of a project team looking to secure a Rotary Programs of Scale grant. Now we’re talking the BIG LEAGUE! With a 2 million USD Programs of Scale grant combined with contributions from other partners a total budget of 6 Million USD is aimed at "Empowering Families, Growing Futures: Improving Maternal and Infant Care in East Africa". 
We are looking for a home for our delightful exchange student from Chile. Trini, for the final part of her stay in Calgary. The start time is somewhat flexible, starting after the middle of March until shortly after the Stampede, at which time she will be heading home. 
When was the last time you updated your picture on Club Runner? With new members coming in, it is important to be aware that they may not remember your name but they will remember your face. When they look at the club directory and try to find you, seeing your face will make it way easier for them, and all of us actually, to know that we have found the right person.
